Car v Coach

[The Nal]

I dont really drink beer so its handy for me to get the coach with the basics and use the wine bars on site/Avalon Inn Wednesday/Thursday. 

The whole "2 trips back to the car" craic is bewildering to me. 

[cdm22]

Petrol plus parking (even at £50) still costs less than two tickets via coach so it will always be car for us. Door to door and can take more beer supplies too. No coaches going from anywhere near us either doesn't help 😁

Edited March 1, 2022 by cdm22

[the wonderwhy]

The bimble back to the car for more booze on the wednesday afternoon, seeing latecomers carrying a stupidly large and heavy tent or with a wheel broke off their cheap sack trolly, is an iconic bit of the festival. 

[Curlygirl]

I have used the coach package for the last 4 years. I like the fact it makes me pack light, but I really hate arriving at the festival Wednesday afternoon rather when the gates open. I have genuine FOMO knowing so many people already have that overwhelming feeling of love coursing through their veins. However, I am happy to arrive later knowing a) I don't have to do that god awful drive home, and b) It gives me an extra chance of getting a Glastonbury ticket. 

[gooner1990]

4 minutes ago, Curlygirl said:

I have used the coach package for the last 4 years. I like the fact it makes me pack light, but I really hate arriving at the festival Wednesday afternoon rather when the gates open. I have genuine FOMO knowing so many people already have that overwhelming feeling of love coursing through their veins. However, I am happy to arrive later knowing a) I don't have to do that god awful drive home, and b) It gives me an extra chance of getting a Glastonbury ticket. 

The only issue I have with the coach in terms of arrival is missing out on my preferred camping spot. 

TBH when I've arrived really early by car it becomes a real power struggle to not just start drinking straight away if our tent is up by 10am! 😄

[Curlygirl]

Just now, gooner1990 said:

The only issue I have with the coach in terms of arrival is missing out on my preferred camping spot. 

TBH when I've arrived really early by car it becomes a real power struggle to not just start drinking straight away if our tent is up by 10am! 😄

3 of the 4 times on the coach, my mates have taken my tent and put it up with theirs. The one time I got tickets and they didn't, I camped with Efestivals friends in Dairy. There's always room for a toiny tent x

[gooner1990]

2 minutes ago, Curlygirl said:

3 of the 4 times on the coach, my mates have taken my tent and put it up with theirs. The one time I got tickets and they didn't, I camped with Efestivals friends in Dairy. There's always room for a toiny tent x

We sadly don't have anyone who's camping in standard camping apart from us going this year, everyone else is either in a campervan, Sticklinch, Worthy View or a Tipi!

[incident]

My strategy is borne of the old days when I was trying to get a prime camping spot in Kidney Mead -

Get the coach or train down to Bristol on the Tuesday. Have a nice pub meal and a good nights sleep in a hotel near the bus station. Pick up an early coach to the site - getting through Gate A almost as soon as it opens and bypassing all the poor sods who've been awake all night queuing from the car park and by that point are dead on their feet.

Then a direct coach home on the Monday.

Only difference now is that I'm too old to worry about camping centrally, and so the "early" coach to the Festival site isn't anywhere near as early as it used to be which means a longer sleep and likely a longer queue at Gate A as things get busier (though still probably shorter than coming in from the Car Parks).

I find that whole approach extremely relaxed. The only disadvantage compared to coming by Car is needing to pack lighter, but I'm fine with that. Splitting the journey to the festival does make a huge difference, as it means that I'm fresh as I could be on Wednesday, and still through the gates before most.

[Curlygirl]

2 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

We sadly don't have anyone who's camping in standard camping apart from us going this year, everyone else is either in a campervan, Sticklinch, Worthy View or a Tipi!

I'm the same this year. It will be and adventure 😁

[gooner1990]

3 minutes ago, incident said:

My strategy is borne of the old days when I was trying to get a prime camping spot in Kidney Mead -

Get the coach or train down to Bristol on the Tuesday. Have a nice pub meal and a good nights sleep in a hotel near the bus station. Pick up an early coach to the site - getting through Gate A almost as soon as it opens and bypassing all the poor sods who've been awake all night queuing from the car park and by that point are dead on their feet.

Then a direct coach home on the Monday.

Only difference now is that I'm too old to worry about camping centrally, and so the "early" coach to the Festival site isn't anywhere near as early as it used to be which means a longer sleep and likely a longer queue at Gate A as things get busier (though still probably shorter than coming in from the Car Parks).

I find that whole approach extremely relaxed. The only disadvantage compared to coming by Car is needing to pack lighter, but I'm fine with that. Splitting the journey to the festival does make a huge difference, as it means that I'm fresh as I could be on Wednesday, and still through the gates before most.

I think I'm starting to tinker on the edge of not arriving to race through the gates as soon as they open (or as when my coach arrives) 

I already do it with other festivals and just accept a bit of a longer walk to things in the morning and at the end of the night. 

[DareToDibble]

Have always gotten a lift (whether that be a paid minibus/driver or renting a minibus and my dad driving us) to the Park and Ride but travel in the early hours. 2016 aside we’ve always gotten to the queue about 5-6am so in and set up nice and early. 
 

Only issue this year is 4 of our group got coach tickets and another 2 want to drive. Currently it’s just my wife and I getting a lift with my dad to the transfer coach. Meaning if we all want to camp together the likelihood is the 2 of us will need to carry all their tents and get them all set up. Nightmare.

[Fred Zepplin]

Just now, gooner1990 said:

I think I'm starting to tinker on the edge of not arriving to race through the gates as soon as they open (or as when my coach arrives) 

I already do it with other festivals and just accept a bit of a longer walk to things in the morning and at the end of the night. 

I camped in Big ground most years but my last festival my wife was 3 months pregnant so we camped as far as I could carry our stuff which wasn't to far in, we also had to be close to a toilet but not to close for obvious reasons. The walk to everything was a bit further but we enjoyed the chilled out atmosphere of being away from the crowds. Plenty of space around the tent so didn't have to watch out for tripping over guy ropes and it was very quiet at night which we needed since we weren't drinking. We popped back to the tent one afternoon and it was silent, like we were camping in the middle of nowhere. Will be in the kids field this year and will be for the distance future but when we go back to the normal fields I think we would go to the quieter parts again. This does mean you don't have to rush to get in to get to the popular camping spots. I like the idea of having a chilled drive down and getting through the gates early afternoon on the Wednesday without having to queue to get in

[gfa]

30 minutes ago, Curlygirl said:

I have used the coach package for the last 4 years. I like the fact it makes me pack light, but I really hate arriving at the festival Wednesday afternoon rather when the gates open. I have genuine FOMO knowing so many people already have that overwhelming feeling of love coursing through their veins. However, I am happy to arrive later knowing a) I don't have to do that god awful drive home, and b) It gives me an extra chance of getting a Glastonbury ticket. 

this is definitely the main thing - the extra chance at a ticket. unless i was solo its better just to drive as a group

[Leyrulion]

1 hour ago, kaytee... said:

The only downside to getting the coach for some would be the luggage limit but I've never had a problem with it. Queue from the coach line to getting your ticket is never too long either. Past couple of times my coach has been in by 6am Wednesday and I've had my tent up before 9am

I really don't get what people are taking that has so much space. 

5 t shirts, 5 underpants, 5 pairs socks, couple of shorts, tent, sleeping bag, roll may, pack of neurofen and 2 litres of spirits.

[gooner1990]

2 minutes ago, Fred Zepplin said:

I camped in Big ground most years but my last festival my wife was 3 months pregnant so we camped as far as I could carry our stuff which wasn't to far in, we also had to be close to a toilet but not to close for obvious reasons. The walk to everything was a bit further but we enjoyed the chilled out atmosphere of being away from the crowds. Plenty of space around the tent so didn't have to watch out for tripping over guy ropes and it was very quiet at night which we needed since we weren't drinking. We popped back to the tent one afternoon and it was silent, like we were camping in the middle of nowhere. Will be in the kids field this year and will be for the distance future but when we go back to the normal fields I think we would go to the quieter parts again. This does mean you don't have to rush to get in to get to the popular camping spots. I like the idea of having a chilled drive down and getting through the gates early afternoon on the Wednesday without having to queue to get in

I used to camp in Big Ground but it just fills up too fast these days so we have migrated last few years over towards Arcadia/Pangea bit....which is popular but doesn't fill up as fast. 

However most that we go with are now knocking around the late 30s/40s mark and most have gone to glamping, a couple of us don't really want to go down that route just yet but I think if I get a general admission ticket for 2023 I may suggest just going a bit later and camping on the outskirts rather than racing down and queuing for 5 hours to get a decent spot as it starts my weekend off on the wrong foot sometimes. 

[Hugh Jass II]

56 minutes ago, faymondo said:

Started going by coach from Liverpool to ease the ticket burden on main sale day.

Had various times over the year. Never fails to amaze me how many people are on it on the early coach. I prefer to think of it as a marathon not a sprint.

 

Mrs J and I got the 9am coach from Brighton last time... we were the only people on it drinking.

[gooner1990]

3 minutes ago, Hugh Jass II said:

Mrs J and I got the 9am coach from Brighton last time... we were the only people on it drinking.

When he said 'on it' I assumed he meant people having a bump of gear! 😄 

Edited March 1, 2022 by gooner1990

[Billy Corgan's Ego]

I'll be on the bus from Edinburgh...15hrs to get there and 9hrs back. 

The journey home in 2016 was easily the worst I have felt, from self inflicted reasons, in my life. Absolutely dreading it already!

[gooner1990]

7 minutes ago, Billy Corgan's Ego said:

I'll be on the bus from Edinburgh...15hrs to get there and 9hrs back. 

The journey home in 2016 was easily the worst I have felt, from self inflicted reasons, in my life. Absolutely dreading it already!

15?! Why so long? Does it do additional stops?

I think if there was me I’d be looking at flying from Edinburgh to Bristol! 

[Ayrshire Chris]

Always been the car for us.  We’ve the luxury of a four days break in Glastonbury pre festival then a late nightEarly morning drive to the WV car park. Kip in the car, portaloos in the car park, through the gate as soon as it opens, breakfast and down enjoying the site early Wednesday morning. After the festival, a Monday drive to the local premier inn for another nights kip then the long drive home. We Just make the festival the main annual holiday. 

[Joshuwarr]

I think based on the various ways I've travelled over the years I'd have to say I rank them as coach > train > car.

I don't drive but we've had nightmares in the car over the years from being stuck in traffic for 12 hours to being stranded down a country lane when my friend's car broke down.

I feel the coach is the most consistent in terms of comfort and reliability (they seem to take a slightly different route when you get closer to the site?). It's such a relief as well to be able to dash so quickly to gate A when you arrive. Admittedly travelling back isn't great if there is a long wait for your coach but generally its not bad if you make an early dash.

[Watergirl]

I am without ticket, so this is not even a question.  Trying for coach is one additional chance at resolving the my ticketless state.  I will travel to Glasgow if needs be.

Plus I don't drive, so it would be a combination of public transport anyway.  For quite a few years I have stayed at Glastonbury Town or Street YHA for a few nights prior to the festival, and then gotten the 7 a.m. shuttle from Glastonbury to the site. 

The last two times I managed to get the coach package from Taunton, which worked well.

[gooner1990]

20 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Always been the car for us.  We’ve the luxury of a four days break in Glastonbury pre festival then a late nightEarly morning drive to the WV car park. Kip in the car, portaloos in the car park, through the gate as soon as it opens, breakfast and down enjoying the site early Wednesday morning. After the festival, a Monday drive to the local premier inn for another nights kip then the long drive home. We Just make the festival the main annual holiday. 

I suppose the conundrum is if you faced going on a See tickets coach ticket package or not at all.

At which point, sadly all those luxuries outside of the festival go out of the window!

[gfa]

56 minutes ago, Leyrulion said:

I really don't get what people are taking that has so much space. 

5 t shirts, 5 underpants, 5 pairs socks, couple of shorts, tent, sleeping bag, roll may, pack of neurofen and 2 litres of spirits.

Do people not bother with camping chairs as much? I split a tent usually so i'll take the 2 chairs and my mate will take the tent. This sounds about right for me although i've got to say a pillow is an absolute game changer - i prefer it to a roll mat honestly.

Its cans honestly that take up all the space, they are great but heavy. We have 4 coach, 2 general so hoping they drive and we can fill the car with cans/chairs etc 🙂

[Ayrshire Chris]

9 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

I suppose the conundrum is if you faced going on a See tickets coach ticket package or not at all.

At which point, sadly all those luxuries outside of the festival go out of the window!

Exactly, last two festivals as age catches up on us we’ve decided not to even attempt for the coach sale but it’s a big gamble. Failed in 2017 sale but got lucky in the resale.