Henley Royal Regatta 2027. Six days on the Thames, and a chauffeur so the day is all yours.
Six days on the Thames at the end of June. Racing starts before nine in the morning and Pimm's starts not long after, which is the whole argument for having somebody else drive.
The Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta 2027 at a glance
- DatesTuesday 29 June to Sunday 4 July 2027Six days. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the heavy ones for both crowds and traffic.
- WhereThe Thames at Henley-on-Thames, OxfordshireThe Stewards' and Regatta Enclosures are on the Berkshire bank, a short flat walk from the town and the station.
- RacingFrom early morning through the dayHead to head over the course from Temple Island. Racing usually starts between about half past eight and half past nine.
- Drop-offThe main drop-off is on the A4130About a five minute walk from the Enclosures. Official car parks open at 07:30 and the gates are locked at 21:00.
Dates and arrangements as published by Henley Royal Regatta. We review this page each year.
Getting there
A one-way system, and a bridge that will not widen
Henley-on-Thames is 13 miles from junctions 8 and 9 of the M4 and 16 miles from junction 4 of the M40, and for fifty-one weeks of the year that is all you need to know. During the Regatta the town runs a one-way system, the route in and out of the car parks depends on what time of day you arrive, and the eighteenth-century bridge over the Thames carries everything.
The Regatta directs taxis and private cars to a drop-off on the A4130, roughly five minutes on foot from the Enclosures. That is where we set you down, and where we collect you, at a time you fix in the morning rather than by telephone in the afternoon. The official car parks sell out well before the week and the residential streets fill by mid-morning, so a chauffeur who drops, leaves and comes back is genuinely the simplest arrangement in Henley.
One practical point that catches people out: the Stewards' Enclosure asks guests to step outside before making or taking a telephone call. Agree a place and a time with your chauffeur before you go in and you will not have to.
Journey times
To Henley-on-Thames
| From | Normal day | Regatta week |
|---|---|---|
| Mayfair and Knightsbridge | 1 hour 10 to 1 hour 30 | Allow 1 hour 30 to 2 hours 15 |
| The City and Canary Wharf | 1 hour 25 to 1 hour 50 | Allow 1 hour 50 to 2 hours 30 |
| Heathrow | 35 to 50 minutes | Allow 50 minutes to 1 hour 20 |
| Farnborough Airport | 45 to 60 minutes | Allow 1 hour to 1 hour 30 |
| London Oxford Airport | 45 to 60 minutes | Allow 1 hour to 1 hour 30 |
| Windsor and Ascot | 30 to 45 minutes | Allow 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 |
Planning guidance, not promises. The last mile into town is the variable, not the motorway.
What clients usually book
A car for the day, not a parking problem
- An S-Class or V-Class with the same chauffeur from your door in the morning until you are home at night
- Several cars for a hospitality party at Fawley Meadows or a company tent, arriving together
- Daily cars across the six days for guests staying in Henley, Marlow or the Chilterns
- Collection from Heathrow, Farnborough or London Oxford for guests flying in
- A V-Class for a group, which also carries blazers, spare shoes and the picnic
- A late run back to London on the Saturday, when the trains have stopped being pleasant
Dress
The Enclosures publish their own rules
The Stewards' Enclosure asks gentlemen for lounge suits, or a jacket with trousers, and a tie or cravat. Ladies wear dresses or skirts with a hemline below the knee, or a jacket or blazer with trousers, or a trouser suit; hats are usual but not required. The Regatta Enclosure publishes its own, slightly easier, code. Both are set out on the Regatta's website each year and both are enforced at the entrance.
Large bags cannot be taken into the Stewards' Enclosure. There is a left luggage point outside the main entrance, but the easier answer is to leave coats, bags and anything you do not need in the car, which is what most of our clients do.
Book early
The first week of July is our busiest
In 2027 the Regatta overlaps the first week of Wimbledon and runs straight into the British Grand Prix weekend. Cars across those days go a long way in advance. Tell us your days as soon as your badges arrive.
Around the week
Related pages
Arriving by air
The same fortnight
Request a quote
Tell us which days
Which days, how many of you, where you are starting from and which enclosure or hospitality you are in. We reply with a clear price for the day. Nothing is booked or charged online.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About Henley travel
Where will you drop us?
At the Regatta's published drop-off on the A4130, about five minutes on foot from the Enclosures, unless the traffic plan for the year moves it. We confirm it before your day.
Can the car wait all day?
Yes, and in Henley that is by far the easiest arrangement. Parking in town is the problem the Regatta cannot solve; a chauffeur who drops you and comes back solves it for you.
Can we arrive by helicopter?
There is no public landing site at the Regatta itself. A helicopter arrival means a private site nearby arranged in advance with the landowner, and then a short drive. Tell us early and we will look at whether it is worth doing.
Which airport is best for guests flying in?
Heathrow for scheduled flights, and Farnborough or London Oxford for private aircraft. All three are within about an hour of Henley on a normal day.
Are you an official partner of Henley Royal Regatta?
No. We are an independent chauffeur company providing transport to and from the Regatta.