Christmas travel guide: How to get around London during the festive period

Some services will run to different timetables until 2 January

TfL services are altered over the festive period (Getty/iStock)

Trying to get around the capital over the next fortnight? Although TfL has said that “most services will be running”, there are a number of changes over the festive period. Here’s what you need to know.

Monday 23 December

Most services should be running as normal. One positive change is that, over the Christmas period, travellers can take as many Santander cycle trips as they like within 24 hours by using the code SCXMAS19.

Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December)

Many services are finishing earlier than usual on Christmas Eve.

Tube

There’s a reduced service on all Tube lines from around 4pm, except on the Waterloo & City and Circle lines. Last trains will be at Sunday times.

There will be no District line service between Parsons Green and Wimbledon from 10.45pm.

Replacement buses will be running between Fulham Broadway and Wimbledon.

The Circle line and Waterloo & City lines will be running a normal service until 10.30pm, when they will run a reduced service. The last Waterloo & City line train will be at 11.20pm.

London Overground

The last trains will run at around 9.30pm – all services will finish early.

DLR

The DLR will run to a Saturday schedule and finish early, at around 10.30pm.

TfL Rail

There’s no service between Paddington and Slough/Heathrow Terminal 4. Piccadilly line services to Heathrow airport will run as usual during this time.

Rail replacement buses will be in operation between Ealing Broadway, Slough and Hillingdon (not stopping at Acton Main Line, West Ealing and Hanwell).

Normal services will be running between Slough and Reading.

Normal services will be running between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, with an earlier than usual finish time: the last train from Liverpool Street is at 10.10pm; the last service from Shenfield is at 9.14pm.

Buses

Buses will run to Saturday schedules, with day buses finishing at normal times.

There will be no night services – 24 hour services finish around midnight.

Roads

There will be closures on the A10, A13, A4, North Circular and Central London Red Routes.

Delays are expected on the A3, A316, A40, Blackwall Tunnel and South Circular.

River

There is no Thames Clipper service.

London Trams

Trams will run to Saturday schedules until 6pm. There will be trams every 15 minutes from 6-8pm and trams every 20 minutes from 8pm.

Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)

Almost no transport is available on Christmas Day, with no services on the Tube, buses, TfL Rail, London Overground, DLR, Trams, River, Emirates Air Line and National Rail.

Drivers will be exempt from paying the Congestion Charge and ULEZ charges (the LEZ applies at all times, however).

There will be closures on the A10, A13, A4, North Circular and Central London Red Routes.

Delays are expected on the A3, A316, A40, Blackwall Tunnel and South Circular.

Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)

Services resume but are reduced in many cases.

Tube

On the Northern Line, there’s no service between Morden and Euston via Bank; no service between Morden and Camden Town via Charing Cross; and rail replacement buses are in operation between Morden and Stockwell for Victoria line services. First trains start from around 7.45am on the rest of the line and last trains are at usual weekday times.

There’s no District line service between Earl’s Court and Kensington (Olympia) and no Waterloo & City line service.

A reduced service is running on all other lines, with first trains running from around 7.45am. Last trains are running at weekday times.

London Overground

Most London Overground services will not be running apart from those between: Highbury & Islington and West Croydon (6.45am-10.45pm); Clapham Junction and Hackney Wick (9am-10pm); and rail replacement buses running between Hackney Wick and Stratford.

DLR

Trains will run every 10 minutes from 8.30am until 12.30am; services between Stratford and Canary Wharf will run to Saturday schedules from 9.30am.

TfL Rail

There is no TfL Rail service.

Buses

Buses will run to Sunday schedules, including 24-hour and night routes. 24-hour bus routes will begin from 6am.

Roads

The Congestion Charge does not apply; ULEZ charges do apply.

There will be closures on the A10, A13, A4, North Circular and Central London Red Routes.

Delays are expected on the A3, A316, A40, Blackwall Tunnel and South Circular.

River

No Thames Clipper or Woolwich Ferry services will be running.

London Trams

Trams will run to Sunday schedules.

Friday 27 December

Tube

There’s no District line service between Earl’s Court and Kensington (Olympia). A reduced service is running on the Waterloo & City line, with first and last trains at weekday times.

All other lines will be running to Saturday schedules but with first trains at weekday times.

The Central line’s first trains between Hainault and Woodford via Grange Hill will be running at Saturday times.

The Night Tube is running as normal.

London Overground

A weekday timetable will be in operation between Highbury & Islington and New Cross, Clapham Junction, Crystal Palace and West Croydon; all other routes will run to a Saturday schedule.

Friday Night Service trains will not stop at Whitechapel.

DLR

Trains will run to Saturday schedules.

TfL Rail

Saturday schedule will be in operation between Liverpool Street and Shenfield; trains will run every 10 minutes between Stratford and Shenfield.

There will be no service between Paddington and Slough/Heathrow Terminal 4.

Rail replacement buses will be running between Ealing Broadway, Slough and Hillingdon (not stopping at Acton Main Line, West Ealing and Hanwell).

Buses

Day buses will run to Saturday schedules; 24-hour and night routes will run a normal weekday service.

Roads

The Congestion Charge does not apply; ULEZ charges do apply.

There will be closures on the A10, A13, A23, A24, A4, North Circular and Central London Red Routes.

Delays are expected on the A3, A316, A40, Blackwall Tunnel and South Circular.

River

The Woolwich Ferry will run a single boat service.

London Trams

Trams will run to Saturday schedules.

Saturday 28 December

Tube

Tube services will run to Saturday timetables on all lines.

The Night Tube is running as normal.

London Overground

Trains will not be stopping at Whitechapel (including during Friday and Saturday night services).

There is no service between Euston and Kilburn High Road from 7.45pm.

TfL Rail

There is no service between Liverpool Street and Shenfield; rail replacement buses will run between Stratford and Shenfield (except Maryland), calling additionally at Newbury Park for the Central line.

There will be a reduced service between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington with trains every 30 mins. Trains will not be stopping at Acton Main Line, West Ealing or Hanwell.

Buses

There will be normal Friday services running on 24-hour and night routes.

Driving

The Congestion Charge does not apply; ULEZ charges do apply.

There will be closures on the A10, A13, A23, A24, A4, North Circular and Central London Red Routes.

Delays are expected on the A3, A316, A40, Blackwall Tunnel and South Circular.

River

The Woolwich Ferry will run a single boat service.

Sunday 29 December

Tube

There is no Metropolitan line service between Baker Street and Aldgate; no Circle line service; no District line service between South Kensington and East Ham; and no Hammersmith & City line service between Baker Street and Barking.

Replacement buses will be running between Liverpool Street and Barking.

London Overground

There is no service between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction all day; no service between Highbury & Islington and Stratford after 6.30pm; and no service between Euston and Kilburn High Road until 11.45am.

Trains will not be stopping at Whitechapel.

TfL Rail

There is no service between Liverpool Street and Shenfield; rail replacement buses will run between Stratford and Shenfield (except Maryland), calling additionally at Newbury Park for the Central line.

There will be a reduced service between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington with trains every 30 minutes. Trains will not be stopping at Acton Main Line or West Ealing.

Roads

The Congestion Charge does not apply; ULEZ charges do apply.

There will be closures on the A10, A13, A23, A24, A4, North Circular and Central London Red Routes.

Delays are expected on the A3, A316, A40, Blackwall Tunnel and South Circular.

River

The Woolwich Ferry will run a single boat service.

Monday 30 December

Tube

There is no District line service between Earl’s Court and Kensington (Olympia).

A Saturday timetable will be in operation, with first trains running at weekday times on all lines except Waterloo & City line (which has a reduced service with first and last trains at normal weekday times).

The first Central line trains between Hainault and Woodford via Grange Hill will run at Saturday times.

London Overground

All services will run to a Saturday timetable, apart from trains between Highbury & Islington and New Cross, Clapham Junction, Crystal Palace and West Croydon, which will follow a weekday schedule.

There is no service between Hackney Downs and Enfield Town/Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters) after 10.45pm.

There is no southbound service from Sydenham to West Croydon after 11.30pm.

DLR

Trains will run to Saturday schedules.

TfL Rail

There will be a reduced service between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington with trains every 30 minutes. Trains will not be stopping at Acton Main Line, West Ealing or Hanwell.

Buses

Day buses will run to Saturday schedules; 24-hour and night routes will run a normal Friday service.

Driving

The Congestion Charge does not apply; ULEZ charges do apply.

There will be closures on the A10, A13, A23, A24, A4, North Circular and Central London Red Routes.

Delays are expected on the A3, A316, A40, Blackwall Tunnel and South Circular.

River

The Woolwich Ferry will run a single boat service.

London Trams

Trams will run to Saturday schedules.

New Year’s Eve (Tuesday 31 December)

Road closures

From early afternoon, you will not be able to walk, drive or cycle through parts of central London as roads and bridges close for the London New Year’s Eve Fireworks. If you need to cross the river in central London, use Tube and bus services, which run all night and are free to use from 11.45pm until 4.30am. For a full list of closures, check here.

Tube

Underground stations near the fireworks event and in busy areas will be exit-only or interchange-only at times to help manage crowds safely. Stations will reopen when it is safe to do so. Camden Town and Waterloo will use a queuing system. Check here for a full list of affected stations.

There is a reduced service on all lines.

The first Central line trains between Hainault and Woodford via Grange Hill will run at Saturday times.

There is no Piccadilly line service between Uxbridge and Rayners Lane and no District line service between Earl’s Court and Kensington (Olympia).

Trains will be running all night (aside from the Waterloo & City line, which runs until around 2.40am), with free travel on all Tube lines from 11.45pm on New Year’s Eve to 4.30am on New Year’s Day.

London Overground

All services will run to a Saturday timetable, apart from trains between Highbury & Islington and New Cross, Clapham Junction, Crystal Palace and West Croydon, which will follow a weekday schedule.

Special overnight services are running between Richmond, Clapham Junction and Stratford; and Highbury & Islington and West Croydon. Late trains from Euston to Watford Junction will run until 1.45am.

DLR

A Saturday service will run until 12.30am on New Year’s Day; services will run every 15 minutes from 12.30am through the night until 8am.

TfL Rail

Eastbound trains will run approximately every 15 minutes throughout the night.

Westbound trains will run every 30 minutes all day and throughout the night. Westbound trains will not stop at Heathrow Terminals all night.

There will be a reduced service between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington.

Trains will not be stopping at Acton Main Line, West Ealing or Hanwell.

Buses

From 2pm, some bus routes in central London will be diverted or stop short of their destination because of road and bridge closures.

Driving

The Congestion Charge does not apply; ULEZ charges do apply.

There will be closures on the A10, A13, A23, A24, A4, North Circular and Central London Red Routes.

Delays are expected on the A3, A316, A40, Blackwall Tunnel and South Circular.

River

Thames Clipper services finish early, with the last stop at London Eye Pier at 3.19pm; the Woolwich Ferry will run a single boat service.

London Trams

Trams will run to Saturday schedules; special all-night services will run every 30 minutes between Wimbledon and Beckenham Junction/New Addington.

Taxis

Black cabs will charge an extra £4 per journey all night, from 8pm to 6am.

New Year’s Day (Wednesday 1 January)

Tube

There will be a reduced service on all lines, with first and last trains running at usual weekday times.

There is no District line service between Earl’s Court and Kensington (Olympia).

There is no Piccadilly line service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge until 10.45am.

The Waterloo & City line first and last trains will run at Saturday times.

London Overground

All services will run to a Saturday timetable, with first trains running at Sunday times.

There is no service between Hackney Downs and Enfield Town/Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters) after 10.45pm.

DLR

Trains will run to Saturday schedules from 8am.

TfL Rail

Eastbound trains will run to a Saturday schedule, with trains every 10 minutes.

Westbound, Paddington-Heathrow Terminal 4 trains will run to a Saturday timetable. Trains will run every 30 minutes to stations between Paddington, Reading and Heathrow Terminal 4.

Buses

Buses will run to Sunday schedules; due to road closures for the New Year’s Day Parade, some buses in central London will be diverted or stopped short of their final destination until about 6pm.

Roads

The Congestion Charge does not apply; ULEZ charges do apply.

There will be closures on the A10, A13, A4, North Circular and Central London Red Routes.

Delays are expected on the A3, A316, A40, Blackwall Tunnel and South Circular.

River

There are no Thames Clipper or Woolwich Ferry services.

London Trams

Trams will run to Sunday schedules.

Thursday 2 January

London Overground

All services will run to a weekday timetable.

There is no service between Hackney Downs and Enfield Town/Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters) after 10.45pm.

There is no southbound service from Sydenham to West Croydon after 11.30pm.

Driving

The Congestion Charge and ULEZ charges apply.

There will be closures on the A10, A13, A4, North Circular and Central London Red Routes.

Delays are expected on the A3, A316, A40, Blackwall Tunnel and South Circular.

That’s all folks; Christmas is officially over.