Getting to the UK’s Major Sporting Events in 2025 by Train
The UK sports calendar for 2025 is packed full of variety. And we’re not just talking about mainstream sports here. From the Giants Live Official Strongman World Tour to Scotland’s World Haggis Hurling Championships, there’s a sporting event to suit everyone. And you can travel to many of them by train.
Train travel isn’t just better for the environment, leaving the car at home gives you the chance to safely enjoy an after-match drink and avoid the traffic queues and parking nightmares. If you’ve ever been in town for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, you’ll know what we mean.
We’ve rounded up the most popular UK sport events for 2025 and given you all the information you need to find their nearest train stations. Whether you want to join in the cheering at Wembley for the Lionesses England V Spain match in February or hear the roar of engines at the Formula One British Grand Prix in July, we’ve got the dates and train travel information you need.
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Football matches by train
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There’s nothing as loyal as a football crowd and here in the UK we’ll travel miles to support our local team or join the fans at one of the big national matches. And let’s not forget, the UK football calendar has been made even more exciting by the ever-increasing popularity of the women’s game.
When it comes to football events, 2025 might well be the year you discover how easy it is to get to football matches across the UK by train. There are exciting times ahead, especially with the new England head coach Thomas Tuchel in the men’s game hotseat. We’ve listed some important matches and how to get to the key stadiums by train below.
Feb 26th – England’s Lionesses V Spain – Wembley Stadium
March 21st or 22nd – England’s first 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier (under Thomas Tuchel)
May 17th – FA Cup final – Wembley Stadium
May 18th - Women’s FA Cup final – Wembley Stadium
May 25th - Scottish Cup final - Hampden Park
October 11th – Super League Grand Final – Old Trafford
Nearest train stations for UK football stadiums
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Will 2025 be the year you try car-free travel to get to your favourite football matches? It’s worth giving it a go to avoid the traffic around stadiums on match days. Many of the UK’s venues are within walking distance of a train station. We’ve listed some of the most popular below.
How to get to Wembley Stadium by train
Travelling to Wembley by train is simple. There are three railway stations to choose from, with main line, London Underground and London Overground options. The nearest station to Wembley Stadium itself is Wembley Stadium station but all three of the stations listed below are nearby.
The nearest train stations to Wembley stadium
Wembley Park station on the Metropolitan Line (London Underground) - 16 minutes walking
Wembley Stadium station (Chiltern Railways) - 10 minutes walking
Wembley Central station (Overground) and the Bakerloo Line (Underground) - 22 minutes walking
How to get to Hampden Park stadium by train
Trains to Hampden Park run directly from Glasgow Central and you have two stations within walking distance of the stadium to choose from.
The nearest train stations to Hampden Park
Mount Florida station – 8 minutes walking
Kings Park station – 19 minutes walking
How to get to Old Trafford by train
Manchester’s trains and Metro Link tram system are far easier to negotiate than the roads around Old Trafford on match days. For a shorter walk, combine the train and the tram but if you like walking, the stadium is about an hour from the city’s main train station.
Manchester Piccadilly station – 1 hour walking (or change for the Metro)
Old Trafford stop (Blue Metro Line) - 11 minutes walking
Take the train to UK cricket matches
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The 2025/2026 Men’s Ashes Series is going to be in Australia and is set to start at Perth Stadium in November 2025. Those not lucky enough to travel will be pleased to hear that some important 2025 cricket events will be played at UK stadiums.
May 22nd – Trent Bridge, Nottingham
West Indies Men in England
May 29th – Edgbaston, Birmingham
June 1st – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
June 3rd – The Oval, London
June 6th - Seat Unique Riverside, Chester-le-Street
June 8th – Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol
June 10th – Utilita Bowl, Southampton
India Men in England
June 20th – Headingley, Leeds
July 2nd – Edgbaston, Birmingham
July 10th – Lords, London
July 23rd – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
July 31st – The Kia Oval, London
South Africa Men in England
September 2nd – Headingley, Leeds
September 4th – Lords, London
September 7th – Utilita Bowl, Southampton
September 10th – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
September 12th – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
September 14th – Trent Bridge, Nottingham
West Indies Women in England
May 23rd – Central County Ground, Hove
May 26th – Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford
May 30th – County Ground, Derby
June 4th – County Ground, Leicester
June 7th – County Ground, Taunton
June 28th – Trent Bridge, Nottingham
India Women in England
July 1st – Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol
July 4th – The Oval, London
July 9th – Old Trafford, Manchester
July 12th – Edgbaston, Birmingham
July 16th – Utilita Bowl, Southampton
July 19th – Lords, London
July 22nd – Seat Unique Riverside, Chester-le-Street
With so many matches taking place right across the summer of 2025, it’s set to be a good year for cricket fans. To help you attend by train, we've listed the UK’s major cricket grounds and stadiums below alongside their nearest train stations and walking times from these.
UK cricket grounds and their nearest train stations
Warwickshire - Edgbaston, Birmingham – Five Ways (30 minutes)
Northamptonshire - The County Ground, Northampton – Northampton station (45 minutes)
Yorkshire - Headingley, Leeds – Burley Park station (5 minutes)
Derbyshire - The Incora County Ground, Derby – Derby station (20 minutes)
Somerset - The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton – Taunton station (20 minutes)
Essex - The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford – Chelmsford Station (10 minutes)
Durham - Seat Unique Riverside, Chester-le-Street – Chester-le-Street station (21 minutes)
Worcestershire - New Road, Worcester – Worcester Forgate Street (13 minutes)
Gloucestershire - Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol – Bristol Temple Meads (56 minutes)
Sussex - The 1stCentral County Ground, Hove – Hove station (10 minutes)
Kent - The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence – Canterbury East station (20 minutes)
Surrey - The Kia Oval, London – Vauxhall station (10 minutes)
Middlesex - Lord’s, London – Marylebone station (10 minutes)
Nottinghamshire - Trent Bridge, Nottingham – Nottingham station (20 minutes)
Lancashire - Old Trafford, Manchester – Manchester Piccadilly station (30 minutes)
Hampshire – The Utilita Bowl Stadium, Southampton – Hedge End station (35 minutes)
Glamorgan - Sophia Gardens Stadium, Cardiff – Cardiff Central (20 minutes)
By train to UK Rugby matches
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The latest men’s Premiership Rugby season started in September 2024 and will finish with a resounding final on June 14th, 2025. Thousands of fans have already bought tickets for the event at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, which is within the expanded London ULEZ zone. If you choose to drive, you will need to pre-book parking and may have to pay an emissions charge of £12.50. Happily, Twickenham Stadium is just a 10-minute walk from Twickenham train station.
The final for the 2025 Premiership Women’s Rugby will also be in London at the Saracens’ StoneX Stadium. Put Sunday March 16th in your diary and buy your tickets soon. Saracens is also in the expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone but the nearest train station is Mill Hill Broadway, just a 35-minute walk away.
Round 1 of the men’s Six Nations Championship will be in Paris on January 31st, 2025, but there are plenty of UK venues to look forward to. The Women’s Six Nations kicks off on March 22nd at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast, which is a 38-minute walk from Belfast Lanyon Place train station.
Train stations for UK Rugby Stadiums
The nearest train station to Ashton Gate stadium, Bristol
Parson Street station – 15 minutes walking
The nearest train stations to Twickenham
Twickenham station – 10 minutes walking
Whitton station – 20 minutes walking
St Margaret’s station – 20 minutes walking
The nearest train station to Murrayfield stadium, Edinburgh
Haymarket station – 30 minutes walking
The nearest train station to the Hive stadium, Edinburgh
Haymarket station – seven minutes walking
Edinburgh Waverley station – 20 minutes walking
The nearest train station to the Principality stadium, Cardiff
Cardiff Central station – 5 minutes walking
Cardiff Queen Street station – 15 minutes walking
The nearest train station to Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Central station – 11 minutes walking
Cardiff Queen Street station – 18 minutes walking
The nearest train station to the Kingspan stadium, Belfast
Lanyon Place station – 38 minutes walking
How to get to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships by train
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Across the 2024 tournament, over half a million people visited Wimbledon with up to 42,000 of them being in the grounds at a time. The 2025 Wimbledon Championships will take place from June 30th to July 13th and interest in tickets is only always high. Although the public ballot for Wimbledon tickets has already closed, it is still possible to buy tickets on the day via the Queue and hospitality experiences are also available.
However you get hold of your Wimbledon tickets, it makes absolutely no sense to travel to the tournament by car. Wimbledon venue, the All England Lawn and Tennis Club is near to several District Line stations on the London Underground.
Southfields station – 15 minutes walking
Wimbledon station – 20 minutes walking
Wimbledon Park Station – 25 minutes walking
The best train station for the 2025 UK Athletics Indoor Championships
This year’s venue for the UK Athletics Indoor Championships will be Birmingham’s Utilita Arena. Tickets are still available but hurry up, this sporting extravaganza is on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd of February.
How to get to the Birmingham Utilita Arena by train
Right in the heart of Birmingham, the Utilita Arena is easy to get to by train, which is great news if you’re planning to join the experience because the Arena is within the city’s Clean Air Zone and charges for non-compliant vehicles will apply. The Birmingham Utilita Arena is just a 23-minute walk from Birmingham New Street station or a 21-minute walk from Five Ways station.
The 2025 Snooker World Championships by train
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If you love snooker, you’ll already know that the 2025 Snooker World Championship is set to start on April 19th with tickets for the final on May 5th already sold out. If you’re one of the lucky ticket holders, the Crucible Theatre is easy to get to by train. Head for Sheffield station then enjoy a short nine-minute walk to find it.
Taking the train to UK golf tournaments
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Getting to the British Open by train
The British Open is returning to Northern Ireland for 2025 and will be staged at stunning Royal Portrush golf course on July 14th to 21st 2025. Royal Portrush is easily accessible by train from Belfast. Hop off the train at Portrush station and enjoy a scenic 20-minute stroll to the club house.
Getting to the British Masters by train
This year’s British Masters golf is set to take place at The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield between August 21st and 24th. If you want to travel by train to the event, Water Orten, with good connections from Birmingham, is the nearest station but you will probably want to book a taxi from there. The course is four miles from the station and the local bus takes a circuitous hour-long route.
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UK motorsport events by train
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The Formula 1 Grand Prix by train
2025 sees Formula 1 celebrating the 75th anniversary of the FIA One World Championships. The 2025 British Grand Prix will be at Silverstone. With the race itself on Sunday July 6th and practice and qualifying on the 4th and 5th, there will be plenty to watch for those who are lucky enough to get tickets. Bus transfers will be available from Silverstone’s nearest train stations, Milton Keynes, Northampton and Bambury.
By train to the Goodwood Festival of Speed
Goodwood’s 2025 Festival of Speed is set to offer some great days out for all the family and will take place on July 10th –13th. It makes sense to avoid the traffic queues and travel to Goodwood by train. The Festival of Speed’s nearest train station is Chichester and shuttle buses will run on event days.
UK horse racing by train
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As usual, UK horse racing has a packed itinerary for 2025. For many punters, events like the Cheltenham Festival in March and New Market in July are unmissable dates in the sporting calendar. Most regulars know how crowded race day roads can be and sensibly opt for the train. We’ve listed the top UK horse racing venues and their nearest train stations below.
The Grand National - nearest station
Aintree Racecourse – Aintree station – 7 minutes walking
Cheltenham Festival - nearest station
Cheltenham Racecourse – Cheltenham Spa station – 25 minutes walking
The Derby Festival – nearest stations
Epsom Downs Racecourse has good rail connections with three nearby stations:
Epsom station – 42 minutes walking (shuttle bus)
Tattenham Corner station – 15 minutes walking
Epsom Downs station – 30 minutes walking
Royal Ascot – nearest station
Ascot Racecourse – Ascot Station – 7 minutes walking
Newmarket races - nearest stations
Newmarket racecourse (Rowley Mile course) - Newmarket station - 36 minutes walking (shuttle bus)
Newmarket racecourse (July Course) - Newmarket station - 1 hour walking (shuttle bus)
Shuttle buses to Newmarket are also available from Cambridge and Royston train stations.
Planning your train journey to sporting events
When you opt for a car-free journey by train to your favourite sporting event, you get to enjoy all the atmosphere and sporting prowess without the stress of driving. However, trains can get busy on event and match days and, although many train companies do put on extra services, it’s worth coming prepared with snacks and a drink to keep you and your party happy.
One thing you’ll want to do is buy your sport event train tickets early, especially if you prefer to reserve seats. To avoid some of the match day crowds, you could travel a day before or after the event and enjoy a night away. Split tickets can help you find cheaper train fares by splitting the journey into smaller chunks. It’s worth doing your research before you buy your train tickets.
Here’s to UK sports for 2025. And to hassle-free train travel!
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – UK Sports Events by Train
1. How can I travel to UK sports events by train in 2025?
Many UK sports venues are easily accessible by train. Major stadiums like Wembley, Twickenham, and Old Trafford have nearby train stations, helping fans avoid traffic and parking hassles.
2. What are the benefits of taking the train to sports events?
Train travel is an eco-friendly, hassle-free way to attend matches. You can avoid congested roads, enjoy pre-match drinks safely, and arrive within walking distance of most stadiums.
3. How do I find the nearest train station to a sports venue?
Most train booking platforms and journey planners allow you to search for stations near your event. In our guide, we’ve listed the closest train stations and walking distances for major venues.
4. Can I save money on train tickets to sports events?
Yes! You can save by booking in advance, using railcards for discounts, or trying split ticketing with TrainSplit to find cheaper fares. Off-peak travel also reduces costs.
5. How do I check train schedules for match days?
You can check real-time train schedules and book your journey easily with TrainSplit. Our platform helps you find the best routes, cheapest fares, and real-time updates so you can get to the match without stress.
6. What UK sports events can I attend by train in 2025?
Some major events include:
• Football: FA Cup Final, Women’s FA Cup Final, FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
• Cricket: England vs India, The Ashes (Australia), County Championships
• Tennis: Wimbledon Championships
• Rugby: Six Nations, Premiership Rugby Final
• Motorsport: British Grand Prix at Silverstone
• Horse Racing: Grand National, Royal Ascot
7. How can I book accommodation near sports venues?
If you’re extending your stay, booking in advance is recommended. We partner with trusted providers to help you find the best hotels near train stations and event venues.
8. Can I use a digital railcard for sports travel?
Yes! Buy a digital railcard with TrainSplit and store it in the app for easy, discounted travel on match days.
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