- A survey commissioned by Turo shows the average cost of a Christmas trip home for car-less Brits is £114.
- Half (50%) report that expensive travel means they cannot afford as many presents as they’d like, rising to 61% for those travelling by train.
- Londoners face the highest travel costs, averaging £151.
- Cars from Turo’s sharing platform are available from just £29 per day and can be delivered to your door.*
The high cost of travel this Christmas is forcing millions of Brits to opt for cheaper gifts, a recent survey reveals. Car-sharing marketplace Turo commissioned Censuswide to survey 2,000 people without a car about their holiday travel plans, as many of the UK’s 17 million car-less residents begin arranging their Christmas journeys.**
Findings indicate that car-less Brits anticipate spending an average of £114 to travel home for Christmas, with the highest average costs reported by Londoners (£151), followed by those in Northern Ireland (£144) and Scotland (£143).
In contrast, residents of the North East expect to pay significantly less, at just £77 on average.
This financial strain comes in a year when English rail fares increased by 4.9% in 2024, with a further 4.6% hike expected in March.***
Rising Costs Impact Gift-Giving
For half of those travelling home for Christmas, the high cost of transport has reduced their ability to buy gifts. This sentiment is particularly pronounced among train users, with 61% saying their spending on presents is impacted.
Londoners, who face the steepest travel costs, are the most affected, with 59% reporting that their gift-giving capacity has been diminished.
Younger people are disproportionately impacted, with 66% of 18-24 year-olds stating that travel costs prevent them from buying as many gifts as they would like, compared to just 28% of those aged 55 and over.
Some are skipping Christmas travel entirely. Nearly one in five (18%) said travel costs mean they won’t be seeing their parents this year, including a quarter (25%) of 25-34 year-olds.
Turo’s Advice for Budget-Friendly Christmas Travel
Rory Brimmer, Director at Turo, shared some tips to ease the burden of holiday travel:
“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 through 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.” - Book and travel early.
“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.” - Share a ride.
“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.” - Take a coach.
“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.”
