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?

Trains run on boxing day

Bless your innocence/privilege.

Some, but not many.

Who's 'many'

Any non Christian person that I know, doesn't celebrate Christmas.

My Muslim colleague told me that christmas day is just like any other day to her.

I'm not religious but I have always seen christmas as a day to spend with my family/friends and celebrate. The one time of year for one day you have no worries and just have a lovely time.

Yes lots of people still work. My dad did. On the train tracks!

Honestly I don't think it's unreasonable to say for 1 day there are no trains.

Still coach and taxis.

It's just a but more forward planning. For 1 day.

About 1.1million out of a labour force of 36.8 million. Not a trivial number

*But how can you say that the MAJORITY of British people celebrate Christmas.

At the last census, less than half of he people in the UK , identified as Christian*

Many, if not most, people I know wouldn't class themselves as Christians. However we all celebrate Christmas.

Tbh even many of the people I know who follow other other religions, who live in England, celebrate Christmas in some form.

There are some limited services this boxing day

There used to be a sunday service many years ago because I used to work many a boxing day when I was a teen and in my early 20s and used the train to get to work

Try living on an island where the ferries stop running!

The trains are not going to run at Christmas when I use trains they are mostly cancelled for a lot of crazy reasons such as a shortage of drivers and last minute change to timetable Sundays it's just not worth trying any more What about the effect this is having on shop s and cafes The government should be getting involved

You're probably right.

People on here often have big ideas of the services they want to exist on bank holidays, Sundays, at Christmas etc, but less thought goes into how they're going to be staffed.

I sympathise a lot with people who work on Christmas Day and find it really hard with minimal/no public transport, but that doesn't mean there are enough people who are willing to drive the buses etc.

88% of the UK population celebrate Christmas, according to yougov.

46.2% of the UK population regard themselves as Christian.

so just under 42% of the population celebrate Christmas but do not regard themselves as Christian.

I’m surprised you didn’t know this, but I do agree that’s it’s frustrating for them not to be running at a time where clearly lots of people would want to travel. You’d think they would at least run a skeleton service of main routes, maybe with inflated ticket prices so that working staff could be paid extra.

People don't just work on hospitals at Christmas people need to visit older relatives even at Christmas They would be able to choose to work or not and get a day of on lieu

Most Muslims I know and have worked with celebrate Christmas in the way I celebrate Chrsitmas, eating, presents, decorations, etc.

And of course Jesus is a prophet in Islam although thats not why UK Muslims celebrate, its the same as why people mark any celebratory BH or tradition, like Bonfire night or Halloween

Because the word “Christmas” is now taken to also encompass a secular celebration centred on Dec 25th.

Trains do run in other countries on Christmas day

Just pay double or more at Christmas and Sundays

Yes exactly its nothing to do with being a Christian, thats a very rigid way to look at things

Fuel and congestion charge is likely much less expensive than a train ticket bought with less than 3 days to go tbh. You'll have to ask your friends about parking, roads will be quiet I'm sure.

Yes in the Uk no trains over Christmas and Boxing day. It’s crazy.
Where we live in Europe they run on a Sunday schedule. Much more sensible.

Arguing over how many people celebrate Christmas, and you're on glue if you think it isn't the majority of the UK, is missing the point. As it's a holiday for much of the population, even those who don't celebrate it don't have significantly affected access to structural support for work such as childcare and public transport. This has a societal impact whatever an individual might want to do.

It is a lot to do with being a Christian.

It celebrates Jesus's birthday!

What i have found over the years is that Christians seem to think that everyone else celebrates Christmas, because they do

A lot of people don't

Christians think the majority of people in the UK celebrate Christmas , because they celebrate it.

Because you've celebrated Christmas all your life, you can't even imagine someone not celebrating it.

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