5 of our favourite European festivals (and how to get to them by train)
Spring has started which means it’s almost festival season. Thanks to Europe’s excellent rail network, it’s easy to reach festivals on the continent without having to fly.
Travelling by train means you can carry more luggage (say yes to more party outfits), you don’t need to worry about liquids (and let’s face it, you’ll need to stay hydrated), and your journey can be part of the holiday.
Here are some of our favourite European festivals, and how to get there by train.
Primavea Sound, June 1-3 2023. Barcelona, Spain.
Known for its stacked line-ups and picturesque setting, Primavera Sound is one of Europe’s most famous festivals, and will be headlined this year, by huge names including Blur, Kendrick Lamar, Depeche Mode and Rosalía.
Held in Barcelona, this festival is just two trains (or 3 if you include the RER) away from London.; take the Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris Gare Du Nord (2hrs 16mins), ride Paris’ RER line D for two stops (9mins) to reach Gare de Lyon, and then hop on the TGV Duplex which will take you straight to Barcelona (6hr 30mins).
This journey can easily be done in a day and means you could have Breakfast in London, lunch in Paris and dinner in Barcelona - and that’s before the festival has even begun.
While there you could even stay an extra couple weeks and attend Sonar, from 15th-17th June in Barcelona too.
Tomorrowland, 21-23 July & 28 – 30 July 2023. Boom, Belgium.
This electronic dance festival is one of the largest in the world and is very easy to get to. Catch the Eurostar from London to Brussels. From there, take a train to Antwerp (40mins), then Antwerp to Boom (25mins).
Lollapalooza, 9-10 Sept 2023. Berlin, Germany.
Yes, THAT Lollapalooza. This festival may be most famously held in the USA, but since 2015 they have held a festival in Berlin too! This year features big names like Imagine Dragons, Aurora and Rina Sawayam. While normally it would take three trains to get to Berlin, from 25 May 2023 (just in time for the festival) you'll be able to leave London on the 15:04 Eurostar to Brussels then travel overnight by sleeper from Brussels to Berlin arriving at 06:48, fresh and ready to head straight to the festival!
Sziget Festival, Thu 10 – Wed 16 Aug 2023. Budapest, Hungary.
This week-long festival set against the stunning backdrop of Budapest hosts some of the biggest rock and alternative acts including BIllie Eillish, Lorde, Florence and the Machine and Sam Fender. Take the Eurostar to Brussels and hop on a sleeper train to Vienna before jumping on one of the hourly trains to Budapest (2h40m).
Colours of Ostrava, July 19-22, 2023. Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Last but not least - Colours of Ostrava. Ok, it takes a little longer to get to, but we simply had to include it in our list: not only is this one of the biggest music events in Central Europe, boasting some huge acts (this year’s line-up includes OneRepublic, Ellie Goulding and Burna Boy among others), the journey is epic, and involves spending either one or two nights in gorgeous European cities.
We'd suggest getting an evening Eurostar to Brussels and spending a night in the Belgian capital. You’ll spend the following day enjoying the comfort of Europe's famous ICE trains - rolling out of Belgium, all the way through Germany and into Prague. You'll need to switch trains in Frankfurt, Nuremberg, and Cheb, so there's plenty of opportunities to stretch your legs and grab a bite to eat.
If you start your day early enough, it's possible to reach Ostrava that night. But if you can, why not enjoy Prague, and head to the festival refreshed the following morning?
If you have tickets for a festival not listed here, feel free to get in touch with our team for advice on getting there without flying - simply email hello@climateperks.com. For more information on these journeys and alternative routes check out Seat61.