What the Wimbledon Queue Is Really Like

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When we talk about Wimbledon, we talk about tradition. From Pimm's Cups to the all-white dress code and the Royal Box, the beauty of the tournament comes down to generations of rules and regulations. Few are as beloved as the Wimbledon queue, which allows anyone willing to sleep over night in Wimbledon park the opportunity to see some of the greatest tennis of the year and enjoy the electric and elegant ambiance.

If you're interested in taking part in the famous queue, here’s what you need to know:

The history of the Wimbledon queue

People queuing for tickets, 1961. Evening Standard - Getty Images

The history of the Queue isn’t quite as old as Wimbledon itself, which began in 1877, but it’s pretty close. British tennis historian Richard Jones told the New York Times that there was evidence of queuing to watch Wimbledon at 5:00 a.m. as early as 1927. Queuing for tickets grew in popularity in the 1960s, before reaching a pitch in the Borg-McEnroe era of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Back then, it was a much less organized endeavor that would lead up to the ticket purchase booth. However, it wasn’t until 2008 that the process was formalized—and moved—to Wimbledon Park. Since then, the queue has grown and expanded annually. Each year, it has been recognized for its sense of civility and camaraderie.

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Despite its history and tradition, though, the Wimbledon queue been impacted by the digital age. Since 2013, the X account @ViewfromtheQueue has been providing up to the hour information about the number of people in line and what tickets they’ve been able to purchase. The Queue has also begun to go digital (sort of). Before entering the queue, you’ll be asked to download by the MyWimbledon app. When you present your (paper) queue card, you'll be given a digital ticket in return. At the ticket resale station inside the grounds, you’ll find that you can now add your MyWimbledon app to a virtual line to purchase show court tickets for the afternoon, while you enjoy the day on the grounds. Unfortunately, having the app doesn’t keep you from having to wake up eye-waveringly early (or sleeping over night), but the rewards are incredible, and, as you’ll find below, the queue can be a fun experience in and of itself.

Where is the queue? How do I get there?

Fans take in a map of the queue. Hannah Peters - Getty Images

The Wimbledon queue is located between Wimbledon Park (just past Carpark 10) and Gate 3 of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, where those in the line will ultimately purchase their tickets. The address of the queue is London SW19 6PE, United Kingdom.

If you’re coming in from London by public transport, you can take the West bound District line. While the train terminates at Wimbledon station, but we recommend Southfields Station, which offers the most efficient access to the queue and also offers the opportunity to walk around town. Alternatively, if you're coming from further afield, the South Western Railway also stops at Southfields. The bus to the park does not run during the tournament.

Cabs can take you to the top of the road, though you'll still have to walk to the park. Driving is highly discouraged, and parking must be booked well in advance (it's already sold out for this year's tournament). Those who require a car for accessibility purposes can make a reservation for £3 (About $4), and those who do not will pay between £25 and £50 depending on vehicle type ($35 to $70.)

What should I bring with me to the queue?

A tennis fan cooking bacon on a portable stove while camping out in the queue, June 1985. Express - Getty Images

In the queue, champagne corks pop every ten minutes. Blankets are shared, and people save spots for strangers to pop over to Gail’s bakery in town. It’s a convivial experience, verging on a party. Bring rosé, sparkling water, thermoses of coffee and tea, whatever you like. A picnic basket is ideal, but any sandwich bag will do. You can’t go wrong with something like this from Fortnum & Mason.

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That said, it’s still a line outdoors, and being prepared for the elements will serve you well. An umbrella or a tent will keep you shaded or dry (depending on the conditions you find yourself in). Two sturdy, washable blankets or towels (one to sit on and one to use as a cover) and a sleeping bag are also useful. A portable charger would be nice, but you can also find portable charging stations every few hundred feet inside the grounds.

The atmosphere is full of camaraderie. Mike Egerton - PA Images - Getty Images

When should I arrive at the Wimbledon queue?

The simplest answer here is as early as you can. On the weekend, you can expect to find people setting up tents more than 24 hours before entry in the hopes of ensuring access to Centre Court. Things are less competitive for Grounds Passes, and if you arrive before 5:30 AM, you should have no problem acquiring them.

How long does the queue take?

The queue in 1997. Steve Mitchell - EMPICS - Getty Images

When walking from town, you'll enter the queue via Wimbledon Park and set up over night. Look for the white and green Wimbledon flag which designates the back of the line. Wimbledon Stewards and other staff members will help you find your place in line and hand out queue cards. Keep yours safe and unpack for the evening or early morning depending on when you arrive.

Between 5:30 and 6 a.m. in the morning, you'll be notified by stewards that the line will begin moving. You'll be asked to drop off your bags and tents in left luggage before returning to your spot in the queue. At 7:30, the first tickets are sold, and the Stewards begin handing out wrist bands to the first 1500 people, who will have access to one of the three show courts: Centre Court, Court Number 1, or Court Number 2. You'll purchase tickets at Gate 3, and entry to the Wimbledon grounds begins at 11 a.m.. Then the fun really begins!

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The length of the Queue and the time it takes to wait varies from day to day. Generally, you'll find the shortest lines on weekdays. Once the front of the line open at 7:30 a.m., you could be in the park as early as 11 a.m., though you could find yourself waiting until the afternoon, depending on your place in line and the number of people who leave the main grounds during the course of the day.

Can you check your bags?

There is a designated left luggage (the English term for checked baggage) for the queue which opens at 5:30 AM, about the time that the Queue Stewards wake up those who wait in line overnight. You'll leave your luggage in the designated Queue left luggage at the AELTC (All England Lawn and Tennis Club) in Wimbledon Park.

Note that it does fill up early in the day, but there are three other left luggage areas, two more in the park, and one just across from Gate 1 where you can leave items should you arrive later. You can take one medium sized bag (roughly something that can fit under your seat) into the tournament.

What happens when you get in?

All of that depends on what ticket you hold. Any ticket will get you access to the Wimbledon grounds (where you’re in for a fun day of matches, shopping, and dining), but if you’re lucky enough to have a pass for a show court, you can step in as early as 11 a.m. to your assigned seat. As your ticket is claimed (as opposed to the unclaimed, unscanned tickets that later go up for re-sale), you can wander around the grounds between sets and return to your assigned seats later on.

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On the outer courts, you may find yourself waiting in other lines to sit down as the day goes on, but the lines to enter courts move quickly, and you should find yourself watching active play in no time.

A group of spectators waiting to get into a smaller court. KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV - Getty Images

How much do queue tickets cost?

If you’re in the lucky top 1500, you can expect to pay between £75 and £315 (about $100 to $430) for Centre Court tickets, with prices rising later in the tournament.

The opposite is true for Courts Number 1 and 2. As fewer singles matches are shown on the outer courts, you’ll find prices rising throughout the first ten days before falling. On day one, you’ll find prices as low as £70 (about $92) and on day ten you can expect to pay as much as £210. By the finale, though, prices will fall to £40 (around $55). On Number 2 Court, prices will rise from £55 to £110 in the first part of the tournament before dipping to Grounds Pass pricing.

If you don’t make it there, you’ll have the option to buy Grounds Passes. At the start of the tournament, when most of the outer courts are in play, you'll pay £30 (around $40), but prices fall to £20 ($27) by the end of the tournament.

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Is your number higher than 1500? Don’t fret, you still have another opportunity to see the central action. Once inside the complex, you’ll notice a ticket resale kiosk between Court 1 and Gate 3. Between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., you can virtually visit the queue with your MyWimbledon App, where you will be registered for a virtual line. With any luck, later in the day between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., your number will be called and you’ll be given the option to purchase a ticket for the three show courts. For Centre Court, you can expect to pay £15 ($20), and for Courts number 1 and 2, you’ll pay £10 ($14). Compared to the other slams, it’s an incredible deal.

Tennis fans camping out in the queue, 1978. Evening Standard - Getty Images

How else can I get Wimbledon tickets?

Each year, everyone has the opportunity to try for a ticket through a lottery. The Public Ballot launched even before the queue, in 1927. It runs generally for the first two weeks of September, and applications can be made on the Wimbledon website. Ballot winners pay the same price for tickets as those in the queue. (A detailed breakdown of pricing can be found here.) Alternatively, tickets are able to be purchased via resale, though they are generally much more expensive than purchasing via the Public Ballot or queue.