So you want to go to the Isle of Man TT Races.
Let me tell you how.
Many of you have been the target recipient of my emails in the past about going over to the Isle of Man to see the TT. Usually I send out that email right about now, as I consider October 1 the Go/No Go decision date. That’s when you really need to decide if you’re definitely going to the TT next near (2027 in this case), as you now need to start spending money.
Really, all you need are 3 things to see the TT:
Passport
ETA
Money
For the benefit of anyone who hasn’t been email blasted by me before, we’ll briefly go over these first.
Passport.
Gotta have it. If you don’t have one, now is the time to start the process. It’s actually pretty easy. You can apply for a passport at some designated U.S. Post Offices, usually the larger ones. There is a Passport Acceptance Facility Locator on the Travel.State.Gov website. The best resource for obtaining a passport is the State Department website for Passports: Travel.State.Gov This is same place to go if you also need to renew your passport. Most countries require at least 6 months left on your passport when you visit, with some requiring 18 months. I say it’s always best to have a current passport with years left on it. Also if you’re getting a new passport or renewing, consider getting the Passport Card. It’s a few bucks extra, and is good for crossing into Canada and the Caribbean (I think). Check the rules on that one.
ETA
This is the U.K.’s Electronic Travel Authorization, and it’s required for entry into the U.K. This is relatively new, and is a result of Brexit. It’s a Border Control thing, and is all electronic. It costs about $28 U.S. and is valid for two years or until you passport expires, whichever comes first. The process is relatively quick and painless. It took me about 20 minutes and I had my ETA. You can apply here: https://www.gov.uk/eta
Money
My advice is to consider getting an international credit/debit card. There are several, and your bank might even have one. You can use your current credit card over there, but you’ll need to let the bank/issuer know you’ll be doing that so they don’t flag your purchases as fraud. But, be aware, you’ll be paying an extra two things: Exchange Rate and Foreign Transaction Fee. Lemme tell you, they do add up. That’s when I got my dedicated overseas travel account/card. I went with the Wise Card. It’s basically a checking account that you can link to your current bank. I just transferred U.S. funds to the Wise account then converted it to Pound Sterling. Much cheaper in the long run. Plus the card works over there as a Chip & Pin, so all I had to do was tap the card or use my iPhone/iWatch to tap. Only a couple of times did I need to use an ATM.
Oh and one last thing about money: The standard UK currency is the British Pound Sterling. The Isle of Man also has their own currency, the Manx Pound. Funny thing is, the British Pound is good on the Isle, but the Manx Pound is not good in the UK. However, they both hold the same value. Unfortunately, the U.S. Dollar is getting trounced by the British Pound. The exchange rates favor the Pound, so our money doesn’t go as far over there, which ultimately makes the trip a bit lot more expensive.
Now on to the important stuff:
Lodging - Where Do I Stay?
No doubt you’ve heard people say that you have to book your lodging a year in advance to see the TT. Well, poppycock. There are several options for lodging on the island, and I’ve never had any problems staying there. Though I do recommend booking early. The one thing you’ll have to bear in mind is that during the TT, the island’s population increases quite a bit. So, accommodations can be tricky. More of the island residents have been opening up their homes to an Air B&B type arrangement. There are a few hotels as well, but they book up quickly. For both of my trips to the IOM, I went through a company called Duke Travel. They are an IOM based operation, and have been doing this for a long time, and take as much as the guesswork out of it as possible. Also, you can pay on installments, with the total needing to be paid off by the first week of January to guarantee your spot. When I booked, they didn’t have the exact package I wanted, but after exchanging emails, they set me up with exactly what I wanted. Yes, it was a bit more $$ going through them, but I figured they knew what they were doing and made it all super easy. Great group of people too. They have 4 accommodation arrangements - Camping (you bring your own tent), Glamping (you rent one of their Yurts), TT Village, or local hotel. I immediately ruled out the Camping/Glamping options. The hotel was a bit more than I wanted to spend, so I went with the TT Village. Comfort-wise, yeah, a hotel would be best. The TT Village wasn’t bad at all. But then again, you’re there to watch the racing, not lie about in the lap of luxury. The TT Village is what I refer to as “the shipping containers”. They are NOT shipping containers. They are purpose built single units connected together in long rows with a bathroom and electricity, either one or two beds. If you’re a light sleeper, you might consider bringing earplugs, as the walls are a bit thin. I’ve stayed there twice now, so I don’t think it’s all that bad. The village is a 5-minute walk to the TT Paddock/Grandstand/Fan Zone area. There’s a bus line close by, and they have a huge hospitality tent that’s open 24 hours. Breakfast is included with your package, along with a 5-day Island Transportation pass. The hotels are a 20 – 30 minute (or more) walk from the TT Paddock, or you can catch a bus to/from. Me, I still prefer the TT Village based on it’s convenience and location/cost. Check out their website, and if you’re curious about any of the arrangements, email the company.
Here is the latest info on the TT and Packages from Duke Travel as of September 8th: 2027 TT Info
How Do I Get There?
There are only two ways onto the island - Fly or Float. You can fly into Douglas via Ronaldsway airport, or take the ferry into Douglas. Unless you’re bringing a vehicle, I’d forgo the ferry option. The ferry only sails from Liverpool or Heysham in the U.K., and Dublin or Larne in Ireland. There are fewer sailings from Ireland than there are from the U.K., and the ferries from the U.K. fill up fast. Not to mention you’d have to get to the departing ports in the first place. Best bet is to fly.
Flying to the island, you can fly from London: Heathrow, London City, Gatwick; Manchester, Bristol, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Birmingham. From Ireland, you can fly in from Dublin and Belfast. Where you fly in from just depends on what airline you choose - Aer Lingus, Logan Air or EasyJet. Prices aren’t terrible, but there isn’t a lot of competition for this route, so expect a premium, and book that flight as early as possible. Like October, if you’re going. As for flying from the U.S., you’ve got a lot of choices and can either fly into Ireland or London. You can typically find flights from Dulles to Heathrow from around $800 to $900 r/t, depending on how far in advance you book. I usually book in November/December. Of course, with the cost of fuel skyrocketing, the price of tickets has as well. There are other options, like flying out of Newark NJ which can be cheaper, you just have to get there. Amtrak stops at Newark Liberty, so you could get a r/t train ticket for $45 or so and shave a few bucks off the flight. Also, I typically fly into London and spend a day or two before going over to the island to spread the time out a little since it’s an overnight flight. You leave here at 5:30 pm and arrive there at 6:00 am. Kinda messes with your head a little. One thing you don’t want to do is get there and schedule a short layover at Heathrow. Don’t think you’ll arrive at 6:00 am and fly out to the island at 8:00 am. Ain’t gonna happen. Heathrow is a large airport, and somewhat understaffed. Layovers there take a while.
Important item addendum.
Something you’ll want to consider (if you don’t have it already) is the TSA Pre-Check/Global Entry. The pre-check is great to have, but the Global Entry is worth every penny. Coming back into the country is where Global Entry pays off. When you re-enter the US, you have to go through ICE – Immigration/Customs. Or rather everybody has to, and when your flight arrives at the same time as 3 or 4 other flights, getting through Customs can take hours. With Global Entry, you walk up to a kiosk, scan your passport, answer a couple of questions and it spits out a ticket. Hand the ticket to Mr. Customs Man, and you’re out. That’s it. It took less than 10 minutes between walking into the terminal, scanning my passport and walking out of the terminal. So worth it. About $100 for both, and they’re good for 5 years.
Getting Around Locally
To get around London or the UK, they have very good public transport. When you get off the plane at Heathrow, and you’re not flying to the IOM the same day, on your way out of the terminal you can stop at a TFL (Transport For London) kiosk and pick up an Oyster card. It’s the British version of a MetroCard. Works the same way. That will get you around London, and from Heathrow to Gatwick. Also, the British Rail system can be accessed via Euston and King’s Cross stations. Believe me, the British Rail system makes Amtrak look like a cheap dollar store wind-up toy.
Getting around on the IOM is similar. It will cost you £3.00 to get from the airport to Douglas via the bus, so make sure you have some change on you. Once you’re on the island, you’ll want an IOM GO Explore card. Again, just like a MetroCard. You can purchase them on the island, or you can get one through Duke Travel when you book your package. I highly recommend you get one. The IOM has a very good system of busses, trams and trains. Frankly, I feel renting a car or bike would be overkill, and really not worth it. If you’re really intent on riding around the course, there are a couple of bike rental companies that have started to pop up on the island. I spoke to one of them, and they rent 500cc Benellis for about £200 for a run around the course. They can also rent you the gear as well.
However, with the very good local transportation options, I’ve never felt the need to rent a car or bike, so other than the one rental company I spoke to, I really don’t have any other info about that.
Extras
Here are a number of extra things I’ve learned from my UK travels.
London is a great place. My first trip there I spent 10 days in London just bouncing around from museums to historic attractions. There’s a LOT to do there. Hotel prices aren’t really that bad, probably in line with NYC or DC. My suggestion would be to plan on a couple of extra days there and visit London. I always do that, because there are 3 places I love to visit: The Ace Café, Bike Shed Motorcycle Club, and Lewis Leathers. You can get to all three via the Tube and a short walk. If you’re into M/C history or culture, then they are a must see. Plus, the Ace & Bike Shed have good food too.
Also, if you’re going to be in London for an extra day or couple of days, here’s an idea you might like – visit the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience in Hinckley. They have a really nice little museum and you can do the Factory Tour. The tour costs about $32 USD, and the Train from Euston Station to Nuneaton is about $25 USD R/T. The bus from Nuneaton to the factory is £4 R/T (via the Arriva App). Overall, a day trip and you get to visit the Triumph factory.
Accommodations in London.
Hotels are easy to get in London, you can even book through Orbitz and pay in USD. There are a lot of decent hotels within walking distance of many of the London Tube stations.
Food.
Everybody’s got to eat, right? Make no mistake, London is an international city. I’ve had some amazing food there, and Yelp is your best friend when trying to choose. However, if you’re in London and find yourself homesick and want an overcooked hockey puck and greasy, soggy fries, there are 5 Guys in London. On the island, your choices are a bit more limited, but there are still a few great out of the way places and the Promenade in Douglas has some good restaurants.
Getting around addendum. No two ways about it, you’re going to do a lot of walking and standing. So, make sure you have very comfortable walking shoes & socks.
Weather.
The Isle of Man is an island in the middle of the Irish Sea. You’re going to see some interesting weather patterns. It does get windy, it does rain, and it can cool down quite a bit. So, you’ll want to pack accordingly.
When I was there for the TT, the weather was unbelievable unpredictable. It was perfect weather my 1st trip in 2023, and it rained half the time in 2026. Plan accordingly. All I had was a thick riding hoodie, and in ‘23 I roasted. In ‘26, I froze. Short & long sleeve shirts are advised. Again, a little research can go a long way. Oh, and Sunscreen. Yep, you’ll need that too.
Luggage.
Pack as light as you can. I don’t check bags anymore, so everything I need has to fit into a carry-on backpack. If you don’t think you’ll need/wear it – don’t pack it. Plus, you’ll want extra room for all the souvenirs you’ll buy. And trust me, you will.
Things I’ve learned.
Since it can be a bit of a pain to go through security (on both ends), consider buying your sundries (toothpaste, shaving cream, deodorant, etc…) when you get there. When you leave, you can just chuck what’s left and not have to deal with it.
Get an all Nylon TSA Approved Belt. I haven’t had to take my belt off since. Occasionally, I’ll get flak from a TSA agent about it, but it’s never beeped on me.
You WILL need a UK Travel Adapter. Consider one that also has at least two USB-C charging ports.
Don’t carry a wallet. Pickpockets are active over there – both the electronic and physical ones. I now use an front pocket RFID Blocking Slim Wallet.
I carry my passport with me in an RFID Blocking Travel pouch. It hangs around my neck, so I always know where it is.
Noise-Cancelling headphones. I never travel without these now.
Eye-Mask. Helpful when flying. Also, some of the hotels in the UK have these annoying safety lights that cannot be switched off.
Charging cables. Make sure you have all the necessary charging cables with you.
Battery chargers. If any of your devices requires special batteries (i.e. Camera), make sure you bring that charger with you.
Eyeglass repair kit if you wear glasses.
Phone. Check with your carrier regarding overseas roaming. If you can, sign up for an international plan. Depending on your phone, you might be able to get a UK SIM card for it. Roaming charges can/will apply.
Double check your tickets when you buy them before you leave the ticket window. I got stung on that one.
Medications. Make sure you have all your meds and even a couple of days extra. Check the rules on this. I’ve heard of some instances where your medication is required to be in the original bottle with the label visible.
Time. Always make sure you have adequate time between flights. Nothing worse than having to try and hustle between connections. Also, don’t schedule overly long layovers if you can help it.
If you need to board your pets, book that early too.
Things specific to the TT.
The TT is free to watch. There are tons of public places to watch the race from. If you’ve seen the race on YouTube, you see all these great spots to watch from. Problem is, so has everyone else. Plan your viewing spots early, and then planon getting there early. You’ll stand/sit around for a while, but it’s best to get there before everyone else. Also, if you pick a spot on the inside of the course, there’s a very good chance you’ll be stuck there until the course opens back up. Again, plan accordingly. There are several grandstands to watch from, and usually cost between $10 - $20 USD. Some are better than others. The main grandstand at the start/finish line is nice for getting a great view of the pit action, but not so much the racing. If you book through Duke Travel, you can add a VIP viewing package. Not cheap, but you get a bit more than just a grandstand seat. I did the Victory Café VIP package, and it cost over $300 USD. Was it worth it in the end? Not so much. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Would I do it again? Not for that price; maybe half. So, there are a lot of viewing options. Also, you might consider buying one of those cheap folding camp chairs when you get there - you can pick one up for around £10.00 at Tesco. Beats sitting on the cold ground if you’re not in a VIP section.
The island is a really wonderful place. I didn’t want to come back. Depending on the days you’re there, you’ll have at least one (or two) off days. That’s when you get out and explore. Take the Electric Tram from Douglas to Ramsey, then up to the top of Mt. Sneaefell. Or, take the steam train from Douglas to Peel. The Isle of Man Motor Museum in Jurby is also worth a visit, as well as the Manx Museum and Murray’s Motorcycle Museum.
There’s probably something I’ve left out, as there’s so much to do over there and quite often so little time. If there is anything else you want to know about going to the TT or the ManxGP in August (I’ve done that too), don’t hesitate to reach out. Now is the time to start planning for next year. If you’re interested, I’m going back in 2028. I’d love to have a good size group over there with me. I don’t mind playing ringleader, as it’s a lot more fun with other race enthusiasts along for the ride.
Ride Safe,
Matt
Resources:
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry
https://www.us-passport-service-guide.com/us-passport-renewals.html
https://www.us-passport-service-guide.com/where-to-get-a-passport-photo.html
https://www.us-passport-service-guide.com/us-passport-renewals.html