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With just ten weeks to go until the opening of the festival you might be starting to plan how to get here. With thousands of people expected to attend the week-long event, and to support our efforts in making the festival sustainable Winchester Cathedral encourages people to consider using public transport if they can.  

Not travelled to Winchester by train before?

Winchester has excellent rail links to London, Southampton, Basingstoke, Reading, the Midlands and beyond. The Cathedral is situated a 12 minute stroll from Winchester Train Station; you’ll stroll through the hustle and bustle of the historic high street on your way. It’s a great way to travel to the cathedral, and very environmentally friendly too, plan your visit below. Entry to the festival is at a dedicated time please consider this when booking your train ticket.  

The station is a five- to ten-minute stroll from Winchester Cathedral. Here is our recommended route for the half a mile walk, to take in the sights.

As you leave the station platform, heading straight outside take the path to your right toward St Paul’s Hill. Crossing over the road carefully as you reach the railway bridge you are heading downhill towards Westgate, location of The Great Hall and Winchester Law Courts. Walking beneath the Westgate you will take in the beautiful view of the high street with St Giles Hill beyond. At the pedestrian crossing, continue down the hill. On your right is St Thomas Street home to independent boutiques and refreshment stops, in front of you the medieval Butter Cross, once used by country men to sell their produce and famously saved by Winchester citizens in the 18th century. Here you take the passageway toward the Cathedral Close. To your left is St Lawrence Church, meander through the square toward Winchester City Museum.  Take the path lined with Lime Trees and admire the green carpet of the outer close as you walk toward the Cathedral.

At the end of the day if you would prefer to skip the walk, local buses from the nearby Guildhall can take you back to the front of the station. Or extend your stay in Winchester, Winchester Hotel & Spa is the nearest hotel to the train station.  

We are deeply grateful to South Western Railway and all those that have sponsored festival of Flowers, an event organized to support the Cathedrals mission, activities and upkeep.