Travel status (Christmas & New Year): On Christmas Day 25 December there is no service on London Underground, London Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR or Trams. Services resume from Boxing Day, with some lines returning later in the week. On New Year’s Eve, London typically operates extended late-night services to support central London travel.

Christmas and New Year are two of the busiest and most unusual periods for travelling in London. The network doesn’t run normally, and the biggest mistakes people make are assuming the Tube will be open on Christmas Day, or assuming all lines return to full service immediately on 26 December.

This is a practical, London-first guide to Tube and rail travel over Christmas 2025 and New Year’s Eve, including what’s closed, what typically runs later, and how to plan your journeys if you’re moving around the capital for family, work, airports or celebrations.

Christmas Day (25 December 2025): no Tube or rail services

On Christmas Day, TfL confirms there is no service on any London Underground line, as well as no service on London Overground, the Elizabeth line, the DLR and London Trams. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

If you need to travel on 25 December, your realistic options are:

• Walking and cycling for central journeys
• Taxis and private hire (expect higher demand and pricing)
• Coach services for some airport and longer-distance trips

Boxing Day to 30 December: services return, but not always fully

From Boxing Day morning, services begin to resume, but the festive week often includes:

• Reduced frequencies
• Planned engineering closures
• Some lines or branches returning later (for example, certain Overground lines and parts of the Elizabeth line resuming on 27 December)

TfL’s live status pages frequently show phased returns across the week, so do not assume the route you used on a normal weekday will be operating in the same way during the holiday period. 

Elizabeth line and airport travel: what to expect

TfL’s holiday messaging confirms no Elizabeth line service on Christmas Day. For travel between central London and Heathrow on 25 December, passengers are typically directed towards coach alternatives, with Heathrow Express operating terminal-to-terminal connections only (where available). 

If you’re travelling with luggage, plan for longer journey times and check the live status before you leave, especially in the days immediately after Christmas when engineering works can affect interchange stations and key corridors.

New Year’s Eve (31 December 2025): late-night travel and central London crowding

New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest nights on London’s transport network. Expect:

• Extended late-night services on core routes
• High demand at major interchanges (especially after midnight)
• Temporary station control measures in central areas

Practical advice for New Year’s Eve travel: 

• Arrive earlier than you think you need to
• Use alternative interchanges if Zone 1 stations are overcrowded
• Keep your phone charged and have a backup route in mind

New Year’s Day (1 January 2026): reduced services

On New Year’s Day, London transport typically operates on reduced schedules (often similar to Sunday timetables) with potential planned works. If you’re returning home early on 1 January, plan for longer waits and fewer direct connections.

image: constructionmagazine.uk

Expert Verification & Authorship: Mihai Chelmus Founder, London Construction Magazine | London Construction & Infrastructure Commentary