Cheltenham Festival accessibility is well documented by the Jockey Club, and the smartest first step is to read what it says and then contact the racecourse early. Some help needs booking in advance, and a few of the details differ from ordinary race days. Finding that out on the morning of your visit is the mistake to avoid.
The Festival takes place from Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 March 2027. This guide is for disabled racegoers, older guests and the people travelling with them. It explains where to find the racecourse’s information, how accessible parking and the buggy service work, what the Jockey Club says about wheelchairs, lifts, viewing areas and toilets, and how to plan a calm journey from Birmingham and the Midlands. Every fact about the course comes from the Jockey Club. Where it does not say, we tell you to ask.
Cheltenham Festival accessibility: where to look first
The Jockey Club publishes a downloadable accessibility guide and an accessible facilities map for the Festival. It also points readers to a detailed guide from AccessAble. Read the Festival versions, not the ones for other race meetings, because some arrangements are different.
For any question those documents do not answer, the racecourse asks you to email cheltenham.accessibility@thejockeyclub.co.uk. It also says requests for special arrangements must be made in advance of the race day. In practice, that means contacting the racecourse as soon as you have decided to go. Waiting until the week before leaves little room if something needs arranging.
When you write, give the racecourse what it needs to answer properly. Say which day you plan to attend, which enclosure your ticket covers, how many people are in your party and what help you are asking about. Mention any equipment you will bring. Add how you plan to arrive, because the answer on drop-off and parking depends on it. One clear email saves a long exchange of replies.
If you are looking for disabled access at the Cheltenham Festival, start with the racecourse’s own Festival documents, because details change from one race meeting to the next.
Blue Badge parking at the Cheltenham Festival
The Jockey Club names Red 2 as the main accessible car park for the Festival. It sits near the steam railway station, and signs direct you to it on the way in. Arrive early. Once Red 2 is full, Blue Badge holders are parked in other areas.
Two details surprise people. First, the Jockey Club says Blue Badge holders are charged for parking at the Festival, as every other racegoer is. A Blue Badge does not give free parking here. Second, the racecourse says no passes are sold on the day, so passes must be sorted out beforehand. Our Festival parking guide covers passes, colours and prices, so we leave those there.
The buggy service
A wheelchair-accessible buggy carries guests between Red 2 and the North Entrance. Park safely first, then call the team to arrange a buggy. The racecourse lists the contact number on its accessibility information, and we have not repeated it here because the numbers on different Jockey Club documents do not match. Use the one on the current Festival document.
The Jockey Club also publishes a map of preferred routes for disabled badge holders. Check that the version you download is the Festival one before you rely on it.
The service cannot cross the main road. That means it does not reach the pickup and drop-off zones or the public car parks on the far side. If your plan involves either of those, ask the racecourse how you will get from there to the entrance.
Drop-off and pick-up points
The Jockey Club makes one point plainly. Drop-off and pick-up positions sit some distance from the entrances and exits. It encourages guests with mobility needs to travel by car rather than by coach, minibus, limousine or taxi.
That advice matters if you are thinking about a chauffeur-driven car. Ask the racecourse before you book where your vehicle can set you down, how far that is from your entrance, and whether the accessible car park is an option for you. Our parking guide covers general drop-off rules. Only the racecourse can tell you what suits your own needs.
Wheelchairs, scooters and lifts
The Jockey Club says electric and manual wheelchairs can be hired through Event Mobility, and that hire must be booked in advance. Ask the racecourse to confirm the arrangement for your Festival day. If you use your own wheelchair or a mobility scooter, the Jockey Club’s Festival information does not say what applies. Ask before you travel.
Inside the grandstand, lifts in the Mandarin Foyer and glass lifts at the end of the Hall of Fame reach all five levels. The Centaur has its own lift in the entrance foyer, serving the Istabraq bar, the balcony and the Hall of Fame.
The Jockey Club does not describe a step-free route across the whole site in writing. The accessible facilities map is the best guide, and the racecourse can answer specific questions about distances and slopes. That is wheelchair access at Cheltenham Racecourse as far as the published information goes, and everything beyond it is worth asking about.
Seeing the racing
The Jockey Club lists accessible viewing areas in each enclosure. Pick your enclosure with these in mind.
- Club Enclosure: the Centaur balcony, which has lowered rails. The spot opposite the Weighing Room overlooking the Parade Ring. Level 1 of the Princess Royal Stand, outside the Big Buck’s Champagne Bar. The Club Lawn overlooking the finishing straight, outside the Mandarin Foyer.
- Tattersalls Enclosure: the area opposite the Sales Arena overlooking the finishing straight, and the Level 2 Terrace outside the Winged Ox Bar.
- Best Mate Enclosure: the viewing area on Level 2, in the middle of the grandstand.
Toilets and first aid
Most accessible toilets need a Radar Key. This is a standard key that opens locked accessible toilets across the UK. You can buy one online. If you do not have one, the Jockey Club says a steward can help.
Radar Key toilets are in the grandstand, and the Princess Royal Stand has them on every floor. Other accessible toilets are at the Centaur entrance, the Istabraq bar, the First Aid Centre and both levels of the Best Mate grandstand. Enlarged cubicles are in the Best Mate Enclosure, at Quevega’s and in the Mandarin Bar. The Festival also has temporary toilets, and the accessible facilities map shows where they are.
First aid staff are on duty at every meeting. At the Festival, the Jockey Club says a pharmacy is available above the Winner’s Enclosure.
Hearing, sight and assistance dogs
An induction loop sends sound straight to a compatible hearing aid, which makes speech and announcements easier to follow. At the Festival, there is a loop around the Centaur auditorium. There are also loops across all floors of the Princess Royal Stand, near the bars.
The Jockey Club’s Festival information gives no general guidance for visually impaired guests. If you want to know what support is available, contact the racecourse before you go. Registered blind guests can apply for a free personal assistant ticket, covered below.
Assistance dogs are welcome and admitted without charge. The Jockey Club suggests you contact the racecourse when you book your tickets, so staff can advise on the expected attendance and the facilities for you and your dog. Other dogs are not allowed in the enclosures. The Jockey Club also says detection dogs are used at entrances and inside enclosures during the Festival, so ask staff what that means for your dog.
Free tickets for personal assistants
If you buy a valid ticket for yourself, you can apply for one free ticket for a personal assistant at the same event. The assistant might help you move around, leave in an emergency, use the toilet or buy food and services. Their ticket carries the same conditions as yours.
You are eligible if you receive Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment. Registered blind guests are also eligible. The Jockey Club asks for a DWP award letter or statement plus matching photo ID. Registered blind applicants send a copy of their certificate plus photo ID. A Blue Badge does not count as proof.
Apply in writing by email, with all your proofs, at least two weeks before the Festival. Passes are not issued on the day, and the racecourse cannot assess applications on event days. Tickets are posted to the address on your paperwork. The racecourse may ask for more evidence in some cases. The policy does not cover under-17s, who must always come with a responsible adult who buys their own ticket.
Planning the journey
Door-to-door travel removes a lot of the day’s effort. There is no walk across a car park, no wait for a shuttle and no search for the right bay. Be clear about the limit, though. Door-to-door means from your front door to the point where the racecourse lets the vehicle stop. The last stretch depends on that point, so settle it with the racecourse beforehand.
The day at a glance
Use this as a starting point and change it to suit your party.
| Stage | What to settle |
|---|---|
| Before you leave | Tickets and passes to hand, equipment packed, phone charged, contacts saved |
| The journey out | Pickup time agreed, who is in the car, where the vehicle will set down |
| Arrival | Security checks allowed for, meeting point agreed, route to the first rest stop known |
| During the day | Rest stops marked, a check-in time with your companion, a way to leave early |
| The journey home | Collection point and window agreed, driver’s number saved, buggy contact to hand |
Arrival
Pre-booked tickets cut the time it takes to get in, and the racecourse carries out bag and personal searches at entry. Allow time for both, and agree an arrival window with your driver that leaves a cushion. Our guide on when to leave for the Festival covers traffic and timings in general.
Food is on the Jockey Club’s list of prohibited items. If you need to bring something for a medical or dietary reason, ask the racecourse before the day.
Travelling with an older guest
Every guest is different, so ask before you plan. Some people like a full day. Others prefer a steady pace with time to sit. Ask your guest what suits them, and build the plan around that answer, not around what you expect.
Share the plan with the whole party the day before: pickup time, who is in the car, where you will meet, and where the rest stops are. Decide who carries bags and coats, so your guest does not have to. If your guest wants to go home earlier than the group, agree that in advance and arrange a separate collection, so nobody feels they are cutting the day short.
Breaks and weather
Look at the accessible facilities map and mark a few places where you can sit, warm up and rest. Decide beforehand who will go with you to each one. March weather changes quickly, so ask the racecourse which indoor areas your ticket opens.
If plans change on the day
Plans sometimes change. A guest may feel tired, or the weather may turn. Agree a point in the afternoon where your party checks in and decides together whether to stay or head home. Tell your driver the decision could change, so the collection time stays flexible. A calm decision made together beats a rushed one made at the exit.
The journey home
Everyone leaves at the same time, so agree a collection point and a time window, not one minute. Tell your driver where the buggy and the accessible car park sit. Keep your phone charged and your driver’s number saved.
For wider travel options from Birmingham, see our transport guide for race day travellers.
Questions to ask before you go
Ask the racecourse
- Where can my vehicle set me down, and how far is that from my entrance?
- Is a space in the accessible car park possible, and how do I use the buggy?
- Can I bring my own wheelchair or mobility scooter, and how do I book hire?
- Which accessible viewing areas and toilets are nearest to my enclosure?
- What support is there for my hearing, sight or other needs?
Ask your transport provider
- Will the vehicle suit my wheelchair or mobility aid, and is there enough boot space for it?
- Who helps with boarding and with bags?
- Can the driver wait at a collection point that suits me?
- What happens if we are delayed?
- Is the price fixed before we travel?
Pre-travel checklist
- Email the racecourse with your questions, as early as you can
- Apply for a personal assistant ticket, if you are eligible, before the deadline
- Book equipment hire, if you need it
- Check how parking passes work, and arrange the buggy
- Agree arrival and collection windows with your driver
- Save the racecourse and driver contacts on your phone
How NET can help
NET collects passengers from Birmingham and across the Midlands, door to door. Drivers help with bags. We agree a fixed price before you travel, so you know the cost in advance. You can choose from the Mercedes E-Class, V-Class and S-Class.
Route details and fixed prices from Birmingham are on our Birmingham to Cheltenham transfers service. If you would like a Cheltenham Festival chauffeur for your day, request a quote for your race day journey and tell us where you are travelling from.
Conclusion
Cheltenham Festival accessibility works best when you plan early: read the Jockey Club’s Festival documents, email the racecourse with your questions, and arrange parking, the buggy and any free personal assistant ticket well ahead. Remember that Blue Badge holders still pay for parking, that drop-off points sit some distance from the entrances, and that anything the published information leaves out is worth asking about before the day. Share the answers with your driver and your party, agree arrival and collection windows, and your guest can enjoy the racing at their own pace. If you would like a quote for the journey from Birmingham or the Midlands, contact our chauffeur service team and tell us what your party needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Jockey Club’s Festival information does not say. Ask the racecourse before you travel.
The information we read does not list one. Ask the racecourse what is available, so you can plan breaks.
The information we read describes the buggy as a link between the accessible car park and the North Entrance. Ask the racecourse whether it can help guests who do not hold a badge.
In places, yes. Blue Badge parking is one example. Use the Festival documents, not those for other meetings.
Yes, with their own ticket. The free ticket covers one personal assistant for eligible guests only.
