Christmas travel advice whatever your festive getaway plans

Christmas is a time to spend with family and friends and that often means travel, and sharing the roads, airports, trains and buses with hundreds of thousands of other people all heading off for their seasonal celebrations.

But don’t fret this festive season, if you are dreading the festive getaway. We've got the best advice on how to stay moving, whether you are travelling by car, train, plane, coach or ferry.

Christmas travel advice for motorists

The RAC is predicting 29.3m Christmas journeys during the 2024 yuletide break, with an extended period of 'pre-Christmas panic' as the 25th falls midweek this year.

The festive getaway will start on Friday 20 December, with an expected 3m trips, jumping to 3.7m on 'snarl-up Saturday'. However Christmas Eve is set to be the busiest single day with a predicted 3.8m journeys joining the last of the commuter traffic.

If you are travelling, the worst times in the run up to Christmas are predicted be between 1pm and 7pm. Then during the festive period, 10am to 3pm will be busiest on our roads.

The RAC and AA are recommending that drivers leave early or later in the evening if they can.

The AA says that some of the snarl up hotspots to look out for are likely to include the M25, the M6 around the Birmingham area and further north towards the North West.

The M4 out of London towards Bristol and further out towards South Wales is also likely to be very busy.

There is some good news as National Highways has announced that more than 95% of roadworks on its network of England’s motorways and major A roads would be lifted from 6am on Friday 20 December and not be reinstated until 2 January.

Stay informed to avoid the Christmas snarl ups

Visit the AA Routeplanner to find information about any road works planned, as well as incidents and delays as they happen. The site also gives you details about queuing traffic.

The National Highways travel updates will give you live reports and severity ratings for England. In Wales go to Traffic Wales, for Scotland Traffic Scotland lists current issues and in Northern Ireland it's TrafficWatchNI.

Turn on Google Maps or Apple Maps

Even if you know where you are going, its worth putting your destination into Google Maps or Apple Maps and being guided by it.

The two travel apps are regularly updated with live traffic problems and will suggest alternative routes or, if there are any, tell you know how long you will be delayed for and when you will finally arrive.

Check your car and the weather

Break downs are one of the biggest causes of snarl ups over the festive break, so to make sure your journey doesn't end on the hard shoulder, check your car before you leave.

Make sure your tyres are in good condition and properly inflated. Then check the levels of oil, coolant and screen wash.

If the worst happens, try not to panic. Follow our advice on what to do if you break down.

The weather can also affect your travel plans. Don't forget to check the forecast a few days before you set off.

You’ll find a seven-day forecast, with visibility details, from the Met Office. If there is a risk of ice or snow, seek advice from the AA or RAC. Travel may not be recommended except in an emergency.

If wintery weather is predicted don't forget to pack food, warm clothing and sensible footwear in the car. If snow is predicted a spade is also recommended.

Someone wearing gloves and a tartan scarf scraping snow off a car windscreen — Image credit: Getty Images/Mila Krasula

Travelling by plane

If you’ve an internal flight to catch, or you’re escaping to warmer climes, check in online to save time. Airports see a significant increase in passenger numbers at Christmas and New Year, so give yourself plenty of time to get to the terminal, and through security checks.

If the airport you are flying from offers FastTrack security then it's an easy way to beat some of the worst of the queues. It normally costs about £5 per person, but needs to be booked in advance.

Don’t pack liquid gifts in your hand luggage, and check with your airline if you want to take crackers or party poppers.

Keep an eye on weather forecasts and regularly look at your airline and airport websites if you anticipate problems. If your flight has been cancelled before you set off to the airport, you may be advised to stay at home and wait for updates.

Travelling by train or bus

Although many of us travel by train over Christmas and New Year, rail companies see a reduction in commuters so they plan track work at this time, leaving routes disrupted and stations closed – Paddington Station will be shut from the evening of Christmas Eve until December 30. There will also be engineering work on the Midland Main Line, Liverpool Street and St Pancras.

For a summary of services running throughout the UK, visit National Rail. There’s also information about timetable changes and planned disruptions.

Transport for London has a section on their site about festive travel in and around London – just click on a date and the relevant travel news appears. Roads will be closed for the New Year’s Day Parade.

If you’re travelling by coach, National Express is a comprehensive site that will answer all your queries. Megabus also provide service alerts, and you can track your coach on the website before you travel. National Express

For your local bus operator be sure to check their websites before you travel.

Travelling by ferry

If you are planning on leaving our shores by ferry, operators are warning passengers to check carefully for any hold ups en-route to the port.

The Port of Dover has confirmed that Operation Brock will be in place on the M20 between Ashford and Maidstone from the 15th to 22nd December, keeping the roads into Dover moving.

Most ferry services stop sailings at midday on Christmas Eve until the morning of Boxing Day to give staff a break. There is more information on the Discover Ferries website on all operators.