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Rail passengers are being urged to plan ahead as major engineering work will close part of the network during the festive season.
Services to and from Birmingham New Street will be suspended from Thursday, December 24, to Monday, December 28, due to upgrades to overhead power lines.
People travelling south from York and North Yorkshire are being warned that the closure will affect CrossCountry trains, with no services calling at Birmingham New Street during this period.
Long-distance trains will be diverted, and rail replacement buses for journeys starting or ending at Birmingham New Street.
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Mark Anderson, customer and commercial director at CrossCountry, said: "We know customers will be starting to plan and book their Christmas travel over the coming weeks, so we're sharing this information early to help people make informed decisions about their journeys.
"This vital engineering work at Birmingham New Street will mean changes for CrossCountry customers between December 24 and 28, and journey times may be longer than normal.
"While Christmas still feels a long way off, we want customers to be aware of the work and factor it into their plans where appropriate.
"We're working closely with industry partners to ensure that journeys can continue as smoothly as possible while these essential upgrades take place."
The project is the first phase of a three-year scheme to replace overhead line equipment around the station, with further work scheduled for Christmas 2027 and 2028.
Network Rail said the upgrade will improve the long-term reliability of the network and involves replacing infrastructure dating back to the 1960s.
Martin Colmey, route director for Network Rail’s Central route, said: "Birmingham New Street is at the heart of the rail network, supporting millions of local, regional and national journeys every year.
"Much of the overhead line equipment dates back to the 1960s and needs to be replaced.
"This £13m investment has been carefully planned to make the railway more reliable.
"There is never a good time for this type of work and we have done all we can to reduce its impact as much as possible.
"We want to make people aware as early as possible so they can plan ahead."
Despite the lack of train services, station facilities will remain open throughout the closure.
This includes the assisted travel lounge and toilets, with staff available daily to support passengers.
Network Rail and CrossCountry have advised that additional engineering works across the UK network may also affect other routes during the Christmas period.
Passengers are encouraged to check for updates and plan journeys in advance.
Detailed information about rail replacement services and timetable changes will be provided in the coming weeks.
Travellers can find the latest updates and travel advice by visiting www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/major-engineering-work-birmingham-new-street.
CrossCountry operates services across more than 100 stations, connecting seven of Britain’s 10 largest cities.
The operator runs 240 services every weekday, representing more than 42 million passenger journeys each year.
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