Are Christmas services normally busy?

[BenS123]

Hi, I've got a trip planned for the 28th December however I am concerned that it may be busy as it is the first day since Christmas with no strikes. Would the train journey (Bournemouth to Waterloo) likely be busy or normal in terms of crowd levels?

Thanks all!

 

[30907]

Hi, I've got a trip planned for the 28th December however I am concerned that it may be busy as it is the first day since Christmas with no strikes. Would the train journey (Bournemouth to Waterloo) likely be busy or normal in terms of crowd levels?

Thanks all!

Guess: quiet at (traditional) commute times, Saturday/Sunday levels (which I assume = busy) later?

 

[Surreytraveller]

Trains tend to be heaving between Christmas and New Year. Engineering works everywhere as well

 

[fandroid]

It should be OK if you're actually starting at Bournemouth. That line can be amazingly busy at weekends and I suspect it will be on the 28th December. The trains are normally long (10 coaches) so there'll be room somewhere. I'll be taking my chances travelling in the other direction.

 

[route101]

I remember taking the LNER from Stirling to Edinburgh on the 27th and it was full and standing.

 

[Stewart2887]

Three or so years ago daughter and I got the first Cross Country out of Oxford 27th Dec. reservations! Lucky to get on, people left standing at Leamington and Brum International

 

[Kite159]

That week does tend to be busy as quite a few workers are off work along with kids. Quite a bit of leisure travel with day trips with tourism.

 

[TheBigD]

28th isn't normally too bad. The 27th is the really busy day, especially mid morning to mid afternoon, but then it dies down and is pretty quiet in the evening.

 

[DannyMich2018]

I went back home last Christmas on the 24th about tea time and both trains were busy but not packed. Returning on the 29th evening not too bad either. With the Strikes at the minute and many in December I think many people will look at other travel options as it's hard to plan at the minute.

 

[Trackman]

Trains tend to be heaving between Christmas and New Year. Engineering works everywhere as well

My experience too.
I think a lot of people will put their Christmas time train journeys off to see family and friends with what is going on and make alternative arrangements.

I went back home last Christmas on the 24th about tea time and both trains were busy but not packed. Returning on the 29th evening not too bad either. With the Strikes at the minute and many in December I think many people will look at other travel options as it's hard to plan at the minute.

One Christmas eve I travelled on the last train to North Wales well, to Chester from Oxford road (Arriva class 175 I think). Only me on it! apart from a guard who was singing in my carriage. At the change for the VT Voyager it was a medium-busy load and this was 10pm Christmas eve.

 

[High Dyke]

Advice from National Rail. I suggest you check with the train operator.