Liverpool to Glastonbury: will festival be affected by June rail strikes, nearest station & alternative travel

The thrill of finally reaching Worthy Farm's hallowed grounds never fades.

But, first and foremost, you must figure out how to actually get to Glastonbury Festival.

As there is no Glastonbury train station and no direct trains to the festival grounds at Worthy Farm, where is the nearest station to the festival?

Here is everything you need to know.

What is the nearest train station to Glastonbury?

It takes about five hours to travel to Glastonbury from Liverpool Lime Street via Birmingham New Street and Bristol Temple Meads.

The best railway station to reach the festival site at Worthy Farm is Castle Cary.

There are regular trains from Bristol Temple Meads to Castle Cary, which take roughly 70 minutes. Note that some journeys may require a change at Westbury.

Throughout the Festival, a free shuttle bus runs between Castle Cary station and the festival bus station for festival ticket holders.

The shuttle runs from Wednesday to Monday (no service is provided at night when trains are not running), and you'll need your festival ticket to ride the bus to the event.

How busy do the trains get?

Despite the fact that more rail services will be available to Castle Cary station, delays are likely.

When leaving the Festival, trains on Sunday afternoon and in the early hours of Monday morning tend to be less crowded.

Book your train tickets early to secure the best available fares, and remember to bring any Railcards with you along with your ticket.

On some trains, if three or more people travel together, you can save a third on your rail ticket with GroupSave.

Will trains be affected by strike action?

Talks between unions, the government and rail operators have failed to avert strike action, with three days of walk-outs announced.

The RMT union has said strike action is essential because it has been unable to reach an agreement on wages or guarantees about mandatory redundancies.

On the 21 June, 50,000 employees from Network Rail, 13 train operating firms, and London Underground will strike, the latter over a separate issue from the national strike.

Then, on the 23 and 25 of June, about 40,000 employees will take part in a nationwide strike.

While the nationwide action will be limited to three days, the strike is expected to have a week-long impact on services.

With Glastonbury 2022 running between 22 and 26 June, the strikes could have a huge impact on those hoping to travel to the festival by rail.

Keep an eye on GWR’s Glastonbury page for all the latest updates.

Further travel tips

Trolleys, wheelie bins, and four-wheeled trucks are not permitted onboard trains or the complimentary shuttle buses from Castle Cary station to the festival site, and you should not travel with more luggage than you can carry yourself.

Musical instruments and furnishings with dimensions greater than 30 x 70 x 90 cm are also prohibited.

Allow plenty of time to board the shuttle bus and pack your luggage if you're returning on the Monday.

Before travelling to the station, double-check what type of ticket you have, as some tickets can only be used on specific trains, and make sure your mobile device is charged for the return journey if you have an eTicket.

On the Sunday and Monday, all buses returning to Castle Cary and Bristol Temple Meads stations are scheduled to arrive at the station before the last train.

Avoid going to the station outside of these hours since you will have to wait in the station car park with no facilities, and it is preferable to wait at the bus park - which has shelter, food and drink - and catch the first bus in the morning.

Other ways to get to the festival

Coach

National Express will provide services from over 70 sites to the festival's own on-site coach station, which is located directly outside the gates. For schedules and rates, go to its website and use the journey planner.

It takes around 5 hrs and 30 mins to travel from Liverpool One bus station in Canning Place to Glastonbury Festival.

Car

It should take just over four hours to drive from Liverpool to Glastonbury.

Anyone arriving by car who does not yet have a parking pass can purchase one for £50 online until 15 June by clicking here.

If you are driving to the Festival, consider sharing rides to cut down on carbon emissions; carpooling is not only better for the environment, but it also helps spread the expense of fuel.

Air

Bristol International Airport is the nearest international airport to Glastonbury Festival, and it serves a number of European destinations.

A frequent bus service named the "Bristol International Flyer" runs between the airport and Bristol Temple Meads railway station, and coaches operated by National Express also run directly from Heathrow Airport to the festival.

Bike

As part of the festival’s ongoing effort to decrease audience transportation CO2 emissions, people are urged to cycle to the event.

The festival is located a few miles south of Route 3 of the National Cycle Network, which connects Glastonbury and Wells. Cycle Streets’ Glastonbury Trip Planner can help you plan your route.

Bike To Glasto will once again provide a secure bicycle lockup, cyclists’ camping, and, for a small fee, return luggage transportation service from pre-arranged drop off places around Somerset and Bristol to cyclists attending the festival.

However, according to Google it would take you 18hrs and 45 minutes to cycle from Liverpool.

Walk

Walking to Glastonbury would take 59 hours from Liverpool according to Goog