Reading Festival revellers told to plan train trips

Reading Festival is GWR's busiest event in terms of extra travellers, it said

Revellers leaving the Reading Festival later this month will need to queue to board trains and have their tickets checked, a train operator has said.

Great Western Railway (GWR) said customers will queue through Reading Station’s underpass, which is due to re-open next week, and enter it on its south side.

Fred Again, Lana Del Rey and Catfish and the Bottlemen will headline the festival and its twin event in Leeds.

Blink-182 and Liam Gallagher will also appear on the main stages, which start on Wednesday and closes on 25 August.

GWR said the event is its busiest of the year in terms of additional travellers.

It expects up to 65,000 more customers on the Bank Holiday Monday than normal, starting in the early hours and continuing through the day.

Services are expected to be very busy and those travelling should check their journeys beforehand.

Reading station’s manager John Gadd said: “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 [25 August]," he said.

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