AIBU to be surprised that the trains don't run over Christmas?

Sorry but it's pretty obvious they don't run those days. I thought you meant between Xmas and New year as I know there's few if any trains into Paddington then due to works

It is not unusual.
Buses don't run either.
I used to have to get a taxi to work on xmas day, but thankfully my employer paid for it, otherwise I would not have been there.

Yes, there are engineering works throughout the year, but my understanding us that they plan works over xmas that require a longer closure, because it's the day when there are fewest people working.

I'm not advocating for this BTW, I don't decide on when the closures take place ffs! 🙄 Just highlighting that the railways aren't closed on xmas day just to give the drivers a day off!

you don't need to shut down the entire service to do essential maintenance - you stagger it and do it piece by piece.

It is actually astonishing to me (no I never lived in London) that the underground and bus service in London - a major world city - shuts down on Christmas day - leaving people like the poster upthread to get to their essential work in hospitals, emergency services, essential services like electrical grid etc. on their own. Surely you just run a reduced schedule? I had to google it to make sure it was true. And Dublin is the same - not even a skeleton service for hospital workers. I'm really surprised by this.

Sure, but the existence of other people who work on Christmas Day doesn't create a workforce who are willing to do the same on public transport. It hasn't even created enough bus and train drivers to do the job on the other 364 days a year.

We all know some people work on Christmas Day, notwithstanding that several of the industries you list have staffing shortages. It doesn't follow from this that it would be doable in any other sector one cares to consider.

They do essential work you are correct. My sons friend is one of those who will be working on the lines.

Theres engineering works all bloody year for gods sake, dont be disingenuous.

I just hope that those who advocate for trasnport workers having that really important day with their families dont need medical care, dont go to the pub or a hotel/restaurant/dont watch telly or listen to the radio, dont put their heating on or use electric

All of that requires workers who wont spend the day or part of it with their families.

I'm mostly surprised that you're only checking today!

I wouldn't have been shocked if trains were running on Boxing Day but would not expect them to be running on Christmas Day.

What days would you prefer there to be no service so engineering works can happen, though? It's not ideal but it's the "least worst" option, as they say

I'm 67 and I used to rely exclusively on public transport in the 1970s and 1980s.

I can't remember trains and buses running on Christmas Day throughout all that time. I'm sure they did at one time but not - I suspect - for about 50 years.

(When I came to the UK as a student in the 1970s I was astonished to learn that some pubs opened on Christmas Day!)

Just drive!

Could you travel down the day before and stay in a hotel/air bnb?

Another one who thinks there should be a fee trains running. Services need to run on Christmas Day. Plenty of us work at Christmas in much less well paid jobs.

Well, of the 1000 or so people who are in the habit of answering Yougov surveys and this one in particular, maybe.

There are all sorts of people who we are quite happy to see working on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, I don't see why train and bus drivers should be any different.

Would you be willing to pay quite a bit more? We already have a shortage of both bus and train drivers, so I think realistically it would have to be made worth their while.

Its a fairly secular holiday and has been for decades, if not over a hundred years.

Many of us dont see it as Jesus' birthday given he wasnt born at this time of year and given it was highjacked for Christianity but thats another a thread.

There definitely isn’t congestion charge! And parking on Christmas Day should be easier - if you let me know a rough area of London I can help with where you could potentially park??
and national express runs to quite a few locations but then also it depends where your friend lives - you may still need a cab from the coach stop

Yes, it's normal in the UK but also incredibly annoying. Apparently only people who drive can visit family on Xmas, and anyone else who relies on public transport to get to an essential job is shit out of luck too.

Public transport manages to run a bank holiday timetable on other Bank Hols, including Easter. They should run on Xmas/ Boxing Day.

Can you get a coach or bus? I used to get national express from my family city to my then bf now dh city?

I’m not Christian but I celebrate Christmas. All of my British friends and family celebrate Christmas. None would describe themselves as Christian, most are staunchly atheist and don’t have any religion.

Obviously there can be a religious aspect to Christmas but there are also lots of secular traditions, mostly rooted in paganism, which can be followed without any mention of Jesus, without stepping into a church or acknowledging the bible. There is nothing religious about putting up a Christmas tree, getting together with family, eating turkey, pulling crackers and exchanging gifts. Santa and reindeer and the Elf On The Shelf aren’t anything to do with being Christian, neither are Christmas jumpers or matching Christmas pyjamas but when my friends and family post on social media about Christmas these are the things they’ll focus on. Nobody close to me cares about Jesus, and besides it’s widely acknowledged that Jesus’s birthday was definitely not 25th December and it’s just a made up date to fit with a pagan tradition.

Always been the case for the last 30 years that Ie had to travel by train be gakde you aren't dependent on public transport. Also can't believe you didn't look and book before! When I have had NHS jobs the trusts have sometimes laid on Taxis or more likely expected you to find a ride share.

Guess again.

Incidentally, here's some data on non-Christian celebration of Christmas in the UK.

61% of those celebrating say they do so in a completely secular way.

https://yougov.co.uk/society/articles/33538-how-britons-celebrate-christmas-and-easter

I've worked Christmas new year and weekends alot is it just train drivers who want to be off Perhaps they don't. feel they need the overtime like other people