People travelling during the Easter weekend could face a challenging journey as engineering works are expected to cause widespread delays and cancellations on rail networks.

Travel experts have called the timing "ludicrous" with the bank holiday weekend of April 15-18 being the first since Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted.

Network Rail has said the engineering works are part of a £22m upgrade project and have advised people to travel either side of the bank holiday.

Speaking to the BBC, travel expert Simon Calder said: "Far more people are travelling at weekends now than during the week and now they find they can't go anyway and that's something Network Rail has to address."

Airlines have also warned that staff shortages are causing problems for passengers across the UK with more than 1,000 flights axed in the last few days.

Mr Calder added "over-optimism on the part of the airlines" is to blame for the flight cancellations and warned air travel could be challenging throughout the holidays.

Railway travel

There will be no trains in or out of Euston, in London, which is likely to upset fans travelling to the FA Cup semi-finals.

Trains to to the West Midlands, north-west England and parts of Scotland will instead start from Milton Keynes Central

Greater Anglia has also said there will be a number of cancellations and alterations over the next fortnight.

No Southern Railway services will run from Victoria Station in London all weekend due to the maintenance work affecting the Gatwick Express.

There will be no trains on the Chiltern Line between Marylebone and Aylesbury Vale Parkway April 16-17. Replacement buses will operate instead.

Many services will not stop at Vauxhall or Earlsfield. Trains to Salisbury will stop at Basingstoke and there will several other timetable alterations.

Several parts of London's tube network will be closed during the Easter weekend.

Transport for London has said customers should check before travelling and acknowledged the closures may be frustrating.

Airport Travel

Over 1,000 UK flights have already been cancelled causing a bad start for many people's start to their holidays.

Airlines have blamed staff shortages related to coronavirus sickness for the problems.

Train travel to major airports could also pose problems to holiday-makers.

No Gatwick Express trains will operate over the weekend.

Buses will replace trains between Stansted Airport and Waltham Cross all weekend.