Essential travel only: EMR warns of extremely busy services on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November due to major engineering works on wider network
- EMR services to and from London St Pancras are expected to be extremely busy on Saturday 28, and Sunday 29, November due to engineering works on the East Coast Main Line
- Customers are advised to only travel if its essential to do so
- Customers who would normally travel with LNER are being strongly advised to follow the alternative arrangements, rather than travelling via EMR services
- Although journey planners may show the quickest route available, end to end journeys are unlikely to reflect the reality due to queues at stations
East Midlands Railway (EMR), which is operated by Transport UK, is advising customers to only travel if its essential on Saturday 28, and Sunday 29, November 2026, as major engineering work will mean services will be extremely busy.
During the affected weekend, there will be no LNER trains between London King’s Cross and Peterborough as part of digital signalling upgrades by Network Rail. As a result, EMR services to and from London St Pancras are expected be extremely busy.
EMR customers are advised that:
- A queuing system will be in place at London St Pancras and Sheffield for EMR services.
- It may not be possible to board your intended service or get a seat.
- Customers should allow extra time at the station and consider travelling on a weekday if possible.
- Customers who have already purchased their tickets and whose journey is essential should follow the journey itinerary shown on their ticket or booking confirmation.
- EMR tickets will not be valid on LNER rail or coach replacement services.
LNER customers who haven't already booked a ticket with EMR and need to travel to or from London St Pancras should:
- Travel on Thameslink services to/from Bedford.
- Change at Bedford for the dedicated rail replacement coach services to/from Peterborough.
- Continue their journey from Peterborough on 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 onto Thameslink services to / from London
LNER tickets will not be valid on EMR rail services and LNER customers planning journeys to or from London St Pancras International or London Terminals are advised to use the ‘Change at: Bedford’ filter when searching for travel options.
Philippa Cresswell, Customer Experience Director at East Midlands Railway, 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.”
More information is available on EMR's website here: Essential Travel only on services to/from London St Pancras - 28 and 29 November | EMR