ST. ANDREWS - BIRMINGHAM CITY
DIRECTIONS AND CAR PARKING
Leave the M6 at Junction 6 and take the A38(M) (known locally as the Aston Expressway) for Birmingham City Centre. Continue past the first turn off (Aston, Waterlinks) and then take the next turn off, for the Inner Ring Road.
Turn left at the island at the top of the slip road and take the Ring Road East, sign posted Coventry/Stratford. Continue along the ring road for two miles, crossing straight across three islands. At the fourth island (there is a large McDonalds on the far left hand corner) turn left into Coventry Road going towards Small Heath. Birmingham City's ground is about a 1/4 of a mile up this road on your left. The ground is well sign posted on the Inner Ring Road.
There is a small car park directly outside the entrance to the away end, but availability of space for cars is determined by how many away coaches are expected as they park in the same car park, which may mean for certain games that there is no space available for cars at all. There is though plenty of street parking off the left hand side of the ring road. Either around the small park at the third island you cross or along the road next to and behind the BP garage before the fourth island. Bear in mind that if you arrive after 1.30pm these areas are likely to be already full. There are some local schools and firms that offer parking facilities for around £5.'
Post Code for SAT NAV: B9 4RL
BY TRAIN
The nearest station is Bordesley, which is about a ten minute walk away from the ground, but is only served by trains from Birmingham Snow Hill and Birmingham Moor Street. Normally scheduled trains do not stop at Bordesley, so they don't show up on national timetables searches. Please download the local timetable from the London Midland website for details.
If you arrive at New Street Station in the city centre, either walk to Moor Street station (ten minutes) take a taxi (about £8) or embark on the 25-30 minute walk to the ground, some of which is uphill.
Birmingham New Street Station has recently undergone some major refurbishment, so if you have not been for a while it will seem quite different, but for the better! As you come up off the platforms onto the main concourse follow the overhead signs towards Moor Street and Bullring. After passing through some glass doors you will come out onto the street and you will see a large Debenhams Store in front of you. Cross over the street towards Debenhams and then turn right. Go down to the end of the block and and on the left you will see a doorway with a sign pointing downwards towards Bull Ring Markets. Enter the door way and go down the stairs. At the bottom turn left and proceed along the street with Denbenhams now on your left. Pass the markets on your right and then St Martins Church on your left. As you pass the Church you will reach the end of the pedestrianised area where you turn right into Moat Lane. Go down Moat Lane following it around to the left, passing a Chinese supermarket on your right. At the next traffic lights turn right onto Digbeth High Street (busy dual carriageway). Passing Birmingham Coach Station on your right, use the pedestrian crossing to cross over to the other side of the carriageway. Continue up the High Street Passing the Old Crown pub on your left (Birminghams oldest building and normally okay for away fans in small numbers). You will then reach a fork in the road where you want to bear left passing underneath a railway bridge. Continue straight down this road, crossing a large roundabout (with a McDonalds over on one corner). Be extra careful crossing this road as the vehicles do go at some speed. The entrance to the away section is further up the road on your left.
Otherwise you can take the following buses from the city centre; No: 58, 60, 97 & 97A. However the 97 & 97A drop off on Garrison Lane (near to Tilton Road) which is on the other side of the stadium to the away entrance. These can be caught near to Moor Street Railway Station on Queensway. Look for bus stops ME (58 & 60) and MF (97 & 97A) on this map on the Network West Midlands website (PDF file). Alternatively they can also be caught outside Birmingham Coach Station.
PUBS FOR AWAY FANS
Most of the pubs near to the ground can be quite intimidating for away supporters and are not recommended. However there is the Cricketers Arms which does tolerate away fans in small numbers. Simon a visiting Chelsea fan confirms; 'On our last visit to St Andrews, we managed to find a friendly pub within proximity of the ground. The pub is called The Cricketers Arms and is about 10 minutes walk, maybe less. To find the pub (with your back to the away section) walk along the road ahead of you going away from the ground (not the road going right up by the stadium, but the road going towards Morrisons). Walk through Morrisons car park heading towards the store then join the road next to it, which is called Green Lane. The pub is 30 seconds from there on the left. The pub itself is shared between home and away fans but all the Birmingham fans were very friendly. The pub is small but you can drink outside where there are beer tables'.
It is best to drink in the city centre and get a taxi to the ground (about £6). If you are walking to the ground from the city centre, then you may care to stop at the Anchor Pub on Bradford Street, renowned for its range of real ales on offer, and named Birmingham 'CAMRA Pub Of The Year' on more than one occasion. Although there are a number of Blues fans that frequent the pub they tend to be of the CAMRA bearded variety and therefore as long as you don't turn up mobbed handed, you should be okay. The pub is situated just behind Birmingham Coach Station. Otherwise alcohol is served within the stadium.
If you coming by train, or decide to drink in the city centre beforehand, then if you like your real ale, then you can't do much better than visit the Wellington Pub on Bennetts Hill. With 16 real ales on tap, including 12 guest ales, this is somewhat of a mecca for real ale drinkers. In 2008 alone, the pub served over 2,000 different beers! To find this pub, then assuming that you are coming into New Street Station by train, then as you come onto the passenger concourse at the station, so straight up the escalators in front of you. At the top of the escalators turn left and then proceed towards the 'Foot Locker' outlet. Turn left at this store and then right and proceed down the ramp past McDonalds. At the bottom of the ramp turn left into New Street and walk along the pedestrian area. Bennetts Hill is the fourth turning on the right (there is a Barclays Bank is on the corner). The Wellington pub is about two thirds of the way up Bennetts Hill on the right hand side. There is also a handy Wetherspoons outlet called the Briar Rose on Bennetts Hill as well, plus the 'Sun On The Hill' pub, which also shows televised sports. The Wellington does not provide food, but has no objections to you bringing in your own. There are a couple of taxi ranks nearby that you can use if you wish to get you to the St Andrews ground. You can get more info on the Wellington pub website, including a live 'beer board' showing which ales they are currently serving. Just outside the main entrance to Birmingham New Street Station, is the Shakespeare pub, which is also popular with visiting supporters (normally under the watchful eye of the local Constabulary).