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Glastonbury 2016 traffic: How to get to Worthy Farm by train and car and where to park

It might be time to start practising that meditative breathing

Jess Denham
Tuesday 21 June 2016 13:02 BST
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Cars and tents converge upon Worthy Farm for the annual Glastonbury Festival
Cars and tents converge upon Worthy Farm for the annual Glastonbury Festival

Glastonbury is often touted as one of the best, most memorable weekends a person can have, but before the revelry kicks off, you have to get to Worthy Farm.

Unfortunately, doing this can be a lot more stressful than it sounds, particularly as some 175,000 festival-goers are expected on site, but it needn’t be so long as you’re prepared.

Here’s a handy compilation of everything you need to know to make sure your journey goes without a hitch:

By train

The best station to use is Castle Cary. From there, you can catch a free shuttle bus to the festival (from next to Pedestrian Gate A). These run every 15 minutes, with the first leaving Castle Cary at 7am on Wednesday morning.

By car

What postcode do I put in my sat nav?

The address is Worthy Farm, Worthy Lane, Pilton, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 4BY. This won’t take you all the way, so start following the festival signs as soon as you spot them.

When do car parks open?

9pm on Tuesday night before gates open at 8am on Wednesday morning. Expect to queue for several hours if arriving from the A39 between 7am and 2pm.

Which roads should I avoid?

It may be hard to steer clear of some of the key routes but the A37, A39, A303 and M5 will almost certainly be chock-a-block.

Where is the best place to park?

Make sure you approach the festival on the site that you want to park, using the main roads to avoid delays on the smaller ones. The east side is recommended for the shortest queues both getting in and getting out, but remember you can’t choose your exact car park - it’s organised randomly and all down to luck. Do not argue with the stewards and make the process unnecessarily stressful for everyone involved. Take a look at the car park map here (larger version here):

You cannot park your car without a parking pass so remember to stick this onto your windscreen before reaching the site (parking can also be paid for on the gates of all public car parks for £40, cash only). People with mobility difficulties should head for the Yellow Gate, off the A361.

How do I find my car afterwards?

Make a note of where you park it - there should be a flag with a number on it nearby. The AA provides cards for you to do just this.

So what are the directions?

From London: M3 then A303 and A37. (Sat Nav TA11 7DP).

From the North East: A1 or M1, M25 to M3 (Junction 12), then A303 and A37. (Sat Nav TA11 7DP)

From the Midlands: Preferably M40 and A34 to A303 and A37. (Sat Nav TA11 7DP)

From the North West: M6, M5 to A39 (Junction 23) then A361. (Sat Nav BA6 9XE)

From Wales: M4, M5 to A39 (as above) (Sat Nav BA6 9XE)

For more local traffic using the A37 North or A361 East (Sat Nav BA4 4LY)


What happens on Monday morning?

If you leave by car between 8am and 5pm then prepare to have your patience tested. We mean really tested. Delays-of-up-to-nine-hours-just-to-leave-the-car-parks tested. It is 100 per cent worth leaving between 1am and 7am the night before - providing you are sober and not too tired of course.

This year’s Glastonbury will be headlined by Muse, Adele and Coldplay. Check out our packing list and top tips for a stress-free festival to ensure you have the most enjoyable weekend possible.

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