Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also the busiest. In just over a week, millions of Brits will fly, boat, drive, and train back home for the holidays to get some well-earned downtime, (assuming that your family isn’t the sort to go on a Christmas morning run) and eat loads and lots of great food. But with everyone trying to travel at the same time there’s bound to be delays.
Here at Time Out we’ve already covered when the busiest day to travel by train is – you can have a look at that guide here. If you are planning to head home on the railways make sure you’ve checked the new timetables which come into effect this Sunday, and that you’ve made sure Avanti West Coast’s strikes won’t disrupt the trip.
But a sizeable proportion of people will bypass the rails entirely, hopping in the car for ultimate convenience. And if that’s you, we’ve got some info you might find useful.
According to the AA, the busiest day over this festive period will be Friday December 20, when 23.7 million people are planning to hit the roads. If true, this will be the worst day for Christmas traffic since the motor board started tracking it in 2010. The AA reckons this is largely due to people leaving work on Friday and driving straight home, as Christmas falls the following Wednesday.
Saturday December 21 and Monday December 23 are also expected to be extremely busy, with similar numbers of drivers on the roads. Most of these journeys are expected to be smaller, local trips, the AA has said, explaining: ‘With people driving fewer miles, it means there will be more localised congestion… the best way to ensure hassle-free journeys is to plan them well.’
And plan well you will. There are some points on the roads where extra congestion is expected, so do your best to avoid:
- The M4/M5 interchange near Bristol
- The M25 near Heathrow airport, west London
- The M5/M6 interchange near Birmingham
- The M60 near the Trafford Centre, Manchester
- The M1 near Meadowhall, Sheffield
On the flip side, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day are all expected to be extremely quiet on the roads, but that is obviously not much help if you’re trying to get home for Christmas. Ultimately, you’ll probably just have to accept and embrace the traffic. Bring some snacks, listen to a podcast, kick back, and enjoy the ride.
‘Tis the season with Time Out
Looking to get ahead of your Christmas gift giving? We’ve got a list of the best places to shop in the UK, and if you’re really looking to get into the spirit, why not check out the best places to visit at Christmas in the UK. Plus, three of the best Christmas markets in the world are right here in the UK.
Did you see that two British destinations have been named the ‘most underrated’ in the world to visit in 2025?
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