"I'm taking the train home for Christmas."

So sang Chris Rea (kind of). As Christmas approaches, his tune will be ringing around many of our heads as we prepare to travel home to see family and friends. However, the festive period is a chaotic one on the rails, especially this year. It's essential to be aware of some important changes when using train services.

National Rail has already confirmed that there will be "lots of planned essential engineering works and upgrades taking place" over the festive period. This could lead to alterations in train schedules, and there may also be reduced services.

They stated that the festive period runs from Tuesday, 23 December, to Friday, 2 January, and everyone should check their journey before travelling. There will be no National Rail services running on Christmas Day, while most rail operators will also be out of service on Boxing Day.

However, a few, including Chiltern Railways, London Overground, Merseyrail, ScotRail, Southern and Stansted Express, will offer very limited services on Friday, 26 December. National Rail warned that timetables may change during the festive period, including potential last-minute alterations.

To help travellers prepare for their journey, National Rail has already outlined some of the changes in place during the festive season. One of which will see no trains operating to or from London Liverpool Street station from Saturday, 27 December, to Thursday, 1 January.

Meanwhile, there will be no trains running to or from London Waterloo Station or Vauxhall on Saturday, 27 December, and Sunday, 28 December. London Waterloo Station and Vauxhall will also be impacted, with no train services on Saturday, 27 December, and Sunday, 28 December.

Bus replacements will also be running between Milton Keynes Central and Rugby/Northampton from Saturday, 27 December to Sunday, 4 January. Bus replacements will also be in operation between Carlisle and Lockerbie from Thursday, 1 January, to Wednesday, 7 January.

Moreover, an altered service will be in place between Preston and Carlisle from Wednesday, 31 December to Thursday, 15 January. There will also be an amended service between Leeds and York from Saturday, 27 December, to Friday, 2 January.

Further changes will mean that no trains will run between Cambridge and Cambridge North, Bury St Edmunds, and Stansted Airport from Saturday, 27 December, to Sunday, 4 January. Additionally, bus services will substitute trains between Dalmuir and Balloch/Helensburgh from Saturday, 27 December, until Wednesday, 31 December.

If you find that your train is delayed or cancelled during the festive season, and you choose not to make the journey, you can secure a full refund for your unused ticket without facing any fees from the original seller, the National Rail explains. If you purchased your ticket from a railway company, their contact information can be found on National Rail's Find a Train Company page.

It's also worth noting that tickets purchased from self-service machines at stations often come with instructions on how to request a refund. National Rail also states that if you reach your destination late because of a cancelled or delayed service, you may be able to reclaim some money directly from the railway operator.

For additional information or to check your journey, you can visit the National Rail website.