UK Christmas and New Year Travel – London Airports Edition (2022)

With the holiday season creeping up on us faster than any of us would like, the travel situation this season is a bit odd this year.

Heathrow

Heathrow Express

Heathrow Express is affected by strike action on the rail network, as well as engineering work.

• Saturday 24 December 2022 – Last train from Paddington: 15:25, Last train from Terminal 5: 15:12, Last train from Heathrow Central Terminals 2&3: 15:17
• Sunday 25 December 2022 – No trains
• Monday 26 December 2022 – No trains due to planned upgrade work
• Tuesday 27 December 2022 First train from Paddington: 11:25, then every 15 minutes,  First train from Heathrow Central Terminal 5: 10:57, then every 15 minutes First train from Heathrow Central Terminals 2&3: 11:02, then every 15 minutes.
• Wednesday 28th December 2022 to 1st January 2023-  A Normal Service will operate
• Monday 2 January 2023 –First train from Heathrow Central Terminal 5: 05:42 then every 15 minutes

Further details at https://www.heathrowexpress.com/timetable/planned-service-disruption/

Elizabeth Line (Paddington- Heathrow branch)

With the Elizabeth line running on National Rail tracks, expect some early finishes and reduced services

• 24th December – You must complete your journey by 14:00 due to strike action
• 25th December – No Service
• 26th December – No Service
• 27th December – Check before you travel – a late start is anticipated.
• 28th December – A Saturday service will operate
• 29th December – A Saturday service will operate
• 30th December – A Saturday service will operate
• 31st December – A reduced service will operate on the line
• 1st January – A reduced service will operate on the line
• 2nd January – A reduced service will operate on the line

Further details at https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/christmas-and-new-year-travel.

TfL London Underground (Piccadilly Line)

• 24th December – Services will wind down early.
• 25th December – No Service
• 26th December – A Sunday service will operate, with First trains from 06:50-07:30
• 27th December – A Saturday service will operate
• 28th December – A Saturday service will operate
• 29th December – A Saturday service will operate
• 30th December – A Saturday service will operate
• 31st December –  Services will run all night
• 1st January – A Special service will operate, with the last trains at Sunday times
• 2nd January – A Saturday service will operate

If you’re planning to take a taxi from Heathrow into London, be aware that From 20:00 24th until 06:00 on Tuesday 27 December and from 20:00 on New Year’s Eve until 06:00 on Monday 2 January, Black Cabs can charge an extra £4 on top of their journey. Uber/Ola may be subject to surge pricing.

National Express are operating coaches, but you will need to book these in advance.

Gatwick Airport

Gatwick Express will not operate services on Strike days. In addition, there will be no Gatwick Express services on Christmas Day or Boxing Day

On other routes operated by Thameslink/Southern:

• 24th December – Last Trains are expected to depart Midday.
• 25th December – No Service
• 26th December -No Service
• 27th December – Late Service Start
• 28th December – Festive Timetable will operate, with some short-notice cancellations
• 29th December – Festive Timetable will operate, with some short-notice cancellations
• 30th December  – Festive Timetable will operate, with some short-notice cancellations
• 31st December – Festive Timetable will operate, with some short-notice cancellations
• 1st January – – Festive Timetable will operate, with some short-notice cancellations
• 2nd January – Normal timetable, with some amendments

There is also major engineering work in the London Victoria area – so you must check before you travel.

Further information:

• Gatwick Express: https://www.gatwickexpress.com/travel-information/plan-your-journey/industrial-action
• Southern: https://www.southernrailway.com/travel-information/plan-your-journey/industrial-action
• Thameslink: https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/travel-information/plan-your-journey/industrial-action

(Side note – yes, the sites are pretty much the same – as Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink are all operated by the same company).

Stanstead Airport

Stansted Express (operated by Greater Anglia) will be operating limited services.

• Saturday 24 December – The last service planned from London Liverpool Street is at 14:58 and 14:42 from Stansted Airport.
• Sunday 25 December – No Services
• Monday 26 December – No Services due to industrial action
• Tuesday 27 December –  Trains are expected to start later than usual and not before 08:15 am.  Trains should return to normal by the afternoon.
• Between Tuesday 27 December to Monday 2 January, trains will only run between Stansted Airport and Tottenham Hale. Passengers can use London Underground services between Tottenham Hale and Central London.

Luton Airport

East Midlands Railway

• 24th December – Limited Service between London and Corby, with an early shutdown.
• 25th December – No Services
• 26th December – No Services
• 27th December – Services will start later than normal
• 28th December- Short notice cancellations expected
• 29th December – Normal Timetable, with short-notice cancellations
• 30th December – Normal Timetable, with short-notice cancellations
• 31st December – Normal Timetable, with short-notice cancellations
• 1st January – Reduced operations between 07:30 and 18:30.
• 2nd January -Normal Timetable, with short-notice cancellations

Thameslink

• 24th December – Last Trains are expected to depart at Midday
• 25th December – No Service
• 26th December -No Service
• 27th December – Late Service Start
• 28th December – Festive Timetable will operate, with some short-notice cancellations
• 29th December – Festive Timetable will operate, with some short-notice cancellations
• 30th December  – Festive Timetable will operate, with some short-notice cancellations
• 31st December – Festive Timetable will operate, with some short-notice cancellations
• 1st January – – Festive Timetable will operate, with some short-notice cancellations
• 2nd January – Normal timetable, with some amendments

Details:

• EMR – www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/rail-strike
• Thameslink: https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/travel-information/plan-your-journey/industrial-action

London City Airport

You’ll be using the Docklands Light Railway to access the airport. Thankfully, most days a DLR service will operate (bar the obvious ones)

• 24th December – Services will wind down early. Complete journeys by 22:30
• 25th December – No Service
• 26th December – A Sunday service will operate, with First trains from 06:50-07:30
• 27th December – A Saturday service will operate
• 28th December – A Saturday service will operate
• 29th December – A Saturday service will operate
• 30th December – A Saturday service will operate
• 31st December –  Saturday service in the day, All night service at night
• 1st January – A Special service will operate, with the last trains at Sunday times
• 2nd January – A Saturday service will operate

Further details at https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/christmas-and-new-year-travel

It’s messy out there

If you are planning for onward travel from any of the London Airports into the city centre, allow time, but also have backup plans. All the airports are coach-connected or have buses as options.

However, it’s not going to be fun.

Make sure that you know your options – it will be critical if you’re planing to travel this holiday season and intending to utilise public transport.