Christmas Day is the one day London almost stops. There’s no Tube and no TfL buses on Friday 25 December 2026, and most attractions close, but the parks, the churches, a handful of restaurants and a few cruises and bus tours keep going. This guide covers getting around, what’s open, church services, things to do on the day and what reopens on Boxing Day.
Christmas Day 2026 at a Glance
Transport: no Tube, no trains and no TfL buses. Taxis, private hire, Santander Cycles and a few buses run by other operators keep going.
Closed: most attractions and museums, Winter Wonderland, the ice rinks and the Christmas markets.
Open: Hyde Park and the Serpentine Lido Café, churches, some restaurants, Christmas Day cruises and a hop-on hop-off bus.
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Getting Around on Christmas Day
TfL will publish Christmas Eve finish times and the Boxing Day service on TfL’s Christmas and New Year travel page, so check it before you plan around a late train on the 24th.
What’s Open and Closed
Open on Christmas Day
Closed on Christmas Day
Attractions
The London Eye, SEA LIFE and Madame Tussauds close on 25 December and reopen on Boxing Day. The Tower of London is closed from 24 to 26 December.
Museums
The British Museum, the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the V&A close from 24 to 26 December.
Rinks and Fairs
Winter Wonderland, Skate at Somerset House and Skate Leicester Square all close for the day.
Markets and Gardens
The Southbank Winter Market, Winter by the River and Borough Market close, and Kew Gardens is shut on 24 and 25 December.
Church on Christmas Day
London’s big churches all hold Christmas Day services, and most need no ticket.
St Paul’s Cathedral
Choral Eucharist at 11am and Festal Evensong at 3pm on Christmas Day, both free and unticketed. The Midnight Eucharist on Christmas Eve at 11pm needs no ticket either.
Westminster Abbey
Holy Communion at 8am and Evensong at 3pm need no booking. The 10.30am Sung Eucharist and Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve need a free ticket, released on 16 and 18 November.
St Martin-in-the-Fields
A Eucharist at 10.30am on Christmas Day and Midnight Mass at 11pm on Christmas Eve. The church issues no tickets for services.
Things to Do on Christmas Day
Anywhere · all day
Go for a Walk
With no Tube and the roads quiet, Christmas morning is the one day you can walk from Westminster along the Embankment to St Paul’s in near silence, with the lights still up. Hampstead Heath, four miles north, has the best views back over the city.
Westminster Pier · 25 Dec
Take a Thames Lunch Cruise
A Christmas Day lunch cruise from Westminster Pier takes about three hours with a traditional festive lunch and a welcome glass of fizz, and shorter sightseeing cruises run on the day too.
Docking stations across London
Ride a Santander Cycle
The bikes run as normal on Christmas Day, and with the traffic gone you can ride through the Royal Parks and along the river with the city to yourself.
Watch the Peter Pan Cup
The Serpentine Swimming Club has raced in Hyde Park on Christmas morning almost every year since 1864, starting at 9am. Only qualifying members swim.
See the Sights by Bus
A hop-on hop-off bus runs on Christmas Day every 30 minutes from 10am to 4pm, one of the few ways round the sights without walking the lot.
Volunteer
Crisis runs day centres and hotels for people experiencing homelessness over Christmas and recruits volunteers for them each year.
Christmas Day, sorted. Book the Christmas Day Thames lunch cruise from Westminster Pier, or a Christmas Day hop-on hop-off bus ticket for 10am to 4pm.
Christmas Lunch Out
Restaurants that open on Christmas Day book up early, so reserve as soon as you know your plans. A few that have published their 2026 menus:
Book well ahead
Christmas Day Lunch with a View
Duck & Waffle, which never closes, serves its Christmas Day menu from 11.30am to 9pm with the City below you, and takes bookings two months ahead.
Ham Yard Hotel does a four-course lunch with roast turkey or salmon coulibiac. The Dorchester serves Christmas lunch and dinner in The Promenade, and Rondo at The Hoxton, Holborn has a Christmas Day menu from 12pm to 5pm.
Boxing Day
London starts to reopen on 26 December. The London Eye opens from 10am to 8.30pm, SEA LIFE from 11am to 6pm and Madame Tussauds from 9am to 8pm, and the Somerset House rink and Winter Wonderland are back. The big museums and the Tower stay shut until 27 December, and The Dorchester serves a Boxing Day afternoon tea.
For football on Saturday 26 December, Fulham host Brighton and Spurs host Bournemouth, both at 3pm, and Crystal Palace play Arsenal at Selhurst Park on Sunday 27 December at 7pm. The stores haven’t announced their Boxing Day sale dates yet, and TfL’s Boxing Day service is still to be published.
More Christmas in London: Christmas in London hub | Things to do at Christmas | New Year’s Eve in London
FAQ
Is there public transport in London on Christmas Day?
No Tube, rail or TfL buses run on Christmas Day. Taxis, private hire cars, Santander Cycles, coaches and a few bus routes run by other operators are the only options.
What is open in London on Christmas Day?
Hyde Park and the Serpentine Lido Café, Parliament Hill Lido, Hampton Pool, churches, some restaurants, Christmas Day Thames cruises and a hop-on hop-off bus. Most attractions, museums, rinks and markets are closed.
Is the London Eye open on Christmas Day?
No. The London Eye is closed on 25 December. It opens on Christmas Eve until 5.30pm and on Boxing Day until 8.30pm.
Are London museums open on Boxing Day?
The major museums, including the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the V&A, are closed from 24 to 26 December and reopen on 27 December.
Can you go to church on Christmas Day in London without a ticket?
Yes. St Paul’s Cathedral’s 11am Choral Eucharist and 3pm Evensong, Westminster Abbey’s 8am Holy Communion and 3pm Evensong, and St Martin-in-the-Fields’ 10.30am Eucharist need no ticket.