EMR warns of 'extremely busy' weekend due to works

East Midlands Railway (EMR) has warned that services to and from London St Pancras are expected to be "extremely busy" over the last weekend of November.

EMR said it was advising customers to only travel "if essential" on 28 and 29 November, due to major engineering works taking place on the East Coast Main Line.

During the affected weekend, there will be no London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) trains between London King's Cross and Peterborough as part of digital signalling upgrades by Network Rail, EMR said. As a result, EMR services to and from London St Pancras were expected to be extremely busy.

EMR advised customers to allow extra time and consider travelling on a weekday if possible.

The rail operator - which is operated by Transport UK - said there would be queuing systems in place at London St Pancras, and Sheffield railway station, and added it may not be possible for customers to board their intended service or get a seat.

Although journey planners may show the quickest route available, end-to-end journeys were "unlikely to reflect the reality due to queues at stations", EMR said.

Customers who have already purchased their tickets and whose journey is essential should follow the journey itinerary shown on their ticket or booking confirmation, the company said.

It added EMR tickets would not be valid on LNER rail or coach replacement services.

EMR said LNER customers who had not already booked a ticket with EMR, and needed to travel to or from London St Pancras, should travel on Thameslink services to or from Bedford.

It added passengers should then change at Bedford for dedicated rail replacement coach services to and from Peterborough, where they would be able to continue their journey from Peterborough on a LNER service.

LNER will be operating a small number of services from stations in the north east and Yorkshire to Bedford, for customers to connect on to Thameslink services to and from London, EMR said.

Philippa Cresswell, EMR customer experience director, said: "These upgrades are essential for improving the reliability of the railway, but they do mean services will feel different for customers travelling on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November 2026.

"Our Intercity services are expected to be extremely busy over the weekend, and customers should only travel if it's essential.

"They should also allow extra time for their journey, particularly at St Pancras International, where a queuing system will be in place.

"Customers should also consider making their journey on Friday or Monday, if possible.

"We also strongly encourage customers to check their journey before travelling. Customers who normally travel via LNER should continue to do so and follow any alternative travel advice provided, so we can keep everyone moving as smoothly as possible."

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