Britain is bracing for its busiest Christmas travel period on record. The AA expects 24.4 million cars on the roads today (19 December), while National Express has added 45,000 coach seats to cope with rail engineering works that will close London Euston and other key stations between 27 December and early January.
Airports are equally stretched: the Civil Aviation Authority forecasts 460,000 departures today and more than 3 million outbound passengers over the holiday fortnight. Gatwick and Heathrow warn that Border Force e-Gates will be under pressure, although trials of the new “contactless corridor” for UK and US e-passports are expected to speed some flows.
![Christmas getaway 2025: UK faces record congestion on roads, rails and at borders]()
Network Rail’s engineering schedule compounds the squeeze. Inter-city travellers to the North West will face diversions via Sheffield, while London Waterloo remains closed until 28 December. The Port of Dover, meanwhile, predicts peak traffic of 30,000 cars over the weekend, advising motorists to arrive at least 90 minutes before sailing.
For global mobility managers, the advice is clear: warn transferees and business travellers to allow extra time, use e-Gates where eligible, and consider re-routing via regional airports or Eurostar services outside the engineering windows. Employers with time-critical assignments should build contingency overnight stops into itineraries.
Airports are equally stretched: the Civil Aviation Authority forecasts 460,000 departures today and more than 3 million outbound passengers over the holiday fortnight. Gatwick and Heathrow warn that Border Force e-Gates will be under pressure, although trials of the new “contactless corridor” for UK and US e-passports are expected to speed some flows.
Network Rail’s engineering schedule compounds the squeeze. Inter-city travellers to the North West will face diversions via Sheffield, while London Waterloo remains closed until 28 December. The Port of Dover, meanwhile, predicts peak traffic of 30,000 cars over the weekend, advising motorists to arrive at least 90 minutes before sailing.
For global mobility managers, the advice is clear: warn transferees and business travellers to allow extra time, use e-Gates where eligible, and consider re-routing via regional airports or Eurostar services outside the engineering windows. Employers with time-critical assignments should build contingency overnight stops into itineraries.
Source: The Guardian
