Christmas Rail Travel to and from London airports (hint: lots of closures)

It’s coming up to Christmas – and in the UK – you should know what that means. Yes – it’s time for engineering work to be carried out and lots of line closures!

Let’s concentrate on Airports first

London Heathrow

Heathrow Express – Not operating between 24th December and 27th December
Heathrow Connect –Not operating between 24th December and 27th December

Yes – Heathrow Express and Connect will not operate on the days above. Transfer shuttles will operate between Terminals 2/3, T4 and T5 on 24 and 25 December, and between Terminals 2&3 and Terminal 5 only from 26 to 30 December (between these dates .

Changes are as follows:

Heathrow Express 

Heathrow Express at Terminal 5 – Image, Economy Class and Beyond

• Services will run every 30 minutes between 28th December and 1st January during its operational hours. Full details at https://www.heathrowexpress.com/timetable-schedule/service-plans

Heathrow Connect 

Heathrow Connect train at Heathrow Central – Image, Economy Class and Beyond

• Between 28th December and 30th December – and 1st January, trains will not call at West Ealing or Hanwell
• Between 28th December and 30th December, trains will operate half-hourly.
• Between 31st December and 1st January, trains will operate hourly.
• Full information at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/172138.aspx

Alternatives

London Underground will operate on the 24th , 26th and 27th December. Services are reduced to:

• 24th December – Sunday service, wind down from 20:00
• 25th December – No service
• 26th December – Sunday service
• 27th December – Saturday Service

Both National Express and the taxi services should be operating. Black  Cabs Taxis will be charging extra (as most of the other providers, so be aware).

London Gatwick

Gatwick Express

Gatwick Express service passing Clapham Junction – Image, Economy Class and Beyond.

• 24th December Gatwick Express will commence an early run down from 20:00 onwards
• 25th December – no service
• 26th December – Bus replacement service between A bus service will operate between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport only, running every 30 minutes between 05:00 and 23:00.
• 27th December – 31st December  – Every 30 minutes
• 1st January – Sunday Service
• 2nd January – Normal Service

Full details at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/172073.aspx

Southern

Southern Rail service arriving at Clapham Junction – Image, Economy Class and Beyond.

• 24th December – Service rundown commences from 19:00 onwards
• 25th December – No service
• 26th December – Bus replacement service between A bus service will operate between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport only, running every 30 minutes between 05:00 and 23:00.
• 27th December – 31st December Reduced Saturday service
• 1st January – Additional early services, Sunday service during normal operating hours
• 2nd January – Normal service

Thameslink

• Between Saturday 23 December and Monday 1 January, there will be no through-London Thamselink services
• 25th December – No services
• 26th December – Bus replacement service between A bus service will operate between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport only, running every 30 minutes between 05:00 and 23:00.
• Services operating at other times.

Alternatives

National Express will be running on the 25th December for those who need to travel. EasyBus has suspended services for the day.

London City Airport

The Docklands Light Railway will be running every day except Christmas day.

Aboard the Docklands Light Railway – Image, Economy Class and Beyond

• 24th December – Early finish
• 25th December – No service
• 26th December – 2nd January a 5-10 minute operation is planned

See https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/christmas-travel?intcmp=32631

London Stansted

Stansted Express will be operating through the period (bar the 25th December)

• 24th December – Reduced Services
• 25th December – No services
• 26th December to 1st January – Reduced services

Changes to times can be found at https://www.stanstedexpress.com/travel-information/planned-service-alterations/

Outside London

Traditionally, there are no trains on Christmas Day or Boxing Day on the UK Rail network, with the majority of the rail network following that.

Some services are operating on Boxing Day (26th December), with some airports impacted by changes locally. Check http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/172339.aspx before you travel

Major works

It wouldn’t be Christmas without major works on the rail network, and here are the Five big ones:

• CrossRail work – impacting –  the Greater Anglia lines between Ingatestone to London Liverpool Street and TfL Rail between Shenfield and Liverpool Street
• CrossRail work – impacting the Great Western Lines, with no services between 25th and 27th December between London Paddington and Slough, and reduced services the rest of the time
• London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street closed.
• Manchester network suffering improvement works.
• West Coast Main Line between Preston and Lancaster will be closed
• Birmingham area is partially closed for signalling renewals between 23rd December and 2nd January.

As usual, check before you travel at National Rail Enquiries before your travel and to plan your journey.

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