Rail services on the Greater Anglia line to London will be disrupted for 10 weekends between February 6/7 and April 9/10 to allow for works at Shenfield.

Here we list the alternative ways of reaching the capital.

The official diversion

Trains will run as far as Ingatestone, so passengers can board at their regular station.

The official diversion being put in place by Abellio Great Anglia involves a bus link from Ingatestone to Newbury Park Tube station, where you can catch a Central Line train to Liverpool Street – or carry on to the heart of the capital.

This will add about 50 minutes to the journey time, in each direction, for someone heading from the region to, say, Oxford Circus in the West End (which is on the Central Line).

But remember, if you opt to travel straight into centra London, make sure you buy a Zone 1 Travelcard at the start of your journey.

Passengers who buy tickets for Liverpool Street only and rely on an Oyster Card to travel around London will have to get off the Tube train at Liverpool Street - adding an additional 10 minutes to your journey.

If you swiped in at Newbury Park instead, you will be charged for a Zone 4 journey already covered by your train ticket.

Travelling via Cambridge

Travellers heading to London from Bury St Edmunds normally have a choice of travelling via Ipswich or Cambridge. While the line at Shenfield is closed the clear advice is to travel via Cambridge – trains will run normally and there is a choice of travelling to Liverpool Street or Kings Cross stations.

Passengers from Stowmarket, would also be advised to divert to Bury St Edmunds, instead of attempting to travel via Ipswich.

This costs the same – but only if passengers use Abellio Greater Anglia trains to Liverpool Street – and the journey time is almost the same once the bus connection is taken into account.

Take the car

Could driving into London be easier than dealing with rail replacement buses and alternative routes? Newbury Park is already a popular destination for visitors from this region. However Newbury Park’s main car park, adjacent to the bus station, will be closed every weekend until March 20 to make room for the rail replacement buses. There are just 122 spaces nearby on King George Avenue.

Other alternatives for parking include Upminster and Tottenham Hale, but check for local disruptions before travelling.

National Express Coach

There are a limited number of National Express coaches from Ipswich to London – but these are scheduled to take even longer than the rail-bus-Tube option.

Find an alternative destination

Why are you travelling? If it is a theatre trip, check out listings for The Regent in Ipswich, The Regal in Stowmarket or the Theatre Royal in Bury Edmunds. For a full What’s On guide, see here. Planning a shopping trip? Have you considered Ipswich, which is improving with new stores and refurbished shopping centres?

Or try the acclaimed Bury St Edmunds Apex and town centre, Norwich or Cambridge as alternative shopping destinations.