Aintree Ladies Day 2027: tickets, style and travel

When is Aintree Ladies Day 2027?

Ladies Day is Friday 9 April 2027, the middle day of the Grand National Festival. The official event schedule lists gates opening at 10:30am, the first race at 1:45pm and the last race at 5:15pm. These are the published 2027 timings; check the official schedule again before setting your departure time.

The Grand National itself is on Saturday 10 April. Choose your ticket by the date and day name, especially when arranging a group visit. A Friday Ladies Day ticket and a Saturday Grand National Day ticket are different bookings. Put the date in your group message and hotel reservation so everyone is planning for the same afternoon.

What happens on Ladies Day?

Friday combines a full racing programme with the Festival’s social and fashion activity. The official schedule includes the Melling Chase at 3:30pm and the Topham Chase at 4:05pm. Use the programme to choose which races you particularly want to watch, and leave yourself enough time to reach your viewing area.

Our suggestion for a first visit is to see the horses before a race, watch that race from your chosen position, then use the gap afterwards for food or meeting friends. Trying to move to a different area immediately before every race can make the afternoon feel hurried. Choose a few priorities rather than expecting to be everywhere.

Ladies Day is open to everyone; the official event page describes it as a celebration that invites everyone to join. A group can enjoy dressing up without entering an award. Plan the racing and the social part together so that nobody spends the whole afternoon waiting for companions who have different priorities.

The Style Awards

The official 2027 Ladies Day page says the Style Awards will return. Its linked detailed awards page still describes the 2026 edition when checked on 14 October 2026. For 2027 entry instructions, categories, prizes and judging arrangements, use the official awards page when those details are published.

If entering is important to you, check the registration arrangements before choosing your arrival time. Keep the relevant instructions on your phone and leave room in your day for any entry process. Do not build the plan around a previous year’s judging location or prize: the current page needs to confirm those details.

Our advice is to choose an outfit you will enjoy wearing for the whole visit. An award entry is only one possible part of the day. Test the shoes, coat and accessories together, and consider how you will manage them while walking, watching racing and making the journey home.

Tickets and choosing an enclosure

Book through the official Aintree ticket page and select Friday 9 April 2027. Check the enclosure name, the number of admissions and any booking charges before paying. The official event page advises advance booking because some enclosures may sell out. Your group should agree on the same ticket area before anyone buys.

Select the Friday event on the official booking page to see the current price for your chosen enclosure. Compare the final total for your party, including any booking charges, and check the date again before paying.

Choose the viewing arrangements as carefully as the price. Think about whether you want a reserved seat, an outdoor terrace or the ability to move through the general Festival area. Read exactly what access is included. Our Aintree enclosure comparison provides a starting point, while the official description and booking conditions decide what your ticket includes.

For hospitality, check the package contents, admission arrangements and any requirements sent with the booking. Tell the organiser about access needs before the day. A group booking is easier to manage when one person holds a clear list of what has been purchased and everyone knows how they will receive their ticket.

What to wear

Aintree’s general Grand National policy has no formal dress code, while asking visitors to avoid fancy dress, sportswear and sports kits or team colours. You can dress up in a way that suits you. A hat or headpiece is a personal option rather than a requirement under that published general policy.

Our advice is to begin with footwear and the outer layer. Test the outfit walking outdoors and sitting down, not just in a mirror. For a dress or skirt, consider the coat and any tights at the same time. For a suit or trouser outfit, check that an extra layer fits comfortably beneath the jacket.

Check the forecast close to departure. Keep a layer available for standing outdoors and the journey back, and choose a bag that leaves your ticket accessible. The Grand National dress guide gives more detailed outfit and footwear suggestions. Any conditions supplied with your own hospitality package should also be read before you travel.

Getting there by train

The official Festival travel page identifies Merseyrail services between Liverpool city centre and Aintree. It describes a special 2027 timetable and advises checking the operator’s journey planner or app for current departures. Plan both directions, including any connection needed to reach your hotel or your longer-distance train.

If staying in Liverpool, look at the walk from your accommodation to the station as well as the rail journey. Allow time for admission procedures after arriving at the course. Save your return route and agree where the group will meet, especially if some people intend to stay for the final race and others leave earlier.

For a longer journey home, leave a reasonable margin between the end of your visit and the reserved connection. Our practical preference is a plan with some flexibility rather than one that requires every part of the afternoon to run exactly to time. Check the actual timetable before buying a restrictive return ticket.

Driving and parking

The official travel advice says Festival car parking must be booked in advance. Arrange it for Friday and follow the route information supplied for the booked car park. The event page lists car parks opening at 6am, but racecourse admission begins at the published gate-opening time; those are separate times.

Choose a driver and agree the return plan before departure. Keep the parking confirmation available and leave enough time for the final approach. If some companions travel separately, use a meeting point inside the area everyone’s ticket permits rather than relying on finding each other immediately outside the entrance.

For taxi travel, arrange the pickup details with the provider and confirm where you should meet. Keep the contact information accessible at the end of the afternoon. A reliable plan for leaving is more useful than postponing the decision until racing finishes and everyone is ready to go.

A manageable plan for the afternoon

Arrive with a short list of priorities: the races you most want to watch, whether you intend to enter the Style Awards, and when your group wants to eat. Make time to find your viewing area before the first race. Use quieter moments between races to explore rather than repeatedly rushing across the venue.

Check everyone has their admission details before leaving the hotel or station. A charged phone, payment method and return-transport information belong in an easy-to-reach pocket or bag. If companions separate, set a meeting time and location that does not depend on finding a message immediately.

For an overnight visit, compare the full journey from hotel to course before booking. The Grand National hotels guide covers possible bases, while the Aintree hub brings the main travel and enclosure information together. If this is your first raceday, read the first-raceday guide so the afternoon’s routine feels more familiar.

Plan your next step