TfL Christmas changes will significantly affect travel across London during the festive period, with early service reductions, full-day suspensions and extensive line closures scheduled between 20 December 2025 and 5 January 2026. The most disruptive dates are expected to be Christmas Eve (24 December), Christmas Day (25 December) and Boxing Day (26 December), when large parts of the network will either shut early or not operate at all. The WP Times reports this, citing official guidance from Transport for London and statements issued by senior TfL officials.
TfL says the adjustments reflect a combination of planned engineering work, historically lower passenger numbers during the holiday period and safety-related crowd management in central London.
Christmas Eve – Wednesday, 24 December: early shutdown across London
On Christmas Eve, transport services will run during the day but finish significantly earlier than usual.
Buses
- Day routes will operate on Saturday timetables
- No night bus services
- 24-hour bus routes will stop running around midnight
London Underground
- Services will operate to Saturday timetables during the day
- Reduced services from around 20:00
- Earlier last trains on most lines
Elizabeth line
- Reduced service
- Early shutdown, with passengers advised to complete journeys by late evening
London Overground
- Services will run during the day
- Reduced frequencies from early evening
- Earlier last trains across multiple lines
TfL warns that late-evening cross-London journeys on Christmas Eve may not be possible, particularly those involving interchanges.
Christmas Day – Thursday, 25 December: no TfL services
TfL confirms that no London public transport services will operate on Christmas Day.
This includes:
- London Underground
- London buses
- London Overground
- Elizabeth line
- DLR
- Trams
- TfL river services
- Night Tube and Night Overground
Passengers needing to travel on 25 December must rely on taxis, private hire vehicles, coaches or cycling. TfL also notes that road congestion and fares for taxis and private hire services are typically higher on Christmas Day.
Boxing Day – Friday, 26 December: widespread closures and reduced timetables
Boxing Day will see some of the most extensive disruptions of the festive period.
Key points
- No Elizabeth line service
- No Night Tube or Night Overground
- Reduced and altered services on several Tube and Overground lines
- Buses will generally operate on Sunday timetables
TfL advises passengers to check individual line status carefully, as some routes will be completely suspended while others will operate only on partial sections.
New Year’s Eve – Wednesday, 31 December: services run overnight with restrictions
On New Year’s Eve, TfL will operate all-night services across much of the network. However, significant restrictions will apply in central London.
- Road closures from early afternoon
- Bus diversions across the West End and Westminster
- Station closures and exit-only controls at major central stations in the evening
- Some Tube stations may close temporarily to prevent overcrowding
TfL stresses that passengers attending New Year’s Eve events should plan alternative walking routes and expect last-minute changes.
What passengers should do
TfL’s advice to passengers travelling over Christmas and New Year is consistent:
- Check service updates before every journey
- Avoid late-evening travel on 24 December
- Do not rely on public transport on 25 December
- Expect fragmented routes on 26 December
- Allow extra time and flexibility on 31 December
Passengers are encouraged to use TfL’s live journey planning tools throughout the festive period.
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