Express rail services to Heathrow and Gatwick airports will be severely disrupted over the Christmas period due to Crossrail and engineering works.
Gatwick Express services from Victoria station will stop running for 10 days, with the last service of the year leaving at 21:15 on Christmas Eve and restarting on January 4.
Heathrow airport’s normal one-day closure on Christmas Day will be extended by three days due to Crossrail works.
Stephen Joseph, director of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: "These engineering works will of course cause huge problems for travellers and I suspect the decision has been taken to inconvenience airline passengers rather than inconvenience commuters.
"What these closures highlight, however, is the lack of surface transport options to both Heathrow and Gatwick, which is something the Government is still failing to address in its plans for airport expansion."
A Network Rail spokesman said: "Improving rail links to our major airports is absolutely vital for passengers, visitors and our economy. The work we're carrying out this Christmas has been planned in close collaboration with both Heathrow and Gatwick and the train operators which serve them.
"There will be rail and bus links to Gatwick but journeys will take longer, while London Underground links to Heathrow remain open."
National Express is operating coach services to both airports throughout the festive period, while London Underground will service Heathrow when the Tube network reopens on December 27.