Travelling by coach

[teenyt]

Hi, this will be my first year at Glastonbury & very excited! Me & my friends have been thinking about booking a coach to get there rather than driving. We would be travelling from London. Just wanted to see what you lot think about the coaches, are they easier than driving, as I've read on the Glasto website you get dropped off a lot closer to the site than the car parks. Am a bit worried really about how much stuff you are allowed to take on them, and then on the Monday trying to get on the coach you booked for.

Any advice/tips would be much appreciated! Thanks

[lucyginger]

My friends and I got the coach the first year we went, in 2008. It was really easy! We each had one big rucksack and a chair with us, and that was fine. The festival has its own coach station, so you get dropped there.

The return journey was easy too, although none of the coaches seemed to be running on time and we had to wait a couple of hours to be put on one. It seemed to be well organised though, there were lots of stewards herding people into the right queues, and although there was a bit of a wait, everyone was still in good spirits.

I'd say go for it if its your first time, its one less thing to worry about!

[diddly-dee]

Apart from one year when i hitch-hiked down, i use the national express coach every year and i would recommend it (i can't speak for the seetickets coaches). I believe it's a bit of a squash at the coach station in London (i think it's kings cross coach station the coaches depart from - although i guess there's ) but it's surprisingly well organised and they lay on extra staff to get people on board. I've seen people with absurd amounts of luggage and the driver's don't seem that bothered - although as there is supposed to be a weight limit you could get some jobsworth who objects. Travelling back it also well-organised - plenty of national express stewards chanelling you the right way onto the right coach. It's alot less hassle than driving and takes you right there by an entrance.

[teenyt]

Thanks guys, that's really helpful. Think we are going to book up with National express. So excited!!

[JaxyNoo]

Hi, its my first time this year and I will be travelling with National Express from Liverpool.

The baggage allowance is pretty generous, although I have the added bonus of not having to take tent as the group I will be meeting up with already be on site and have offered to set up my tent

This is from my ticket information from national express...

7.1 Permitted Luggage:

We will carry your luggage on and subject to these General Conditions of Carriage and any applicable Special Conditions.

You are allowed to take onto a service one or two medium sized suitcases or rucksacks (no more than 23kg per item) free of charge and one small piece of soft hand luggage. In this context hand luggage means something that is capable of being stored in the overhead rack or beneath the seat. With the exception of brief cases, no hard-shelled cases, wheelie bags or hard-framed rucksacks/back packs will be allowed on board.

Hope this helps

[irons]

You're supposed to be allowed 2 medium sized bags. But if the bus is not full, and it happens often, you can put in trolleys, cases of beer etc. It's just your luck on the night. They're not too strict the NE folk.

[HurrahBrother]

Your right not to speak about the see tickets.

I have been by National Express coach every year I have been except one (that was the first see tickets one, not a good experiance)

It is Victoria coach station they leave from.

At Victoria, One queue, about an hour long (so get there an hour earlier if you want to leave about the time on your ticket).

The only luggage I have seen refused was because the coach simply had no more room in the luggage compartment for 6 rucksacks, 2 large tents and 2 sack barrows of beer! They were put first in the queue for the next bus.

If you stick to a rucksack, tent bag and a day bag each, you will be fine. They may however ask you to remove anything from the outside of the rucksack and take it on with you and stuff it in the overhead racks or under your seat (Your sleeping bag then can make a nice pillow if you want to cat nap for the journey).

[dancinggems]

Just saw on another post that Big Green Coach are also do Glasto from London. They're very good on the luggage side of things, with a beer allowance - yay! I've only ever been with them to a fest as that's who V and Kendal recommend so thats a winner for me