Storm Amy to spark earlier end to rail services in the Highlands on Friday, Network Rail Scotland and ScotRail have confirmed; the Kyle, Far North, Inverness-Aberdeen and Highland Mainline south to Perth will all cease rail operations after 6pm on Friday
All Highland rail lines will be suspended on Friday evening when Storm Amy hits, it has been confirmed.
ScotRail services will be withdrawn from 6pm on Friday on the Kyle, Far North, Highland Mainline, and Inverness-Aberdeen route as a safety precaution.
The West Highland Line will also be suspended between Mallaig and Fort William, and Fort William and Crianlarich.
All other routes will also have reduced timetables and speed restrictions to mitigate the dangers posed by fallen trees and flash flooding.
Confirming the disruption, Network Rail Scotland’s route director, Ross Moran, said: “As Storm Amy moves in, our top concern will be keeping passengers and colleagues safe. That’s why we’ve taken the proactive decision to close some parts of Scotland’s railway on Friday evening as the worst of the weather arrives.
“Throughout the storm, we’ll have weather experts in the control room closely tracking developments, with teams on the ground ready to respond to any disruption as quickly as possible.
“We’re asking passengers to plan ahead, and I thank them in advance for their patience as we prepare to manage the impact of this storm.”
Storm Amy is expected to bring wind speeds of up to 70mph “widely” across the Highlands, with gusts of up to 95mph possible in the most exposed spots of the region.
The storm is expected to arrive on Friday afternoon and batter the region through the night and on into Saturday. An amber warning is in force for the worst of the winds from 5pm on Friday until 9am on Saturday, but a wider yellow warning for high winds across the whole of Scotland will remain in place until the very end of that day.
Separate yellow warnings for rain are also in place.
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “Safety is always our top priority, and we’re working closely with our colleagues at Network Rail to keep people moving where it’s safe to do so.
“The Met Office Amber warning for high winds during Storm Amy means that some routes will have to close, and speed restrictions will be in place across Scotland's Railway.
“We know how frustrating disruption can be, but these measures are essential to protect our customers and staff.
“We’d encourage everyone to check their journey before travelling and to keep an eye on our website, app, or social media channels for the latest updates.
“If you have a ticket for travel on Friday, you can use it today (Thursday), Saturday, or Sunday.”
Follow @NetworkRailScot on X for the latest updates. For more information on any changes to services, check www.nationalrail.co.uk or with your train operator.