Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse: Tuesday 10 March to Friday 13 March 2026

Whether you’re a horse racing purist, or there for the social experience, the Cheltenham Festival offers something extraordinary for everyone. From the anticipation, the roar of the crowd, the thunder of hooves, and the rush of emotion as the world’s finest horses and jockeys battle for supremacy - there truly is nothing that feels like Cheltenham.

The exciting action takes place throughout the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons of the event, and the 4-day attendance at the Festival meeting could be well over 200,000 with a maximum of 66,000 spectators allowed in each day.

With such big numbers heading to the racecourse, why not consider travelling to the event by train this year.

You can use the train to travel to and from the event

Cheltenham Racecourse which hosts the event is situated at Prestbury Park near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

To travel to and from the event by train simply book your ticket on one of the regular train services to Cheltenham Spa station, with direct trains available from many major cities in England and Wales. If you’re travelling from London, the journey time to Cheltenham Spa station by direct train is just under 2 hours.

Once you arrive at Cheltenham Spa station, you can use the shuttle bus service operated by Stagecoach which runs regularly between the railway station car park and the racecourse (Purple Transport Hub). You will need to purchase a separate ticket for the shuttle bus, as it is not included with either your train ticket or event ticket.

Alternatively you can walk the 2.1 miles between the railway station and the racecourse, using mainly flat pedestrianised routes taking between approximately 48 and 60 minutes.

Relax and enjoy! Travelling by train is one of the easiest ways to get to the Cheltenham Festival and is very popular.

Which railway station should I travel to?

You should go to Cheltenham Spa station.

You can use the National Rail journey planner to plan your travel between your local station and Cheltenham Spa.

(There are no planned daytime railway engineering works affecting Cheltenham Spa station on the 4 days of the event).

Please be aware that the bus transfers between Cheltenham Spa station and Cheltenham Racecourse only run at certain times during the day, so please plan your journey accordingly.

Will the trains to and from Cheltenham Spa, and the station itself, be busy?

The Cheltenham Festival is a big event, and large crowds are expected, so the answer is yes.

Trains calling at Cheltenham Spa station are expected to be extremely busy on race days from 08:00 - 13:00 and from 17:00 - 20:00.

There will be a queuing system in place at Cheltenham Spa station after all four days of the event, so please allow plenty of time from leaving the racecourse to complete your entire journey home.

What tickets do I need to buy?

You’ll need to buy train tickets to make your train journey to and from Cheltenham Spa.

You'll also need to buy a separate ticket for the shuttle bus if you use this to travel between the railway station and the racecourse. You can buy a bus ticket via the Stagecoach ticket sellers on the day using either contactless or cash.

For the event itself, Cheltenham Festival tickets are available to buy in advance online. There are a limited number of on-the-day tickets which can be purchased by card on the gate, depending on availability. However, these are very much in demand, especially on the Friday Gold Cup day, so booking in advance is strongly recommended to avoid disappointment.

Can I get an Advance train ticket to travel to Cheltenham Spa?

You can make your journey easier by buying your train tickets in advance.

Although combined train and shuttle bus tickets aren’t available for travel to this event, a full range of train tickets to and from Cheltenham Spa station, including Advance tickets when available, can be purchased before your journey. Check out our Advance tickets page for more information on the savings that can be made for your trip.

Can I use my Railcard to buy train tickets?

Yes. You can use your Railcard(external link, opens in a new tab) on train tickets, including Advance tickets, for even more savings on your journey to and from Cheltenham Spa station. A Railcard saves up to 1/3 on rail fares across Britain and is just £35 for 1 year. Once you purchase your Railcard, you can download your card straight to your phone – it couldn’t be easier. With average annual savings of up to £188, you’ll have made the cost of your Railcard back in just 1 or 2 trips. Find the best Railcard for you at Railcard.co.uk(external link, opens in a new tab).

Unfortunately you can’t use your Railcard to obtain a discount on the Shuttle Bus Transfer to and from Cheltenham Racecourse.

Where can I find out more about this event, including accessibility?

Lots more information about Cheltenham Racecourse, and the Cheltenham Festival event taking place there, can be found on the really informative Cheltenham Festival website.