Elizabeth line passengers will have no train service between Stratford and Romford from 27 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 while Network Rail renews track equipment at Forest Gate. Rail replacement buses will operate along the affected section, with a reduced train service between Romford and Shenfield.
The planned engineering work on the Great Eastern Main Line will affect journeys through east London over Christmas and New Year. A separate programme west of London will also stop Elizabeth line services west of Paddington, restricting travel on both sides of the capital during the festive period.
Network Rail will renew six sets of points at Forest Gate, alongside rails, sleepers and ballast. Points are the movable sections of track that allow trains to pass from one line to another, while sleepers and ballast support the rails.
The closure is for planned renewal work, rather than disruption caused by a failure. For passengers, however, it means journeys normally made directly by train will need to be planned around replacement transport and the services that remain available.
Changes in east London
The main change for Elizabeth line users in east London is the break in service between Stratford and Romford. Passengers travelling across that section will need to use the rail replacement buses rather than remain on a train for the whole journey.
Trains between Romford and Shenfield will continue to run, but with a reduced service. That distinction matters for passengers east of Romford: the railway there will not be entirely closed, although the normal service will not be available during the works.
Greater Anglia tickets will be accepted for travel between Newbury Park and Stratford or Liverpool Street. This provides an alternative route via Newbury Park for eligible passengers, separate from the replacement buses serving the section closed to Elizabeth line trains.
The combination of buses, ticket acceptance and reduced trains means there will not be a single replacement arrangement covering every journey. Passengers should check the arrangements for their particular starting point and destination, especially if their trip normally crosses the Stratford to Romford section.
Replacement buses are not the same as the usual train service, and travellers should allow for the change when planning connections. The supplied arrangements do not establish individual bus departure times or the frequency of the reduced Romford to Shenfield trains.
Paddington and airport journeys
Separate engineering work west of London means no Elizabeth line services will run west of Paddington over the period. The line will operate only as a central shuttle, rather than offering its usual through journeys across London and beyond.
That western closure will affect Elizabeth line journeys to Heathrow, while Heathrow Express services are also affected. Airport passengers should therefore not assume that their usual rail link will be available simply because they can reach Paddington.
For people travelling from east London towards Heathrow, the eastern and western works need to be considered together. The absence of trains between Stratford and Romford is only part of the change, with onward airport travel also subject to separate restrictions.
These engineering arrangements sit alongside the customary Christmas shutdown. Most routes will not operate on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so passengers need to distinguish those closures from the Forest Gate works beginning on 27 December.
A limited Stansted Express service will run on Boxing Day between Stansted Airport and Tottenham Hale. It is an exception to the usual festive closures, not an indication that normal rail services across London will be operating that day.
Planning festive travel
GBR Anglia chief operating officer Martin Beable said most of the railway stays open over the festive period, with the quieter time being used to carry out improvements at Forest Gate and Barking.
Passengers should check TfL and National Rail before travelling, as timetables can change. The Forest Gate work is scheduled to continue until 3 January 2027, making the replacement buses, reduced eastern service and separate western restrictions relevant to New Year journeys as well as Christmas travel.
