GoCar: Making that magic festival pilgrimage easier than ever

We’ve all heard someone say that it’s about the journey, not the destination.

But why can’t it be about both?

There’s something sacred about the drive to a festival. Our first memories are forged well before a tent peg hits the ground. The group chat lights up, you pick up your mates one by one and settle into the car (taking half your wardrobe with you!).

This year, GoCar – Ireland’s largest car and van sharing service, with over 1,100+ vehicles to book nationwide, are making that magic festival pilgrimage easier than ever. With pick-up points now in operation across the country, their flexible and highly affordable service lets you hit the road on your own terms.

It is, of course, fundamental to the GoCar ethos that no car ownership is required. But there’s also no stress, and definitely no rushing to squeeze into a crowded train carriage or sweaty coach with three backpacks and a mountain of camping equipment.

There is joy in the journey itself: a last-minute outfit change that gets glitter all over the back seat, karaoke on full volume, the inevitable pitstop to buy baby wipes, a portable charger and some snacks to sustain you; and the scenic detour that had absolutely nothing to do with the driver and was, ahem, totally the map’s fault.

These moments, in a car packed to the brim with crates and mates, are all part of the sheer sense of freedom that comes with hitting the road before a big festival. Then there’s the soundtrack. Will your techno-head friend turn the car into a thumping four-wheeled rave? Or will you be sticking on the headliner hits and bursting your lungs in a sing-song?

With GoCar bases in all 26 counties, you can get the whole gang to the stages from Sligo to the Salty Dog stage or Tralee to the Trenchtown area. Getting to Stradbally has never been easier, with nationwide access putting the whole country just one keyless unlock away from festival mode.

Either way, whether you’re a seasoned camper or a first-timer, getting there should be part of the fun, not a logistical nightmare.

From compact zippy drives like the Hyundai i10 to spacious 7-seaters like the Volkswagen Caddy Maxi, GoCar have a vehicle for every kind of festival crew. Just download the app, pick your whip, unlock it with your phone, and go.

It’s super-affordable too. Rates start at €9 an hour, or €50 a day. There are 50 free kilometres included with each booking, any kms over 50 are charged at €0.25 per km. Each car comes with a fuel card in the glovebox that can be used at any Circle K garage.

A wise decision to carpool will not only split costs, but help reduce emissions – and thereby make the festival experience more sustainable.

In the event of a breakdown, GoCar is on hand to help with assistance.

Anyone heading for EP is encouraged to book GoCar in advance to ensure a car is waiting for you. You can cancel your reservation for free up to 24 hours in advance.

Convenient and cost-effective, GoCar is your ideal way to get to and from Electric Picnic 2025. So, let’s GoCar! It’s the only way.

www.gocar.ie
GoCar Ireland