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Stagecoach South have released their Christmas timetables and there are no great shakes (as a wise man to me oft says) although I sometimes wonder whether the sheer size of the operation now should mean I split this into two posts.
Of course…. I then take a sip of something glorious like an Ardbeg 5 Year from Islay (also known as Wee Beastie) and I come to my senses and just write this really long update.
Now… lets get to the important business Stagecoach South will be running a free travel promotion on Saturdays in December on it’s Basingstoke to Newbury service 32. Strictly it is a West Berkshire Council promotion, however Stagecoach have decided to fund it for all trips on service 32 on the 13th and 20th December.
I like Newbury for shopping. I spent a small fortune there last year and there are a few (or were a few) nice independent shops in the town centre area.
Monday 22nd & Tuesday 23rd December
Stagecoach generally run a Saturday service across it’s operations on the weekdays before Christmas. There are a small number of exceptions though in each area (and generally because of external funding):
Alton, Bordon & Petersfield
Technically we cover the Petersfield area, but many of the Stagecoach depots infringe into the area.
Services 18 (run from Aldershot), 23 and 65 (run from Guildford) will run a weekday service. Service 38 runs a special timetable.
Andover
A weekday service runs on Activ8, 66/67, 87 and trips on service 5 run at 0945 and 1245
Basingstoke
Service 16 runs it’s normal Monday service on Monday 22nd December.
Portsmouth
Service 27 will run to a weekday timetable and a special timetable runs on service 38.
There will also be no overnight service on service 21 – the last trip from Gunwharf is the 22:50.
Winchester
A weekday service runs on Hedge End and Hamble services 49 & 49h. The Christmas Park & Ride will also run it’s revised timetable.
Christmas Eve
While Stagecoach South continue their Saturday service timetable, there is also an early finish across many of their routes. That means that it is time for a table!
| Services that deviate from It’s a Saturday Service | Services with an early run-in (Times are the last trips) | |
| Alton & Petersfield | ||
| Andover | Weekday timetable: Activ8, 66/67, 87 Service 5: 0945 & 1245 trips | King Arthurs Way Service 1: 2037 East Anton Service 2: 2105 Picket Twenty Service 3: 2110 Service 76: 1950 from Andover / 2050 from Basingstoke Activ8: Last Stagecoach trips 1945 from Salisbury & 2015 Andover to Tidworth [Salisbury Reds will run all their trips] |
| Basingstoke | Service 16 will run | 1: 2130 Basingstoke – Brighton Hill & 2122 Brighton Hill – Basingstoke 2: 2100 Basingstoke – Baughurst & 2128 Baughurst – Basingstoke 3: 2117 Basingstoke – South Ham & 2101 South Ham – Basingstoke 5: 2115 Basingstoke – Popley – Basingstoke 6: 2120 Winklebury – Popley / 2046 Popley – Winklebury / 2116 Popley-Basingstoke 7: 2140 Basingstoke – Chineham & 2128 Chineham – Basingstoke 8: 2116 Basingstoke – Hatch Warren & 2111 Kempshott – Basingstoke 20: 2107 Basingstoke – Vyne Park – Basingstoke 32: 1940 Basingstoke – Newbury / 2040 Basingstoke – Kingsclere / 2040 Newbury – Basingstoke |
| Portsmouth | Weekday timetable on service 27 Special Timetable on service 38 | 13: 2050 (full round trip) 14: 1950 (full round trip) 18: 2105 from Paulsgrove / 2105 from Southsea & 2135 Southsea – Cosham 20: 2035 from Havant & 2050 from Gunwharf 21: 2120 from Gunwharf & 2117 from Anchorage Park 22: 2130 round trip 23: 2100 from Havant & 2100 from Southsea 30: 2030 31: 2000 39: 2045 from Havant & 2055 from Wecock Farm 700: 2010 Chichester – Portsmouth & 2025 Portsmouth – Chichester |
| Winchester | Weekday service on 49 / 49h & Winchester Park & Ride | 2: 2040 Winchester – Stanmore – Winchester 3: 2110 Winchester – Weeke & Harestock – Winchester 5: 2105 Winchester – Badger Farm – Winchester 6: 2040 Winchester – Springvale – Winchester 64: 2020 Winchester – Alton & 2115 Alton – Winchester 66: 2010 Winchester – Romsey & 2053 Romsey – Winchester 69: 2035 Winchester – Waltham Chase & 2113 Waltham Chase – Winchester |
Christmas Day
Along with First Solent’s Christmas Day services, Stagecoach South are once again providing a special service across some of it’s routes – I believe this is financially supported by Portsmouth City Council.
An hourly service will run across the following routes:
- 18 Paulsgrove – QA Hospital – Fratton – Clarence Pier
- 20 Havant – Crookhorn – QA Hospital – Commercial Road – Gunwharf
- 21 Gunwharf – Anchorage Park
- 22 Havant – Warren Park
- 23 Havant – Cosham – Gunwharf – South Parade Pier
Services 18 and 20 run earlier than the rest, which like First Solent appear to match in with the early morning shift change at the hospital.
I am also surprised that the 22 is running on Christmas Day, however this might be a throwback to when it was part of the through service on the 23. The 22 does however, connect quite nicely with the 20 and 23 at Havant.
Stagecoach in Portsmouth have also uploaded a helpful timetable guide.
No other services will run
Boxing Day
There are no Boxing Day bus services in Andover, Basingstoke or Winchester. In Andover, Salisbury Reds are running a special timetable on the Activ8 service though.
Alton & Petersfield
A Sunday service runs on:
- Service 18 Aldershot – Bordon
- Service 65 Alton – Guildford
No other services will run.
Portsmouth
Stagecoach South, again along with First Solent, are running a limited service on a number of routes this year.
Services will run every 30 minutes for the daytime on:
- 18 Paulsgrove – QA Hospital – Fratton – Clarence Pier
- 20 Havant – Crookhorn – QA Hospital – Commercial Road – Gunwharf
- 21 Gunwharf – Anchorage Park
- 22 Havant – Warren Park
- 23 Havant – Cosham – Gunwharf – South Parade Pier
- There will also be an hourly service on service 700 between Portsmouth, Havant and Chichester.
- The Barfoot’s of Botley service 725 also runs – yes, I know it is technically a private workers service.
The same caveat applies that the 18 and 20 run earlier than the others because of the hospital changeover times, but also the 21 is hourly for the first few trips of the day.
Once again – there is a helpful PDF on the Stagecoach website with all the details.
Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th December
Normal Saturday and Sunday timetables are in operation across all Stagecoach South depots.
Monday 29th & Tuesday 30th December
Most Stagecoach services will operate to their Saturday timetables between Christmas and New Year.
Alton, Bordon & Petersfield
Services 18, 23 and 65 will run a weekday service. Service 38 runs a special timetable.
Andover
A weekday service runs on 66/67, 87 and trips on service 5 run at 0945 and 1245.
(Note that the Activ8 will run a Saturday timetable on these two days)
Basingstoke
Service 16 runs it’s normal Monday service on Monday 29th December.
Portsmouth
Service 27 will run to a weekday timetable and a special timetable runs on service 38.
There will also be no overnight service on service 21 – the last trip from Gunwharf is the 22:50.
Winchester
A weekday service runs on Hedge End and Hamble services 49 & 49h and Park & Ride .
New Years Eve
Stagecoach South is running a generally Saturday service with an early finish in most parts of the network. I must admit that I thought Portsmouth might have seen more than just the 22 & 23 service overnight, but there we go:
| Services that deviate from It’s a Saturday Service | Services with an early run-in (Times are the last trips) | |
| Alton & Petersfield | ||
| Andover | Weekday timetable: 66/67, 87 Service 5: 0945 & 1245 trips | King Arthurs Way Service 1: 2037 East Anton Service 2: 2105 Picket Twenty Service 3: 2110 Service 76: 1950 from Andover / 2050 from Basingstoke Activ8: Last Stagecoach trips 1945 from Salisbury & 2015 Andover to Tidworth [Salisbury Reds will run all their trips on the Saturday timetable] |
| Basingstoke | Service 16 will run | 1: 2130 Basingstoke – Brighton Hill & 2122 Brighton Hill – Basingstoke 2: 2100 Basingstoke – Baughurst & 2128 Baughurst – Basingstoke 3: 2117 Basingstoke – South Ham & 2101 South Ham – Basingstoke 5: 2115 Basingstoke – Popley – Basingstoke 6: 2120 Winklebury – Popley / 2046 Popley – Winklebury / 2116 Popley-Basingstoke 7: 2140 Basingstoke – Chineham & 2128 Chineham – Basingstoke 8: 2116 Basingstoke – Hatch Warren & 2111 Kempshott – Basingstoke 20: 2107 Basingstoke – Vyne Park – Basingstoke 32: 1940 Basingstoke – Newbury / 2040 Basingstoke – Kingsclere / 2040 Newbury – Basingstoke |
| Portsmouth | Weekday timetable on service 27 Special Timetable on service 38 Services 22 and 23 will run it’s overnight service on New Years Eve | 13: 2050 (full round trip) 14: 1950 (full round trip) 18: 2105 from Paulsgrove / 2105 from Southsea & 2135 Southsea – Cosham 20: 2035 from Havant & 2050 from Gunwharf 21: 2120 from Gunwharf & 2117 from Anchorage Park 30: 2030 31: 2000 39: 2045 from Havant & 2055 from Wecock Farm 700: 2010 Chichester – Portsmouth & 2025 Portsmouth – Chichester |
| Winchester | Weekday service on 49 / 49h & Winchester Park & Ride | 2: 2040 Winchester – Stanmore – Winchester 3: 2110 Winchester – Weeke & Harestock – Winchester 5: 2105 Winchester – Badger Farm – Winchester 6: 2040 Winchester – Springvale – Winchester 64: 2020 Winchester – Alton & 2115 Alton – Winchester 66: 2010 Winchester – Romsey & 2053 Romsey – Winchester 69: 2035 Winchester – Waltham Chase & 2113 Waltham Chase – Winchester |
New Years Day
The only services that are running will be the special hourly timetables that run in Portsmouth on their usual routes:
- 18 Paulsgrove – QA Hospital – Fratton – Clarence Pier
- 20 Havant – Crookhorn – QA Hospital – Commercial Road – Gunwharf
- 21 Gunwharf – Anchorage Park
- 22 Havant – Warren Park
- 23 Havant – Cosham – Gunwharf – South Parade Pier
The Barfoots of Botley 725 service also runs (as does Chichester’s 69)
Now, something that I did spot which differs from the Christmas Day and Boxing Day services is that the 22 is listed to have a 0615 trip, which connects into the 0650 20 to Portsmouth. I wonder if this is a slip of the mouse, simply because it is a slightly odd outlier.
Friday 2nd January 2026
Most Stagecoach services will operate a Saturday service across the south. These are (mostly the same) exceptions to this:
Alton, Bordon & Petersfield
Services 18, 23 and 65 will run a weekday service. Service 38 runs a special timetable.
Andover
A weekday service runs on 66/67, 87 and trips on service 5 run at 0945 and 1245.
Basingstoke
Service 16 will run.
Portsmouth
Service 27 will run to a weekday timetable and a special timetable runs on service 38.
Winchester
A weekday service runs on Hedge End and Hamble services 49 & 49h and Park & Ride .
Saturday 3rd January
Normal services resume across the region.