Christmas and New Year 2024/25 Travel Summary
A warm welcome to the National Rail travel advice summary for the Christmas and New Year period. If you’re travelling over the festive season, please check before you travel.
Travelling during the Christmas and New Year festive period? Be in the know before you go!
The next Christmas and New Year holiday travel advice will cover the days from Christmas Eve, Wednesday 24 December 2025 through to New Year's Day, Thursday 1 January 2026. Also probably a day or two before and after the holidays. This travel summary page will start being updated approximately 12 weeks prior to those dates. We look forward to your return visit then.
The following information is historical, and refers to the 2024/25 Christmas and New Year festive period.
The Christmas and New Year holiday period covered by this travel guide runs from Saturday 21 December 2024 until Thursday 2 January 2025 inclusive.
There will be lots of planned essential engineering works and upgrades taking place as Network Rail works to improve the railway. In addition, some train companies will be making changes to their timetable, and to some train times, to match services to the number of customers travelling.
Planning and checking your journey
You can plan and check your journey before you travel using the National Rail Journey Planner (below). Important information and useful travel advice relating to your journey may show with warning symbols on your journey results.
There will be no National Rail services on Christmas Day as usual this year. On Boxing Day most train operators will have no service - however, there will be a very limited service operated by a small number of train operators.
Please note that Journey Planner information is subject to change as timetables are still being finalised. Please continue to check your journey until you are due to set off – this will give you a chance to adjust your journey plans in advance if necessary, and avoid any last-minute disappointment.
Please check our Status and Disruptions page for up-to-date real-time information.
Find out more about your rights if a train changes.
Christmas and New Year changes being made by your train company
Details of the service each train company will be providing will be listed below.
Major Improvement work on your railway during Christmas and New Year
A considerable number of engineering and improvement projects will be undertaken at Christmas and New Year. The impact of this work will show in Journey Planners (although please take note of any warning or information symbols showing on your journey).
The following major ‘headline’ projects will be undertaken during the festive period:
Between London St Pancras International and Harpenden – Saturday 21 to Sunday 29 December
In the London Paddington area – Friday 27 to Sunday 29 December
At London Liverpool Street – Friday 27 December to Wednesday 1 January
In the Cambridge area – Friday 27 December to Sunday 5 January
In the Crewe area – Friday 27 December to Thursday 2 January
There’s more. For information on the all work taking place nationally, you can find details of all forthcoming engineering works on our website.
New Year's Eve additional overnight trains from London
A number of National Rail train companies will be running additional trains from London after midnight on New Year’s Eve as events start to draw to a close.
If you're planning a journey home from central London after the night's excitement, you may find our New Year's Eve Overnight Train Services From London page useful.
Late notice and last minute updates to the information on that page may be made, so please continue to check that your journey remains possible, right up until the big night, using the National Rail Enquiries Journey Planner.
Travelling to or from the Airport at Christmas?
To avoid disappointment, please check before you travel to and from the airport if you’re travelling by train. We don’t want engineering work and the Christmas shut down to spoil your festive flight.
Saturday 21 December to Tuesday 24 December: Journeys between London and London Luton Airport may be disrupted by major engineering work closing the lines between London and Harpenden (which is a few miles south of Luton).
Christmas Eve: For all airports please check that your journey can be completed to or from the airport, especially if you’re travelling in the late afternoon or evening. Some train operators will close down early on Tuesday 24 December.
Christmas Day: No National Rail services will operate anywhere in Great Britain on Wednesday 25 December. There will also be no London Underground trains. You’ll need to find alternative transport to and from the airport.
Boxing Day: Heathrow Airport will have no Heathrow Express or Elizabeth line services on Thursday 26 December, although London Underground services will be operating. London Gatwick Airport will have a service operated by Southern, but no Gatwick Express, Thameslink or Great Western Railway (from Reading) trains. London Stansted Airport will have Stansted Express trains between the airport and Tottenham Hale station in London, but no CrossCountry service.
Friday 27 December to Sunday 29 December: Heathrow Airport will have no Heathrow Express services until the start of Monday 30 December. Elizabeth line services will run to and from the airport but will be disrupted by major engineering work near London Paddington. Journeys between London and London Luton Airport may be disrupted by major engineering work closing the lines between London and Harpenden (which is a few miles south of Luton).
Social media
For the latest rail travel news, why not follow National Rail on X? Over 1 million people follow @nationalrailenq on X. Our social media team are available 24/7 (except Christmas Day) to answer your rail queries and supply you with the latest real-time travel updates.
Follow #ChristmasRailWorks on X for updates.
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