For most, the festive drive back to the family home at Christmas really gets you in the mood for the season of eating, drinking and being merry. However, for many disgruntled UK public transport users, it is a time of extortionately inflated prices, cramped carriages and long journeys home.

To combat this, vehicle hire firm Sixt, Europe’s leading car rental company, is aiming to assist commuters with their annual pilgrimage home by providing a rather more luxurious yet thrifty alternative to rival the cost of festive train travel.

The cost of hiring a Volvo V50 manual estate with Sixt for four full days across the Christmas period, including petrol costs for a return journey to the selected location, can be up to £1,225.53 less than the cost of a 1st class return train journey home based on four passengers.

In particular, those travelling from London to far flung destinations such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle can reap the biggest benefits with the minimum saving coming in at a whopping £704.

As well as the mammoth savings, users also receive the extensive benefits and freedom of having access to a vehicle for use across the entire festive period. Satellite navigation systems can also be added to bookings for less than £10.

Paul McLoughlin, Managing Director, of Sixt UK, said: “The drive home for Christmas is for many one of the most exciting drives of the year, as people are looking forward to seeing loved ones and returning back to their home town. Though, for some, the journey is a source of annoyance as rising travel costs and over-crowded public transport leaves passengers disgruntled and out of pocket at a time of year when they need spare cash the most.

“At Sixt, we are always looking at ways of keeping costs down for our customers and it is encouraging to see that we can offer a viable, luxurious and competitive alternative to taking public transport at the inflated seasonal prices.”

Travel cost comparison table

Route	Train cost* (£)	Car hire cost** (£)	Saving (£)
London – Bristol	468	354.99	113.01
London - Nottingham	416	356.62	59.38
London - Manchester	1,596	370.47	1,225.53
London - Edinburgh	1,560	430.6	1,156.40
London - Cardiff	376	360.61	15.39
London - Glasgow	1,108	403.43	704.57
London - Swansea	612	366.67	245.33
London - Liverpool	936	370.68	565.32
London - Norwich	426	354.66	71.34
London - Leeds	944	368.01	575.99
London – Exeter	1,034	368.44	665.56
London – Newcastle	1,104	382.98	721.02