What’s Open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day in the UK?
Supermarkets, pharmacies, the NHS, trains and the Tube, banks and Royal Mail: what is open and what is shut over Christmas 2026, and how to plan ahead.
Published 1 March 2026 · Updated 26 October 2026 · 11 min read
- The simple rule: Christmas Day vs Boxing Day
- Supermarkets on Christmas Day
- Supermarkets on Boxing Day
- Pharmacies and medicines
- NHS and healthcare
- Public transport on Christmas Day
- Public transport on Boxing Day
- Petrol stations, restaurants and other services
- Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Practical checklist
- Christmas 2026 at a glance
- Frequently asked questions
Christmas Day is one of the few days of the year when the UK almost completely shuts down. If you come from a country where shops and transport keep running over the holidays, the scale of it can be a real surprise.
Once you know the pattern, it is easy to plan for. This guide covers what is open and closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, what is different in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and what to sort out before 25 December.
The Simple Rule: Christmas Day vs Boxing Day
The easiest way to think about the UK Christmas shutdown is this:
Christmas Day (Friday 25 December): almost everything shuts. Large shops must close by law, and there are no trains and no Tube. Plan as if nothing will be open.
Boxing Day (Saturday 26 December): a partial reopening. Many supermarkets open with shorter hours, though some chains stay shut. Trains are very limited, and in London the Tube and buses run a Sunday service.
Sunday 27 and Monday 28 December: Sunday 27 is a normal Sunday, with Sunday trading hours. Monday 28 is the Boxing Day bank holiday, so banks, GP surgeries and many offices are closed. Things are back to normal from Tuesday 29 December.
Because Boxing Day falls on a Saturday in 2026, the bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December in all four UK nations.
Supermarkets on Christmas Day
All the major supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day. Shops larger than 280 square metres are not allowed to open on Christmas Day in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, and in 2025 the big chains closed their smaller convenience stores too.
| Supermarket | Christmas Day (25 Dec) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tesco | Closed | All stores, including Express |
| Sainsbury’s | Closed | All stores including Local |
| Asda | Closed | All stores |
| Morrisons | Closed | All stores |
| Aldi | Closed | All stores |
| Lidl | Closed | All stores |
| Waitrose | Closed | All stores, apart from a few shops at Shell service stations |
| M&S Food | Closed | All stores |
| Co-op | Closed | All stores in 2025 |
On Christmas Day, your only real options for food are some petrol station shops, a few independent corner shops (mostly in cities) and motorway services. Expect limited stock and higher prices.
Do your main Christmas food shop by 23 December if you can. Christmas Eve is extremely busy, many stores close early, and by the evening the shelves are often bare.
Supermarkets on Boxing Day
Most of the big supermarkets reopen on Boxing Day, but not all of them, and some open in Scotland while staying shut elsewhere. The 2026 hours are usually announced in November and December, so the table below shows what each chain did on Boxing Day 2025 as a guide.
| Supermarket | Boxing Day 2025 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tesco | 9am to 6pm | 10am to 6pm in Scotland |
| Sainsbury’s | 8am to 8pm | Smaller Local stores to 10pm |
| Asda | 6am to 7pm | From 8am in Scotland |
| Morrisons | 9am to 6pm | Check your local store |
| Co-op | 8am to 9pm | Check your local store |
| Aldi | Closed | All stores |
| M&S | Closed | All stores |
| Lidl | Closed | England, Wales and Northern Ireland; open 8am to 8pm in Scotland |
| Waitrose | Closed | England, Wales and Northern Ireland; open 9am to 6pm in Scotland |
These were the published hours for most large stores in 2025; individual branches vary. Check your local store finder before you go, and we will update this table once the 2026 hours are announced.
Pharmacies and Medicines Over Christmas
Most high street and supermarket pharmacies are closed on Christmas Day, although in each area a small number open for a few hours on a rota arranged by the local NHS.
If you need an urgent prescription or medication on Christmas Day:
- Call 111 (free, 24 hours a day, including Christmas Day). In England this is NHS 111, in Scotland NHS 24 and in Wales NHS 111 Wales. They can tell you the nearest open pharmacy and arrange an urgent prescription if you need one. In Northern Ireland, contact your GP out-of-hours service.
- Your local NHS website usually lists the pharmacies open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day from early December.
- Hospital pharmacies remain open for inpatients only.
If you take regular medication, order your repeat prescription early enough to collect it by 23 December, as GP surgeries and pharmacies get very busy before the break. On Boxing Day and the bank holiday Monday, many pharmacies stay closed or open for shorter hours.
NHS and Healthcare on Christmas Day
| Service | Christmas Day | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| GP surgeries | Closed | Call NHS 111 for urgent medical advice |
| A&E (Emergency) | Open | For emergencies only: call 999 or go in person |
| 111 | Open 24/7 | Free. NHS 111 in England, NHS 24 in Scotland, NHS 111 Wales; in Northern Ireland, your GP out-of-hours service |
| Urgent Treatment Centres | Some open | Call 111 or check 111.nhs.uk for nearest open UTC |
| Dental emergencies | Surgeries closed | Call 111, who can arrange urgent dental care |
| Mental health crisis | Open 24/7 | In England, call 111 and choose the mental health option; elsewhere, call 111 or your crisis team. Call 999 if life is at risk |
999 for life-threatening emergencies, 111 for everything else. The 111 service runs 24 hours a day all year round and will direct you to the right place.
Public Transport: The Christmas Day Shutdown
Do not count on public transport on Christmas Day. Unlike other bank holidays, almost nothing runs. Plan any journeys in advance.
| Service | Christmas Day (25 Dec) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| National Rail | Not operating | No services on Christmas Day across the UK |
| London Underground | Not operating | All lines closed |
| London Overground / Elizabeth line | Not operating | All services closed |
| Buses | Mostly not running | No TfL buses in London; most local services elsewhere stop, with a few limited exceptions |
| Trams | Not running | Tram networks are generally closed |
| Taxis and private hire | Operating | Available but in high demand, so book ahead. Expect higher fares. |
| Airports | Operating | Airports open, but many flights do not run on Christmas Day, so check with your airline |
If you need to travel on Christmas Day, your options are a private vehicle, a pre-booked taxi or private hire car, or a ride-hailing app such as Uber (expect much higher prices). Last trains on Christmas Eve usually run earlier than normal, so check National Rail Enquiries before you travel.
Public Transport on Boxing Day
Some transport returns on Boxing Day, but much less than on a normal Saturday.
| Service | Boxing Day (26 Dec) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| National Rail | Very limited | Only a few train companies run services, and many routes have none; check National Rail Enquiries |
| London Underground | Sunday service | The Tube, buses and trams run a Sunday service; the Elizabeth line does not run |
| Buses outside London | Reduced | Often a Sunday or special timetable; check your local operator |
| Taxis and private hire | Operating | Widely available, though prices may still be higher |
Check your route on National Rail Enquiries or Transport for London before travelling on Boxing Day.
Petrol Stations, Restaurants and Other Services
Petrol stations
Many petrol stations close on Christmas Day, although some, particularly on motorways and main roads, stay open or have pay-at-pump. If you are driving on Christmas Day, fill up on 23 or 24 December.
Restaurants and pubs
Many restaurants close on Christmas Day, but plenty of pubs, hotels and restaurants serve a pre-booked Christmas Day lunch, and these book up weeks ahead. Some pubs also open for a few hours for drinks. Boxing Day is one of the busiest pub days of the year.
Banks and financial services
Bank branches are closed on Christmas Day, and in 2026 most will also be closed on Boxing Day (a Saturday) and the bank holiday on Monday 28 December. Online banking, apps and cash machines keep working, but payments may not clear until Tuesday 29 December. Benefit payments due on a bank holiday are usually paid early, and GOV.UK publishes the Christmas payment dates.
Post offices and Royal Mail
Post offices are closed on Christmas Day, and Royal Mail does not collect or deliver on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. With the bank holiday on Monday 28 December in 2026, expect normal service to resume from Tuesday 29 December. Check Royal Mail’s last posting dates, usually published in the autumn, if you are sending cards or presents.
Schools and nurseries
Schools usually close for about two weeks over Christmas and New Year. Term dates are set locally, so check with your council or your child’s school.
Scotland and Northern Ireland: Any Differences?
The broad pattern, a Christmas Day shutdown and a partial Boxing Day reopening, is the same across the UK, with a few differences.
Scotland
Large shops in Scotland must close on Christmas Day under Scotland’s own law, the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007. On Boxing Day, some chains that stay shut elsewhere open in Scotland: in 2025, Lidl and Waitrose opened their Scottish stores. Hogmanay is a big occasion, and 2 January is an extra bank holiday in Scotland only; in 2027 it falls on a Saturday, so the bank holiday is Monday 4 January. Some banks open on 2 January with a limited service, so check your branch.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland follows the same Christmas pattern as England and Wales, and large shops must close on Christmas Day. Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays a year, the most of any UK nation. For urgent medical advice there, contact your GP out-of-hours service rather than 111.
How to Prepare: A Practical Christmas Checklist
- Do your full food shop by 23 December at the latest.
- Collect any regular prescriptions before 23 December.
- Fill up with fuel by Christmas Eve if you are driving on Christmas Day.
- Book any Christmas Day taxi in advance, as demand is high and fares go up.
- Check your train or bus route before travelling on Boxing Day, as services are very limited.
- Save 111 in your phone for urgent medical advice that is not an emergency. It is free and open 24/7, including Christmas Day (in Northern Ireland, save your GP out-of-hours number).
- Pay any bills and send any bank transfers before Christmas Eve, as payments may not clear until Tuesday 29 December.
Christmas 2026 at a Glance
This is what to expect over the long weekend from Friday 25 to Monday 28 December 2026. Exact supermarket and transport hours are announced in November and December, so check before you go.
| Service | Fri 25 Dec | Sat 26 Dec | Sun 27 Dec | Mon 28 Dec (bank holiday) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major supermarkets | Closed | Mixed | Sunday hours | Most open |
| National Rail | No service | Very limited | Reduced | Reduced |
| London Underground | No service | Sunday service | Sunday service | Check TfL |
| 111 (urgent advice) | 24/7 | 24/7 | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| GP surgeries | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed |
| A&E | Open | Open | Open | Open |
| Royal Mail | No service | No service | No service | Usually none |
| Bank branches | Closed | Most closed | Closed | Closed |
Boxing Day itself falls on Saturday 26 December in 2026, but the bank holiday is Monday 28 December. On Sunday 27 December, large shops in England and Wales can open for up to six hours under Sunday trading rules. Normal service resumes on Tuesday 29 December.
The short version: shop by 23 December, collect prescriptions early, book any Christmas Day taxi in advance, check your train before Boxing Day, and save 111 in your phone.
After that, enjoy the quiet. Christmas morning is one of the few times you will see British streets completely empty, and it is worth a walk.
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Disclaimer: This guide is for general information only and was checked in October 2026. Supermarket hours shown are from Christmas 2025 as a guide; 2026 hours are usually announced in November and December. Always verify opening hours directly with individual retailers, transport operators, and service providers. Bank holiday dates sourced from GOV.UK.