Image credit Marie V.
Information on the Aus GP entrance gate locations, which ones to use, their opening times, queuing, bag searches, digital tickets, prohibited items and more.
Albert Park gates and entrances
There are seven different gates to enter Albert Park GP Circuit for the Formula 1 in Melbourne.
The gates are (confusingly) numbered 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10.
- Grandstand ticket holders can enter via any gate
- General admission ticket holders can enter via any gate except gate 1
The map below shows the location of each gate around the Albert Park circuit.
The interactive Australian Grand Prix map is also very useful for finding different facilities and amenities around the circuit.
Which gate to use for which grandstand
If you have a grandstand ticket it will tell you on the ticket which gate is nearest to your grandstand, but you don’t have to enter using that one. You can use any gate to enter the venue and walk to your grandstand.
In the table below I’ve listed which gates, on which street, are closest to the different grandstands.
You can click on the name of the grandstands to read my spectating guide for that stand which includes location, seating plan and example views.
Gate opening times
Below are the 2024 Australian Grand Prix gate opening times.
| Aus GP Gate Opening Times | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Open | Close |
| Thursday 21st March | 9:30am | 7:30pm |
| Friday 22nd March | 8:30am | 7:30pm |
| Saturday 23rd March | 8:30am | 7:30pm |
| Sunday 24th March | 8:30am | 6:00pm |
After-dark music concert gates
If you have tickets for the after-dark music concerts at Albert Park once the racing has finished, gates 1 and 8 only will stay open a few hours later.
These are the opening and closing times for these after-dark gates.
| Aus GP After Dark Gate Opening Times Gates 1 & 8 only |
||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Open | Close |
| Thursday 21st March | 9:30am | 7:30pm |
| Friday 22nd March | 8:30am | 9:00pm |
| Saturday 23rd March | 8:30am | 9:00pm |
| Sunday 24th March | 8:30am | 8:30pm |
The trams in the table above are express and don’t stop at any other stops, so you need to join them at the station listed.
These trams run from 5.30am each day until a couple of hours after the end of the event.
Queuing
At peak event times (gate opening time and after the last F1 session has finished) the crowds to get in or out of the gates can be huge.
At the 2023 event, more fans attended the Melbourne Grand Prix than any other F1 race in the world. So expect it to be very busy.
Check out the mad rush below when the gates opened on the Sunday of the 2023 GP.
The worst is always gate 1, so if you can plan to use another gate that will help you avoid the biggest line-ups. Always allow a lot of extra time to get in to the circuit and to leave at the end of the day.
General admission ticket holders will start to line-up about 2 hours before gates open.
The image below was taken at Gate 8 at 7am on Saturday morning of last year’s GP, 90 minutes before it opened (image credit Donna Price).
Digital tickets
The Australian Grand Prix uses a digital ticketing system to allow fans to enter.
You need download the Ticketmaster app and log in to your account to view your tickets which can be scanned when entering the venue.
Alternatively you can download the tickets from the app to your mobile phone’s wallet, and they can be accessed that way upon entry. Do this before you head to the circuit to make sure you have a good internet connection.
Screenshots of ticket barcodes don’t work.
Bag searches
If you’re carrying a bag it will be searched on the way in to the events. There will be different lines at the gates for people with and without bags.
If you have GA tickets and are planning on racing to secure your favourite viewing spot, using the no-bag line will get you in a lot quicker. So plan to come without a bag, or give your bag to another member of your party.
Prohibited items
Items which are prohibited from being brought in to the Australian Grand Prix include:
- Alcohol
- Glass bottles
- Non-folding chairs or stools
- Hard-cased esky or ice / cooler box (cooler bags and polystyrene eskies are ok)
- Weapons
- Animals (except assistance dogs)
- Any flag, banner or pole longer than 1 metre
- Whistle, horn, loud hailer
- Fireworks, flares, laser pointers
- Bikes, skateboards, roller blades, scooters
- Drones
- Camera lenses longer than 400mm
For full details on the prohibited items see page 7 item 6 here.
Travel to the Melbourne GP circuit
There’s no parking at the Albert Park circuit. The best way to get there is to use the Melbourne city trams.
Read my guide for parking, trams and travel to the Melbourne Grand Prix for all the information on getting to the track.
That link includes information on alternative parking options, info on which tram stop is nearest to each entrance and details of the free express tram services just for fans with F1 tickets.
This is my first F1 and your information has been really helpful!
Glad to hear it Wendy, thanks for the comment!