Heavy Snow Brings Rail Disruption Across Northern Scotland and North East England

Severe winter weather is causing widespread disruption to rail services across northern Scotland and parts of the North East of England, with heavy snow affecting journeys over the coming days.

In Scotland, LNER is reporting significant problems on routes north of Dundee. The operator has advised passengers not to travel from Saturday 3 January until at least 2pm on Sunday 4 January, as services remain heavily impacted. Rail replacement transport has been arranged between Edinburgh, Dundee, and Aberdeen, and travelers can also use their tickets on ScotRail services at no extra cost. Passengers are warned, however, that alternative services may be busy due to high demand. Tickets for travel on Saturday and Sunday will be valid up to Wednesday 7 January.

ScotRail is also experiencing disruption on several key routes, including Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh or Wick, Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen or Inverness, and Edinburgh to Aberdeen or Inverness. All services to and from Thurso are currently suspended, and attempts to provide replacement buses between Thurso, Wick, and Georgemas Junction have been unsuccessful due to the weather. Passengers with advance tickets for affected journeys are being allowed to use them on any alternative route without additional cost, but many are being advised to consider making their own travel arrangements.

In the North East of England, snowfall between Newcastle and Ashington has forced a reduced timetable. Services on this route are either cancelled or delayed by up to 30 minutes. The reduced service has been implemented to prevent delays from building up along the line, but travelers should still expect longer journey times.

Overall, rail operators are urging caution and flexibility, as snow and icy conditions continue to disrupt travel across northern parts of the UK. Passengers are encouraged to check the latest updates before setting out and allow extra time for journeys.

Image: ScotRail