A First-Timer’s Guide for The Queue at Wimbledon (2025)

The 2025 edition of Wimbledon is set to take place from Monday 30 June 2025 – Sun 13 July 2025.

The two week tennis celebration during Wimbledon is one of my favourite times of the year in London. If anything, it’s like the signal that the British summer really is in full swing. From tucking into fresh strawberries and cream, and getting sunburn on Murray Mound, to the roars of the crowd on Centre Court. I am truly fond of this annual event and look forward to it every year.

If you’re not fortunate enough to be enjoying the world-class Wimbledon hospitality or be a lucky recipient of a ticket in the ballot, then you’ll need to join ‘The Queue’. A line so infamous, it really is considered a proper noun now.

This renowned queue is honestly one of a kind. No other major global sporting event sells tickets in the way that Wimbledon does. Nowhere else do day visitors have to queue from the early hours in order to get a ticket, or even (if you’re unlucky) not get a ticket at all…

So in order to ensure you have a successful experience in The Queue for Wimbledon, I’ve put together this guide for The Queue at Wimbledon. Hopefully this will be useful in your planning for this brilliant British day out.

Top Tips in this Guide for The Queue at Wimbledon

Arrive early

Definitely not ground-breaking advice, but without a doubt, one of the most important things to know before joining The Queue. You will need to arrive super early and plan your public transport around this. Early meaning 4-5am, and tube/trains/buses are not all running this early. Using the CityMapper app might be the best option and Ubers might help you with this journey too.

The earlier you arrive, the higher your chance is of being able to buy one of the few coveted Centre Court, Court 1 and Court 2 tickets they keep for day visitors. There are around 500 of these ‘Show Court’ tickets each day.

Note: these tickets are not available on the final four days of the competition.

Go to Southfields Tube Station

This is the closest and most convenient tube station to the park. On this note, make sure you head to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, not Wimbledon Tennis Club.

Camping

Last year, I camped the night before for the first time. I arrived on the middle Sunday at about 4pm and was given my Queue ticket for the Monday. I was already about 500 in line!

After quickly pumping up air mattresses and erecting the tents, the sun was already setting. The atmosphere was really awesome, with lots of people playing frisbee and football. We had some snacks, drinks and played board games, and before we knew it, it was dark.

There are lots of wardens and by 11pm, they do patrol and ask for quiet.

Camping is a lot of fun, but don’t expect much sleep. Those arriving for the Queue start to roll up in the early hours, and there’s lots of chatter and commotion. I don’t think I slept at all!

And by 6am, the wardens are patrolling again and asking that campers begin to put away their camping gear and get ready. You continue to stay in your queue positions and those little cards you were given marking your queue place are checked. So you can’t lose your place in the queue.

There’s a huge storage facility where you can store sleeping bags, tents and bags, and then collect them at the end of the day.

Lastly, there are several food trucks by the Queue. And a nearby supermarket at Wimbledon Park station. So plenty of options to grab snacks, coffee and a bacon butty in the morning, if you like.

Stay in a nearby hotel

If you fancy a little more comfort before the day at Wimbledon, then consider staying the night before in a hotel. Then you guarantee an early start – and you can leave your belongings with the hotel concierge too!

Some options include:

• Hotel du Vin (from around £700 per night) – the most opulent option in the area
• The Wimbledon Hotel (from around £85 per night) – located between the village and the AELTC
• Dog and Fox (from around £130 per night) – above a great gastro pub and adjacent to the park
• The Woodman Pub (from around £330 per night) – just up near Wimbledon Park

Or there are plenty of Airbnb options or locals renting out their homes for the duration of the championships. Check what’s still available here.

There is also a Travelodge in Wimbledon too.

Don’t try and queue jump

Queue Cards are handed out daily to each person as they arrive in The Queue. These Cards are to represent each person’s exact place in The Queue. They can only be given to people present, so don’t rely on getting a friend to collect one in your place. The Queue Cards are dated and numbered, and are checked again upon entry to the Grounds. Super strict!

Don’t forget about later entry too…

The other opportunity to go to Wimbledon and snag your chance to see top quality tennis, is by joining The Queue in the afternoon. The turnstiles open at 10am for those who waited from the early hours to see a full day of tennis, and then again later in the day. This is ideal for those who want to soak up the incredible Wimbledon atmosphere, but not spend the whole day there. I’ve been before at 5pm and managed to get hold of tickets to see Murray and Tsonga play on Centre Court. However, I did try this on the middle Friday last year (2024) and arrived at 3pm, by which time, all day tickets had completely gone.

You can buy top tickets in the late afternoon..

Once you get inside Wimbledon, make sure you dash straight up to the kiosks near the top of Murray Mound (near gate 18). Here you will join a quick queue and be able to scan a QR code. This puts you in a virtual queue through the Wimbledon app (make sure it is already downloaded on your phone).

This is for the tickets for Centre Court and Court No.1 from ticket holders who’ve left at some point during the day hand their tickets back in. These are then re-sold with the proceeds going to charity.

Last year (2024) we did this, and even though at 11am we were something like #1200 in line, we still managed to get Centre Court tickets.

Tip tip: Join the virtual queue on multiple phones. We managed to first get in on Court 1 and then just as that match wrapped up, we got a text to come and collect our tickets for Centre Court!

These tickets cost £15 for Centre Court or £10 for No.1 and No.2 Court.

Wimbledon Dress Codes

Visitors in The Queue seeking day ground admission passes don’t need to adhere to any dress code. BUT should you be hoping to find your way onto one of the top courts, it’s definitely best to dress the part.

If you’re planning to spend a good amount of time watching the big screen on Murray Mound, you’ll want to opt for more comfortable clothing. Also, days at Wimbledon tend to mean a lot of walking and standing, so wear comfortable shoes.

Grounds Admission

The cost depends on the day you visit, but is around the £20 mark. In Week 2, Grounds tickets become cheaper as naturally less matches are taking place across all the courts. But generally, Grounds Admission means access to courts 3-18 and of course, the famous Murray Mound. Bring yourself a picnic and some Pimms, and soak up the atmosphere here.

Alcohol

You can bring your own alcohol into Wimbledon. Yep, you heard that right! The limit is one bottle of wine or Champagne per person, or two cans of beer. You’re not allowed to bring in bottles of spirits and you are requested to drink your alcohol in special designated areas.

So there’s my guide to The Queue at Wimbledon and how to succeed in a brilliant day at one of the best tennis events in the world. If The Queue sounds like all too much, then don’t forget to consider Wimbledon hospitality

For full detailed information and to answer anything else you might need to know, please check the 2025 Guide to Queuing here.

I hope this guide for The Queue at Wimbledon proves useful if you’re planning on going to Wimbledon for the first time. My last tip is keep your eyes peeled – you can spot famous tennis players all over the place!

If you’re coming from overseas, then make sure to check out my London Travel Guide here.

Disclaimer: This guide for The Queue at Wimbledon has no involvement from the local tourism board, a hotel or Wimbledon.

Enjoyed my Guide to the Queue at Wimbledon? Pin it!