​ReporterCustomers have been urged to plan ahead with their Christmas travel (Image: National Rail) Rail passengers are being urged to plan ahead during the festive period. Essential engineering work is taking place west of Cardiff Central between December 24 and 31, and is expected to affect routes in South Wales and beyond. Services will finish earlier than normal on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, and there will be no trains or replacement buses on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Nick Millington, route director for Network Rail Wales and the Borders, said: “The Christmas and New Year period allows us to carry out some of our most vital engineering work, when fewer trains are running and fewer people are travelling. “These upgrades are essential to keeping the railway safe and reliable for passengers throughout the year. “We’re grateful for everyone’s patience while our teams work around the clock to improve the railway, and we’d like to wish all our passengers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.” Passengers are strongly advised to check online before travelling to stay up to date with service changes and disruptions. Transport