Wednesday 24th June 2026

Travel Update - If you are travelling today to the airport.

There will be significant disruption expected for trains as the tube and rail network is impacted by the heatwave.

Network Rail warned there would be “significant disruption” across England and Wales as it imposes speed restrictions to minimise the risk from heat-related issues such as buckled rails and sagging overhead electric wires.

Passengers have been advised to travel before midday if possible, and carry a water bottle.

On Wednesday morning, Avanti West Coast was the operator with the most disruption as four out of five of its services were cancelled or more than 30 minutes late.

Great Western Railway issued a plea for its services to be used for “essential travel only” on Wednesday and Thursday.

It said speed restrictions mean it will be forced to run fewer services than usual and journey times will be extended.

It is also running fewer trains than normal between London Paddington and Reading because Network Rail is not moving some points – pieces of metal that enable trains to change tracks – on the route to cut the risk of failures, which are more likely in high temperatures.

Meanwhile, the tube network has started to experience delays.

On Wednesday morning, Transport for London (TfL) said there were delays on the Victoria, Mildmay and Central lines as a result of cancellations and running a reduced service because of the hot weather.

There are also delays and part suspensions on the Bakerloo line.

Eurostar has cancelled two services a day between London and Paris this week as extreme heat persists across Europe.

The disruption runs from Monday 22 June to Thursday 25 June. At present, no services have been cancelled on Friday but passengers are advised to monitor Eurostar’s website or app for further updates.

Cancelled services include the 13:31 from St Pancras to Gare du Nord and the 18:08 return departure today (24 June), and both the 15:31 St Pancras and 20:08 Gare du Nord departures tomorrow (25 June).

Passengers affected are being offered free rebooking for travel on an alternative date in the same class, an e-voucher valid for 12 months, or a full refund of the ticket value (excluding booking or exchange fees). 

Eurostar says customers have up to three months from their original travel date to claim their preferred option, with refunds processed within 28 days.

A statement from the operator reads: “Due to expected adverse weather on the Eurostar network, your train is cancelled. 

“We’re so sorry for the disruption and any inconvenience caused. We understand how much this affects your travel plans, and we’re here to help you find the best way forward.”

The cancellations come as red heat alerts remain in place across both the UK and France, with temperatures in Paris soaring to 40C, and London expected to reach 37C. 

The UK’s Foreign Office has also updated its travel guidance in response to safety concerns linked to the heatwave.

France’s national rail operator, SNCF, has also advised ‘vulnerable’ passengers to avoid or delay train travel this week where possible.

In the UK, National Rail has advised passengers due to travel on Wednesday or Thursday to ‘only travel if absolutely necessary,’ and to check before travelling on Friday.