Extra trains for this year’s Boardmasters but you must reserve a seat
The annual event in Newquay kickstarts next week
More than 13,000 extra seats are being provided for this year’s Boardmasters, but travellers are being warned that they must reserve a place and are reminded surfboards cannot be carried on long-distance trains.
With the Watergate Bay festival site due to open from Wednesday 9 August, Great Western Railway will operate a reservation-only system, ensuring everyone who wants to travel is able to book on a train of their choice.
To provide these services, GWR will make changes to the usual timetable in Devon and Cornwall and warns regular customers to check their journey before they travel at gwr.com/check to avoid being caught out.
From Wednesday to Friday, GWR will provide extra trains between London Paddington and Newquay and between Plymouth/Par and Newquay, and for return journeys on Monday 14 August. Trains will, however, be busy and a queueing system will be in place at Newquay to manage the safe return of festival goers.
GWR West Cornwall Station Manager Sharon Holloway explains: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming people to Newquay Station for Boardmasters. To try to keep everyone as safe as possible, a place must be reserved when you buy your train tickets.
“We would also like to remind those travelling by train that we cannot carry surfboards; trolleys; and excessive amounts of luggage. Queuing systems may also be in operation at busier stations on route to help you board safely – especially so at Newquay for return journeys on Monday.”
What do I need to pack?
With these restrictions in place, GWR asks customers to think carefully about what they need.
To avoid disappointment when arriving at stations and at the festival those travelling should:
- Reserve a seat with your ticket at GWR.com or through the GWR app
- Allow extra time because trains to and from Newquay will be busy
- A queueing system will be in place at stations to help people board their reserved train
- Remember your Railcard
- Charge your phone if you have an electronic ticket
What should I leave at home?
- Surfboards cannot be taken on long-distance trains and local hire is recommended
- Trolleys (wheeled cases are allowed but four-wheel trolleys and sack trucks will not be)
Specific train reservations will be required on all services to Newquay on Wednesday 9, Thursday 10, and Friday 11 August, and from Newquay on Monday 14 August.
As well as additional rail services on the Newquay branch line, extra buses will support the rail service for intermediate stops.
Other traffic information
FESTIVAL ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES
Boardmasters festival encourages attendees to travel by train, coach, or car share. Festival shuttle buses will be running every 15 minutes from Newquay Town Centre to the main festival site at Watergate Bay for those travelling to and from Newquay train station. Festivalgoers can book shuttle bus tickets on the First Bus App, or pay on the bus.
As with all major events and with a sell-out show on the horizon, traffic will be busy and queues are expected. Festivalgoers will be arriving to camp at the festival from Wednesday 9 August in addition to day ticket holders who will arrive each day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Festival organisers expect Wednesday 9 August to be the busiest day for arrivals at Watergate Bay, when around 60% of campers will arrive on site. Festival car parks will open from 7.30am, with organisers predicting peak arrivals by car will take place from 10am - 4pm on Wednesday and Thursday.
Camping customers will leave the festival on Monday 14 August - organisers anticipate traffic will be busiest between 8am and 4pm on that day. Boardmasters advises residents to avoid unnecessary journeys near to the Boardmasters festival site during peak arrivals and departures – and thank local residents for their patience.
WATERGATE BAY ROAD CLOSURES
The Watergate Road closure will be in place each day on Wednesday 9 - Thursday 10 August between 6pm and 3am and Friday 11 - Sunday 13 August between 4pm and 3am. The road closure is between Blue Car Park (up from the Sands Resort Hotel & Spa) and the bottom of the hill at Watergate Bay will create a safe crossing between our main arena and campsites for festivalgoers.
As a measure to further reduce local traffic during the event we will implement a £50 car park re-entry fee to encourage use of our shuttle bus services.
FISTRAL BEACH
At Fistral Beach, where the surf competition takes place, a road closure will be in place on Headland Road from Monday 7 – Monday 14 August from 8am – 8pm each day. Parking at Towan Headland car park will be suspended for the duration of this time. Parking at Fistral Beach will be suspended completely from Wednesday 9 – Sunday 13 August.