High train fares force Brits to spend less on Christmas presents and food

Commuters arriving Waterloo Station London

The company found that car-less commuters are forced to pay an average of £114 to visit loved ones (Image: Getty)

A new survey as found the real cost of commuting over the break, with Brits typically having to to see friends and family.

Whilst many see Christmas as a time to see loved ones around the country, a study of 2,000 Brits without a car found that travellers are to see loved ones on the .

Rory Brimmer, Director of the car sharing service , highlighted that the expense is having an impact on how much Brits are able to spend on festive staples, including presents and food.

He explained: “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 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.”

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Passengers board a train located in London Euston

London commuters are forced to pay an average of £151 to see loved ones over Christmas (Image: Getty)

Turo noted that train fares in England rose by an average of 4.9 % during 2024, with many predicting that they will increase by a further 4.6 percent in March 2025.

In particular, Londoners are set to be the worst affected by the high cost of train tickets, spending an average of £151 travelling, followed closely by the Northern Irish, who are due to face an average fee of £144.

However, no matter where they live, half of car-less Brits taking part in the company’s study stated that the high cost of travel meant they have been left with less money to spend on presents for their loved ones.

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Traveller uses phone to pay for a train ticket

To save money, travellers were urged to buy their train tickets as soon as possible or take a coach (Image: Getty)

To help relieve the financial burden of travelling over the festive break, Rory recommended that Brits book their tickets as early as possible, with many companies increasing prices for upcoming journeys.

He said: “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.”

Rory also suggested that travellers consider car sharing, stating that Turo allows Brits to get behind the wheel of a car from as little as £29 per day.

He continued: “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.”

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