Christmas Travel
Friday 8 November 2024 - Thursday 2 January 2025
With the festive period approaching, the railway network will be busier than usual with an emphasis on Fridays and Saturdays.
Services may finish earlier than usual and the last train home may be extremely busy. We advise that you allow extra time for your journey and travel on additional services where possible.
We ask that you plan ahead and check your entire journey before you travel.
Additionally, we remind you to be respectful and kind to our rail colleagues, and to always ensure ease of travel and safety on the railway.
Travel Summary
- Plan ahead and check your entire journey before you travel.
- Services may finish earlier than usual over the holiday season.
- The last train home may be extremely busy, we advise allowing additional time for your journey and travelling on additional services where possible.
- Further information on Passenger Assist, engineering work and luggage restrictions can be found below.
- For the most up to date travel information, see our Service Updates page below.
Christmas Markets
During the festive season the railway network gets busier with office parties, Christmas shopping and a visit to the Christmas markets.
You can expect to see a highly visible police presence across the rail network. With emphasis on Fridays and Saturdays, the British Transport Police will be visible on-board trains and at stations dedicated to keeping you safe. We also remind you to be respectful to rail colleagues and to ensure ease of travel and safety on the railway for all of us, the railway byelaws need to be observed by everyone.
The last train to your station may be extremely busy, so we do advise that you allow extra time for your journey and where possible travel on additional services where provided for a comfortable journey back home.
Wishing you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, from all of us at CrossCountry.
Christmas Engineering Work
There will be no engineering work affecting CrossCountry services on the following weekends:
- Saturday 14 – Sunday 15 December
- Saturday 21 – Sunday 22 December
Our Christmas travel map can be downloaded here. For further information, please see the summary table below.
| Date | Location | Summary | |
| A | Monday 23 – Tuesday 24 December | Water Orton |
Birmingham New Street - Leicester - Stansted Airport services will start and terminate at Coleshill Parkway. Nottingham - Cardiff Central services will operate between Nottingham and Coleshill Parkway & Birmingham New Street and Cardiff Central. Trains to/from North East and Scotland will divert via an alternative route not calling at Tamworth. Journey times will be extended by one hour. Rail replacement road transport will operate between Birmingham New Street, Water Orton and Coleshill Parkway. |
| B | Friday 27 – Sunday 29 December | Leeds |
Most trains will not call at Leeds and Wakefield Westgate. Connecting rail services will run between Sheffield, Wakefield Westgate, Leeds and York. |
| C | Friday 27 December 2024 – Friday 3 January 2025 | Stansted Airport |
Rail replacement road transport will operate between Ely, Cambridge to Stansted Airport. Connecting rail services will operate between Ely and Cambridge North. |
| D | Wednesday 1 January until 1030 | Birmingham New Street |
Trains will be retimed by a few minutes arriving and departing Birmingham New Street to/from:
|
| E | Wednesday 1 January | Scotland | There will be no CrossCountry services operating north or west of Edinburgh Waverley. |
| F | Saturday 28 December – Thursday 2 January | Crewe |
CrossCountry services will not call at Crewe. Alternative rail services will operate between Stafford – Crewe. Crewe – Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly. |
Engineering work will be taking place at various locations over the Christmas period that will be affecting other train operators. Our trains are likely to be busier than usual on the following routes. For more information, please visit the train operating company's website that you are travelling with.
Please note: Normal service will resume from Friday 3 January.
| Saturday 21 - Tuesday 24 December | Wednesday 25 - Thursday 26 December | Friday 27 - Sunday 29 December | Monday 30 December - Thursday 2 January | |
| Birmingham New Street - Stansted Airport | Nuneaton - Leicester | No service | Nuneaton-Leicester | |
| Nottingham - Birmingham New Street - Cardiff Central | Derby - Tamworth | No service | Derby - Tamworth | |
| Penzance/Plymouth - Scotland | No service |
Bristol - Cheltenham Birmingham - Scotland |
Birmingham - Scotland | |
| Bournemouth - Manchester Piccadilly | No service | Birmingham - Manchester | Birmingham - Manchester | |
| Bristol Temple Meads - Manchester Piccadilly | No service |
Bristol - Cheltenham Birmingham - Manchester |
Birmingham - Manchester |
Major Engineering Work
Learn more about the latest major engineering work before you travel.
Find out more
Passenger Assist
If you need extra assistance to help you with your journey, we offer our Passenger Assist service.
Find out more
Luggage
We have a limited amount of space on our trains to store luggage, so please be considerate of other customers and only bring what you can comfortably carry.
Find out more