TfL plans no Elizabeth line between Romford and Stratford from 26 December to 3 January. What runs, what happened last year, and what is still to be confirmed.

If you are travelling from Romford over Christmas, the fact to plan round is already published: TfL’s planned closures list shows no Elizabeth line between Romford and Stratford, or into Liverpool Street’s main line platforms, from Saturday 26 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. Add Christmas Day, when nothing runs, and that is ten days without the Elizabeth line from Romford into London.

The District line through Barking, which carries Upminster, Hornchurch and Elm Park, is also cut on the London side from Boxing Day to Tuesday 29 December.

The quick answer

  • No Elizabeth line Romford to Stratford and Liverpool Street: Saturday 26 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, on TfL’s list published 25 September
  • Christmas Day: no Elizabeth line, Underground, Overground or DLR at all; on Christmas Eve services finish earlier than normal
  • Boxing Day: no service on the entire Elizabeth line or the Liberty line (Romford to Upminster)

What TfL has planned

These are the entries for the lines that serve the Romford area in TfL’s planned track closures list, correct at publication on Friday 25 September 2026.

Dates Line What is closed
Thursday 24 December Underground, DLR, Elizabeth line, Overground Services finish earlier than normal; TfL says to check its Journey Planner nearer the time for last trains
Friday 25 December Underground, DLR, Elizabeth line, Overground No service on Christmas Day
Saturday 26 December Elizabeth line No service on the entire line
Saturday 26 December Liberty line No service on the entire line
Saturday 26 December to Sunday 3 January Elizabeth line Liverpool Street (National Rail) and Stratford to Romford
Saturday 26 to Tuesday 29 December District line East Ham to Barking eastbound, Upney to East Ham westbound
Saturday 26 to Tuesday 29 December Hammersmith & City line Moorgate to Barking

What that means for each station

  • Romford, Gidea Park and Harold Wood: from 26 December to 3 January the Elizabeth line has no service west of Romford towards Stratford and London. TfL has not yet said whether trains will run east of Romford towards Shenfield, or what replacement buses it will provide.
  • Upminster, Hornchurch and Elm Park: the District line cannot run through Barking in both directions from 26 to 29 December, so there is no direct District line journey into central London on those days. c2c’s 2026 plans for Upminster are not out yet (see below).
  • Emerson Park: the Liberty line shuttle between Romford and Upminster has no service on Boxing Day. No other closure is listed on it.

The Elizabeth line west of Stratford, through Whitechapel and the West End, is not on the closures list for those dates apart from Boxing Day, when the whole line is shut, and a separate closure between Paddington and Heathrow and Reading.

What happened last Christmas

The 2026 closure repeats the shape of last year, when Liverpool Street itself closed for eight days so Network Rail could replace roof panels and work in the Bishopsgate tunnel.

  • Greater Anglia stopped all trains on Christmas Day, ran only a Stansted Express shuttle on Boxing Day, and from 27 December started and ended its Great Eastern main line services at Stratford. On Christmas Eve its trains finished by 22:00, with reductions from 19:00. Ticket acceptance was arranged on the Elizabeth line and Central line between Stratford and Liverpool Street (Greater Anglia, 19 December 2025).
  • c2c, which serves Upminster and Rainham, ran no trains on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, ran Saturday service levels on 29, 30 and 31 December and a Sunday service on New Year’s Day, and went back to its weekday timetable on 2 January (c2c, 12 November 2025).

Treat those as last year’s arrangements, not this year’s. Both operators publish their Christmas plans in November or December.

Still to be confirmed

  • Greater Anglia’s 2026 Christmas timetable, including whether its fast trains from Romford run to Stratford only, as they did last year. Last year’s plans were out in November and repeated on 19 December.
  • c2c’s 2026 Christmas plans for Upminster and Rainham. Last year’s were published on 12 November.
  • Last trains on Christmas Eve 2026. TfL says only that services will finish earlier than normal.
  • Replacement buses for the Elizabeth line closure between Romford and Stratford.
  • TfL bus changes over Christmas and New Year for routes in Havering.

This page will be updated as each is published. For normal timetables, fares and the last train home the rest of the year, see Romford to London by train.

Getting around locally

With the Elizabeth line shut, more people will drive into Romford and Hornchurch. Check parking in Romford: council parking restrictions apply on bank holidays as normal, with Christmas Day the only exception. Our roadworks page lists the current roadworks and closures across Havering. If you have children off school, the Havering term dates page has the Christmas break, and the Christmas bin collections page will carry the council’s revised dates.

Common questions

Is the Elizabeth line running from Romford at Christmas 2026?

Not between Romford and Stratford or Liverpool Street from Saturday 26 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, according to TfL’s planned closures list. There is no service anywhere on the line on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Are there trains from Romford on Boxing Day?

TfL lists no Elizabeth line and no Liberty line service on Boxing Day 2026. Last year Greater Anglia ran no trains from Romford on Boxing Day either.

Is the District line open to Upminster over Christmas?

It is cut through Barking from Saturday 26 to Tuesday 29 December 2026, so there is no direct District line service between Upminster and central London on those days.

Sources

Closures can be added or cancelled. Check TfL’s Journey Planner or National Rail before you travel. Last checked 25 September 2026.