No National Rail trains on Christmas Day 2026, and no Tube last year. The Congestion Charge pauses 25 Dec to 1 Jan; paid parking is free on Christmas Day.

Four London rail terminals sit inside the City of Westminster: Paddington, Victoria, Marylebone and Charing Cross. On Christmas Day, Friday 25 December 2026, no National Rail trains will run from any of them. Last year TfL also ran no service on most of its network on Christmas Day. Boxing Day falls on a Saturday this year, so the bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December. Each train company’s timetable is due from October, so this page separates what is confirmed from what is still to come.

The quick answer

  • No National Rail trains on Christmas Day, 25 December 2026. Trains on many routes finish early on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
  • No service on most of TfL’s network on Christmas Day last year, Tube included. On Boxing Day the Tube and buses ran a Sunday service, and the Elizabeth line did not run.
  • The Congestion Charge is not charged from Christmas Day to the New Year’s Day bank holiday, inclusive. Paid parking in Westminster is free on 25, 26 and 28 December and 1 January.

Trains: what National Rail has confirmed for 2026/27

National Rail’s Christmas and New Year 2026/27 summary covers Thursday 24 December 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027.

Date What National Rail says
Thursday 24 December Services on many routes finish earlier than normal. Guide to last trains from London due late November or early December
Friday 25 December No National Rail services
Saturday 26 December Most operators run no service. A very limited service from a few operators, details to be confirmed
Monday 28 December Substitute Boxing Day bank holiday. Services to be confirmed
Thursday 31 December Services on some routes finish earlier than normal
Friday 1 January 2027 Special services on some London routes after midnight. Guide due early December

National Rail says each train company’s plans will be added “from the beginning of October onwards”. The only major engineering work it had named by 25 September was at Birmingham New Street, from 24 to 28 December. None of the four Westminster terminals runs trains into New Street, so it matters here only if your onward journey goes through it.

Which operators to watch

Westminster terminal Train companies to check
Paddington Great Western Railway, Elizabeth line, Heathrow Express
Victoria Southern, Gatwick Express, Southeastern
Marylebone Chiltern Railways
Charing Cross Southeastern

Each operator’s Christmas page is linked from the National Rail summary above. Christmas is when Network Rail closes lines for big engineering jobs, so check your whole journey, not just your station.

Tube, buses and the Elizabeth line

TfL has not yet published its 2026 Christmas arrangements. Its December 2025 announcement came out on 2 December 2025 and set out last year’s pattern:

  • Christmas Eve: services ran but finished early.
  • Christmas Day: no service on most of the network. Taxis, private hire, Santander Cycles, rental e-scooters, Dial-a-Ride and Victoria Coach Station were all available.
  • Boxing Day: the Tube, London buses and trams ran a Sunday service. Some parts of the network, including the Elizabeth line, did not run.
  • New Year’s Eve: services ran all night, apart from planned closures. Some central stations can close at short notice to prevent overcrowding, and some central London buses were diverted from about midday because of road closures for the fireworks.

If the 2025 timing repeats, TfL will publish the 2026 details in early December.

Driving: Congestion Charge and ULEZ

On its Congestion Charge page, TfL says there is “no charge between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day bank holiday (inclusive)”. For 2026 that means Friday 25 December 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027, with charging back on Saturday 2 January from 12 noon. Last year, according to TfL’s December announcement, ULEZ applied as normal except on Christmas Day. Residents on the discount can read more on our Congestion Charge residents’ discount page.

Parking over Christmas

Westminster City Council has already published its bank holiday parking controls for Christmas 2026:

Day Resident bays Paid parking and single yellow lines
Christmas Eve, Thu 24 Dec Normal Thursday controls Normal Thursday controls
Christmas Day, Fri 25 Dec No controls No controls (free)
Boxing Day, Sat 26 Dec Sunday controls No controls (free)
Bank holiday, Mon 28 Dec Sunday controls No controls (free)
New Year’s Eve, Thu 31 Dec Normal Thursday controls Normal Thursday controls
New Year’s Day, Fri 1 Jan Sunday controls No controls (free)

Double yellow lines apply at all times. Bays for particular permit holders, such as disabled, doctor and hospital bays, are enforced every day. A resident bay sign with no days or times is controlled all the time, bank holidays included. The council’s own hours schedule reads differently on Christmas Day in the 24-hour zones, which we explain on our parking zones and hours page.

New Year’s Eve

The Mayor’s fireworks close roads and bridges around the Embankment and Whitehall. TfL advises anyone without a ticket to stay away from the area. Tickets, viewing areas and closures are on our New Year’s Eve fireworks page. Planned roadworks over the holidays go on our roadworks and travel page.

Still to be confirmed, and when

  • Train company timetables and engineering works for Paddington, Victoria, Marylebone and Charing Cross: from early October.
  • National Rail’s last trains from London on Christmas Eve: late November or early December.
  • TfL’s 2026 Christmas service changes: early December, if last year’s timing holds.
  • Late trains after midnight on New Year’s Day: early December.

We will update this page as each is published.