TfW announces major rail replacement operation during £25m rail upgrade

Nation.Cymru staff

Transport for Wales is preparing one of its biggest ever rail replacement operations, with buses set to replace trains for up to four weeks this winter.

The £25m upgrade of the north Wales coast railway will close the line between Chester and Holyhead from 9 to 29 January 2027. Trains will then resume as far as Llandudno Junction, with buses continuing between there and Holyhead through 5 February.

The Conwy Valley line between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog will also close from 9 to 29 January, with trains resuming on Saturday 30 January.

Network Rail will renew track and upgrade infrastructure at sites including the Conwy Tubular Railway Bridge, Bodorgan Tunnel, Penmaenbach, Holyhead and Llandudno. The programme also includes platform improvements at Llandudno Junction and new footbridges at Prestatyn and Pensarn.

The work was scheduled for winter to reduce disruption to tourism and local businesses. Emma Osborn, Network Rail’s passenger strategy director, said the closure would allow teams to deliver “several years’ worth of essential upgrades in just four weeks”.

Transport for Wales will run limited-stop buses every 30 minutes between Chester and Holyhead, calling only at Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Junction and Bangor. These buses will run hourly on Sundays.

Local buses will serve all stations every 30 minutes between Chester and Bangor and every hour between Bangor and Holyhead, with a reduced timetable on Sundays. TfW says all replacement coaches will be accessible and is asking passengers who need extra help to book Passenger Assist in advance.

Avanti West Coast will continue to run hourly trains between London Euston and Chester during the first three weeks, with replacement buses onward to Holyhead. Its trains will run as far as Llandudno Junction in the final week. Manchester to Cardiff services will run as normal throughout.

Separate work at Chester station means buses will replace trains between Wrexham General and Chester on 10, 16, 17, 23 and 24 January. Services from Chester to Manchester, Liverpool and Crewe will run as normal.

Colin Lea, TfW’s planning and performance director, said: “We know some journeys will take a bit longer during the closure, so we’re asking customers to check before they travel, plan ahead and allow extra time for their journey.”

Timetables and travel advice are available on TfW’s north Wales coast closure page.