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25Oct 2026
Halloween Family Day
A family-themed Sunday raceday to open the season.
From£25
Tickets
Meetings and tickets for 2026/27
Aintree races only a handful of times a year, and the Grand National Festival in April is the one everyone knows. The autumn and winter racedays are far cheaper and much quieter, and the Becher Chase in December is run over the famous National fences.
Aintree fixturesSeason 2026/27
7Nov 2026
William Hill Afternoon Raceday
A Saturday afternoon of jump racing, with the Grade 2 Old Roan Chase as its headline race.
From£32
Tickets
5Dec 2026
Becher Chase Day
The best chance outside April to see horses over the Grand National fences: the Becher Chase and the Grand Sefton Chase are both run on this day.
From£32
Tickets
26Dec 2026
Boxing Day Racing
A festive raceday. The early-saver price ends on 9 November.
From£30
Tickets
8–10Apr 2027
The Randox Grand National Festival
Three days, 21 races and the Grand National itself on Saturday. More than 150,000 people come over the three days.
- Thu: Opening Day
- Fri: Ladies Day
- Sat: Grand National Day
From£34
Tickets
Prices are the lowest adult price shown by the racecourse when we checked; better seats and later ticket windows cost more.
A cheap first visit
The Halloween Family Day or Boxing Day: tickets from £25–£30 and plenty of room.
The National fences without the crowds
Becher Chase Day in December, when two races go over the famous fences.
Bringing children
The Halloween Family Day. Note that children pay full price at the Grand National.
The big one
Grand National Day. Book early; many enclosures sell out well before April.
Which enclosure should you choose?
At the Grand National there are more than a dozen ticket types, from general admission to reserved seats over the finishing line. Here are the main choices, with 2027 starting prices. Prices rise for Friday and again for Saturday.
Best value · from £34
Festival Zone
General admission with views of the closing stages of every race, the Rum & Ginger Bar and live music in the Aintree Pavilion. The liveliest part of the course.
Close to the horses · from £59
Earl of Derby and Lord Sefton Terraces
Outdoor terraces next to the horsewalk, with views of the Parade Ring and Winners’ Enclosure. The Earl of Derby Terrace includes the Red Rum Garden and a private bar.
A seat for the big race · from £65
Grandstand seats
Reserved seats range from the covered West Tip Seats (£65) by the home straight to the Queen Mother, Earl of Derby and Lord Sefton seats (£100–£120) and the over-21s Princess Royal Seats (£136).
Compare every enclosure side by side: prices, views, bars and food, dress codes and entrances.
Two courses in one
The Grand National course is a huge triangle of about two and a quarter miles, with famous fences such as Becher’s Brook, the Canal Turn and The Chair. Inside it is the tighter Mildmay Course, with smaller birch fences, used for most other races. The Embankment enclosure on Grand National Day (from £44) looks out over the first fences, but has no access to the main stands.
Dress code at Aintree Racecourse
For the Grand National Festival, Aintree has no official formal dress code and encourages visitors to choose clothes that make the occasion enjoyable. Many racegoers use the three-day meeting as an opportunity to dress up, but this is a preference rather than a requirement. The festival’s dedicated style page nevertheless asks visitors to avoid fancy dress, sportswear and team colours or kits. Check the guidance for the specific meeting rather than assuming festival arrangements cover every Aintree fixture.
Official clothing advice — checked 14 October 2026.
What will the trip cost?
A quick estimate for your group. Where we have confirmed a ticket price it’s filled in; otherwise add the price from the racecourse’s booking page. Change any figure to match your plans.
Getting to Aintree
Aintree is on the northern edge of Liverpool, and the train is by far the easiest way in. During the Grand National, roads around the course close and all parking must be booked in advance.
By train
Aintree station is on Merseyrail’s Northern line (Ormskirk branch), a short walk from the course. During the Grand National Festival, trains run every seven and a half minutes from Liverpool Central and Moorfields, from about 11:00 to 13:00 before racing and 16:30 to 20:30 after.
From further afield
Mainline trains arrive at Liverpool Lime Street, a short walk from Liverpool Central for the Merseyrail train to Aintree. If you are on the Wirral line, change at Moorfields.
By bus
All three run between Liverpool and Aintree.
By car
Follow the A59 and the yellow event signs. Grand National parking must be booked in advance; car parks open at 6am, but you can’t get into the racecourse until the gates open. The Steeplechase car park is behind the course, with a shuttle to the enclosures.
By air
From the airport, take a bus to Liverpool South Parkway, then Merseyrail to Aintree, changing at Liverpool Central or Moorfields: about an hour in all. Manchester Airport is about 45 minutes’ drive.
By helicopter
The Jockey Club’s partner Air Charter Service arranges helicopter trips to the Grand National.
Some Merseyrail lines run changed timetables during the Grand National; Kirkby line trains start and end at Sandhills at busy times. Check the Merseyrail Aintree Races page before you travel.
Parking at Aintree Racecourse
Aintree is approached from the A59, with the M57 and M58 nearby. The racecourse asks drivers to follow the yellow and tourism signs towards its car parks. At the Grand National Festival, parking must be booked in advance for the day attended. The published festival information says car parks open before racecourse admission begins, so arriving early does not grant early entry to the enclosures. Check your parking booking and current festival instructions before setting off.
Official parking advice — checked 14 October 2026.
Coming to Liverpool by train?
Book advance fares to Liverpool Lime Street, then take Merseyrail to Aintree.
Hotels near Aintree Racecourse
Stay in Liverpool city centre. It has plenty of hotels at every price, great nights out, and fast trains to Aintree from Liverpool Central and Moorfields.
Grand National weekend
Liverpool hotels fill up and prices rise sharply for Grand National weekend, especially the Friday and Saturday nights. Book as early as you can, and check the cancellation terms.
Near the stations
Handy for trains to Aintree and the main shopping streets.
- Around Liverpool Central, the easiest base for Merseyrail to Aintree
- Around Lime Street, where mainline trains arrive
The waterfront
The docks and the Pier Head, a short walk from the centre.
- Royal Albert Dock, restaurants, bars and museums on the water
- Titanic Hotel, a converted warehouse at Stanley Dock
For a night out
Close to the city’s liveliest streets.
- Ropewalks and Bold Street, independent restaurants and bars
- Hard Days Night Hotel, a Beatles-themed hotel near the Cavern Quarter
Further out
Often cheaper, with a direct Merseyrail line into the city.
- Southport, a seaside town with a direct Merseyrail line into the city
- Ormskirk, on the same Merseyrail line as Aintree
Grand National hotels: where to stay and travel
Find a hotel in Liverpool
Compare hotels across the city for your dates. Visit Liverpool, the city’s tourist board, also runs a free accommodation search.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
Evenings in Liverpool
Liverpool is one of Britain’s great nights out, and Grand National weekend is its busiest. Book restaurants in advance.
- Straight after
Back into town
Merseyrail runs every seven and a half minutes after racing on Grand National days, so most people are back in the city centre within half an hour.
- Early evening
The waterfront
Royal Albert Dock has restaurants and bars along the water, a short walk from Liverpool ONE.
- Dinner
Bold Street and Ropewalks
Liverpool’s best independent restaurants and bars are packed into these few streets near Liverpool Central.
- Late
Mathew Street and the Baltic Triangle
Live music at the Cavern Club and the pubs around Mathew Street, or the warehouse bars and food halls of the Baltic Triangle.
Visit Liverpool lists restaurants, bars and what’s on.
Things to do while you are here
Make a weekend of it: Liverpool has more than enough to fill a day either side of the racing.
Royal Albert Dock
Liverpool’s restored docks, home to The Beatles Story and the Merseyside Maritime Museum.
The Beatles
The Cavern Club on Mathew Street, The Beatles Story at the Albert Dock, and tours of the band’s childhood homes.
The waterfront museums
The Museum of Liverpool and the Merseyside Maritime Museum are both on the waterfront.
A ferry across the Mersey
Mersey Ferries river cruises leave from the Pier Head.
Walk the National course
On all three days of the Grand National Festival you can walk the famous course.
Football
Stadium tours at Anfield, home of Liverpool FC.
On the day
Grand National timings are published on the official event schedule; the race itself goes off at about 4pm on Saturday. Here is what you need to know on any raceday
10:00Gates opened on Grand National Day, Saturday 11 April 2026; first race about 1.45pm, the Grand National at 4pm.
11:00Gates opened on Opening Day, Thursday 9 April 2026; first race about 1.45pm.
Under 18Free with an adult at most Jockey Club racedays (check Grand National terms).
Source: Grand National 2026 timings and ESPN race schedule, checked 4 October 2026. 2027 timings will be published by the racecourse.
Bags
Bring nothing bigger than a small handbag (30 × 10 × 20 cm). There is no left luggage, and bags slow down your entry.
Food and drink
You can’t bring your own food or drink onto the racecourse; it will be taken off you. Picnics are only allowed in the car parks. There are food and drink outlets in every enclosure.
Paying
The racecourse is cashless, except for betting with on-course bookmakers. There are cash machines outside the West Tip Grandstand, the Aintree Pavilion and McCoys.
Seats
Seating is limited, and you can’t bring your own portable seat. If you want to sit, buy a reserved grandstand or West Tip seat.
What to wear
There is no official dress code at the Grand National. Ladies Day on Friday is famous for its fashion.
Betting is optional
You don’t need to bet to enjoy the day. If you do, you must be 18 or over; set a limit before you arrive.
Families and groups
Aintree has a dedicated family raceday, but the Grand National has strict rules on children.
Halloween Family Day
Sunday 25 October 2026, with tickets from £25.
Children at the Grand National
Children need a ticket and pay full price. Child tickets are booked by phone on 0344 579 3001 after you buy an adult ticket, with a limit of two children per adult ticket and 200 child tickets a day.
Groups
Group bookings for the Grand National are handled by the racecourse’s coordinators on 0151 522 2911.
Help on the day and afterwards
In an emergency
Call 999 and give the address, Aintree Racecourse, Ormskirk Road, Liverpool, L9 5AS, and the nearest stand or landmark. Then tell a member of staff.
Tickets and hospitality
Tickets 0344 579 3001. Hospitality 0151 522 2911. Email aintree.racecourse@thejockeyclub.co.uk.
After your visit
Official results are on the BHA results page, and race replays are on the Aintree website.
A little history
- 1829Aintree Racecourse opens.
- 1839The first official Grand National. Captain Martin Becher falls at the brook that still bears his name.
- 1953The Mildmay Course opens, with smaller versions of the National fences.
- 1973–77Red Rum wins three Grand Nationals, still a record. He is buried by the winning post.
- 2024After a safety review, the field is cut to 34 runners and the race moves earlier in the afternoon.
Looking after the horses
The Grand National has changed a great deal in recent years to make it safer, including a smaller field, softer fences and an earlier start time. Read the racecourse’s welfare information.
Festival guides
More Aintree guides
Grand National guideEvery day, every price, hospitality and Festival travelCompare the enclosuresPrices, views, dress codes and entrances side by sideAccessibilityParking, viewing areas, toilets and personal assistant ticketsYour first racedayHow a day at the races works
Prices, dates and travel details were checked on 4 October 2026. The racecourse can change prices, times and arrangements, so check your booking page before you pay. This is an independent guide, not connected to Aintree Racecourse or The Jockey Club. Some links may earn us a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you; this never decides what we recommend.