What closes on a public holiday? It is the question behind a thousand ruined errands. The answer follows a predictable pattern across countries — government and banks shut, essentials stay open — but the details surprise people every year. Here is the practical rundown so you are never caught out.
Almost always closed
- Government offices: ministries, municipal offices, courts and licensing centres close in every country.
- Banks: branches close on public and bank holidays; ATMs and apps work normally, but transfers may process the next working day.
- Post offices: closed, with no regular mail delivery.
- Schools and universities: closed, along with most daycare centres.
- Stock exchanges: closed on the major holidays in each market.
Usually open, sometimes reduced
Supermarkets and malls vary by country and holiday: in Germany shops close by law on public holidays, while in the US most stay open except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Restaurants and cinemas generally open — holidays are peak days for both. Pharmacies often run a rota system with at least one open per area. Tourist attractions typically welcome the crowds, though state museums may close on certain holidays (check ahead). Petrol stations and convenience stores near highways almost always operate.
Transport: the Sunday rule
Public transport is the trickiest category. The near-universal rule is Sunday service: buses, metros and trains run reduced Sunday timetables on public holidays. The big exception is Christmas Day in the UK, when there is virtually no public transport at all — plan as if the network does not exist. Airlines fly full holiday schedules (it is peak season), but airport staff at immigration and customs may be thinner. In 2026, double-check Easter weekend (3–6 April) and the Christmas stretch (25–28 December) specifically.
Always open: the essentials
Hospitals, emergency services, police and fire departments never close — though non-emergency clinics do. Utilities (power, water, gas) run normally. Hotels operate fully; indeed, holidays are their high season. And the internet, of course, never takes a day off — which is why you can always check whether today is a holiday right here before heading out.
Holiday eves: the half-day phenomenon
The day before a big holiday has its own unwritten rules. Christmas Eve (24 December) and New Year’s Eve (31 December) are not public holidays in most countries, yet offices commonly close early, shops shut by mid-afternoon, and transport thins out — treat them as half-days in practice. The same applies to the day before Eid in Muslim countries, when the moon sighting creates a will-they-won’t-they suspense and many workplaces release staff early. In 2026, Christmas Eve falls on a Thursday: expect a wave of full-day absences as people bridge into the Friday holiday. The lesson: when planning around a major holiday, always check the eve too. Officially open and practically closed are very different things.
Pro tip: before any public holiday, do a five-minute check: confirm your bank’s holiday schedule, withdraw any cash you might need, check transport timetables, and verify opening hours for the specific shops or services you plan to visit. Five minutes of checking beats a wasted trip across town to a shuttered door.