Passengers travelling from Oxford during the Easter period face significant disruption, as Chiltern Railways will replace train services with buses on several routes for six consecutive days from Friday 3 April to Wednesday 8 April 2026. The changes are required to accommodate major engineering works, including the construction of the new high-speed railway and upgrades to the West Coast Main Line.
The service changes are caused by two concurrent projects: ongoing work on the Small Dean Viaduct near Wendover, where HS2 Ltd is installing 4,000 tonnes of stone for the track bed, and a 400 million pound investment programme led by Network Rail. As part of this wider upgrade, London Euston station will be closed to all long-distance services throughout the six-day period.
To help manage the disruption, an enhanced train service will run between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street. However, travellers should expect longer journey times, potential crowding, and the necessity of changing to replacement buses at various points on the network. Specific bus replacements will operate between Aylesbury and Great Missenden (Friday 3 to Monday 6 April), Bicester North and Kings Sutton and Banbury, Warwick Parkway and Hatton and Lapworth and Dorridge, and Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Additionally, on Tuesday 7 April and Wednesday 8 April, there will be no Chiltern Railways services operating between Marylebone and Amersham. A limited shuttle service will run between Amersham and Aylesbury Vale Parkway, with passengers advised to use the London Underground Metropolitan Line to connect to Baker Street.
Officials, including Patrick Cawley, the director of on network works for Network Rail and HS2, and Michael Stewart, the commercial and customer strategy director at Chiltern Railways, are urging all passengers to check their travel plans before setting off. Further details regarding the amended timetable are available through official online journey planners.
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