We have routes from North, South, East and West to get you to the festival site by car. These will be used flexibly depending on traffic conditions at the time. It is important that you follow the temporary road signs for directions around the festival site, and not your sat nav.

A Car Park Pass is required to use our car parks. These are available to purchase in advance or on the day (more expensive).

Road Directions

Whether you are coming from the north, south, east or west, please ensure you follow road signs to Download, from the M1 motorway or from the A38 or A42.

Routes for vehicles arriving on-site will be used flexibly, depending on traffic conditions at the time. Do not use your sat nav, or assume the route you have taken in previous years is correct, as this information might not be correct – and your journey time may take longer. Always follow the road signs where possible.

• M1 coming from the South – The route to Download will be signposted from Junction 23A northbound.
• M1 coming from the North – The route will be signposted from Junction 28 southbound
• M42 / A42 coming from Birmingham direction – The route will be signposted from Junction 13 northbound.

When leaving, please follow the signs and use routes that avoid the busiest area (either Junction 23A of the M1).

Road Safety

Please travel at a safe but reasonable speed, ensuring you do not stop on the roads around Download Festival. All roads around the site will have temporary “no waiting” traffic orders on them which will be enforced.

If you are travelling to Download with a campervan, to stay in our Campervan Field, we advise that you follow the road signage to site from the M1, Junction 23.

If you are travelling to Download by motorcycle, please park in the dedicated Bike Park located on the hard standing area of the West Car Park.

A Motorcycle Pass will be required to use our Bike Park, and are available to purchase in advance or on the day (more expensive). One pass will be valid for the duration of the event.

For more information on travelling by road, including detailed directions, please see ‘By Car / Minibus‘.

The closest mainline railway stations for Download are East Midlands Parkway and Derby, both of which are served by regular festival transfer buses – last service times from these stations will be added closer to the event.

Shuttle buses will operate from both stations to and from our Transport Hub at Download. Depending on traffic, these usually take 20mins between East Midlands Parkway and Download, and 30mins between Derby Station.

A return shuttle bus ticket costs £10.

A taxi rank will be located inside the Transport Hub at Download. Please ensure you instruct drivers to drop you off, and pick you up, from this location.

Agreed taxi fares from local services will be added here closer to the event.

Please note: roads surrounding the festival can be unsafe, with unstable verges, often with no pavements or lighting. “No stopping” orders in place around the site will also mean your taxi is in risk of enforcement action if they do not use the Transport Hub.

A drop off / pick up area is located inside the Transport Hub at Download Festival, with road signs directing to this locating around the festival site.

Note: please ensure you instruct drivers to drop you off, and pick you up, from this location and not nearby roads. Roads surrounding the festival can be unsafe, with unstable verges, often with no pavements or lighting. “No stopping” orders in place around the site will also mean that drivers may risk enforcement action if they do not use the Transport Hub.

Download Festival takes place at the hallowed grounds of rock, Donington Park, next to East Midlands Airport.

Taking place where the three counties of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire meet, Download Festival has excellent connections by road, rail, bus and plane.