Tourfestexpoa magazine about travelling to festivals and events

An independent magazine about travelling to festivals and events. This is not the website of an exhibition or its organisers, it does not sell tickets and it has no connection with previous websites on this domain.

Plans

How to plan a festival trip

A festival trip is like any other journey, except it has a fixed centre: the date and time of the event, which are out of your hands. Everything else has to fit around them: travel, accommodation, food and rest. This article sets out the order of preparation, from the first news of the event to getting back home. The result: the dates are checked on the official website, your ticket is bought from a trusted seller and you know its refund terms, travel and accommodation are booked, your plan for the day and meeting point are agreed, and the way back is worked out in advance. There are no names, prices or dates of specific events here, just principles.

First make sure the event is happening where and when you think it is. Half of all trouble starts with an unchecked poster.

— Editor's note

Before you start

  • The name of the event and a link to the organiser's official website
  • The dates you're ready to travel, plus a back-up option
  • A list of your companions and their wishes: who is going for the whole day and who for a couple of hours
  • A rough budget for the ticket, travel and accommodation
  • Photo ID, if it's required for entry

  1. Check the event

    Find the official website or the organiser's page and check the dates, venue and programme. Sign up for updates so you are the first to hear about any change of date.

    For example, if the site has moved to the other side of the river, that changes where you should stay too.

  2. Buy your ticket from a reliable seller

    Get your ticket from the organiser or a partner they name themselves. Before paying, read the refund and exchange terms.

    Save an e-ticket with a code on your phone straight away and keep a separate copy: touts sometimes sell the same code to several people.

  3. Sort out travel

    As soon as you have your event ticket, look for a train, coach or flight. Check your arrival time against the start of the programme, and your return time against its end.

    If the finale is late in the evening and the last train leaves earlier, plan for another night.

  4. Book accommodation

    Demand for rooms is higher than usual on big event dates. Choose somewhere within walking distance of the site or reachable without changes, and check the cancellation terms.

    A room half an hour's walk from the site is often more convenient than a hotel in the centre if transport is packed after the finale.

  5. Read the entry rules

    What you can bring in, whether you need ID, whether children are admitted, whether you can leave and come back. These rules are set by the organiser.

    If bottles with caps are banned, bring a collapsible flask or find out where the drinking water points are on site.

  6. Make a plan for the day

    Mark the main performances or halls, time for food and rest, and places with water and shade. Agree on a meeting point with your companions.

    A sample plan: the opening, a break in the shade in the middle of the day, the headline act in the evening, meeting up at an easy-to-spot sign.

  7. Pack a bag for the site

    Water, a hat, a rain poncho, a power bank, a small first-aid kit and a little cash. Keep it all light: you'll be carrying it all day.

    A bright ribbon on your backpack strap will help your friends spot you in the crowd from a distance.

  8. Plan the way back

    Decide whether you'll leave before the finale, wait for the first wave or walk. Save your accommodation's address so it opens without an internet connection.

    If the stop by the gates is packed, walk on to the next one with your companions.

Common mistakes

  • Trusting a social media poster and not checking the dates on the official website
  • Buying a ticket second-hand from an unknown seller without knowing the refund terms
  • Booking accommodation at the last minute, when all the event's visitors are heading to town
  • Not checking when the last return service leaves
  • Going to the site without water, a hat or an agreed meeting point
  • Planning an early departure straight after a late-night finale

Alternatives

  • If accommodation near the site is booked up, look for a place to stay in a nearby town with good connections
  • If tickets are sold out, choose the free street part of the programme or another day of the event
  • If the event lasts several days, buy a one-day ticket and spend the rest of the time in the city
  • If you're travelling with children, choose daytime programmes and family areas

Checklist before you travel to an event

  • Event dates and venue checked on the official website
  • Ticket bought from the organiser or their partner, refund terms read
  • E-ticket saved on your phone and as a separate copy
  • Travel there and back matched to the start and end of the programme
  • Accommodation booked, cancellation terms known
  • Entry rules read, bag packed accordingly
  • Meeting point agreed with your companions
  • Transport

    Train, coach, plane, car and local transport after the finale: the pros, the pitfalls and the way back.

  • Destinations

    Six types of events, from music festivals to fairs, and four things to look at when choosing a city.

  • Questions

    Short answers about tickets, travel and accommodation on event dates, and about the day on site.

Sources

  • Event organisers' ticket sale and refund terms
  • EMERCOM of Russia — safety advice for mass events
  • Official websites of cities and events

Information is correct as of the date it was prepared. Event programmes, entry rules, ticket sale and refund terms and holiday transport services all change, so check them on the official websites before you set off.