Major rail disruption is set to continue in Bedford following a fatal train collision.
Passengers are being advised to travel only if essential, as the incident—which occurred on June 19—involved a collision between two East Midlands Railway (EMR) trains.
An EMR driver was killed, and multiple passengers were injured in the collision, which took place near Bedford.
The line remains closed between Bedford and Luton, with disruption expected until at least Friday, June 28.
EMR services to remain closed until June 28 following fatal collision
The number of apparent failures that led to the train crash near Bedford on Friday has left experts baffled.
The collision, in which the driver of the Luton Airport Express service died and at least 90 people were injured, was the first fatal accident involving more than one… pic.twitter.com/TKER6Z5Ix8— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) June 21, 2026
No Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR) services are currently running north of Luton, and all EMR services remain suspended south of Bedford.
A limited rail replacement bus service is operating between Luton and Bedford.
Journey planning apps and online timetables are being updated, but passengers are advised to check live travel updates before setting out.
The incident has led to significant disruption on the Midland Main Line.
During the closure, EMR tickets are being accepted by other train operators on alternative routes.
If passengers choose to delay their travel until the line reopens, connecting tickets with other operators will remain valid for travel on a later date.
Impact on EMR services remains severe.
What EMR services are running following the Bedford train collision?
No EMR trains are running between Bedford and London St Pancras.
Services that normally start or end at London St Pancras are now terminating at Bedford.
From Monday, EMR will operate a reduced timetable on its Intercity and Connect routes, while Regional services remain unaffected.
The revised EMR timetable includes one train per hour in each direction between:
- Sheffield and Bedford, calling at Chesterfield, Derby, Long Eaton, East Midlands Parkway, Loughborough, Leicester, Market Harborough, Kettering, and Bedford.
- Nottingham and Bedford, calling at Beeston, East Midlands Parkway, Loughborough, Leicester, Market Harborough, Kettering, Wellingborough, and Bedford.
- Corby and Kettering.
Rail replacement buses are running as follows:
- One direct bus per hour between Kettering and Luton, departing on the hour.
- One bus per hour between Kettering and Luton Airport Parkway, stopping at Wellingborough, Bedford, and Luton.
EMR’s Luton Airport Express services remain suspended.
Passengers can use their EMR ticket on Thameslink services between Luton Airport Parkway and London St Pancras at no extra cost.
For journeys to or from the north, rail replacement buses are running between Luton Airport Parkway and Luton, Bedford, or Kettering.
Connections are available from Bedford and Kettering towards Sheffield or Nottingham.
From Monday, Thameslink will operate a limited service north of London St Pancras, terminating at Luton.
During peak hours, four trains per hour will run to and from Luton, dropping to two per hour outside peak times.
Between London and St Albans, Thameslink will operate eight trains per hour during peak periods and six per hour off-peak.
The collision killed a train driver, 11 people suffered "very serious" injuries, 22 were seriously injured and 56 sustained minor injuries, East of England Ambulance Service said.
🔗 https://t.co/mGIzXqsBDT pic.twitter.com/nMUpxkYcCm— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 20, 2026
Limited rail replacement buses will run from Monday:
- A Bedford to Luton Airport Parkway shuttle, calling only at Luton, will operate every 30 minutes.
- A Bedford to Luton shuttle, calling at Flitwick, Harlington and Leagrave, will run every 15 minutes during peak times and every 30 minutes off-peak.
GTR will have additional staff at key stations to assist passengers during the disruption.
Passengers are advised to check the EMR website at eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/service-updates and the Thameslink website at thameslinkrailway.com for the latest information and live updates.
Have you been affected in terms of travelling? Let us know in the comments
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