13 November 2026

National Rail

Christmas Eve: Thursday 24 December

Many train services will finish earlier than usual. Check the time of your last train and allow enough time for any connections.

There will also be major disruption to East Coast Main Line journeys from London towards Yorkshire, north-east England and Scotland because of engineering works around Doncaster. LNER will run a split service with replacement coaches on part of the route. Grand Central, Hull Trains and Lumo will not run.

Christmas Day: Friday 25 December

There will be no National Rail trains on Christmas Day.

Boxing Day: Saturday 26 December

Most train operators will not run services. National Rail expects limited services on some routes, including those operated by Chiltern Railways, Southern and Stansted Express. Check your specific route rather than assuming a normal service will run.

New Year’s Eve: Thursday 31 December

Some National Rail services will finish earlier than usual, while selected London-area routes will have extra services after midnight. Check your journey home before heading out.

Major rail changes over Christmas and New Year

Paddington and routes to the west (GWR, Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line)

No GWR trains will run to or from Paddington from Christmas Day to Sunday 3 January. Some long-distance services will run to and from Euston instead, while others will start or finish at Reading. Alternative routes and replacement buses will be available, but journeys may take longer.

Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line services between Paddington and Heathrow are due to resume on Thursday 31 December. Engineering works will continue to affect Elizabeth line journeys further west through Sunday 3 January.

Check GWR’s Christmas travel arrangements.

Liverpool Street, east London and Essex (Greater Anglia and Elizabeth line)

From Sunday 27 December to Sunday 3 January, Greater Anglia trains will not run between Liverpool Street and Shenfield. Replacement buses will connect Newbury Park Underground station with Shenfield and Ingatestone, with ticket acceptance on the Central line between Liverpool Street or Stratford and Newbury Park.

There will also be no Elizabeth line trains between Stratford and Romford from Saturday 26 December to Sunday 3 January. Replacement buses will run.

Check the Liverpool Street and Shenfield engineering works.

Waterloo (South Western Railway)

Trains to and from Waterloo will run to a reduced and amended timetable on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 December because of engineering works affecting the lines between Waterloo, Queenstown Road and Earlsfield.

Check the Queenstown Road / Earlsfield engineering works.

Charing Cross, Waterloo East and Cannon Street (Southeastern)

There will be no Southeastern trains at Charing Cross, Waterloo East or Cannon Street on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 December, and from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 January. Services will be diverted to Victoria, with a limited service at London Bridge and replacement buses on several routes.

Check Southeastern’s Christmas and New Year service changes.

Redhill and Reigate (GWR, Southern and Thameslink)

Engineering works will affect journeys through Redhill from Sunday 20 December to Sunday 3 January. Replacement buses will serve affected routes, including connections towards Reigate, Tonbridge and Gatwick Airport. Trains using the fast lines that bypass Redhill will continue to run.

Check the Redhill engineering works and alternative routes.

Transport for London

TfL has published Christmas and New Year travel information, including advice for people driving in London.

Check TfL’s Christmas and New Year travel information.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day

On Christmas Day, there will be no TfL Tube, bus, rail, DLR or tram services. Some alternatives will be available including taxis and private hire vehicles, Santander Cycles, coaches and Dial-a-Ride for registered members. Some bus routes run by other operators will also operate. Check with the provider before travelling.

Boxing Day and beyond

Tube

• Central line: No service between White City and Ealing Broadway or Northolt on Saturday 26 December. On Sunday 3 January, there will be no service between White City and Ealing Broadway or West Ruislip. During Saturday Night Tube on 2 January, there will be no service between Marble Arch and Ealing Broadway.
• District line: From Saturday 26 to Tuesday 29 December, there will be no eastbound service between East Ham and Barking, or westbound service between Upney and East Ham.
• Hammersmith & City line: No service between Moorgate and Barking from Saturday 26 to Tuesday 29 December.
• Piccadilly line: No service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge from Thursday 24 December to Sunday 3 January.

Elizabeth line

There will be no service on the entire Elizabeth line on Boxing Day. Further closures will affect journeys east and west of central London:

• Paddington to Heathrow and Slough: No service from Saturday 26 to Wednesday 30 December.
• Liverpool Street National Rail platforms and Stratford to Romford: No service from Saturday 26 December to Sunday 3 January.
• West Drayton to Slough: No service from Thursday 31 December to Sunday 3 January.
• Acton Main Line, Hanwell and West Ealing: Trains will not stop on Sunday 3 January.

London Overground

On Boxing Day, there will be:

• No service on the Liberty, Lioness, Suffragette or Weaver lines.
• No Mildmay line service between Willesden Junction and Richmond or Shepherd’s Bush.
• No Windrush line service between Surrey Quays and New Cross or Clapham Junction, or between Sydenham and Crystal Palace.

After Boxing Day, there will be no Suffragette line service between Woodgrange Park and Barking Riverside from Sunday 27 to Tuesday 29 December.

The Weaver line will have no service until 10:15 on Sunday 3 January.

Check TfL’s planned track closures (PDF).

New Year’s Eve

On New Year’s Eve, most TfL services will run through the night, and normal fares will apply. Central London will be busy, with some stations potentially closing or becoming exit-only at short notice. Some buses will be diverted because of road closures.

If you need an accessible journey

If your journey involves replacement transport, check with the operator beforehand to make sure it meets your access needs. Check step-free access at any alternative stations and allow extra time for changes.

Check before you travel

Use National Rail’s Christmas travel guide and TfL’s festive travel information to check the latest arrangements. Recheck shortly before travelling, as information may change.