help we're a bit stuck

[Ben Ahmed]

Hi All,

Is anyone travel to Glasto on the coach from London on Thursday at 6.30? We are and need to get to the coach from Brighton and are a bit stuck. The first train gets in for 6.23 and I think 7 mins is chancing it.

What is everyone doing? Anyone in the same boat?

Also, we only bought single and wondered if anyone had space for 2 people on the way back from Glasto to Brighton on Monday.

Thanks in advance,

Ben

[LusciousLucy]

This is AM I take it?

I have just checked National Rail enquiries and there is a train to London Victoria leaving at 3.50am arrives at 05.55am with one change. £22 single.

There is a direct coach service from Glastonbury Festival that runs from the festival to Brighton on the Monday. There will be posters up on site dotted about site/ask at an info point.

Happy travels xxx

PS do a search on June 22nd instead of 23rd and put in 23.45pm. This lists the early hours trains instead of the first trains out. The change is at Gatwick Airport.

Edited June 8, 2011 by LusciousLucy

[Ben Ahmed]

Hey Lucy,

Thanks for the information and the heads up. I'll have a closer look at the train times.

Will also keep my eyes peeled for coach services back around the site.

Both me and my mum are newbies to Glasto so probably asking fairly obvious questions.

Ben xx

[Superscally]

Maybe try hiring a car and seeing if there's a 24 hour drop off point near the coach station - prob a decent chance. Dunno about cost though?

Good luck guys - have a good un!

[Ben Ahmed]

Maybe try hiring a car and seeing if there's a 24 hour drop off point near the coach station - prob a decent chance. Dunno about cost though?

Good luck guys - have a good un!

[Nyika]

The Big Lemon is running a coach service to and from Brighton, deffo worth checking them out.

[Superscally]

Thanks mate - only prob is we must be the only two people that don't drive! Have check with a few of my pals, but its a bit of an ask to get them out of bed at 4am to drive us to LDN when they didnt get tickets. Thought I might happen on someone that wanted to split a cab or something or some miracle but may have to stump the £120 for a taxi on my own or forgo a 3am start, which I am sure a lot of people do and I'd happily do, but have my mum with me and dont know how she'll hold up.

[Ben Ahmed]

I'm pretty sure there's a cheap youth hostel nr Victoria which I think is where you'll be going from - you should head in a day early, get some decent shut eye and the cost of the hostel/hotel will certainly be less than a cab at that time of morning. So cool you're taking your mum - would have loved to have took mine!

[nat2006]

Hi, I don't know which coach service you are using but I am using National Express and get it every year from London Victoria to Glasto.

I have never got a coach on time (last year booked on 7am but probably got it maybe 8am)

Year before should have got coach at 1pm (but didn't get on until until 4pm due to shortage of coaches. I don't know if National express were anywhere that they had laid on coaches to glasto that year?, ha)

Usually there is a little back log from the coach before, and there is a coach at 6am this year which might start the delay.

I do not believe that National Express would deny you to get on the 7am coach if you do miss it. I do think that at 7am people booked for 6.30 will still be at Victoria coach station (are my sentences making any sense?,lol)

Eitherwise, email and ask to take the next coach after 6.30?

Good luck x

[nat2006]

Btw good luck, and it is ever so sweet that you are going with your mother. xxx

[nat2006]

Also- if you know where you are going when you get out of Victoria (and you travelling fairly light) you can easily walk it in less than 10 minutes (but I wouldn't recommend rushing your mother) xxx

Edited June 9, 2011 by nat2006

[Ben Ahmed]

Hi Nat,

Thanks for your post. We are taking the coach as part of a ticket/coach combo. Leaves Embankment at 6.30, and if your not on it, no ticket. Bought the ticket in the last few mins of the resale so grabbed whatever I could. Am sure we will sort it out.

You and everyone else on this forum are so helpful and its great to hear so many positive comments and good thoughts.

Yeah my mum is really looking forward to it. Its a treat, as she has been battling cancer and we wanted to spend the year doing mad things that we have never done before.

Thanks again Nat.

Ben xx

[LusciousLucy]

Embankment? You didnt mention this, most coaches leave London from Victoria.

You had best yourself into a hostel/hotel my friend and make sure its somewhere you can check out of easily without having to see the receptionist to settle bills etc. The £10 Travelodge sale started today if that helps.

You also say this is your first Glasto and your mum is going, how packed and prepared are you for this? With coach travel you will be limited with what you can take but mum will need blankets and a comfy mattress I am sure.

[LusciousLucy]

Although, that 3.50am train out of Brighton can get you to Charing Cross which is just above Embankment for 5.53am with 2 changes, one at Three Bridges and the other at London Bridge. This could and would work for you.

[Ben Ahmed]

Hey Lucy,

Sorry, should have been clearer in my original post. Yep we are on the coach/ticket bundle which leaves from Embankment.

We've got the blankets and comfy mattress sorted as we are staying in a pre pitched Belle Tent, so not too much to lug. Any obvious, or un obvious tips or suggestions would be great...

xx

[LusciousLucy]

Well, apart from finding out how to physically get yourself on a public road along to Gate B from Gate A, once you are at Tangerine Fields, you should be ok.

Dont bother taking/packing a camping chair for mum with you on the bus and buy one there instead to help with the luggage load for starters. You'll be arriving at a decent time to be able to get onto the main site fairly soon and buy chairs once you are there. Pass them on to someone at the end if you can. The prices have actually come down now and there are some fairly good deals to be found in the market area.

Its not that long a walk to TF to the centre of the festival site. And if it all gets too much for mum, you will probably be able to hear the main stage well enough from the Bell Tent.

Dont underestimate the size of the site though obviously. It IS huge there is no denying that but you dont have to see everything. Mum probably wont be too bothered about the Dance Village, do get to the Greenfields for a pamper sesh if she can though. There are plenty of concrete seats about and people are polite enough to get up if you ask them if your mum can rest.

Be prepared for inclement weather. I havent checked myself for a while and the Countryfile forecast on Sunday 19th is the badboy you can make your final plans on. Fingers crossed, even if there is some wettening, it will be minimal and that is always good for the site as the thousands of feet pounding the earth squeeze the water out fairly quickly if the sun comes out swiftly.

If Mum fancies meeting with a group of Efestival folk of the over 40 year old persuasion, there's an 'Old Hag-Gits' meet that is being arranged for Thursday evening where the plan is to find some nice music and drinks and hang out.

Enjoy the fest and keep any more questions coming.

[Ben Ahmed]

Thanks Lucy. That info is invaluable and really reassuring. Will certainly be doing lots of research over the next couple of days.

Let me know the details of the Efetival catch up and i'll try and get us there...

Ben xx

[nat2006]

Hi Ben, I love that your mother is coming with you. I quote my mother a few years ago "you couldn't pay me 500pounds to roll around in a muddy field".

Sorry my info wasn't helpful to seetickets coaches. But if I was you I would contact them just in case you don't make it at 6.30. - I have read on this thread that if you don't make the coach then they hold your ticket at the box office (but I am sure others on here know more than I do)

Well done on getting tickets, from reading these threads alot of people are travelling from inconvenient places just to go.

Did a quick search for you - http://www.smartbackpackers.com/ , type in 21/06 in the top left corner for a night, and it seems that there is a Camden hostel which has free spaces (including in a mixed 4 person dorm) for 18.99 each per person. Then you can tube to Embankment in 6 minutes! That way there is not too much of a rush and you would definitely make your coach and get your ticket.

I hope that helps, I find that people on this forum are really helpful when you need advice

Good luck and tell us how it goes xxx

Edited June 9, 2011 by nat2006

[bigcatmerv]

Then you can tube to Embankment in 6 minutes!

[Ben Ahmed]

Hey Nat,

Don't worry your info was useful none the less. It's always handy to know.

Both me and my mum were the same at first, but then we thought what the hell. I think that I have found someone that could drive us there. Given the train fares, hostels, hotels and the tube fare, it will probably work out the same.

Everyone is really friendly on this site - I feel at times I must be asking questions that seem really obvious to the masses.

Ben

[LusciousLucy]

Tbh, there havent been many Efestival folk bringing their mums along with them.

[Ben Ahmed]

Haha - thats me a trailblazer!! setting the trends for future years!!

[Superscally]

Thank mate. Will certainly look into that as an option. It may well work out us getting a train at 3.50 and just keeping our fingers crossed.

So where you staying? Traveling down from? Is this your first Glasto??

[Ben Ahmed]

Mate - that sounds cool.

[Superscally]

Mate - that sounds cool.