Please follow the AA signage and directions on your car pass and not your Sat Nav. Our car parks are located on grass fields, some with metal trakway approach roads and some internal roads are on land that may not be suitable for certain car suspensions.
Car Sharing
If you are travelling by car please car share to fill up any of your empty seats. Car sharing will help you save money by sharing the costs and reduce the amount of traffic on the roads, helping the environment.
Visit http://reading.liftshare.com to find drivers offering spaces in their car or festival goers who need a lift.
Parking
We have two public car parks which open as per the times of the campsites. Follow the colour-coded AA signs to park.
Weekend Car Parks
- White & Green Weekend Car Park passes are valid from Wednesday – Monday for Early Entry Pass + Weekend Ticket holders and from Thursday – Monday for Weekend Ticket Holders.
- Weekend Car Park Passes will be available in advance for £10. Or on the gate, subject to availability, for £20.
- You must display an actual car park pass in your car – printed booking confirmations will not be accepted as a car park pass – if you do not receive an actual pass from your ticket agent, you must contact them before leaving for the festival, otherwise you will be charged for a replacement pass on the gate.
Day Car Parks
- Green Day Car Parks are open from 8am for Day Ticket holders with a ticket for that day.
- Day Car Park Passes are available on the gate, subject to availability, for £20.
- Day car park passes often sell out in advance in which case there would be no passes available to buy on the gate and you would be directed to a public car park in Reading town which may cost more.
- You must display an actual car park pass in your car – printed booking confirmations will not be accepted as a car park pass – if you do not receive an actual pass from your ticket agent, you must contact them before leaving for the festival, otherwise you will be charged for a replacement pass on the gate.
White Car Park
Weekend Ticket holders – White Car Park passes will be on sale at the gate to weekend ticket holders, subject to availability. These will be £20 on the gate. You can also purchase them advance here.
In Mapledurham, next to the White campsite.
- Any weekend vehicles coming north or west of Reading should go to White car park.
- All public campervans and caravans
- There is no access for drop offs and pick ups here.
Directions to White Car Park
- FROM M4 EASTBOUND – Junction 11 or 12
- FROM M3 – Junction 6
- FROM M40 COMING FROM THE WEST – Junction 9
Green Car Park
In Kings Meadow. This is a short FREE shuttle boat journey away from Green or Red gate into the campsites.
- Any weekend vehicles coming from the East or South of Reading should go to the Green car park which is situated close to Napier Road, Reading.
- All day ticket holders will go to Green car park
- No access for drop offs or pick up
Q-Park
Q-Park Chatham Place is located in the heart of Reading city centre, just a short walk away from Broad Street Mall and The Hexagon. Click here to purchase and get 20% with code READING2018.
NCP Parking
Ideally located close to Reading train station, the NCP Garrard Street car park is perfect for those attending the festival. Click here to purchase.
Drop off/pick up point
There are numerous drop off/pick up points for the festival:
- Private hire taxis drop off/pick up on Cremyll Road, off Tessa Road
- Hackney carriages/black cabs drop off/pick up on Tessa Road
- Minibuses drop off/pick up point is at Kings Meadow car park
- Parents/friends drop off/pick up is at Hills Meadow car park
- From 6:00am -2:00pm on Monday 31st August, hackney carriages/black cabs will also pick up from Thames Side Promenade (the road next to the Crowne Plaza Hotel).
Do not attempt to drop off or pick up anywhere near Richfield Avenue or the White or Green car parks.
Once you’ve arrived, follow the signs to our free shuttle boat service to the site.
Leaving the site
Our peak exit times are between 8:00am and 1:00pm on Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August. Please plan ahead and organise leaving arrangements before you arrive at the festival.
Please ensure you have a good exit planned, with a sober and well-rested driver by the time you are ready to leave.
Important parking information for Day ticket holders & guest/disabled access ticket holders – there is no access from the White Car Park to the Green Day Gate for Day Ticket holders or the guest/disabled access check in because both of these are situated on the other side of the river. You will not be able to access the festival site from the White Car Park unless you have a standard Weekend ticket (+ Early Entry Pass for access on Wednesday).
If you have a Day Ticket, you must either purchase a Green Day Car Park Pass for the corresponding day to your ticket or, once these are sold out, either travel to the festival using public transport or utilise one of the public carparks in Reading town detailed below. You can only enter the festival site via the Green Day Gate.
If you have a guest (day or weekend) or disabled access ticket, you will be provided with the relevant parking information for your ticket type closer to the festival but please do not purchase a White Car Park Pass or attempt to access the site via the White Car Park/Pedestrian entrance as you will be turned away.
Carbon Balancing with Energy Revolution
The main contributor of carbon emissions at festivals is travel, which accounts for 70% of a festival’s carbon footprint. That is why at Download Festival we are introducing carbon offsetting to our car and motorcycle parking prices. £1 of the cost of your parking pass will be donated to the charity Energy Revolution, who invest in renewable energy projects. Watch this video to find out more.
