Tis the season to check if the trains are running over the Christmas period, with a lot of lines closed or diverted for engineering works in the London region.
As usual, no trains whatsoever on Christmas Day, and hardly any trains on Boxing Day, and then generally amended timetables for the rest of the week until conventional rail service resumes on Tuesday 4th January.
For travellers to Heathrow Airport, be aware that the London Underground’s Piccadilly line will be suspended between 24th to 30th December inclusive, and there will be fewer trains to/from London Paddington station.
At time of writing, Geater Anglia, Heathrow Express, and Lumo have not announced their plans for the Christmas period.
Thursday 23rd December
Avanti West Coast – The 10pm London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly service will be diverted via Stafford, and will not call at Stoke-on-Trent.
GWR – Disruption to late night services between London Paddington and Reading.
Christmas Eve
Avanti West Coast – Services will finish much earlier than usual.
C2C – An amended timetable from noon.
Chiltern Railways – Services will start to wind down from 8pm.
Grand Central – Last services to leave London around 4:30pm.
Great Northern – Services will start to close from 6pm.
GWR – Early morning disruption between Maidenhead and Reading. Services will close early in the evening.
LNER – Services will be finishing earlier than normal, with some evening services being cancelled and others terminating short of their normal destination.
London Northwestern Railway – Services start to wind down from 7pm
London Overground – Reduced service between Stratford and Richmond/Clapham Junction. All services to closed from 9:45pm
SWR – To be announced.
Southeastern – Trains finishing earlier, with no trains after 10pm.
Southern – Services will start to close from 6pm.
TfL Rail – To be announced.
Thameslink – Services will start to close from 6pm.
Christmas Day
No trains
Boxing Day
The railways are closed except for:
London Overground – Reduced service on some lines. No service on London Euston to Watford, Gospel Oak to Barking, out of Liverpool Street or the Romford to Upminster lines.
Southern – Very limited service to/from London Bridge via Gatwick.
Monday 27th December
Avanti West Coast – Engineering work at London Euston so train timetables will be amended.
C2C – No service between Fenchurch Street and Barking (use London Underground) No services between Upminster and Pitsea via Okendon. No services between Upmisnter and Grays via Rainham.
Chiltern Railways – No trains to/from Marylebone – use London Underground to West Ruislip.
Grand Central -Normal service, save the 8:27am which is cancelled.
Great Northern – No services between Moorgate and Finsbury Park, with trains diverted to London King’s Cross.
GWR – Amended timetable with fewer trains to/from London Paddington.
LNER – Normal service in the London area.
London Northwestern Railway – Amended timetable and no trains to Birmingham New Street from London Euston.
London Overground – Amended timetable on most lines. Shadwell station closed, no service on Romford-Upminster line.
SWR – Services out of London Waterloo affected by engineering work in the Woking area.
Southeastern – services through Lewisham will be affected by engineering works.
Southern – No services between London Victoria and East Croydon.
TfL Rail – Amended timetable.
Thameslink – Amended timetable due to engineering works in Kentish Town.
Tuesday 28th December
Avanti West Coast – Normal service.
C2C – No service between Fenchurch Street and Barking (use London Underground) No services between Upminster and Pitsea via Okendon. No services between Upmisnter and Grays via Rainham.
Chiltern Railways – Normal service from London Marylebone, with disruptions outside London.
Grand Central -Normal service.
Great Northern – Revised timetable.
GWR – Amended timetable with fewer trains to/from London Paddington.
LNER – Normal service in the London area.
London Northwestern Railway – To be announced.
London Overground – Amended timetable on most lines. Shadwell station closed, no service on Romford-Upminster line.
SWR – Services out of London Waterloo affected by engineering work in the Woking area.
Southeastern – services through Lewisham will be affected by engineering works.
Southern – No services between London Victoria and East Croydon.
TfL Rail – Amended timetable.
Thameslink – Amended timetable due to engineering works in Kentish Town.
Wednesday 29th December
Avanti West Coast – Normal service.
C2C – All Fenchurch Street services will run to/from London Liverpool Street instead with a reduced timetable.
Chiltern Railways – Normal service from London Marylebone, with disruptions outside London.
Grand Central -Normal service.
Great Northern – Revised timetable.
GWR – Amended timetable with fewer trains to/from London Paddington.
LNER – Normal service in the London area.
London Northwestern Railway – To be announced.
London Overground – Amended timetable on most lines. Shadwell station closed.
SWR – Services out of London Waterloo affected by engineering work in the Vauxhall area.
Southeastern – services through Lewisham will be affected by engineering works.
Southern – No services between London Victoria and East Croydon.
TfL Rail – Amended timetable.
Thameslink – Amended timetable due to engineering works in Kentish Town.
Thursday 30th December
Avanti West Coast – Normal service.
C2C – All Fenchurch Street services will run to/from London Liverpool Street instead with a reduced timetable.
Chiltern Railways – An amended service all day
Grand Central -Normal service.
Great Northern – Revised timetable.
GWR – Amended timetable with fewer trains to/from London Paddington.
LNER – Normal service in the London area.
London Northwestern Railway – To be announced.
London Overground – Amended timetable on most lines. Shadwell station closed.
SWR – Services out of London Waterloo affected by engineering work in the Vauxhall area.
Southeastern – services through Lewisham will be affected by engineering works.
Southern – No services between London Victoria and East Croydon.
TfL Rail – Amended timetable.
Thameslink – Amended timetable due to engineering works in Kentish Town.
New Year’s Eve
Avanti West Coast – Normal service.
C2C – All Fenchurch Street services will run to/from London Liverpool Street instead with a reduced timetable.
Chiltern Railways – An amended service all day
Grand Central -Last service to leave London will be around 4:30pm.
Great Northern – Revised timetable.
GWR – Amended timetable with fewer trains to/from London Paddington and most services stop by around 10:30pm.
LNER – Normal service in the London area.
London Northwestern Railway – To be announced.
London Overground – Amended timetable on most lines. Shadwell station closed, and West Croydon services diverted to Battersea Park until 6:15pm.
SWR – Services out of London Waterloo affected by engineering work in the Vauxhall area.
Southeastern – services through Lewisham will be affected by engineering works.
Southern – No services between London Victoria and East Croydon.
TfL Rail – Amended timetable, with all-night trains for New Year’s celebrations.
Thameslink – Amended timetable due to engineering works in Kentish Town.
New Year’s Day
Avanti West Coast – Engineering work at London Euston so train timetables will be amended.
C2C – All Fenchurch Street services will run to/from London Liverpool Street instead with a reduced timetable.
Chiltern Railways – An amended service all day
Grand Central -Normal service.
Great Northern – Revised timetable.
GWR – Still to be announced.
LNER – Normal service in the London area, but some early morning services will be cancelled.
London Northwestern Railway – To be announced.
London Overground – Normal service except no service on London Euston to Watford, and amended service on Clapham Junction/Richmond to Stratford lines.
SWR – To be announced.
Southeastern – services through Lewisham will be affected by engineering works.
Southern – No services between London Victoria and East Croydon.
TfL Rail – Amended timetable.
Thameslink – Amended timetable due to engineering works in Kentish Town.
Sunday 2nd January 2022
Avanti West Coast – Engineering work at London Euston so train timetables will be amended, and there will be a reduced service.
C2C – Ockenden and Rainham line services to/from Fenchurch Street services will run to/from London Liverpool Street instead with a reduced timetable. A normal service will run on the Basildon line.
Chiltern Railways – Normal service
Grand Central -Normal service, except for the 9:50am service which is cancelled
Great Northern – No trains before 8:30am between London King’s Cross and Finsbury Park
GWR – Still to be announced.
LNER – Normal service in the London area.
London Northwestern Railway – To be announced.
London Overground – Normal service except no service on London Euston to Watford, and amended service on Clapham Junction/Richmond to Stratford lines.
SWR – To be announced.
Southeastern – services through Lewisham will be affected by engineering works.
Southern – No services between London Victoria and East Croydon.
TfL Rail – Amended timetable.
Thameslink – Amended timetable due to engineering works in Kentish Town.
Monday 3rd January 2022
Avanti West Coast – Engineering work at London Euston so train timetables will be amended.
C2C – All Fenchurch Street services will run to/from London Liverpool Street instead with a reduced timetable.
Chiltern Railways – An amended service all day
Grand Central -Normal service.
Great Northern – Revised timetable.
GWR – Still to be announced.
LNER – Normal service in the London area
London Northwestern Railway – To be announced.
London Overground – Normal service except no service on London Euston to Watford, and amended service on Clapham Junction/Richmond to Stratford lines.
SWR – To be announced.
Southeastern – To be announced.
Southern – No services between London Victoria and East Croydon.
TfL Rail – Amended timetable.
Thameslink – Amended timetable due to engineering works in Kentish Town.
In-depth details for each train operator
- Avanti West Coast
- c2c
- Caledonian Sleeper
- Chiltern Railways
- CrossCountry
- East Midlands Railway
- Gatwick Express
- Grand Central
- Great Northern
- Great Western Railway
- Greater Anglia
- Heathrow Express
- Hull Trains
- Island Line
- London North Eastern Railway
- London Northwestern Railway
- London Overground
- Lumo
- Merseyrail
- Northern
- ScotRail
- South Western Railway
- Southeastern
- Southern
- Stansted Express
- TfL Rail
- Thameslink
- TransPennine Express
- Transport for Wales
- West Midlands Railway
No greater anglia?
Explained in the 4th paragraph at the top of the article.
On the London Overground on 31st December, Clapham junction services will be diverted to Battersea Park, not West Croydon services. Keep up the good work.
As a pedant, please may I point out a couple of typos in the lines about C2C on 27th and 28th Dec.
It should be Ockendon and Upminster.
Whilst there’s no specific release about Christmas on Greater Anglia’s website you can find details on their service alterations page https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/travel-information/service-alterations?date=2021-12-01–2021-12-31, with the major work being buses replace trains between Shenfield and Colchester on 27 and 28 December and a half hourly Stansted Express service to/from Tottenham Hale on Boxing Day.