For half the country, it is the most popular week of the year for visiting bars and clubs. Most UK adults have eight festive events on their December calendar – rising to 11 for Londoners – and for 49%, the third week of December is the busiest of all.

And of course not all celebrations are planned, this is the season of spontaneity, and four out of ten admit to having a cheeky drink when they didn’t mean to.

Trainline – in collaboration with THINK! – commissioned a survey of 2,000 adult drinkers and found that almost four in ten will find themselves drinking spontaneously this month, with 57% also saying they drink more alcohol in December.

Christmas markets, with the temptation of mulled wine, top the list of where people will drink unexpectedly, followed by festive light shows and visits to relatives.

The reasons for doing so are to “get in the Christmas spirit” for 48%, connect with old friends (37%) and simply enjoy a free drink (31%).

And while 38% say they will opt for unplanned drinking sessions in December, nearly half (45%) say they feel much more relaxed at an event when they have their journey home covered.

For this reason, Trainline collaborated with the government’s road safety campaign THINK! to encourage people to enjoy themselves, but if possible plan ahead and take a train to travel home safely.

The campaign was launched with eye-catching ‘Hop on a Train’ billboard ads featuring pints of hoppy beer, but Trainline is keen to stress that you can still travel safely if your seasonal event turns into a spontaneous session by using the app to check live journey times and book tickets.

The message is particularly relevant at this time of year as 18% of all traffic fatalities involve drunk driving.

Pete Wade, Chief Commercial Officer at Trainline said: “Our aim with the Hop on a Train campaign, in partnership with Think!, is to remind those celebrating this Christmas season to get ahead and plan their journey, allowing for more freedom and fun with friends and family in December. That’s why we’re making booking train travel as quick and easy as possible, so you can soon relax and focus on enjoying the festivities safe in the knowledge that your journey home is sorted.”

Lilian Greenwood MP, Minister for Future Roads said: “The festive season is a time to celebrate, but it’s also a time to be safe. Around 18% of all road deaths involve drunk driving. That’s why we’re proud to be involved. forces with Trainline to urge people to make safe choices this Christmas holiday. By planning ahead and using public transport, we can all enjoy the festivities while keeping our roads safe for everyone.”

To book in advance and save this winter visit Trainline.com or download app.