Britain is bracing for its most chaotic Christmas travel day in five years, with a staggering 4.2 million separate leisure journeys predicted to take place on Christmas Eve. Roads, railways, and airports are all set to be overwhelmed as millions attempt to reach their festive destinations.
Roads Gridlocked as Record Numbers Drive Home
The RAC estimates that today will see the highest volume of leisure trips on any single day in the run-up to Christmas since before the Covid pandemic. In the entire week from December 17 to 24, a record-breaking 37.5 million trips are planned across the UK. This is the highest figure since the organisation began recording data in 2013 and represents a massive jump of 8 million compared to last year's 29.3 million.
Meanwhile, the AA predicts that 22.7 million cars will be on the roads today, adding to the expected gridlock. The most congested period is forecast to be between 1pm and 7pm, with drivers advised to complete their journeys before 11am if possible.
Major road closures will compound the misery for motorists. Notably, the M27 will be shut in both directions between Junction 9 and Junction 11 from 8pm tonight until 4am on January 4.
Rail Network Crippled by Christmas Closures
Attempting to avoid the roads may lead travellers into further difficulty, as significant rail closures are in force. Key routes will see no services, potentially forcing more people into their cars. Major disruptions include:
- No trains to or from London Waterloo from Christmas Day until 28 December, with a very limited service until 4 January.
- No trains between Leeds and York from Christmas Day until 6 January.
- Closures on lines serving Cambridge, Stansted Airport, and between Stratford and Liverpool Street.
- Significant disruptions in Scotland between Glasgow, Dalmuir, Balloch, and Crianlarich until 2 January.
Airports Brace for Festive Surge
The UK's airports are also preparing for a major influx of passengers over the holiday period. Data from Cirium shows that 42,046 departures are scheduled from UK airports between 19 December and 4 January, a 2% increase on last year.
While the busiest day for flights was Friday, 19 December, Christmas Day itself is becoming an increasingly popular day to fly. This year, 889 flights are scheduled to depart on 25 December—a 10% rise from 2023 and a 33% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
The busiest days for major UK airports were identified as: Heathrow and Stansted (19 Dec), Gatwick and Manchester (21 Dec), Birmingham and Edinburgh (22 Dec).
Worst Congested Roads to Avoid
Drivers are urged to plan ahead and avoid, if possible, the following key congestion hotspots identified across the UK:
- M27 (closed between J9 and J11)
- M8 between Edinburgh and Glasgow
- M60 around the Trafford Centre, Greater Manchester
- M1 around Meadowhall, Sheffield
- M5/M6 interchange near Birmingham
- M25 around Heathrow Airport and Bluewater
- M4 around Cardiff and Newport
With an unprecedented number of journeys planned, today is set to test the resilience of the UK's transport network to its limits, marking a return to pre-Covid Christmas travel chaos.
