Rail passengers have been instructed to only travel in 'essential' circumstances due to soaring temperatures. With hot weather forecast in England, Scotland, and Wales for the remainder of the week and set to exceed 35C, train journeys are likely to experience 'significant disruption'.
Reduced Timetables and Service Changes
Chiltern Railways is operating on a reduced timetable between 11am and 8pm as a result to ensure a 'reliable service' can be provided 'during the hottest part of the day'. Michael Stewart, from Chiltern Railways, said: 'If you do need to travel, please check your journey before setting out, allow extra time and carry water with you to stay hydrated.' He added that customers should travel 'only if it's essential on Thursday because of the exceptionally high temperatures forecast across our network'.
Tomorrow, off-peak services between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street will be running hourly, with some services between London Marylebone and Oxford cancelled. Chiltern Railways will not run any services from Birmingham Snow Hill after 10.15am. Shuttle services from Leamington Spa to Birmingham Moor Street will only run until 11am.
Refunds and Ticket Flexibility
Should customers no longer wish to travel tomorrow, full fee-free refunds are available from their point of purchase, the operator has confirmed. Alternatively, tickets dated for tomorrow can be used on Friday or Saturday.
Rail chaos continues throughout the UK, with other operators suspending numerous services this week including East Midlands Railway (EMR), which has also advised only 'essential' journeys tomorrow. EMR confirmed that regional services between Sheffield and Liverpool will be suspended on Thursday, while services between Nottingham and Worksop and between Nottingham and Leicester will be suspended after 12pm.
Health Alerts and Drought
Customers have been encouraged to travel before midday where possible and to expect longer journeys and increased risk of short-notice changes, with providers asking for 'patience and understanding'. At the start of the week, the Met Office issued a rare amber warning, with temperatures possibly peaking at 38C.
Temperatures haven't risen above 36C in August for six years, with 36.4C recorded at Heathrow and Kew Gardens in 2020. Parts of the east, south-east, and the Midlands are expected to be the hottest, but health alerts have been issued across all of England. The Met Office's warning runs from 9am to 11.59pm tomorrow, which is when the latest heatwave is expected to peak.
It comes amid reports that 2026 is looking likely to be the hottest summer on record, while nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought due to the driest July yet.
