Travel expert Simon Calder warned rail passengers to check their journeys carefully on Christmas Eve as some services face cancellations and early last trains.
He said staff shortages had affected certain routes, particularly CrossCountry, but described it as a “pretty smooth Christmas” overall.
Speaking to GB News, Mr Calder said: “If you were hoping to catch the 12.47 from here down to Manchester Airport, I’m afraid that’s been cancelled — along with a number of other services, particularly on CrossCountry today due to staff shortages.
“However, speaking to railway operators, they say it has been a pretty smooth Christmas overall. And I can tell you why.
“If you think back to last Friday, many people finished work and schools broke up for Christmas, so the great getaway actually began then.
“We’ve had the whole weekend, plus Monday, Tuesday and now Wednesday, and pretty much everyone is already where they need to be.
“So if you have left it late to travel by rail today, you’re likely to have a fairly smooth and comfortable journey.
“But it’s important to be clear that services will be winding down much earlier than normal this evening.
Simon Calder said that some Christmas Eve trains have been cancelled
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GB NEWS
“For example, if you’re travelling from London to either Edinburgh or Glasgow, the last trains are at around 4:30pm.
“The final train running anywhere in the country will depart at two minutes to midnight, from Stansted Airport to London Liverpool Street. So do check before you travel.
“On the CrossCountry issues, the company says that if anyone does get stuck, rail replacement buses will be put on to get everyone where they need to be.”
He added: “On Saturday the 27th, Waterloo Station, one of the busiest in the country, is going to be closed.
Staff shortages had affected certain routes
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GB News“And frankly, on the West Coast Main Line, from London to the West Midlands, here in the North West of England and on to Scotland.
“There are going to be problems from Saturday all the way through until mid-January. So, good luck everybody.”
Christmas Eve traffic is expected to reach its highest levels since the Covid pandemic, according to the RAC.
The motoring organisation predicts around 4.2 million drivers will be on the roads, with popular routes busier than usual between 11am and 7pm.
It warned the worst time to travel will be between 1pm and 7pm, when congestion is expected to peak.
More than 37 million people are expected to have made road journeys to visit friends and family over the week running up to Christmas, the RAC said, the highest level since it began recording the figures in 2013.
The most congested areas on Christmas Eve are expected to be along the M25, clockwise from Junction 15 for the M4 to junction 19 to Watford, and anticlockwise from junction 10 to Kingston to junction 6 to East Grinstead, the RAC said.