Manchester Piccadilly to Undergo Major Infrastructure Transformation in 2026

Understanding the Significance of Manchester Piccadilly

Manchester Piccadilly is the busiest station in the North West, with 38 million passengers making journeys through the station in 2024. As a vital transportation hub connecting the city to destinations across the UK, any improvements to this station have far-reaching implications for passengers, businesses, and the regional economy.

Once-in-a-Generation Infrastructure Upgrades

Manchester Piccadilly will close for nine days in February for a “once-in-a-generation” upgrade. Network Rail will invest £7.9 million into the project, in order to improve tracks, points and signalling systems which date back to the 1980s. Teams will replace 11 sets of points, 9,000 metres of cabling and old timber sleepers with modern concrete ones.

The works will be undertaken between Saturday 14 February and Sunday 22 February, during which no trains from the south or east of Manchester will run into Manchester Piccadilly. While the train shed (platforms 1-12) will close, Manchester Piccadilly’s concourse will remain open to the public. There will be a limited service westbound from platforms 13 and 14.

Recent Security Incident Resolved

In other recent news, officers received reports at around 10am on December 17 of a suspicious bag at Manchester Piccadilly railway station. The bag was later found to be non-suspicious and the incident was stood down. The brief disruption caused delays of up to 30 minutes but normal service resumed swiftly.

What This Means for Passengers

This investment will provide a “huge boost to reliability” of services once completed. In 2024, there were 35 faults on this stretch of track. While the February closure will cause short-term inconvenience, the long-term benefits promise more reliable journeys for the millions who depend on this critical transport link.

Staff will be on hand to coordinate bus and Metrolink Bee Network journeys during the closure period. Passengers are advised to plan ahead, check journey details in advance, and allow extra travel time during the nine-day upgrade period.