The Easter bank holiday weekend is set to be the busiest in years on the UK’s roads – and the railways and airports will also see their fair share of action.
While the Met Office forecast predicts wet weather for Easter, nothing can ruin the long weekend for millions of Britons getting ready to switch off.
More than 19 million car journeys are expected on Good Friday alone, meaning drivers face bottlenecks and congestion on popular routes like the M25 near London.
Flights through Gatwick Airport also face some disruption, along with the closure of London Euston station.
We’ve rounded up all the major issues that could disrupt Easter travel so you can steer clear – or brace for a longer journey.
When are UK roads the busiest?
The busiest travel day is set to be Thursday, April 17, when around 19.8 million drivers are forecast on the roads, according to an AA survey of more than 11,000 motorists and the RAC.
The M25 is expected to see the worst Easter traffic delays.
An hour-long queue is predicted clockwise between J7 for Gatwick Airport and J16 for the M40 at 11.45am, traffic analyst Inrix warns.
The upcoming Easter travel is predicted to be the busiest since 2022, which was the first getaway after the coronavirus lockdowns.
The cost of renting a car at Easter
With the high cost of living and expensive travel, many will be looking for the cheapest alternative to get around, and for some, it might be a rental car.
However, rental prices can more than double this Easter weekend, analysis by online car rental firm Turo shows.
Some companies were charging up to 219% more, while the price of the popular models for familiessaw price hikes of over £320 for a weekend rental.
Other traffic hotspots include the M5 in Bristol, while roads around Blackpool, the M6 in Birmingham and the A303 in Wiltshire will also be bustling. A stretch of the M20 in Kent will have a reduced speed limit of 50mph and narrowed lanes.
Shaun Jones, the AA Patrol of the year, said drivers should make sure their vehicle is in ‘top condition’ to avoid breakdowns and plan their journey, including where to fuel up.
UK flights and airports during Easter
Gatwick Airport passengers could face disruption after a strike announcement affecting ground staff.
Members of Unite will strike at the UK’s second busiest airport over the Easter weekend from Good Friday until Tuesday, April 22, over a pension row.
Dozens of flights could be delayed or cancelled as baggage handlers, check-in staff and flight dispatchers working for Norwegian, Delta, TAP and Air Peace are set to walk out.
In total, some 11,282 flights are due to depart from UK airports between Good Friday and Easter Monday, according to aviation analyst Cirium.
This means that other major airports like Heathrow Airport and Stansted are likely to be buzzing too.
Around 1,500,000 passengers are expected to take off from Stansted during the Easter holiday, the airport said.
Passengers at Gatwick no longer have to put liquids into a separate bag after the new scanning machines were installed just in time for Easter. However, the bottles should still be up to 100ml in size.
Train travel disruption over Easter weekend
If you haven’t booked your tickets already, passengers are advised to travel on either side of Easter to avoid the Euston disruption as Euston is closed between Saturday, April 19 and Monday, April 21.
You can read more about the Euston station temporary closure here.
Train service will also see disruption and changes between Manchester and Stockport, Cambridge, Southampton and the Leeds and Huddersfield area.
In Scotland, track renewal works mean buses replace trains between Carlisle and Glasgow and Carlisle and Edinburgh.
London Easter rail travel
- Elizabeth line will have a reduced service between Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 4 and Maidenhead between Friday, April 18 and Monday, April 21, while Acton Main Line, West Ealing and Hanwell stations are closed
- All lines to and from London Euston and the station will be closed between Saturday, April 19, and Monday, April 21
- London Victoria will have no Southeastern services over the Easter weekend with trains diverted, while Southern and Gatwick Express will run a reduced timetable to and from Victoria
- London Paddington will have disruptive work during the weekend
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