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It’s the gift that keeps on giving, rail disruption in the capital! This Christmas, skip the family drama; you’ll be able to avoid your relatives with the excuse that the trains simply aren’t running. And it won’t even be a lie. Instead, hunker down at home with a family-sized tin of Quality Street and revel in the bliss of not being asked when you’re getting that big promotion, or why you aren’t married yet.
Jokes aside, there’s going to be some serious travel disruption in the capital this December. If you are wanting to leave the city for the winter break, you’re going to need to plan ahead.
As with every year, there will be no National Rail services on Christmas Day in the UK. On Boxing Day most train operators will have no service, however, there will be a very limited service operated by a small number of train operators.
Network Rail has announced it will carry out major upgrades around London Waterloo during Christmastime, meaning services into Waterloo will be disrupted over the festive period, with trains terminating at Clapham Junction.
Train services into and out of London Waterloo will be disrupted from Saturday, December 27 2025 to Sunday, January 4 2026 as engineers carry out vital upgrades near Queenstown Road. The work will improve safety and reliability on one of the country’s busiest railways.
Full list of disruption affecting Waterloo services, including dates
- On Christmas Day and Boxing Day there will be no train services as normal.
- No trains will call at London Waterloo from Saturday December 27 to Sunday December 28, with trains terminating at Clapham Junction.
- From Monday December 29 2025 to Sunday January 4 2026, timetable reductions will be in place. See the timetables on the Network Rail website.
- Queenstown Road station will be closed from Saturday December 27 2025 to Sunday, January 4 2026.
- Vauxhall station will be closed from Saturday December 27 to Tuesday December 30 2025, and on January 1 2026. Trains will call at Vauxhall on New Years Eve, and from January 2 onwards.
Staying in London for Christmas? Here’s our guide to public transport in the city over the festive period. And you can check your local train line on the National Rail website, which will be updating its guide to Christmas and New Year travel as and when disruptions are announced.
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