Are trains running on Late May Bank Holiday weekend 2024?
Yes, trains will be running over the Late May Bank Holiday Weekend from Saturday 25th May to Monday 27th May 2024.
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 by train operating company: Late May Bank Holiday
If you know who you’ll be travelling with over the Late May Bank Holiday weekend (25th–27th May 2024), check below for any potential disruptions to your journey. We'll be updating this section with scheduled engineering works soon.
Avanti West Coast
c2c
Caledonian Sleeper
Chiltern Railways
CrossCountry
East Midlands Railway
Elizabeth line
Gatwick Express
Grand Central
Great Northern
Great Western Railway
Greater Anglia
Heathrow Express
Hull Trains
Island Line
London North Eastern Railway (LNER)
London Northwestern Railway
London Overground
Lumo
Merseyrail
Northern
ScotRail
South Western Railway
Southeastern
Southern
Stansted Express
Thameslink
TransPennine Express
Transport for Wales
West Midlands Railway
Popular UK train journeys for Late May Bank Holiday weekend 2024
If you want to explore the UK this Late 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 Late May Bank Holiday:
3 of the best events to attend on the Late May Bank Holiday weekend and how to get there by train
This year, the Late May Bank Holiday weekend takes place between Saturday 25th May and Monday 27th May 2024. 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. Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake
- When? Noon, 27th May 2024
- Where? Cooper's Hill, Gloucestershire, England, GL3 4SB
You've almost certainly seen it on the news before: the Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake, where participants chase a round of Double Gloucester Cheese down a steep hill. Make your way up the hill this Bank Holiday to witness one of Britain's quirkiest traditions.
- How to get there: Take the train to Gloucester. It's around 1 hour 45 minutes from London, 50 minutes from Birmingham and as quick as 35 minutes from Bristol. Once you arrive in Gloucester station, catch the number 10 bus to the Cross Hands Roundabout in Brockworth and be prepared for a 30-minute walk up the hill.
2. Birmingham Pride
- When? Saturday 25th–Sunday 26th May 2024
- Where? Birmingham, England
The UK's largest two-day Pride festival returns this Late May Bank Holiday weekend. The Pride Parade kicks off at Centenary Square at noon on Saturday 25th May and is expected to attract 75,000 spectators. The festivities continue throughout the weekend. Take part in the street party centred on the LGBTQ+ Village and catch live music at Smithfield, where Loreen and Sophie Ellis-Bextor are headliners.
- How to get there: Catch a train to Birmingham New Street station — it's around 1 hour and 20 minutes from London and 1 hour and 30 minutes from Manchester. From the station, it’s just a 10-minute walk west to Centenary Square (for the start of the Pride Parade) or a 10-minute walk south to the LGBTQ+ Village around Hurst Street.
3. Whitley Bay Carnival
- When? Saturday 25th–Sunday 26th May 2024
- Where? Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, England, NE26 2QT
Whitley Bay's annual Bank Holiday carnival fills the streets with colour, costumes and music. On Saturday 25th, over 1,000 promenaders parade through the streets in brightly-coloured costumes accompanied by live musicians. Throughout the weekend, you'll find music and dance on the festival's outdoor and marquee stages, as well as delicious street food.
- How to get there: Take the train to Newcastle. It's around 2 hours and 50 minutes from London, 1 hour and 25 minutes from Edinburgh and as little as 1 hour and 20 minutes from Leeds. From Newcastle station, hop on the yellow Metro line to Whitley Bay (journey time: 30 minutes).
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 of eligible train journeys across the UK with a Railcard – all for just £30 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 Late 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.