“Wherever you’re driving this holiday season, make sure you plan ahead,” said a spokesperson for the Transport Management Centre. “There’ll be extra traffic from this afternoon as some school students are starting their holidays. The weekend before Christmas will also be particularly busy, as will Boxing Day.”

Traffic will be heavy on roads out of Sydney and in regional areas, including:

 The M1 Pacific Motorway through the Central Coast and Hunter, particularly between Tuggerah and Morisset, and approaching John Renshaw Drive in Beresfield

 The New England Highway through Tarro in the Hunter

 The Pacific Highway between Hexham and Raymond Terrace in the Hunter

 The Pacific Highway through Coffs Harbour on the Mid North Coast  The Pacific Highway through Woodburn on the North Coast

 The Great Western Highway through the Blue Mountains

 The Hume Motorway between Campbelltown and Mittagong

 The Princes Motorway and the Princes Highway through Albion Park Rail in the Illawarra

 The Princes Highway through Bomaderry, Nowra, Milton and Ulladulla on the South Coast

 The Kings Highway through Braidwood and between Nelligen and Batemans Bay Roads approaching Sydney Airport will be busy throughout the school holidays.

 Traffic around the airport is expected to be heaviest on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.

 The International Terminal is usually busiest from 6:30am to 11:30am.

 The Domestic Terminals are usually busiest from 6:30am to 11:30am and from 6pm to 10pm.

“You can avoid the airport traffic by catching a T8 Airport & South Line train instead. If you must drive, give yourself plenty of extra time,” said the spokesperson.

To plan your trip on public transport visit transportnsw.info For the latest traffic information visit livetraffic.com