NME Festival Guide 2008
Glastonbury

Glastonbury encourages gig goers to take coach to festival

The Killers headline the Pyramid Stage, 22.55pm 23 June Glastonbury 2007. Pic: Tom Oxley

Michael Eavis says get on the bus

Apr 17, 2008
14 Comments
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Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis wants festival goers to take coaches rather than cars to this year's event.

Combined festival and coach tickets go directly to Worthy Farm from 17 major UK cities.

Eavis said taking the coach to the event is more environmentally friendly.

He said: "One coach is much less polluting than 50 people in cars. This reduces traffic and fuel consumption. It?s also cheaper to come by coach than with just a couple of people in a car."

Combined festival and coach tickets cover journeys from Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Cambridge, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Coventry, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newscastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Sheffield and Southampton.

Last year approximately a third of Glastonbury goers travelled to the event on public transport.

Tickets are still available for the three-day event taking place between June 27 to 29.

To get tickets you have to register first.

Go to Glastonburyregistration.co.uk for more information.

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Comments (14)

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foolsgold66

Apr 17, 2008

This is one of the main reasons I am not going this year. The buses last year were a shambles. We stood for over four hours in the driving rain in a field waiting for a bus last year. There was no organisation to the process, and it cost Â£40 each for the privaledge.Sounds good in principle, I hope for festival goers this year they have sorted out the farce from 2007.

jamesheal

Apr 17, 2008

No chance! Last year the coaches were a bloody shambles. Queued for 2 1/2 hrs only for the queue to turn into a crowd and ending up at the back. Then the coach left half full, took the wrong turning and added an extra 4 hours to the journey back to London. None of the coach staff had a clue how to organise things, and didn't really bother...I'm happy with the fact i walk to work everyday to lower my carbon footprint!

TheHopper

Apr 17, 2008

still waking up in a cold sweat after that terrifying incident - i heartily recommend walking rather than get the coach combination - a genuinely frightening experience (another 4 hour waiter to get back to southampton)

mpayne

Apr 17, 2008

So true went by coach last year as they were the only tickets I could get. Getting there was fine but I don't think it could have been any worse trying to get back!! We got up early in an attempt to get home quicker and easier. Not a chance!! There wasn't any kind of queuing it was literally just a crush and rush everytime a bus turned up. We ended up having to get off 2 buses and ended up traveling apart. I'm surprised more people didn't end up either in the wrong place or losing their luggage!!

maupa

Apr 17, 2008

Agreed.It's a nice thought Michael. Unfortunately, National Express are one of the biggest shower of shit companies in this country, right up there with British Gas and Virgin Media. It's a nice sentiment to be environmentally friendly in terms of travelling to and from the festival, unfortunately, (and this is by now way blaming Mr. Eavis because he's a fuckin legend), the organizers choose to, year after year, employ a company which treats people going to and from the festival with huge amount of contempt. I have had some nightmarish experience travelling to Glastonbury on national express (it's the getting back part which is the real ballache). and I, for one, will be travelling in the comfort of my mate's car. And he's not NEARLY as grumpy as one of those twats that drive the National "take your shoes off at the door" Express coaches.

BlondieandBrummie

Apr 17, 2008

Very true...last year the buses were a nightmare. Waited in the cold and rain with all my wet bags for hours on end....none of the staff had a clue what was going on. I couldn't find anyone else (apart from obv. my friends) that were travelling back to Oxford by bus. The bus finally arrived...but taking your wellies off before getting on board was a HUGE hassle and most people threw their wellies to the side in a huge pile, the hassle of finding some shoes that were'nt covered in mud seemed to be an odeal for some people..haa.Once we got on the coach we were informed that this wasn't even the right bus because it was meant to be going to Coventry however, because our bus wasn't going to turn up (due to the bus company not wanting a load full of muddy passengers), the Coventry bus (in which there were 2) switched its hand written sign to Oxford. Im a mug and i know it because i'm doing it again this year...despite the crap line-up and the bus troubles.

craighoffman

Apr 17, 2008

I too had to wait from 6 in the morning in the wind and rain for a bus that was 2 hours late and when we finally got our stuff loaded under the bus we were told to take off our shoes so as not to get the bus dirty. between the 3 of us as tey were the only tickets we could get it cost us 3 times as much to get to glastonbury than it usually does when i drive and and we also had to drive in the opposite direction to the festival to get to and from the nearest pick-upm point. people who say it's a great and easy way to get there have obviously never been on the bus. would hate to do it again.

KEITHC

Apr 17, 2008

i'm going by car. i saw what happened last year. is it no surprise that sales are slow this year with statements like this ?Sorry Mr eavis this might be my last year unless you can convince us you have some solutions to the problems.

grifforama

Apr 17, 2008

Oh Mr Eavis. These silly suggestions are exactly the reason I'm not going this year (apart from the poor line-up and weather prospects)Last year it took us 12 hours to get off the site thanks to poor drainage (which I'm sure if it rains this year, will be no better - that another classic from the Eavis clan - "Oh we're sorting out the drainage this year - whatever)And there is no way in hell I'm going anywhere near the coaches after the horror stories I heard.I'm sorry, but Glasto to me, is to all intents and purposes, done.

nalaknip

Apr 18, 2008

We don't all have the luxury of living on site. Mr Eavis I think it's time you started to lay off the scrumpy and live in the real world.

ParanoidAndroid7

Apr 18, 2008

Took us 8-9 hours (half of which consisted of non-stop rain) - glasto security eventually sorted us a coach - which wasn't their responsibility (to be fair they did a fantastic job). Due to leave at 9am....got back soaked through at 11pm..... Not good....

garth28

Apr 18, 2008

The return leg on the coach travel last year was a mad scramble, with no proper planning in place for getting people home swiftly. There wasn't any shelter from the pouring rain and there was a great degree of uncertainty to when we'd get to leave, what at the time seemed like a vey wet version of hell! Reading this year! Bring on the sunshine...

Rachonteurs

Apr 21, 2008

I went by car last year, took us 9 hours to get out of the car park, pretty fuking annoying, but my mate got a bus and spent 12 hours waiting in the rain, and managed to get hyperthermia. I know why people don't want to go this year, the line up isn't great, but Glasto isn't just about the music, however, since Emily Eavis has had her say, the festival is gradualy going down hill.I mean what the fuck was the "park" last year, nothing was there!She really should let Mike do it. Although he has refused Chili peppers to play every year. they even offered to play for free.Stubbern farmer, not letting the chillis on his laaand.But he will happily accept Jay-z, the man is confusing, I think he has ate the bad acid.Still I shall be going again, 3rd year now.

solacegirl

May 14, 2008

DO NOT I repeat, DO NOT take these buses. We left 6 hours late and pulled into Pilton after a nice stopover in BATH (I kid you not) I sweat I would've arrived quicker in an Ice Cream van with Borat and his polar bear than with these shambolic coaches. BEWARE be very ware people....