National Express to keep Britain moving this Christmas as rail services grind to a halt

On Christmas Day National Express is providing several journeys to and from Derby, connecting friends and families between Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield, London, and Heathrow Airport.

With rail services grinding to a halt on Christmas Day and planned rail disruption hindering travel plans over the festive period, the UK’s largest scheduled coach operator is stepping up with reliable transport options to get people home this Christmas and affordable fares starting from £6 one-way*.

It continues to lead the way in reliability, with punctuality across the network consistently exceeding 90% and cancellations less than 0.2%. Passengers can rely on the UK’s most trusted service, offering an extensive network of routes connecting destinations across the country and a market-leading customer experience.

Ed Rickard, Network Director for National Express, said:

“When reliability matters most our customers know that they can count on us to get them home safely this Christmas - and as the nation’s favourite coach operator we are offering the UK’s biggest festive transport network, with thousands of frequent, comfortable and affordable services throughout Christmas and New Year - including several journeys to and from Derby on Christmas Day.

“Given the planned rail disruption over the festive period we’re expecting our coaches to be busy so we encourage customers to book early to get the best prices and guarantee a seat for travel.”

The leading coach operator has also extended its popular Kids Go Free offer until 4th January 2026**, helping families save on festive travel - whether it be to visit the Christmas markets, watch a pantomime, or enjoying activities during the Twixmas period.

Ed added:

“It’s worth remembering that we could not deliver the outstanding services that we do, day-in-day-out, without our highly respected partner operators, coach drivers and colleagues. While they are appreciated daily, they deserve special thanks at Christmas when working jolly hard to get everybody home for Christmas.”

Customers can expect a safe and comfortable experience on board, with leather reclining seats, free Wi-Fi on selected services, USB power sockets and space for all the family’s Christmas gifts, thanks to a generous free luggage allowance of up to 20kg.

Visit www.nationalexpress.com/christmas for service information and to book tickets.

*Limited availability between 19 December 2025 - 4 January 2026. No booking fee when logged into My Account and purchasing on the National Express website or app, otherwise £1.50 booking fee applies. Fares correct 03.11.2025.

**Terms and Conditions apply. Full details available at www.nationalexpress.com/kids-travel-free.