The ScotRail Alliance is advising horse racing fans heading to the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup on Saturday 23 September to make their travel plans now.
With big numbers expected to flock to the Ayrshire coast to see if Richard Fahey trained Growl can go one better in the 2017 renewal of Scotland’s most famous flat race, the ScotRail Alliance will be adding extra carriages to services between Glasgow and Ayr all day Saturday.
Punters and locals alike are advised that trains to and from Ayr will be busier than normal over all three days of the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup Festival, and those planning to attend are encouraged to head through early in the day where possible.
A queueing system will be in place at Glasgow Central before the event and at Ayr when the racing ends. Extra staff will be on hand to help things goes smoothly.
Top five tips
- Buy your ticket before you board. You’ll need a valid ticket for travel, and barriers may be in place.
- Check your train times. Remember to leave time to catch any connecting services that you need.
- Listen up! We’ll have extra staff on the ground to help things go smoothly. To help them help you, please listen to their instructions.
- Download the ScotRail app. You can use it to buy tickets, check train times, and see live service information.
- Don’t leave it too late – services will be busy, and you might not be able to board your first choice of train.
Alcohol bans will be in place on trains between Glasgow and Ayr before and after the event.
ScotRail Alliance Communications Director Rob Shorthouse said: “The Ayr Gold Cup is a massive day in the Scottish sporting calendar, and we’re really looking forward to playing our part in making it a huge success.
“We will be adding extra carriages to services to try to make things a bit easier for race-goers travelling to and from Ayr.
“But trains will be busier than usual, so we encourage people to plan their journey in advance and make sure they have their ticket before boarding.”
Notes
Getting there
The closest station to the racecourse is Ayr. The course is a 20-25 minute walk from the station, or 5-10 minutes by bus.
Please buy your tickets in advance - not on the day. Tickets can be purchased on the ScotRail app, at scotrail.co.uk or by calling 0344 811 0141.
Heading home
Please leave extra time for your journey home as trains will be busy. A queueing system will be in operation at the station, and you may not be able to board your first choice of train. Extra staff will be there to assist you, please follow their instructions.
If you are catching a connecting service, please leave plenty of time to change trains.