National Express is to operate coach services to Stansted Airport on Christmas Day this year.

It will offer a total of six services to the airport on the big day, three from London and three from Norwich.

National Express has run some services on Christmas Day for the last two years but this is the first time that Stansted has been included.

The national rail network shutdown means there will no train services at the airport on the day.

National Express coach services will depart from Norwich Bus Station at 8.30, 12.30 and 17.00 calling at Thetford, Newmarket, Cambridge, Stansted Airport, Stratford and London.

Services travelling in the opposite direction will depart London Victoria at 8.30, 13.30 and 18.30.

On Boxing Day, National Express will be running a near full complement of coach services to Stansted with 72 departures from London Victoria to the airport alone, while services will also resume from towns an dcities including Ipswich, Oxford and Birmingham.

National Express UK coach managing director Tom Stables said: “We are pleased to add Stansted Airport to our unrivalled network of Christmas Day services.

“We know people still want to jet off to the ski slopes or warmer climes at Christmas, which is why we have kept our Stansted services running – ensuring people can still catch their plane while there is no train service.”

Steve Mills, Stansted Airport’s public transport development manager, added: “It is great news that National Express will be running coach services to and from Stansted Airport on Christmas Day.

“Around 3,000 passengers are expected to use the airport on the big day and I’m sure many of them will take advantage of these services.”