Meet in Cheltenham

Cheltenham is a premier UK destination for the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sector. The Regency town seamlessly combines business-ready facilities with authentic local character, offering event spaces that range from a high-capacity conference facility with the wow factor - The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse, through to contemporary business hotels and luxury country hotels with high-specification meeting rooms.

Why do delegates love Cheltenham?

Cheltenham is one of the UK’s most distinctive destinations, known for its elegant Regency architecture, vibrant cultural scene and year-round programme of internationally renowned festivals, which all provide opportunities for unforgettable experiences for delegates attending meetings and events in the area.

Proud to be known as The Festival Town, Cheltenham combines heritage, creativity and a strong independent spirit, with a growing reputation as the Cyber Capital of the UK and the heart of its cyber security industry. This status is built on the presence of the government’s intelligence agency, GCHQ, and is currently being cemented by a massive £1bn expansion, the Golden Valley Development. Located next to GCHQ, this cyber park and garden community includes the National Cyber Innovation Centre which will feature one million square foot of commercial workspace. Discover more - Cheltenham Corporate Plan 2023-2027.

An image of a map showing the UK and Cheltenham's location from major towns and cities

Where is Cheltenham located?

How far is London from Cheltenham?

The travel time from London to Cheltenham depends on the method of transportation. Cheltenham is located approximately 88 to 95 miles (140 to 153 km) west-northwest of London.

By train: Being so centrally located, Cheltenham enjoys superb mainline rail connections to and from locations throughout the UK. Our central Cheltenham Spa station is one of the busiest in the South West and provides regular connections to London, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff together with other UK-wide connections via a frequent CrossCountry Trains service.

Train is the fastest and most popular option. The direct fastest train from London to Cheltenham Spa takes approximately 1 hour and 56 minutes, with the most direct and frequent services departing from London Paddington. You can check schedules and book tickets on Trainline or Great Western Railway.

By car: Cheltenham is served by two junctions on the M5 motorway, each within a mile of the town, making it easily accessible from all areas of the country and less than 2 hours from London and under an hour from Bristol and Birmingham.

The A40 provides direct access to Oxford in under an hour, while the dualled A417 connects Cheltenham to the M4 and the South/South East.

By bus/ coach: Cheltenham is also well-served by national coach and bus connections, with several daily services to London, and frequent services to Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Cardiff, Manchester, Sheffield and Edinburgh.

Locally, the town has an excellent public transport network with regular buses across the town – including two Park & Ride services – along with routes into the neighbouring Cotswolds.

Coaches to Cheltenham depart from London Victoria and take around 3 hours. You can find timetables on National Express.

By air: Weston Aviation can fly you directly to and from Gloucestershire Airport to your clients so that you can do business and conduct meetings in several locations in a single day saving valuable time. Flexible, discrete and cost effective.

Chartering a private aircraft into Gloucestershire Airport will make your trip even more memorable and save time to enjoy the important things. The airport is conveniently located just 10 minutes from Cheltenham town centre.

Weston Aviation is well versed in arranging large numbers of clients or delegates for conference and group charters. Whether your group is small or large, they can organise every last detail.

International airports near Cheltenham include Bristol Airport which is 52 miles from Cheltenham and takes approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes by car and Birmingham Airport which is 56 miles from Cheltenham and takes approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes by car.

What meeting venue options are there in Cheltenham?

Cheltenham offers a wide range of venues for meetings, from contemporary hotels and well-known brands in the town centre to boutique properties, historic buildings and countryside hotels located on the edge of the Cotswolds.

The town is able to host larger-scale events at The Centaur, located in the grounds of Cheltenham Racecourse, alongside a variety of smaller meeting rooms and flexible spaces across Cheltenham.

Venues are complemented by a strong hospitality offer, with restaurants, hotels and independent venues all within easy reach.