Electric Picnic: How do I get there?

Where am I going?

Electric Picnic is returning on September 2nd and after two years of cancellations, we finally get to make the trek over to Stradbally.

While many of us are not new to this, there are some that may have never been before and if you’re one of them, you might want to keep this handy.

Getting to a field in the middle of Laois sounds like a lot, but it’s not as bad as it seems. Getting to Electric Picnic is easily the worst part of the weekend but once you’re there, you’ll have completely forgotten about the journey.

For anyone getting a lift to the festival, have your very kind driver know that the pick up and drop off points are located in Green Car Park Z and can be accessed by pedestrians through Paintball Gate.

Marathon Coaches are running services from Dublin city, starting at Custom House bus stop 407 and North wall Quay in Dublin city to and from Stradbally, from the 1st to the 4th of September, with prices starting at €30. You can also buy tickets at the stop itself, but they’re more expensive.

Irish Concert Travel is running a nationwide service starting at €35 starting on September 2nd until the 5th.

Martley’s will be operating a shuttle bus from Portlaoise train station to Stradbally, but this one is a cash only service costing €7 each way.

Buses heading to Stradbally from Portlaoise station start at noon on the 1st until 10pm every 30 minutes, they then start at 7.30am on the 2nd until 10.30 and the same start time on the 3rd and 4th, only ending at 10pm.

The return service runs from 10am to 4am on Friday, 9am to 4am on Saturday, 7am to 4am on Sunday and start at 4.30am on Monday until 3.30pm.

Buses to Concerts will be running various different services from the north as well as Louth.

Coaches depart from from the 2nd to the 4th each morning from Belfast’s Jurys Hotel Great Victoria Street at 9am, Lisburn’s Sprucefield Bus Stop at 9.20am, Banbridge at the bus stop opposite Home Bargains in Outlet Park at 9.40am, Newry’s Fiveways Roundabout at 10am, Applegreen at Dundalk Castlebellingham M1 Southbound at 10.45am, the bus stop at Lidl on the M1 Retail Park in Drogheda at 11.15am and then in at the Travelodge in Phoenix Park in Dublin at 12pm.

They will begin returns at 9am on Monday from Coach Park.

By car

The green car park is open from 4pm on Thursday for early entry. The Red and Yellow Car Parks are open from 9am on Friday until 1pm on Monday. Follow event signage from Gardaí when arriving as there are different routes in place than Google maps shows and they will tell you where to go. Parking is free at EP and each carpark will give access to general camping areas.

If you’re heading from Dublin or the North, head down the M7 and exit at the Ballydavis Interchange Junction 16. Follow event signage until you get to your parking spot.

If you’re heading from Limerick and the South West, continue on the M7 and exit at Junction 17. Follow event signage until you get to your parking spot.

From Cork and the South, exit the M8 at Junction 3 for Ballacolla and Abbeyleix and follow event signage until you get to your parking spot.

From Carlow and the South East, travel down the N80 and N78 to Simmons Mills and proceed via the Windy Gap into Stradbally. You then turn left at Court Square opposite Dunne’s pub and onto the Timahoe Road before taking another left into the car park.

Coming from the West, head via Mountmellick and onto Portlaoise Town, at Fairgreen Roundabout turn right onto the ring road before continuing to Mountrath Road R445 and turn right. Continue on to Rockdale Roundabout and turn left onto the Ring Road L26964-0 and then right at the Roundabout onto the N77 to Meelick Junction. You then merge into event traffic from the M7 northbound and Limerick, see directions above.

Campervans

Heading the same roads as you would by car, if you are arriving on the 1st from Dublin, the North, Limerick, the South West and the West, once you reach the N80 into Stradbally, continue through the town to court square and right onto the Timahoe Road. Continue down here and take a right to the Apiary Campervan Gate.

Arriving from the 2nd, from the above areas, follow the main event traffic. When you reach Money Cross continue on the R426 to Timahoe Village. Once here, turn left into Stradbally and continue until you get to the Apiary Campervan Gate.

If you’re coming from Carlow and the south east, travel along the N80 and N78 to Simmons Mills, proceed via the Windy Gap into Stradbally. Turn left at Court Square (opposite Dunne’s pub) onto the Timahoe Road and continue until you turn right into the Apiary Campervan Gate.

From Cork and the south, exit the M8 at junction 3 to Ballacolla and Abbeyleix before a right turn to the R433 and proceed via Ballacolla village and onto Abbeyleix, then turn left on the N77 through the town, and then just before exiting Abbeyleix turn right onto the R425 towards Ballyroan Village onto Cashel Cross. From here, follow the main road to the right onto the R427 when you reach Money Cross you will be diverted right onto Timahoe Village and onto the Apiary Campervan Gate.

Weekend family ticketholders and family campervans

For the M7, exit off Junction 16 towards Bloomfield Cross on the R445 in the direction of Portlaoise, then turn left onto the R425 towards the N80. Take the first exit on the roundabout and continue on the N80 and the family car park is in the centre of town and will be sign posted.

From the N8- and N78 to Simmons Mills, proceed on the N80 via the Windy Gap into Stradbally. Continue on to the family car park which will be sign posted.

When it comes to family campervans, take exit off Junction 16 on the M7 towards Bloomfield Cross on the R445 in the direction of Portlaoise, then turn left onto the R425 towards the N80. Take the first exit on the roundabout and continue on the N80 through the town. As you get to court square, turn right onto Timahoe Road and take a right into Gate 4.

By train

Portlaoise train station is the closest to Stradbally with shuttle buses to the festival, which can be read above. For train times, please check Irish Rail’s website here.

By bike

If you are cycling, come through the Tour de Picnic area and you can leave your bike in the designated area. You must sign up ahead of the festival to secure a spot, which you can do here.