Christmas travel advice whatever your festive getaway plans
With warnings that this Christmas getaway could be the busiest yet, we’ve got all the information you need for travelling by car, plane, train, coach or ferry.
With warnings that this Christmas getaway could be the busiest yet, we’ve got all the information you need for travelling by car, plane, train, coach or ferry.
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.
If you travel at peak times, you could end up sitting in traffic or standing in queues for hours, leaving any festive spirit in short supply.
But don’t fret 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.
Travel organisation the AA has issued an amber traffic warning, saying that Friday 19 December could be set for record congestion with up to 24 million cars on the UK’s roads.
The RAC, meanwhile, is predicting 37.5m festive trips this year in the week running up to 25 December. it says that “Snarl-up Saturday” (20 December) and Christmas Eve could also be very slow going on the nation’s roads.
If you are travelling, the worst times will be between 10am and 4pm (except on Friday 19 December when congestion is expected to continue into the evening). So try to travel in the early morning or evenings when it is quieter.
Shaun Jones, AA expert patrol, says: “Our advice is simple: plan ahead, check your route, and allow extra time.”
The RAC and the AA say that some of the snarl-up hotspots could see queues of more than half an hour at peak times.
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, while for Scotland Traffic Scotland lists current issues. In Northern Ireland, check TrafficWatchNI.
Even if you know where you are going, it’s worth putting your destination into Google Maps or Apple Maps and being guided by it.
The two travel apps have live traffic information and will suggest alternative routes, if there are any, and update your expected arrival time.
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.
Colin Stevenson, Road Safety Information Lead at National Highways, says: “Christmas is all about spending time with family and friends, and the last thing anyone wants is a breakdown getting in the way of festive plans. Spending a few minutes checking tyres, lights, screenwash, fuel, and keeping an eye on the weather, can make a real difference."
If the worst happens, try not to panic. Follow the advice from Saga’s insurance experts 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. A spade is also recommended if snow is forecast.
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.
A survey by The Independent found that most UK airports expected Friday 19 December to be their busiest day. Heathrow Airport is braced to handle 7million passengers across its four terminals throughout the festive period.
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.
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.
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.
There will be no trains running on Christmas Day, while on Boxing Day most operators will also have no service.
For a summary of services running throughout the UK, visit National Rail. It will also have 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.
For your local bus operator, be sure to check their websites before you travel.
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.
Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, says: “This festive break, the port is prepared to welcome nearly 30,000 cars heading to Europe. The weekend before Christmas is expected to be particularly busy, with peak traffic anticipated between 6am and 1pm from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 December.
“To help ensure a smooth departure, we kindly ask all customers travelling with our ferry partners not to arrive any earlier than two hours before their scheduled sailing, just as you would if departing from a UK airport and greatly appreciate everyone’s patience should there be any additional waiting time due to the high volumes of traffic.”
Most ferry services stop sailings at midday on Christmas Eve until the morning of Boxing Day to give staff a break.
Saga’s insurance experts have everything you need to know for road trips and driving in Europe.
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