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As millions of people prepare to travel to see friends and family this Christmas, new data from Trainline reveals the busiest and quietest days and times to travel by train over the festive period, and of course, a Manchester route is up there.
When is the busiest time to travel over the Christmas period?
The Saturday before Christmas has consistently been the busiest day to travel by train for the past two years. Demand is typically highest in the late morning, with the single busiest hour last Christmas falling between 10am and 11am on Saturday 21 December.
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At the other end of the scale, New Year’s Day was the quietest day to travel by train last year, so if you’re looking for the perfect moment to visit family, or return home after festive celebrations, New Year’s Day might be a good bet.
The data also shows that early mornings and late evenings remain the quietest times to travel over the festive period, with passenger numbers dropping sharply later in the day. On 1 January 2025, for example, the number of passengers travelling fell by more than half between 4pm-5pm and 5pm-6pm. Passengers should note, however, that train services typically do not begin until sometime between 5am and 6am.
London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly is the second busiest train route over Christmas 
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Of course, departing from London Euston is always a fairly stressful experience, so coming back up to Manchester during the Christmas period will require some planning, being the second busiest route. Usually stopping at stations including Milton Keynes, Birmingham New Street and Stoke, the London to Manchester train route hits some fairly major UK locations, so anyone driving (in a passenger princess way) home for Christmas anywhere north west of London is likely to be on this service.
The busiest routes over the Christmas period (based on last year):
- Birmingham New Street ↔ London Euston
- London Euston ↔ Manchester Piccadilly
- London Euston ↔ Milton Keynes Central
- Gatwick Airport ↔ London Victoria
- Edinburgh Waverley ↔ London King’s Cross
The route Edinburgh Waverley to London King’s Cross also saw the highest number of early bookers, with 54.1% of passengers booking more than two weeks in advance – suggesting it could be the first route to sell out of Advance tickets this year. So if you’re planning this trip, don’t leave it till the last minute to book.
Top tips for stress-free Christmas train travel 
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- Book in advance: Limited numbers of Advance tickets are still available for some of the most popular routes over the Christmas break, so there’s still a chance to save if you book now.
- Use a digital Railcard: Railcards can save customers up to one-third off many train journeys across the UK.
- Split tickets: Splitting a journey into multiple tickets can be cheaper than buying a single through ticket – SplitSave helps to automatically find cheaper combinations.
- Travel with others: Groups of three to nine people travelling together may be able to save up to 34% with GroupSave on eligible Off-Peak services.
- Look out for deals: Seasonal and year-round offers, including Family Travelcards and Kids for a Quid, can help cut costs further.
Sarah Helppi, UK Country Director at Trainline, said: “Christmas is one of the busiest times of year on the rail network, but our data shows there are clear ways for people to travel more smoothly and save money.
“Booking early and travelling at quieter times of day can make a real difference, helping customers enjoy a stress-free journey this festive season. Even if plans do have to change, our latest Way to Train features are on hand to help our customers feel in control of their journeys.”