Trainline has identified Saturday 21 December as the busiest day for train travel in the UK this Christmas, with Monday 23 December also expected to be extremely busy as last-minute travellers make their journeys before Christmas Eve.
For those seeking to avoid the crowds, Christmas Eve is predicted to be the quietest day, although services will end early in the evening. Sunday 22 December is forecast to be the second quietest day for rail travel.
No trains will run on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, except for limited airport transfer services. New Year’s Eve services may finish earlier than usual, and New Year’s Day trains could start later.
Major engineering works will disrupt services: London Liverpool Street will be closed from 25 December to 2 January, and London Paddington will shut from 27 to 29 December. East Midlands trains between St Pancras and Bedford, and Thameslink services between St Pancras and Harpenden, will not run from 21 to 29 December.
On 27 December, no trains will pass through Crewe, with no direct service to Liverpool and a reduced service to Manchester from 28 December to 3 January.
