To drive or to train?

[Bethany83]

Hello!  I have booked a train to Castle Cary for the Wednesday and will be leaving the site after I complete my shift (i'm volunteering) sometime after midday on the Monday....I have always left the festival site on a Sunday afternoon and had no trouble however due to my shift on Monday being 6am - Midday I will need to stay onsite until after that time... Can anyone please, in their past experience, let me know whether it will be better to continue with my train journey from Castle Cary to enable me to get back to my home before 5pm or if it will be faster for me to take my car and get home that way?

I live in Oxfordshire and my reason for needing to be back in that area by 5pm is because I need to pick up my children from afterschool club no later than 6pm.  In your experience, would you say it's quicker to remain on the train or to drive out of the site on the Monday?  It's rougly a 2.5 hour drive / train ride either way but you always need to consider the amount of people leaving at the same time!

Thank you in advance!

[Gedh]

Leaving by car can be unpredictable as getting out of the car park is a lottery. Might be better to go by train.

[BlueDaze]

Whilst not the green solution, i would say car..

You are going to lug all of your stuff and dump it in your car and then wont touch it again until you park outside your own home... alternatively, you lug it to the bus station, queue for the bus(?), put it on the bus, take it off the bus, queue for the train, put it on the train, take it off the train.. get additional transport home...

If the trains are broken or rammed you just have to grin and bear it. If there is traffic back to Oxfordshire then take a detour (albeit once you are offsite).

My experience of driving offsite (admittedly only with a caravan) has always been that they know how to get you away quick as possible.

 

[Bethany83]

Thank you everyone. You've been so helpful. I have already booked my train ticket but I am now massivly leaning towards taking the car (another reason is because if i take the car then I can bring my camping chair and my little stove!)  You're all the best. Thank you again

 

[gigpusher]

If the train timetable shows you can make it back I would say that will be more reliable than the car as there can be queues to leave the site and if you don't have the option to leave early I wouldn't risk it. 

[glasto-worker]

On 5/7/2019 at 11:17 AM, Bethany83 said:

Hello!  I have booked a train to Castle Cary for the Wednesday and will be leaving the site after I complete my shift (i'm volunteering) sometime after midday on the Monday

its not clear who you will be volunteering with so before making your mind up you need to find out ' if they offer a crew car parking place ' and if so # where it is in relation to your crew site # - don't assume they will be close ' as many are not '

sure you can buy a car parking ticket { if available } but just to reach that spot ' the odds are they will stop you ' if you are not displaying a pass - I was driving down a small road from Shepton Mallet and at the bottom because I was displaying a Crew pass they let me though but all the cars behind me were sent to the east side - they were not very happy as many wanted to go to the west side - at that time certain Crews shared the parking with the press at west 31 { or close } but I know they currently use the field next to VG4 { or close }

Now for the WBC that suits them as the crew site is very close.But other volunteer Groups use other areas.

as you are arriving on the Wednesday its something to consider as there will be a lot of traffic about and you will get hassle if you are not displaying anything..

as for leaving you never know and really there is no right answer unless someone can predict the future.

[Bethany83]

On ‎5‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 12:30 PM, gigpusher said:

If the train timetable shows you can make it back I would say that will be more reliable than the car as there can be queues to leave the site and if you don't have the option to leave early I wouldn't risk it. 

Yeah, i had thought about that too but then read that lots of people queue and just jump on any train. I'd hate to miss my train and then be stuck there for hours, helpless! It's a tricky one that's for sure - with pros and cons on both sides!!

[Bethany83]

Thanks Glastoworker - i'll be with the recycling crew and had selected a car parking pass - I presume it's sent out prior? I don't mind how long it takes me to get there on the Wednesday as my work does not begin until Friday, it's just getting out afterwards i'm worried about. Good shout about checking exactly where the parking spot will be - i know we camp with the oxfam lot up by the farm house, but it's been so long since my last glasto (pre children) that i can't remember which gate/car park is closest!

 

 

[Homer]

Driving back after Glastonbury is like piloting the gunship in Apocalypse Now.

[gigpusher]

12 minutes ago, Homer said:

Driving back after Glastonbury is like piloting the gunship in Apocalypse Now.

Yes if I had been to a festival and been working it I'd do anything to avoid driving it. 

[Homer]

2 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

Yes if I had been to a festival and been working it I'd do anything to avoid driving it. 

The horror. The horror...

[marathonsteve]

4 hours ago, Bethany83 said:

Thanks Glastoworker - i'll be with the recycling crew and had selected a car parking pass - I presume it's sent out prior? I don't mind how long it takes me to get there on the Wednesday as my work does not begin until Friday, it's just getting out afterwards i'm worried about. Good shout about checking exactly where the parking spot will be - i know we camp with the oxfam lot up by the farm house, but it's been so long since my last glasto (pre children) that i can't remember which gate/car park is closest!

 

 

Hi Bethany The recycling crew are inside up by the farmhouse in Toms field, Festaff, Oxfam and Shelter are all out side the gates and the car pass will be sent to you before hand as that is what the stewards and security are looking for.

[marathonsteve]

Bethany I have just gone back into my recycling team account and you have to be aware what gate you are going to pick your ticket up from. If you are arriving by train it is Red gate . If you are arriving by car it is Blue gate. Thats the gate closest to our car park and thats the car park we are driving to.