Silverstone Parking

[arcamalpha]

I'm going to Silverstone for the F1 qualifying on Saturday and it's my first visit.

What time do I need to get there to get in without queuing?

[dalenorth]

Use the park and ride in Northampton, I think I was there off about 8 on race day and can't remember much of a queue

[Gillett66]

If you aim to get to the circuit at ten as if you were just driving straight in you'll be fine. You might even catch the end of P3, even the worst case you would be parked and inside the track by 12.

[rubystone]

I often meet friends to give them tickets on a Saturday and they always just drive up the Dadford Road and park by the circuit in one of the Tarmac car parks. so my advice is to do just that!

[Dazzled]

Silverstone are charging £38 to park in one of their car parks on Saturday and the best part of £60 on Sunday so be prepared to get fleeced.
Dadford Road is also one way inbound up to the Woodlands Campsite until the end of qualifying so you'll not be able to approach any of the car parks opposite the main entrance from Buckingham direction.

[egor110]

You can park at dadford camp site for £5 just go past silverstone and it's next right after the golf club.

[arcamalpha]

Thanks all. I should have mentioned I already have 'hospitality' parking which presumably is a designated parking zone and I need to get there for 8:30 to meet people for breakfast.

Is it realistic to try to drive from the M40 to Silverstone at 8 or is that the worst time?

[Dazzled]

8am on Saturday will be a breeze. You'll get straight in.

[egor110]

arcamalpha said:

Thanks all. I should have mentioned I already have 'hospitality' parking which presumably is a designated parking zone and I need to get there for 8:30 to meet people for breakfast.

Is it realistic to try to drive from the M40 to Silverstone at 8 or is that the worst time?

Enjoy yourself looks like the weathers going to be decent, but please please don't sit in hospitality all day try and get trackside right next to the fence at half way down hanger straight to experience the cars at full chat, something you won't experience in hospitality.

[arcamalpha]

Certainly will :-) Hospitality isn't the norm for me-I'm normally wandering around soaking up the sounds. Just not familiar with Silverstone at big events. Fingers crossed for good weather!

[Jimmytno1]

Quick thread hijack, I've been lucky enough to recieve some general admission tickets for Sunday, they have come with a parking permit (not park and ride), will I still have to pay the £50 or whatever the amount is for parking?
Also, how far away are the car parks from the circuit? I'm travelling up from Cornwall so trying to work out logistics!

[F355GTS]

Jimmytno1 said:

Quick thread hijack, I've been lucky enough to recieve some general admission tickets for Sunday, they have come with a parking permit (not park and ride), will I still have to pay the £50 or whatever the amount is for parking?
Also, how far away are the car parks from the circuit? I'm travelling up from Cornwall so trying to work out logistics!

Parking permit means you won't have to pay, most car parks are adjacent to the circuit so it's not a massive walk to get in

[Jimmytno1]

Great, thanks for that! How bad is the traffic likely to be around silverstone at 9.30ish? Looks like we are planning on setting off at 4.00am with a view to being in the circuit by 10

[Dazzled]

By 9.30 the traffic will already be queuing off the A43 and probably a fair way back along the A43 to Syresham. It'll be moving but very slowly.
I'll be watching the queues from my kitchen window as I have my brekkie.

BTW - take the M5 up to Cheltenham turnoff and head cross country via Chipping Norton / Aynho. Way quicker than M4/ A34 or going via Swindon.

[egor110]

Jimmytno1 said:

Quick thread hijack, I've been lucky enough to recieve some general admission tickets for Sunday, they have come with a parking permit (not park and ride), will I still have to pay the £50 or whatever the amount is for parking?
Also, how far away are the car parks from the circuit? I'm travelling up from Cornwall so trying to work out logistics!

Think i'd be tempted to get train to milton keynes/northampton then bus to silverstone, that's a hell of a drive.

If you really want to drive go sat stay over night at dadford campsite £10 night per tent, then at least you won't have to get up early sunday.

[Thundersports]

On the subject I bought a pass to one of the private car parks outside the circuit. I've now been given a ticket for the park and ride from Hinton. Which one should I use? (I haven't been since 1994).

[egor110]

Thundersports said:

On the subject I bought a pass to one of the private car parks outside the circuit. I've now been given a ticket for the park and ride from Hinton. Which one should I use? (I haven't been since 1994).

Where's the private car park?

If it's down in silverstone village you could avoid the traffic.

[Thundersports]

P1 Pole position parking in the village.

[Dazzled]

Use your parking ticket for Pole Position. It's a short walk from there over the A43 to the main entrance circa 10 minutes max.

[S73VO]

Hide your car in the bushes along the A43?

Seriously though, I never find the traffic bad in the morning.. Always seems to be much worse in the evening rammed for hours all the way to the M40 and M1.