If you’re planning to ride, aim to catch an early bus and avoid the last one out. The last bus on Christmas Day is a mythical creature—it might appear, it might not, and the driver is probably just as eager to get home as you are.
Another golden nugget: know your last departure time by heart. I once missed the 8:12 PM bus in a small English village on Christmas Eve, and the next one didn’t come until Boxing Day. That was a cold, two-mile walk through the dark—with only a half-eaten mince pie for comfort.
And don’t forget about Boxing Day in the UK, or the day after Christmas in many countries. It often has its own weird schedule—sometimes a Sunday service, sometimes a “Saturday lite,” and occasionally, just chaos.
What About the Drivers?
Here’s a moment to appreciate the unsung heroes of the holiday season. Bus drivers, train operators, and transit staff are often working on Christmas Day to get you to your family, your friend’s house, or even just to the nearest open convenience store for emergency wrapping paper.
We made it onto the podium in the Christmas battle of the buses
Many transit workers are paid double time or receive a special holiday bonus, but it still means they’re missing the turkey and the telly. If you see a driver on Christmas, give them a genuine smile and a cheerful “Merry Christmas.” It costs nothing and might just make their shift a little brighter.
Also, a cultural note: in Germany, buses stop running quite early on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Day itself, they often run on a “Feiertag” (public holiday) schedule—meaning you’ll wait a while, but they’re still there. In France, expect a very skeletal service on December 25, especially outside of Paris.
