Heading out over Christmas? Here is what Surrey buses and trains are actually doing this festive season.
If you are planning to get around Surrey over Christmas and New Year – whether that is popping into town for Boxing Day sales, visiting family or braving a London trip – it is worth knowing now that services will be patchy, quieter and sometimes non-existent.
Here is the lowdown:
Christmas Eve – Wednesday, December 24
Most buses will run as normal, but:
- No night buses
- Some evening services will finish earlier than usual
A few operators (including Stagecoach and First Berkshire) will switch to a Saturday timetable, so buses may be less frequent later in the day. Essentially it will be fine to take a bus during the day, do not rely on late buses coming home from the Christmas Eve pub crawl.
Trains on Christmas Eve will also wrap up quickly:
- Trains finish early – around 10pm
- Island Line services finish even earlier
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Christmas Day – Thursday, December 25
The only services running are a handful of special routes, mainly:
- Carlone’s 442/X442
- A couple of First Berkshire and Metrobus routes
For most of Surrey, there will be no buses.
South Western Railway has also confirmed there will be no trains running.
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Boxing Day – Friday, December 26
Still very quiet.
- Many areas will again have no bus service
- Some operators will run a Sunday-style timetable
If you do need to travel, check your route carefully as services vary wildly by operator.
South Western Railway has also confirmed there will be no trains running.
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Saturday & Sunday, December 27-28
The good news is this is when things feel more normal again as standard weekend bus services return.
The bad news is this is when there are major train disruptions.
- No trains between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction
- Trains from Surrey will start and finish at Clapham Junction
If you’re heading into central London, you’ll need to:
- Change onto the Tube (District Line from Wimbledon or Richmond)
- Or use other rail operators via Reading, Portsmouth or Epsom
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Monday 29 to Wednesday 31 December
Most buses switch to a Saturday timetable, meaning:
- Fewer buses
- Longer gaps between services
On New Year’s Eve, there will again be:
- No night buses
- Early finishes on some routes
For trains
- Services via Barnes still stop at Clapham Junction
- Reduced services elsewhere
- Some central London stations closed
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New Year’s Day – Thursday, January 1
Much like Boxing Day:
- Very limited services
- Mostly Sunday timetables where anything is running at all
Trains:
- Reduced services
- Many trains still start and finish at Clapham Junction
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From Friday, January 2
Services mostly return to normal, though some operators will ease back in with Saturday-style timetables.
When does it go back to normal? Monday, January 5, 2026. When most people are back at work.
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The simple advice is to check before you travel, even if you ‘know’ your route. If you are heading into London, Clapham Junction (rather than Waterloo) will be your point of entry. Travel early when possible – late services are the first to disappear – unless you want an expensive taxi back home.
Engineers say the disruption will lead to more reliable journeys long-term, but for now, Surrey residents should expect a festive period that’s a little more stop-start than usual.
https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey/christmas-trave
Photo: Engineering work at London Waterloo. (Credit: South Western Railway)