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

[HeritageQuay]

So I've been invited by friends to their Christmas lunch in central London. Having been on my own for the last few years, I was delighted to be invited and immediately accepted.

I live about 50 miles outside London and so travel by train is clearly the most sensible option. Accordingly I have been ordering presents etc. on Amazon for delivery to my hosts.

So today I tried to look up train times, only to find that there are no trains at all on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. This came as complete surprise to me, is this a one-off or is it a regular thing?

Not quite sure how to get there now as the last thing I want to do is drive through London with all the issues re Congestion Charge / Ulez / Street parking etc., and in any case I wanted to enjoy a few drinks at Christmas!

How do other people travel at Christmas?

Maybe OP is surprised given that they were classed as essential key workers during Covid!

Exactly

my folks were often on the rota to work at Christmas

lots of essential services need staff. It wasn't such a big deal even twenty years ago. Now there's so much "we must have the day with family" and from people who aren't actually religious.

I'm more surprised there isn't full strike action this year from last week (therefore just in time to make it impossible to visit DP's family). Makes a change - but chances are drivers just won't turn up in any case. Combined with the usual trackworks, we didn't risk it.

Oh honey no, if you wanna go somewhere on Christmas Day you’re gonna have to walk/drive yourself there…did you really have no inkling of that?!

Taxi is the only option on Christmas unfortunately. Would be good if they done special services as not all employees celebrate Christmas and would probably prefer to work! Not to mention hotel staff who still have to work and need to get around. Sorry OP, hope you find a way there, perhaps go the day before and stay over somewhere

YABU because it’s like this literally every year. It’s an inconvenience but also it’s a good time to crack on with maintenance and repair work. There’s never a good time if you’re the one trying to travel but weekends and holidays are the obvious time to do work.

So on the one hand the cry is 'the rail workers need to spend time with their families, how dare you expect this', on the other 'the railways need maintenance', erm by workers who wont be spending the day with their families

Hopefully the maintenance teams can get to work without a train eh?

I understand them not running on Christmas Day, but would expect a limited service on Boxing Day, perhaps.

Where I live, some of the bus drivers work voluntarily to take people to hospitals to visit relatives.

Stay over and drive. It’s the easiest driving of the whole year through central London. The roads are really quiet and parking’s easy as lots of residents go out of town for Christmas and not many tourists drive in.

And yet they want people to give up their cars

Not everyone in the UK celebrates Christmas.

Not great for those concerned, but I'd assume only people working in emergency services, tv, vets, UK's security and hospitality. I wouldn't be expect any trains and even taxi services to operate for me (unless they want to and can charge a good call out rate).

Someone upthread mentioned a and e - Christmas day itself is often quieter once all the Christmas eve drunks (falls fights etc) have been sent home

My dad earned so much money on christmas day and was home by the time christmas lunch was on the table.

It wasn't ideal opening our presents without him but without him working that day we wouldn't have had anything.

This was sometime ago I have no idea what they pay now but back then it worked for our family and meant we had a good christmas

Have you been living in a bubble, there's little to no public transport on Christmas Day!

They really won't. I drive for work on Christmas Day. The roads are quieter than usual but nothing like deserted.

Don't taxi drivers need time off too then?

YABU trains have never run Christmas Day, and they often taper down to a Sunday/Bank holiday service a few days before!

Since Covid you are lucky to get a train on a Sunday and daytime non-commuter time train frequency is far worse!

And then you can’t rely on the trains anyway for big journeys, never know when they might decide to go on strike (again)!

The Muslim/Hindu/Sikh people I work with are still celebrating but in a different way and enjoying time off and a nice meal with family - much the same as traditional British families but without loads of presents.

25 years ago I was having to get a lift to my Saturday job on Boxing Day as there were no buses or trains so yes, this is normal and I do indeed drive if needs be.

They are self employed so will work when the money is best and roads are quiet

The tube is running on Boxing Day you could drive to the closest underground station?

I don't understand the issue - you drive? Just take the car and either don't drink or ask if you can crash on their couch.

The Christmas period is when big multi-day works can be done e.g. station overhauls, bridge replacements, track relaying, while minimising commuter disruption. Very busy time for railway workers, not a nice time off with family.

Sin was hoping to go to footie match in Southampton from London. I thought trains would run Boxing Day. Nope. Not sure what to do know - I don't fancy a five hour round trip driving him!