Train Travel

[stuartbert two hats]

I've not got travel sorted out yet and if I end up on public transport, I'm considering taking the train instead of the coach. I've drawn up a list of personal pros and cons . If anyone has any more to add, please let me know:

Pros:

* It's about an hour quicker.

* For me, the train will drop me off in Stockport, rather than being dropped off in Manchester and having to wall across the city centre only to get on the train.

* You can have a bit of a walk around.

* There will probably be a shop on at least one of the trains.

* Probably slightly comfier seats.

* The return ticket is an open return which means I can do the Monday more on my own timetable. No getting up at 5 or waiting for hours in the sun/rain without shelter. (Or does it? See below)

* Possibly more space for luggae???

Cons:

* It's a bit pricier

* No guarantee of a seat. Particularly worrying on the Monday

* It's an open return. This means I won't have a seat booked, so might be waiting for the shuttle coach for hours. Are there any facilities/shelter?

* Making train connections with a broken body on the way back doesn't sound like much fun.

* Not as likely to be able to get a Burger King or some such treat on the way back

 

Have a missed anything? Do I have any misconceptions? 

[Mash011]

Hm it's probably about time I was thinking about transport. If train's more expensive that counts it out for me - got to go with whatever's cheapest. Thinking of going to Exeter on the way back this time rather than all the way to my permanent home to shave a few hours off the travel time. Found the journey back really hellish last year - had a coach ticket that stopped in London so I had to get the tube and a train to get home which was quite unpleasant in a post-Glastonbury state (as I imagine it was for the people around me). 

Will I be okay to wait until I've paid the balance to book my transport or will there be some sort of price hike?

[grayfitz]

From what I remember last year, the trains going from London to Castle Cary and back, they count the numbers of passengers going on each train so not many more people get on the train than there are seats. Unless you're the unlucky person at the end of the line, you should get a seat. 

[stuartbert two hats]

15 minutes ago, Scruffylovemonster said:

BK is a nothing con really. You'll be asleep on the train and there'ss be some sort of buffet car if you have enough money for plastic burgers. If you can afford it for me, it's a no brainer. Train every time. Chances of trains being full all way very slight unless there's mass cancellations.

Each to their own, I've done the coach several times and I'd far rather have BK (or whatever else is on offer at the service station) than what is generally on offer on the train.

Unfortunately, I'm the kind of person who never sleeps on public transport. Never slept on a train, never sleep on the coach back from Glasto. I've watch a coach full of people sleep loads of times!

[stuartbert two hats]

9 minutes ago, grayfitz said:

From what I remember last year, the trains going from London to Castle Cary and back, they count the numbers of passengers going on each train so not many more people get on the train than there are seats. Unless you're the unlucky person at the end of the line, you should get a seat. 

Thanks for the info. How easy is it to actually get on a train/shuttle bus?

EDIT: Also thanks to Scruff for trying to tell me the same thing.

Edited January 23, 2016 by stuartbert two hats

[grayfitz]

From Castle Cary to the festival they've got a pretty constant stream of buses waiting to take people to the Pedestrian Gate - with a train coming in every hour, they're pretty much ready to go as soon as they're full. Last year from leaving the train, I walked straight onto a bus and was through the turnstile an hour later. 

 

Coming back, I think it'd depend on what time you got to the buses on Monday, but it took me about 20 minutes to queue for a shuffle bus, 20 minute journey and another 30 min wait for the train back to London - managed to get on the first train that arrived as they separate out people by destination. 

I thought it it was a good system and wouldn't hesitate to get the train again this year.

[maelzoid]

I've trained it a few times.

Getting to the festival (I usually go after work on Wednesday evening), its an absolute dream - very quick and you just hop on a shuttle bus straight away. Last year I finished work at 17:30 (in Bath) and had my tent up and first beer before 8.

Getting home is another story. A lot of queuing to get on the shuttle bus (1 to 2 hours), a long bus journey (they have the buses wait somewhere en route so as not to clog castle cary) and then a big wait at the station.  All in it took the best part of 5 hours to get home. Not terrible, but of course I was feeling a bit lousy anyway.  

[russycarps]

I've done it the last two times. It's definitely my preferred method, but last year I had a similar experience to the fellow above on the way home, but I left at peak time. If you can sit tight till late afternoon there'll be no queues at all.

I've never failed to get a seat either, and you can drink booze at your seat.

[Heather90]

Last year was my first time and i ended up getting the national express from Leeds. Got to site about 8.30am Wednesday and left at 10.30 Monday. Perfect timing, no stress, very little queue to get in, guaranteed seat. 

Why don't you use the money saved on a taxi from Manchester back home? 

[stuartbert two hats]

3 minutes ago, Heather90 said:

Last year was my first time and i ended up getting the national express from Leeds. Got to site about 8.30am Wednesday and left at 10.30 Monday. Perfect timing, no stress, very little queue to get in, guaranteed seat. 

Why don't you use the money saved on a taxi from Manchester back home? 

I'm not really that bothered by the walk across Manchester, it's not very stressful as trains leave to Stockport every few minutes. Not enough to pay that much for a direct cab anyway

Question for anyone who has done both - which can you take more luggae on?

[Wow-wys-buzzing]

I got the train there and back last year. Really good on the way there met some cool people, at Castle Cary they had a band playing while we waiting for buses (free). So was really good.

Way back was horrible, really sunny and hot, feeling awful waiting around on platforms and train connections and stuff, would rather have got coach back, put stuff in the hold out the way and just gone to sleep, I felt awful. Although it is amusing to see so many people so wrecked from a weekend of fun! 

So, I recommend train there, but not on the way back.

[giantkatestacks]

I think the previous poster has hit it on the head there really. I dont think theres much in it in terms of luggage as the biggest restriction is what you can heft and thats the same with both options. 

I coach both ways and its easier for me to get to victoria coach station than it is Paddington and for the price I dont want to stress about having or not having a seat but in your shoes I would consider a train down and a coach back.  

[incident]

4 hours ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Pros:

* It's about an hour quicker.

Cons:

* Not as likely to be able to get a Burger King or some such treat on the way back

Careful with the "quicker" comparison.. Remember that the Train Timetable shows you the time of arrival/departure at Castle Cary. Make sure you've factored in time to/from get to the site - at quiet times if everything joins up well, I'd allow 45 minutes. Double that at the peaks on Wednesday, and possibly quadruple that at about 10am Monday going back.

If you've got an open train ticket, then you can probably get whatever food you want on the way back. I'm not sure about your exact route, but I assume that if you're going up north then theres a good chance that one of your changes is at a major interchange such as Birmingham New Street, and they'll generally have the same kind of food options as a Service Station if not better - although its worth mentioning that going by train you'll have to carry your kit everywhere you go whereas you can just leave it on a coach stopped at a service station.

I've done both, and as you say they both have pros and cons. Both are viable options.

For what its worth, my current plans this year (could change, but probably won't).. Train to Bristol, hotel overnight then coach to the site early doors Wednesday. Direct coach back to Nottingham on the Monday - but I've got the advantage that from the coach station I can then get a direct local bus almost to my door with very little further walking. Over the years I've used just about every combination of trains/buses/driving/lift sharing/etc and I think that's my favourite.

[AdamWillingham]

I only have to come back to Exeter but I have caught the train for the last two years and I think its such a superior way of travelling. Getting off the train and basically straight onto a shuttle bus and then walk straight in through Gate A, never had an issue. Plenty of room for luggage and plenty of space on the Wednesday going up. 

On Monday it is a slightly different story as waiting for the shuttle bus to Castle Cary can sometimes take a while but not that much of a problem. Then once at the station wait about 30 minutes and onto the next train home. Not quite as much room on the way back but usually get a seat but have to plop my luggage on my lap. 

I think I'll always stick with the train, its cheap, quick, easy. Just no faff really. 

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

5 hours ago, russycarps said:

 

I've never failed to get a seat either, and you can drink booze at your seat.

You've just got to be talking about on the way there only? What kind of monster would still be drinking on the way home?

[Badlands]

Plus one on the healing virtues of a service station Burger King stop. Double whopper with cheese and a chicken royal.... no fries! 

[russycarps]

1 hour ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

You've just got to be talking about on the way there only? What kind of monster would still be drinking on the way home?

Ha maybe 20 years ago but now just the thought is horrifying!

[stuartbert two hats]

I've drunk beer on the coach plenty of times.

[H.M.V]

I quite like a drink on the Monday. But only after getting to the hotel and having a shower. Then going out and having a G&T with lots of ice. The luxury of ice after 5 days of warmish drinks. Don't get hammered mind. 

In response to the question, I think if i had the option I'd go for the train, you've got loo's rather than having to wait for the stop and also a bit of freedom to mooch about. The coach back to Liverpool the first year I went was a hellish 8 hour journey cos the driver change was cocked up. You can only carry what you can carry so coach/train same difference.

[stuartbert two hats]

What about trollys on the train? You can't normally get a trolly on the coach.

[bennyhana22]

You missed a Pro of the coach.

If you are an idiot obsessive, and wish to be banging on the gate at 0630h on Wednesday morning, demanding that Michael and Emily let you in so that you can spend every conceivable second of the five days inside the superfence, then it has to be the 0315h coach from Birmingham, surely?

Can the train match that? Huh? Can it? Pah!

Ben

[fatyeti24]

32 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

What about trollys on the train? You can't normally get a trolly on the coach.

How much stuff are you planning on taking?

[little_jim]

Always done the coach myself for Glastonbury National Express are local just up the road no need to get into London from Essex, getting to and though London Underground any day of the week is a ball ache, rush hour on a weds morning with camping gear will be a nightmare.

The Coach I get is rarely full so always plenty of room thank goodness, price is creeping up year after year.

 

Had a few experiences on the underground years back coming home from Reading Festival on the last Bank Holiday of course was always chaos along with the big crowds Notting Hill would always attract. 

 

Of course your not coming from Essex/London so your experience will differ.

[tillyandthewall]

Never went by train, but work in the industry.  Going by the timelapse video of Castle Cary, trains from places other than London seem a little bit less crushed - so if you can, avoid London (put Cheltenham as a 'via' point in the journey planner).

I've watched the crowds at the bus station go though, and on the Monday there's loads for the shuttle as you'd expect, but the double deckers leave every 10-15 minutes or so.

The way I've thought of doing it if I was going by train from the north was to go direct to Bristol Temple Meads, then get the Glasto direct shuttle from there - Bristol's suburbs are a 'mare but it should 'cut a corner'.

Oh and yes I've cracked the booze open on the Monday - waiting in a bus queue, boiling hot, salvaged can is the nearest fluid to hand - gotta be done.

[musky]

Plenty of people do take trolleys on a coach, although it can't be guaranteed. A few years back I saw a woman being told she couldn't get on the coach with her backpack and trolley, but then they just ushered her off so she could take another waiting coach. Mind you, that was London where the coaches leaving pretty much constantly - Manchester may be different. 

 

As to the availability of loos, every coach I've ever taken (including Seetickets ones)  have had a loo, so that shouldn't be an issue.