Revealed: The eye-watering price of train travel to UK festivals

The temporary car insurance experts at GoShorty have compared the average cost of train and car travel to six of the UK’s most iconic music events: Glastonbury, Reading, Leeds, Download, Creamfields, and Wireless, revealing major savings for festivalgoers who opt to car-share.

Key findings included:

• Glasgow to Glastonbury costs an eye-watering £285.59 for a return train trip, compared to just £49.77 in petrol for the same journey – a saving of £235.82 per person
• The same trip from London comes in at £137.19 by train versus £21.68 in fuel, meaning train travellers could be paying over six times more than drivers.
• Manchester to Reading costs £111.49 by train, but just £22.40 in fuel – a saving of £89.09 per person.
• Leeds to Glastonbury return by train is £163.09, compared to £30.03 to drive – saving £133.06 per person.
• Glasgow to Download Festival train travel costs £122.99, while the same journey by car costs £35.12, saving £87.87.
• London to Creamfields costs £105 by coach, while petrol costs just £25.67 – a £79.33 saving for drivers.
• Residents of London can drive to Wireless (although parking is another issue!) for as little as roughly £1 - saving £13.54 against getting the train, compared to those in Glasgow, who will save up to £175 by driving instead.

Phil Evans, Managing Director of GoShorty, says “With sky-high train prices to consider in addition to festival tickets, public transport is simply not accessible for many festivalgoers, especially young people or those travelling in groups.

"Driving or car-sharing can offer huge savings - in some cases over £200 per person - and give people the freedom to travel on their own terms. This is why many festival fans are opting to offset their impact by filling seats and planning more efficient journeys, and some festivals, like Glastonbury, are additionally renowned for their dedication to renewable energy.

"At GoShorty, we support drivers in making smarter decisions from the flexibility of temporary car insurance, meaning anyone can be a dedicated driver through to practising safe and sensible road use. Festivals are about freedom, fun and connection… and with the right planning, driving there can be just as responsible as it is convenient!”

Highest Overall Savings by Opting for Car over Public Transport

1. Glasgow to Glastonbury

• 🚆 Train: £285.59
• 🚗 Car: £49.77
• 💰 Saving: £235.82 per person

2. Glasgow to Wireless (London)

• 🚆 Train: £223.59
• 🚗 Car: £48.56
• 💰 Saving: £175.03 per person

3. Leeds to Glastonbury

• 🚆 Train: £163.09
• 🚗 Car: £30.03
• 💰 Saving: £133.06 per person

4. London to Glastonbury

• 🚆 Train: £137.19
• 🚗 Car: £21.68
• 💰 Saving: £115.51 per person

5. Manchester to Reading

• 🚆 Train: £111.49
• 🚗 Car: £22.40
• 💰 Saving: £89.09 per person

Ultimately, even when accounting for elevated petrol prices, driving remains the most affordable way to get to most UK festivals, particularly when costs are split between passengers. With many routes costing under £10 per person each way in fuel when travelling in groups, it’s no surprise more festivalgoers are planning road trips this summer.

Thinking of hitting the road to your next festival? Save money, stay flexible, and travel on your own terms with temporary car insurance from GoShorty, available in as quick as 90 seconds.