Travelling To Festivals

By motorway or mudslide

22 January 2008

After choosing your festival, buying your ticket and daydreaming about who to see, getting to and from your fields of dreams can often be the last thing on your mind. There are a variety of options, of course, and many things to remember, so buckle up as we take you through the basics...

By car:

Pros...
- Cheaper if there is a few of you
- You don’t have to lug all your gear/food halfway up the country
- Only you can smell yourself on the way back
- You can leave when you want

Cons...
- Traffic queues to get in and out of festivals can take hours
- Your driver needs to be very careful with alcohol on the last day/night
- Car parking charges
- Your environmental conscious

Remember...
- Check oil, water and tyre pressure before you leave home
- Keep an eye on your fuel levels during the journey to avoid unnecessary breakdown
- Turn off all lights when you arrive at the festival, lock all doors and hide/remove valuables
- Make a mental note of where you're parked using permanent landmarks
- Keep your car keys safe and secure at all times

By train/bus:

Pros:
- You can drink as much as you like, although this isn't recommended
- No one need be nominated as 'driver'
- Trains and buses are generally more comfortable and less stressful
- Most festivals organise pick-up buses from the nearest station
- Public transport is far more kind on the environment
- They are a great way to meet people on the way to a festival

Cons:
- They can be expensive
- They can be packed if you go the same time as everyone else (i.e. Friday after work)
- Queues to get on a bus/train travelling home are almost inevitable
- You’ll have to put up with other grubby, battered festival-goers who you’ll have had enough of by then
- Trains are often delayed, especially on bank holidays when lines are often 'maintained'

By plane:

- Take your essential items in your hand luggage where possible because luggage handlers have been known to lose a few bags every now and then
- Never forget your passport
- Don’t get too leathered before your flight, you actually want to see some bands and you must take into consideration that not all the passengers are going to a festival
- Check your transport options at the other end. Planes rarely land at festivals.

VF’s tip:

- Fill up a car with your mates, split the petrol, load up on food and booze, take a day's holiday the day before the festival starts and get down there early. Leave late on the Sunday night if you don’t want to queue to get out, but make sure your driver hasn't been drinking that day.
 

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