first time at royal ascot

get to waterloo for 10 30 queue for a train ticket about 20 mins  it will take 50 mins to ascot station then a 10 min walk to the track on the return journey either leave before the last or leave a couple of hours later trains back to london get very busy enjoy your day out

i agree,either leave before the last race or stay for a beer afterwards its pointless leaving after the last.

Stand up behind the seats in the grandstand, plenty of room if you get there about 10 minutes  before race time, we normally get there 1 and a half to 2 hours before it starts, normally get a seat ok at Waterloo, should be no problem collecting tickets, we never leave before the last, bit of a pain at the station, they herd you to either Reading platform or London, we go Reading way and get train to next stop, which is Martins Heron, cross over and get train back to Waterloo, you have to wait a bit longer but get a seat and dont have to fight the crowds to get on the train, you can sit nice and comfortable in the first class, inspectors never get on, too busy, enjoy and back Hawkeyethenoo!!

I don't mind getting to the course not that early as know it is better to extend the day at the end and listen to band/have another drink or two at track/get some beers in the pub near the station.

The trains coming back are mental so either do what Deptford does or leave it a good while, epsecially if it is a fine evening.

Other tips:

if you buy the ascot tercentenary magazine  stach it with the guy at the front desk as it a beeeatch to carry around all day as it's the size of four Harpers and Queens

If you have a smart phome with the RP or betfair ap etc - load your accounts and bet on the phone - ascot has good free wifi and it's more fun than running up and down the bookies chasing half a point... especially as  most of the fxxxxkers are checking the exchanges anyway so none of them have the bxxlls to go stand out on a horse  (cue screaming and death threats from bookies posting here accusing me of talking bowlacks!)

Do NOT buy the "Now" alcoholic beverage from the bar near the bandstand - it is like fermented frankel jizzzm and is Frankel-ly vile and not fit for human consumption

Get near the bandstand before the last race if you're serious about joining in the sing song - it gets a bit mad there...  actually the singer has a good voice and the music was half decent... but some pithed up filth were making a nuisance of themselves and kept falling over...

Get your ladies to use the external downstairs loos not the ones in the grandstand inside - the latter have rather long queues

DON'T shout "Show us your knickers Madge!" when HM arrives... it won't go down well with the "Management" and might see you watching the rest of the day from the local pub

If you want to see HM get a parade ringside position by 2pm and thereafter she'll come in in the carriage, circle and then go upstairs into the Grandstand via her personal elevator

You can get a decent brunch at 12-1pm in Ascot town centre which is a mile away from the station if you walk or take a taxi... or budgeons will make you up rolls at 2.50 a pop. The food onsidte is a little basic actually and overpriced... and the booze is silly prices so better to enjoy the racing on a full stomach and keep the powder dry for the betting

One last tip - get your beers/bottles in no later than five mins after the last race - the effing bars all shut oncourse on Tuesday even though the sing song was going on for a further hour...

cheers for all advice lads.lookin forward to it now

Use the disabled toilets, not many others think of that, there is one opposite Baracouda bar, if you want decent grub, there is a lovely bakers in the high street, out the station, up the slope and to the right, 2 mins from the track, the bacon and sausage rolls are superb, we stayed behind on Wednesday for a while so train back was ok, we never went Martins Heron and back again, if you leave straight after the last, I strongly advise yo do go Martins Heron, have a great time and be lucky