UKH

We're traveling down from Scotland to the French ports via M6 M1 M25 Dartford etc. around Christmas day-ish.

Generally are either of those days 25/26 Dec better for less chaotic traffic than each other, or than the other neighbouring days surrounding Christmas?

Cheers.

Can't help with the Dartford end, but last Christmas I drove from Milton Keynes to Sheffield on Christmas Day and then Sheffield to Inverness on Boxing Day and the roads were pretty quiet the whole time, including the South-bound carriageway.

As a general rule roads are quiet on Christmas day.

Boxing day could be dodgy around the Dartford area with the boxing day sales at bluewater/lakeside.

Thanks very much everyone. So far sounds like Christmas Day is a good one and Boxing Day a maybe also.

I was just concerned that maybe on Christmas Day loads of people would be driving around visiting all the obligatory family connections.

I guess the lack of commercial traffic on Christmas Day would far outweigh the relative-visiting crowd anyway.

I drove from the central belt to London on the afternoon and evening of Christmas Day a few years ago. It was uncannily quiet the whole way. I'd be amazed if Boxing Day wasn't busier: it's a big shopping and travelling day.  

Great thanks.  Christmas Day it is then.

I have done that journey many times and never go via M1 and  Dartford, better to go M6, M40 M25, generally quieter

Although mostly go DFDS Newcastle to Amsterdam now, have a look !

Very few people opt to travel on Xmas Day. Relatively quiet. Boxing Day though is a big day for visiting ‘the folks’.

It's good to plan ahead! 

Generally, sport, shopping and visiting family mean Boxing Day has busier roads than Xmas day. BUT: need to factor in which day of the week Xmas day and Boxing day fall on, because this may or may not clash with normal work traffic.   Xmas Day on a Sunday means less traffic than say Xmas day on a Tuesday. It’s more complicated than folk think. And are the north london footie teams at home or away?  

Thanks everyone.  And yes, there are ferry options from closer to home, that might play a part in the future.

Booked now on Eurotunnel for late Christmas Day.  And slightly lower prices than Boxing day too!

Cheers.

Yeah I'd echo the above about a ferry from Newcastle or Hull in future.  We've just done it for the first time last month, slightly more expensive and far more pleasant than the hell that is driving to Dover!  I've travelled a lot over the Christmas period.... Christmas day, especially on major roads will be very quiet, boxing day is a very popular travel day.