What's actually open in London on Christmas Day 2026 (and how to reach it)
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London on Christmas Day: nine million people, zero trains, and a surprising number of open pubs. This is the practical list — what is open, what is not, what needs booking — and the answer to the question that follows every item on it, which is how you get there when there is no public transport.
Attractions (almost all closed; the exceptions)
Every major museum, gallery and paid attraction in London closes on Christmas Day: the British Museum, the National Gallery, Tate, the Tower, Westminster Abbey (services only), the London Eye, Madame Tussauds and the rest. The exceptions are outdoors: the Royal Parks are open, the Thames Path is open, Hampstead Heath and Richmond Park are open and full of walkers and deer respectively. Some hotel spas open for residents. Everything reopens on Boxing Day or 27 December.
Restaurants and hotel dining (book by early December)
The hotels carry Christmas lunch: the Savoy, the Goring, Claridge's, the Dorchester, the Langham, the Corinthia and dozens of others serve set lunches to non-residents at £150–£350 a head, with the mid-market hotel chains offering carveries at £60–£100. Independent restaurants that open on 25 December are the exception — a handful in Chinatown, some Indian restaurants around Brick Lane and Southall, and a few chef-led places that make a point of it. All of them are booked by early December. Turning up on the day without a reservation is a plan that mostly fails.
Pubs
Many pubs open on Christmas Day, typically from noon to about 15:00 or 16:00, for drinks; those serving lunch are pre-booked. The best bets are the traditional pubs in Hampstead, Highgate, Richmond, Greenwich, Chelsea and the City fringes, and riverside pubs along the Thames Path. Check the pub's own website or social media in the week before — hours change and the good ones fill up.
Parks and walks
Hyde Park (the Serpentine swim at 09:00), St James's Park, Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, Greenwich Park, Richmond Park, Hampstead Heath to Parliament Hill, the Thames Path from Westminster to Tower Bridge, the Regent's Canal from Little Venice to Camden. All free, all open, all busy with people walking off lunch by early afternoon.
Churches and services
St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral and St Martin-in-the-Fields all hold Christmas morning services open to everyone; some larger services are ticketed or have queues from an hour before. Every parish church has a morning service. Midnight Mass is on Christmas Eve, after the last Tube.
Transport: none — what that means
On 25 December there is no Tube, no bus, no Overground, no DLR, no tram, no Elizabeth line and no National Rail service anywhere in London. Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express, Stansted Express, Thameslink and the Luton DART are all closed. This is not a reduced timetable: it is a full shutdown that lasts from the last trains on Christmas Eve until services resume on the morning of Boxing Day, and on Boxing Day 2026 (a Saturday) most rail operators still run nothing.
In practice: you walk, you cycle (Santander hire runs), you take a black cab if you can find one (Tariff 3 plus the Christmas extra; not bookable), or you pre-book a car with a fixed price. That is the whole list. Detail on the Christmas Day taxi page.
Christmas Day car fares
| Journey on 25 December | Saloon (fixed) | MPV (fixed) |
|---|---|---|
| Across central London (e.g. Kensington → the City) | from £110 | from £110 |
| Zone 2 to a Richmond or Hampstead pub | from £75 | from £90 |
| Central London → Greenwich | from £75 | from £90 |
| Heathrow → central London | from £85 | from £100 |
| Gatwick → central London | from £146 | from £161 |
Illustrative from-prices; the exact fixed fare is shown before you confirm. Book by 20 December.
- Quote and book online at any hour — the fare is fixed at the moment you confirm.
- Driver details (name, vehicle, registration, direct mobile) arrive the day before.
- Flight tracking on every airport pickup: if your flight is early or late, the pickup moves with it at no charge, with 60 minutes' free waiting after landing.
- Pay by card when you book. No cash, no meter, no surge.
Frequently asked questions
- Are shops open on Christmas Day in London?
- No. Large shops are legally required to close on Christmas Day. Some small convenience stores and petrol stations open.
- Are restaurants open on Christmas Day in London?
- Hotel restaurants, a small number of independents and some restaurants in Chinatown and Southall. All need booking well ahead.
- Is the London Eye open on Christmas Day?
- No. It closes on 25 December and reopens on Boxing Day.
- Is there any transport on Christmas Day in London?
- No public transport at all. Walking, cycling, black cabs (scarce) and pre-booked cars are the options.
Essentials for international visitors
Flying in from abroad? The six things that catch people out, in one place. Full detail, with official links, in our UK visitor essentials guide.
Entry
Most visitors from Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia need a UK ETA (£20, apply in the UK ETA app, valid two years) — airlines have enforced it since 25 February 2026. eGates from age 8 for EU, US, Canadian, Australian and most other visa-free passports. More ›
Money
Pounds sterling; cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, contactless taps up to £100. Choose to pay in pounds when a terminal offers your home currency. Prices include VAT and there is no tourist tax refund. More ›
Phone
Free Wi-Fi at all London airports; UK SIMs and eSIMs from £75 in every arrivals hall; EU roaming depends on your operator. WhatsApp +44 20 8888 9988 works from any country. More ›
Christmas & New Year
Bank holidays on 25 and 28 December 2026 and 1 January 2027. No public transport at all on Christmas Day, reduced service and engineering works on Boxing Day; shops shut on 25 December. Pre-booked cars run every day at the fixed fare. More ›
Children & luggage
Child seats on request when you book. In a licensed private hire car children may travel without one if none is available (under-3s on the rear seat). Tell us the bag count and the right size of car turns up. More ›
Emergencies
999 or 112 for police, fire or ambulance; NHS 111 for urgent advice; A&E is free at the point of use, but bring travel insurance. Plugs are Type G, 230 V; traffic drives on the left — look right. More ›
Book your fixed-fare car
Price confirmed at booking, driver details the day before, flight tracked where relevant. Pay by card online — nothing to settle in the car.
