The four-day Easter bank holiday is less than a month away.

This year, schools in Hertfordshire break up on Friday, April 1 for the Easter holiday.

Good Friday 2022 falls on April 15, with a full four days off for thousands of Brits who might be planning short getaways or meet-ups with family and friends.

But if you are planning a trip by train, be sure to check your journey.

Network Rail takes advantage of quiet bank holidays to complete upgrade work and, this year, the firm has announced it will spend £83 million across the country on upgrades during the Easter weekend alone.

A Network Rail statement reads: "A total of 530 upgrade projects between Friday, April 15 to Monday, April 18 will help us improve the railway for you.

"Most of the railway will stay open as usual but the works will affect some areas."

Watford and west Hertfordshire

Network Rail is asking passengers between London Euston, Watford Junction and the Midlands to travel either side of the Easter bank holiday weekend.

Rail replacement buses will run all weekend between Milton Keynes and London Euston or Stanmore London Underground station.

North of Milton Keynes, passengers will face disruption near Coventry, through Crewe, and between Carlisle and Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Network Rail engineers are upgrading the signalling system between London and Milton Keynes.

They are replacing a junction at Watford to prepare for HS2, and National Highways is set to repair the M25 bridge over the railway tracks.

London Overground trains from Watford Junction are expected to run all weekend, but only as far south as Kilburn High Road.

In and around St Albans

Buses will replace London Northwestern trains between St Albans Abbey and Watford Junction all weekend.

Thameslink trains through St Albans City will run to an "amended Saturday service" on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Trains to Kent will only run as far as Gravesend on Easter Sunday, with a bus replacement between Rochester and Rainham.

East Midlands Railway trains which pass through Hertfordshire cannot connect with Derby, and will be diverted through East Midlands Parkway.

East Coast Main Line

There is some overnight disruption across the Great Northern and Thameslink network, with disruption expected in the early mornings.

On Easter Sunday, Great Northern trains which usually run to King's Lynn will only travel as far as Ely.

A rail replacement bus will be in place between Cambridgeshire and West Norfolk.

Hertfordshire-Essex border

Greater Anglia and Stansted Express passengers along the Hertfordshire and Essex border will face disruption.

Network Rail is planning to increase capacity at Hertford East station.

To do this, buses will replace trains between Hertford East and Waltham Cross from Good Friday until Easter Monday.

Buses will also replace trains between Stansted Airport and Waltham Cross all weekend, leaving the airport with no direct rail connection to London.

This is because Network Rail is replacing switches and crossings at Bishop's Stortford.

Work began on March 5 and is expected to continue on select weekends until June 12.

Trains between Cheshunt and London Liverpool Street are still expected to run.

On the Tubes

Planning a visit to London or heading abroad from Heathrow Airport?

The Piccadilly line will be down throughout the Easter bank holiday weekend between Acton Town and Heathrow Airport.

Transport for London has said that buses will replace trains.

There will be no service on the whole of the Hammersmith and City line.

Full Easter rail disruption details are on the National Rail Enquiries website: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

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