The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) is the NEC Group’s flagship venue – where brands are born, products are launched, and networks are made. It is the UK’s largest exhibition venue and one of Europe’s leading event destinations. It welcomes around 2.3 million visitors and over 45,000 exhibiting companies to more than 500 events every year.

The NEC Arena is the Midlands’ outstanding entertainment experience for artists and visitors alike. As one of the world’s top entertainment arenas, it hosts the world’s best comedians, sportspeople, singers, songwriters, dancers, daredevils and everything in between. Whether it’s the year’s hottest gig in the company of 15,700 fans, or an intimate, atmospheric, once-in-a-lifetime experience, this venue has it all. With over 100 shows per year, welcoming over 700,000 people through its doors, NEC Arena continues to provide world-class entertainment.

Being at the heart of the national motorway network and physically linked to both Birmingham Airport and Birmingham International Railway Station, 75% of the UK’s population are based within a three-hour drive time. 

Arrive Early: Arrive at The NEC 90 minutes before your scheduled session start time. You can then access your sport's hall 60 minutes before the session begins. The NEC arena will be open 90 minutes before the scheduled session start time. If you intend on driving, please ensure you pre-book your car parking space.

Accessibility: This site will have a mixture of existing and temporary accessibility facilities. This includes changing places toilets in both the NEC Arena and NEC piazza. The site is mostly flat with hard standing pathways, with ramp and lift access to some of the exhibition halls. 

Pre-bookable Blue Badge parking is available.

Accessible Golf Buggy: To help with access across the site, an accessible Golf Buggy Service will be running inside the site,  between the South spectator entrance and NEC Halls.

Late Finish Sessions

Due to the finishing time of these sessions, make sure you plan your journey home in advance. National rail services run through Birmingham International station, so there might not be the need to head back towards Birmingham City Centre if you are travelling further afield.

There is plenty of car parking available at the NEC, so if you are attending a late finishing session driving may be your best option for this venue.

Use the Games Journey Planner to map your route to the Games. Enter your starting location, and start typing the name of your Games Venue, select your Games session. The Journey Planner will recommend a personalised travel plan, and the carbon impact of each option.

For accessible shuttle buses or to book blue badge parking select the Blue Badge or Accessible Shuttles option and edit your date and proposed arrival time.

The taxi icon shows taxi ranks near each of the Games venues. The wheelchair icon shows the location of blue badge parking locations, please be aware that these are limited and need to be pre-booked. The bicycle icon shows the locations where West Midlands Cycle Hire docking stations are available.

The NEC are set to be the busiest venues with five sports and two Para sports taking place there during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

In addition to the sport there will be plenty to see and do inside the Arena and Halls. You can ‘Have a Go’ at the sport and perhaps meet an athlete or even Perry the Bull, Birmingham 2022’s official mascot.

Alongside the activities taking place inside the Arena and Halls there will be plenty to see and do within the NEC campus. Take a visit to the NEC Fan Park and be the athlete at the Have a Go area, where you can try out a new sport. If that isn’t for you, pull up a deckchair and enjoy watching the action on our big screen – you don’t want to miss it!

Access to the NEC Fan Park is exclusively for ticketed spectators on the day of your session.

The NEC is the UK’s largest event space located in the heart of England and just 12 miles from Birmingham City Centre in the metropolitan borough of Solihull.

With excellent transport links and easy access to the rest of the region, Solihull is a great location, offering a wide range of accommodation and dining options, award-winning shopping areas, and beautiful parks and heritage sites.

You can take a trip to the bustling town centre for all your retail therapy needs or explore one of the historic villages for a scenic walk and a visit to a traditional pub. Or why not treat yourself to a stay at a countryside retreat including Michelin star restaurant? Learn more at visitsolihull.co.uk