Seven racing days out from London, from a 52-minute train to Ascot to a weekend at Aintree: which to pick, how to get there and where to start.
Horse racing trips from London at a glance
Britain's biggest racing days are easier to reach from London than most people think. Ascot and Epsom are both under an hour by train, so Royal Ascot and the Derby are genuine day trips. Cheltenham, Goodwood and York take around two hours, and the Grand National at Aintree is best as an overnight stay.
Start here: the Royal Ascot guide and the Epsom Derby guide cover enclosures, dress codes, tickets and how to get there. Dates change each year, so every card links to the meeting's event page.
The two day trips: Royal Ascot and the Derby
🚅 52 minutes from London Waterloo + 7-minute walk
Five days of top-level Flat racing and one of the great British social occasions. Formal dress codes, four enclosures and the Gold Cup on Thursday.
🚅 About 42 minutes from London by train
Ladies Day with the Oaks and Derby Day with the Derby, on a famous undulating course. The Hill is free to enter and the atmosphere is festival-style.
Both guides cover which enclosure to choose, what to wear, how to get there and how tickets work. Ascot also has an autumn highlight in British Champions Day, below.
Longer trips: Cheltenham, Grand National, Goodwood and York
🚅 Approx 2hrs 15mins from London
Four days of jump racing and the Gold Cup. Cheltenham Spa has direct trains from London Paddington, so a day trip is possible, but an overnight stay lets you see more than one day.
🚅 Approx 2hrs 40mins from London
Three days at Aintree, with the Grand National itself on the Saturday. Best as an overnight trip, with Liverpool's hotels and waterfront on your doorstep.
🚅 Approx 2hrs from London Victoria
Five days of Flat racing on the South Downs, often called Glorious Goodwood. Plan your route via Chichester and allow time for the onward transfer.
🚅 Approx 2hrs 10mins from London
Four days of top-class Flat racing on the Knavesmire, including the Juddmonte International and the Yorkshire Oaks on Ladies Day. Choose a single raceday or stay longer.
Never Miss a London Ticket Drop
Get alerts for ballots, on-sales, resale windows and price drops before the best tickets disappear.
British Champions Day at Ascot
🚅 52 minutes from London Waterloo + 7-minute walk
The finale to the British Flat season, held at Ascot each October, with seven races including five Group 1s and the champion jockey, apprentice and owner titles decided.
It uses the same station and the same walk as Royal Ascot, so the Royal Ascot guide also covers how to get there.
Day trip or overnight?
- Day trips: Ascot, Epsom, and with an early start Cheltenham, York and Goodwood.
- Overnight: Aintree for the Grand National, and any of the longer trips if you want to see more than one day.
- Dress codes: check your enclosure first. Ascot and the Derby's Queen Elizabeth II Stand have formal codes; The Hill at Epsom and Windsor at Ascot do not.
- Trains: buy advance tickets for Ascot, where Oyster and contactless are not valid, and for Epsom on Derby Day, when services are very busy.
Upcoming horse racing events
Horse racing from London FAQs
Which horse racing meetings can I do as a day trip from London?
Royal Ascot and the Derby at Epsom are the easiest: Ascot is about 52 minutes direct from London Waterloo plus a 7-minute walk, and Epsom is about 42 minutes by train. Cheltenham, York and Goodwood are around two hours each way, so they work as long day trips, and the Grand National at Aintree is better as an overnight trip.
Royal Ascot or the Derby: which is better for a first visit?
The Derby at Epsom is the easier introduction: The Hill is free (register for a free ticket), there is no dress code outside the Queen Elizabeth II Stand, and you can bring a picnic. Royal Ascot is more formal, with a dress code in three of its four enclosures, but the Windsor Enclosure has no official code and allows picnics.
Do I have to dress up for the races?
It depends on the course and the enclosure. At Royal Ascot the Royal, Queen Anne and Village enclosures have dress codes and Windsor does not. At the Derby only the Queen Elizabeth II Stand has a code on Derby Day. Always check the dress code for your enclosure before you buy an outfit.
How do I buy tickets and hospitality?
Each racecourse sells its own enclosure tickets, and hospitality packages are sold alongside them. You can compare hospitality in the partner panel at the top of this page, and each event page lists the options for that meeting.
Where can I find the dates for each meeting?
Dates change every year, so each meeting links to its own event page above, which always shows the current dates and a match preview.
Racecourse guides and more
Enclosures, travel and the venue guide.
Stations, enclosures and the venue guide.
More events worth leaving London for.