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Help me avoid travel chaos at start of UK schools Easter break

Posted by (New England ) on

Looking for insight from locals on degree of travel chaos associated with the Easter school holidays, and any advice how to minimize its impact on us.

I’m visiting the Isle of Wight with a friend from Tuesday March 24 to Friday March 27, 2026. On Friday March 27 we were planning to take a passenger ferry back to the mainland, then a train to the Heathrow area for an overnight before flying home to Boston on Saturday March 28. I am now realizing that the last day of school before Easter break is that same Friday, March 27.

  • Will ferries off the Isle of Wight and trains from Southampton (or Portsmouth) toward Heathrow be crazy on that Friday?
  • Should we leave the Isle of Wight as early as practical on that Friday (while school is still in session, haha)?
  • Will Heathrow be jammed on the Saturday March 28 with UK families leaving on holiday?
  • Would flying home on the Sunday or Monday be more advisable?
  • Anything else I should take into consideration?

Thanks in advance!

Posted by
10743 posts

The school holidays don't start until 3 April in Hampshire (which is quite common around the UK)- that is they break up on Maundy Thursday so the question of beating the rush seems a bit academic.
We use the same dates in Cumberland (the Lake District).
In any event why would you think that everyone is leaving the Isle of Wight for Easter?- many will have a role in their own tourist economy.
If you wait until after the morning peak the trains from either Portsmouth or Southampton are long enough that they aren't super busy, and presumably you will be getting off at Woking (on the edge of London) to take the bus direct to Heathrow, so before the London suburban masses join the trains.
London is different and their break does start on the Friday. (27 March) So Heathrow may well be busy, but then locals going off into Europe are very likely to be using the budget carriers from Gatwick, Luton and Stansted. So whether Heathrow will be that busy is open to debate.

Posted by
1907 posts

No it won’t be crazily busy. The exact dates vary a bit around the country because each local authority sets its own holidays, and obviously Easter moves each year. Here in Bristol schools break up on 3rd April.

The busiest time for travel will be over the Easter bank holiday weekend itself. That’s when you everyone is off work and feeling like doing something.

Posted by
5868 posts

There isn't a mass exodus from the Isle of Wight to the mainland at the beginning of any of the school holidays (the price of the ferry tickets prevent that!) so I wouldn't worry about the ferries being packed.

Friday 27th March will be the last day of term so the kids will still be in school that day albeit some for only half a day. If any families will be flying abroad for the Easter break then they are likely to be departing from Gatwick or Bournemouth airport as those airports are used more for holiday flights and most families will drive to the airport rather than take the train.

I don't think you have much to be concerned about.

Posted by
10743 posts

If going by train you can buy a through ticket from any Isle of Wight station to any mainland station, including either the ferry to Portsmouth Harbour or the Hovercraft to Southsea then the Hoverbus to the station.
You can almost always buy Advance Tickets (train specific) on demand- so for the next Hovercraft today at 1303 it is £38.70 through fare from Ryde to Woking or £43.10 on the conventional ferry at 1305.
Probably no more expensive than if bought weeks in advance.
And those fares qualify for national railcard 33% discounts- so an excellent deal. A rare but not unique case of a railcard giving discount on a ferry.

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