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Shut down for Xmas?

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duesselmartin

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First, Merry Christmas to all!
I am always amazed that the UK and Ireland almost shuts down their railways for Christmas.
Do any other countries do do that?
Ho Ho Ho from Martin visiting Oxford!
 
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radamfi

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In Finland, there are no long distance trains in the morning on Christmas Day. They also shut down early on Christmas Eve. Local trains around Helsinki do run in the early morning, though.
 

LNW-GW Joint

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I've just had a look at the airports, after my daughter was stranded in Paris last night by Air France.
But she was able to fly into Manchester at 0800 today (no onward trains, of course).
Flightradar shows the skies are very busy, including over GB.
Long haul is nearly normal, short haul seems limited to feeders to hubs (eg London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt), and winter sun flights (eg Canaries).
But nothing in or out of Dublin today, not even long-haul.
The UK railway view that no-one travels at Christmas is bonkers.
Euston station is all over the news today, because of its excellent idea of hosting a Christmas dinner for the homeless, not for any trains!
Compliments of the Season to All (except Air France).
 

MisterT

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In the Netherlands, we run a regular Sunday service at NS, which means on the most rural lines an hourly stopping service combined with a 30 minute inter-city service, or a 30 minute stopping service combined with a 15 minute inter-city service at the Randstad area and other more busy lines.
Other TOCs are also running a Sunday service, which usually means a 30 minute to an hourly stopping service.

Edit: oh wait, as of the last timetable change, there is even a ten minute intercity service running between Amsterdam, Utrecht and Eindhoven on Sundays.
 
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30907

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Yes, our Christmas shutdown is unique - and extends to cross channel ferries (just checked, and Dover shut down yesterday afternoon - at one time there was one Christmas Day sailing which rotated between the operators, but the Tunnel covers that now - demand is only sufficient for 1 passenger shuttle per 2 hours).
 

Pakenhamtrain

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In Melbourne trains, trams and buses run to a Sunday timetable. Metropolitain trains run every 20 minutes with the usual shuttles to Alamain and Williamstown. V/Line trains run every 40-60 mins in the interurban area. Longer distance VLocity or loco hauled trains are one two or three times a day depending on where the train is going.
Trams are about every 10-20 minutes depending on route.

The best bit of all of it, every single train tram and bus service that does run it's free. Even things like first class on the locomotive hauled V/Line trains are free.
 

class387

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I am in Beijing at the moment and just 'enjoyed' a full Monday peak on its Subway and buses. Obviously China doesn't really celebrate Christmas, but I thought I'd post the comparison anyway.
 

fowler9

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In Santiago the buses and Metro run. Not sure about the long distance coaches.
 

Bletchleyite

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I think based on the roads there is next to no demand on Christmas Day, but certainly enough for a Sunday service on Boxing Day. Arguably much more demand than New Years Day.
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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First, Merry Christmas to all!
I am always amazed that the UK and Ireland almost shuts down their railways for Christmas.
Do any other countries do do that?
Ho Ho Ho from Martin visiting Oxford!

Ah, Deutschland. Sehr schön. Do DB run on Christmas Day then @deusselmartin?
 

duesselmartin

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I noticed my only way back to Birmingham airport tomorrow from Oxford is one National Express bus connection.
I had a similar experience in Ireland before but not seen it elsewhere.

Thanks for your answers
Martin
 

radamfi

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I noticed my only way back to Birmingham airport tomorrow from Oxford is one National Express bus connection.
I had a similar experience in Ireland before but not seen it elsewhere.

The long distance bus (coach) service on Christmas Day has gradually improved in recent years, with most major cities and airports connected by National Express or Megabus. For example, National Express are taking advantage of the lack of trains between London and Gatwick airport today, running a coach every 15 minutes. The fares, however, are higher than the usual train fare. On the 26 December, when most trains are still not running, the coaches are running a near normal service. However, with some exceptions, for example in London, local buses are either not running or running a limited service. Similarly on New Year's Day.

In Ireland, most local and long distance buses are running a near normal Sunday service tomorrow, but trains are still not running.
 
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radamfi

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FWIW Boxing Day is a UK thing, the two main days in most countries are 24th and 25th.

Although most places run a normal service on 24th although some places have an early finish. Most of our neighbouring countries run a normal service on 24th and Sunday service on the 25th. The Netherlands run a Sunday service on 26th. The Dutch have "1st and 2nd Christmas Day"
 

radamfi

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Rather amazing considering the UK is pretty much 24/7 the rest of the year.

The UK may be 24/7 in many respects but not from the point of view of public transport. London has a very comprehensive Sunday and night bus service (possibly the most comprehensive night bus service in the world?), and now has night tube at the weekend, but outside London, Sunday bus services can be quite limited even in quite large towns, and there are some fairly large towns that have no bus service whatsoever on Sunday. Service in the evenings can also be limited.
 

LNW-GW Joint

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Oh I see. We don’t run British services on Boxing Day either save for a limited service between London Marylebone and Oxford.
You forgot Scotlrail which runs a decent service on Dec 26 which is not a Bank Hol there.
However it runs very few services on Jan 1 and a reduced service on Jan 2.
There are some local services in England on Dec 26 (eg Merseyrail), also Eurostar and some NSE services (eg London-Gatwick/Brighton/Stansted).
Once all the Crossrail and Thameslink work is finished in 2019 there might well be a lot more Boxing Day services around London.
 

axlecounter

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In Switzerland it’s a normal Sunday service. From what I’ve seen today, the number of passengers is of the likes of a quiet Sunday too.
 

deltic

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I think based on the roads there is next to no demand on Christmas Day, but certainly enough for a Sunday service on Boxing Day. Arguably much more demand than New Years Day.
Central London was heaving - traffic seemed far higher than previous years and large number of black taxis out and seemingly doing a roaring trade
 

rf_ioliver

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In Finland, there are no long distance trains in the morning on Christmas Day. They also shut down early on Christmas Eve. Local trains around Helsinki do run in the early morning, though.

Specifically here: https://www.vr.fi/cs/vr/fi/ajankohtaista#jouluaikataulut

Long Distance

23.12 - normal saturday service with additional day trains
24.12 - traffic decreases after mid-day and no long distance traffic in the evening
25.12 - traffic starts again after mid-day
26.12 - normal sunday service

Local Traffic (Helsinki Region)

24.12 - sunday services, limited services between 17h00 and 18h00 with everything shutdown after 18h00
25.12 - sunday services, starting partially at 9h00 and increasing from there. Some services starting earlier for specific routes
26.12 - sunday services

But bear in mind that Finland's Chistmas is really the evening of the 24th rather than the 25th, ie: Santa comes to your house in the evening ( well if it is cold outside and you've lit the fire it could be a bit dangerous for him; also, he lives in Lapland so he can deliver presents early to Finland ;) )

If you want to feel sorry for someone then there's the driver of the N-service departing 23h57 from Helsinki on New Year's Eve....New Year's Day has additional services in the early morning

t.

Ian
 
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