Cheltenham Races
Information about our services around The Cheltenham Festival
The races return to Cheltenham for 4 days of hair-raising, nail-biting action.
- Day 1 – Champion Day
- Day 2 – Style Wednesday
- Day 3 – St Patrick’s Day
- Day 4 – Gold Cup Day
If you are travelling by train on race days, please be aware that trains calling at Cheltenham Spa station are expected to be extremely busy from 08:00 - 13:00 and from 17:00 - 20:00.
Going to the races?
Cheltenham Spa station car park closure
The Cheltenham Spa station car park will be closed from Friday 7 March to Sunday 16 March. This is to help with the crowd control measures in place at the station during the races, and to manage the shuttle bus service which runs directly from the station to the racecourse. We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause and thank you for your patience during this time.
Nearest parking options:
Arle Court Park & Ride
Cheltenham
GL51 6SY
Open in line with Bus Operating Times
NCP Car Park
The Brewery Quarter
Monson Avenue
Cheltenham
GL50 4EJ
Open 24 hours
CrossCountry services will call at Cheltenham across all four days.
We ask you to consider the following factors before travelling by train:
- Our services will be extremely busy throughout the four days.
- There will a queuing system in place at Birmingham New Street, Cheltenham Spa, and Bristol TM stations across all four days.
- You will need to allow 60 to 90 minutes to queue at Cheltenham Spa, prior to gaining platform access. If you need to travel, please don't leave it until the last train to do so.
- Please allow sufficient time from leaving the racecourse to complete your entire journey home.
- Throughout the Cheltenham festival our on-board and station colleagues will be visible to help and support you.
- Where you may be travelling with another train operator, we would ask you to check directly on their website to ensure you have the latest travel information to support your entire journey.
Please treat all our front-line colleagues with courtesy and respect as they help you on your way, and enjoy your visit to Cheltenham.
A queuing system will be in place at Birmingham New Street station between 08:00 and 13:00 on festival dates for customers travelling towards Cheltenham Spa, so please allow extra time to make your way through the station. Listen for station announcements and look out for station signage which will direct you to the holding area for services towards Cheltenham Spa.
Station staff will be available to help you navigate your way through Birmingham New Street. The station will be busier than usual with more customers travelling, so please be considerate of our colleagues and others around you.
Flexible Travel
If you are able to be flexible with your travel arrangements, please use our How Busy is My Train tool.
Passenger Assist
If you need extra assistance to help you with your journey, we offer our Passenger Assist service.
Luggage
We have a limited amount of space on our trains to store luggage, so please be considerate of other customers and only bring what you can comfortably carry.