Over the course of the next financial year, we will operate more services than at the start of the franchise. We are seeking to eventually operate 10 trains per hour during the currency of the December 2025 timetable, including the full rollout of two trains per hour on the Liverpool route – driving connectivity and growth across the UK.

Timetable uplifts

Since 18 May, we have added 62 more weekly services, a 3.3% increase, bringing our total to 1,957 services and over one million seats available each week across the West Coast Main Line. Between May and December, we will be increasing services by 8%, moving towards twice-hourly trains to Liverpool, one train per hour to Chester, and a full return of Holyhead routes. Plans to restore the full Glasgow to London, via West Midlands, service are underway (subject to ORR approval), marking our most extensive intercity timetable since the pandemic.

Key timetable regional service updates:

Liverpool: 20 extra weekly services plus more stops at Lichfield Trent Valley and Tamworth

West Midlands: additional weekday and weekend trains between Birmingham and London

Scotland: rerouted and extra services between London, Glasgow, and the West Midlands

Chester & North Wales: extra trains including an early service to London before 9am

Summer engineering works | Line closed at Stockport - 2 to 22 August 2025

From Saturday 2 to Friday 22 August, essential engineering work will mean no train services to or from Stockport, Macclesfield, and Stoke-on-Trent. During this period, replacement buses will operate to keep passengers moving, but journeys will take longer than usual.

Trains between London and Manchester will continue to run; however, they will be diverted via an alternative route, adding a few extra minutes to journey times. These diversions will also result in fewer trains running between Manchester and Liverpool, leading to a reduced frequency of services.

As a result, the timetable at Lichfield Trent Valley and Tamworth will be significantly reduced, particularly for services between London and Liverpool.

Passengers planning to travel to Wembley for the Community Shield on 10 August should be aware that this engineering work could affect their journey. We strongly advise checking travel plans in advance and allowing extra time.

We appreciate your patience and understanding while we carry out this important work to improve reliability and future capacity on the network.