Attending the Cheltenham Festival can be quite a daunting and intimidating experience. Whether it is the immense crowds, not being able to find your way around or being in a quandary for what to eat and drink, the Festival has the potential to be a confusing and stressful day out.

However, with a little bit of useful information, advice and preparation a day at the Festival can be an incredibly memorable occasion. We are here to help with our Beginners Guide to The Cheltenham Festival below, and remember... 

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Cheltenham Racecourse is situated at the North of the town on the A435, on the edge of The Cotswolds at the foot of Cleeve Hill.

The address is: Evesham Rd, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 4SH

Contact details: 01242 513 014 or email cheltenham.reception@thejockeyclub.co.uk

Trains

Trains run regularly from Bristol Temple Meads and Birmingham New Street. Due to the sheer numbers travelling from Birmingham New Street to Cheltenham Spa on Festival race days, a passenger safety plan is implemented at New Street Station.

This ensures platforms are not dangerously overloaded with passengers. Essentially a queuing system is put in place, whereby passengers are ordered to wait by police and security staff on the station concourse until the platform is clear. 

Please ensure you leave early from Birmingham if you wish to avoid the queues, which usually start building around 9am . Be warned the waiting time for a train can easily be 45 minutes to 1 hour.

The train companies are well aware of the popularity of the Cheltenham Festival so (not surprisingly...), cheaper advance tickets are not available between Birmingham New Street and Cheltenham Spa on Festival race days.

Direct trains from London run every half hour from Paddington Station, although alternative trains are also available with a change at Bristol Parkway.

Once you arrive at Cheltenham Spa, there are several options for getting to Cheltenham Racecourse.

Getting From Cheltenham Spa Station To The Racecourse

Due to the volumes of traffic, it is often more pleasant (and quicker...) to walk the 2 miles to the racecourse, this will take around 35-40 minutes. However, if you cannot make the walk, or have heels on as many racegoers do, here are the options:

Race Day Bus Service

Stagecoach and Cheltenham Racecourse have worked together to provide a shuttle bus service which runs regularly from Cheltenham Spa train station. A queuing system is always in operation, but a lot of buses are brought in from the surrounding area and it does moves quickly.

A similar service is also available from Cheltenham Town Centre. Race day buses leave the racecourse from the South Car Park.

Taxis

Unless you have a taxi pre-booked, forget it! This simple rule also applies at the end of the day’s racing.

Arriving by Car

Arriving by car at the racecourse is possible, but not something we would recommended due to the sheer traffic volumes and steep parking prices. If you have to arrive by car, ensure you purchase parking in advance as the cost goes up from £15 to £25 if it is booking on the day. Full details of parking locations can be found here.

The racecourse also has two electric car charging points, details can be found here.

Parking spaces are also available on private drives using the Just Park website.

Pick up and drop off is also available on The West Car Park, a 5 minute walk from the racecourse. More details can be found here.

Where To Enter The Racecourse

Ticket holders with Tattersalls and Club Badges should look out for the Centaur entrance (pictured below). There is no divide between those who have printed tickets and tickets on phone. Tickets can also be purchased on the day at the Centaur entrance, although be aware Friday’s Gold Cup Day always sells out in advance of race day. We strongly recommend advance bookings for any other days as well.

So you made it in, now what?

Hot Food Stalls

If you do not fancy formal eating, there are plenty of hot food stalls. 

The West Cornwall Pasty Company: Situated immediately to the right as you walk in through the main entrance, next to the main stand.

Pizzeria: Freshly made pizza situated above the Parade Ring and Winners Enclosure. Also serves tea and coffee.

I Love Bacon: For pork lovers, a van specialising in bacon and locally made and Irish sausages.

Lavazza: Specialist coffee van, situated next to the West Cornwall Pasty Company.

The Cheltenham Roast: Local produce stand specialising in sausage and bacon baps as well as baguettes.

Bars & Restaurants

Cheltenham Racecourse has an abundance of bars and restaurants to suit most pockets. We have selected a few to recommend. Note this is not your local Wetherspoons, so a pint of Guinness or beer is around £6 a pint. 

Queues for beers are legendary and not helped by multiple orders at the bar (sometimes for 10 people plus!), however some bars are significantly less busy than others so it is worth checking a few out through the day.

If you want to avoid the queues, get your drinks in during the race and head to the bars a little further away from the track viewing areas.

The Winged Ox

This is the place to head if you want to try out real ale, they have an incredible range of draught ales. Everywhere else is pretty much a choice between lager and Guinness. The Winged Ox also has the the Pie Shop offering a range of British made pies, freshly made sandwiches and other snacks.

The Glenfarclas Hot Toddy Bar

This delightful little stand is a regular feature at the Festival and is a lifesaver on a chilly and / or windy day. A range of hot toddies are available at around £5 a shot.

The See You Then Bar

This is a lively bar with excellent terraced seating and tables just above the Parade Ring, next to The Cheltenham Roast. It offers a full range of draught beers, spirits, bottled beers and cider.

The Persian War Bar

A very handy bar next to the William Hill bookmakers on the second floor of the main stand. Noticeably less busy than the other bars (you can thank us for that tip later...)

The Guinness Village

A legendary section, and “must do” of the Festival. The Guinness Village is situated at the bottom end of the racecourse, just after the Parade Ring. Head there to sample the full craic of the Irish Cheltenham experience. Plenty of bands are playing, and there is lots of other entertainment on offer.

It is fantastic place to meet and greet strangers (believe us, you will not have much choice due to the huge volumes of people walking through). Avoid getting caught in here nearer to race times as you may well not be able to get out in time to watch a race.

Visitors Requiring Accessible Facilities

Visitors requiring accessible facilities should head to the designated viewing area, located at the main grandstand. Just turn left after coming through the Centaur entrance.

Race cards and The Racing Post

Both are available just as you enter. Be wary there is an official race card provided by Cheltenham Racecourse, and also a seperate Timeform race card.

Cash Machines

There are a number of options which all include a £2.50 charge for withdrawals. There are several on the main concourse just above the Parade Ring, next to The Mandarin Kitchen.

Mobile phones, charging and WIFI

Cheltenham Racecourse uses The Jockey Club Wi-Fi facility and as free Wi-Fi goes, it is considerably good (and needs to be given how many online bets people place through the day). It works better the nearer you are to the main stands and Parade Ring.

Mobile phone charging is also available with Lifesaver who have a stand on the second tier opposite the Parade Ring, adjacent to the See You Then Bar. Charges are £20 for charging of which £10 is a returnable deposit. 

Chemist

There is a pharmacy on site with a variety of over the counter medications, although no prescriptions are available. It is located above the Parade Ring opposite the Pizzeria stand.

Recycling

Recycling is actively encouraged at Cheltenham Racecourse, especially in view of the multitude of plastic beer glasses used during the Festival. Please ensure these are placed in the appropriate bins.

Tobacco

Smoking is allowed in most areas outside of the main buildings. There is also a tobacco kiosk in the main thoroughfare at the back of the main stands.

For the Under 5’s

Child’s Play is located in The Centaur area and facilities. Please note this is NOT a crèche as under 5’s must be accompanied with their parents and guardians at all times. This is also strictly for under 5’s only.

Bottle warmers are available, while baby changing facilities are available in the foyer section of the Centaur. Take away food and drinks cannot be brought into Child’s Play.

Information Kiosk

The Information Kiosk is located along the main thoroughfare behind the main stands. They offer race day programs and general information you might have about the Festival and racecourse.

Places of Interest

Cheltenham Racecourse has a number of plaques and statues commemorating the rich history of the Cheltenham Festival. Statues to look out for include Best Mate (winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2002, 2003 and 2004) and Champion Jockey, AP McCoy.

How To Bet At The Cheltenham Festival

So now that you have found somewhere to eat and drink, and know your way a little around the course, it is time to negotiate the complexities of placing a bet at the Cheltenham Festival.

We have a number of pages dedicated to giving help and advice on the different types of bets and how to bet effectively at the Festival.

Betting With The On Course Bookmakers

This is the traditional way of betting at any race course and this involves the most interaction and concentration. This is a must for the betting enthusiast and is a big part of the day’s entertainment. It is also enormous fun betting with the on course bookmakers.


The main concentration of on course firms are situated on the viewing concourse opposite the main stand in front of the winning post

They are usually run by two people: one taking the bets and giving out the betting slips whilst the other inputs the betting data into a computerised system.

All you have to do is simply approach the person taking the bets and tell them your choice (by horse name or number) and how much you want to stake. For example, “£5 win on Native River please.” They only take bets for the next race at any given time, so that will help limit any confusion you may have (its can be pretty frenzied down there as you can imagine).

Try not to lose your slip as it is the only proof you have of your bet if it is a winner.

Their minimum bet is nearly always £5. You can bet win and each way. Pounds and Euros accepted. More details on the different types of bet are available here. 

If you have picked a winner, all you have to do is wait for the racecourse announcer to say the words “weighed in” and you can collect your winnings, although most firms will pay out straight away if there is a clear cut winner.

You will have to wait longer if there is a stewards enquiry (i.e. an incident occurring during the race) or a photo finish.

Getting the best price is also a major part of the fun as many of the firms offer varying prices based on the bets they have taken up to that point in their betting. Be patient and shop around. Do not just settle for the first bookmaker you come across, unless of course you find a “lucky one” and want to keep going back.

Betting By Totepool

Betting by Totepool is an alternative way of betting for those who don’t fancy the hustle and bustle of the on course bookmakers and those on a budget (as the minimum bet is only £2).


Simply tell the cashier the number of your horse and how much you wish to bet and your bet slip will be produced with the horse’s name and number on it. The pricing works differently as Tote betting is administered through a pool system.

In really simple terms (and we are not doing this justice in two lines here) everyone betting gets their stake put in a pot, and then the pot is shared by all the people who bet on the winner. This means you will see odds as a guide, but will not know the exact returns until after the race. 

More often, better value is obtained through the on course firms or other firms operating at the Festival.

William Hill Bookmakers

William Hill have a large betting shop located within the main stand next to The Persian War Bar and offer everything you would expect from a high street bookmakers including win, each way betting and the various accumulator bets. Betting at other meetings is also available here (as if the Festival was not exciting enough for you!)

Online Betting

If you have brought your mobile phone then betting online is by far the best and most value worthy form of betting. None of the on course firms offer anything like the deals on offer with the online options, such as extra each way places, free bets, special doubles and money back deals on fallers and second placed horses. Check out our Free Bets page for information on sign up offers you can also benefit from before your visit to Cheltenham.

New Account Offer

Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply

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