Eid is one of the best days of the year - and for most muslims in the UK, that means a drive. Whether you’re heading across town or making a longer motorway trip to see family, the last thing you want is the day starting with a breakdown, a forgotten bag, or a car full of cranky kids before you’ve even hit the M25.

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The good news is a bit of prep goes a long way. This guide covers everything from checking your car before you leave, to making the motorway more manageable with little ones in tow - so you can focus on celebrating, not the commute.

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1. Check Your Car Before Eid Day

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The day before Eid is always hectic - but spending five minutes checking your car the evening before can save you hours of stress on the day itself. Run through the basics: tyre pressure, oil level, screen wash, and make sure your fuel tank isn’t running on empty. These are small things that are easy to forget but genuinely important, especially if you’re driving long distances.

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It’s also worth quickly checking that all your lights are working - indicators, headlights, and brake lights. If you’ve been putting off a service or there’s a warning light you’ve been ignoring, now is definitely the time to deal with it. A quick look on your manufacturer’s website or your owner’s manual will tell you what each dashboard symbol means. Don’t leave it to chance on Eid, it could seriously impact your plans…

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2. Pack Smart - Especially With Kids

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If you’re travelling with children, packing smart makes a huge difference. Get everything ready the night before - snacks, spare clothes, car seat checks - so the morning isn’t a scramble. A small bag within easy reach (not buried in the boot) for the journey itself is worth its weight in gold when someone needs a tissue or a snack at a junction.

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Snacks, a charged tablet or device, and a few familiar toys or books can keep younger kids content for surprisingly long stretches. It also helps to explain to kids where you’re going and how long it’ll take - even toddlers respond well to knowing what’s happening. Plan at least one stop if you’re travelling more than 90 minutes, both for the kids and for you.

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3. Motorway Tips for Long Eid Journeys

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Eid morning motorways can be busy - particularly on routes between major cities like London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Bradford. If you can, try to leave either early in the morning before the rush, or later in the afternoon after the main wave of traffic has moved. Checking live traffic on Google Maps or Waze before you set off takes two minutes and can save you forty and a headache.

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On the motorway, keep two seconds of distance between you and the car in front - more in wet weather. If you’re driving for over two hours, take a break. Motorway services can be pricey but the stops themselves are free, and a 15-minute break reduces fatigue significantly, make sure you take a break every 2 hours.

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4. Plan Your Route (and Have a Backup)

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It sounds obvious, but lots of people set off on Eid without actually planning the route properly - assuming it’ll be fine because they’ve done it before. Traffic on Eid can be unpredictable, especially around mosque areas, town centres, and busy residential streets. Plan your route the night before and check for any roadworks or known delays.

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It’s also worth having a rough backup route in mind, particularly if you’re going through a city centre. Sat nav will usually reroute you automatically, but knowing the general direction means you’re not completely reliant on phone service/signal. If you’re parking at someone’s house in a busy area, drop them a message ahead of time to ask where to park, it’ll save circling the street in your Eid clothes.

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Visiting family on Eid should feel like a celebration from the moment you leave the house - not a test of patience. A bit of prep the night before, some snacks, and a sensible route plan is genuinely all it takes to make the journey smooth. Safe travels, and Eid Mubarak from all of us at Ayan.

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