Travel misery as holidaymakers face huge queues on roads, at ports and stations

People planning to travel abroad this weekend may face huge delays.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games got underway on Friday, as millions of people were expected to embark on summer getaways.

Many schools in England and Wales broke up for summer this week and drivers are being warned to expect a "weekend of woe" on the roads as millions of families head away.

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There is currently disruption at two of the busiest airports in the UK, as well as a build up of traffic at the ferry terminal in Dover.

Bristol live reports how there are long delays at check-in at Heathrow Airport and at Manchester Airport, with a number of flights cancelled in London. Traffic has also come to a halt on the A20 heading towards Dover in Kent as people flock to the port.

Eurostar passengers are also desperately trying to get alternative tickets to Paris after an arson attack in France sparked train cancellations. Four trains from St Pancras in London to Paris were cancelled on Saturday, affecting thousands of passengers.

Disruption is expected to last until Monday and travellers have been advised to postpone their journeys where possible.

On Saturday, there was only a handful of seats were available to book on the remaining London to Paris Eurostar services. Tickets for overnight coaches arriving in the French capital on Sunday morning were selling for as much as £197 through Flixbus.

Zissia Patel, 46, said Friday’s cancelled 4.31pm train has meant her 12-year-old daughter is waiting alone in a cafe in Paris after the plan to pick her up on Saturday morning fell through because of the chaos.

The university administrator, who was visiting family in London, said she was told she could not rebook to a different train online and had to come into St Pancras instead. She said: "My daughter is alone in a cafe in Paris so I want to be with her. She’s only 12. I'm just trying to keep my calm. My child is alone in a cafe."

Olivia Atwell was in tears as she waited behind Ms Patel in the slow-moving Eurostar queue. The 26-year-old Australian said she had not slept since getting on a 5.40am flight from Sydney to London on Friday to watch her cousin, Amy, compete in the women’s basketball at the Olympics.

The accountant, from Sydney, said: "I’ve not slept. If I don’t get a train I’ll get a flight to Paris."

The RAC has estimated that 13.8 million motorists in the UK will embark on leisure trips before the end of Sunday.

There are 3.6 million and 2.9 million trips scheduled for Saturday and Sunday respectively, with around four million more expected at some point between Friday and Sunday.

RAC spokeswoman Alice Simpson said: "To avoid a weekend of woe on the roads during one of the busiest of the year, we’d advise as many people as possible to leave as early as they can to try and disperse car journeys over a longer period. Any holidaymakers – whether they’re driving to a UK destination or heading overseas – should plan their journeys carefully and leave plenty of extra time before setting off."

Transport analytics company Inrix warned drivers wanting to avoid the worst delays not to travel between 12pm and 5pm on Friday or Saturday, and between 11am and 1pm on Sunday.

Inrix transportation analyst Bob Pishue said: "Drivers should expect long queues on major roads when heading to and from their destinations during this summer getaway. Being flexible with your route – whether it’s the time you leave or a journey that’s longer in miles with fewer delays – could also reduce the stress of being held up and make for a more enjoyable trip."