coach/glasto combined tics: ok?

[The_Amazing_Oblong]

I'll be trying for coach tickets for the first time. After sitting in the car for 10 hours + last year on the way in driving can fuck right off. 2 of my sons got the coach and said it was a breeze so that's me sold.

[Alvarhanso]

3 minutes ago, The_Amazing_Oblong said:

I'll be trying for coach tickets for the first time. After sitting in the car for 10 hours + last year on the way in driving can fuck right off. 2 of my sons got the coach and said it was a breeze so that's me sold.

Hate to break it to you but the coach was stuck in the very same traffic... took me about 13 hours to get from Sheffield to site.

 

Obviously with coach though you don't have the hassle of being the driver yourself

[not worthy]

it seems a bit hit and miss from my experiences by coach.

We've had drivers who have used coach only routes coned off from public use who have got to site with no delays and not using main routes.....and drivers who've used the primary public routes and sat in 10 hour queues......always with See Coaches too.

 

[Mr Benn]

If you guy a coach/glasto ticket then decide to cancel it, do you get refunded the full cost of the travel minus £20 admin fee?

 

thanks

[Rudi]

where abouts in London do the London coaches go from?

[Zoo Music Girl]

1 minute ago, Rudi said:

where abouts in London do the London coaches go from?

The coach park at the O2. Annoyingly. 

[Rudi]

really? All of them?!

[Zoo Music Girl]

Just now, Rudi said:

really? All of them?!

Yep, it's pretty huge. And there's only a handful of coaches there at any one time as they load up and move out fairly swiftly. 

It's a pain for me as I'm in Shepherds Bush. But what can you do. 

[Rudi]

1 minute ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

Yep, it's pretty huge. And there's only a handful of coaches there at any one time as they load up and move out fairly swiftly. 

It's a pain for me as I'm in Shepherds Bush. But what can you do. 

Missions! 

[Zoo Music Girl]

2 minutes ago, Rudi said:

Missions! 

Our coach was at 8am last year and I wanted to get there at least half an hour before. I think we left about 6am out of paranoia of any tube difficulties/stuff-carrying woes. I also wanted to miss rush hour. 

[Quark]

This is my dilemma.  Brighton is a damn sight easier for me to get to, and particularly to get home from, but the flexibility of the London departure time is a big draw.

But having said that, if I get through there's no guarantee that the good London times won't have gone anyway!

Edited October 4, 2016 by Quark

[Tartan_Glasto]

Last year I got the NE coach from London. I was told by mates who went last year from London to expect a 4 hour journey cause of traffic. That topped off with the crazy traffic problems this year I was expecting a long slog and annoyed that I only brought 2 beers with me. We arrived at the festival within 2 hours. It was amazing!

[Zoo Music Girl]

Just now, Tartan_Glasto said:

Last year I got the NE coach from London. I was told by mates who went last year from London to expect a 4 hour journey cause of traffic. That topped off with the crazy traffic problems this year I was expecting a long slog and annoyed that I only brought 2 beers with me. We arrived at the festival within 2 hours. It was amazing!

Yeah the NE one would be a lot quicker. The See ones have to make their way all across London from Greenwich first...

[Tartan_Glasto]

To save travelling all the way from Glasgow on my todd, I think I'm gonna hold out to the main sale. Unless I can convince my mate to coach it but he's pretty adamant he wants to drive if he gets a ticket.

[Hugh Jass]

2 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

Yeah the NE one would be a lot quicker. The See ones have to make their way all across London from Greenwich first...

I live in Greenwich so the coaches are a doddle for me.

My issue is convincing Mrs Jass, she's had a few bad experiences on See coaches and refuses to go on one again. Personally I don't care as long as I'm going but she won't have it. It concerns me putting all our eggs in the Sunday main sale basket.

[Tartan_Glasto]

2 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

I live in Greenwich so the coaches are a doddle for me.

My issue is convincing Mrs Jass, she's had a few bad experiences on See coaches and refuses to go on one again. Personally I don't care as long as I'm going but she won't have it. It concerns me putting all our eggs in the Sunday main sale basket.

Last year we travelled from Blackheath to Victoria to get a NE coach. Not sure if we saved time in the long run doing it that way or not.

[Quark]

5 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

Personally I don't care as long as I'm going but she won't have it. It concerns me putting all our eggs in the Sunday main sale basket.

Spot on.  As I'm solo this year I'm not turning my nose up at an extra chance to get a ticket.

As far as previous experiences go I've travelled on the Thursday...and sat on the A303.  Travelled on Wednesday...and sat on the A303.  Travelled on Tuesday night....can you see where I'm going?  Got the train and been stuck at Horsham, Dorking and Reading, lugging my bags from train to platform to train and standing all the way from Reading to Castle Cary.  Coaches can't be any worse, and once I'm on I can just sit on my arse until I get to the gate.  No brainer.

Have a firned who lives in Woolwich so I may even blag a favour from him and see if I can crash the night before

Edited October 4, 2016 by Quark

[Calvin Klein]

I've traveled both by See and NE Coaches.

Both good experiences.

 

National Express: Departs from Victoria (if you choose London), but you have to queue to get into your coach. It doesn't matter which time you chose. You have to queue (at leats 1 hour) and you get in. I think they are not really strict on luggage.

See: Departs from the O2. Sounds bad but I didn't find it that bad. You get into the coach assigned to you, meaning no queues. You leave on time, always (unlike NE). I think they are a little bit more strict on luggage but I can't confirm it as we didn't bring much. 

 

I'd give the edge to See because you always leave on time. 

 

[The_Amazing_Oblong]

3 hours ago, Alvarhanso said:

Hate to break it to you but the coach was stuck in the very same traffic... took me about 13 hours to get from Sheffield to site.

 

Obviously with coach though you don't have the hassle of being the driver yourself

I was under the impression coaches have a different route in than the general public. Obviously I could be wrong. The main reason though is the driving and having to be semi alert all the way in, or at least not being able to nod off along the way. After driving in and setting up on the Wed last year I was totally knacked all through Thursday. 

A 10 or 13 hour queue wouldn't seem so bad if I was asleep through most of it. Spirits in a hip flask would also help pass time.

[Lala1978]

56 minutes ago, Calvin Klein said:

I've traveled both by See and NE Coaches.

Both good experiences.

 

National Express: Departs from Victoria (if you choose London), but you have to queue to get into your coach. It doesn't matter which time you chose. You have to queue (at leats 1 hour) and you get in. I think they are not really strict on luggage.

See: Departs from the O2. Sounds bad but I didn't find it that bad. You get into the coach assigned to you, meaning no queues. You leave on time, always (unlike NE). I think they are a little bit more strict on luggage but I can't confirm it as we didn't bring much. 

 

I'd give the edge to See because you always leave on time. 

 

I've only ever travelled with NX from London Victoria and I have to say, each time it has improved dramatically.  In 2010 we queued for at least an hour, last year we rocked up to a queue of about 20 ppl and were on the bus within minutes of arriving.  Always get a bus around noon.

[Calvin Klein]

In 2013 we had a 9AM coach and queued for about 2 hours. We left Victoria around 11AM. 

In 2014 we had an earlier coach and queued for about 1 hour. Can't remember what time exactly.