The Alexander Stadium: Parking, shuttle bus and more, history, plus ticket availability

As well as hosting the athletics, the Perry Barr venue is also hosting the opening and closing ceremonies.

The Alexander Stadium has hosted many major athletics events in the past, such as the Diamond League series and British Championships.

Over the past three years it has been redeveloped and will be able to hold 30,000 spectators during the Games, well up on the 12,700 seats before work started in 2019.

Here's what you need to know about the venue if you're heading there during the Commonwealth Games.

How to get to the Alexander Stadium

There are multiple ways to get to the Alexander Stadium for the athletics and opening/closing ceremonies.

Alexander Stadium shuttle bus

One way is by the shuttle bus which will be running to and from Birmingham city centre.

The service will run between James Watt Queensway and a new transport mall at the stadium, which is between 50m and 150m from the stadium entrance. An accessible shuttle bus will un from Birmingham New Street Station (exit to Smallbrook Queensway).

You do not need to pre-book a shuttle bus, and the service is included in the price of your ticket.

Regular bus services

National Express West Midlands runs a number of service towards the venue, which isn't far from Birmingham City Centres.

The following routes will take you near the Alexander Stadium: 11A, 11C, 33, X51, 51, 52, 907, 907A, 934, 935, 936, 937, 937A, 997.

On July 28, the day of the opening ceremony, and from August 2-8 for the athletics and closing ceremony, the Perry Avenue stop towards Birmingham will be temporarily closed due to the loading of shuttle buses.

National Express West Midlands says services 51, 52, & X51 will be unable to serve the stop on these days. X51 will call at Rocky Lane during this time, except on July 28 and August 8 when it will call at Perry Park Crescent.

Perry Park stop towards Walsall/Perry Beeches will be closed on the days of the opening and closing ceremonies - July 28 and August 8 - between 3pm and 12.30am. They will be open at all other times.

Services in general will be affected until August 10, so passengers are asked to plan ahead.

Trains

The recently redeveloped Perry Barr station is the nearest to the Alexander Stadium on the line between Walsall/Rugeley Trent Valley and Birmingham New Street.

The station has a regular service, with trains running

An accessible shuttle bus will run from the station to the stadium, alternatively it's a 20-30-minute walk.

Note, no trains will be running on Saturday, July 30, due to the strike by train drivers who are members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF).

Cycling or walking

Walking or cycling is the easiest way to get to the venue if travelling locally.

Cycle parking will be available in close proximity to Alexander Stadium, with a designated blue cycle route along the A34 and providing direct access to Birmingham city centre from Perry Barr. The route is approximately 6km long and takes approximately 25 minutes to cycle.

Cycle hire is available across the West Midlands. Bikes are available 24/7, with docking stations at major bus, metro and train stations, visitor attractions and city or town centres.

Alexander Stadium parking

All car parks at the venue have been closed, so you cannot park at the Alexander Stadium.

Instead, anyone planning to drive is being urged to use the park and ride service. Park and ride shuttles are available from Bescot Stadium (Bescot Crescent, Walsall WS1 4SA) and the multi-storey car park and Jaguar Land Rover at Kingsbury (102 Kingsbury Rd, Birmingham, B24 9QE).

There is a limited number of blue badge spaces at the stadium. Alternatively, there's a dedicated blue park park and ride from JLR Kingsbury (102 Kingsbury Road, Birmingham, B24 9QE) and the Church Tavern Car Park (Church Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham, B42 2LA).

All park and ride venues must be pre-booked, and some sessions have already sold out.

Taxi and private hire

If you travel by taxi, please note there are no designated pick-up or drop-off points near the stadium while surrounding roads have parking and access restrictions, so you may have to walk a bit to/from the venue to your taxi.

Why is it called the 'Alexander' Stadium?

Have you ever wondered why it is actually called the Alexander Stadium?

Well, Birmingham City Council have released special video detailing the stadium's heritage.

According to the mini-documentary, William Alexander was Birchfield Harriers athlete and he was absolutely "instrumental" in establishing the stadium "many many years ago".

The old stadium opened in in the 1970s and acted as a central hub for athletics in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands region.

But the stadium hosting the Commonwealth Games is a very different, and altogether much larger sporting venue.

The organisers claim the new stadium is about "looking forward".

Alexander Stadium schedule

There is a busy schedule for the venue between August 2 and August 8, containing nearly 60 medal events, including a fully integrated Para Sport programme.

All of the usual sprints, distance races, throws, jumps and relays will be included, as well as the decathlon and heptathlon, where the athletes will compete for two long days. There will also be 10km race walks held on the track for both men and women.

Para athletics will also take centre stage. Events are set to include the T33/34 100m for women, a T53/54 1500m for men, and a mixed 4x100m universal relay.

Here's the full schedule for the stadium, along with the ticket availability as of Thursday morning:

Thursday, July 28: 7pm-10.30pm (few tickets remaining)

Opening ceremony

Tuesday, August 2: 10am - 1.30pm (few tickets remaining)

Men's Long Jump Qualifying Rounds - A & B

Women's Heptathlon 100m Hurdles

Men's 100m Round 1

Men's Discus Throw Qualifying Rounds - A

Women's Heptathlon High Jump - A & B

Women's 800m Round 1

Women's 100m Round 1

Men's Discus Throw Qualifying Rounds - B

Women's Shot Put A & B

Women's 1500m T53/54 Round 1

Tuesday, August 2: 6.30pm - 10pm (few tickets remaining)

Women's Heptathlon Shot Put

Women's Pole Vault Final

Men's 100m T45-47 Heats

Men's 400m Hurdles Round 1

Men's High Jump Qualifying Rounds - A & B

Men's 100m T45-47 Final

Men's 110m Hurdles Round 1

Men's 100m T45-47 Medal Ceremony

Men's 10,000m Final

Women's Discus Throw Final

Women's Heptathlon 200m

Women's 100m T37/38 Final

Men's 10,000m Medal Ceremony

Women's 100m T33/34 Final

Wednesday, August 3: 10am-1.15pm (selling fast)

Men's 1500m T53/54 Round 1

Women's Heptathlon Long Jump

Women's 400m Round 1

Men's Shot Put Qualifying Rounds - A & B

Men's 800m Round 1

Men's 100m T11/12 Round 1

Women's Triple Jump Qualifying Rounds - A & B

Men's 400m Round 1

Wednesday, August 3: 6.30pm-10pm (unavailable)

Women's Pole Vault Medal Ceremony

Women's Discus Throw Medal Ceremony

Men's High Jump Final

Women's Heptathlon Javelin Throw

Women's 100m Semi-finals

Women's 100m T37/38 Medal Ceremony

Men's 100m Semi-finals

Women's 100m T33/34 Medal Ceremony

Women's 10000m Final

Women's Shot Put Final

Men's Discus Throw F42-44/F61-64 Final

Women's Heptathlon 800m

Men's 100m T37/38 Final

Women's 10000m Medal Ceremony

Men's High Jump Medal Ceremony

Women's 100m Final

Men's 100m Final

Thursday, August 4: 10am-1pm (selling fast)

Women's Hammer Throw Qualifying Rounds

Men's Decathlon 100m

Women's 200m Round 1

Men's Decathlon Long Jump

Women's High Jump Qualifying Rounds - A & B

Men's 1500m Round 1

Men's 200m Round 1

Men's Decathlon Shot Put

Thursday, August 4: 6.30pm-9.45pm (few tickets remaining)

Women's Heptathlon Medal Ceremony

Women's Shot Put Medal Ceremony

Men's Discus Throw F42-44/F61-64 Medal Ceremony

Men's 100m T37/38 Medal Ceremony

Women's 100m Medal Ceremony

Women's Discus Throw F42-44/F61-64 Final

Men's Decathlon High Jump - A & B

Women's 400m Hurdles Round 1

Men's 100m Medal Ceremony

Men's Long Jump Final

Men's 400m Hurdles Semi-finals

Women's 800m Semi-finals

Men's 100m T11/12 Final

Men's Discus Throw Final

Women's Discuss Throw F42-44/F61-64 Medal Ceremony

Men's Decathlon 400m

Men's Long Jump Medal Ceremony

Men's 100m T11/12 Medal Ceremony

Women's 1500m T53/54 Final

Men's 110m Hurdles Final

Friday, August 5: 10am-2.15pm (few tickets remaining)

Women's Long Jump Qualifying Rounds - A & B

Men's Decathlon 110m Hurdles

Women's 100m Hurdles Round 1

Men's Decathlon Discus Throw

Women's 1500m Round 1

Women's 4 x 400m Relay Round 1

Men's 4 x 400m Relay Round 1

Men's Javelin Throw Qualifying Rounds - A

Men's Decathlon Pole Vault - A & B

Men's Javelin Throw Qualifying Rounds - B

Friday, August 5: 6.30pm-10pm (few tickets remaining)

Men's Discus Throw Medal Ceremony

Women's 1500m T53/54 Medal Ceremony

Men's 110m Hurdles Medal Ceremony

Men's Shot Put Final

Men's Triple Jump Qualifying Rounds - A & B

Men's 200m Semi-finals

Women's 400m Semi-finals

Men's Decathlon Javelin Throw

Men's 1500m T53/54 Final

Women's 200m Semi-finals

Women's Triple Jump Final

Men's 800m Semi-finals

Men's Shot Put Medal Ceremony

Men's 400m Semi-finals

Men's Decathlon 1500m

Men's 1500m T53/54 Medal Ceremony

Women's 3000m Steeplechase Final

Saturday, August 6: 10am-1.15pm (few tickets remaining)

Women's Triple Jump Medal Ceremony

Men's Decathlon Medal Ceremony

Women's 3000m Steeplechase Medal Ceremony

Women's High Jump Final

Women's Shot Put F55-57 Final

Women's 10km Race Walk Final

Men's Hammer Throw Final

Men's 3000m Steeplechase Final

Women's 4 x 100m Relay Round 1

Women's 10km Race Walk Medal Ceremony

Men's 3000m Steeplechase Medal Ceremony

Men's 4 x 100m Relay Round 1

Men's 1500m Final

Saturday, August 6: 6.30pm-9.45pm (few tickets remaining)

Women's High Jump Medal Ceremony

Women's Shot Put F55-57 Medal Ceremony

Men's Hammer Throw Medal Ceremony

Men's 1500m Medal Ceremony

Women's Hammer Throw Final

Men's Pole Vault Final

Women's 400m Hurdles Final

Women's 800m Final

Men's 5000m Final

Women's 400m Hurdles Medal Ceremony

Men's 400m Hurdles Final

Women's 800m Medal Ceremony

Women's Hammer Throw Medal Ceremony

Women's 200m Final

Men's 5000m Medal Ceremony

Men's 400m Hurdles Ceremony

Men's 200m Final

Sunday, August 7: 10am-1.15pm (few tickets remaining)

Women's 200m Medal Ceremony

Men's 200m Medal Ceremony

Men's Pole Vault Medal Ceremony

Men's Triple Jump Final

Women's 100m Hurdles Final

Men's 400m Final

Women's 400m Final

Women's 100m Hurdles Medal Ceremony

Men's 10km Race Walk Final

Women's Javelin Throw Final

Men's 400m Medal Ceremony

Women's 400m Medal Ceremony

Women's 4 x 100m Relay Final

Men's Triple Jump Medal Ceremony

Men's 4 x 100m Relay Final

Sunday, August 7: 6.30pm-9.30pm (few tickets remaining)

Women's 4 x 100m Medal Ceremony

Men's 4 x 100m Relay Medal Ceremony

Men's 10km Race Walk Medal Ceremony

Women's Long Jump Final

Women's Javelin Throw Medal Ceremony

Women's 1500m Final

Men's Javelin Throw Final

Men's 800m Final

Women's 1500m Medal Ceremony

Women's 5000m Final

Men's 800m Medal Ceremony

Women's 4 x 400m Relay Final

Women's Long Jump Medal Ceremony

Women's 5000m Medal Ceremony

Men's 4 x 400m Relay Final

Men's Javelin Throw Medal Ceremony

Women's 4 x 400m Relay Medal Ceremony

Men's 4 x 400m Relay Medal Ceremony

Monday, August 8: 8pm-10pm (few tickets remaining)

Closing ceremony