Travel

Reading train station is a 15-20 minute walk from the festival site. There are many routes from throughout the country to the station, including from London Paddington.

The last trains leaving Reading 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.

To check train times and service providers, please visit the National Rail website.

Please visit the Network Rail website here to check for planned engineering work prior to travelling.

When going home by train, make sure you leave at least an hour to get to your train from the festival site exit gate.

TRAVELLING BY TRAIN? MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A VALID TICKET WITH YOU‍

Things to remember when travelling to and from the festival by train…

Great Western Railway (GWR) conduct a full scale revenue protection exercise for the entirety of the event.

This means that they are looking for people without valid tickets

If you can’t produce a valid ticket you are likely to face significant extra costs and the possibility of criminal prosecution

TO AVOID SPOILING YOUR WEEKEND:‍

✅Make sure you have a valid ticket with you
✅Make sure you have enough charge in your phone so that you can show your ticket when asked.
✅If you are aged 16 or over you must purchase an adult ticket
✅If you apply a railcard discount when you buy your ticket you must possess that railcard and present it when asked
✅You must have a ticket for the entirety of your journey
✅If using CPay (your bank card within the Transport for London scheme) then make sure you tap in at the station you joined the train (any station between London Paddington and Reading)
❌Oyster cards are not valid at Reading Station
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GWR LOOK FOR ALTERED RAILCARDS AND TICKETS:
❌Do not copy and share your ticket or railcard with others
❌GWR can see when they are/have been used by someone else

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More info coming soon!

Reading Festival has a designated Pick Up and Drop Off location at Hills Meadow Car Park, which has great connections to the festival site. You can travel to the festival site along the River Thames footpath or by using the free shuttle boat. See the Shuttle Boat drop-down below for more information on this travel option.

Here is a map showing the designated Pick Up and Drop Off location:

There is no picking up or dropping off on Richfield Avenue. Vehicles stopping there will be moved on. Please also be aware of road closures when planning your journey.

More information coming soon.

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Taxis will be available from Reading train station. The main festival taxi pick up/drop off point will be on Tessa Road, near Red Gate and will cost approx. £5-6. Busy traffic/slow journeys will increase the price.

Taxis are not allowed access to drop off at the White Campsite (Mapledurham). If you want to get to the White Campsite without parking there you should access the site at Red or Green Gate and walk through the campsites to the bridge.

Queues for taxis leaving site are often quite long, particularly on Sunday night/Monday morning, so consider pre-booking a private hire to collect you from the designated pick up area at the far end of Tessa Road.

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Utility works are taking place on the A329 close to Chorsley which is on route to White Car Park. A diversion route is in place. Please follow the diversion route and allow extra time for your journey.

We strongly recommend people don’t drive to Pepsi MAX presents Reading Festival but take public transport or, if driving is a must, car share where possible to limit traffic on the roads. The train station is very close to the festival site and shuttle buses run back and forth for £1.50 single. See the above section ‘by Shuttle Bus’ for more information.

If you do drive, please follow the AA signage and directions on your car pass and not your Sat Nav. Please be aware, some of our car parks are located on grass fields which may not be suitable for certain car suspensions. If you would like more information, please see ‘contact us’.

CARPARKING SUMMARY:

Parking
We have two public car parks which open as per the times of the campsites. See below for more information. Follow the colour-coded AA signs to park.

All Car Park Passes for Reading are mobile tickets which get scanned on the gate, only then will you be handed a hanger once your ticket is scanned and validated.

PLEASE NOTE: No hangers are posted out for Reading, please do not contact your ticket agent if you have not received one in advance.

Weekend Car Parks (White & Green Carparks)‍

• Weekend ticket holders can park in both the Green and White Carparks.
• White & Green Weekend Car Park passes are valid from Wednesday – Monday for Early Entry Pass (in conjunction with a Weekend Ticket).
• Weekend Ticket holders (without an early entry pass) can park Thursday – Monday.
• You must display an actual car park pass in your car – printed booking confirmations will not be accepted as a car park pass.

Day Car Parks (Green Carpark Only)

• ‍‍Day Ticket Holders can park in the Green Carpark ONLY. The White Carpark is for Weekend Ticket holders ONLY.
• 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.
• The Green Car Park is the only day car park. 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.

THE CARPARKS:

White Car Park

• The White Car Park is situated in Mapledurham, next to the White campsite.
• Any weekend vehicles coming north or west of Reading should go to the White Car Park.
• All public campervans and caravans should follow signs for White Car Park. Please note: There is no access to the festival for Day
• Ticket holders from the White Car Park, nor for those who need to visit the Guest or Access Check-In points.
• There is also strictly no drop-offs or pick-ups allowed at any time.

Directions to White Car Park

• FROM M4 EASTBOUND – Junction 11 or 12
• FROM M3 – Junction 6
• FROM M40 COMING FROM THE WEST – Junction 9

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Green Car Park

• Green Car Park is situated in Kings Meadow which is off site. There is a free shuttle boat to take you from the car park to Green Gate.
• 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.

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Broad Street Mail Carpark

Weekend passes for Green Car Park are now SOLD OUT. Broad Steet Mail Carpark is offering local discounts for parking. Please click here to book.

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OTHER INFORMATION:
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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 the festival entrance.

Leaving the site

• Our peak exit times are between 8:00am and 1:00pm on Bank Holiday Monday, 31st 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 car parks 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, 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.

Railair operate a direct Reading to London Heathrow bus service which uses Reading Train Station as a drop-off and pick-up point. This service is best when pre-booked, which can be done at the Railair website (https://www.railair.com/).

Please note this bus service does not stop at any other locations other than Reading and the London Heathrow terminals.

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If you plan to book a coach for you and your friends from a private operator to drop you off and/or pick you up at Pepsi MAX presents Reading Festival please go ahead and book your coach.

Depending on the capacity of your coach, you may need to purchase/book a slot for your pick up/drop off near the festival site at a later date, see below for more info.

Not all vehicles require a booking. Descriptions of vehicles:

(A) ) A Minibus: is a vehicle which holds up to 16 passengers (+ driver).
(B) A Coach: is a vehicle which holds from 17 passengers (+ driver) up to 49 passengers or more (+ driver)
If (A) applies, you do not need to purchase any extra tickets. Your driver can pick you up and drop you off at Kings Meadow, RG1 8DF between 8:00am 25/08/2027 and 30/08/2027 17:00pm.

If (B) applies, you will need to book/purchase a pick up and drop off slot check back here for link to book 2027 slot.

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