13 December 2023 , 09:43
781
0
With the most wonderful time of the year almost upon us, many Brits will be heading home to spend Christmas with friends and family.
To ensure that you have more money to spend on presents, we've looked at some of the best ways to find cheap public transport to get you where you need to be. With deals to be found on train tickets, car hire and coaches, saving a few pounds each way could soon add up to some extra festive cheer.
By comparing all the seasonal deals available throughout the UK, we can help you get home for Christmas for less this year.
READ MORE: Skiers rush to wear £59 jacket that looks like North Face on the slopes this season
The UK has an extensive railway network (Getty)Travelling by train
Martin Lewis issues 8-week warning to phone users ahead of huge price hikes
Letting the train take the strain is one of the most convenient and popular ways to traverse the UK, and given the extensive rail networks available, even the most remote festive locations should be covered.
That said, train fares can be expensive, and with rail fares in England and Wales increasing by 5.9% earlier this year, which is why its crucial to look for good deals that save you money by buying in advance or online.
There is also the ever-present spectre of planned engineering works that usually take place over the Christmas and New Year period, so it pays to check before you leave.
When are the trains running over Christmas?
- Christmas Eve - Trains services should run as usual but may end a little earlier
- Christmas Day - No train services run on Christmas Day
- Boxing Day - No services run on Boxing Day except for limited airport transfer services
- New Year's Eve - Trains services should run as usual but may end a little earlier
- New Year's Day - Train services run as usual but may start a bit later than usual
Regional network timetables may vary.
Trainline.com
Ticket retailer Trainline.com gives passengers access to thousands of digital tickets that can be purchased online. The user-friendly app makes it easy to plan journeys, compare ticket prices and see information on cancellations, train strikes, engineering works and delays.
The website has an up-to-date guide to Christmas 2023 train travel, and passengers who book via Trainline.com could save up to 35% on ticket prices.
Trip.com
Working in partnership with National Rail, Trip.com offers discounted tickets on regional routes throughout the UK. Passengers can book online and use their digital e-ticket to complete their journey.
Boots annual 70% off sale is returning with some deals already available
With thousands of journeys available, passengers could save money on train fares over the Christmas break.
National Rail
The train operator also lets you buy tickets directly from their website. You can plan your journey and buy online, but discounts are likely to be less impressive on the National Rail website.
Travelling by coach
Enjoy the comfort of the coach this Christmas (Getty)Booking a ticket on a coach can be much cheaper than going by train, but journeys can take longer as your driver is at the mercy of the motorway traffic and road works.
That said, lots of people opt to hop on the coach at Christmas with easy pickup points located in town centres, bus stations and mainline rail stations throughout the country.
National Express
Operating coaches throughout the season, including Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, National Express is hoping to get all of its passengers home in time for a turkey dinner.
The website has a route map to help you find the right coach for your journey and a live coach tracker to monitor delays and cancellations. Passengers can book online subject to a £1.50 booking fee, and the ticket finder option will show you the cheapest ticket prices first.
Flix Bus
Flixbus offers super cheap coach travel to various locations across the UK and into Europe. While the network is a little more limited fares are very affordable and it's a good way to travel if you are passing through London. A one-way ticket from London to Manchester could cost as little as £5.99 on December, 19, for example.
The website and app make it easy for passengers to plan their journey, find the cheapest fare and download a convenient e-ticket.
Travelling by car
Driving home for Christmas (Getty)If you would rather get home under your own steam, or have a present haul the size of Santa's sack, hiring a car might be a more convenient option for you.
More expensive than most forms of public transport, vehicle hire will let you travel straight from A to B without any fuss and you may be able to split the cost with other passengers.
The cheapest way to find a car hire deal this Christmas is to utilise travel comparison sites like Kayak, Booking.com or Skyscanner, as they often have better deals available than booking through the rental company directly.
Some of the cheapest car hire deals for a small car on December, 19, include:
- Skyscanner - deals start from £21 a day
- Kayak.co.uk - deals start from £22 a day
- Travel Supermarket - deals start from £44 a day
- Booking.com - deals start from £49.32 a day
- Expedia - deals start from £76 a day
How to save money on public transport this Christmas
By following these top tips you can save money on booking travel tickets, at Christmas time or any other time of year.
1. Book in Advance
Train companies in the UK tend to release tickets around 12 weeks before the travel date, usually at their cheapest price. This may be too late for Christmas, but it could help you to save money in the new year.
2. Sign up for ticket alerts
To ensure that you never miss out on low-cost advance tickets, sign up to a website like trainline.com and pop your travel details into the Ticket Alert tool to have the best deals land in your inbox.
3. Buy a travel card
Railcard and coach passes can offer money off all year round. Railcards are particularly useful with up to a 1/3 off of all tickets and there are lots of different types to choose from, for students, families and more.
4. Split your train tickets
A weird quirk of the ticket-buying system could see you save more by breaking your journey up into separate tickets. Split ticket combinations are available on most online ticket apps and websites.
5. Travel in a group
Rail tickets can be cheaper if you travel together with friends and family. For example, groups of 3 to 9 people who travel together can save up to 34% on UK travel on certain off-peak train journeys.