Train at London Marylebone 3 cropped

Customers reminded of line closure between Leamington Spa and Bicester this weekend

Customers travelling with Chiltern Railways are being urged to check their journeys as the line will be closed between Bicester North and Leamington Spa from Saturday 27 July until Wednesday 31 July inclusive due to engineering works.   

As a result of bridge works between Bicester North and Kings Sutton and tunnel works between Banbury and Leamington Spa, customers should allow extra time when travelling across the five days.  The works will ensure more reliable journeys for customers in the future.

Rail replacement buses will operate as follows:  

  • Bicester Village - Banbury - Leamington Spa  
  • Bicester Village - Banbury - Stratford Upon Avon  
  • Bicester Village - Kings Sutton – Banbury  

Rail replacement buses will run from Bicester Village for journeys to and from Marylebone. Buses from Leamington Spa will connect with trains for journeys to and from Birmingham Moor Street.  

There will be no through trains between London Marylebone and Birmingham and no services will operate from Bicester North station. Customers will need to use rail replacement buses to complete their journey, if travelling through the affected area. Most journey times will be considerably longer than usual, and customers should check their journey before setting off. Journey planners have been updated.  

In addition, an enhanced timetable will be in operation during the afternoon and evening on Saturday 27 July as Bruce Springsteen is in concert at Wembley Stadium. There will be additional Wembley Stadium stops and some additional trains. Services will also be busier than usual due to additional passengers travelling because of separate engineering works between Oxford and Didcot.  

Meanwhile, no Chiltern Railways trains will operate between London Marylebone and Aylesbury Vale Parkway (via Amersham) after 4pm on Saturday 27 July. Rail replacement bus services will operate, connecting with trains to and from London Marylebone at Beaconsfield.   

Across the five days customers are advised to:    

  • Allow extra time for their journey  
  • Book tickets in advance via the website or Chiltern App  
  • Check their journey before travelling  

Contact Information

Liam Bolland

07967 884343

liam.bolland@chilternrailways.co.uk

Notes to editors

  • Chiltern Railways is part of the Arriva group, one of the leading providers of passenger transport in Europe,  employing around 34,400 people and delivering around 1.6 billion passenger journeys across 11 countries. 
  • Chiltern operates commuter/regional rail passenger services from its Central London terminus at London Marylebone along the M40 corridor to destinations in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, as well as long-distance services to the West Midlands along two routes. Services on the Chiltern Main Line run from London Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill, Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford, with some peak-hour services to Stourbridge Junction.
  • Chiltern also runs trains on the London to Aylesbury Line to Aylesbury (with some trains terminating at Aylesbury Vale Parkway instead), on the Princes Risborough to Aylesbury and Oxford to Bicester branch lines.