Pick your days in London, your area, the kind of day you want and your budget. You get a plan for each day from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day, with a morning, an afternoon and an evening option. Every option is a real event or place, with the details you need to check before you go.
It's free and you don't need to sign up.
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Your plan · Central London · Some company · Free only
Thursday 24 December · Christmas Eve
Early finish. Trains, the Tube and buses run, but they finish early. Plan your way home before you go out in the evening.
Morning
Volunteer at Crisis at Christmas
9am to 6pmPaddington, Elephant and Castle or StratfordFree
Crisis runs day centres for people experiencing homelessness from 24 to 28 December 2026. The centres are in Paddington, Elephant and Castle and Stratford. Day centre shifts run from 9am to 6pm.
Check before you go: Apply on the Crisis website well before Christmas. Most roles ask for at least two shifts.
Or: Hear carols at the Trafalgar Square tree (Afternoon)
Evening
Go to the Midnight Eucharist at St Paul's
11pmSt Paul's CathedralFree
St Paul's Cathedral holds a Midnight Eucharist on Christmas Eve from 11pm to 12.30am. It is free and you don't need a ticket. BSL interpretation is available.
Check before you go: Arrive early because the cathedral fills up. Transport finishes early on Christmas Eve, so plan to walk, cycle or take a taxi home.
Or: Find a Christmas Eve service you can walk to (Times vary)
Siena has not confirmed a dinner on this Thursday yet. The next confirmed dinner is on Thursday 7 January at 7.30pm.
Friday 25 December · Christmas Day
No public transport. No Tube, buses, Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR, trams or National Rail. Santander Cycles, e-scooter hire, taxis and private hire run. The Congestion Charge and ULEZ do not apply. Plan to walk or cycle.
Morning
Watch the Peter Pan Cup at the Serpentine
9amSouth shore of the Serpentine, Hyde Park, near the Serpentine CaféFree
Serpentine Swimming Club members race 100 yards across the cold lake on Christmas morning. The club has held the race since 1864. Anyone can watch for free from the south shore.
Check before you go: Only club members swim. Arrive by about 8.30am for a good view, and wrap up warm.
Community Christmas lists Christmas Day get-togethers run by local groups, charities, cafés and pubs. Its events are for adults who would otherwise spend the day alone.
Check before you go: Community Christmas plans a new map of this year's events. Most events ask you to book ahead and to arrange your own travel.
Or: Walk the Christmas lights on Regent Street (After dark)
Saturday 26 December · Boxing Day
Reduced service. The Tube runs a reduced service from about 7am. The Elizabeth line does not run. The DLR runs a reduced service. Check before every journey.
Morning
Do your local Saturday parkrun
9amYour nearest parkrunFree
Every parkrun holds its free 5k at 9am on Saturday. You can run, jog or walk it.
Check before you go: Some events cancel over the holidays. Check your event's news page the day before.
Or: Walk Regent's Park and climb Primrose Hill (Daylight)
Evening
Walk the Christmas lights on Regent Street
After darkRegent Street to Trafalgar SquareFree
The Regent Street and St James's lights stay on every evening until early January. In the 2025 season they ran until 4 January. Walk down to the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, which stays up until early January.
Check before you go: Shops close early on Christmas Eve and stay shut on Christmas Day. The lights stay on.
Every fixture and transport note from 24 December to 1 January on A4 pages, in one free PDF. We also email you the link.
Want company at a real table?
Siena dinners over the holidays
Six people who have never met share a table in London on Thursdays at 7.30pm. Booking closes at 11.59pm on the Tuesday before each dinner.
Thursday 3 December7.30pm
Thursday 10 December7.30pm
Thursday 17 December7.30pm
Thursday 24 DecemberTo be confirmed
Thursday 31 DecemberTo be confirmed
Thursday 7 January7.30pm
Thursday 14 January7.30pm
Tables of six. Just £12.99 a seat.
Getting around London over Christmas
TfL published its 2025 plan on 2 December 2025. It publishes each year's plan in late November or early December, so check TfL for this year's times.
Thursday 24 December · Christmas Eve
Early finish. Trains, the Tube and buses run, but they finish early. Plan your way home before you go out in the evening.
Friday 25 December · Christmas Day
No public transport. No Tube, buses, Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR, trams or National Rail. Santander Cycles, e-scooter hire, taxis and private hire run. The Congestion Charge and ULEZ do not apply. Plan to walk or cycle.
Saturday 26 December · Boxing Day
Reduced service. The Tube runs a reduced service from about 7am. The Elizabeth line does not run. The DLR runs a reduced service. Check before every journey.
Sunday 27 December
Mostly normal. Most services run, apart from planned closures. Check TfL for engineering works on your line.
Monday 28 December
Mostly normal. Most services run, apart from planned closures. Check TfL for engineering works on your line.
Tuesday 29 December
Mostly normal. Most services run, apart from planned closures. Check TfL for engineering works on your line.
Wednesday 30 December
Mostly normal. Most services run, apart from planned closures. Check TfL for engineering works on your line.
Thursday 31 December · New Year's Eve
Runs all night. Services run all night, apart from planned closures. Some central stations close at busy times. Central bus routes divert from about midday. Stay away from the Victoria Embankment unless you have a fireworks ticket.
Friday 1 January · New Year's Day
Reduced service. Most services run, some on a reduced timetable. The DLR runs a Sunday service. The Congestion Charge starts again on 2 January.
We checked every detail on this page on 9 October 2026. Many organisers publish their Christmas plans in November and December, so check each source before you go.
Thursday 24 December · Christmas Eve3 fixtures
Go to the Christmas Eve carol service at St Paul's
4pmSt Paul's CathedralFree
St Paul's Cathedral holds a carol service on Christmas Eve from 4pm to 5pm. It is free, but you need a ticket.
Check before you go: In 2025 the free tickets went by ballot. Look for the ballot on the cathedral's Christmas page.
St Paul's Cathedral holds a Midnight Eucharist on Christmas Eve from 11pm to 12.30am. It is free and you don't need a ticket. BSL interpretation is available.
Check before you go: Arrive early because the cathedral fills up. Transport finishes early on Christmas Eve, so plan to walk, cycle or take a taxi home.
Choirs and community groups sing carols in one-hour slots at the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square through December. In 2025 the last slots ran on Christmas Eve afternoon.
Check before you go: The Mayor of London publishes the carol timetable on the Trafalgar Square pages.
9amSouth shore of the Serpentine, Hyde Park, near the Serpentine CaféFree
Serpentine Swimming Club members race 100 yards across the cold lake on Christmas morning. The club has held the race since 1864. Anyone can watch for free from the south shore.
Check before you go: Only club members swim. Arrive by about 8.30am for a good view, and wrap up warm.
Take a Christmas morning swim at Parliament Hill Lido
Early morningParliament Hill Lido, Hampstead HeathPaid swim
Parliament Hill Lido usually opens on Christmas morning. In 2025 it opened from 7am to 11am. The Heath's swimming ponds also open on Christmas morning.
Check before you go: The lido is unheated. Check this year's times and booking on the City of London's Hampstead Heath pages in December.
Community Christmas lists Christmas Day get-togethers run by local groups, charities, cafés and pubs. Its events are for adults who would otherwise spend the day alone.
Check before you go: Community Christmas plans a new map of this year's events. Most events ask you to book ahead and to arrange your own travel.
MidnightThe Thames, central London£20 to £55 in 2025
The Mayor of London's fireworks light up the Thames at midnight. The riverside viewing areas need a ticket. In 2025 tickets cost £20 to £55, and London postcodes paid less.
Check before you go: Tickets sell only through the official sale, and they sell out. Register on the Mayor's New Year's Eve page for the ticket date.
1pmPiccadilly, Regent Street, Trafalgar Square and WhitehallFree
Thousands of performers march from Piccadilly to Westminster on New Year's Day. In 2026 the parade ran from 1pm to about 4.30pm. Watching from the street is free.
Check before you go: Grandstand seats cost extra. Check the route and start time on the parade website.
Many London parkruns hold an extra event on New Year's Day. parkrun lists every confirmed event on its special events page in December. The 5k is free.
Check before you go: Register for a free barcode before the day. Check your event's start time.
9am to 6pmPaddington, Elephant and Castle or StratfordFree
Crisis runs day centres for people experiencing homelessness from 24 to 28 December 2026. The centres are in Paddington, Elephant and Castle and Stratford. Day centre shifts run from 9am to 6pm.
Check before you go: Apply on the Crisis website well before Christmas. Most roles ask for at least two shifts.
Winter Wonderland opens every day from 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, apart from Christmas Day. It stays open until 10pm. Entry costs £1 to £8.25, and rides cost extra.
Check before you go: Book a timed entry slot in advance. Last entry is 9.30pm.
Skate at Somerset House runs from 11 November 2026 to 10 January 2027. It closes on Christmas Day. Adult tickets start at £13.
Check before you go: On 24 and 31 December the last session starts at 5pm. On 26 December and 1 January sessions start at midday. Book ahead for the lowest price.
A Church Near You lists the Christmas services at Church of England churches. Search by postcode to find a carol service or a midnight service near you.
Check before you go: Churches add their Christmas times in December. Check the service time on the church's own page.
The Regent Street and St James's lights stay on every evening until early January. In the 2025 season they ran until 4 January. Walk down to the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, which stays up until early January.
Check before you go: Shops close early on Christmas Eve and stay shut on Christmas Day. The lights stay on.
You can watch the Peter Pan Cup swim at the Serpentine at 9am, or join a Christmas Day parkrun. Many churches hold Christmas morning services, and St Paul's Cathedral needs no ticket. Community Christmas lists free lunches for people who would otherwise be alone. The Royal Parks stay open for long walks. Pick your area in the planner above to see options you can walk to.
No. The Tube, buses, Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR, trams and National Rail do not run on 25 December. Santander Cycles, e-scooter hire, taxis and private hire do run. The Congestion Charge and ULEZ do not apply. Plan a day you can walk or cycle.
In 2025 the Tube ran a reduced service from about 7am on Boxing Day. The Elizabeth line did not run, and the DLR ran a reduced service. TfL publishes each year's plan in late November or early December. Check it before you travel.
Community Christmas lists Christmas Day get-togethers run by local groups, charities, cafés and pubs. Its events are for adults who would otherwise spend the day alone. Local Age UK branches and councils also publish lists in December. Most lunches ask you to book ahead.
Volunteering is one of the easiest ways. Crisis at Christmas needs volunteers at its day centres from 24 to 28 December. Christmas Day and New Year's Day parkruns draw big, friendly crowds. Siena also runs dinners for six strangers on Thursdays in December and January.
The riverside viewing areas for the Mayor's fireworks need a ticket, and tickets sell out. Transport runs all night, so you can go out in town and get home late. Primrose Hill closes overnight, and the Royal Parks have no official viewing areas. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland stays open until 10pm.
Yes. The planner is free and you don't need to sign up. It runs in your browser and saves nothing about you. You can also get the printable plan as a free PDF.
