Trains full as bank holiday weekend begins

Saturday and bank holiday Monday are likely to be busiest for leisure traffic on the roads

All aboard: LNER Azuma train at King’s Cross station in London (Simon Calder)

As the bank holiday weekend begins, rail travellers between England and Scotland are scrambling for space on long-distance services. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, there are strict limits on passengers on each train.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is showing “no seats available” for any East Coast main line train northbound before Saturday evening – when passengers are warned “trains will be very busy”.

LNER links King's Cross station in the capital with Yorkshire, northeast England and Scotland.

Returning from Edinburgh to London on Monday, the only available seats are on trains that depart from the Scottish capital before 7am. The cheapest nonstop journey costs £134.

Passengers are being told: “If you choose a flexible ticket you’ll need to ensure you have a reserved seat before you board the train for your return journey.”

A spokesperson for the train operator said: “The safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority. In response to the pandemic and need to maintain social distancing in line with government guidance, all LNER services are reservation-only so customers have a socially distanced seat.

“Reservations can be made when booking and up to five minutes before departure.

“Customers are asked to plan ahead and be flexible with journeys during busy periods.”

 On the West Coast main line from London Euston to Glasgow, the lowest fare between the two cities on Avanti West Coast is £108.50.

A spokesperson said: “To ensure social distancing on board we’re currently limiting the number of seats we put on sale. Once a train reaches its capacity we remove it from our booking platforms so no more Advance tickets can be sold for that train.”

Over the weekend, planned engineering work on the West Coast main line will disrupt normal services.

GWR, which runs trains from London Paddington to South Wales and the West of England, has restored many services after cracks were identified in some intercity express rolling stock.

The train operator says: “We have reintroduced the vast majority of our trains, however some trains will run with fewer carriages. Alterations to the timetable are also in place.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: “As restrictions ease, services may be busier so we encourage passengers to plan ahead and check the latest information with their operator before they travel.

“Passengers are reminded to follow our Safer Travel guidance when they travel, including wearing a face covering unless exempt, sanitising their hands regularly and keeping their distance where possible.”

While rail passenger numbers are currently at less than half pre-pandemic figures, road vehicle use last weekend was at 102 per cent of the normal level.

The RAC estimates 11 million leisure trips by car are planned. Saturday and bank holiday Monday are likely to be busiest for leisure traffic on the roads.

The organisation says 775 miles of roadworks will be completed in time for the long weekend, with a further 124 suspended for the bank holiday.

Highways England recommends travelling mid-morning to mid-afternoon on the remaining days of the bank holiday, to minimise the risk of congestion.

The AA says: “This weekend represents the first getaway opportunity since the latest round of unlocking, so peak routes are likely to see an uptick in traffic.

“The weather will also be an influencing factor in journey volumes; after a washout spring, the arrival of brighter weather and warmer temperatures is likely to tempt more people out to beauty spots and beaches.”

With the only viable overseas destinations on the government’s “green list” being Portugal, Gibraltar and Iceland, air travel at the weekend will be around 10 per cent of normal levels.

Britain's biggest budget airline, easyJet, is operating 35 return flights from the UK to Spain on Saturday and a further 21 on Sunday. Spain is normally the most popular destination for British holidaymakers, but it remains on the government’s “amber list” requiring self-isolation on return to the UK.

Fares are extremely low for the start of half-term; from Luton to Malaga, both easyJet and Wizz Air have one-way flights on Saturday for under £55.

Demand is very strong for Porto in northern Portugal, where the rearranged Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester City is to be played on Saturday evening.