Everything a first-timer needs for Royal Ascot: which enclosure to pick, what to wear, how to get there from London and how tickets work. Part of our horse racing from London guide.
Royal Ascot at a glance
Royal Ascot is five days of top-level Flat racing at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, held every June. For this year's exact dates, see our Royal Ascot event page.
Short version: pick Windsor for a relaxed day with a picnic, Queen Anne for the best public view and the Parade Ring, Village for live music and a party feel, and the Royal Enclosure only if you are a Member or a Member's guest. Every enclosure except Windsor has a dress code.
Which Royal Ascot enclosure should you choose?
Trackside lawns and a lively, social atmosphere. It is the only enclosure where you can bring your own picnic, plus one bottle of sparkling wine or champagne per adult aged 18 or over. Blankets and fold-up chairs are allowed.
Best for: groups and picnickers who want the occasion without a formal dress code.
Ascot's premier public enclosure and the only one with access to the Pre-Parade Ring, Parade Ring, Bandstand and the ground floor of the Grandstand. You can watch the Royal Procession from the trackside or the Parade Ring steppings, and the singing around the Bandstand after racing is open to Queen Anne guests only.
Best for: first-timers who want to see the horses up close and soak up the tradition.
A festival-inspired enclosure on the inside of the track, looking back toward the Grandstand. Live music, street food and cocktail bars, with a Main Stage after-party until 9pm.
Best for: friendship groups who want racing plus a party.
Entry is by a named badge, booked by Members for themselves and their guests. New Members need two sponsors and must be 18 or over. The dress code is the strictest on course, picnics are not allowed, under-10s are not admitted and ages 10 to 17 need a paid badge.
Best for: invited guests who want the full tradition. If you do not know a Member, this one is not open to you; Queen Anne is the closest public alternative.
Children are free in Windsor, Queen Anne and Village when accompanied by an adult (up to four free children per adult). Older teens may be asked for proof of age.
What to wear to Royal Ascot, enclosure by enclosure
Women: a dress or skirt falling just above the knee or longer with straps at least 2.5cm wide, or a matching trouser suit, or a jumpsuit below the knee. A hat is required; a headpiece or hatinator needs a base of at least 10cm. Fascinators are not allowed, and neither are strapless, one-shoulder, off-the-shoulder, halter-neck or spaghetti-strap tops, sheer fabric or a bare midriff.
Men: black, grey or navy morning dress with a waistcoat and tie, a black or grey top hat and black dress shoes with ankle-covering socks. No customised top hats, cravats or bow ties.
Women: a dress, or top and skirt, with shoulder or halter-neck straps (no minimum length), a matching trouser suit, or a jumpsuit below the knee, plus a hat, headpiece or fascinator. No strapless, one-shoulder or off-the-shoulder tops, sheer fabric or bare midriffs.
Men: a full-length two- or three-piece suit (morning dress is also allowed), collared shirt, necktie and ankle-covering socks. No cravats, bow ties or neckerchiefs.
Women: the same as Queen Anne: a dress or top and skirt with shoulder or halter-neck straps, a trouser suit or a jumpsuit below the knee, and a hat, headpiece or fascinator.
Men: a suit jacket or blazer, full-length trousers or chinos, a collared shirt, a necktie, bow tie or cravat, and ankle-covering socks.
No official dress code. Many guests still dress up, and Ascot encourages smart daywear, with a hat, headpiece or fascinator along with a jacket and collared shirt.
Across all four enclosures: fancy dress, novelty clothing and branded or promotional clothing are not allowed. In the three enclosures with a code, trainers, denim, leggings and shorts are also out. Overseas visitors can wear formal national dress or service dress, and ages 10 to 17 follow the adult code (hats are optional for them in Queen Anne and Village).
These are the rules Ascot publishes at the time of writing, and details can change from year to year, so check your enclosure on Ascot's dress code page before you buy an outfit.
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Getting to Royal Ascot from London
By train (recommended): South Western Railway runs direct trains from London Waterloo to Ascot. Ascot gives the average journey as 52 minutes, and the station is a 7-minute walk from the racecourse gates.
Buy a ticket in advance. Oyster and contactless cards are not valid to or from Ascot station, and queues and ticket inspectors are likely at the station on a big day. Allow extra time for the journey home.
By car: Royal Ascot car parking is booked separately in advance through the racecourse and comes off sale a week before the meeting, so do not leave it late. The sat-nav postcode is SL5 7JX.
Royal Ascot tickets and hospitality: how it works
Public enclosures: Windsor, Queen Anne and Village are sold by the day through the racecourse's own ticketing. Every person in your party needs their own ticket, which you can show digitally on your phone or print, and bags are searched on entry.
Royal Enclosure: there is no public sale. Members book named badges for themselves and their guests from January, and the badges are posted to the lead booker.
Hospitality: restaurants, private boxes and food-inclusive packages sit alongside enclosure tickets, usually with a reserved table or private area. You can compare packages in the partner panel at the top of this page.
Food and drink: nothing may be brought into the Royal, Queen Anne or Village enclosures. Only Windsor allows a picnic.
The five days of Royal Ascot in brief
The meeting gets under way with the Royal Procession and a card Ascot bills as one for racing purists.
Ascot describes it as a day for those in the know: relaxed, with strong racing.
The glamour day, built around Ascot's oldest and most prestigious race, the Gold Cup. Traditionally known as Ladies' Day, it draws the best-dressed crowds of the week.
The meeting closes out over the weekend. Check the official racecard for the headline races before choosing your day.
The race-by-race programme changes each year. Our Royal Ascot event page keeps the current dates and a match preview.
Royal Ascot planning checklist
- Choose your enclosure first: it decides your dress code, what you can bring and where you can walk.
- Check the dress code for that enclosure and buy or hire your outfit early, especially morning dress and top hats.
- Buy an advance train ticket from London Waterloo. Oyster and contactless do not work at Ascot.
- If you are driving, pre-book parking well before the meeting.
- Make sure everyone in the party has their own ticket, and travel light because bags are searched.
- Picnicking? Windsor only. Everywhere else, eat and drink on site.
- Wear shoes you can walk in on grass and bring a layer for the weather.
Upcoming horse racing events
Royal Ascot FAQs
When is Royal Ascot?
Royal Ascot runs for five days, Tuesday to Saturday, every June at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire. The current dates are on our Royal Ascot event page.
How long does it take to get to Royal Ascot from London?
Direct South Western Railway trains from London Waterloo to Ascot take about 52 minutes, and the station is a 7-minute walk from the racecourse. Oyster and contactless cards are not valid to or from Ascot station, so buy a ticket in advance.
Which enclosure is best for a first visit?
Queen Anne is the best all-rounder for first-timers: it is the only public enclosure with access to the Parade Ring, the Bandstand and the Grandstand. Windsor is the relaxed, picnic-friendly choice, Village suits groups who want live music, and the Royal Enclosure is for Members and their guests.
What is the Royal Ascot dress code?
It depends on the enclosure. The Royal Enclosure requires morning dress and a top hat for men and a hat for women. Queen Anne and Village have formal codes, with a hat or fascinator for women and a suit or jacket with a tie for men. Windsor has no official dress code but smart daywear is encouraged. Fancy dress, novelty and branded clothing are not allowed anywhere.
Can I bring a picnic to Royal Ascot?
Only in the Windsor Enclosure, where each adult can bring one bottle of sparkling wine or champagne with a picnic in a hamper or cool bag. Food and drink cannot be brought into the Royal, Queen Anne or Village enclosures.
Can children go to Royal Ascot?
Children are free in the Queen Anne, Village and Windsor enclosures when accompanied by an adult, up to four free children per adult. Ages 10 to 17 must buy admission in the Royal Enclosure and under-10s are not allowed in it.
Keep planning
Current dates and the match preview.
More events worth leaving London for.
Enclosures, travel and the venue guide.
Every racing day out worth leaving London for.
The wider London sporting year.