UK rail operator East Midlands Railway has officially issued a ban preventing attendees traveling to next month’s Download Festival from boarding trains with wheelie bins or large trolleys packed with alcohol.
Philippa Cresswell, the customer experience director for the railway, addressed the unusual travel warning following incidents during last year’s event where rock and metal fans attempted to haul massive amounts of beer onto public transport using heavy-duty bins.
“Last year, some festival-goers tried to board services with wheelie bins or festival trolleys full of beer. While it might seem like a great idea for getting your supplies to the festival, it just isn’t safe or possible to bring them on board train services. Our teams will be on hand at stations to support customers and help them complete their journeys, without their bins or trolleys, as smoothly as possible,” she explained (via BBC).
In addition to the wheelie bin ban, the railway operator urged fans to plan ahead for planned engineering works scheduled over the festival weekend spanning June 10 to 14. Furthermore, officials from East Midlands Airport have warned travelers to expect significant extra traffic on surrounding roads and advised all passengers to allow for extra travel time.
The annual event at Donington Park is the UK’s largest rock and metal festival, expecting an estimated turnout of 95,000 attendees this year. The 2026 edition features a massive lineup topped by headliners Limp Bizkit, Guns N’ Roses, and Linkin Park. The weekend will also feature major performances from Bad Omens, Trivium, Cypress Hill, Babymetal, and Black Veil Brides.
This year marks the very first time Limp Bizkit will top the Download bill. Meanwhile, Guns N’ Roses returns to the main headliner slot for the first time since 2018, and Linkin Park returns to close out the festival for the first time since 2014. Notably, it will be Linkin Park‘s first time headlining the UK festival with new vocalist Emily Armstrong, who stepped in following the tragic passing of Chester Bennington.
Last year’s festival made history with three first-time headliners: Green Day, Sleep Token, and Korn.
