Rail passengers looking to travel by train this festive period are being urged to check before they travel.

The entire rail network across the region will be closed for two days on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

The last train from London to Manningtree, Ipswich, Stowmarket and Norwich is at 8.40pm on Christmas Eve while the last train from Norwich to London leaves at 8pm on Christmas Eve.

On December 27 and 28 – which is a bank holiday – a special timetable will be in operation and anyone planning to travel is advised to check at www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk before travelling.

The major change is that mainline trains will only run as far as Ingatestone from where there will be a bus connection to the London Underground Central Line station at Newbury Park.

Network Rail engineers are undertaking major work in the Shenfield area during the Christmas shutdown.

Local services will operate a normal Sunday service on December 27 and an amended bank holiday service on December 28.

Between December 29 and 31 there will be amended services – with trains taking longer to travel between Shenfield and Liverpool Street.

Between January 1 and 3 the main line will again be closed south of Ingatestone with the bus link reinstated. Early morning trains on the Sunday will be replaced by buses from Ipswich, but the line through most of Essex should be reopened by 9am.

A spokesman for Abellio Greater Anglia said the key message for passengers was to look at the company's website which has full details of all changes – and will be updated if there are any further alterations.

However the works have been planned by Network Rail for several months and they are expecting them to be finished on schedule.