As the August Bank Holiday weekend approaches, those heading to the Reading Festival are being told that a queuing system will be in operation when they head home after the event.

Passengers will have their tickets checked before they board their trains. Great Western Railway is gearing up for one of the busiest bank holidays of the year.

In order to cope with capacity, there are amendments to last years queuing system operations, passengers will join the queue which this year will pass through the underpass, before entering the south side of Reading station.

A number of trains will be running to transport attendees to and from the event, with additional late-night and early-morning services scheduled for the early hours of Monday.

However, the return services are anticipated to be very crowded, and a queuing system will be implemented.

Festival goers coming from further afield should check their services before they travel as engineering works in the Severn Tunnel following its track upgrade will affect routes to and from South Wales on Sunday, 25 August.

Additionally, CrossCountry will be running a modified timetable for trips to the Midlands and the North.

Those attending the festival are also reminded that they should travel light and carry minimal luggage to allow space for other passengers.

“We’re really looking forward to welcoming people to Reading Station for the festival. To try to keep everyone as safe as possible, please allow extra time for your journey home as a queuing system will be in operation on Monday.

“To help you board safely and allow space for others, please do not bring excessive amounts of luggage.”

 John Gadd, GWR Reading Station Manager

Travellers tips

Those heading to the Reading Festival should remember to:

• Plan for additional time on Monday morning as trains heading home from Reading will be exceptionally busy, and a queuing system will be implemented.
• Ensure you have your Railcard with you (either ticket or digital version).
• Make sure if you have e-tickets or a railcard on your phone, make sure your phone is charged before you board the train.

The Reading Festival traditionally generates the largest single-day surge in passengers for GWR, with up to 65,000 extra customers observed traveling back by train on Bank Holiday Monday. This begins in the early hours and lasts until mid-afternoon.

Train times

Regular train services from Reading to London will run throughout the night and early morning. For instance, on Friday evenings, trains operate following this schedule (it is expected that the music at the festival will finish around 23:15):

• Friday Evening: 23:48, 23:55
• Saturday Morning: 00:19, 00:39, 01:15

Additional trains will run in the small hours of Monday morning there are:

• 00:11, 01:36, 03:00, 04:34

Passengers should check with National Rail Enquiries to confirm travel details