Overnight Train Disruption to Affect Holyhead Travel Plans
Travellers heading through North Wales in mid-July should prepare for late-evening changes on the railway between Llandudno Junction and Holyhead. From Monday 14 July to Friday 18 July 2025, all train services running between 11pm and 7:45am will be cancelled. During this period, passengers will be transported by rail replacement buses covering the affected route. Daytime rail schedules are expected to continue as normal outside these overnight hours.
The temporary closure is linked to engineering works organised by Network Rail, focusing on infrastructure along several sections of the line. The crews will carry out these upgrades while most people are asleep, dodging the busy daytime rush when trains are packed. However, travellers catching early morning departures or arriving on late ferry services via Holyhead Port should anticipate possible delays and longer connection times. Additional planning may be required to avoid missed transfers or schedule disruptions.
Network Rail’s maintenance programme includes tunnel inspections, stoneblowing to restore proper track alignment, and drainage improvements to strengthen performance during adverse weather. These procedures are essential for ensuring the long-term resilience of the route but may lead to slower journey times during the affected nights. The buses will visit all regular stops but the experience will be different. Boarding could take more time, the journey might feel slower and the seating will not match the comfort of a typical train ride.
If you're planning to hop over to Ireland from Holyhead, even a short break in train service could throw off your ferry timing or mess with follow-up plans. By doing the repairs before summer gets really busy, the goal is to avoid bigger problems popping up when everyone’s already on the move. Travellers are advised to follow real-time updates, review journey changes in advance, and leave room for delays when planning multi-step itineraries.
Even if this kind of maintenance is nothing unusual, it shows how a few nights without trains can change the way people plan their trips. For those visiting North Wales or passing through on their way to Ireland, flexibility will be essential. This maintenance window underlines the continued need to balance infrastructure upkeep with minimal disruption to passenger movement during busy travel periods.