Melbourne Cup Day 2026: Date, Public Holiday and How to Get to Flemington

Melbourne Notes

By MELB_NOTE

The short answer

Melbourne Cup Day 2026 is on Tuesday 3 November at Flemington Racecourse, and the City of Melbourne says the public holiday falls on the same day. The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) recommends the train to Flemington Racecourse station and the Train Gate entry. Tram route 57, buses 472 and 404, rideshare and taxis also reach the course, and the VRC says the last train home departs at 8.59 pm.

Melbourne Cup Day is the main day of a carnival at Flemington, and it is also a day off for much of Victoria. This guide covers the date, the holiday and the five ways to reach the course, using the VRC pages and the City of Melbourne. It is a practical guide for residents and visitors, not a betting or tipping guide. Sources were checked on 13 October 2026. For more to do this season, see what is on in Melbourne this spring.

30-second summary

The Lexus Melbourne Cup Day is Tuesday 3 November 2026 at Flemington Racecourse, according to the VRC.
The City of Melbourne states that the public holiday falls on Tuesday 3 November.
The VRC recommends the train to Flemington Racecourse station. The last train departs the course at 8.59 pm.
The VRC lists no formal dress code on the Cup Day page and invites racegoers to embrace colour and carnival spirit.
The Park at Flemington is free entry for all racegoers, says the VRC.

Melbourne Cup Day is Tuesday 3 November 2026, a public holiday in Melbourne

Calendar of 2026 carnival days at Flemington Racecourse. Saturday 3 October: TAB Turnbull Stakes Day, already past. Saturday 24 October: Cox Plate, at Flemington for the first time. Tuesday 3 November: Lexus Melbourne Cup Day, highlighted. Thursday 5 November: Crown Oaks Day. Saturday 7 November: TAB Champions Stakes Day, which closes the carnival. — Illustration by MELB NOTE. Data: Victoria Racing Club.

The Victoria Racing Club lists the Lexus Melbourne Cup Day for Tuesday 3 November 2026 at Flemington Racecourse. The feature race is the Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup, run over 3200 m as an open handicap. The VRC says it was first run on 7 November 1861. The official flower of the day is the yellow rose.

The same date is the public holiday. The City of Melbourne’s What’s On article about the Melbourne Cup Day public holiday, in its 2026 edition, states that the holiday falls on Tuesday 3 November. The article also lists free things to do on the day, including exhibitions. It does not give shop or transport opening hours, so this guide does not either.

The Victorian Government publishes the state’s 2026 public holidays and a separate non-metropolitan list. Some regional councils nominate a different local day instead, so if you live outside Melbourne, check with your council.

The rest of the carnival

Cup Day is one of several 2026 race days at Flemington, all listed on the VRC site, which also holds the full program.

Saturday 3 October: TAB Turnbull Stakes Day, already past.
Saturday 24 October: the Cox Plate. The VRC says it is “proud to welcome the 2026 Cox Plate to Flemington for the very first time”.
Tuesday 3 November: Lexus Melbourne Cup Day.
Thursday 5 November: Crown Oaks Day.
Saturday 7 November: TAB Champions Stakes Day, which the VRC says “concludes the Melbourne Cup Carnival”.

The train to Flemington Racecourse station is the VRC’s first choice

The VRC’s Getting to Flemington page sets out the options. This section follows it.

Train

The VRC recommends Flemington Racecourse station and the Train Gate entry. According to the VRC, Metro trains run directly between Southern Cross and Flemington Racecourse on race days “unless otherwise advised by the VRC or Public Transport Victoria”.

The Cup Day page adds that express trains from Flinders Street run in the morning and early afternoon, with return services to Flinders Street via North Melbourne and Southern Cross. The VRC lists an 8:59pm last departure from the course, and its Oaks Day page says the same: “The last train will depart Flemington Racecourse at 8.59 PM.” Timetables can change, so check the VRC and Public Transport Victoria journey planners before you go.

A blue and yellow Metro train stopping at a platform at Flemington Racecourse railway station in Melbourne, with a timber signal box on the left and a few people walking along the platform. — A Metro train at Flemington Racecourse railway station, photographed in 2011. Photo: Marcus Wong, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Tram

Tram route 57 (West Maribyrnong) runs from the corner of Elizabeth and Flinders Streets to Flemington Drive (Stop 30), outside the main gate. The VRC notes that route 57 does not operate low-floor trams, and it advises people using mobility aids to take the train.

Bus

Route 472 runs from Williamstown, Footscray or Moonee Ponds to Fisher Parade, which is The Elms Gate. Route 404 runs from Footscray or Moonee Ponds to Smithfield Road, which is the Stables Drive entrance.

Rideshare and taxi

Rideshare drop-off is at the Main Gate, and the VRC names DiDi as its official rideshare partner. Taxis use one rank, the Main Rank, which is reached via Stables Drive off Smithfield Drive.

Parking

Public parking is complimentary for race day ticket holders, says the VRC. The best entry is via Flemington Drive off Epsom Road. Members have separate car parks.

Go for colour, not a fixed dress code

A large crowd of racegoers on the lawn in front of the tiered grandstands at Flemington Racecourse on a sunny day, with beds of yellow flowers and a parade ring sign in the foreground. — The crowd in front of the main stand at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, 2013. Photo: Jupiter Firelyte, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The VRC’s Cup Day page describes the day as one to “embrace colour and carnival spirit”. It lists no formal dress code, and it links to a separate “What to wear” page on the VRC site for anyone who wants more detail.

The photo above shows the scene from 2013. Yellow flowers line the parade ring, and the crowd fills the lawn below the stands. Yellow also fits the day, because the VRC names the yellow rose as the official flower of Melbourne Cup Day.

One more line from the VRC is worth knowing if you are planning a visit. The Park at Flemington is free entry for all racegoers, according to the Cup Day page. Check the VRC site for what else the day includes before you decide where to spend it.

If you are not going to the track, plan around the holiday

Not everyone heads to the track. The public holiday also gives people across Melbourne a day with no work, and the City of Melbourne uses it to point people towards free activities. Its What’s On article lists free exhibitions among the things to do on Tuesday 3 November.

The article does not say which cafes, shops or transport services are open, so this guide cannot either. Check the opening hours of any cafe, shop or venue you plan to visit directly with that business before you leave home, and check Public Transport Victoria for timetable changes on the day.

If you want more ideas for the weeks around the carnival, the Melbourne spring what is on guide collects events across the season. Anyone travelling across the city in the same period may also want the Melbourne Marathon road closures guide.

Questions people ask

What date is Melbourne Cup Day in 2026?

The VRC lists the Lexus Melbourne Cup Day for Tuesday 3 November 2026 at Flemington Racecourse.

Is Melbourne Cup Day a public holiday?

The City of Melbourne’s 2026 What’s On article states that the public holiday falls on Tuesday 3 November. The Victorian Government publishes the 2026 public holiday lists, and some regional councils nominate a different local day instead, so check your council.

What is the best way to get to Flemington?

The VRC recommends the train to Flemington Racecourse station and the Train Gate entry. It also lists tram route 57, bus routes 472 and 404, rideshare drop-off at the Main Gate, one taxi rank and complimentary public parking for race day ticket holders.

When is the last train home?

The VRC says the last train departs Flemington Racecourse at 8.59 pm, and its Cup Day page lists the same time. Timetables can change, so check the VRC and Public Transport Victoria journey planners.

Is there a dress code?

The VRC’s Cup Day page lists no formal dress code and describes the day as one to embrace colour and carnival spirit. It links to a separate “What to wear” page on the VRC site.

Sources and scope

Photo credits:

Cover: Chris Phutully, jockeys returning after Race 1 on Super Saturday at Flemington, 8 March 2014, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Station photo: Marcus Wong, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Crowd photo: Jupiter Firelyte, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Diagrams: drawn by MELB NOTE from the VRC pages above.

Scope: This is a general visitor guide, not a betting or tipping guide. It does not cover ticket prices, race times, gate times or what is open on the holiday, because the sources checked do not settle them. Timetables and arrangements can change, so check the VRC and Public Transport Victoria before you travel. Sources checked 13 October 2026.