I wish my journey home was this clear...
Chris Rea may be 'Driving home for Christmas', but over 116,200 people will be flooding the UK rail network over the next week… so make sure you stay rail savvy and avoid getting hot and bothered despite the sub-zero temperatures.
As the majority of schools break up at the end of this week, this Saturday (19th December) is set to be the busiest day for travel over the Christmas period - with just under a quarter (20%) of festive rail travellers planning to make their journey home . It's not just shopping that's left until the last minute either, with one in five (18%) planning to travel back for the festive celebrations on Christmas Eve.
Busiest Routes
The final run-up to Christmas will see a mass exodus to the North. London to Manchester is set to be the busiest route this year, with over 4,700 people planning to travel between these two major cities. This is followed by the route between London and Liverpool, which will be swamped by over 2,000 people as the countdown to the big day gets underway.
Most Popular Christmas Routes
Rank Route
1 London - Manchester
2 London - Liverpool
3 London - Leeds
4 London - Sheffield
5 London - Birmingham
Top tips for Stress Free Travel this Christmas
* Look after the pennies: train travellers can save up to 43% by booking online compared to buying 'turn up and go' tickets at the station on the day of travel
* Make it snappy: there are over 800 fast ticket machines available across the country - with trains stations likely to be very busy over the festive period don't waste time standing in line at the ticket office
* Direct to your door: if you're booking seven working days in advance you can choose to have your tickets delivered via Royal Mail - if you're in a rush you can even have your tickets delivered to you the next day