Travel by Train to the Airport on Bank Holidays

Key airport bank holiday travel information

Britain’s airports are expected to be especially busy around bank holidays. As many of us will be planning to get to the airport by train, please be aware of the following engineering works and service changes that may affect your travel plans. There are travel summaries for Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport, London Stansted Airport, London Luton Airport and Manchester Airport below.

Our Trains to London Airports and Trains to British Airports guides will also help you go from the railway to the runway with ease.

You can check your journey to all British Airports from approximately 12 weeks before you travel using the National Rail Enquiries real-time Journey Planner.

Early May bank holiday weekend 2026: Saturday 2 May to Bank Holiday Monday (4 May)

Here is our specific airport-by-airport train travel information for the Early May bank holiday weekend (lots more general travel advice can be found in our May Bank Holidays Travel Summary).

Heathrow Airport

Mainly normal train service during the Early May bank holiday weekend, but please be aware of a late start on Sunday.

• Heathrow Express will have a full normal service on Saturday 2 May and on Bank Holiday Monday 4 May. Services will start later than normal at 07:25 on Sunday 3 May, with a normal service for the rest of the day.

• Elizabeth line will have a full normal service on Saturday 2 May. On Sunday 3 May, before 07:40, you'll need to use alternative London Underground and London Bus services between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway, to connect with Elizabeth line trains between Ealing Broadway and Heathrow Airport. A normal train service will operate on Sunday after 07:40. Bank Holiday Monday 4 May will have a normal service apart from a few late night changes after 22:00

London Gatwick Airport

Mainly normal train service at Gatwick Airport, but with some Bank Holiday service level amendments.

• Gatwick Express will be running a full normal service on Saturday 2 May and Sunday 3 May. An amended train service will run on Early May Bank Holiday Monday 4 May

• Great Western Railway will be running a full normal service on the line between Reading and Gatwick Airport from Saturday 2 May until Early May Bank Holiday 4 May inclusive

• Southern will be running a full normal service on the line through Gatwick Airport on Saturday 2 May. Southern will be running trains to and from Gatwick Airport on Sunday 3 May, but there will be a line closure further down the line after Three Bridges with bus replacements. Also on Sunday, a reduced train service will be operating on some routes to and from London Victoria. An amended train service will run on Bank Holiday Monday 4 May, with a reduced train service on some routes to and from London Victoria

• Thameslink will be running a full normal service on the line through Gatwick Airport on Saturday 2 May. Thameslink will be running trains to and from Gatwick Airport on Sunday 3 May, but there will be a line closure further down the line after Three Bridges with bus replacements. An amended train service will run on Early May Bank Holiday Monday 4 May

London Stansted Airport

Mainly normal train service to and from London and Cambridge, but there are service changes further afield between Cambridge and Peterborough / Norwich.

• CrossCountry will have buses replacing trains between Peterborough and Cambridge / Cambridge North, and no trains running to or from Stansted Airport, from Saturday 2 May until Early May Bank Holiday Monday 4 May inclusive. Trains will continue to run between Birmingham New Street and Peterborough

• Greater Anglia train services between Stansted Airport and Norwich will only be running between Stansted Airport and Cambridge North, and between Thetford and Norwich, from Saturday 2 May until Early May Bank Holiday Monday 4 May inclusive. Buses will be replacing trains each day between Cambridge North and Thetford

• Stansted Express will be running a full normal service between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport on Saturday 2 May, Sunday 3 May and Early May Bank Holiday Monday 4 May.

London Luton Airport

Mainly normal train service, but with some Bank Holiday service level amendments.

• East Midlands Railway will be running a full normal service on the line through Luton Airport Parkway from Saturday 2 May until Early May Bank Holiday Monday 4 May inclusive

• Thameslink will be running a normal service on the line through Luton Airport Parkway on Saturday 2 May, although there will be a reduced service at the end of the day. Trains will be running on Sunday 3 May, but with changes to trains that normally run between Luton and Sutton. An amended train service will run on Early May Bank Holiday Monday 4 May

Manchester Airport

Mainly normal train service at the Airport, but there will be changes to some longer distance journeys

• Northern will be running a full normal service to and from Manchester Airport from Saturday 2 May until Early May Bank Holiday Monday 4 May inclusive.

• TransPennine Express will be running a mainly normal service to and from Manchester Airport on Saturday 2 May, although there will be changes to longer distance journeys at Huddersfield. On Sunday 3 May trains will run to and from Manchester Airport, but there will be changes to longer distance journeys at Huddersfield and York. On Early May Bank Holiday Monday 4 May trains will run to and from Manchester Airport, but there will be changes to longer distance journeys at Huddersfield and York.

• Transport for Wales will be running a full normal service to and from Manchester Airport from Saturday 2 May until Early May Bank Holiday Monday 4 May inclusive.

Late May (Spring) Bank Holiday weekend 2026: Saturday 23 May to Bank Holiday Monday (25 May)

Here is our specific airport-by-airport train travel information for the Late May (Spring) bank holiday weekend (lots more general travel advice can be found in our May Bank Holidays Travel Summary).

Heathrow Airport

Normal train service during the Late May bank holiday weekend.

• Heathrow Express will have a full normal service on Saturday 23 May, Sunday 24 May and on Bank Holiday Monday 25 May

• Elizabeth line will have a full normal service on Saturday 23 May, Sunday 24 May and on Bank Holiday Monday 25 May

London Gatwick Airport

Mainly normal train service at Gatwick Airport, but with changes if you're travelling through central London. There will also be some Bank Holiday service level amendments.

• Gatwick Express will be running a full normal service on Saturday 23 May. An amended service will operate on Sunday 24 May and Late May Bank Holiday Monday 25 May

• Great Western Railway will be running a full normal service on the line between Reading and Gatwick Airport from Saturday 23 May until Late May Bank Holiday 25 May inclusive

• Southern will be running a full normal service at Gatwick Airport on Saturday 23 May. Due to engineering work, Southern will be running an amended service at Gatwick Airport on Sunday 24 May with extended journey times. An amended train service will run on Bank Holiday Monday 25 May

• Thameslink will be running an amended service between London Bridge and Brighton / Horsham via Gatwick Airport on Saturday 23 May, Sunday 24 May and Bank Holiday Monday 25 May. No Thameslink trains will be running through central London, between London St Pancras International and London Bridge, on all three days due to engineering work.

London Stansted Airport

Regular train service to and from London, but on Saturday and Sunday trains will run via Seven Sisters instead of Tottenham Hale. There will be disruption if you are travelling to and from Cambridge and beyond.

• CrossCountry will have buses replacing trains between Cambridge and Stansted Airport from Saturday 23 May until Late May Bank Holiday Monday 25 May inclusive. Trains will continue to run between Birmingham New Street and Cambridge only

• Greater Anglia train services between Stansted Airport and Norwich will only be running between Stansted Airport and Audley End, and between Cambridge North and Norwich, from Saturday 23 May until Late May Bank Holiday Monday 25 May inclusive. Buses will be replacing trains each day between Audley End and Cambridge North

• Stansted Express will be running trains between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport via Seven Sisters instead of Tottenham Hale on Saturday 23 May and Sunday 24 May. A full normal service between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport will run on Late May Bank Holiday Monday 25 May, subject to some late night changes to stops at Tottenham Hale

London Luton Airport

Mainly normal train service at the Airport, but with some Bank Holiday service level amendments.

• East Midlands Railway will be running a full normal service on the line through Luton Airport Parkway from Saturday 23 May until Late May Bank Holiday Monday 25 May inclusive

• Thameslink will be running a normal service on the line through Luton Airport Parkway on Saturday 23 May and Sunday 24 May. An amended train service will run on Late May Bank Holiday Monday 25 May. On all three days your journey will be affected by engineering work if you're travelling from stations south of London St Pancras International

Manchester Airport

Mainly normal train service at the Airport, but there will be changes to some longer distance journeys

• Northern will be running a full normal service to and from Manchester Airport from Saturday 23 May until Late May Bank Holiday Monday 25 May inclusive.

• TransPennine Express will be running a mainly normal service to and from Manchester Airport on Saturday 23 May, Sunday 24 May and Late May Bank Holiday Monday 25 May. However, there will be changes to longer distance journeys at Huddersfield and York.

• Transport for Wales will be running a full normal service to and from Manchester Airport from Saturday 23 May until Late May Bank Holiday Monday 25 May inclusive.