In short
- The Queue is formal, with rules and stewards. It is not a scrum; it is a system, and it can involve camping overnight.
- Ground passes are what the Queue mostly sells. Show court tickets are a different matter entirely.
- Play can run very late when the roof is in use, which changes the return leg completely.
- Southfields is the closer station, not Wimbledon, despite the name.
- SW19 is residential and heavily restricted during the Championships. Vehicles collect away from the ground.
How the Queue works
The Queue at Wimbledon is a formal, stewarded system rather than a free-for-all. People join it, receive a numbered card, and are admitted in order once the grounds open. On busy days, and for the second week in particular, that can mean camping overnight in the adjacent park.
What it mostly sells is grounds passes, giving access to the outside courts and the hill. A limited number of show court tickets are also released each morning, and those go to the very front of the queue, which in practice means people who arrived the previous afternoon.
If your plan involves the Queue, treat it as the day's main logistical event. Arriving at nine in the morning during the first week and expecting to be inside quickly is optimistic.
Getting there
Wimbledon is in south-west London, which from Kent means either the South Circular or the M25 anticlockwise depending on where you start and what the traffic is doing.
| From | Distance | Journey |
|---|---|---|
| Bromley & Orpington | 14 miles | 40–70 min |
| Sidcup & Bexley | 17 miles | 45–75 min |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 26 miles | 60–90 min |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 31 miles | 70–100 min |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 28 miles | 60–90 min |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 44 miles | 85–115 min |
| Rochester & Chatham | 46 miles | 85–115 min |
| Canterbury & Ashford | 68 miles | 110–145 min |
Stations
Southfields on the District line is the closest station to the grounds despite the name, with a walk of around fifteen minutes. Wimbledon station is further out and busier. Both are heavily managed during the Championships.
When play ends, and why it varies so much
This is the part that catches people. On an ordinary day, play on the outside courts finishes in the early evening. On Centre Court with the roof closed, matches can run considerably later, and a five-set match on a show court has no fixed end time at all.
If you have show court tickets, plan the return as an open window rather than a fixed time. If you have a grounds pass, your day is more predictable and usually ends earlier, because the outside courts stop when the light goes.
Collections in a residential area
The area around the All England Club is residential and it is managed tightly for the fortnight. Parking restrictions cover a wide area, roads near the ground are controlled, and there is nowhere for a vehicle to wait near the gates.
Collections happen further out, on roads that traffic can actually leave by, with a walk of ten to fifteen minutes. That is the same arrangement any operator will offer, because the alternative does not exist.
Practical notes
What you can bring
The Championships publish their own conditions on bags, food and drink, and they change. Check the official guidance for your year rather than assuming.
Weather
Two weeks in a British summer. The roof covers Centre Court and No.1 Court; the outside courts do not have that luxury, and a rain delay can reshape your entire day including when you leave.
Strawberries and the hill
A grounds pass and a spot on the hill is a genuinely good day out for a fraction of a show court ticket, and it is what most Queue attendees end up doing. Worth knowing if the plan is flexible.
Wimbledon tickets: the Queue, the ballot and official resale
Visitors often ask how to get Wimbledon tickets without paying resale prices. The 2027 Championships run from 28 June to 11 July 2027. There are three official routes.
- The Public Ballot. You enter online with a myWIMBLEDON account for up to two tickets. You cannot choose the date or court, and winners are picked at random. The ballot for 2027 closed on 14 September 2026, so if you missed it, plan on the Queue or enter next year.
- The Queue. Join at Wimbledon Park on the day. You get a numbered, dated Queue Card that cannot be transferred. Show court tickets are limited, and No.1 Court gets a small number each day. Many people camp overnight in tents for up to two people. Grounds passes cover every court except the show courts.
- Official resale. Inside the grounds, returned show court seats are sold through a virtual queue in the Wimbledon app. In 2025 they cost £15 for Centre Court and £10 for No.1 and No.2 Court.
Most Wimbledon tickets cannot legally be resold, and transferred tickets are void. Only debenture tickets can be transferred. Avoid unofficial sites.
Nearest stations are Southfields (District line) and Wimbledon. A pre-booked car with a fixed fare is useful for very early Queue starts and late evening finishes.
Q: Can I buy Wimbledon tickets on the day?
A: Yes, through the Queue at Wimbledon Park. Grounds passes are the easiest to get. Show court seats need a very early start or an overnight camp.
Q: Is Wimbledon ticket resale legal?
A: Only through Wimbledon's own resale inside the grounds, or for debenture tickets. Other transferred tickets are void and can be refused.