Glastonbury Traffic Advice: Follow the signs, not the sat-nav, advise experts

As over 200,000 attendees head to the 52nd Glastonbury Festival, the RAC has issued a crucial advisory for drivers: ditch the sat-nav and follow official signs to reach Worthy Farm smoothly.

The M5 and A303 will see significantly increased traffic, while roads around Pilton, Somerset, are expected to be severely congested. The forecasted hot weather raises the risk of vehicle breakdowns, prompting the RAC to urge drivers to prepare thoroughly.

Key advice includes avoiding travel when tired, carrying ample water for potential delays, and ensuring vehicles are in good condition. For those travelling from the north via the M5, the RAC suggests exiting at junction 23, then taking the A39 to the A361. Southern travellers on the M5 should leave at junction 25 for Taunton, following event signs. From the east on the A303, drivers should head north on the A37 to Worthy Farm. M4 users should exit at junction 17 onto the A350, then take the A361 west.

Parking at the festival site opens from 9pm on Tuesday 25 June, ahead of the festival start on Wednesday 26 June. The RAC predicts traffic will peak from Tuesday afternoon through Thursday 27 June. According to Glastonbury's official site, the busiest arrival time at Worthy Farm is between 7am and 2pm on Wednesday 26 June. Additional delays are expected early on Friday 28 June, coinciding with the opening of the main music stages.

Festivalgoers are advised to heed these travel tips to ensure a smoother journey to one of the UK's most iconic music events.

RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “Traffic jams are enough to drive people ‘totally crazy’ at the best of times but can be even more frustrating if you’ve already been travelling for hours with a carful of tents and camping equipment. While it will be extremely difficult to avoid heavy traffic on the final roads leading to Glastonbury, you can take several steps to make the experience more bearable.

“While sat-navs are usually an excellent tool to save you time on the road, when it comes to getting to the Glastonbury Festival it’s far better to follow the official directional signs to get to the right car park. You don’t want to end up at the wrong entrance and then struggle to reach the other side of the site – this creates more delays for everyone and is a sure-fire way of arriving at anything but the ‘Speed of Sound’.”