Are trains running on the Early May Bank Holiday weekend 2025?
Yes, trains will be running over the Early May Bank Holiday Weekend (also known as the May Day weekend) from Saturday 3rd May to Monday 5th May 2025.
However, there may be some disruption to your journey as there are planned engineering works taking place across both May Bank Holiday weekends. It’s important to check ahead of time so you can best plan your route. See below for more details about disruption over the next Bank Holiday weekend.
Don’t forget, you can view live train time information by searching for your journey in our app.
Disruption information over the Early May Bank Holiday weekend
London Euston
Lines to and from London Euston will be closed on Sunday 4th May and Monday 5th May 2025. This will affect all routes to and from London Euston. Additionally, an amended timetable is in place on Saturday 3rd May. Check our Journey Planner for the latest updates.
London Victoria
There will be no Southeastern services stopping at London Victoria on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th May. Trains will be diverted. Additionally, there will be a reduced Southern service.
Carlisle, Glasgow & Edinburgh
Between Saturday 3rd May and Monday 5th May, buses will replace trains between Carlisle and Glasgow via Lockerbie. Buses replace trains between Carlisle and Dumfries and between Carlisle and Edinburgh on Saturday 3rd May and Sunday 4th May.
Popular UK train journeys for Early May Bank Holiday weekend 2025
If you want to explore the UK this Early May Bank Holiday, but you’re not sure where to go, we’re here to help! Here are some of the most popular routes for the Early May Bank Holiday:
3 of the best events to attend on the Early May Bank Holiday weekend and how to get there by train
This year, the Early May Bank Holiday weekend takes place between Saturday 3rd May and Monday 5th May 2025. Up and down the country, there’ll be plenty of events going on so you can make the most of your long weekend. We’ve chosen a couple of events to help inspire you when making plans.
1. Steam into the 40s at Didcot Railway Centre
- When? Saturday 3rd, Sunday 4th and Monday 5th May
- Where? Didcot Railway Centre, Didcot, Oxfordshire, England, OX11 7NJ
A classic bank holiday weekend event! Take a ride on a steam train and feel like you've been transported back to the 1940s at Didcot Railway Centre's Steam into the 40s weekend. See what wartime railways would have been like, with talks and displays every day.
- How to get there: Take the train to Didcot Parkway. It's around 40 minutes away from London Paddington on the fastest GWR services. Once you arrive at Didcot Parkway station, follow the signs to Didcot Railway Centre - you don't even have to leave the station to find it!
2. IWA Canalway Cavalcade
- When? Saturday 3rd, Sunday 4th and Monday 5th May
- Where? Little Venice, London
IWA Canalway Cavalcade is a celebration of London's canals. There will be plenty of food and drink stalls, live music - and of course, lots of boats! It's a great family day out. Don't miss the illuminated boat procession, starting at 9pm on Sunday evening.
- How to get there: Catch a train to London Paddington — it's around 1 hour from Oxford, around an hour and a half from Bristol and around 3 hours from Swansea. From Paddington station, it's a short walk (around 15 minutes) to Little Venice.
3. Delicious Doncaster Food and Drink Festival
- When? Friday 2nd, Saturday 3rd, Sunday 4th and Monday 5th May
- Where? Doncaster city centre, South Yorkshire, England
Calling all foodies! This 4-day festival of food will see you trying out a whole host of food and drink from the stalls around the city centre. There'll also be cooking demonstrations and family-friendly entertainment. If that wasn't enough, the Doncaster Beer Festival is happening on the same weekend - so why not make a day of it?
- How to get there: Take the train to Doncaster. It's around an hour and a half from London on an LNER or Hull Trains service, or around 30 mins from Sheffield on a Northern service. Once you arrive at Doncaster station, it's a short walk to the city centre.
Cheap train tickets for the bank holiday weekend
If you are travelling by train this bank holiday weekend, we want to make sure you get there as cheaply as possible. Here are some tips for finding the cheapest train tickets.
Book in advance
Keep your eyes peeled for Advance tickets – they are usually released around 12 weeks before the departure date and tend to be cheaper than buying on the day.
Use a Railcard
You can save 1/3 on eligible train journeys across the UK with a Railcard – all for just £35 a year! From Railcards for certain ages to groups or people travelling in certain areas, see which one you’re eligible for. Find out more about buying digital Railcards online with us.
Get split tickets
Did you know it’s sometimes cheaper to split your train journey into sections rather than buying one ticket? Our clever app feature SplitSave does this all for you! Find out more about SplitSave.
UK airports transfers by train
If you're planning on jetting off on holiday this Early May Bank Holiday, why not get to the airport by train? Many of the UK's biggest airports are served by convenient train links, allowing you to save money on parking or taxis. Here are our guides to getting to some of the most important airports in the UK by train:
Explore Europe by train
Why not travel by train in Europe this May? Enjoy warmer temperatures on a city break to some of Europe's most popular destinations. Here are some of the top routes by train:
Find out more about train travel in the UK
Want to find out more about where trains can take you in the UK? You're in luck. With an extensive rail network, it's easy to reach cities, beaches, National Parks and events by train this summer. Read our travel guides to find out more.