Christmas and New Year Travel Summary 2011 / 2012
These pages give an overview of the services that each Train Operating Company will be providing over the Christmas and New Year holiday period (between Friday 23 December 2011 and Tuesday 3 January 2012).
Train Operating Companies Travel Details
For a detailed summary of the train services being provided by each Train Operating Company over the holidays, the details of engineering work affecting their services, and details of last trains / additional trains on Christmas Eve, New Years Eve and New Years Day, please choose the company you will be travelling with from the list below:
Full Summary
A text version of the Christmas & New Year travel summary, showing the engineering work and additional services for every Train Operating Company is available from the links below:
The vast majority of the rail network will be unaffected by engineering work during the festive period and over 95% of stations will be open. However we do still recommend that you confirm your journey details by using the information contained within these pages or by using the Journey Planner.
During holiday periods, Train Operating Companies generally amend the train plan that they run and there are a number of reasons for this:
- Engineering work – Network Rail may be carrying out essential engineering work that requires the timetable to be amended and in some cases buses may replace trains over part of the affected route.
- Reduction in the number of commuter passengers – With many businesses closed for the holidays, passenger numbers for the Train Operating Companies that operate on commuter routes may be reduced. This may mean that the Train Operator will reduce the number of trains they run and in some cases it may be that a Saturday or Sunday level of service is offered instead of the normal weekday service.
- Increase in the number of leisure travellers – With many people taking the opportunity to get away for the holiday period, passenger numbers for those Train Operating Companies operating on routes to and from holiday destinations may increase. As a result those Train Operating Companies may run an amended service. This may mean there are additional trains at certain times during the day and/or fewer trains at other times of the day to cater for the additional passenger numbers.
Travel Tips
- The National Rail Enquiries website includes a Cheapest Fare Finder tool, and a recent improvement means that users will now be offered a cheaper alternative route to the journey requested, if there is one available. Being flexible on the days and times you can travel often means you can find a cheaper ticket, and passengers are recommended to check if they are eligible for a Railcard, which gives them a third off most rail fares including Advance tickets. The Cheapest Fare Finder tool is available here.
- If you are travelling long distances then we strongly recommend that you reserve a seat where possible to ensure a comfortable journey.
- Please check our 'Buying Advance Tickets' page frequently to see when tickets are available to buy and when seats available for reservations.
- If you plan to travel on Christmas Eve, the rail network shuts down earlier than normal. Don't get caught out, check the time of your last train home using our Journey Planner.
- For the latest rail travel news, why not follow National Rail Enquiries on Twitter or Facebook? Details of our social media services are available here.
Christmas & New Year service and engineering work information
In general, train services will finish earlier than usual on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, and start later in the day on the Bank Holidays (Tuesday 27 December & Monday 2 January). There are no trains running on Christmas Day (some buses will run for Airport services), and only a limited service running around the London and Glasgow areas on Boxing Day. No trains run in Scotland on New Years Day, while some Operators run additional early morning trains from London on New Years Day morning following the celebrations in central London.
A map showing all the engineering work taking place around the country over the Christmas and New Year Period is available here.
Travelling in London
Details of London Underground, buses, trams and river services operated by Transport for London over the Christmas and New Year period is available from the Transport for London website.
Travelling to UK Airports
Details for travelling to and from the major UK airports over the Christmas and New Year Holiday period are available here.
Industrial Action
- Members of the RMT Union working for Network Rail at the West of Scotland Signalling Centre have announced that they will be taking industrial action between 06:00 Saturday 24 December and 06:00 Tuesday 27 December. This will affect some ScotRail services on Christmas Eve, but is not expected to disrupt the planned train services on Boxing Day - please check the ScotRail page for more details.
- Members of the ASLEF Union working for London Underground have announced that they intend to take industrial action on Boxing Day (Monday 26 December). This will severely disrupt the planned London Underground service. A map is available here showing the lines and services that will be running on Boxing Day.
- Members of the RMT Union working for Wightlink Ferries had proposed to take industrial action on Saturday 24 December and also on Monday 26 December. This action has now been called off, and the planned ferry services will sail - please check the Island Line page for more details
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