Public holidays and transport
Public Holidays
The following dates are public holidays in the UK (Bank Holidays) for the Christmas and New Year holidays:
- Friday 25 December 2020
- Monday 28 December 2020
- Friday 1 January 2021
The majority of shops will be closed on 25 December, and no public transport will run that day. Buses and train services will be less regular on public holidays and taxis are often more expensive, so plan any travel in advance.
Some shops will reopen on Thursday 26th December but opening times will vary so please check individual websites.
Public Transport
Taking public transport can be tricky on certain dates during the holidays. If you plan your travel in advance you should have a smooth and trouble-free journey.
Brighton buses
Normal services will run during the holidays. However, there will be no buses on 25 December, and reduced services on 26, 27 and 28 December, as well as the 1 January. This means services will be limited and much less frequent. We advise you to plan your travel in advance at https://www.buses.co.uk/christmas
Eastbourne buses
Normal services will run during the holidays. However, there will be no buses on 25 December, and reduced services on 26, 27 and 29 December. This means services will be limited and much less frequent. There will be no service on 1 January. We advise you to plan your travel in advance at https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-east/christmas-and-new-year-bus-times
Trains
Over the holidays rail companies tend to carry out major engineering works. There will be no service on 25 December and a very limited service on 26 December. Please click here to view details or planned works. We strongly advise you to check National Rail Enquiries in advance of your journey.
You can view planned works and train schedules over the holidays for the following train companies here:
Coach travel
National Express coach services run between, central London, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings. They do run coaches on 25 December between certain routes, see details online here https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/christmas.
If you do plan to travel by coach we advise you book your tickets well in advance.
Taxis
You can pre-book your airport taxi drop-off or pick-up with a local taxi company.
Brighton: Brighton taxis
Eastbourne: Eastbourne Taxis