How can I travel to Glastonbury Festival?

Chloe Harcombe
BBC News, West of England
PA Media Image of queues of people attending Glastonbury in 2023PA Media
More than a third of festival ticket-holders travel to Worthy Farm via public transport

With just days to go before the gates of Glastonbury Festival open, many will be in the process of planning their journeys.

About 200,000 people are expected to descend on Worthy Farm in Somerset. With various modes of transport available, some may be considering what their options are.

The site can be reached by train, coach, bike or car - but festival-goers are encouraged to "travel green" by making eco-friendly journeys.

There is also a carbon calculator which can be used to compare emissions between different methods of transport.

Trains

For those arriving by train, a free shuttle-bus service will be provided between the festival site and the nearest train station at Castle Cary.

Great Western Railway (GWR) will be running more than 55 trains from London Paddington to Castle Cary over the three days between 25 and 27 June.

During that period, a total of 37,000 seats will be available to meet the high demand, with an additional 16,000 seats for the return journey on 30 June.

Luggage space is limited onboard, and trolleys and sack barrows are prohibited on both buses and trains.

Tolga Akmen Image of Glastonbury attendees boarding a train at London Paddington. Many people are carrying large bags and camping equipmentTolga Akmen
Train passengers need to make reservations, said GWR

Passengers will have to disembark at Castle Cary to board a free shuttle bus which will take them directly to Worthy Farm. The bus station is next to Pedestrian Gate A.

You will need to show your festival ticket to board the bus service to the site.

If you are travelling in a group of three or more, you can save a third off some journeys with GroupSave.

Coaches, buses and bikes

National Express - the festival's official coach partner - is once again running direct services from more than 90 locations across the UK straight to the festival gates.

The event will have a dedicated area for hired coaches of 15 seats and above to drop off and pick up festival-goers, located at Bronze Gate.

From here, ticket holders can walk to Pedestrian Gate A.

Festival-goers who live locally can also board buses from Bristol, Bath, Wells, and Castle Cary.

Getty Images A huge crowd of people carrying luggage and tents into Glastonbury Festival. They are queuing up the grass between metal barriers, ready to go through security.Getty Images
Pedestrian gates will open to ticket holders at 08:00 BST on Wednesday 25 June

To encourage sustainable transport, Bike To Glasto provides free, secure bike lock-ups, as well as a designated cyclists-only campsite which includes showers.

Luggage transfer solutions are also available, or a courier service can be used to deliver bags from home to enable an "unencumbered" journey.

Cars

Those who choose to drive are encouraged to "make the most" of their mileage and reduce their carbon footprint by car sharing.

"This will go a long way to help look after our environment, reduce carbon emissions and lessen the cost of travel," organisers said.

Car parks open at 21:00 BST on Tuesday, allowing festival-goers to arrive throughout the night when traffic volumes are low.

Parking passes are non-transferable, and attempts to re-sell them may result in their cancellation.

The worst time to arrive by car is between 07:00 and 14:00 on Wednesday, organisers said.

Getty Images Image of cars parked in a field at GlastonburyGetty Images
Car parks open at 21:00 on Tuesday

In recent years, queues into the car parks from the A39 have taken several hours to clear, while it took less than an hour for those travelling on the A37.

Drivers of electric vehicles have been urged to plan ahead and ensure they have sufficient battery for their journeys to and from the festival.

The rural farm location has limited capacity to offer charging on-site, and local charge points are expected to be busy.

All drivers will need a parking pass if leaving their vehicles on-site.

PA Media Image of the crowd at Glastonbury Festival 2023PA Media
About 200,000 people are expected to attend the festival this year

The gates will open to the public at 08:00 on Wednesday.

British band The 1975, rock legend Neil Young and US pop star Olivia Rodrigo will be headlining this summer.

Other notable acts on the line-up include Charli XCX, Wolf Alice, The Libertines, Wet Leg, Biffy Clyro, Franz Ferdinand and The Prodigy.

If you missed out on tickets this year, full coverage will be available on BBC radio and television as well as BBC Sounds and iPlayer.

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