Train Tickets to Glastonbury

[MaxPower]

Just FYI, as we're now 6 months away, most rail companies will have train tickets to the festival (or your coach departure city) on sale.

[Cseguin]

Thanks mate for the reminder.

First glasto here having a coach for the way in at Reading, my friend and I will take the train from Glasto to London on monday. Has anyone  an average idea of the time we need between getting up and being in a train ? 
Secondly, do you think we should wait for any discount on coaches in the next month or will the prizes stay the same ?

 

[Jay Pee]

That ain't really the case with most train  companies.  The cheapest advance tickets are not available at the 6 month in advance point.

Quote:  Advance tickets are generally not available earlier than 12 weeks before the date of travel. Once train times are confirmed, Advance tickets will begin to appear in our Journey Planner. You will be able to find full details of availability and choose to buy them from your preferred retailer.

My preferred journey option is currently coming up at 48 quid each way when in reality, i expect to pay that for a return.

Don't commit too soon...

[Crazyfool01]

I’ll put it on this thread as I’m not sure where best to stick it .... if anyone is in need of parking a short taxi ride from the taunton bus departure point give me a shout ...will probably be able to help with some permits ... and if anyone wants any taunton advice in general same  

[Suprefan]

GWR  only having availability til 22 of June.

Edited January 6, 2020 by Suprefan

[danbailey80]

Never ever attempt to not have a train ticket to Glastonbury festival. The fines are extortionate at the gates. 

 

[Chazwozza]

And don’t worry too much about getting on exactly the right train - if you end up somewhere else just explain that the staff at Castle Cary were just shoving people into random trains to keep the platforms clear (health and safety) and work your way home on nearly empty  trains.

[MaxPower]

1 hour ago, danbailey80 said:

Never ever attempt to not have a train ticket to Glastonbury festival. The fines are extortionate at the gates. 

 

Yeah saw a few people get pulled by the police last year.

[Jay Pee]

I find the train journey home from Glastonbury surreal.  The last few times, i have had a few hours to kill at Bristol waiting for the cheap rattler back north and hid out in the Wetherspoons behind Temple Meads and sank a stack of pints and cheap Jamesons.

its acclimatisation training for adjusting back into the world.  Birmingham New Street is a grin as there is always a few dozen people staggering around mid afternoon on Monday looking unsettled and  grinning at one another.

The dispersal of like minded people as you get closer to home is a bit shit.  By the time i get in the Taxi for the last leg of the journey to the front door i realise that i am “ one of them festival weirdos”. How was the mud mate? I see loads of people left their tents behind! .....eccetera.... ecfuckincetera

nothing of use in this post.

Just off loading

 

 

[Simpo]

1 hour ago, Jay Pee said:

I find the train journey home from Glastonbury surreal.  The last few times, i have had a few hours to kill at Bristol waiting for the cheap rattler back north and hid out in the Wetherspoons behind Temple Meads and sank a stack of pints and cheap Jamesons.

its acclimatisation training for adjusting back into the world.  Birmingham New Street is a grin as there is always a few dozen people staggering around mid afternoon on Monday looking unsettled and  grinning at one another.

The dispersal of like minded people as you get closer to home is a bit shit.  By the time i get in the Taxi for the last leg of the journey to the front door i realise that i am “ one of them festival weirdos”. How was the mud mate? I see loads of people left their tents behind! .....eccetera.... ecfuckincetera

nothing of use in this post.

Just off loading

 

 

By the time I was on my Manchester to Bolton train coming home from 2016, in yr typical post-Glaston condition, it also had a few people coming home from work. I must have seemed a state, slumped and holding my head, to the person sat next to me. I said "It's been a long week." The feller meekly responded "...but it's only Monday?"

Nicer convo in 2017 walking from coach to train station. "Oh, you been to Glastonbury?" "Yeah" "Oh, I hope you saw Radiohead! Fuckin' amazing on TV!" "Yes! Yes we did!"
Was strangely nice that moment, put some pep back in our step as the realisation it was over had been setting in.

Edited January 7, 2020 by Simpo

[Jay Pee]

The train journey down in 2019 was a joy. I got the border train from Chester on the Monday that weaves its way down the Welsh border. Church Stretton, Hereford, Newport etc.. supping cider and then a quick hop to Bristol from Newport. 

Bus to Glastonbury town from Temple Meads and sat on the Tor mid-afternoon supping Thatcher's.

It's part of the week for me the journey. All part of the experience. 

Can't wait..

[Bisque]

The problem with getting the train is that I always drink too many of my tinnies that are supposed to last the week.

[Obiginnaw]

18 hours ago, Bisque said:

The problem with getting the train is that I always drink too many of my tinnies that are supposed to last the week.

we had this problem last year, and our train had a cancellation from gatwick (coming from Brighton) , we ended up having an extra 2 hours and missing the last train to Castle Cary, but extremely luckily ended up in a free taxi from Bristol to the camp site. by this point we pretty much fell onto the pick up point bus, don't actually recall any baggage checks

[stuartbert two hats]

Do you generally have to get on a specific service back or can you get on any train?  Or are both kinds of tickets sold?

 

[Leyrulion]

I know people that missed their specific booked trains last year due to the queues to get to the station but were allowed onto any train by the staff there. 

[Bisque]

I get an open return in case I want to check into a hotel & pass out for the rest of Monday before going home proper.

You can get on at pretty much any train at Castle Cary returning as long as it’s within a few hours of your departure time or you have a decent reason for being extremely early (same for return coach journeys tbh, I got on the one a couple of hours before I should have as it was less than a third empty).

Nothing like getting into your own clean bed though.

[Jay Pee]

This may sound a bit w*nkerish but as an ex military man, i take a weird sense of pride in seeing how little I can take on the train and be well comfortable for the week.

This does restrict alcohol carrying somewhat. A couple of litres of Aldi Brandy in the rucksack and just buy beers on site. 

I know it isn't the most popular direction for many in the way the festival is changing with more focus on pre-erected camping etc but I firmly believe our first world creature comforts and the massive F.E.A.R on a Monday morning and the fact that people bring just too much stuff in cars / vans are a root cause towards the shite left behind.

Bring what you can carry on your back and nothing else. Grow a pair

[Crazyfool01]

1 minute ago, Jay Pee said:

This may sound a bit w*nkerish but as an ex military man, i take a weird sense of pride in seeing how little I can take on the train and be well comfortable for the week.

This does restrict alcohol carrying somewhat. A couple of litres of Aldi Brandy in the rucksack and just buy beers on site. 

I know it isn't the most popular direction for many in the way the festival is changing with more focus on pre-erected camping etc but I firmly believe our first world creature comforts and the massive F.E.A.R on a Monday morning and the fact that people bring just too much stuff in cars / vans are a root cause towards the shite left behind.

Bring what you can carry on your back and nothing else. Grow a pair

I do 2 car trips for comfort levels and added fancy dress but absolutely everything apart from food packaging and cans of cider leave the farm with me ....  No harm in comfort just take that comfort home 

[Jay Pee]

Agree mate. Fair call.

I have took the same plastic 2 litre bottle with my decanted brandy in it to the last 2 Glastonbury's.

It's mindsets mate.

[Crazyfool01]

8 minutes ago, Jay Pee said:

Agree mate. Fair call.

I have took the same plastic 2 litre bottle with my decanted brandy in it to the last 2 Glastonbury's.

It's mindsets mate.

absolutely even the comfort leaves the farm with me ....

[chazwwe]

I've lowered down what I take each year because I've been going by train/coach, will be going by car this year (3 of us in a small 4 seat) and will still not be taking much, only thing Ill be able to take is more wet weather clothes and a bit more alcohol. 

[stuartbert two hats]

2 hours ago, Jay Pee said:

This may sound a bit w*nkerish but as an ex military man, i take a weird sense of pride in seeing how little I can take on the train and be well comfortable for the week.

This does restrict alcohol carrying somewhat. A couple of litres of Aldi Brandy in the rucksack and just buy beers on site. 

I know it isn't the most popular direction for many in the way the festival is changing with more focus on pre-erected camping etc but I firmly believe our first world creature comforts and the massive F.E.A.R on a Monday morning and the fact that people bring just too much stuff in cars / vans are a root cause towards the shite left behind.

Bring what you can carry on your back and nothing else. Grow a pair

I agree with the main thrust of this post, but I don't understand what you mean by :

"and the massive F.E.A.R on a Monday morning"?

[Jay Pee]

The fear is the comedown after several days of getting on it.

The paranoia, the downer, the feeling that you are going to smash into the central reservation and die when overtaking a lorry on the motorway etc...

Just that whole weirdness of several days caning it

[Bisque]

I know I’m going to stink & I know everyone else is going to as well so I have taken less and less clothes over the years. More room for alcohol. Everything I take can fit in a smallish rucksack, a large rucksack + tent.

Yes, everything comes home with me too (because I don’t take anything unnecessary or won’t fit in my bag) unless it needs going in one of the bins.

My tent that has now been used at 5/6+ festivals was actually one left behind at Glasto.

[Jay Pee]

Here Here, Bisque. 

Those tiny airbeds are mint nowadays.  Trinordic one available on Amazon is recommended but there are loads now to choose from. Put it inside the sleeping bag and you cannot roll off it.  My whole sleep system and tent can fit in a carrier bag.

Taking it off topic.  Sorry