Bus, coach and train services over Christmas and New Year
Normal timetables operate until Sunday 21 December.
Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 December 2025
Most operators will run to a normal Monday to Friday (school holiday) timetable, but Arriva buses in Luton (except 100/101/101A), Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard areas will run to a Saturday timetable. Arriva routes that serve Hitchin and Stevenage will operate a Monday to Friday service. UNO buses will run to a Saturday timetable, but with late evening journeys on the Bedford – Cranfield – Milton Keynes routes altered or cancelled.
Please check Traveline or operator websites for more information.
Christmas Eve – Wednesday 24 December 2025
Most operators will run to a normal Monday - Friday (school holiday) timetable, with services ending earlier than usual, with last journeys on most routes between 6pm and 8pm.
Arriva, A2B Bus and Coach and UNO buses will run to a Saturday timetable, with services ending between 6pm and 8pm. Arriva Busway routes A and Z and Green Line 757 will run a full Saturday service, including overnight into 25 December.
Centrebus will operate a Saturday timetable on routes 44, 45, 89, 366 and most other routes in Hertfordshire, and Wednesday timetables on other routes in Bedfordshire, with an early finish, last buses will be between 6pm and 7pm, and Leighton Buzzard evening route L3 will not run.
Please check Traveline or operator websites for more information.
Christmas Day – Thursday 25 December 2025
No buses will operate except Arriva Busway route A and Z (Luton Airport – Dunstable – Houghton Regis) and Green Line 757 (Luton – Luton Airport – London) which will run to a special timetable, including an overnight service into 26 December.
Please check Traveline or operator websites for more information.
Boxing Day – Friday 26 December 2025
Most buses will not operate.
Arriva Busway route A and Z (Luton Airport – Dunstable – Houghton Regis) and Green Line 757 (Luton – Luton Airport – London) which will run a limited special service, including an overnight service in to 27 December.
Grant Palmer route CX (Luton - Dunstable Amazon) will operate a Sunday service.
Please check Traveline or operator websites for more information.
Saturday 27 December and Sunday 28 December 2025
A normal Saturday service will operate on Saturday 27 December, and a normal Sunday service will operate on Sunday 28 December.
Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 December 2025
Most routes will operate to a Saturday timetable.
Centrebus routes L1 to L5 in Leighton Buzzard will run to normal Monday / Tuesday timetables.
Grant Palmer buses will mostly run to a Saturday timetable, but route Z1 will not run, and evening journeys on routes C and CX in Luton / Dunstable will run to Monday – Friday times. Route 134 will run as normal on Monday 29 December.
Red Rose Travel route 150 will operate a Saturday timetable, but on Monday buses will run via Leighton Buzzard High Street, not West Street. Routes 162 to 167 will run a normal Monday / Tuesday timetable.
UNO buses in the Cranfield area will run to a Saturday timetable, but with late evening journeys altered or cancelled.
Please check Traveline or operator websites for more information.
New Year’s Eve – Wednesday 31 December 2025
Most operators will run to a Saturday timetable, and services will end earlier than usual, with last journeys on most routes between 6pm and 8pm.
Arriva Busway routes A and Z and Green Line 757 will run a full Saturday service, including overnight into 1 January.
Centrebus routes L1 to L5 in Leighton Buzzard will run to Wednesday timetables with an early finish, last journeys will be between 6pm and 7pm, and evening route L3 will not run.
Grant Palmer buses will operate to a Saturday timetable, except route Z1 will not run.
Red Rose Travel route 150 will operate a Saturday timetable, but will run via Leighton Buzzard High Street, not West Street. Routes 162 – 167 will run a normal Wednesday timetable.
Please check Traveline or operator websites for more information.
New Year’s Day – Thursday 1 January 2026
Most buses will not operate.
Arriva Busway route A and Z (Luton Airport – Dunstable – Houghton Regis) and Green Line 757 (Luton – Luton Airport – London) will both run a limited special service, including an overnight service into 2 January.
Please check Traveline or operator websites for more information.
Friday 2 January 2026
Most operators will run to a normal Monday - Friday (school holiday) timetable, but Arriva buses will run to a Saturday timetable.
Grant Palmer buses will mostly run to a Saturday timetable, but route Z1 will not run, and evening journeys on routes C and CX in Luton / Dunstable will run to Monday – Friday times. Route 134 will run as normal.
UNO buses will run to a Saturday timetable, but with late evening journeys on the Bedford – Cranfield – Milton Keynes routes altered or cancelled.
Please check Traveline or operator websites for more information.
Normal service resumes from Saturday 3 January 2026.
Community transport bus operators
Routes will operate according to the regular calendar and timetable except:
- Flittabus will not operate on 24, 25 and 26 December or 1 January
- Ivel Sprinter will not operate between 25 December and 1 January inclusive
- Villager (Sharnbrook) will not operate on 24, 25 or 26 December or 1 January
- Whitbread Wanderbus will not operate on 24, 25,26 and 27 December or 1 January
Train services
Late night trains on Monday 22 December / early morning trains on Tuesday 23 December can not call at Arlesey due to engineering work and rail replacement buses will run to / from Hitchin and Biggleswade.
All train services on Christmas Eve 24 December will be reduced after about 5pm, and last trains will be much earlier than usual, with last trains arriving at their final destination by around 9pm or earlier.
No trains will run in Bedfordshire on 25 or 26 December.
The Bedford – Bletchley ‘Marston Vale’ line will also not operate on 1 January.
There is major engineering work on the Avanti West Coast / London Northwestern line over Christmas and New Year, with the line closed between Milton Keynes and Rugby / Northampton from Saturday 27 December to Sunday 4 January inclusive. Rail replacement bus / coach services will connect Milton Keynes with Northampton and Rugby. A special timetable will operate south of Milton Keynes.
Thameslink / Great Northern trains will have engineering work with some late night and early morning trains replaced by buses between Welwyn Garden City and Finsbury Park between 28 and 31 December, and trains between Royston and Cambridge replaced by buses from Saturday 27 December to Sunday 4 January inclusive.
Special timetables may apply for the rest of the Christmas / New Year period, and some other lines may be affected by planned engineering work. Please check National Rail Enquiries or train operating companies for more information.
The Luton DART linking Luton Airport Parkway Station with Luton Airport will close at 10 pm on Christmas Eve 24 December, not run on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, then re-open at 4 am on 27 December – it will run as normal on other days.
Coach services
National Express Coach timetables may be amended over the Christmas / New Year period.
A limited service will operate on Christmas Day, including a service between Luton Airport and London, and other services calling at either Luton Interchange, Luton Airport or Milton Keynes Coachway. Coaches will also run on Boxing Day and New Years Day. Please check the National Express website for more information and to book.
Flixbus will also be operating extra services over Christmas and New Year including coaches on Christmas Day. Check Flixbus' website for more information.
Green Line route 757 (Luton Interchange – Luton Airport – London) will also run every day including Christmas Day – see under ‘bus services’ for more details.
Travelling to London
Transport for London services including London Buses, Overground, Underground and Elizabeth Line services will not run on 25 December and may have amended services on other days.
Check Transport for London for more information.