Northern issues travel warning ahead of December timetable shake-up

Northern has urged passengers to plan ahead as new train timetables come into effect on Sunday 14 December 2025. The changes are part of the national timetable update that takes place twice a year, in May and December, and will bring a series of adjustments across the network.

Several routes will see revised departure times, with the North East among the areas set to benefit from new services, faster journey options and improved connectivity. The operator says the refresh is designed to make travel more reliable and better aligned to passenger demand.

However, customers are also being warned to expect disruption over the festive period. Engineering work will affect a number of services during Christmas and New Year, including a full closure of the line between Leeds and York from Christmas until late January as part of the ongoing Transpennine Route Upgrade.

To help travellers prepare, Northern is highlighting a range of tools available for journey planning, including its online timetable comparison tool, the Northern app for real-time updates and ticket purchases, and the National Rail Enquiries journey planner for wider network information.

Matt Rice, Chief Operating Officer for Northern, said:

"The upcoming timetable changes reflect our focus on improving connectivity, strengthening reliability and offering more convenient services across the North of England. We are pleased to be able to offer later trains in the evening following customer feedback on some of our routes, and extra trains during peak times on others. I'd urge customers to check their journeys in advance as there will be some significant changes in place, and particularly during the December engineering period.”

Passengers can view full details of the timetable changes on Northern's website.

Image: Northern