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How to get around London on New Year’s Eve: Tube, bus, and Overground

London buses will be among the transport options available on New Year’s Eve (Hollie Adams / Getty Images)
London buses will be among the transport options available on New Year’s Eve (Hollie Adams / Getty Images)

The end of the year is fast approaching and already Londoners and tourists alike are planning their festive plans to see in 2024.

But with New Year’s Eve this year falling on a Sunday, many are left wondering just how they will be getting out and about for the frolics that come with bidding farewell to 2023.

Transport for London has said it will not be offering free travel on New Year’s Eve but trains, tube lines and buses are all running through the day and night.

Users are being advised to plan their journey and check ahead for their destination, but we have compiled a guide to the best transport options available.

Bus

There will be a Sunday service for buses around the capital but those in the capital will be diverted from early afternoon.

This is down to the New Year’s Eve fireworks, where there will be road closures in place.

Some bridges will also be shut earlier because of the fireworks and, if users want to cross bridges after the times of closures, they will have to use the Tube, which will be running all night.

Lambeth Bridge will be shut from 8pm, Westminster Bridge from 2pm, with Waterloo and Blackfriars Bridge closed from 7pm.

On the buses, there will be a Sunday night service running on all 24-hour and night routes.

Tube

There is no change to the Tube services available in the capital and a normal day service is planned.

The only change to services is from pre-planned closures on some lines. The Waterloo and City line will be closed with no service at all, and on the District line there will be no service to Kensington Olympia.

At night services on the Tube will be running all night on all lines, except for the aforementioned pre-planned closures.

TfL has also warned that stations near the firework events are expected to be really busy, so people should plan their journeys ahead of time.

Elizabeth Line

In the day, there will be a normal service running and, during the evening, there will be a special all-night service running between Hayes and Harlington and Shenfield, Reading and Abbey Wood and Maidenhead and Abbey Wood.

There will be no overnight services running to and from Heathrow.

London Overground

There will be a normal day service on the London Overground, bar for pre-planned closures on some lines.

There will be no overnight service between Gospel Oak and Barking Riverside.

Between Euston and Watford Junction, there will be extra late night services at 1.05 am and 1.44am. There will be no overnight service between Romford and Upminster and no day service between Clapham Junction and Surrey Quays on the Highbury and Islington line.

There will, however, be a special overnight service running on that same line between Highbury and Islington and Crystal Palace/West Croydon.

TfL is urging everyone travelling to check their rail times and plan their journeys ahead of time here.