Jingle all the way, Portsmouth buses running on Christmas Day
Portsmouth residents and visitors can enjoy stress free festive travel this Christmas Day thanks to special bus services running across the city.
Working in partnership with Solent from First Bus and Stagecoach South, Portsmouth City Council is making it easier for people to reach family gatherings, festive events, and essential destinations like QA Hospital.
These services are part of the council’s commitment to improving public transport through the Portsmouth Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), a £52 million government-funded programme designed to deliver faster, more reliable, and greener journeys.
Christmas day bus services in Portsmouth (25 December 2025)
Solent from First Bus
- Routes 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8 will operate a special Christmas timetable
- Services will run every hour, from 8am to 6pm
Stagecoach South
- Routes 18, 20, 21, 22, 23 will operate a special Christmas timetable.
- Services will run to individual route timetables between 6am and 8pm, with buses every hour
Additionally, buses will be running on Boxing Day to ensure people can travel around the city, and get to the football with ease. Solent from First Bus will run a Sunday timetable on New Year’s Eve (31 December 2025) and New Year’s Day (1 January 2026), with an early finish at 6:00 PM on New Year’s Eve and limited services on New Year’s Day. Stagecoach will run a Saturday timetable on New Year’s Eve and a special hourly service on New Year’s Day.
Cllr Peter Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport, said:
“Christmas is about bringing people together, and these services make that possible. Whether you’re visiting loved ones, heading to work, or enjoying festive events, we’re proud to keep Portsmouth connected.”
Simon Goff, Managing Director of Solent from First Bus:
“We’re really pleased to be helping keep Portsmouth moving on Christmas Day. Whether people are off to see family, heading to work, or just getting around the city, we want their journeys to be as easy as possible. It’s great to team up with the council and our partners to make sure everyone can get to where they need to be this festive season.”
Marc Reddy, Managing Director at Stagecoach South, said:
“Our buses play a vital role in keeping communities connected during the festive season, whether people are visiting family, going shopping, or attending local events. These tailored timetables help ensure reliable journeys while supporting the changing travel needs over Christmas and New Year. We encourage customers to plan ahead and wish everyone a safe and enjoyable festive period.”
More information about bus travel and other public transport services over the festive period can be found on the Travel Portsmouth website.
