Plan your travel and transport

Please be aware that racegoers who have not pre-purchased car parking will be parked in the best possible position but may be some distance from the race course, please allow extra time to walk from the car parks to the racecourse entrances, and we are sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Car parking passes are available online to purchase for all four days of the Festival:

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.

Please study the route maps provided showing the preferred routes to your final parking destination and then follow the yellow, temporary signs put in place for the racing, ignoring both sat nav directions and brown signs once you pick up the yellow directional signs. 

• Disabled Council Badge Holders – Disabled Parking Symbol
• Annual Members, RCA Trainers car park stickers, RCA Owners car park stickers, RCA Press car park stickers – Red
• ROA members, RCA members and those with four-day members disabled parking – Red
• Horseboxes and Minibuses – Red
• PJA members, Owners and Trainers hanging labels – Blue
• N Bays which have been sold by Cheltenham – Blue
• Reserved Annual Members and bays sold in Hall of Fame Car park – Yellow
• The Cheltenham Club Members – Yellow

Hospitality guests should follow the colour of the car parking pass provided. 

If you do not have a Parking Pass, please follow the below map: 

• Bookmakers – Yellow
• Hackney Taxis - Grey
• Private hire – Raceday staff – Green
• Contractors and Exhibitors accreditation – Raceday staff – Green
• Coaches – Brown

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.

In the event that your vehicle may need towing on or off site, please ensure that you know where the towing eye/hook is located on your vehicle to help the organisers and tractor drivers help you as quickly as possible.

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

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway is an alternative form of transport for the Cheltenham Festival. Leaving from Toddington arriving at Cheltenham Racecourse after a 35-minute journey through the beautiful countryside of the Cotswolds, Malverns and Vale of Evesham.

Follow the coach symbol signs and these will direct you to the closest  coach park from your direction of travel.

Minibuses up to 15 seats, Coaches of 16 seats or more and Limousines will need to purchase a PCV Parking Pass available through our website or by contacting our team on 0344 5793003.

PCV Parking Pass Buy Online:

• Champion Day
• Style Wednesday
• St Patrick's Thursday
• Gold Cup Day

Once purchased, the group organiser MUST complete our online form no later than 10 working days before the date attending.

Once the form has been completed in full, this will be reviewed and is successful a PCV Parking Pass despatched by post to arrive in time for the event. If there are any problems with any of the information provided, a member of our team will be in touch by email or phone.
The PCV Parking Pass must be displayed in the vehicle windscreen on the day of the event.

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. 

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

If you're attending The Cheltenham Festival, please follow the signs that will route you to Green, which will allow you to be dropped off in West Car Park. It is then a five-minute walk to the entrances.

For all other racedays at Cheltenham, please view the drop off and pick up map.

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

There is a dedicated Races bus service for The Cheltenham Festival. The Races Bus Service will operate between:

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

If you’re dropping off in Hackney Carriage Taxi the drop off point is on New Barn Lane and is signed Taxis. If you’re dropping off in a Private Taxi head to Swindon Lane, signed pick up and drop off..  View map here.

If you're arriving via the Stagecoach public buses, please ensure you have viewed the timetable which will operate between 14 - 17 March 2023.

There will be four 17 seater minibuses from the taxi area running from 4:00pm daily.

Prices are £6.00 per person to travel to the town centre or rail station.

View the Stagecoach timetable here.

The racecourse has two “fast charge” electric vehicle charging points located near the Hall of Fame entrance. These are operated under the polar scheme, more information about the Polar Charging Network can be found here.

Access can be restricted at some race meetings so please check the availability of the charge points in advance and be aware that your vehicle will need to be moved after parking.

Those travelling by limousine should follow the signs for coach parks. Parking for limousines is the same price as cars and is situated in the north coach park.

The Cheltenham Festival limo parking needs to be purchased online for £75.00 there is no on the day parking with out a permit.

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

As with any major event, our car parks will be extremely busy and customers should be prepared that it will take time to leave our car parks, especially when leaving at peak periods.

When leaving the car park you will be required to exit via a specified route, normally the direction you came from. In order to minimise delays within the racecourse certain gates will be restricted to allow only left OR right turns. Please follow the directions of the stewards and signs.

We apologise for any inconvenience and will do our best to get you out as quickly as we can. Cheltenham Radio is available on 87.7fm for customers wishing to relive the days highlights on your journey home.