Commuters and travellers using one of Britain's busiest transport hubs are set to face significant disruption as Network Rail confirms extensive weekend closures at Liverpool Street Station throughout March 2026. The City of London's primary railway terminus will experience whole-station shutdowns on multiple weekends, impacting thousands of passengers who rely on this critical transport interchange.
Major Engineering Works Planned
Network Rail has revealed that Liverpool Street Station will undergo what they describe as 'vital maintenance, renewals and repairs' during March 2026. The engineering programme represents one of the most substantial interventions at the station in recent years, with works scheduled specifically for weekends to minimise impact on weekday commuters.
The comprehensive maintenance scheme will see Liverpool Street's mainline station completely closed for five days throughout the month, during which the main concourse will also be inaccessible to passengers. This strategic approach allows engineers to undertake essential works that would be impossible during normal operating hours.
Specific Engineering Projects
The planned works encompass multiple critical infrastructure improvements. At the station itself, engineers will focus on enhancing roof drainage systems to improve weather resilience and prevent water damage. Beyond the station buildings, the programme includes:
- Track drainage maintenance and improvements
- Essential track maintenance and renewals
- Vegetation management along railway lines
- Comprehensive litter clearance operations
Additional works will also take place at several stations served by Liverpool Street trains, including Stratford, creating a coordinated engineering programme across the network.
Service Disruption Schedule
The closure programme has been carefully scheduled across three key weekends in March 2026, each presenting different service arrangements:
March 15 Closure
On Saturday, March 15, Liverpool Street Station will experience a whole-station closure. During this period:
- London Overground services will be diverted to run from London Fields station instead
- Elizabeth line services will continue operating, though passengers will have no access to the main concourse at Liverpool Street
March 21-22 Weekend Closure
The weekend of March 21-22 will see more extensive disruption:
- On Saturday, March 21, Elizabeth line services will operate but without access to Liverpool Street's main concourse
- On Sunday, March 22, no Elizabeth line trains will serve Liverpool Street Station
- Overground Weaver line services will be suspended on both days
March 28-29 Weekend Closure
The final weekend of March brings further closures:
- Elizabeth line services will run on both days but without access to the main concourse
- Overground Weaver line trains will not operate on March 28 or 29
Impact on Services
The closures will affect multiple transport services that converge at Liverpool Street, creating significant disruption for passengers. Affected services include:
- Elizabeth line services connecting central London with east and west destinations
- London Overground routes serving north and east London
- National Rail services operated by Greater Anglia to destinations across East Anglia
- c2c services connecting London with south Essex
Network Rail has emphasised that alternative travel arrangements will be in place during the closures, with detailed information about replacement services and diversion routes to be published closer to the dates.
Britain's Busiest Station
The scale of disruption is particularly significant given Liverpool Street's status as not only London's busiest train station but the busiest in the entire United Kingdom. Recent passenger figures revealed an astonishing 98 million entries and exits between April 2024 and March 2025, underlining the station's crucial role in London's transport infrastructure.
This engineering programme represents a necessary investment in maintaining and improving facilities at a station that handles such enormous passenger volumes. The works come at a time when transport authorities are increasingly focusing on resilience and reliability across London's rail network.
Passengers are advised to plan their journeys carefully during March 2026 and to check for updates from Network Rail and individual train operators as the closure dates approach. While the disruption will be significant, the long-term benefits of improved infrastructure and enhanced reliability are expected to justify the temporary inconvenience for regular users of this vital transport hub.
