The United Kingdom is braced for its busiest Christmas Eve getaway since the pandemic, with millions of people embarking on journeys to see friends and family. A perfect storm of road, rail, and air travel is creating significant disruption across the nation's transport networks.
Roads Braced for Record-Breaking Congestion
According to the RAC, an estimated 4.2 million drivers will be on the roads on Christmas Eve, marking the highest single-day figure recorded since before Covid-19. The organisation warns that popular routes will be exceptionally busy between 11am and 7pm, with the peak period for delays expected from 1pm through to 7pm.
Over the entire week leading up to Christmas, more than 37 million separate road journeys are anticipated to have been made. This staggering number represents the highest level since the RAC began tracking this data in 2013.
The M25 orbital motorway around London is predicted to be the worst affected. Major congestion is expected clockwise from Junction 15 for the M4 through to Junction 19 for Watford. Similarly, heavy traffic is forecast anticlockwise from Junction 10 for Kingston to Junction 6 for East Grinstead.
Outside the capital, the M60 around Manchester is also set for severe delays, particularly clockwise from Junction 7 for Altrincham to Junction 18 for the M62 towards Leeds. Drivers are also warned of a significant road closure on the M27 in Hampshire, which will be shut in both directions between junctions 9 and 11 from 8pm on Christmas Eve until 4am on 4 January.
Rail and Air Travel Stretched to Capacity
The railway network is also under immense pressure, with services finishing much earlier than on a typical Sunday. Passengers are urged to check their final departure times carefully. For instance, the last train from London to Edinburgh departs at 4.30pm, while the final service from Newcastle to Birmingham leaves at 5.40pm. There will be no train services on Christmas Day and only a very limited skeleton service on Boxing Day.
In the skies, a record number of people are choosing to fly. The Civil Aviation Authority predicts that 3 million passengers will depart from UK airports in the week up to Christmas Day. Heathrow Airport has stated it is preparing for its busiest Christmas period on record, a sentiment echoed by major hubs in Birmingham and Manchester.
Unusual Surge in Christmas Day Bus Travel
Adding to the unique travel landscape this year, Christmas Day itself will see a notable increase in local bus journeys. The Confederation of Passenger Transport forecasts that over 100,000 people will take a bus on 25 December. This figure is slightly higher than last year and represents a significant jump from the 87,000 recorded in 2023, marking the highest level of Christmas Day bus travel in a decade.
This nationwide surge underscores the strong desire for festive reunions post-pandemic, but it also places unprecedented demand on every mode of transport. Travellers are strongly advised to plan ahead, allow substantial extra time for their journeys, and check for real-time updates from their transport provider before setting out.
