Sheffield Christmas travel: Train times, rail strikes & bus schedules to be aware of this Christmas

With Christmas Day just around the corner, you are probably thinking about the best mode of transport to get you to and from the Christmas hosts this year. With train strikes aplenty you might want to give your journey some thought before being caught short in the lead-up to Christmas.

East Midlands railway has issued travel information for trains departing from Sheffield and it appears that the railway service will be disrupted over the Christmas period. Industrial action has been announced for Christmas eve along with some engineering work in the lead-up to Christmas and New Year.

Bus services will also have a limited timetable over the festive period. We have rounded up all of the latest travel guidance around Sheffield for Christmas.

First Bus Christmas timetable in Sheffield

Monday 19 – Friday, December 23 - school holiday service

Christmas Eve - Saturday service with buses finishing early

Christmas Day - No service

Boxing Day - Special Boxing Day Services

Tuesday December 27 - Sunday service

Wednesday December 28 & Friday December 30 - Saturday service

New Year’s Eve - Saturday service with buses finishing early

New Year’s - Special New Year’s Day service

Monday, January 2 - Sunday service

Tuesday, January 3 - Normal services resume

For the full timetable visit the First Bus website.

Rail Christmas travel timetable

East Midlands Railway

December 23

Due to industrial action customers are advised to only travel if necessary. Most East Midlands Railway services will operate between 7.30 am and 8.30 pm only unless specified below.

EMR Intercity

• One train per hour between Nottingham and London St Pancras
• One train per hour between Sheffield and London St Pancras

EMR Connect

• Two trains per hour between Corby and London St Pancras - Normal timetable

EMR Regional

• One train per hour between Derby and Matlock
• One train per hour between Derby and Nottingham
• One train per hour between Sheffield and Nottingham
• One train per hour between Nottingham and Leicester and Lincoln
• One train per hour between Nottingham and Crewe - services running between 6am – 6.30pm
• One train per hour between Nottingham and Worksop - services running between 5am – 11pm.

All other lines of the route will be closed and no other Rail Replacement Bus services will be provided.

Christmas Eve

No service. Due to industrial action taking place by Unite the Union and RMT, East Midlands Railway is unable to run a service on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day

No Service.

Boxing Day

No Service.

Tuesday, December 27

Services across the East Midlands Railway network will start later than normal. Some alterations to some morning / late night services due to engineering work.

Wednesday, December 28

Services across the East Midlands Railway network will start later than normal. Some alterations to some morning / late night services due to engineering work.

Thursday, December 29

Services across the East Midlands Railway network will start later than normal. Some alterations to some morning / late night services due to engineering work

Friday, December 30

Services across the East Midlands Railway network will start later than normal. Some alterations to some morning / late night services due to engineering work.

New Years’ Eve

Services across the East Midlands Railway network will start later than normal. Trains on the Norwich / Nottingham - Manchester Piccadilly / Liverpool Lime Street route will run between Norwich / Nottingham and Sheffield only.

Replacement buses will run between Sheffield and Stockport.

New Year’s Day

Due to industrial action customers are advised to only travel if necessary. East Midlands Railway services will operate between 7.30am and 6.30pm only.

EMR Intercity

• One train per hour between Nottingham and London St Pancras
• One train per hour between Sheffield and London St Pancras

EMR Connect

• One train per hour between Corby and London St Pancras

EMR Regional

• One train per hour between Nottingham and Matlock
• One train per hour between Sheffield and Nottingham
• One train per hour between Nottingham and Mansfield Woodhouse

All other lines of the route will be closed and no Rail Replacement Bus services will be provided.

Monday, January 2

Normal service except the below:

• Trains on the Norwich / Nottingham - Manchester Piccadilly / Liverpool Lime Street route will run between Norwich / Nottingham and Sheffield only. Replacement buses will run between Sheffield and Stockport. 
• Some late-night trains may be altered due to engineering work.

Tuesday, January 3

Due to industrial action customers are advised to only travel if necessary. East Midlands Railway services will operate between 7.30am and 6.30pm only.

EMR Intercity

• One train per hour between Nottingham and London St Pancras
• One train per hour between Sheffield and London St Pancras

EMR Connect

• One train per hour between Corby and London St Pancras

EMR Regional

• One train per hour between Derby and Matlock
• One train per hour between Derby and Nottingham
• One train per hour between Sheffield and Nottingham
• One train per hour between Leicester and Nottingham (Stopping Service)

All other lines of the route will be closed and no Rail Replacement Bus services will be provided.

Northern Rail

Northern rail has issued some travel information to those travelling during the Christmas period with engineering work and industrial action causing disruption.

Friday, December 23

Due to planned engineering work, some early morning train changes will be made. Sheffield services do not appear to be affected but check your journey before you head off.

Christmas Eve

Industrial action has been announced for Saturday, December 24. There will be a very limited service and Northern is advising customers to not travel on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day

No Northern services will operate on Christmas Day.

Boxing Day

No Northern services will operate on Boxing Day.

Tuesday, December 27

Industrial action has been announced for Tuesday December 27. There will be a very limited service and Northern is advising customers to not travel. The information below is subject to change.

Wednesday, December 28

Services on some routes will be affected by planned engineering work. Sheffield services do not appear to be affected but check your journey before you head off.

Thursday, December 29

Services on some routes will be affected by planned engineering work. Sheffield services do not appear to be affected but check your journey before you head off.

Friday, December 30

Services on some routes will be affected by planned engineering work. Sheffield services do not appear to be affected but check your journey before you head off.

New Years’ Eve

Northern services will shut down early on New Year’s Eve. Please check that your journey is possible if you intend to travel after 6 pm.

New Year’s Day

There will be a late start-up on New Year’s Day. Please check your journey if you plan to travel before 8 am.

Monday, January 2

Services on some routes will be affected by planned engineering work. Sheffield services do not appear to be affected but check your journey before you head off.

Tuesday, January 3

Industrial action has been announced for Tuesday January 3. There will be a very limited service and Northern is advising customers to not travel.

LNER Christmas timetable

From Saturday, December 24 to Monday, January 2 2023, essential work will be taking place on tracks at York, as well as industrial action. There will be a change to services affecting LNER trains travelling to or through York and Darlington.

Additionally, on Sunday, January 1 there will be no trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness. Industrial action is also taking place on Saturday 24, Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 December 2022.

As well as Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 January 2023. LNER advises that there may be some last-minute changes to the trains and other train operators so always check your entire journey before you travel.

Cross Country trains

Cross Country is also being affected by the strike action and significant disruption is expected. Cross Country advises that all passengers travelling between December 18 and January 2 should check the website for the latest information.

The planned strikes mean that CrossCountry can only run a limited service between 7.30 am and 6 pm with trains likely to be far busier than usual as customers travel over the festive period. On the days following the strike action, customers are advised to check before they travel as trains will start later. Customers using other train operators to complete their