Trains to UK Festivals
In the UK, we are lucky to have a huge range of summer music festivals to enjoy, and at CrossCountry we are lucky to have many festivals taking place across our network. With live music from some of the world's biggest artists, as well as live comedy, unique activities, and food & drink markets, there is nothing better than a festival to make fabulous summer memories with your friends and family.
Luggage
If you are travelling to festivals on CrossCountry trains, we ask that you pack lightly. Please don’t travel with any more luggage than you can carry yourself.
Trolleys, wheelie bins and four-wheeled trucks are not permitted onboard our trains. It is important that all our passengers have room to comfortably stow their luggage and enjoy their journeys. For further details, see the National Rail Conditions of Travel (Clause 23).
Please be prepared and stay hydrated with water as busy trains can become hot especially during summer months. Given how unpredictable British weather can be, even in the Summer, please be respectful of our trains and consider our cleaners. If your shoes are especially muddy after a weekend of dancing in the rain, please make sure to change into a cleaner pair or to ask at the station for shoe covers.
Please find the below information detailing festivals across our network this summer! If you’re attending any festivals by rail, we hope you have a brilliant and safe time. Anyone not attending the festival is encouraged to plan journeys ahead, to avoid the busiest days/times as stated below where possible.
With hundreds of comedy, theatre, music, and cabaret acts performing over the course of a month, Edinburgh Fringe is one of the biggest annual events to take place in Scotland’s capital city. With so much to see and do (and laugh at), it’s no wonder that the Edinburgh Fringe Festival has become a summertime favourite. Each August, Edinburgh plays host to entertainers from around the UK and the world; from world-class comedians to up-and-coming cabaret acts, you’ll find plenty to enjoy at Edinburgh Fringe.
How to get to Edinburgh Fringe by train:
Edinburgh Waverley station (Edinburgh’s main railway station) is ideally positioned in the heart of the city, close to most Edinburgh Fringe festival destinations and the many bus routes servicing Princes Street (the main shopping street).
Due to various events taking place over the 3.5 weeks of the festival, and increased volumes of footfall expected into the station by rail, we would encourage you to check your journeys and plan ahead at the busiest times.
With the last day of the festival, Monday 26 August, also being a bank holiday, we expect services to be extremely busy throughout the day. Please take this into consideration when planning your journey and consider travelling later in the week where possible.
Boomtown prides itself on being a festival like no other. Boomtown centers creativity and artistic freedom, both for the musicians and artists performing and for festival attendees. The vibrant festival decoration and design is a miniature town, with technicolour cityscapes to explore and enjoy. The music you'll hear is varied - whether you love reggae, techno, disco, afrobeat, or electronic music, you'll find something to enjoy at Boomtown. Pack your brightest colours, indulge in creativity, and enjoy a weekend of creative community.
How to get to Boomtown by train:
Winchester station is the closest station to Boomtown festival, and then onto a shuttle bus straight to the festival site. Shuttle buses run every day throughout the festival, from Wednesday 12 to Monday 17 August.
We expect services to be busiest into Winchester from early and throughout the day on Wednesday 12 August, with some people also arriving throughout the day on Thursday 13 August too.
We will then expect to see high footfall away from the festival on the morning of Monday 17 August and throughout the day.
Every year, for a weekend, Reading plays host to the UK's alternative music scene for Reading Festival. With some of the world's biggest rock bands, punk artists, rappers, and indie musicians hitting the main stage over the course of the weekend, there is nowhere better if you're a fan of rock and roll. With a partner festival in Leeds, Reading Festival has been one of the UK's biggest festivals since it began in the 60s.
How to get to Reading Festival by train:
There are plenty of ways to get trains to Reading Festival, as Reading station is just 15-20 minutes away on foot. You can get to Reading station directly on a range of CrossCountry services from all over the UK.
Once you arrive at Reading station, you can hop on a shuttle bus from Reading town centre to the festival site. More information is available on the Reading festival website.
We expect CrossCountry services to be busier than usual from early on Wednesday 26 August, with people arriving on Thursday 27 August as well. Festival attendees leaving on Monday 31 August could lead to busier services and stations too.
Reading Festival also offers day tickets, so passengers travelling to and through Reading over the weekend should expect trains and stations to be busier than usual.
If you are travelling to Reading Festival with a day ticket, be aware that the last trains leaving Reading station are often extra busy and do not run late on Friday & Saturday night. Please allow plenty of time to use these services - festival organisers recommend leaving at least an hour from the festival site exit gate.
The sibling festival to Reading Festival, introduced in the 1990s as a Northern counterpart to expand the alternative festival, Leeds Festival has become an institution in the UK alternative music scene. Featuring major music acts across several stages, with some of biggest names in alternative, rock, punk, and hip-hop music from all over the world, Leeds is the perfect festival for moshers. With so much to see and do over a (hopefully) sunny weekend in Leeds, what isn't to love?
How to get to Leeds Festival by train:
The closest train station to Leeds Festival is Leeds station, which you can get to directly on a wide range of CrossCountry services from all over the UK.
Once you arrive at Leeds station, you can hop on board shuttle buses to the festival site while the festival is running.
We expect our services to be busiest into Leeds from early and throughout the day on Wednesday 26 August, with some people also arriving by train to Leeds Festival throughout the day on Thursday 27 August too.
With day tickets available throughout the weekend, the city centre and station could be busier than usual on each day, so please plan your journey ahead.
The last trains leaving Leeds train station are often incredibly busy and do not run late on Friday and Saturday night. Please leave extra time if you’re planning on using these services.
We will then expect to see high footfall away from the festival on the morning of Monday 31 August and throughout the day.
With this also being a bank holiday, we expect services to be extremely busy throughout the day. Please take this into consideration when planning your journey and consider travelling later in the week where possible.
As well as music festivals this summer, there are also a number of music concerts taking place at venues in Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff. Trains will be busier than usual during this time and we strongly recommend you check your entire journey before you travel.
