3 replies to this topic

[bindibrit]

Hi all,

New to the forum, but I had a question I was hoping someone who'd been to Pukkelpop before may be able to answer.  I was wondering if it was possible to take a campervan and park it in the carpark and walk into the festival every day? On the website it states there is no dedicated parking for campervans in the camping field so I wondered if this could be an option. Either that or are there any campsites close to the festival (walking distance or in the town where the buses run to and from the festival)?

Many thanks in advance, Linda

[Semprini]

I don't know for definite but I doubt you'd be allowed to sleep in your campervan in the official festival car park. I've seen before in the terms and conditions of festivals in the UK where it states that you can't sleep in your car/van in the car parks, probably due to fire or health and safety regulations. It could be different in Belgium but the fact that it states on the website 'no campervans' most probably means you wouldn't be allowed to stay in one in the car park.

I had a look on a map and there's a campsite just south of Hasselt (sorry, can't remember what it was called) but it looks to be about 6-8 miles from the festival site. I think you'd have some problems getting back there each night though, unless you were prepared to pay for a taxi from Hasselt.

Probably your best bet would be to park up in one of the many public car parks in Hasselt and then take the free buses in and out of the festival. There's a few large pay and display car parks around the centre of town or parking bays on most of the main roads (again, pay and display). I don't know what the law is on that but I suppose no one would really know you're in there if the curtains are closed  

One final option, if you fancy hedging your bets, would be to contact the organisers and see if they'll let you stay in the backstage compound. I'm sure I remember someone posting a story on a forum a few years ago when they were also looking for somewhere to stay in a campervan. They emailed the organisers and explained they were travelling over from the UK and they let them park up with all the tour buses. The email address I've used in the past was: info@pukkelpop.be but I emailed them a month or so ago about something and they haven't got back to me. It seems like they're trying to direct everything through the question box on the official website this year as there's no email address to be found anywhere.

Good luck  

[rabhartaigh]

There are a few free car parks in hasselt centre itself. There are two at the train station on each side of the tracks, the other at the dusartplein and another at the canal(across from the holiday inn).
You can park there all day for free but at your own risk. the rest of the parking round hasselt is paid and the ticket inspectors do the rounds regularly( even towing away vehicles with foriegn numberplates).

If you dont manage to find anywhere to park at the site itself and cant get anywhere close then the station car park would probably be your best bet.The car park i have used on regular occasions is on the spoorwegstraat, this one is right across the tracks from the station so you would have easy access to the buses running to and from the festival.
The best time to get a space there would be in the afternoon as it is used by a lot of people who travel to work by train in the morning.

[bindibrit]

Hi Semprini and Raghartlaigh, some really useful suggestions there. I will indeed try emailing Pukkelpop direct, worth a try! With all these things, where there's a will, there's a way. Thanks for all the parking suggestions too, it's good to know the options form someone who's actually been there.