When do tickets go on sale?
Tickets are on sale now - check out the sidebar links to buy! The festival has not tended to sell out quickly, so there wouldn’t seem to be a huge rush to buy. However, as with all festival decisions you can never be too careful. More and more people are going to festivals across Europe, so be prepared for disappointment if you don’t book early.
Where can I buy tickets?
See the sidebar for all internet options. In 2004, for the first time, the NME.com ticket shop carried tickets for Benicassim. This is undoubtedly the easiest and most reassuring method of booking tickets for the festival. However, as NME sends real tickets (rather than requiring an e-mail printout), the charges can be a little higher – no more than £5 per ticket. If you are comfortable with reading Spanish, it may be best to shop around other online options, such as the official ticket store and El Corte Ingles. There are phone booking options but this is perhaps best avoided for English festivalgoers.
How much does it cost?
In advance:
4 Day ticket (including Thursday's Fibstart event) - 152 euros
3 Day ticket - 140 euros
Thursday ticket - 35 euros
Other day tickets - 60 euros
It goes without saying, of course, that a ticket is only the first on your list of expenses for Benicassim. The most important thing to bear in mind when budgeting is transport, easily the biggest essential expense, of which more later.
What do I do with my ticket when I get there?
On arriving at the campsite you will need to show it to the guys on the gate to get in for the first time. Thereafter you’ll be directed to the wristband exchange (as long as it’s roughly between lunchtime and 11pm – if not, set up camp and wait until the morning) where you need to present your ticket/printout, the credit card used to purchase the ticket (or a photocopy of it, or its number), and some form of recognized ID (your passport, basically). Then they’ll give you a wristband, and you’re sorted. If you’re not using the official campsites (more on alternative accommodation later), then your wristband exchange is by the entrance to the main festival arena. I’m not sure which day this starts functioning from, but the procedure is exactly the same.
