Stortford trains run to Liverpool Street this Christmas: last trains by 10pm on Christmas Eve, none on Christmas Day, Boxing Day a Stansted Express only.
Bishop’s Stortford trains run to London Liverpool Street as normal this Christmas. Unlike the last two years, there is no week-long closure on the West Anglia line. Greater Anglia’s 2026/27 calendar shows the usual early finish on Christmas Eve (all trains done by 10pm), no trains on Christmas Day, and on Boxing Day only a Stansted Express between Stansted Airport and Tottenham Hale (Greater Anglia service alterations).
This year’s big Christmas closure is on the other line out of Liverpool Street: buses replace trains between Shenfield and Newbury Park from 27 December, so it affects Essex journeys via Stratford, not Stortford’s.
Updated 29 October: Greater Anglia has published its Christmas 2026 plan; this page now carries it in place of last year’s.
The quick answer
- Christmas Eve (Thu 24 Dec): services reduced from 7pm and finished by 10pm. The Stansted Express runs later: last from Liverpool Street to the airport 23:21, last from the airport 23:58.
- Christmas Day (Fri 25 Dec): no trains on any Greater Anglia route.
- Boxing Day (Sat 26 Dec): only the Stansted Express, Stansted Airport to Tottenham Hale, with Tube tickets accepted on to Liverpool Street.
- 27 December to 3 January: Stortford trains run to Liverpool Street. A few early-morning and late-night diversions only (below).
- Resident parking zones: last winter no permit was needed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day; East Herts has not yet posted 2026’s.
Day by day, Christmas 2026
All from Greater Anglia’s own service alterations pages, checked on 29 October 2026.
| Day | What changes for Bishop’s Stortford |
|---|---|
| Mon 21 to Wed 23 Dec, nights | Trains between 23:20 and 05:00 divert via Seven Sisters instead of Tottenham Hale, a few minutes longer |
| Thu 24 Dec, Christmas Eve | Early shutdown: reductions from 19:00, all trains finished by 22:00. Stansted Express: last 23:21 Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport (arrives 00:12), last 23:58 from the airport (arrives Liverpool Street 00:46) |
| Fri 25 Dec, Christmas Day | No Greater Anglia trains |
| Sat 26 Dec, Boxing Day | Stansted Express only, Stansted Airport to Tottenham Hale. Tickets accepted on the Victoria, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines between Tottenham Hale and Liverpool Street |
| Sun 27 Dec | Trains before 08:15 and after 00:01 divert via Seven Sisters instead of Tottenham Hale |
| Sun 3 Jan | Stansted Express diverts via Tottenham Hale and Stratford until 09:50, up to ten minutes longer, and leaves Liverpool Street up to ten minutes earlier than timetabled |
| Tue 5 to Thu 7 Jan, nights | Late-night/early-morning Seven Sisters diversions again |
Greater Anglia’s calendar lists nothing else on the West Anglia line, Stansted or Cambridge between Christmas and New Year. Network Rail’s Christmas programme around Cambridge (resignalling, and track work towards Ely) is on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, when no trains run anyway (Greater Anglia).
The closure that is not on our line
From Sunday 27 December Network Rail is renewing six sets of points at Forest Gate on the Great Eastern Main Line. Greater Anglia’s calendar shows buses between Shenfield/Ingatestone and Newbury Park until Monday 4 January, while its 22 October announcement describes a 10-day programme. That matters if you are going to Chelmsford, Colchester or Southend, or using the Elizabeth line east of Stratford; Stortford’s own trains do not go that way.
Last Christmas, for comparison
In 2025/26 Liverpool Street shut from 25 December to 1 January and West Anglia trains started and ended at Stratford, with buses between Stansted Airport and Cambridge North from 27 December to 4 January (Greater Anglia). 2024/25 followed the same pattern. This year’s plan is the first in three years without that change at Stratford.
Parking over Christmas
East Herts’ winter changes page still shows last winter’s dates (it lists “Saturday 27 December”, which fits 2025). Last winter the resident parking zones ran like this (East Herts Council):
- No permit or visitor voucher needed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Double yellow lines still apply.
- Permit rules applied as normal on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and every other day between.
In the council’s own car parks, parking is free on Christmas Day, for example at Jackson Square (East Herts Council). Sundays and bank holidays have their own flat rate; every tariff is on our parking in Bishop’s Stortford page.
Getting to the Christmas events
The two big town-centre days both shut roads. The lights switch-on is at Festive Fun Day on Sunday 15 November, and the Christmas Fayre on Saturday 5 December closes South Street to North Street from 6am to 7pm. Details are on our Christmas lights and Fayre page. For road closures week by week, see roadworks and travel, and for normal journey times, trains to London.
If you are heading to the tip after Christmas, note that the Bishop’s Stortford centre is shut on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, and on its usual Tuesday and Wednesday: see recycling centre opening times.
What is still to be confirmed
- East Herts’ 2026 resident parking arrangements, published on its winter changes page.
- National Rail’s last-trains list for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, usually out in late November or early December.
This page will be updated as each is published.
Have your say