Leeds Festival at Bramham Park: getting there, camping and the rules

Leeds Festival is officially Pepsi MAX presents Leeds Festival, and it takes over Bramham Park, near Wetherby (postcode LS23 6ND), across the August bank holiday weekend. It is about a 30 minute drive from Leeds station on a good run, though traffic can stretch that a lot. Here is what to sort before you go.

The line-up in brief

The headliners are Charli XCX, Chase & Status, Dave, Florence + The Machine, Fontaines D.C. and RAYE, with Kasabian topping a Thursday night bill that also features The Lathums and Arkayla. The Yorkshire Evening Post bills the arena overhaul as "Leeds 2.0", with six performance spaces: The Grid, The Gallery, The Warehouse, The Ballroom, The Canopy and the late night electronic stage LS23.

Tickets

• Weekend Camping: £325
• Weekend + Early Entry Camping: £361
• Weekend Non-Camping: £295 (Friday to Sunday arena entry, no campsite)

Early Entry is only sold as part of that bundle and cannot be added later. Payment plans are advertised on the official ticket page. A weekend ticket gets swapped for a wristband with unlimited re-entry. Check in with your e-ticket and photo ID: Wednesday 2pm to 9pm, then Thursday to Sunday 10am to 9pm.

All ages are welcome and under-13s are free. Under-16s need an adult ticket holder aged 18 or over, who has to stay on site. Challenge 25 applies at the bars, so bring ID if you look under 25.

Getting there

Shuttle bus from Leeds

First Bus runs the shuttle from Sovereign Square Park on Sovereign Street (LS1 4PB), a short walk from the southern entrance of Leeds station, the one towards Granary Wharf. It runs about every 30 minutes, day and night, from the Wednesday through to bank holiday Monday. Buy tickets in the First Bus app: choose the Leeds region, then Promotions. The Stray Ferret travel guide and the Yorkshire Evening Post both cover the set-up.

Coach

Big Green Coach is the official coach partner, with around 40 pick-up points across the UK. It drops at the Bramham Park bus terminal and tickets must be booked in advance. Weekend coaches can arrive on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday and return on Monday. The festival site mentions a £1 deposit option with interest-free instalments.

Car

Parking is included in every ticket, in fields separate from the campsites, and entry is via the Red Gate. Follow signs from the A1(M), M1 or A1; the route is signposted from Junction 41 northbound on the A1(M). A one-way system operates on the A64. Switch off the satnav near the site and follow the yellow event signs.

Taxi

A taxi from the station takes about 30 minutes and costs roughly £25 to £40 depending on route and traffic. There is a pick-up and drop-off zone off York Road (A64), with a taxi rank at Red Gate 1.

From Leeds Bradford Airport

The airport is about 30 minutes away by car. Without one, take the 757 into Leeds and pick up the shuttle, or grab a taxi.

Camping

Every weekend camping ticket includes general admission camping: turn up and pick your spot. Standard ticket holders can get in from 3am on Thursday, Early Entry from midday Wednesday. Campsites are open 24 hours and everyone must be out by midday on bank holiday Monday.

The Fields campsite needs no booking and has private showers, premium toilets, a 24 hour food and drink hub, a Co-op supermarket, a shaded chill-out lounge, a gaming arcade and a pamper zone. New is a 21+ campsite called VISTA. Kindred is an inclusive campsite run with Safer Spaces Now CIC, and there is a Campervan Campsite too. KINDRED, OASIS, VISTA and WILLOWS were listed as fully subscribed, and the Glades accessible campsite was at capacity.

Paid upgrades include ORCHARD premium Bring Your Own Tent at £81.75 per person (you still need a weekend camping ticket), pre-pitched tents from £279.50 for two, and a Weekend Campervan Pass at £155. LOTUS bell tents start at £825.75.

Arena times

Thursday the arena is open 5pm to 12:30am. Friday to Sunday it opens at 11am and closes at 12:30am.

What you can and can't bring

• Arena bags: one per person, no bigger than A4 (21 x 29.7cm), and all bags are searched. Organisers would rather you brought none.
• Allowed in the arena: one sealed 500ml soft drink or water, empty reusable bottles, small amounts of food and personal medication.
• Banned from the arena: cans, alcohol, glass, umbrellas, blankets, camping gear and inflatable loungers.
• Banned everywhere: drones, glass bottles and jars, candles, incense, campfires, fire pits, fireworks, flares, single use vapes, bikes, scooters, skateboards, professional cameras, nitrous oxide and animals (guide and hearing dogs excepted).

Alcohol for personal use (18+) is fine in the campsite, just not the arena. Bring a sleeping bag. Camping stoves are allowed at Leeds according to the festival, with fuel capped at 1L per stove and gas canisters 250g or smaller. Disposable BBQs are out. The official Essentials page has the full list, and breaking the rules can get you evicted without a refund.

The First Timers Guide is worth a read before you pack, and there are charging points and a battery pack exchange on site.