russycarps Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I reckon I;ll get to castle cary around 10.30am on wednesday. Did anyone arrive around this time last year? Is it a pretty swift transfer to the festival? I've never gone by train before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rischbrit Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I did in 2009. Absolute nightmare!!!! Trains were fine no issues there it was just once we had arrived at Castle Cary due to accidents on the road etc and the buses being stuck in the queues. We were stood in the sun for hours and people got so pissed off I remember the police giving the shuttle buses an escort through the traffic jams to help us get there. I got into castle Cary around 10 am but not in site until mid afternoon. Like i Said trains were fine it was just the other end due to the accidents.. It is a good system as long as it is flowing well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russycarps Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 haha not really what I was hoping to read but thanks for the reply! I assumed/hoped the shuttle buses had a different route to the festival from all the normal road users. Crap if not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisque Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Never waited more than an hour at all different times in the past. Throw bags on the lower deck & sit up top on the doubledecker. Great views of Glastonbury as you arrive. Ride can be slowish due to traffic so crack open some ciders & enjoy it with everyone else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russycarps Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Never waited more than an hour at all different times in the past. Throw bags on the lower deck & sit up top on the doubledecker. Great views of Glastonbury as you arrive. Ride can be slowish due to traffic so crack open some ciders & enjoy it with everyone else That's more like it! Ta mate. I'm looking forward to it immensely, few cans on the train, few cans on the bus, absolutely twatted by midday. Ace! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StoneCircle Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I did in 2009. Absolute nightmare!!!! Trains were fine no issues there it was just once we had arrived at Castle Cary due to accidents on the road etc and the buses being stuck in the queues. We were stood in the sun for hours and people got so pissed off I remember the police giving the shuttle buses an escort through the traffic jams to help us get there. I got into castle Cary around 10 am but not in site until mid afternoon. Like i Said trains were fine it was just the other end due to the accidents.. It is a good system as long as it is flowing well 2009 was a one off, we queued for 6 hours from Shepton Mallet, despite joining said queue about 7.30am. Previous years this part of the journey was 20 minutes tops. The following year they opened the car parks and campervan fields early to prevent congestion like this, and touch wood it appears to have worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pobody Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Arrived around 9.30 last year, queued up for about an hour and jumped on the bus. Straight to the gates, no queue at the festival gate and strolled in, was all set up by midday. Went so well we are doing it again this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalifire Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I wish First Great Western would reveal their Glastonbury timetable. I contacted their customer service about it last week and they confirmed there'd be one coming out and to check their website (here, I assume) but no sign yet. You can book tickets for the festival dates now, but I'm hesitant to do so in case there's an earlier train. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pobody Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I wish First Great Western would reveal their Glastonbury timetable. I contacted their customer service about it last week and they confirmed there'd be one coming out and to check their website (here, I assume) but no sign yet. You can book tickets for the festival dates now, but I'm hesitant to do so in case there's an earlier train. Last year I vaguely remember getting the full timetable a few weeks after the balance was paid. Hang tight and wait, the festival will put up all the links. Worth following the respective train companies on social media sites as well for the news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalifire Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 (edited) Thanks. The earliest you can arrive at Castle Cary at the moment (from where I live, a couple of stops away) is 7:13am. I'd like to arrive a little earlier if possible. If I can't, I'll abandon the trains completely and get an earlier shuttle via the B&W Showground. Edited April 3, 2014 by kalifire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pobody Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Gah jealous, at 7.13am I'll likely be at Paddington with 100's of others all trying to find out which platform we'll need before anyone else. The rush for the train is a thing of beauty though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russycarps Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 do you book seats on the trains from paddington or is it not that civilised?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalifire Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Yeah, just looking at existing timetables, there's no way anyone can get into Castle Cary earlier than that time, except by travelling via Yeovil and coming at it from the South. That first train will be packed but it also originates just one stop from me, in the other direction, so I'll travel there before the first major connection arrives, hop on to get off at 7:13am and jump on a shuttle from there. Should be there with plenty of time to find a good camping spot (after which I'll collapse!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalifire Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 do you book seats on the trains from paddington or is it not that civilised?? From Paddington you can, yeah. I'd say it's unlikely you'll be able to sit on your reserved seat due to how busy it'll be, but it costs you no more to book a reservation so you might as well. Locally, there's no reservations available, so it'll be a free-for-all for us Somerset folk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russycarps Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 good stuff, cheers. So long as there is enough room to raise my arm for a few cans its all good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicktrow Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 (edited) If going from London and you want to be there early get National Express. The first direct coach to the site leaves Victoria at 2am arriving at the gate 5.30am. They then leave every 30 minutes thereafter. But as said above, hold tight for the moment until the extra train services are published. Plus, you cannot book the return leg train journey yet anyway, it's too early. Edited April 4, 2014 by nicktrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incident Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 haha not really what I was hoping to read but thanks for the reply! I assumed/hoped the shuttle buses had a different route to the festival from all the normal road users. Crap if not!They do, in part, but can't avoid the regular routes entirely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sime Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 (edited) I always get an early train to Castle Cary on the Wednesday morning from Southampton. Normally arrive there around 11 and have only had to wait for about 20 mins at the most for a free coach. The rides really nice and scenic and once at the site, I've always just breezed on though the gates into that lovely old farm. It's a tried and trusted method, been doing it for years. It's become part of the festival for me now! Edited April 4, 2014 by sime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisque Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 You don't need to rush on the train. Depends where you want to camp. (Just watch Ali G In Da House) Aiiiiiiiiiiiii Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisque Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 good stuff, cheers. So long as there is enough room to raise my arm for a few cans its all good. Coach + train is like a pre drink, drop some iboprofen & you'll thunder through to your campsite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guypjfreak Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 my nephew got a lift from some randoms last year ..said lots of people were doing the same old son ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eoinca Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 Just tried to book a single from castle cary to London on the monday, and they're 96 euro for the peak time! Anyone know of any cheap rail sites? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glasto-worker Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 Just tried to book a single from castle cary to London on the monday, and they're 96 euro for the peak time! Anyone know of any cheap rail sites? its a sellers market and I would expect http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Destinations/Events-and-Attractions/Glastonbury to be the cheapest { compared to other websites } but it will still work out expensive compared to a Coach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eoinca Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 yeah, its a pain in the arse. We were able to get an open one way to bristol for £15 last year, but we're flying back from London this time around. Think we might try and get a minibus or something now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rischbrit Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 Anyone know of any cheap rail sites? I used www.raileasy.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.