Cheltenham Racecourse Guide

One of the most famous racecourses in the United Kingdom is Cheltenham Racecourse, home of the Cheltenham Festival. This racecourse has a storied history, including when it was burned to the ground in 1830, but it’s one of the country’s most beloved racing sites.

If you’re considering visiting, we’ve compiled this guide so you know which events you can attend, how to get there and what you can expect from your trip! 

What’s on at Cheltenham Racecourse?

Of course, the most notable event you can attend at Cheltenham Racecourse is the Cheltenham Festival, a four-day racing extravaganza with a rich history and a highly competitive atmosphere. Cheltenham Festival takes place every year in March — this will be the 12th–15th in 2024 — and you can purchase various tickets to experience this exciting series of races. 

This isn’t the only event you can attend at Cheltenham, though; here’s a brief list of other events you look forward to in 2024:

What is Cheltenham Racecourse’s Address?

If this is your first time going to Cheltenham Racecourse, here’s the address for easy access:
Evesham Rd,

Cheltenham,

Gloucestershire,

GL50 4SH,

UK

How to Get to Cheltenham Racecourse?

If this is your first time going to Cheltenham Racecourse, here’s the address for easy access: Evesham Rd, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 4SH, UK

Arrive By Car

Cheltenham Racecourse is easy to find if you’re driving in. It’s just 5 minutes from Cheltenham town centre or just off Junction 11 on the M5. This is a major location, too, so you’ll find signs directing you to the racecourse on all main approaches during racing seasons. While parking at Cheltenham Racecourse is free most of the year, it isn’t during the Cheltenham Festival and The November Meeting. 

Arrive By Train

If you prefer public transport, the closest train station is Cheltenham Spa, which has a bus route directly from the station to the racecourse on race days. You can also find various direct coaches to the racecourse that operate during racing seasons. 

Getting to Cheltenham Racecourse

If you’re driving into Cheltenham Racecourse, you’ll want to find your parking space. The car parks are colour-coded, and if you’ve paid for parking ahead of time, your ticket will tell you where you need to go. If you haven’t prepaid, there are specific signs to follow so you can pay for a space on-site. You can bypass this by using the bus services on race days. 

Cheltenham Racecourse is proud to provide an accessible environment for all potential visitors, including children, the elderly and disabled persons. Accessibility admissions tickets allowing personal assistants to attend with those who need them are available, and there are plenty of accessible viewing points and facilities. 

Guide dogs are also welcome at the racecourse free of charge. However, you are advised to call ahead when purchasing your tickets to let them know. Children are also welcome at the course, but all visitors five years and older must have valid tickets. 

If you need help finding your enclosure or any other facilities, plenty of staff will be around to help, especially on race days. 

Where to Get Tickets?

You can buy tickets to Cheltenham Racecourse events from the jockey club website, where you’ll find many ticket options. This includes large group deals, hospitality offers and children’s tickets. 

While it may be possible to buy tickets on the day of certain events, we highly caution against it, especially for the bigger races. Showing up without tickets means you could be turned away due to lack of availability. 

Cheltenham Racecourse Enclosures

Club Enclosure

The premium experience at Cheltenham Racecourse. With Club admission, you’ll have viewing access to all the main attractions on race day, including the parade ring, the finishing line, the final fence, the winner’s enclosure, and so much more. It also grants you access to the other two enclosures.

All hospitality tickets include Club admission, so if you purchase a ticket with one of the restaurants, you’ll hold a ticket to all of this. 

Tattersalls Enclosure

This is the best meeting point between luxury and affordability. The Tattersalls enclosure lets you get up close and personal with the Parade ring and all the runners, not to mention a fantastic view of the finishing line and access to the Grandstand’s viewing steps. It also has access to the tented village and Guinness Village if you want refreshments and betting services. 

Best Mate Enclosure

The Best Mate Enclosure is the most affordable option for people looking for a day at the races. While it lacks the luxury of the other enclosures, you’ll still have an excellent view of the finishing line and access to food and betting facilities throughout the day. 

What to Wear?

Cheltenham Racecourse is very relaxed about its dress code, emphasising that racegoers should come “dressed to feel your best”. They don’t mind if this means a three-piece suit or a sweatshirt and jeans. They also advise to be mindful of the weather; like most racecourses, Cheltenham is open air, so rain-protective gear like brollies and anoraks are a smart choice. 

Despite the lack of a strict dress code, the racecourse does ask that you avoid wearing anything inappropriate or offensive, as this could cause you to be refused entry. It also prefers that you don’t wear team colours to avoid antagonism. Also, this is just a matter of general courtesy, so we recommend that you try to look as presentable as possible!

For a general overview of racecourse dress codes, visit our “What to Wear to the Races” guide.

Food & Drink

Plenty of food and drinks are available on-site at Cheltenham Racecourse, with restaurants, bars and food stands. The food on offer will change between enclosures, and access to some areas will be restricted by ticket. You can find a list of places to acquire food on the racecourse’s website. 

The types of food on offer will change between events and caterers, but you can typically find an assortment of fish and chips, pizza, burgers and sandwiches, along with hot and cold drinks and even alcoholic beverages. All transactions at Cheltenham are cashless.

While there aren’t rules against bringing your own food, note that only the best mate enclosure allows food to be brought into it without explicit permission from the racecourse staff. 

Contact Details

If you need to contact Cheltenham Racecourse for any reason, you can reach them at:

Nearby Accommodation

Cheltenham is a small town but is very used to hosting these large racing events, so you’ll find plenty of potential accommodation options if necessary. Cheltenham has numerous hotels:

The Queen’s Hotel 

The Promenade, 

Cheltenham 

GL50 1NN

01242 514754

The Frogmill Hotel. 

Shipton Oliffe, 

Cheltenham 

GL54 4HT

01242 386364

There are also a lot of B&B services around Cheltenham, or you could use a service like Airbnb or Vrbo.

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