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Cheltenham Festival

Plan your travel and transport

TRANSPORT TO CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE

Located directly off Junction 11 of the M5, the park & ride service provides a bus service from Arle Court to the Transport Hub at The Cheltenham Festival.

 

The service runs every 15 minutes from 09:15 to 14:30 to the racecourse, return journeys to Arle Court start from 16:00, until 19:30.

 

Tickets are £15 per car/day and permit passengers to a return journey to and from the racecourse. Journey time is approximately 20 minutes, this may increase in the instance of heavy traffic.

 

Outbound buses will leave from BAY 1 at Arle Court.

Return buses will leave from our day-to-day P&R area at the racecourse.

 

Facilities at Arle Court include:

CCTV and security

Baby changing

Toilets

Refreshments

Indoor and outdoor waiting areas

Real time departure information

 

 

Minibuses up to 15 seats, coaches of 16 seats or more and limousines will need to purchase a coach parking pass prior to the Festival. 

 

Buy online today:

Champion Day

Style Wednesday 

St Patrick's Thursday

Gold Cup Day

 

Please use the brown route map and follow the coach symbol signs and these will direct you to the closest coach park from your direction of travel.

 

Coach drivers are entitled to a complimentary ticket to attend the races but are required to show valid ID/job card to confirm working. This can be collected from the North or Centaur Entrance on the day of the event.

 

There is no inbound access to the coach parks for coaches at Cheltenham Festival between 15:30 and 19:00. 

There is a dedicated shuttle bus service for The Cheltenham Festival provided by Stagecoach. The shuttle bus service will operate between:

  • Cheltenham Spa Railway Station
  • Cheltenham Town Centre and
  • The Racecourse (South Car Park)

 

If you're arriving via the Stagecoach public buses for the Festival between 11 - 14 March 2025. Please check the Stagecoach website for the further information and the latest updates.

 

Stagecoach pricing, £9 return ticket, £6 single ticket (PM use only)

The nearest train station is Cheltenham Spa. There is a dedicated shuttle bus service for the Cheltenham Festival from Cheltenham Spa Railway Station.

 

If you're dropping off and picking up, please follow the below directions:

 

If you're attending The Cheltenham Festival, please follow the signs which will route you to the Pick up & Drop off car park.

 

It would be appreciated if you could respect our neighbours and use the areas provided, not local roads and driveways.

Hackney Carriage Taxi drop off and collection point is located on the main drive of the racecourse, which is signed Taxis.

 

For Private Taxi drop off and collection please follow the signage for pick up and drop off.

Car parking passes to park on site during the Cheltenham Festival must be purchased prior to the day. There will be no on the day sales.

 

Book your parking online:

Champion Day 

Style Wednesday 

St Patrick's Thursday

Gold Cup Day

 

The parking scheme is colour coded so that your parking zone will match your label and preferred route. 

 

View the full detailed map of the Racecourse which includes every car park.


Occasionally, the route you are directed to will not be the shortest route in terms of distance. However, it will allow you to approach the racecourse, enter and park in the correct zone in the fastest time possible. Please help us to help you have the smoothest and quickest access into the course by following the correct signs and not routes that you have previously used.

 

Please study the route maps provided showing the preferred routes to your final parking destination and then follow the yellow, temporary road signs put in place for the Festival. 

 

 

Cheltenham Racecourse welcomes arrivals on racedays by helicopter, and operates the busiest temporary airfield in the UK, receiving 400 flights over Cheltenham Festival week alone.

 

Popular Routes: 

Heli Map new_Cheltenham copy 1.jpg

Voi is the e-scooter hire service in the city. E-scooters are available for hire throughout Cheltenham town centre, with parking zones at key transport hubs like bus and rail stations. Vehicles can be located and unlocked by downloading the Voi app onto your smartphone.To use the service, people must be 18 years of age or older, have a full or provisional driving license and pass a safety test before their first ride. Scooters can be unlocked via the app. Riders are encouraged to review the map before setting off on their journey to familiarise themselves with the operating area. The nearest parking spot from Voi for the Cheltenham race course is Near New barn Lane in the can parking spot inside Gate 1 Cheltenham Race Course (Blue dot), see map below:

 

Finally, if you want to report any e-scooter anti-social behavior, please report it to Voi in https://report.voi.com/ or support@voiapp.io

@VoiTechnologyUKwww.voi.com/

Transport Options

National Express

National Express coach travel is available from over 20 pick up locations. The executive coaches include loos, ample leg room and comfortable seats. With tickets from just £33 it’s a very cost-effective way of getting to the festival.

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Stagecoach Raceday Shuttles

Stagecoach Raceday Shuttles will be running 84 Shuttles between the racecourse, the town centre and the rail station, which can now be booked in advance allowing an easier and more efficient journey for you to get to and from the racecourse.

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Helicopter

We welcome helicopters to land at every raceday throughout Cheltenham's racing season. All visiting aircraft must pre-book landings with our partners.

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Commutable Travel Areas

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Discover how easy it is to reach Cheltenham Racecourse from surrounding cities, with convenient travel times by both car and train.

Plan your visit now and experience the thrill of the races with seamless travel options.

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Venue Accessibility

Cheltenham welcomes racegoers with disabilities and offers a range of facilities to enable them to get the most from their day.

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Safety & Security

Delivering a safe and secure event is our top priority at Cheltenham Racecourse, and our team are dedicated to ensuring you have an enjoyable day out.

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Racecourse Map

View our official Racecourse Map for Cheltenham Racecourse and find your way around the Grandstand and Course. 

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Cookie Policy

We use “cookies” to help enhance your experience and improve the functionality of our website. You can find out more in our cookie policy. We also serve cookies, some with chocolate chips, on our racecourses.

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