The exodus after the Harry Styles concert in Werchter on Saturday proved to be a challenging experience for concertgoers. Many attendees had to endure hours of queuing for a place in the shuttle buses, causing frustration and inconvenience.
Numerous complaints were posted on social media platforms, highlighting the long waiting times. One Facebook user shared their experience, stating, “Concert done at 10.30pm and got on the shuttle bus at 1am (and we were nowhere near the last).” Another concertgoer took to Twitter to address De Lijn and Live Nation, saying, “Why is this one big soup again? Almost midnight and we are still queuing for a shuttle bus. Fyi: The Harry Styles concert was over at 10:30pm sharp.” Another tweet expressed disappointment, stating, “Harry was great, but queuing for almost three hours for the highly recommended shuttle bus to Leuven was a bit too much.”
Those who did not travel to Werchter by car were reliant on the shuttle bus service provided by De Lijn between Leuven station and the festival site. Dropping off passengers directly at the festival site was not possible, as the only kiss-and-ride zone was located at Leuven station. De Lijn had promoted its shuttle buses as a convenient transportation option, but the system proved to be less efficient than anticipated. Concertgoers reported waiting for two to three hours to board a bus.
De Lijn attributed the delays to the large number of concertgoers and the concentrated return time. Ine Pieters, a spokesperson for De Lijn, explained, “We transported twelve thousand concertgoers to Leuven in a short period of time. Before that, we had deployed 35 shuttle buses, a lot more than with Bruce Springsteen last week. But it does take a while to get all those people on a bus. Everyone returns at the same time, which is different from a festival where this is more spread out.”
As a result of the transportation issues, some concertgoers missed their connecting night trains and had to find alternative arrangements in Leuven.
The incident highlights the challenges faced by public transport systems during large-scale events. Efforts to improve efficiency and manage the influx of passengers are crucial to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for concertgoers.
“What actions can be taken to improve the post-concert transportation experience for attendees at Werchter
“The post-Harry Styles concert exodus from Werchter was an absolute nightmare for attendees. Countless concertgoers were forced to endure endless hours of waiting in line for shuttle buses, resulting in a frustrating and inconvenient experience.
Social media platforms were flooded with complaints from disgruntled attendees, with many users expressing their dissatisfaction with the long waiting times. One particular Facebook user took to the platform to share their harrowing experience, proclaiming,”
“Disappointed fans faced chaos at the Harry Styles concert with horrendously long queues for shuttle buses. Organizers need to address this logistical nightmare to ensure a smoother and more enjoyable experience for concert-goers.”