Travelling with EMR this August Bank Holiday weekend – Here’s what you need to know

East Midlands Railway (EMR) has issued advice to customers planning to travel during the August Bank Holiday weekend, as events and industrial action at other operators are likely to affect demand on its services.

EMR services will be running as normal across the Bank Holiday period (Friday 22 August – Monday 25 August). However, customers are advised to plan ahead, as CrossCountry services will be significantly affected by industrial action. On Saturday 23 August, there will be no CrossCountry services. On Sunday, some cancellations are also likely, and on Monday 25 August, the operator will be running a reduced timetable.

This is expected to result in higher demand on EMR routes as displaced passengers seek alternative travel options.

Alongside the industrial action, the weekend will see a packed calendar of major events, including Reading and Leeds Festival, Creamfields, Manchester Pride and Notting Hill Carnival, as well as a busy football schedule with fixtures in Derby, Sheffield, Nottingham and elsewhere. 

To help manage the extra demand, EMR will be strengthening a number of services, including on EMR Connect (Corby to London) on Sunday to provide additional capacity for customers affected by East Coast Main Line engineering works.

With a busy weekend predicted, EMR is also reminding customers about recent changes at Nottingham station which mean access to platforms via the footbridge restricted between 7pm and 6am each day, replacing the current 11pm to 5am window. During these hours, all rail users must access platforms through the main station concourse and ticket gates.

Customers are also being reminded when travelling with luggage to only bring what they are comfortable to carry themselves.

Philippa Cresswell, Customer Experience Director at East Midlands Railway, said: “The August Bank Holiday weekend is always one of the busiest times of the year for leisure travel, and this year is no exception.

"With no CrossCountry services on Saturday, cancellations on Saturday and a reduced timetable on Monday, alongside major festivals, football fixtures, and engineering works on the East Coast Main Line, we’re encouraging customers to plan ahead, check their journeys before travelling, and allow extra time.

“We are grateful to our customers for their patience and understanding while our teams work to get everyone to their destinations this weekend.”