Chester
🏟️ Address: Chester Racecourse, Nuns Road, Chester, CH1 2LY, United Kingdom Directions in Google Maps
Due to its location within the city, Chester Racecourse is easily reached by foot from the city centre or Chester Train Station. The course also has ample car parking space if you are driving from further afield.
Below you can find general information on travel and parking for Chester Racecourse. Individual events may have additional/restricted services available, and so we recommend clicking through to the event and viewing the Travel & Parking tab for event-specific information.
Car parking is available on the Open Course, which is located in the centre of the racecourse. Parking can be purchased on the day with cash or card but may be limited and spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. It is advisable to purchase parking in advance when booking tickets and can be purchased in advance online after your ticket or badge selection has been made. Alternatively, advance parking can also be purchased over the phone via the Box Office on 01244 304 610.
A car park pass does not give you access to the Roodee enclosure (previously Open Course) unless you have an admission ticket.
For racegoers who are confined to a wheelchair, parking can be arranged in the disabled parking bays at the Holiday Inn Express, which is located next to the racecourse. Other disabled patrons can park in the disabled spaces near the paddock.
There is ample parking for coaches at the Little Roodee car park which is open 24 hours. There are 452 total spaces with 4 disabled spaces.
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, it is strongly recommended that racegoers use Chester’s Park & Ride service. For more information please visit Chester and Cheshire West Park & Ride website here.
Chester Racecourse is easily accessed by the rail network with trains running frequently to Chester Train Station from Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and many other destinations served by Avanti West Coast, Merseyrail, Transport for Wales, and Northern. The station is a 1.9 km (23 min) walk to the racecourse.
Chester is a small city with a full range of accommodation on offer, from refined hotels to b&bs, and country cottages.
There is a fantastic selection of bars and restaurants including the renowned 1539 Restaurant & Bar and the White Horse Pub.
Picnics are welcome within the designated picnic area of the Roodee. Each person is welcome to bring a moderate amount of alcohol with their picnic via the car park entrance. BBQs are allowed in designated areas of the car park picnic area, but not in the Roodee enclosure itself.
It is not permitted to bring alcohol into the Roodee on foot. All alcohol must be consumed in the Car Park Picnic Area before entering the Roodee enclosure. Racegoers can bring food and soft drinks in sealed plastic containers onto the Roodee.
The racecourse can be accessed by helicopter or light aircraft. Please make the necessary arrangements to use the landing facilities in Deeside by contacting British Aerospace, Hawarden, Deeside on 01244 522 012/3.
Due to being situated within Chester, it is popular to walk to the racecourse from the city centre. This is a 965 m (12 min) walk.
Typically gates will open 2 hours prior to the first race, normally 11.30 on a daytime fixture and 16:30 on an evening fixture. Early arrival is advised for easy entry.
On arriving at the racecourse, please refer to the directional signage or ask a steward to be directed to the relevant gate for entry to the course:
If you are carrying a bag, it will be checked by the security team. It is advised to only bring a bag if it is essential.
Toilet facilities are located throughout the enclosures. These also include accessible toilet facilities and baby changing facilities.
Chester Race Company has a proactive attitude to catering for disabled racegoers. Chester Racecourse is DDI compliant, however, owing to the age of some of the grandstands, suitability does vary.
Chester Racecourse hosts a range of flat racing fixtures from May through October. Fixtures can be on a single day or they can last for several days, and each raceday will feature about 7 races and a wide range of entertainment, food, and drink off the track. The most famous fixture is the Boodles May Festival. You can see a full list of Chester Racecourse events here.
Chester Racecourse ticket prices vary depending on a number of factors including the event, the enclosure the ticket is for, and the seller. For example, tickets for the Winning Post Enclosure, the premium area offering greater access around the course will be more expensive than those for the family-friendly Roodee. Similarly, Winning Post tickets may be more expensive on a May Festival raceday than at one of the smaller fixtures. Koobit compares ticket prices from primary and secondary sellers – just click through to an event and then click the Tickets tab for event-specific ticket information.
It is sometimes possible to buy tickets at the Chester Racecourse on the day of the event. However, this is subject to availability on the day and you risk not being able to enter. Buying your ticket online is generally the most reliable and convenient way to secure your tickets and ensure you get the admission you want and know the price upfront.
Chester Racecourse offers public parking which can be booked online when booking your admission tickets or purchased on arrival at the venue. Traffic around the course builds up at peak times, so early arrival is advised to avoid delays getting into the venue. See the Chester Racecourse travel & parking section above for parking details and other venue travel information including public transport.
Chester Racecourse is perfectly situated within walking distance of Chester City Centre. The city has a wide range of accommodation options to suit all needs and budgets. Please note that for bigger fixtures like the May Festival, accommodation can book up quickly. See the Chester Racecourse hotels & accommodation section above to find hotels near Chester Racecourse. You can also find additional information by clicking through to an event and then clicking the Accommodation and Destination tabs.
Gate opening times at Chester Racecourse vary by event, but usually open around 2 hours before the first race. For some events, you can find the gate opening time on Koobit by viewing the event’s Schedule tab. Timings should also be confirmed on your tickets when you receive them.
Chester Racecourse has a capacity of approximately 21,000. However, the capacity does differ between events depending on the seating configuration.
Nuns Road, Chester, CH1 2LY, United Kingdom.
