Christmas and New Year Train Travel 2025

Planning to travel by train over Christmas and New Year 2025/6? Here’s everything you need to know about festive rail services across Britain — from when trains are running to key engineering works and how to find the best fares.

When Are Trains Running This Christmas and New Year?

Here’s a general guide to what you can expect across the British rail network this festive season:

Christmas Eve (Wednesday 24 December) – A normal service will operate until early evening, with most services finishing much earlier than usual.

Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December) – No train services will run anywhere in Britain, except for a shuttle between Heathrow Terminals 2/3, 4 and 5.

Boxing Day (Friday 26 December) – A limited service will run on selected routes, mostly in major cities and to/from airports.

New Year’s Eve (Wednesday 31 December) – A normal service until mid-evening, with some early finishes. In London, trains will continue into the early hours to help revellers get home safely.

New Year’s Day (Thursday 1 January 2026) – A normal service, but starting later than usual. Some exceptions apply.

Will Trains Run on Boxing Day?

Most trains won’t run on Boxing Day — but there are some exceptions:

Scotland – A limited service running between 7 am and 9 pm on many routes, for example trains are running between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Merseyrail – A special service between 9 am and 6 pm on all lines. Only selected stations will open. Additional services will run between Liverpool and Aintree.

Stansted Express – Half-hourly service between Stansted Airport and Tottenham Hale (connect to the Victoria Line for Central London).

Southern Railway – Services from London Victoria to Gatwick Airport, Brighton, Sutton, and East Croydon.

London Overground – A limited service on some lines (eg. between Clapham Junction and Shepherds Bush).

Chiltern Railways – Expected to run a limited service between 8 am and 9 pm, only selected stations will open and services will end earlier than usual.

Heathrow Express – Operating only between Heathrow Terminals (connect to the Piccadilly Line for Central London).

What About New Year’s Day?

Most train services will operate, but it’s best to check with your operator as they may start later than usual. Here are some important exceptions:

Scotland – No trains will run anywhere in Scotland, except for cross-border services terminating at Glasgow Central or Edinburgh.

LNER – trains to Aberdeen and Inverness will start or end at Edinburgh.

Northern (North East) – Services may start later and no regular services will run in parts of the North East. Major engineering works are taking place between Leeds and Selby / York so expect disruption here.

Engineering Works

Major engineering projects are planned across the UK rail network affecting Christmas and New Year train travel 2025/6. But don’t worry — with a little planning, you can still enjoy safe and smooth festive travel!

London Liverpool Street / Stratford (25 Dec – 1 Jan)
Liverpool Street will be closed from Christmas Day to New Year’s Day. No trains through Liverpool Street’s high-level station; engineering work in the Bishopsgate tunnel and roof refurbishment affect this period. Elizabeth Line trains will run as normal.

London Waterloo area (27 Dec – 4 Jan)
No trains will call at Waterloo on 27–28 December, with services terminating at Clapham Junction instead. Reduced service continues until 4 January as major track and switch renewals take place at Waterloo and neighbouring stations.

Queenstown Road / Vauxhall area (27 Dec – 1 Jan)
Queenstown Road is closed for the full period. Vauxhall station will be closed 27–30 December and again on 1 January.

West Coast Main Line (Christmas Day – 5 Jan)
No trains will run between Milton Keynes and Rugby while a junction replacement takes place.

Preston – Carlisle (31 Dec – 15 Jan)
A bridge replacement will mean no trains between these stations during this period.

Carlisle – Lockerbie (1 – 7 Jan)
No rail services while new signalling is installed.

Transpennine Route Upgrade – Leeds – York (25 Dec – 2 Jan)
Trains between Leeds and York will not operate due to upgrade works.

Cambridge and Stansted Airport (25 Dec – 5 Jan)
No scheduled trains to Stansted Airport from Cambridge throughout this period. Replacement buses will be in operation.

Getting the Best Train Fares

During the festive season, many Off-Peak restrictions are eased, especially on long-distance routes. That means you can often travel Off-Peak at any time of day.

For the best deals:

Book early for long-distance routes.

Compare tickets and split fares to find the cheapest options.

Avoid booking fees by using Railsmartr — we’ll never charge you extra if your plans change.

Christmas and New Year Train Travel 2025/6 – Final Reminder

All information was correct at the time of publication (12 November 2025), but details may change. Please always check your journey with your train operator before you travel, especially around Christmas and New Year.

Railsmartr is not responsible for any loss incurred as a result of the information provided.