South Western Railway (SWR) is welcoming thousands of racegoers arriving at Ascot station for the prestigious Royal Ascot from 18 June to 22 June 2024. As one of the most anticipated events in the British social and sporting calendar, Royal Ascot promises five days of world-class horse racing, fashion, and entertainment.
During the week of Royal Ascot, SWR expects to see an uplift of 1200% in passenger journeys, with almost 80,000 additional customers passing through Ascot station in just one week.
This is the same volume SWR sees travelling to Basingstoke over a month on average, or, the equivalent to a full years’ worth of passenger journeys to Hilsea in Hampshire, Fulwell in Greater London, and Frimley in Surrey.
From early morning on the 18th Ascot station was bustling with vibrant energy as passengers, dressed in their finest attire, made their way to the iconic racecourse.
We talked to some of them about what they were wearing and what they were looking forward to during the day. Watch the video here
Teresa Pearson BEM, Ascot Station Manager at South Western Railway, said:
“We are delighted to play a part in bringing people to such an esteemed event, which requires a huge amount of preparation.
“An event like Royal Ascot takes months of planning and, during the event, a huge amount of work goes in to accommodating the increased number of customers who pass through Ascot station to ensure everyone has a smooth journey.
“In addition to our station, security, operational readiness and planning teams, we have hundreds of dedicated volunteers from around SWR come down to lend a hand.
“We love seeing our customers passing through in all their finery and we wish everyone a memorable and enjoyable time at Royal Ascot.”
Customers are encouraged to check live travel updates and plan their journeys in advance to make the most of their day at the races.
