Plan Your Visit

Getting a group of friends together for racing can be a lot of fun and can create lots of happy memories.

To book tickets for groups of 5 or more, please call the Box Office on 01244 304 610.

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Chester Races is a great day out, and to capitalise on your time, we encourage you to arrive early. Typically gates will open two hours prior to the first race, normally 11.30am on a daytime fixture and 4:30pm on an evening fixture.

On arriving at the racecourse, please refer to the directional signage or ask a steward to be directed to the relevent gate for entry to the course. Please be aware that there may be queues on arrival. If you are carrying a bag, it will be checked by a member of our security team. We advise only bringing a bag if it is essential. Please ensure you are dressed applicably to the dress code in your enclosure, or we may refuse admission based on inappropriate clothing.

We do advise you follow our social media channels for the latest news and updates prior to your visit. Use the links at the bottom of the page to visit our official social pages.

Please use the following gates when entering the racecourse on a race day (according to your enclosure ticket):

Gate 3 | Winning Post, Edinburgh Gin Garden & All Hospitality (except County Boxes + Restaurant 1539)

Gate 3A | County Concourse

Gate 4 | County Long Room & Restaurant 1539

Gate 4A | County Boxes

Gate 5 | Tattersalls Enclosure

Gate 6 | Tattersalls Enclosure

Gate 7 | The Roodee

Gate 8 | The Roodee

Gate 9 | The Roodee

Gate 11 | The Roodee Vehicle Access

The Roodee

The Roodee ticketholders may enter the Open Course and Dee Stand only.

Tattersalls

Tattersalls ticket holders may enter the Open Course, Dee Stand, Tattersalls Enclosure and Paddock.

County Concourse

County Concourse ticket holders may enter the Open Course, Dee Stand, Tattersalls Enclosure and County Concourse areas. In addition, these ticket holders can cross the track throughout the day and move freely around the Paddock and Parade Ring area.

County Long Room

County Long Room badge holders may enter the Open Course, Dee Stand, Tattersalls Enclosure, County Concourse, the Walls Bar, County Long Room and County Champagne Bar in the Paddock. In addition, these badge holders can cross the track throughout the day and move freely around the Paddock and Parade Ring area.

Winning Post Enclosure

Winning Post Enclosure badge holders may enter the Open Course, Dee Stand, Tattersalls Enclosure, County Lawn and Winning Post Enclosure. In addition, these badge holders can cross the track throughout the day and move freely around the Paddock, Parade Ring and grandstand area.

Edinburgh Gin Garden

Edinburgh Gin Garden badge holders may enter the Open Course, Dee Stand, Tattersalls Enclosure, County Lawn and Edinburgh Gin Garden. In addition, these badge holders can cross the track throughout the day and move freely around the Paddock, Parade Ring and grandstand area.

Hospitality

Hospitality guests – in addition to their chosen enclosure – may move freely around both sides of the racecourse (the grandstand and the inner Paddock and Parade Ring areas). The only areas hospitality guests are not permitted is other hospitality enclosures they are not booked into (i.e. badge holders in Restaurant 1539 may not enter the Final Furlong or The White Horse etc.).

Children aged 17 and under are admitted free of charge into all enclosures of the racecourse (except for the Winning Post and Edinburgh Gin Garden), every race day at Chester – when accompanied by a full-paying responsible adult. No tickets are necessary; however, children entering the County Concourse or County Long Room will require a junior badge which can be picked up from the Box Office on arrival. Please call 01244 304 600 for more information.

Racing and Polo are both family friendly spectator sports at Chester Racecourse and our events provide some fantastic opportunities to get outdoors with the family in the summer months. Family themed fixtures and weekend fixtures often have associated free activities out on the Open Course for youngsters. Read the individual fixture pages for more information. Also, keep an eye on social media for last minute additions and race day competitions.

Regardless of the type of badge or ticket you hold, a day at the races is the perfect opportunity to up the style stakes, dress in your finery and enjoy the glamour of Chester’s stylish surroundings.

A summary of the dress code guidelines for each area of the racecourse can be found below.

PARADE

Gentlemen are required to wear a well-tailored suit/blazer, a collared shirt and smart trousers. A tie must be worn. Ladies are required to wear a dress, skirt or smart trouser suit. No excessively revealing clothing is permitted. All jeans, trainers, shorts, fancy dress or sportswear are not allowed in PARADE.

Hospitality Areas, Chester Members, Winning Post, Edinburgh Gin Garden, County Long Room and County Concourse

Gentlemen are required to wear a well-tailored suit or a blazer with smart trousers, together with a shirt, collar and tie. Ladies are required to wear smart dress. No denim jeans of any colour, no trainers, no sportswear, no shorts and no fancy dress will be permitted.

Note – Specially for Family Fun Day, gentlemen in the Festival Village (Final Furlong Restaurant or Festival Chalets) are not required to wear a tie and jacket. All other dress code rules still apply.

Tattersalls Enclosure

For gentlemen a collar is required, either polo shirt or collared shirt. Smart (not ripped) jeans, trousers or chinos are permitted. We encourage a smart dress code in all enclosures, so feel free to dress up and enjoy the occasion. Please note that trainers, shorts, tracksuits, t-shirts, sportswear and fancy dress are not permitted in this enclosure.

The Roodee

There is no dress code in this enclosure. It is however advisable to dress for the elements. Should you wish to upgrade your ticket to a Tattersalls ticket on the day, shorts, tracksuits, t-shirts and fancy dress will not be permitted.

We recommend you allow plenty of time to make your journey and arrive early to take advantage of the full raceday experience.

By Car

Chester Racecourse is easily reachable by car and is sign-posted from all major routes. The M53, M56, M6 and A483 are all in close proximity to Chester, providing excellent links from Liverpool, Manchester, North Wales and the south of England.

Between the hours of 09:00 and 21:00 road closures will be in place on New Crane Street, Watergate Street and Nuns Road. Safety barriers will enforce the closures, providing additional security to members of the public. Barriers will be removed from 21:00 on the evening of a raceday to allow for normal access. Please be aware that times will differ for evening meetings, refer to our official social media channels closer to the event for details.

The council may also decide to shut other roads close to the racecourse on or around race days. We have no control over this, but we urge you to check road closures in Chester here before you depart on your journey.

We recommend that you do not input the Chester Racecourse postcode (CH1 2LY) into your Sat Nav, but instead approach from Sealand Road (to the West of the city) using postcode CH1 4LD.

For live traffic updates, please visit the Cheshire West & Chester Council website.

By Train

Chester Racecourse is located in the heart of the historic city and is easily accessible by the rail network with trains running frequently to Chester Train station. The railway station is a six-minute taxi ride to the racecourse, or a 20-minute walk.

By Bus

Chester Racecourse is located in Chester City Centre and is easily accessible via bus routes and via Park & Ride. With the current one-way system in place around the city, we strongly recommend using Chester’s Park & Ride service. For more information please visit Chester and Cheshire West Park & Ride website here.

By Air

If you are planning to travel by helicopter or light aircraft, please make the necessary arrangements to use the landing facilities in Deeside. Please contact British Aerospace, Hawarden, Deeside on 01244 522 012/3.

In line with our refund policy, we cannot offer any refunds or exchanges on tickets purchased for a race day which is affected by transport strikes. Customers will need to find other modes of transport to get to the racecourse.

Car parking is available on the Open Course, which is located in the centre of the racecourse. Parking can be purchased on the day, but may be limited and spaces are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

A car park pass does not give you access to the Open Course.

Parking can be purchased online and over the phone. Please call the Box Office on 01244 304 610 for more information. Please note: purchasing a car parking ticket in advance does not guarantee a reserved parking space on the day.

Card and cash payment will be taken on arrival on the day.

Car parking is £10 per car.

Open Course and Car Park Picnic Rules

• Customers may bring food and soft drinks in sealed plastic containers onto the Open Course.
• Customers can bring a picnic, with a moderate amount of alcohol (two cans of beer or half a bottle of wine per person) to accompany it, into the designated Car Park Picnic Area. However, this area cannot be accessed on foot, or by taxi. Alcohol can not be brought on to the open course on foot via gate 9 or any other gate on Nuns Road.
• All alcohol must be consumed or left in the Car Park Picnic Area before entering the Open Course.
• BBQs are allowed in designated areas of the Car Park Picnic Area, but not on the Open Course itself.
• Chester Racecourse do not allow collapsible camping chairs in any other enclosure than the Open Course and Car Park Picnic Area.
• Gazebos and parasols are allowed only in the Open Course Car Park Picnic Area (subject to a £10 fee on the day).
• Ball games are allowed in limited circumstances. Please speak to a steward when you arrive to clarify rules on the day.

Bag and vehicle checks will be in operation:

• at the entrance to the Open Course
• at the entrance of the Car Park/ Picnic Area
• Gates 9 (Nuns Rd)
• The Company may refuse entry or eject anyone who fails to comply with the current Open Course and Car Park Picnic Rules.

Click here for more information about the Open Course.

An official Chester racecard contains all the information you could possibly need for your raceday. Racecards are available to purchase from dedicated booths throughout the course priced at just £3 (£5 during the Boodles May Festival).

Digital Racecards

We are proud to provide digital racecards to racegoers who may have visual impairments. These PDF digital racecards can be used with software to read out the contents of the racecourse to the listener through earphones or speakers. Please note, you must have the software yourself pre-installed on your device in order to do this. We cannot assist with the install of software. To request a digital racecard, please email marketing@chester-races.com.

The electric atmosphere of a raceday at Chester is contributed to by the enthusiastic bookmakers and racegoers keen to make back their stake on their chosen horse in a given race.

Chester Bet is Chester Racecourse’s on-course betting company and has over 100 points throughout the Racecourse from which to place a bet. Live information screens around the Racecourse indicate the latest odds on both home and away racing.

Odds are shown to a £1 stake and are live estimates of the Racecourse Price (RP). The confirmed RP is generated as soon as a race finishes and the official result has been announced.

Chester Bet staff are on hand throughout the day to help racegoers place their bets quickly, easily and answer any questions. Take a look at our useful Betting Guide in advance of your visit to Chester to find out more about Chester Bet and the services we provide.

Some of our bars are taking part in a cashless trial currently. They will only be accepting card and mobile payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay etc.). Please ask at the bar for more details.

All of our bars and food units accept card and mobile payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay etc.) except for the Open Course which only accepts cash payments. Despite this, we do advise racegoers to bring some cash on the day in case of technical issues which affect card payment terminals. There are three cashpoints situated on course. Cashpoints are located in the stairwell of the County Stand, in the Paddock behind the Pavilion Bar and in Tattersalls Enclosure. There is a charge to use the machines and a minimum withdrawal of £20 is required.

Taxis

There is a disabled taxi pick up point just inside the Holiday Inn Express car park for patrons who book in advance their return journey. Please be advised there are a limited number of points and this area can become congested on race days. Stewards will assist with pick-ups and drop offs but are not responsible for booking taxis for patrons.

Racegoers are reminded that taxis may not pick-up or drop off prior to/post racing at the racecourse due to the number of racegoers in the immediate vicinity and the road closures in place.

There is a taxi rank located on Bridge Street, in the City Centre. Racegoers are advised to contact a local taxi firm to book taxi transport on race days, but takes no responsibility for local taxi firm policies.

Holiday Inn Express, Chester Racecourse.

Located in the grounds of Chester Racecourse, our on-course hotel, the Holiday Inn Express, offers an unrivaled location and value for money, with complimentary WiFi and parking as standard. Be sure to reserve your rooms early to avoid disappointment – the hotel books up well in advance of race days.

Call 01244 327900 or click here to book.

Chester is a city all about choice!

Come rain or shine, Chester is the perfect place to experience a fabulous day out shopping.

From famous high street stores to small boutiques and unique independents, our city centre aims to please even the most demanding shopper.

Discover specialist food shops, art galleries, gifts, jewelry, fashion and much more within the cobbled streets and quirky lanes of our compact walled city.

Take time out to rest your feet with regular pit-stops for coffee, cake and even cocktails in one of the many al fresco cafes, bars and restaurants spilling out onto the city centre pavements.

During your visit to Chester you may spot a bowler hat wearing CH1 Welcome Ambassador in the city centre. They are our walking, talking information centres and are ready to offer a friendly welcome and assistance. If you see them whilst you’re out and about, please feel free to stop and ask a question.

The Experience Chester website is all about sharing the delights of our amazing city with those who already visit Chester, those who live or work here, and those who may never have set foot in Chester before and don’t know what they’re missing out on!

Click here to view a map of the city of Chester.

Shop, dine and play in Chester – click here to find out more.

There is ample parking for coaches at the Little Roodee car park – open 24 hours.

Tariff (arrivals before 6pm): £5 – up to 12 hours and £8 – over 12 hours

Tariff (arrivals after 6pm to 6.59am the following day): £1.50

• Total spaces: 452
• Disabled spaces: 4

For information on coach tariffs, please click here.

Please can we remind drivers to be mindful of local residents when they drop-off or pick up – do not leave engines idling or wait in residential areas.

A reminder about road closures:

Between the hours of 09:00 and 21:00 road closures will be in place on New Crane Street, Watergate Street and Nuns Road. Safety barriers will enforce the closures, providing additional security to members of the public. Barriers will be removed from 21:00 on the evening of a raceday to allow for normal access. Please be aware that timings change for a Friday evening/Saturday day meeting. Barriers will be in place between 13:30 on the Friday to 21:00 on the Saturday.

Those visiting the racecourse by car should follow the temporary yellow signage in place on approach to the city of Chester to reach the racecourse. We recommend that you do not input the Chester Racecourse postcode (CH1 2LY) into your Sat Nav, but instead approach from Sealand Road (to the West of the city) using postcode CH1 4LD.

Here at Chester Racecourse we take the safety and security of all our visitors very seriously. If you are planning on attending one of our fixtures or a non-raceday event, please ensure you arrive in plenty of time to pass through our enhanced security checks.

Our security and customer relations team are here for your safety. Please cooperate fully with all security checks and support these vital members of our team as they carry out important work to keep us all safe and sound.

On race days and at our larger events, barriers are constructed across all the access roads. These barriers are designed to create a vehicle free space for you to enjoy the event safely. If you’re curious when you see them ask a member of our trained team who will be more than willing to answer your questions.

Search Policy:

In order to ensure the safest possible environment for you to enjoy a relaxing day at the races, it is necessary to implement certain security measures on entry.

All attendees are subject to our search policy which is designed to reassure guests and customers that they are entering a safe and secure environment.

Our search teams will be looking for any prohibited items along with any items that may cause concern.

All bags will be subject to a search at point of entry, so it is important to only bring items with you that are necessary and that will not compromise any of the prohibited items.

Our team of sniffer dogs are here to help our search teams and although they are friendly please remember, these are busy working dogs with a very important job to do. Please do not try to pet them.

Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items after thorough and proper inspection at point of entry.

The racecourse is monitored both night and day and together with our partners at Chester City we can cover a much wider area of surveillance if required. We also work very closely with Cheshire Police and members of the security services to ensure our security procedures are up to date and following best practice.

Chester Racecourse have dedicated and trained members of our security team who are working around the clock to ensure all our guests have a safe, secure and happy time.