Ascot Racecourse
Ascot · 70,000 capacity
Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose course in Berkshire that has staged racing since 1711. It runs 26 race days a year across the Flat and the jumps, with hospitality throughout its enclosures.
About Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose racecourse in Berkshire, 25 miles west of central London, that has staged racing since 1711. It runs 26 race days a year across both the Flat and the jumps, and 21 of them fall outside the Royal Meeting in June. Its 179 acres are leased from the Crown Estate, next to Windsor Great Park.
Where is Ascot Racecourse?
The course sits on High Street, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7JX. It is a right-handed track of slightly over one mile six furlongs, with a demanding 73-foot climb from Swinley Bottom up to the Winning Post, which is why races here are rarely won by horses that do not stay. Queen Anne identified the site in 1711 and the first race, Her Majesty’s Plate, was run on 11 August that year.
Which enclosures are open on an Ascot race day?
On a standard Ascot race day there are two: the King Edward VII Enclosure, which is the premier admission, and the Queen Anne Enclosure, which is Ascot’s entry-level admission. The Winning Post Enclosure opens for only three fixtures a year, one of which is King George Day. The Royal Enclosure, the Village Enclosure and the Windsor Enclosure operate at the Royal Meeting only, so they are not part of a normal race day.
What is the dress code at Ascot Racecourse?
It depends where you are sitting, and hospitality is the stricter of the two. In the Queen Anne and Winning Post Enclosures no formal dress code applies, though most guests dress for a smart occasion. In the King Edward VII Enclosure, hospitality and private boxes, gentlemen are asked to wear a jacket, a collared shirt, and a tie or cravat, and trainers are not permitted. Hats and headpieces are encouraged but never compulsory, and there is no formal code for under-17s. Fancy dress, novelty attire and sportswear are not permitted anywhere.
The Royal Meeting in June applies a much stricter code again, including morning dress in the Royal Enclosure. That is set out in our Royal Ascot dress code guide.
How do you get to Ascot Racecourse?
South Western Railway runs direct from London Waterloo in around 52 minutes, from Reading in 27 and from Aldershot in 30. Ascot station is a seven-minute walk from the racecourse. One thing worth knowing before you travel: Oyster and contactless are not valid at Ascot station, so buy a ticket first. By road the course is reached from junction 6 of the M4 via the A332, junction 10 of the M4 from the west, junction 3 of the M3 from the south and east, and junction 4 of the M40 from the Midlands. Heathrow is the nearest airport.
Is parking free at Ascot?
On Ascot race days, yes. Car Parks 1 and 6 are free, and parking is only chargeable at the Royal Meeting. Accessible parking and a shuttle service are available from some car parks. Full routes and driving directions are in our guide to getting to Ascot Racecourse.
What racing does Ascot stage through the year?
The Flat season runs from spring to autumn and includes the Royal Meeting in June, King George Weekend in late July, and QIPCO British Champions Day in October. A jumps programme runs through the winter, the first jumps fixture having been staged in 1965. Gates open at 11:00 on Flat-season race days, and at 10:30 for the Royal Meeting and Champions Day.
The grandstand opened in June 2006 after an 18-month redevelopment costing £220 million, and the course welcomed 532,956 racegoers across the 2025 season. A lawn beside the track is named the Grundy and Bustino Lawn, after the two horses whose 1975 King George broke the course record.
Getting There
Nearby Hotels
Accessibility at Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse welcomes all visitors with a range of accessibility facilities. Use the guide below to plan your visit.
Accessibility Notes
Accessible parking in Car Park 2 (Queen Anne Enclosure) and Car Park 6 (Windsor Enclosure); accessible shuttle service from some car parks
Upcoming Events at Ascot Racecourse
Venue Info
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- Racecourse
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- 70,000
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Enquire NowAscot Racecourse FAQs
Hospitality at Ascot is based in the King Edward VII Enclosure and in private boxes, which carry the stricter of the course's two dress codes. Ascot stages 26 race days a year across both the Flat and the jumps, and 21 of them fall outside the Royal Meeting in June, so hospitality runs well beyond that one week.
Hospitality guests are based in the King Edward VII Enclosure, the premier admission on a standard race day, or in private boxes. Queen Anne Enclosure admission is the entry level alternative. Enclosures reserved for the Royal Meeting, including the Royal, Village and Windsor Enclosures, do not open on ordinary fixtures, so they play no part in a race day hospitality booking.
Yes, and hospitality carries the stricter of the course's two codes. Gentlemen in the King Edward VII Enclosure and private boxes need a jacket, collared shirt and a tie or cravat, with no trainers. Guests in the Queen Anne Enclosure have no formal code. Under-17s are exempt, and fancy dress, novelty attire and sportswear are refused everywhere on the course.
South Western Railway runs direct from London Waterloo in around 52 minutes, and Ascot station is a seven-minute walk from the racecourse. Oyster and contactless are not valid at Ascot station, so buy a ticket before you travel. By road the course is reached from junction 6 of the M4 via the A332. Heathrow is the nearest airport.
No booking is needed for a standard fixture: Car Parks 1 and 6 are free on ordinary race days, and charges apply only at the Royal Meeting in June. Accessible spaces and a shuttle run from designated car parks, so tell us ahead of the day if anyone in your party needs them.
Ascot Racecourse provide an accessible shuttle service from designated areas. Specifically, those using accessible parking in Car Park 2 for the Queen Anne Enclosure can utilise these facilities.
Any of the 26 race days Ascot stages, on the Flat and over jumps. The summer highlights are the Royal Meeting in June and King George Weekend in late July, with QIPCO British Champions Day closing the Flat season in October and a winter jumps programme after that. Twenty-one fixtures fall outside the Royal Meeting, so the calendar runs far beyond one week.