When is Cheltenham Festival?
Cheltenham Festival will take place between Tuesday 11 March and Friday 14 March 2025.
What to expect at Cheltenham Festival
Enjoy the very best of Jump racing at the Cheltenham races. It’s a fun, exciting and popular event taking place over four days. There’s plenty going on, including:
- Champion Day – the first day of the festival featuring one of the most important races of the season – the Champion Hurdle
- Style Wednesday – The elegance and glamour of Cheltenham Festival come alive, in a day that celebrates both the thrill of racing and the art of fashion.
- St Patrick’s Thursday – celebrate St Patrick’s Day in style with plenty of horse racing and a trip to the Guinness Village
- Gold Cup Day – the most exciting day of the year. A contest that has crowned the greatest champions in jump racing history.
How do I get to Cheltenham Racecourse?
The nearest station is Cheltenham Spa. There is another station at the racecourse but this is a tourist attraction and not part of the general network.
Cheltenham Spa is just 2.5 miles from Cheltenham Racecourse. During the festival, a shuttle bus will run to and from the races.
Trains run from other parts of the country too, but may not go directly to Cheltenham Spa.
How do I get from the station to the festival?
A shuttle bus service will be running between Cheltenham Spa and Cheltenham Racecourse via the town centre. You can buy bus tickets for £6 single or £9 return when you arrive at the station. The last shuttle to the racecourse leaves at 13:15.
A taxi from Cheltenham Spa to the racecourse takes about 10 minutes. Full details here.
Feeling active? Then why not walk or cycle along the Honeybourne Line to the festival. Download your walking guide here.
Your guide to Cheltenham Festival.
Where can I park?
Cheltenham Spa car park will be shut from Friday 7 March and reopen on Saturday 15 March. This is so the car park area can be set up and used for a queueing system and shuttle bus service linking the station to the racecourse.
The drop-off and pick-up area remains open throughout the event.
There will be no on-street parking close to the station. Alternative parking can be found at:
- NCP, The Brewery Quarter, GL50 4EJ
- Arle Court Park and Ride, GL51 6SY (locked daily from 21:00 to 07:00)
Stay a while
Once you’re here, there’s no reason to race away. Visit the historic spa town of Cheltenham itself and enjoy a range of parks, galleries, and other cultural delights as well as great food and shopping.