Millions of travelers across the United Kingdom are bracing for a turbulent August bank holiday weekend, as a perfect storm of rail strikes, engineering works, and heavy road traffic threatens to upend plans and test the patience of holidaymakers from Friday, August 22, through Monday, August 25, 2025. With large-scale disruptions forecast on railways and roads, and even the skies not entirely immune, the final summer holiday before Christmas is shaping up to be a logistical challenge for many.
According to BBC News, the RAC estimates that about 17.6 million getaway trips will be made by car over the four-day stretch, with the South East and South West regions of England expected to bear the brunt of the congestion. Nick Mullender, the RAC’s mobile servicing and repairs team leader, warned, “We’re expecting major roads to airports and coastal destinations to be extremely busy, especially the south-east and south-west regions which could end up bearing the brunt of most holiday hold-ups. Anyone planning routes through these areas should set off as early as possible or be prepared to spend longer in traffic.”
Friday and Saturday are forecast to be the busiest days on the roads, with 3 million and 3.4 million leisure trips expected respectively, The Independent reports. The M5 motorway between Bristol and Devon is likely to see delays exceeding 40 minutes on both days, particularly between junction 15 north of Bristol and junction 23 for Bridgwater. The M20 in Kent, a key route for Channel crossings, could see hold-ups of more than half an hour on Friday afternoon. The RAC suggests the busiest times will be Friday from 10am to 7pm, Saturday from 9am to 5pm, and Monday from 11am to 6pm.
For those hoping to avoid the jams by taking the train, the outlook is equally challenging. CrossCountry, one of Britain’s major intercity rail operators, has advised passengers not to travel on Saturday, August 23, due to a strike by the RMT union. National Rail has echoed the warning, stating, “You are strongly advised not to travel, or to travel either side of the bank holiday weekend.” While CrossCountry staff are not striking on Sunday, August 24, many cancellations are still expected. On Monday, August 25, a “very limited CrossCountry service will operate between 6am and 6pm only,” with no trains running between Birmingham New Street, Reading, and the south coast, or on the link from Leicester via Cambridge to Stansted Airport. Passengers are warned that “trains that do run are expected to be busy.”
Network Rail is also carrying out more than 260 engineering projects across Britain during the weekend, which will impact several major routes. On Sunday, August 24, the southern section of the East Coast Main Line between London King’s Cross and Peterborough will close completely, disrupting journeys by LNER and Lumo. Replacement buses will cover the route between Bedford and Peterborough, a trip expected to take around two-and-a-half hours instead of the usual 47 minutes. Avanti West Coast will operate a reduced service to and from London Euston throughout the weekend, with trains between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International diverted and journey times extended. London Northwestern services will run only to and from Birmingham International.
ScotRail lines southwest from Glasgow Central to Kilmarnock, Dumfries, and Stranraer will also be disrupted by engineering work on Saturday and Sunday, adding to the nationwide patchwork of delays and cancellations. Even South Western Railway and the C2C line from London to south Essex are reducing speeds and services due to dry conditions, as reported by The Independent.
With rail disruption looming, National Express has stepped into the breach, announcing the addition of 9,000 extra seats on its intercity coach routes over the bank holiday weekend. The company is boosting capacity on key routes serving cities including Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Bristol, London, Bradford, Bolton, Hull, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, Swansea, and Wolverhampton. Fares start from £3.10 one way, and bookings are already up 20% compared to the same period last year, according to Bristol World. Ed Rickard, network director for National Express, emphasized, “People deserve to access reliable and affordable public transport, whether it’s getting to work, enjoying days out or making the most of the summer bank holiday with friends and family. As always, we’ve stepped up a gear to ensure people still have a dependable and comfortable way to travel – and our friendly coach drivers are ready to keep the country moving.”
Rickard added, “Every time there’s rail disruption, we see an increase in bookings as people turn to us for an affordable and reliable way to travel, and when demand is high, our lowest price tickets do sell out quickly. We encourage anyone looking to travel this weekend to book their coach tickets in advance to guarantee a seat.”
Air travelers aren’t immune from the complications, either. The Independent notes that Friday, August 22, is expected to be the busiest day of the year at Manchester Airport, with around 115,000 passengers expected. Bristol Airport also anticipates peak numbers on Friday, while Gatwick is set to handle 900 flights on Sunday, August 24. Liverpool John Lennon Airport predicts Monday, August 25, will be its busiest day of the summer. However, air-traffic control staff shortages across Europe, as well as the ongoing Air Canada shutdown, could spell further delays. Eurocontrol, the pan-European coordination centre, recently reported that 26% of network delays were generated by France due to “capacity and staffing issues,” with Greece and Spain also contributing significant delays.
Ferry travelers, particularly those returning from Continental Europe via Calais, may also face bottlenecks. British motorists must pass through both French and UK border checks at the French port, a process that can create significant queues, especially during peak holiday returns.
Despite the travel headaches, the weather is offering a silver lining. BBC Weather forecasts a largely dry but rather cloudy day for most areas on Friday, with central and southern England enjoying temperatures between 23 and 25°C (73 and 77°F) on Saturday and Sunday. Scotland and Northern Ireland will be mostly cloudy, though Scotland should see some sunnier spells. Temperatures are expected to rise slightly as winds shift, bringing warmth above the seasonal average for much of England. However, forecasters caution that the remnants of Hurricane Erin could bring unsettled weather and a chance of rain on Bank Holiday Monday, though there’s still some uncertainty.
Large crowds are expected at major events such as London’s Notting Hill Carnival, the Reading and Leeds festivals, and Creamfields in Cheshire, adding to the pressure on transport networks. For those determined to make the most of the break, the advice is clear: plan ahead, book tickets early, and pack plenty of patience.
With the nation’s appetite for summer getaways undimmed, the August bank holiday weekend is set to test the resilience—and resourcefulness—of British travelers like never before.
