8 Christmas Travel Tips For 2017

A lot of people look to escape the festive madness each year and head off for a Christmas overseas – but while this is a lovely idea and sounds like the perfect way to start the new year off with a bang, you could easily come unstuck if you’re not careful and if you don’t plan your trip properly.

Our first tip to make sure you have a wonderful winter break away is to book minibus hire early to avoid disappointment and to make sure you get to the airport in time to catch your flight. It’s costly to leave your car in an airport car park for a few days and you also run the risk of it being broken into or stolen while you’re away. But by hiring a luxury minibus to take you to the airport and back, you can save yourself a lot of time, stress and money.

If you are determined to drive, however, always make sure you plan your journey properly and that you keep an eye on traffic updates. The roads are generally always busy at this time of year so you need to make sure you give yourself enough time to get to the airport.

Try to avoid rush hour whenever possible, even if it means you get to the airport hours ahead of schedule. If you’re going to be using public transport, check that the trains you need are running as there are lots of engineering works scheduled for various lines over the Christmas period.

Something else you’ll have to factor into your travel plans is, of course, the weather. We’re currently in the grip of some very icy clutches right now (parts of the UK are actually colder than Iceland at the moment, if you can believe that!), so check the weather reports before you’re due to travel. If you don’t, you could find your journey is a lot harder – and you may not even end up where you’re going at all. Perhaps get a weather app on your phone to make it a bit easier to monitor the conditions.

It’s also worth making sure that you winter-proof your home before you head off on your jollies, whether you’re going for a UK staycation or hopping on a plane. Burst pipes can cause real misery at this time of year and it certainly wouldn’t be nice to come home to a soggy house so make sure you put extra lagging around your pipes to stop them from freezing. And perhaps ask a neighbour to keep an eye on the property while you’re away.

And whatever you do, try not to upload too many photos of your holiday while you’re away as this is a big signal to burglars that you’re not at home. Criminals do monitor social media activity these days to see whether houses are left empty or not – so do yourself a favour and don’t post your pictures until you’re safely back at home.