Translink: major disruption for Northern Ireland Railways passengers with line and station closures

Essential engineering work is being carried out, with a line closure planned from Saturday, March 30 until Sunday, April 7 inclusively.

The works are essential to continue the process of connecting up the rail lines to the new Belfast Grand Central Station, set to be ready for passenger use by the end of the year.

There are different closure periods and train services along the southern corridor will be impacted.

Translink is encouraging passengers to plan their journey before they go using information on the website www.translink.co.uk or Journey Planner and allow extra time for their journey.

Translink’s John Glass said work on the new integrated transport facility is “moving at pace”.

"Once complete, this impressive high-quality facility will offer an enhanced user experience with a significant increase in capacity, doubling the number of rail platforms from four to eight and increasing bus stands to 26.

"This will bring significant benefits to people travelling right across Northern Ireland and beyond.

"Designed to be fully inclusive, up to 20 million passenger journeys can be accommodated making it the largest integrated transport facility on the island of Ireland.

"With reduced passenger numbers over the holiday period, we have carefully planned a range of travel options with bus substitution services in place to minimise the overall impact and ensure people can continue to make their journeys and access the city.

"During this closure period we will also be carrying out essential platform works at Adelaide and Derriaghy and complete signalling upgrades at Lisburn.

"I want to thank all our passengers and local neighbours for their support and patience as we progress these essential works,” he added.

A Saturday rail timetable will operate across the entire rail network during the week except Sunday which will be a normal Sunday timetable.

What are the changes from Saturday, March 30 to Easter Tuesday, April 2 inclusive?

• Belfast Lanyon Place to Belfast Great Victoria Street (GVS) to Portadown will be closed.
• Botanic and City Hospital stations will be closed.
• Bus substitution services will run between Belfast Lanyon Place and Great Victoria Station approximately every 30 minutes.
• Bus substitution services will operate instead of trains between Great Victoria Street and Portadown, as per the railway timetable.
• The Enterprise service will operate from Portadown to Dublin, with Belfast customers transferred by bus between Belfast Lanyon Place and Newry train station.
• Passengers for City Hospital / Botanic stations can use scheduled Metro / Ulsterbus services along the Lisburn Road. Rail tickets will be accepted on scheduled bus services.

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What are the changes from Wednesday, April 3 to Sunday, April 7 inclusive?

• Belfast Lanyon Place to Belfast Great Victoria Street (GVS) to Lisburn will be closed.
• Botanic and City Hospital stations will be closed.
• Bus substitution services between Belfast Lanyon Place and GVS will operate every 30 minutes.
• Bus substitution services between GVS and Lisburn will operate approximately every 10 minutes.
• The Enterprise service will operate from Portadown to Dublin, with Belfast customers transferred by bus between Belfast Lanyon Place and Newry train station.
• Passengers for City Hospital / Botanic stations can use scheduled Metro / Ulsterbus services along the Lisburn Road. Rail tickets will be accepted on scheduled bus services.