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Turo survey finds average Christmas travel costs for car-less Brits are £114.
High transport costs mean half (50%) can’t afford as many gifts as they’d like, with 61% of train travellers most affected.
Londoners bear the highest average travel cost at £151.
Turo offers car-sharing options from £29 per day, including delivery to your door.*
The financial burden of travelling home this Christmas is leading millions of Brits to cut back on gift spending, according to a new survey. Conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Turo, the survey polled 2,000 Brits who don’t own a car to explore their festive travel plans as the nation gears up for the holiday season.**
Results show that those without a car anticipate spending an average of £114 on their journey home for Christmas. Londoners face the steepest costs at £151, followed by residents of Northern Ireland (£144) and Scotland (£143). Meanwhile, those in the North East expect to pay significantly less, at an average of £77.
The high cost of Christmas travel follows a 4.9% rise in English rail fares earlier in 2024, with a further increase of 4.6% set for March.***
Christmas Travel Costs Impact Gift Budgets
Half of the respondents said they would buy fewer gifts this year due to the high cost of travelling home. Among those travelling by rail, this figure rises to 61%.
Londoners, who already face the highest travel costs, are the most affected, with 59% stating their ability to give gifts has been reduced.
Younger people are feeling the pinch most acutely; 66% of 18-24 year-olds said travel costs would limit their gift-buying, compared to only 28% of those aged 55 and older.
Travel costs are also preventing many from going home at all. Nearly one in five (18%) said they wouldn’t see their parents this Christmas due to transport expenses, rising to 25% among 25-34 year-olds.
Turo’s Top Tips for Saving on Christmas Travel
Rory Brimmer, Turo’s Director, offers advice for managing festive travel expenses:
“It’s a real shame that the high cost of getting home for Christmas is stopping so many people from buying the gifts they feel their friends and family deserve. But with the average trip home costing £114 for those without a car – or £151 for Londoners – that’s the reality. While not owning a car makes perfect sense for millions of city dwellers year-round, during the holidays it is a real pain.”
Rent a local car via Turo.“Car sharing offers a flexible and affordable alternative to train travel – with cars available from £29 a day on Turo*. Get a car delivered to your door or find a car right in your neighbourhood too, meaning you can save on any public transport costs to the railway station, and you can bring far more luggage more comfortably. That means bigger presents for your nieces and nephews.”
Plan and book ahead.“If you are taking the train or flying to your destination, make sure to book as early as possible to avoid any surge pricing and get the widest possible range of options. Advance singles are generally far cheaper than flexible train tickets. Consider whether you can actually travel to your Christmas destination a little bit earlier and work remotely there – prices could be a lot cheaper than they are on Christmas Eve.”
Carpool with your community.“Chances are someone you know or who lives near you is driving near enough to your destination. Ask around your friend group to see if you can split petrol costs with anyone going near to your destination, and if that fails try your local street or neighbourhood WhatsApp or Facebook group. Make sure if you do this that you know the person driving enough to trust them.”
Consider coach travel.“Coaches are generally the most affordable option for travelling around the UK, but are also quite slow. If time is on your side and you don’t mind the longer journey, the coach can be an essential tool – even if it is just for one leg of your journey.”
