If you need to get out over the Christmas and New Year period and were wondering what services may be running on tramways then wonder no further! This is your regular one-stop guide to planned services over the festive period; with the usual caveat that operational reasons may mean there are some changes (the originally advertised Tyne and Wear Metro services for example were soon thrown up in the air after the closure of the Gateshead tunnel), so please check with the operator before travelling.
Blackpool Tramway
Tuesday 24th December: Normal timetable until final trams at 1830 from Starr Gate and 1945 from Fleetwood
Wednesday 25th December: No service
Thursday 26th December: Special service with a 30 minute frequency with first service from Starr Gate at 0800 and from Fleetwood at 0915. Final services depart Starr Gate at 1730 for Thornton Gate, returning at 1825.
Friday 27th December to Monday 30th December: Normal service
Tuesday 31st December: Normal timetable until final trams at 1830 from Starr Gate and 1945 from Fleetwood
Wednesday 1st January 2025: Special service with a 30 minute frequency with first service from Starr Gate at 0800 and from Fleetwood at 0915. Final services depart Starr Gate at 1730 for Thornton Gate, returning at 1825.
Docklands Light Railway
Tuesday 24th December: Services finish 2230. There is no service between Bank and Shadwell
Wednesday 25th December: No service
Thursday 26th December: First trains will run from 0830. No service between Bank and Shadwell.
Friday 27th, Saturday 28th, Sunday 29th, Monday 30th December 2024: Special service with no service Bank-Shadwell
Tuesday 31st December: Saturday day service with special all-night service
Wednesday 1st January 2025: Saturday service
Edinburgh Trams
Tuesday 24th December: Normal service
Wednesday 25th December: No service
Thursday 26th December to Sunday 29th December: Normal service
Monday 30th December: Normal service until 1700. The network will then run a split service: Edinburgh Airport-West End and Picardy Place-Newhaven every 10 minutes.
Tuesday 31st December: Split service will run Edinburgh Airport-West End and Picardy Place-Newhaven from every 10 minutes all day. After midnight free trams will run (0000-0200 every 10 minutes, 0200-normal start of service every 20 minutes)
Wednesday 1st January 2025: Split service (Edinburgh Airport-West End and Picardy Place-Newhaven) will run until approximately 0900. Then a full service runs from every 7 minutes.
London Trams
Tuesday 24th December: Normal service
Wednesday 25th December: No service
Thursday 26th December: Sunday service
Friday 27th, Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th December: Normal service
Monday 30th December: Saturday service
Tuesday 31st December: Sunday service during the day. A special all night service will run.
Wednesday 1st January 2025: Sunday service
Luas
Tuesday 24th December: Services will end at 2000
Wednesday 25th December: No service
Thursday 26th December: Sunday frequency from 0900
Friday 27th and Saturday 28th December: Saturday service
Sunday 29th December: Sunday service
Monday 30th December: Saturday service
Tuesday 31st December: Saturday service plus Night Luas (hourly services between 0100 and 0300 on Red and Green lines)
Wednesday 1st January 2025: Sunday service
Manchester Metrolink
Tuesday 24th December: Services start at 0600 but will finish earlier with last trams arriving at terminus stops around 2100.
Wednesday 25th December: No service
Thursday 26th December: Services will operate 0700-0000. 7.5 minute frequency to Etihad Campus with trams running Altrincham-Etihad Campus and Ashton-Eccles. All other lines will operate every 15 minutes (there is no Shaw and Crompton service, all Eccles line services run via MediaCityUK and the Bury-Altrincham direct service will not operate). Access to Piccadilly Metrolink stop is only via Fairfield Street.
Friday 27th & Saturday 28th December: Services start at 0600 and operate every 15 minutes until midnight. Between 0000 and 0100 they will run every 30 minutes. The peak extras (East Didsbury-Shaw and Crompton, Bury-Altrincham, MediaCityUK-Etihad Campus will not run).
Sunday 29th December: Service start at 0700 and end at 0000. 15 minute frequency. The peak extras (East Didsbury-Shaw and Crompton, Bury-Altrincham, MediaCityUK-Etihad Campus will not run).
Monday 30th December: Services start at 0600 and end at 0000. 15 minute frequency. Additional trams will run Altrincham-Crumpsall for Manchester United match. The peak extras (East Didsbury-Shaw and Crompton, Bury-Altrincham, MediaCityUK-Etihad Campus will not run).
Tuesday 31st December: Services start at 0600 and will around every 12 minutes on an amended service pattern (to allow for City Council’s fireworks display at St Peter’s Square):
- Bury-Ashton
- Altrincham-Etihad Campus (until 2000)/Deansgate-Castlefield (after 2000)
- Eccles-Piccadilly (until 2000)/Deansgate-Castlefield (after 2000)
- Rochdale-East Didsbury (until 2000)
- Rochdale-Victoria and East Didsbury-Cornbrook (after 2000)
- Manchester Airport-Victoria (until 2000)/Cornbrook (after 2000)
- The Trafford Centre-Deansgate-Castlefield (until 2000, no service after 2000)
Wednesday 1st January 2025: Services start at 0700 running on a 15 minute frequency until 0000. The peak extras (East Didsbury-Shaw and Crompton, Bury-Altrincham, MediaCityUK-Etihad Campus will not run).
Nottingham Express Transit
Tuesday 24th December: Normal service
Wednesday 25th December: No service
Thursday 26th December: Sunday service
Friday 28th to Tuesday 31st December: Normal service
Wednesday 1st January 2025: Sunday service
South Yorkshire Supertram
Tuesday 24th December: Saturday timetable with early finish.
Wednesday 25th December: No service
Thursday 26th December: Special service. Yellow route runs Meadowhall to Middlewood every 20 minutes and Festive Blue runs Halfway to Cathedral every 20 minutes. No Purple route or Tram-Train service will operate and no trams will run to Malin Bridge.
Friday 27th and Saturday 28th December: Saturday service.
Sunday 29th December: Sunday service
Monday 30th December: Saturday service
Tuesday 31st December: Saturday timetable with early finish.
Wednesday 1st January 2025: Special service. Yellow route will run Meadowhall-Middlewood every 30 minutes, Tram-Train will run Rotherham Parkgate-Cathedral every 30 minutes and Blue route will run Halfway-Cathedral every 30 minutes. No Purple route service and no trams to Malin Bridge.
Tyne and Wear Metro
Tuesday 24th December: Revised weekday service until 1800 then hourly service.
Wednesday 25th December: No service
Thursday 26th December: Revised Sunday service from 0800-2000.
Friday 27th to Monday 30th December: Normal service
Tuesday 31st December: Revised weekday service until 2100 then 30 minute service
Wednesday 1st January 2025: No service
Please note this was the plan before the closure of the Gateshead tunnels. This will now impact the service, particularly to services south of the River Tyne.
West Midlands Metro
Tuesday 24th December: Normal service
Wednesday 25th December: No service
Thursday 26th December: Sunday service
Friday 27th to Monday 30th December: Normal service
Tuesday 31st December: Sunday service
Wednesday 1st January 2025: Sunday service
And if heritage trams are your thing…
Beamish
Open daily from Friday 27th December 2024 to Sunday 5th January 2025
East Anglian Transport Museum
Open on Wednesday 1st January 2025 between 1200 and 1630
Seaton Tramway
Friday 27th December 2024 to Sunday 5th January 2025: Trams running every 20 minutes from Seaton to Colyton between 1000 and 1600
All above information is provide in good faith but if travelling to any location please check before travelling as late changes may be necessary.