More than £160m of major investment projects will take place across the rail network this Christmas.

While much of the railway network will be open for business, work to deliver long-term improvements will result in significant changes to services in some areas.

Thousands of rail staff will be out on the network, renewing track, replacing ageing infrastructure and installing modern signalling, which will ultimately reduce faults and delays, and deliver a safer, more reliable railway that is fit for the future.

In the run-up to Christmas, trains and stations are expected to be particularly busy. Train services on many routes will finish earlier than usual on Christmas Eve, and, as usual, there will be no National Rail services on Christmas Day. On Boxing Day, most train operators will not run any trains, but a small number will run limited services.

Anit Chandarana, Network Rail's system operator group director, said: “With Christmas just around the corner, we know how important this time of year is for rail passengers wanting to travel on the network to visit families and friends.

"Major improvement work taking place across the rail network over the Christmas period will mean changes to services in some areas. That's why we have worked closely with train operators to organise diversions and replacement buses where possible.

“To everyone travelling, please take the time to check your journey using National Rail Enquiries or your train operator's website and book ahead if you can. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we deliver work to improve the reliability of the railway.”

Major projects taking place over Christmas and New Year include:

• Works to replace a junction at Hanslope on the West Coast Main Line means no trains between Milton Keynes and Rugby between Christmas Day and 4 January.
• Works to replace a 1960s bridge over the M6 motorway means no trains between Preston and Carlisle, 31 December to 15 January.
• Works to install new signalling at Kingmoor, just north of Carlisle means no trains between Carlisle and Lockerbie from 1 January and 7 January.
• Improvements by the Transpennine Route Upgrade around Church Fenton, Yorkshire, including signalling, track and power supply, means, no trains between Leeds and York ( via Church Fenton) between Christmas Day and 3 January.
• Commissioning and testing a new signalling system to improve reliability and safety means no trains between Cambridge North, Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds and Stansted Airport from Christmas Day to 4 January.
• Works to refurbish the roof of London Liverpool Street station means no trains between Stratford and Liverpool Street from Christmas Day to New Year's Day.
• Works to renew worn out track and points around Queenstown Road, London, means no trains to or from Waterloo from Christmas Day until 28 December, and a very limited service to Waterloo until 4 January.
• The installation of a new railway bridge at Bowling in West Dunbartonshire means no trains between Dalmuir and Balloch/Helensburgh Central, or between Glasgow Queen Street and Crianlarich, 24 December to 2 January.