Before finalising your London itinerary, make sure that public holidays and special operating hours don’t clash with your plans. In addition to regular holidays, transport network maintenance often results in weekend travel disruptions and retail locations are likely to open for limited hours on Sundays. For information regarding the specific opening times of major London museums, attractions and landmarks, it is always best to refer to their official websites.
Public holidays in the UK are known as bank holidays. These are days when banks are closed, most Londoners get the day off and local children are out of school. Luckily for visitors, a vast majority of London attractions remain open on bank holidays with the exception of Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
2024 | ||
25 December | Wednesday | Christmas Day |
26 December | Thursday | Boxing Day |
2025 | ||
1 January | Wednesday | New Year's Day |
18 April | Friday | Good Friday |
21 April | Monday | Easter Monday |
5 May | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
26 May | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
25 August | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
25 December | Thursday | Christmas Day |
26 December | Friday | Boxing Day |
2026 | ||
1 January | Thursday | New Year's Day |
3 April | Friday | Good Friday |
6 April | Monday | Easter Monday |
4 May | Monday | Early May Bank Holiday |
25 May | Monday | Spring Bank Holiday |
31 August | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday |
25 December | Friday | Christmas Day |
28 December | Monday | Boxing Day (Substitute) |
A majority of retail stores operate on limited hours on Sundays across London and throughout the UK. Most shops do not open before noon and close between 4 pm and 6 pm. This includes high street stores, shopping malls and supermarkets. Some restaurants also open later and most banks are closed on Sundays. However, a majority of attractions, museums and historic places in London remain open all day Sunday.
On weekends London’s transport authority carries out vital maintenance and repairs across the city’s vast transport network. As a result, some underground stations and lines may be closed and replaced with bus service on Saturdays and Sundays. For up-to-date information on weekend closures, check the official website of Transport for London http://www.tfl.gov.uk.
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