UPDATE: Advice to customers attempting journeys to and from Scotland. Line now reopened

• Customers travelling to and from Scotland given advice as a result of extreme weather in the region
• West Coast Main Line north of Carlisle was blocked due ta a landslip near Carstairs
• Customers who need to travel can use their tickets up until Tuesday 10 January

UPDATED: Thursday 5 January, 2023:

Emergency engineering works to fix flood damage to the West Coast Main Line near Carstairs have now been completed.

The line will reopen for passenger trains on Friday, January 6, but customers are being urged only to travel if their journey is essential as services on the line will be severely limited by ongoing RMT strike action.

Barry Milsom, executive director of operations and safety at Avanti West Coast, said: “We’re pleased the West Coast Main Line has now reopened north of Carlisle following repairs to the tracks and would like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding while Network Rail carried out this urgent work.

“While our services to and from Glasgow can resume on Friday 6 January, a significantly reduced timetable will be in place on this day, as well as Saturday 7 January due to strike action. Therefore, we strongly encourage customers travelling to and from Scotland to make their journeys on Sunday 8, Monday 9 or Tuesday 10 January when we’ll be operating our full timetable.

“If you’re no longer able to travel, you can claim a full fee-free refund from where you bought your ticket. For the latest updates about your journey, please check www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk before travelling.”

UPDATED: Sunday 1 January, 2023:

As a result of the extreme weather in Scotland, resulting in a landslip south of Carstairs, all lines on the West Coast Main Line between Carlisle and Scotland are blocked. The line is expected to be closed until Friday 6 January while Network Rail carry out emergency engineering works.

Customers are being advised do not travel north of Carlisle as there are no services. The landslip has caused significant damage to the track. An amended timetable is in place between Carlisle and London Euston. Customers travelling on this route are being strongly advised to check their journey before they travel.

We are being advised by Network Rail that services will be expected to resume on Friday 6 January. Tickets dated between Friday 30 December to Friday 6 January can be used up to and including Tuesday 10 January. However, we recommend travelling on 8 to 10 January if you can. 

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson said: “While our colleagues at Network Rail are working hard to reopen the affected parts of the line damaged by the landslip caused by extreme weather, our advice to customers is do not  travel to and from Scotland on the West Coast Main Line.

“Customers are being advised not to travel north of Carlisle as there are no services. An amended timetable is in place between Carlisle and London Euston. Customers travelling south of Carlisle are being strongly advised to check their journey before they travel. We thank our customers for their patience in what are very challenging circumstances.

Friday 30 January, 2022:

Avanti West Coast has advised customers 'do not travel' to and from Scotland in the wake of extreme weather in region.

The conditions have caused flooding, blocking parts of the West Coast Main Line north of Carlisle including between Lockerbie and Carstairs. As a result customers are being advised do not travel to and from Scotland for the rest of the day.

An amended timetable is also in place on services south of Carlisle for the remainder of Friday, 30 December. An hourly service will operate between London and Preston. One train every two hours from London will continue to Carlisle.

Customers with Avanti West Coast tickets for Friday 30 December to and from Glasgow, Edinburgh Waverley, Lockerbie, Motherwell or Haymarket who now cannot travel can claim a full refund. Customers who need to travel can use their tickets up until midday Saturday 31 December.

Customers travelling tomorrow instead are advised to check before travelling, expect disruption and significantly longer journey times.

If customers experience delays or their train is cancelled while travelling on the rest of the West Coast Main Line and they no longer wish to travel, they can claim a full fee-free refund from where ticket was bought.