Sleeping in train stations..

Hi guys.
I'm going to a festival in summer but haven't managed to get a camping ticket and every single B&B/campsite nearby is fully booked out.

I really want to go to this festival and I'm going to keep on searching for somewhere to stay, but if I can't find anywhere, I'm tempted to just sleep in the train station for 1 night...

What are people's opinions on this sort of stuff?

Reply 1

OOgles

Might get kicked out especially if you don't look like a legit tramp.

Have a back up.

Reply 2

Z-6H820

What about the couchsurfer sort of websites?

Reply 3

Fullofsurprises

20

Original post by tsr-member

Hi guys.
I'm going to a festival in summer but haven't managed to get a camping ticket and every single B&B/campsite nearby is fully booked out.

I really want to go to this festival and I'm going to keep on searching for somewhere to stay, but if I can't find anywhere, I'm tempted to just sleep in the train station for 1 night...

What are people's opinions on this sort of stuff?

Depends where it is, but it's quite tricky to accomplish in a lot of stations - the staff kick people out after the last train in all but the biggest (or the smallest, unmanned) stations. In the really big ones, you are normally OK provided you look respectable and don't get into a whole thing of getting into a sleeping bag, but they can also be extremely cold at night even in summer (for some peculiar reason, railway stations appear to be the coldest places in the known world) and a lot of the cafes close down after a certain time. It's generally to be avoided if at all possible.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 4

JC.

19

Sleep in your car?
What about a travel lodge?

Reply 5

whyumadtho

14

I would just presume you were waiting for a train.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 6

pjm600

18

Camp in a field?

If you're going to sleep in a train station, at least make sure it's manned.

Reply 7

DarkWhite

17

I've stayed up at train stations all night in the past, but never fallen asleep; just pick one of the first trains of the next day and say you're waiting for it.

It depends which station it is though - look it up on http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/ to get the opening hours because a lot of stations close for a few hours overnight just for cleaning and to purposefully stop people sleeping there if they're not waiting for a train.

Smaller stations and those with really early services are normally accessible through the night though.

You could try websites like crouchsurfer, or maybe find a Facebook Page/Event where people are going and see about sharing their tent or whatnot? If there's fields etc nearby you could always ask the landowner - a lot of farmers are fine with it providing you're not a large group getting drunk, you don't disturb their crops or livestock, and you leave the site respectable / as you found it :smile:

Reply 8

curtis871

13

Are you on your own? I've done it but really wouldn't recommend it. Which station were you thinking? A circular night bus route might be a better option or if friends have a room somewhere sneak into theirs (also done both of those :tongue:

). Some night buses will be worse than the stations though. If you're really lucky a nice person will see you and let you stay in their spare room/sofa, done that too lol.

Reply 9

username129099

15

Train station sleeping isn't quite a much of an option as airport sleeping. Stations no only tend be cold, and the shops close, but most don't have trains running throughout the night which makes pretending you are waiting for a train harder.

Reply 10

MrFlash1994

8

Yea if you're on your own I wouldn't recommend going for the train station, but it is possible as long as you don't look like you're actually going to sleep. 24 Hour McDonalds, night bus, random field? Or you could try paying someone with a back yard to camp there for the festival, I've seen that being done before.

Reply 11

Tactical Nuclear Penguin

16

I don't think I'd ever fall asleep at a station, but that's just me, I struggle to sleep the first night in a new place, especially just on a bench or something.

I've known people spend all night at many stations though waiting for a very early train, from Scottish ones in the middle of nowhere, to London St Pancras to Manchester Piccadilly.

Reply 12

RichyFrench

14

Went clubbing in Münster once, left the club somewhere around 4am.. Got to the train station at 4:30. Next train back to Düsseldorf was 6:15. Only option was to sleep on the platform until the train came. Luckily there were benches, so I curled up on one as tight as possible trying to keep warm (this was early October so it wasn't exactly warm). I managed to get to sleep only woken once by the ICE train flying past. I guess when you're tired enough you can sleep anywhere.

Take any tight clothes which cling to you and keep you warm.. Legwarmers too. With whatever clothes on to keep warm you can sleep in a variety of places. If you get out a sleeping bag however, you'll be a lot more vulnerable. If someone tries to nick your things and you're in a sleeping bag, you've got no chance. If you're not, people will think twice. Safety is always a concern if you have to sleep outside somewhere so think about that too.

Reply 13

.Scout.

14

I've slept in train stations abroad before and never had any problems with being kicked out. However, in the UK they seem to be stricter. If there's not trains running then they probably wont let you stay.

Try couchsurfing. I've done it plenty of times and would recommend to anyone.

Reply 14

Octohedral

16

Original post by tsr-member

What are people's opinions on this sort of stuff?

Plan ahead. Many train stations close for the night.

I hesitate to admit I have once voluntarily spent the night on the streets of a large city, for much the same reasons, and I really wouldn't recommend falling asleep unless you can find somwhere like a toilet that you can lock (though these are frequently used by drug addicts, so I wouldn't recommend that either). You will be very tired for your festival (unless it's the night after?)

If you do choose to do it, the main things to note are;

1. It can be VERY cold. It's not something you realise before you try it, but take LOTS of clothes.
2. Be sensible - don't, for example, wear really expensive trainers and flash your watch around.
3. Take something to do if you intend to stay awake. The hours between 2am and 6am are the hardest, and most uncomfortable.
4. I'm not pretty, and I'm nearly 6ft tall. If you are pretty, skinny and 5ft6 you may want to reconsider, or at least make an effor to disguise that fact (baggy clothes, no make-up). It seems a bit OTT, but there are rapists and weirdos out there and you don't want to take chances.

A better option would be to find a 24 hour McDonalds - I eventually managed to trick my way into a marina shower block, which was fantastic. Another option is an overnight coach / train so you can sleep whilst travelling. If there isn't one and you still really want to do it, then just make sure you know exactly where to go in advance :smile:

Reply 15

GottaLovePhysics! :)

17

If you say you missed a train and are waiting for the morning ones they make be ok with that. Although unless you had friends to look out for you, I wouldnt risk it being harrassed/bags being stolen.
Or do what me and a few friends did, which was pop up our own tent in a park. Not suposed to do that ofc, but you can sometimes get away with it.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 16

scrotgrot

16

Personally I'd trek a few miles into the countryside and pitch a tent somewhere. Try to find a secluded area of land where you won't be spotted by the farmer coming out at 4:30 to do the milking. You could also easily get away with camping on a public footpath, particularly if it's separated from any fields by a hedge or fence.

Reply 17

CodeJack

19

Get a camo/green/dark tent and walk a couple of miles, find a field and hide away in it, leave a note just on the door maybe so if a farmer comes they wont be as suprised when confronting you.

Reply 18

brabzzz

14

For (sub)urban guerrilla camping, Hennessy Hammocks are the business. Stormproof, compact, green and all you need are 2 trees, lamp posts...whatevers. 5 minutes to pitch at last light, 5 to take down at first light - nobody will even know you've been there.

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb84/skierd007/DAMN%20reunion%202010/damn05.jpg

As for the train station, dunno. Only done that in India, which is a whole different kettle of fish...

Reply 19

LincolnHawk

Original post by tsr-member

Hi guys.
I'm going to a festival in summer but haven't managed to get a camping ticket and every single B&B/campsite nearby is fully booked out.

I really want to go to this festival and I'm going to keep on searching for somewhere to stay, but if I can't find anywhere, I'm tempted to just sleep in the train station for 1 night...

What are people's opinions on this sort of stuff?

Just out of interest, what festival is it that you're going to? I know that certain pubs by Download Festival allow people to pitch up in their gardens during the festival. I would be surprised if pubs in other areas that have major festivals didn't do the same.

Sleeping in train stations..

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