Christmas rail disruption affects all three airports in 2026, and the dates differ by airport. Birmingham New Street has no trains from 24 to 28 December. London Paddington closes from Christmas Day, which cuts the Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line. Redhill closes from 20 December, which changes how trains reach Gatwick. Train services don’t run on most routes in England on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
You’ll find the three airports compared, the key dates and a guide to when a road transfer beats a rail replacement bus.
Christmas rail disruption at the airports: key facts
| Airport | What’s disrupted | Main dates | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Airport | No trains to, from or through Birmingham New Street; replacement buses link New Street and Birmingham International | 24 to 28 December | Network Rail |
| Heathrow | Paddington closed; Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line off the Heathrow branch | From 25 December; both return on 31 December | Network Rail, TfL |
| Gatwick | Redhill closed; buses replace trains between Reigate and Purley; Reading and Guildford trains stop at Reigate | 20 December to 3 January | Network Rail |
| All airports | No trains on most routes in England | 25 and 26 December | Network Rail |
The details come from Network Rail’s Christmas and New Year engineering works page, which lists a £152 million programme, and its Redhill announcement. Network Rail says National Rail’s journey planner is up to date to 4 January 2027, but plans can change, so check before you book any train.
The dates in order
From 20 December
The Redhill closure starts on Sunday 20 December, according to Network Rail. Trains to Gatwick still run on the main Brighton line, but buses replace trains from Reigate and from Earlswood to Purley. Some Southern trains between London Victoria and the Sussex coast call at Purley and Horley as well.
24 to 28 December
Birmingham New Street has no trains from Thursday 24 December to Monday 28 December. Replacement buses link New Street with Birmingham International and Wolverhampton, according to Network Rail. Services return on Tuesday 29 December.
25 to 30 December
London Paddington closes from Christmas Day, and Network Rail says the Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express link Paddington and Heathrow again from 31 December. Reports of TfL’s closures list show the Elizabeth line closed between Paddington and Heathrow from 26 to 30 December. Network Rail adds that most routes in England have no trains on 25 and 26 December.
31 December to 4 January
The Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth line return to Heathrow on 31 December. However, the Elizabeth line doesn’t run further west until 4 January, because of work at Dolphin Junction near Slough. Meanwhile, the Redhill closure runs to 3 January.
Birmingham Airport
What’s changed
The New Street closure matters most for passengers coming from the city and for anyone travelling by long-distance train. According to National Rail, no trains run between Wolverhampton and Birmingham International, and London Northwestern trains from Euston run only as far as Birmingham International. Replacement buses link the two stations.
Christmas Eve evenings
Network Rail says services at Snow Hill and Moor Street finish early on Christmas Eve, and New Street has no trains. If your flight lands late on 24 December, plan a car for the journey home.
Where to find the detail
Our guide to the Birmingham New Street Christmas closure covers each route and operator in full, so this hub doesn’t repeat it. If you’re flying from Birmingham on Christmas Eve or on 27 or 28 December, check that guide before you plan.
Heathrow
What’s changed
There’s no Tube, Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express on Christmas Day. Paddington stays closed after that, and the Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth line link Paddington and Heathrow again only from 31 December.
Great Western Railway services can’t use Paddington until 4 January, according to Network Rail, so long-distance trains start and finish at Reading. For flights between 25 and 30 December, the practical options are a coach or a road journey.
From the Midlands
Our guide to Birmingham to Heathrow on Christmas Day compares the coach, driving yourself and a pre-booked chauffeur. It puts the drive at roughly 110 to 120 miles, and about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours in clear traffic.
Gatwick
What’s changed at Redhill
This is the key change. Network Rail says the railway through Redhill closes from 20 December for new track and points, though services to Brighton and Gatwick Airport still run. Trains from Reading and Guildford terminate at Reigate and don’t serve Redhill or Gatwick. Replacement buses then run non-stop between Reigate and Gatwick Airport.
Thameslink and Southern
No Thameslink trains run between Purley and Horley via Redhill, according to Network Rail. Rail replacement buses run on every day except Friday 25 and Saturday 26 December. On those two days, no buses serve the Redhill gap.
Christmas Day and Boxing Day
There’s no Gatwick Express on Christmas Day. One travel guide reports that it returns on Sunday 27 December, every 30 minutes from Victoria. The same guide says National Express runs coaches between Gatwick and Victoria on Christmas Day. Check both with the operators, because these services change.
From the Midlands
Our Birmingham to Gatwick page gives the distance as about 153 miles, and around 2 hours 45 minutes by the M40, M25 and M23. A road transfer avoids the Redhill buses and any change in London.
Which airport is hit hardest?
By date
For 24 to 28 December, Birmingham passengers face the biggest city-centre gap. Heathrow is hardest from 25 to 30 December, when the Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth line aren’t available. Gatwick is affected from 20 December, but trains to Gatwick still run on the main line.
By starting point
Anyone starting in London meets the Paddington and Redhill issues. Travellers from the Midlands face the New Street closure first, and then a long journey south to Heathrow or Gatwick. Check the whole route, not just the airport end.
By type of traveller
Families with luggage and presents gain the most from a door-to-terminal journey. Solo travellers with light bags may cope with a replacement bus. Early flights are the hardest, because bus timetables may not match a 6am check-in.
Replacement buses and coaches
What buses can do
Buses connect broken sections of the railway, but they add changes and waiting. They also depend on road conditions, and they only run on the days Network Rail lists.
What they can’t do
On Christmas Day and Boxing Day, Redhill’s replacement buses don’t run, and most routes in England have no trains. Coaches are limited, and a coach doesn’t serve a doorstep. A pre-booked car fills that gap.
Choosing a road transfer
When it makes sense
A road transfer suits a flight on a day without a workable rail route, a family with several bags, or an early or late departure. It also suits anyone connecting between Birmingham and London airports. You travel door to door, with no changes.
What we offer
Our service runs 24/7 on our airport pages, with fixed prices agreed before you travel. We monitor your flight, and a driver meets you in the terminal. Our Gatwick airport chauffeur service page explains how this works.
Driving and the roads
The M25 and the M40
According to our Gatwick page, the route follows the M40, M25 and M23, and the M25 causes most delays. Roads are likely to be quieter on Christmas Day, but Christmas Eve and the days after may be busy. Allow extra time on those days.
Roadworks near Birmingham
The NEC’s travel alert says the northern side of M42 junction 6 at Bickenhill Bridge is closed. Access to the airport and the NEC remains open, and diversions are in place. Check National Highways for any new notice before you travel.
Arriving at the airport
Flying into Heathrow or Gatwick
Rail options at both airports are limited if you land between 25 and 30 December. A driver who monitors your flight meets you at arrivals and takes you to the Midlands. Tell us your flight number, and we’ll adjust for delays.
Flying into Birmingham
If you land at Birmingham Airport during the New Street closure, a car takes you home without a replacement bus. Tell us your address and your arrival time, and we’ll plan the pickup.
Returning after Christmas
The disruption doesn’t all end on Boxing Day. New Street services return on 29 December, but the Redhill closure runs to 3 January, and the Elizabeth line doesn’t run further west until 4 January. If you’re flying home between 29 December and 4 January, check each leg of your route. Book your return transfer with your outward one, so both are fixed before you travel.
Three sample journeys
A family from Birmingham to Heathrow on 27 December
New Street has no trains, and Paddington is closed, so a rail journey isn’t workable. A pre-booked car takes the family and their cases door to door. This is an illustration, not a timetable.
A traveller from London to Gatwick on 28 December
Trains still run on the main Brighton line, but Redhill-area buses and crowds may add time. For a traveller with heavy luggage, a car avoids the changes.
A passenger arriving at Gatwick on 25 December
Almost no trains run, and coaches are limited. A driver who monitors the flight meets the passenger at arrivals and drives them to the Midlands.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled
Flights change at Christmas, and our flight monitoring tracks your arrival. Tell us if your flight is delayed or cancelled, and we’ll adjust the pickup. Check your airline’s rebooking options first, because a new flight changes your transfer time.
Business travel over Christmas
Some executives travel between Christmas and New Year. Our corporate service offers fixed or pre-agreed rates, a dedicated account manager, multiple authorised bookers and consolidated monthly VAT invoicing with journey-level detail. That suits a team booking several transfers across the festive period.
Airline timing
Airlines set their own check-in and bag-drop times, and they can change at busy periods. Check your airline’s advice, then work back from it. Tell us your terminal and your flight time, and we’ll agree a pickup time with a sensible margin.
Luggage, gifts and families
Christmas travel means extra bags. The Mercedes-Benz V-Class carries up to seven passengers, which suits a family with luggage. An E-Class or S-Class carries up to three passengers and three bags. Tell us how many bags and presents you’re carrying, so we choose the right car.
Booking early for Christmas
Christmas and New Year dates fill quickly. Book as soon as your flights are confirmed, and tell us your date and terminal. We confirm your booking and agree the fare in advance. If your flight changes, tell us as soon as you know.
Your Christmas airport checklist
- Check National Rail for your exact route and dates.
- Note the dates for your airport: 24 to 28 December for Birmingham, 25 to 30 December for Heathrow, and 20 December to 3 January for Gatwick.
- Decide between a coach, a rail replacement bus or a road transfer.
- Give your flight number and terminal when you book.
- Allow extra time for the M25 and for Christmas Eve traffic.
- Save your driver’s number on your phone.
Book your Christmas airport transfer
National Executive Transfers provides fixed-price airport transfers to Birmingham, Heathrow and Gatwick, using Mercedes-Benz E-Class, S-Class and V-Class vehicles. Tell us your flight, pickup address, group size and travel date, and we’ll confirm a fixed price. Get a quote and book online.
Related Articles
- Birmingham Airport transfers
- Heathrow airport chauffeur service
- Chauffeur vs train: Birmingham to London
- Gatwick drop-off charge and chauffeur guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost none. Network Rail says train services don’t run on most routes in England on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham passengers need a coach or a road transfer.
There are no trains from Thursday 24 December to Monday 28 December 2026, according to Network Rail. Services return on Tuesday 29 December.
Not until 31 December, according to Network Rail. Reports of TfL’s closures list show the Elizabeth line closed between Paddington and Heathrow from 26 to 30 December.
Yes, on the main Brighton line. Network Rail says services to Brighton and Gatwick Airport run, but trains from Reading and Guildford stop at Reigate, and buses replace trains from Reigate.
No. Network Rail says they run every day except Friday 25 and Saturday 26 December.
Gatwick is about 153 miles and around 2 hours 45 minutes, and Heathrow is roughly 110 to 120 miles and about 1 hour 45 to 2 hours, according to our airport pages.
