Christmas 2023 train travel: What timetable changes and engineering work are planned?
Network Rail and Transport for London have told passengers when they can expect delays and cancellations due to engineering works over Christmas.
There will be disruption on many routes between December 22 and January 2 and some train companies will be making changes to their timetable to match services to the number of customers travelling. On Christmas Day there will be no public transport at all.
As well as the annual changes due to engineering, there is also the possibility of short-notice disruption due to industrial action.
There are currently no strikes planned for the Christmas period but Aslef has previously announced action for at the beginning of December.
Earlier in November there were a number of Underground line closed for servicing and Avanti has cut train services between Manchester and London in the lead-up to Christmas.
Transport for London
The DLR will be closed from Canary Wharf to Poplar and Westferry from December 23 to 26.
On Christmas Eve, London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, Elizabeth line, London Overground and London Trams will finish earlier than normal.
Also on Christmas Eve, the Elizabeth line will be reduced from Ealing Broadway to Maidenhead and will not stop at Heathrow T4. It will not run on Boxing Day.
The Bakerloo line will not run from Queen’s Park to Harrow and Wealdstone on Boxing Day, nor will the DLR from Canary Wharf to Poplar and Westferry.
There will be a reduced service on the Elizabeth line on December 27.
For all the Overground closures, click here.
National Rail
These are the franchise holders that are not providing their full service on the days below.
For full details as to what this means, visit Network Rail’s website.
December 23
CrossCountry
London Northwestern Railway
Northern
Southeastern
Southern
TransPennine Express
December 24
Avanti West Coast
c2c
Caledonian Sleeper
Chiltern Railways
CrossCountry
East Midlands Railway
Gatwick Express
Hull Trains
LNER
London Northwestern Railway
Lumo
Merseyrail
Northern
South Western Railway
Southeastern
Southern
Thameslink
TransPennine Express
West Midlands Railway
December 25
On Christmas Day there will be no public transport at all.
December 26
Avanti West Coast
c2c
Caledonian Sleeper
Chiltern Railways
CrossCountry
East Midlands Railway
Gatwick Express
Heathrow Express
Hull Trains
LNER
London Northwestern Railway
Lumo
Merseyrail
Northern
South Western Railway
Southeastern
Southern
Stansted Express
Thameslink
TransPennine Express
December 27
Avanti West Coast
C2c
Chiltern Railways
CrossCountry
East Midlands Railway
Gatwick Express
Heathrow Express
Hull Trains
LNER
London Northwestern Railway
Lumo
Northern
South Western Railway
Southeastern
Southern
Stansted Express
Thameslink
TransPennine Express
West Midlands Railway
December 28
Avanti West Coast
C2c
Chiltern Railways
CrossCountry
East Midlands Railway
Gatwick Express
London Northwestern Railway
Lumo
Northern
South Western Railway
Southeastern
Southern
Stansted Express
Thameslink
West Midlands Railway
December 29
c2c
Caledonian Sleeper
Chiltern Railways
CrossCountry
East Midlands Railway
Gatwick Express
London Northwestern Railway
Lumo
Northern
South Western Railway
Southeastern
Southern
Stansted Express
Thameslink
TransPennine Express
West Midlands Railway
December 30
Avanti West Coast
CrossCountry
LNER
London Northwestern Railway
Lumo
Northern
Southeastern
Southern
Thameslink
TransPennine Express
West Midlands Railway
December 31
Avanti West Coast
Caledonian Sleeper
Chiltern Railways
CrossCountry
East Midlands Railway
LNER
London Northwestern Railway
Lumo
Merseyrail
Northern
South Western Railway
Southeastern
Southern
Stansted Express
Thameslink
TransPennine Express
West Midlands Railway
January 1
Avanti West Coast
c2c
Caledonian Sleeper
Chiltern Railways
CrossCountry
East Midlands Railway
Gatwick Express
Hull Trains
LNER
London Northwestern Railway
Merseyrail
Northern
South Western Railway
Southeastern
Southern
Thameslink
TransPennine Express
West Midlands Railway
January 2
c2c
Caledonian Sleeper
CrossCountry
East Midlands Railway
LNER
Northern
Southeastern
Southern
Thameslink