Glastonbury announces big change to ticket booking system

The 2025 festival will be the final one before a break year.

The Glastonbury festival has revealed modifications to how attendees can secure tickets, now featuring a new automated queuing system.

This update means that ticket buyers need to be online before sales start on November 14 and 17.

Instead of simply updating a waiting page, users will be "randomly given a spot in the queue" when tickets become available. Those who join the queue later will automatically be positioned at the end.

The setup is akin to what’s employed for big concerts like those of Taylor Swift, Coldplay, and Oasis. By eliminating the necessity to repeatedly refresh the website, it will lighten the burden on the ticketing system and could even make the process faster for users.

Just like in past years, fans must sign up ahead of time to get tickets.

In 2025, the price to join the festival will be £373.50, along with a £5 booking charge. Attendees who reach the front of the line can purchase up to six tickets.

No performers have been announced for the festival yet, but interest is expected to be strong since 2025 will be the final opportunity to experience the festival before it takes a break in 2026.

Last year, general admission tickets were completely sold out in only 58 minutes.

Dua Lipa was among the main performers in 2024.

The updates to the booking system were announced in a message on the Glastonbury website on Tuesday, November 5.

A few fans voiced their worries regarding the adjustments, remembering past negative experiences with similar systems.

"This is a major issue," commented one user on X.com. "I managed to secure my spot for Oasis but got thrown out when I tried to make my payment. I can’t handle the thought of this happening for Glastonbury."

"This is simply a covert vote. It's terrible," remarked another person.

“A Reddit user noted that the previous system at least encouraged determination. Now, anyone can participate and have the same opportunity, even those who would typically give up and gripe after just a few minutes of refreshing the website.”

Some people had a different opinion, arguing that the new system benefits those who are well-organized and ready, typically the ones who are most eager to attend the festival.

"I'm fine with this adjustment," mentioned another user on Reddit. "I've attempted it and failed for the past three to four years. At least now you won't spend the entire morning stressing over it."

"I'm going to hold off on forming an opinion about this until ticket day," said the most upvoted comment. "My thoughts will depend on whether I manage to get a ticket."

In its guide for purchasing tickets, Glastonbury cautioned that using several devices to try and buy tickets might reduce your chances of getting them.

The festival cautioned that constantly refreshing the page, opening several tabs, or using different devices might appear suspicious. This could negatively impact your chances of success by activating anti-bot systems.

Customers who get to the front of the line will have 10 minutes to fill out their information before the session times out.

Tickets will be issued only once payment is completed, with a minimum deposit of £75 required for each ticket.

The ticket sale will occur in two stages. Ticket and coach bundles will be available starting at 6 PM (GMT) on Thursday, November 14. General admission tickets will then be released for sale at 9 AM (GMT) on Sunday, November 17.