National Express has announced that it will be running coach services to Stansted Airport on Christmas Day.

The coach operator will be running six services to the airport – three from London and three from Norwich - for passengers flying out on December 25.

The operator has run services on Christmas Day for the last two years, but this is the first time that coaches will call at Stansted.

National Express coaches will depart Norwich Bus Station at 8.30am, 12.30pm and 5pm calling at Thetford, Newmarket, Cambridge, Stansted Airport, Stratford and London.

Services travelling in the opposite direction will depart London Victoria at 8.30am, 1.30pm and 6.30pm.

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, as well as services departing from Ipswich, Norwich, Oxford and Birmingham.

National Express 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, said: “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.”

For more information about Christmas services visit www.nationalexpress.com or call 0871 781 81 81.