Travel · Rail, Channel & ferries · 25 October 2026
Rail lines in west and north Scotland close for Storm Boelo
Network Rail has announced that rail lines in the west and north of Scotland will close and speed restrictions will be introduced due to Storm Boelo. The Met Office upgraded its warning to amber. The changes affect the majority of the country.
Network Rail has announced that rail lines in the west and north of Scotland will close and speed restrictions will be introduced due to Storm Boelo. The Met Office upgraded its warning for the storm from yellow to amber. These measures are designed to ensure safety as conditions deteriorate.
Services south and west of Kilwinning will stop from 9pm on Saturday night. The Oban and Mallaig lines will close from around 10pm on Saturday night. The line between Kyle of Lochalsh and Achnashellach will be closed from the start of service on Sunday. The railway between Wick and Helmsdale will also be closed on Sunday. Speed restrictions will begin late on Saturday night and continue into Sunday. Craig Gorman, head of operational weather strategy at Network Rail Scotland, said: "We know closing lines and slowing trains will have a significant impact on people's plans this weekend, and these aren't decisions we take lightly."
Forecast wind gusts are expected to reach 60 to 70mph, with possible wind speeds of 80mph in exposed coastal areas. The amber warning coverage starts at 9pm and ends at 9pm. Passengers are urged to plan ahead and check their journey before setting off. The announcement does not specify the exact duration of the speed restrictions beyond Sunday.
Written by StreetOwl from Network Rail’s own announcement. It was drafted by StreetOwl’s own model, every figure and quotation was checked by code against the announcement, and it was read and approved by Michael Rossi before it went up. It says what was announced, not what anyone should do about it.
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