First Glastonbury from Glasgow - flight/taxi advice

[blakester]

Hi all,

this will be my first Glastonbury- going with my teenage son. Not at all organised. We are travelling from Glasgow.

original plan was to drive there and back. Initially was going to drive part way on Tuesday night. Stay in cheap hotel in Manchester and drive again on Wednesday am. Have now had to bin that as am working until later on Tuesday night. So options are to do full drive on Wednesday and back Monday, or flip to flying.

am seriously tempted by flight options as costs and times look reasonable (to Bristol). Can get in about 10 in morning and return late afternoon on Monday. Would then presumably taxi to/from site. Does anybody have any tips on taxis, flights or potentially even want to share taxis? Open to ideas if any of this is daft. 
 

thanks,

stuart

[Smeble]

Have you looked at Coach or train options? Driving would mean you could take plenty of stuff which flying would restrict but it is a bloody long way, is you son able to share the driving?

[clarkete]

I've fairly recently done easyjet to Glasgow for a short leisure trip - in my case a gig that had been delayed for two years at Barrowlands, which to be honest I'd have expected to drive up for and stay for longer originally. 

As @Smeblesays you need to be mindful of luggage, eg easyjet only give you one underseat bag these days, so it's quite possible you'll be paying for 2 rucksacks, a tent plus anything else. Go onto the airline  site and check the cost for what you're planning to bring. I allowed 2 hours at each airport due to recent reports, but as I say I had no hold luggage, you would have additional queues at check in. 

You can compare prices to here, which go straight to the site and seem to be still available. 

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/events/glastonbury?gclid=Cj0KCQjwvqeUBhCBARIsAOdt45aEwfiNJ3OGGs6hpxzkJNXkyCxw7QnVO74OiWY1uKbuOCFil7Mm6DEaAj-oEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[blakester]

Thanks both - the attraction of the flights is the reduced hassle and time. We would need 2 rucksacks and that does bump the prices up. The coaches take a long time and are not at great times any more. I’m still undecided.

Does anybody have any thoughts/tips on getting to/from airport and festival? 

[Lucy92]

1 hour ago, blakester said:

Thanks both - the attraction of the flights is the reduced hassle and time. We would need 2 rucksacks and that does bump the prices up. The coaches take a long time and are not at great times any more. I’m still undecided.

Does anybody have any thoughts/tips on getting to/from airport and festival? 

Trains aren’t bad from Bristol, only watch out is leave plenty of time on the Monday (we leave stupidly early) as train queues are busy later in the day 

[clarkete]

25 minutes ago, Lucy92 said:

Trains aren’t bad from Bristol, only watch out is leave plenty of time on the Monday (we leave stupidly early) as train queues are busy later in the day 

But if you fly to Bristol Airport and want to go to Pilton I don't think you'd want to come via Temple Meads? Not unless you were staying overnight in Bristol to split the journey. For those who haven't been there the airport is unfortunately not directly connected to the rail network. 

Edited May 22, 2022 by clarkete

[Glast0baby]

I live in Bristol.  A taxi from airport to Glasto is going to be very expensive, especially considering the risk in previous years of hour long queues.  That might not be an issue for you, I don't know.  I believe taxis drop off is a Bath&West so you'd still be getting a shuttle from their to PGA.  As you'll have to get a shuttle anyway, you might want to consider the following alternatives...

What I'd advise is getting the bristol airport bus (the Flyer)which is relatively quick way into Bristol and can drop you at either Bristol Temple Meads, to go the shuttle, or Bristol coach station if you book a National Express coach.  https://flyer.bristolairport.co.uk/stops-and-maps  You can then repeat the trip on the way back. 

From experience National Express is more reliable on timings then the shuttle, as the shuttle is a queue up and wait gig, whereas National Express you are booked on specific coaches.  NB.National Express from Bristol is already very limited availability, so I'd get a wriggle on if you want this option.

[Johndenis]

So, in 2019 I flew down at about 5.30pm on the Thursday which meant i *just* missed any bus or train connections. From memory, they were a bit of an epic anyway. I got a pre-booked taxi to the site. It took about half an hour and I stopped at a supermarket on the way to load up. It was around £50. I don't know if it was so easy to access the site because of the time of evening. There didn't seem to be any traffic jams. It was frankly brilliant. I see @Glast0baby@Glast0baby is mentioning a shuttle post-taxi, but I was dropped close to Gate A (top left of map). Just walked in. Maybe this was again to do with it being 7.30/8pm. I just cant judge. 

This year I am arriving on the morning flight. I am tempted to repeat the taxi tactic. Unless I'm dooming myself to crazy traffic. (All tips appreciated from anyone reading this.) Would you be interested in sharing a taxi? It would be me and my friend. 

Just FYI in 2019 I was on the 3pm flight back from Bristol on the Monday afternoon. I am pretty sure I got the first bus from site to Bristol train station, as I wasn't sure of traffic jams. 6 or 7am. Not a big deal as sleeping patterns are a riot by the Monday anyway. And it's not like you ever get a lie in! It worked out I ended up at the airport (via shuttle bus from train station) at about 10am! So this year I am on the 11.35am flight. I can't recall where I got the bus time info from. Maybe online? I have a vague memory of asking at some sort of info desk (?) sort of south of the Pyramid, but I could be totally making that up! 

Hope this all helps your assessment. 

Edited May 22, 2022 by Johndenis
Further details

[gooner1990]

Wasn’t someone offering spare seats on a minibus from Glasgow on here last week?

[blakester]

9 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

Wasn’t someone offering spare seats on a minibus from Glasgow on here last week?

Yeah - but they leave on Tuesday and I can’t get away from work. Thanks for replying though.

[blakester]

47 minutes ago, Johndenis said:

So, in 2019 I flew down at about 5.30pm on the Thursday which meant i *just* missed any bus or train connections. From memory, they were a bit of an epic anyway. I got a pre-booked taxi to the site. It took about half an hour and I stopped at a supermarket on the way to load up. It was around £50. I don't know if it was so easy to access the site because of the time of evening. There didn't seem to be any traffic jams. It was frankly brilliant. I see @Glast0baby@Glast0baby is mentioning a shuttle post-taxi, but I was dropped close to Gate A (top left of map). Just walked in. Maybe this was again to do with it being 7.30/8pm. I just cant judge. 

This year I am arriving on the morning flight. I am tempted to repeat the taxi tactic. Unless I'm dooming myself to crazy traffic. (All tips appreciated from anyone reading this.) Would you be interested in sharing a taxi? It would be me and my friend. 

Just FYI in 2019 I was on the 3pm flight back from Bristol on the Monday afternoon. I am pretty sure I got the first bus from site to Bristol train station, as I wasn't sure of traffic jams. 6 or 7am. Not a big deal as sleeping patterns are a riot by the Monday anyway. And it's not like you ever get a lie in! It worked out I ended up at the airport (via shuttle bus from train station) at about 10am! So this year I am on the 11.35am flight. I can't recall where I got the bus time info from. Maybe online? I have a vague memory of asking at some sort of info desk (?) sort of south of the Pyramid, but I could be totally making that up! 

Hope this all helps your assessment. 

Sounds great. And yes - will pm you about sharing taxi

[coma girl]

Hi, our minibus from Glasgow to Glastonbury had some spare seats. See the post from Boilerman in the lift share page on here. We have been getting to Glastonbury this way since 2010 and most people met via Efestivals so we are a friendly bunch ☺️

Some of our group have work commitments that mean they can't get there until Thursday so they are flying down to Bristol and getting a taxi to the festival so that's an option some people take. A few friends did it last time with no issues. 

[Johndenis]

3 hours ago, coma girl said:

Hi, our minibus from Glasgow to Glastonbury had some spare seats. See the post from Boilerman in the lift share page on here. We have been getting to Glastonbury this way since 2010 and most people met via Efestivals so we are a friendly bunch ☺️

Some of our group have work commitments that mean they can't get there until Thursday so they are flying down to Bristol and getting a taxi to the festival so that's an option some people take. A few friends did it last time with no issues. 

@blakesterif you have the flexibility would deffo recommend the mini bus.  Boilerman and his missus are wonderful folk!  They met Mr Eavis last time, very jealous... Don't know if @clarkete or any other resident Bristolians could advise re my daytime taxi quandary (described above).

Edited May 23, 2022 by Johndenis
Tagging clarkete

[THEBOILERMAN]

Blakester, I`ve sent you a message. 2 spare seats on the minibus.

[blakester]

Thanks all. What a welcoming community already.  I can’t do the minibus due to work commitments though. Looks like plane for us - and will then taxi/bus it.

[blutarsky]

20 hours ago, Johndenis said:

So, in 2019 I flew down at about 5.30pm on the Thursday which meant i *just* missed any bus or train connections. From memory, they were a bit of an epic anyway. I got a pre-booked taxi to the site. It took about half an hour and I stopped at a supermarket on the way to load up. It was around £50. I don't know if it was so easy to access the site because of the time of evening. There didn't seem to be any traffic jams. It was frankly brilliant. I see @Glast0baby@Glast0baby is mentioning a shuttle post-taxi, but I was dropped close to Gate A (top left of map). Just walked in. Maybe this was again to do with it being 7.30/8pm. I just cant judge. 

This year I am arriving on the morning flight. I am tempted to repeat the taxi tactic. Unless I'm dooming myself to crazy traffic. (All tips appreciated from anyone reading this.) Would you be interested in sharing a taxi? It would be me and my friend. 

Just FYI in 2019 I was on the 3pm flight back from Bristol on the Monday afternoon. I am pretty sure I got the first bus from site to Bristol train station, as I wasn't sure of traffic jams. 6 or 7am. Not a big deal as sleeping patterns are a riot by the Monday anyway. And it's not like you ever get a lie in! It worked out I ended up at the airport (via shuttle bus from train station) at about 10am! So this year I am on the 11.35am flight. I can't recall where I got the bus time info from. Maybe online? I have a vague memory of asking at some sort of info desk (?) sort of south of the Pyramid, but I could be totally making that up! 

Hope this all helps your assessment. 

In 2019 we worked and had 2 no shows on our first shift on Thursday morning. My wife said she could help replace them and rang her ticketless best friend, who lives in Bristol. She packed a bag and got a taxi to site, from Henleaze / Redland area to PGA for £50 and joined us midway through the shift. She arrived on site around lunch time. 

Edited May 23, 2022 by blutarsky