Melbourne Cup Week 2026: A Practical Race-Day Guide
The Flemington carnival runs from Derby Day on Saturday 31 October to Stakes Day on 7 November, with the Cup on Tuesday 3 November, a public holiday across Victoria unless a regional council has swapped it.
The Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington is four race days over eight days, from Derby Day on Saturday 31 October to Stakes Day on Saturday 7 November. The Cup itself is on Tuesday 3 November. Business Victoria lists it as a public holiday across Victoria “unless alternate local holiday has been arranged by a non-metro council”.
The four days
| Day | Date | Races | Feature | General admission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howden Victoria Derby Day | Sat 31 Oct | 12.20pm–5.40pm | Victoria Derby, 2500m | $88 |
| Lexus Melbourne Cup Day | Tue 3 Nov | 10.45am–5.15pm | Melbourne Cup, 3200m, $8.66m | from $60 |
| Crown Oaks Day | Thu 5 Nov | 1.00pm–5.50pm | Crown Oaks, 2500m | $50 |
| TAB Champions Stakes Day | Sat 7 Nov | 12.40pm–5.50pm | Champions Stakes, 2000m | $65 |
Prices are per adult, from the Victoria Racing Club event pages. The VRC also sells a Saturday Pass covering Derby and Stakes days for $135, and a 2 Day Pass covering Cup and Oaks days for $150.
On Cup Day, the VRC lists Lawn Stand reserved seats from $350 and the Smirnoff Sky Deck at $745. Many hospitality packages are marked sold out across the week. Packages still available on Derby Day include the Parade Lounge at $1,095 and the Terrace Restaurant at $2,195.
General admission covers the after-racing concerts at The Elms: Jess Glynne on Derby Day, Vanessa Amorosi on Oaks Day and FISHER on Stakes Day.
What to wear
The VRC’s dress standards apply in the Members Enclosure and corporate hospitality. General admission has no dress regulations.
- Men in the Members Enclosure need a suit or tailored trousers with a sports coat or blazer, a collared dress shirt, a tie or bow tie and dress shoes.
- No denim anywhere in the Members Enclosure. Shorts, playsuits, midriff-baring tops, ripped clothing, parkas and windbreakers are also out, as are sneakers, thongs and gumboots.
- Overseas visitors may wear the formal national dress of their country.
- Derby Day is black and white, and the VRC says morning suits are traditional. Oaks Day leans to pastels, florals and lace.
Getting there
The VRC recommends the train to Flemington Racecourse station and the Train Gate entry. Getting to Flemington lists the first Cup Day train from Flinders Street at 8:40am and the last train back at about 9pm. The No. 57 tram to Flemington Drive (stop 30) stops outside the main gate.
Read next · DestinationsMiami's Long Run to Art Week5 min →Public parking is at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, Gate 4 on Langs Road, for $30, and it’s card only. The taxi and rideshare rank is on Flemington Drive.
Sources
- Victoria Racing Club, Melbourne Cup Carnival 2026, checked 22 Oct 2026
- Victoria Racing Club, Howden Victoria Derby Day, checked 22 Oct 2026
- Victoria Racing Club, Lexus Melbourne Cup Day, checked 22 Oct 2026
- Victoria Racing Club, Crown Oaks Day, checked 22 Oct 2026
- Victoria Racing Club, TAB Champions Stakes Day, checked 22 Oct 2026
- Victoria Racing Club, What to wear, checked 22 Oct 2026
- Victoria Racing Club, Getting to Flemington, checked 22 Oct 2026
- Business Victoria, Victorian public holidays 2026
Where to stay near Flemington Racecourse
Map by Stay22. If you book through it we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never decides what we write.
Lauren Smith writes Hotel Watch for Not An Atlas. She grew up in Glasgow and now works from Toronto, usually within reach of a pug, a laptop and a stack of McDonald's Monopoly vouchers. Her first flight was to Orlando, and she still remembers how kind everyone was. She's a window-seat loyalist (somewhere to rest your head), eats whatever the locals recommend (schnitzel and an Austrian beer, the moment she landed in Vienna), and always packs spare underwear. Just in case. Hallstatt on a sunny day is her “this is why I travel” moment, the Highlands are where she'd go back tomorrow, and South Korea or Japan is next. Friends say bubbly, caring and fun. Her mum says chaotic but organized.
