- Survey by Turo finds that Brits without cars expect to spend an average of £114 on Christmas travel.
- High transport costs mean half (50%) are buying fewer gifts, including 61% of train users.
- Londoners face the highest costs at £151.
- Turo car-sharing options start from £29 a day and can be delivered to your door.*
Rising travel costs this Christmas are forcing millions of Brits to scale back their gift-giving, a survey commissioned by Turo reveals. Censuswide polled 2,000 Brits without a car, exploring the financial impact of holiday travel.**
The survey shows that car-less Brits expect to spend £114 on average for their trip home this Christmas. Londoners face the steepest costs at £151, followed by Northern Ireland (£144) and Scotland (£143). The North East remains the most affordable, with residents expecting to pay only £77.
This comes amidst rail fare increases, with English train ticket prices rising by 4.9% earlier this year and set to rise again by 4.6% in March.***
Gift Giving Suffers Due to Travel Costs
Half of respondents said the expense of travelling home has reduced the amount they can spend on gifts. For train travellers, the impact is even greater, with 61% saying they have less money for presents.
Londoners are the most affected, with 59% stating that travel costs have curtailed their gift-giving budget. Among younger people aged 18-24, 66% said they would spend less on presents due to travel costs, compared to 28% of those over 55.
For 18% of respondents, travel constraints mean they won’t be seeing their parents this Christmas, a figure that rises to 25% among 25-34 year-olds.
Turo’s Suggestions for Managing Travel Costs
Rory Brimmer, Turo’s Director, offers tips for making Christmas travel more affordable:
“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.”
- Try Turo for a local rental. “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.”
- Plan ahead and book 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.”
- Consider car-sharing options. “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.”
- Choose a coach for cost savings. “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.”
