No trains through Worthing on Christmas Day and most operators run none on 26 December. Last year's Christmas Eve last buses, and rail works before Christmas.
Southern has not yet published its Christmas 2026 timetable for the coast line through Worthing, and Stagecoach has not published its festive bus times. The national picture is already set, though, and last year’s detail shows what to plan around.
The quick answer
- No trains run anywhere in Britain on Christmas Day, Friday 25 December 2026.
- On Saturday 26 December most train companies run no service at all. Services on the substitute bank holiday, Monday 28 December, are still to be confirmed.
- Last year Worthing’s buses stopped completely on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and ran only four routes on Boxing Day.
Trains over Christmas and New Year
National Rail’s 2026/27 summary covers Thursday 24 December 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027. It says:
- Thursday 24 December: trains on many routes finish earlier than normal. National Rail’s list of last trains from London is due in late November or early December.
- Friday 25 December: no National Rail services.
- Saturday 26 December: most operators run nothing; a small number will run “a very limited train service”, still to be confirmed.
- Monday 28 December: the substitute Boxing Day bank holiday. Which trains run is to be confirmed.
- Thursday 31 December: some routes finish early.
- Friday 1 January: special late services run on some London routes after midnight. Details follow in early December.
(National Rail, Christmas and New Year 2026/27)
National Rail says each operator’s own Christmas details will be added “from the beginning of October onwards”. Southern is the only operator named on the engineering notices for the Worthing line, so its entry is the one to watch.
What happened last Christmas
Last year Southern ran a limited Boxing Day service on some routes only, and Network Rail’s Christmas engineering in Sussex was concentrated around East Croydon, Gatwick, Three Bridges and south London rather than on the coast (Network Rail, 2025/26 Sussex Christmas works). If you were travelling to London, a closure north of Three Bridges could still affect your journey even with the coast line open.
Engineering works already listed on the Worthing line
We checked National Rail’s list of planned works on 25 September. Nothing is listed yet on the coast line for 24 December to 4 January. These are the closures already published between now and Christmas:
| Dates | What happens |
|---|---|
| Mon 28 Sep to Fri 2 Oct, late nights | From about 23:30, London Victoria to Worthing trains terminate at Brighton; replacement buses between Brighton or Hove and Worthing or West Worthing |
| Sat 7 and Sun 8 Nov | No trains between Brighton and Worthing. Buses replace trains between Brighton and Worthing or Littlehampton; Victoria to Littlehampton trains diverted to Brighton |
| Sat 14 and Sun 15 Nov | Buses replace trains between Angmering and Barnham via Littlehampton, and between Arundel and Barnham |
| Sun 29 Nov | No trains between Three Bridges and Brighton; Victoria to Brighton trains diverted via Horsham, Littlehampton and Hove |
| Mon 7 to Fri 11 Dec, late nights | Overnight works between Barnham and Chichester alter the late Victoria trains to Bognor Regis and Chichester |
Sources: National Rail engineering notices for 28 September, 7 November, 14 November, 29 November and 7 December.
On the weekend of 7 and 8 November, paper tickets are also accepted on Brighton & Hove bus routes 1, 2, 6, 7, 46 and 49 at no extra cost.
Buses: last year’s Stagecoach Christmas times
Stagecoach runs the Coastliner 700 to Brighton and Worthing town routes including the 5 and 11. These were its 2025 arrangements for the Worthing, Brighton and Littlehampton area. They are not this year’s times, and Stagecoach has taken the page down since.
| Day in 2025 | Service |
|---|---|
| Mon 22 and Tue 23 Dec | Saturday service |
| Wed 24 Dec, Christmas Eve | Saturday service with early finish; no N700 night bus |
| Thu 25 Dec, Christmas Day | No service |
| Fri 26 Dec, Boxing Day | Special timetable on routes 5, 11, 700 and 701 only |
| Sat 27 Dec | Saturday service |
| Sun 28 Dec | Sunday service |
| Mon 29 to Wed 31 Dec | Saturday service |
| Thu 1 Jan, New Year's Day | No service |
| Fri 2 and Sat 3 Jan | Saturday service |
The last buses on Christmas Eve 2025 were:
- 700 eastbound: 19:55 Durrington to Brighton, then 20:15, 20:35, 20:55 and 21:15 from Durrington to Worthing town centre only
- 700 westbound: 20:30 Brighton to Durrington, then 20:50 and 21:10 from Brighton to Worthing town centre only
- 701: 20:00 Wick and Littlehampton to Lancing, with 20:30 and 21:00 to Worthing town centre only; westbound 19:50 Lancing to Wick and Littlehampton, 20:20 and 20:50 Lancing to Goring, 21:20 Lancing to Worthing town centre only
- 5: 20:45 Worthing to West Durrington and 21:09 back
- 11: 19:40 Worthing to Littlehampton and 20:40 back
- 17: 19:20 Horsham to Brighton and 20:05 Brighton to Horsham
(Stagecoach South, Christmas and New Year bus timetables 2025, archived 4 December 2025)
Stagecoach’s 2025 page was captured in the archive on 30 November, so the 2026 times are likely by late November.
Parking over Christmas
Worthing’s council car parks charge on bank holidays as well as normal days. The councils’ car park page lists tariffs “including Public and Bank Holidays”, and it carries no Christmas free parking offer (Adur & Worthing Councils, car parks in Worthing). Current prices by car park are on our parking in Worthing page, and road closures are on Worthing roadworks and travel.
Still to be confirmed
- Southern’s Christmas timetable, due on National Rail’s page from early October.
- Christmas Eve last trains from London, due late November or early December.
- Any Christmas engineering on the coast line, which would appear in National Rail’s planned works list.
- Stagecoach’s 2026 festive bus times, likely late November.
We will update this page as each is published. Bin changes over the holiday are on Worthing Christmas bin collections.
Frequently asked questions
Are there trains from Worthing on Christmas Day?
No. There are no National Rail services anywhere on Friday 25 December 2026.
Are there trains on Boxing Day 2026?
Most train companies run no service on Saturday 26 December. A few will run a very limited service, still to be confirmed. The bank holiday itself is on Monday 28 December, and that day’s service is also to be confirmed.
Do buses run in Worthing on Christmas Day?
Last year they did not. Stagecoach ran no service in the Worthing area on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day 2025, and only routes 5, 11, 700 and 701 on Boxing Day.
What time is the last 700 bus on Christmas Eve?
In 2025 the last 700 from Brighton to Durrington left at 20:30, with later buses as far as Worthing town centre until 21:10. The 2026 times have not been published.
Is parking free in Worthing over Christmas?
Not in council car parks, on the councils’ current published tariffs. Charges apply on public and bank holidays.
Sources
- National Rail, Christmas and New Year 2026/27 travel summary, read 25 September 2026
- National Rail planned engineering notices, linked above, and its Christmas Eve last trains page (still showing 2025)
- Network Rail, Sussex Christmas and New Year works 2025/26
- Stagecoach South Christmas bus timetables 2025, archived
- Adur & Worthing Councils, car parks in Worthing
- GOV.UK bank holidays
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