Severn Tunnel Closure: All you need to know
09 September 2016From September 2016, the Severn Tunnel will be shut for six weeks due to works on the rail electrification.
The tunnel will shut on the 12th September 2016 and will reopen on the 21st October 2016. During this time, Network Rail engineers will be working to install the new equipment to power the new fleet of faster, greener electric trains.
Please click here to see information from Network Rail regarding the closure.
You can also see the information leaflet from Network Rail by clicking here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please click here to see the FAQs from Network Rail.
Public Transport
Please see below information from transport operators regarding the closure.
Arriva Trains Wales
Due to essential Network Rail improvement work, the railway lines between Cardiff Central and Newport and Cardiff Central and Ebbw Vale Town will be closed all day on the weekend of the 7th - 8th November and the 14th - 15th November 2016.
A rail replacement bus service will run between Cardiff Central and Newport all weekend. The line closure will affect train companies (Arriva Trains Wales, Cross County and Great Western Railway) that operate services on the mainline between Cardiff and Newport, including services between South Wales and London, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester.
The bus stops will be well signposted: Cardiff Central bus stop: Penarth Rd/rear car park exit.
Newport bus stop: Godfrey Rd/car park exit.
As a result, spaces at these car parks will be extremely limited over the weekends.
A rail replacement bus service will also run between Cardiff Central and Ebbw Vale Town in both directions all weekend.You can download the bus timetable here.
Great Western Railway London and Portsmouth services will start and terminate at Bristol Parkway with rail replacement buses will also run directly between Bristol Parkway and Cardiff Central, Bristol Parkway and Newport and Bristol Parkway and Severn Tunnel Junction. Connecting train services will also run between Cardiff and West Wales.
Customers are advised to allow extra time for their journey and regretfully dogs (except guide dogs), cycles, prams and large items of luggage cannot be carried on replacement bus services.
Arriva Train Wales apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Please see more information on the Arriva Trains Wales website here.
Great Western Railway
Network Rail are working on the electrification of the Great Western mainline from London to Bristol, Cardiff and Swansea, which will mean brand new trains and faster rail services.
Great Western Railway (GWR) have been working closely with Network Rail to provide the best service possible during these essential works.
Rail services to London will continue to run via Gloucester and journeys will therefore be longer. GWR will also offer a comprehensive schedule of bus service between Newport and Bristol for local journeys.
A dedicated webpage for information can be found on the Great Western Railway website here.
You can also see an accompanying information leaflet here, which they have produced with Network Rail. These contain information on rail replacement buses and details of which services will be affected:
GWR are also working with Arriva Trains Wales to provide information at stations and will have announcements and advice on board the trains.
In addition to the work in Severn Tunnel, Network Rail will also be carrying out improvement work around Filton, which will affect Bristol, South Wales and Gloucester services on August Bank Holiday (27th - 29th August).
A dedicated webpage for information has also been created for this piece of work, which can be found on the Great Western Railway website here, along with an accompanying information leaflet here.
The resignalling work at Filton will mean a number of altered train journeys. GWR are working with Network Rail to have these loaded into the train booking system as quickly as possible.
Customers are advised to please check for updates through special messages when tickets are booked online and with information at booking offices.
Great Western Railway Timetables
Please see the timetables from GWR that will be in place during the closure: