First time to Glasto car-less - trains?!

[jimmy_crack_connor]

Hi guys, fifth time to Glasto this year but first time without my car (just sold as I'm moving into London) so I'm pretty clueless how I'm going to get there.

There's a few of us going, but most are going in a campervan. Just me and 1 other friend that have to find our own way there.

Just wondering what the best thing to do is to get there - ie what station is it best to go to, and how do you get to the site from the station?

Can't say I'm looking forward to Monday morning but oh well!

Many thanks

[Cooter]

Not an expert but I'm guessing coaches from Victoria more or less direct to the area, National Express perhaps and they are cheap. Or trains from Victoria, Castle Cary will be your nearest station to the festival, free shuttle buses from there to the fest.

[HurrahBrother]

I believe that the trains are from Paddington

Then change at Castle Carey for a shuttle bus.

Coach, From Victoria, when things go soothe, about 4 hours travel time.

I can testify that boarding at Victoria more or less treats the time on your ticket as a vague approximation. 1 queue, usually about an hour long, between 2 to 4 busses leaving every 10-15 minutes. They will often make a call out for anyone that has a ticket that has a departure time of an hour ago and fast track you to the front!

The luggage restrictions are loosely applied, my Rucksack, tent, barrel bag are all over the usual limits but I have never been refused (the key guidance seems to be don't take the piss) but you may have to take some stuff on with you.

Once on, you get off at the coach station at the site, the same the Castle Carey shuttle bus drops off at.

It sounds like a right palava, but trust me, it really is plain sailing.

When you get there, if you feel that you have well over packed, there is a lock up to leave some of your stuff just inside the coach station gate. The last couple of years have been particularly hot on arrival, I have dropped my rucksack off there, gone to find where I wanted to camp with the tent, pitched tent, then went back for the rucksack.

[br guy]

I've been by National Express coach from Victoria, and See tickets coach from Victoria Embankment nr Charing Cross. Apart from a bit of a scrum getting on - good if you have two people, one to drop off luggage, one to get seats - its plain sailing, straight to the gate, no hassel, no changing trains/coaches etc. On the way back, you get allocated a big 'cattle pen' holding area depending on your ticket time, and just sit and wait for coach to arrive. Both ways, you get whisked past all the car drivers queueing up, as I think they use different routes in and out.

Edited April 14, 2011 by br guy

[ukslim]

Yep, I agree, if you're in London, get yourself to Victoria and take the coach. Drops you off right at the gate; brilliant.

Anyone else reading, just think about where you're going to be changing etc. - factor in the journey to the coach station / rail station; any changes, including the one at Castle Cary station if you train it, and pick the option that's the least hassle for you.

[HurrahBrother]

Yep, my "about 4 hours" if from the coach leaving Victoria Coach station. (time table says 3 and a half but it is always more around 4 hours).

[jimmy_crack_connor]

Yep, my "about 4 hours" if from the coach leaving Victoria Coach station. (time table says 3 and a half but it is always more around 4 hours).

[sparklydocs]

Double check your timings mate - first Nat Ex coaches back from 4pm are on the Sunday, not Monday

I usually get the 8 or 8.30 bus back on the Monday morning, then the train from London back to Newcastle (bargain train ticket of the princely sum of £12). As an earlier poster said you do tend to get out of the immediate surrounding area fairly quick, as coaches take a slightly different route out to cars. However once on the main A roads and motorway, you join the rest of the Glasto traffic and journey times back to London often take longer than advertised - plus if the driver is over his allocated time due to traffic jams, they then have to take a compulsory 45 min break at a service station. Worth keeping in mind if you have to make a connecting train/coach journey

Personally I think £44 for return isn't too bad - bear in mind that Nat Ex usually hire in a wodge of private hire coaches from other companies to cover for the volume of passengers, no doubt the private companies charge a fair bit to hire out the coaches and drivers to Nat Ex.

Edited April 19, 2011 by sparklydocs

[Spliffman]

Hire a small cheap car