How best to avoid travel chaos on big Christmas getaway - busiest motorway congestion hotspots listed

People travelling over Christmas are advised to keep up to date on the latest information, with many transport services running reduced services and key routes expected to be busy.

Whether travelling by train, plane or car, here’s how to ensure you have the best possible journey this festive period.

Train and bus services at Christmas

Some train lines are set to operate reduced services on Christmas Eve, so it's worth keeping up to date with schedules and timings. As usual, trains won't be running on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, except for a few transfers which will operate on December 26. Some bus services are set to operate on December 25.

Being prepared for unexpected road delays

Drivers are advised to be prepared with an essential travel pack. This includes fully charging your phone and having important numbers with you should you need to contact family, friends or breakdown services. It's recommended to have plenty of fuel or to fully

charge your car should you drive an electric vehicle. Take warm clothes, pack a blanket and have some refreshments at hand in case there are delays.

The motorways to avoid during the festive season

According to insurance company Cover, it's best to avoid several notoriously busy motorways over the festive season. These include the M25, especially between the Gatwick Airport and M40 Junction, the M6, particularly around Birmingham, the M1 through Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, the M60 around Manchester and the M5 between Bristol and Western-Super-Mare.

The best days to fly at Christmas

Christmas Day is thought to be the best day to fly, with it supposedly being the least crowded travel day during the holiday week. According to NerdWallet.com, the least crowded dates for travelling by plane before Christmas are December 18 and December 19. The least busy dates for plane travel after Christmas are thought to be December 31 and January 1.