Updated Jan 2026
The North West!
The North West 200, held annually in May in Portstewart/Portrush/Coleraine, is one of Northern Ireland/Ireland’s largest sporting events and probably one of the world’s fastest road races. If you want an adrenaline rush then this is the place to go. As can been seen from the video which was taken about 200 meters after the start, you can be up close to the action, so close you can feel the wind as the bike speed past, hear the the noise which reverberates through you, and smell those fumes, which as any bike rider knows, just smell great.
The race was first held in 1930. It is a street circuit made up almost entirely of public roads. The route, running anti-clockwise round the outskirts of the towns passing private houses along the way. To improve track safety street signs are removed at parts of the track and hay bales are used to wrap lampposts and telegraph poles. The circuit is 8.970 mi (14.436 km) long.
As a child and young man I went with my grandfather to the race nearly every year and I remember that time with much excitement and fondness.
Race & Practice Schedule for 2026
| Wednesday 6th May 2026 | Timed practice sessions | 9.00am – 3.00pm |
| Thursday 7th May 2026 | Timed practice sessions | 9.00am – 3.00pm |
| Thursday 7th May 2026 | Evening Racing – 3 races | 4:45pm – 9.00pm |
| Saturday 9th May 2026 | Race Day – 6 races | 9.00am – 7.00pm |
Check this link for a full schedule of races.
The Road Races (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 has now been approved by the Northern Ireland Assembly and received Royal Assent. The changes to the road closing legislation now give the organisers of the North West 200, in exceptional circumstances, the ability to move a practice or race day, either one day forward or one day back, giving 24 hours notice to the Department for Infrastructure.
Should extreme weather be forecast, the 2026 contingency days will be: Wednesday 6th May and Friday 8th May 2026.
In lieu of using one of the above full contingency days, organisers may also extend the road closing times on Wednesday 6th and Saturday 9th May 2026 as follows:
| Existing Road Closure | Contingency | |
| Wednesday | 9.00am – 3.00pm | 5.00pm – 9.00pm |
| Saturday | 9.00am – 7.00pm | 7.00pm – 9.00pm |
Any subsequent amendments to the race week schedule will be advertised to the public via the International North West 200 website, BBC NI TV & Radio and the NW200 Facebook and Twitter feed. See the circuit maps and learn more about vantage points to watch the race.
Highlights
- Nine races, including 4 exciting classes: Supersport, Supertwin, Superstock, Superbike.
- Four hours of timed practice sessions on the Wendesday and Thursday
- Riders Meet & Greet
- Vintage Bike & Car Run
- Live Music & Entertainment
- Family Motor Festival
- Family Fun Village
- Fireworks Display
Grandstand tickets are now on sale!
Buy grandstand tickets and VIP hospitality packages online. A booking fee of £2.50 per ticket applies for grandstand tickets and £3 for VIP online bookings.
Tickets for Marquee Entertainment, the Fan Zone, Paddock Passes and parking are coming soon. Official motorhome and camping spaces are sold out.
- Tickets are for Thursday and Saturday access, with complimentary access to Wednesday’s practice session.
Start Line Grandstand – with big screen – nearly opposite to Paddock Grandstand
- Grandstand Seat – £60.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat & Programme – £70.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat & Weekly Paddock Pass – £75.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat, Weekly Paddock Pass & Programme – £85.00 + booking fee
Paddock Grandstand – with big screen.
- Grandstand Seat & Weekly Paddock Pass – £75.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat, Weekly Paddock Pass & Programme – £85.00 + booking fee
Amici Corner Grandstands – with big screen – Used to be York corner, views of sharp left up to Mill road roundabout.
- Grandstand Seat – £60.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat & Programme – £70.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat & Weekly Paddock Pass – £75.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat, Weekly Paddock Pass & Programme – £85.00 + booking fee
Metropole Grandstand – with big screen – at the end of the Portrush straight, sharp left going up the hill and towards Juniper Hill.
- Grandstand Seat – £60.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat & Programme – £70.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat & Weekly Paddock Pass – £75.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat, Weekly Paddock Pass & Programme – £85.00 + booking fee
Juniper Hill Grandstand – no big screen – views of the straight coming up to Juniper Hill corner.
- Grandstand Seat – £55.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat & Programme – £65.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat & Weekly Paddock Pass – £70.00 + booking fee
- Grandstand Seat, Weekly Paddock Pass & Programme – £80.00 + booking fee
Accommodation for the NW200
Tip: click highlighted text to see accommodation options.
Camping / Motorhomes
If you are into camping or have a motorhome or caravan you can take a spot for the week in the official event campsite for the week (SOLD OUT) which also includes two paddock passes. See more information about the official campsites.
Hotels and Bed & Breakfasts
As you can imagine, with such a popular event the prices for hotels and B&Bs in Portrush and Portstewart skyrocket and fill up quickly for North West 200 week – so book your accommodation early!
Another option is to make your way to a neighbouring town and ideally, one that is well connected by public transport since parking around Portstewart or Portrush in that week can be quite tricky, especially with road closures.
Train links: There is a train service between Portrush and Coleraine which although quite infrequent, is only 10 minutes or so. If you can’t find cheaper accommodation in Coleraine, you can easily catch a train either up the line towards Derry~Londonderry (try Castlerock), or down the line towards Belfast (try Ballymoney).
Bus links: While busses may be impacted by road closures and congestion, you can catch a bus from Portrush (usually hourly) which travels along the coast stopping at towns such as Portballintrae, Bushmills, Ballintoy and Ballycastle. This option might work well if you are travelling with family who are not so keen on motorsports and my prefer sightseeing, a trip to the Bushmills distillery or beach life.
- Link to Translink Journey Planner for bus and train schedules.
More information about the area.
- Overview – Causeway Coastal Route
- Causeway Coastal Route Interactive Map
- Portstewart Visitor Guide – Top Things to Do
- Portrush Visitor Guide – Top Things to Do
Author: David Donnelly
