Aston Villa FC – How to Buy Tickets as a Tourist

• Stadium: Villa Park
• Location: Birmingham, England
• Capacity: Approx. 42,000
• Official Site: avfc.co.uk

If you want to join Hollywood royalty (Actor Tom Hanks is said to be a fan), or actual royalty (the future King of the UK, Prince William is a fan), you should consider watching Aston Villa. Based in the UK city of Birmingham (pronounced BURR-ming-um), it has a strong soccer culture (they have won the Champions League back in 1982), and its stadium is an old beauty. The Holt End is where the home fans ultras sit, and it's worth being near or in there if you can get a ticket.

Whilst you don't need a membership to buy Aston Villa match tickets, it significantly improves your chances. Members receive priority access before season ticket holders can buy additional tickets and the general public. For lower-demand fixtures or midweek games, general sale may be available. For high-profile matches (e.g. Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United) or local derbies (e.g. Birmingham City, Wolves, Leicester), tickets rarely make it to general sale, and choice will be very limited.

Each membership permits only 1 ticket per member per match. You must allow at least 72 hours after purchasing a membership before it activates for ticket access.

Membership Options

• Claret Membership – £40 adults / £30 age 65+
  • Includes priority ticket access.
  • Requires a UK postal address (membership packs are posted; postage fees apply). So only for those based in the UK.
• Claret Lite – £30
  • For existing season ticket holders only. Don't buy this membership.
• Global Membership
  • Aimed at overseas fans.
  • Should include ticket access. Getting this confirmed by Villa.
• Villans Membership (12–17)
  • Includes access to match ticket sales for juniors aged 12–17.
• Cubs Membership (3–11)
  • Includes access to match ticket sales for children aged 3–11.

You'll need a Fan ID to purchase any tickets, even in general sale. Memberships allow you to link your Fan ID to your account.

Ticket Sale Timeline

• First Access: Members (Claret, Villans, Cubs).
• Then: Season Ticket Holders (additional purchases).
• Finally: General Sale (only if any tickets remain).

How to Buy Tickets

• Online: tickets.avfc.co.uk
• By phone: UK: 0333 323 1874 / Int'l: +44 333 323 1874
• Email: ticketsales@avfc.co.uk
• In person: Villa Village Ticket Office (North Stand car park) – open only on home matchdays.

Ticket Office Phone Lines: Monday–Friday, 10am–1pm & 2pm–5pm (UK times). Matchday opening from 9am until half-time (Mon–Sat). Check club site for Sunday hours.

Delivery Options

• eTickets: Emailed instantly. PDF Tickets must be printed on A4 paper (mobile scanning not supported, but you can add your digital ticket to your Apple Wallet and Google Wallet). If you're using your phone to store your digital ticket, make sure to download before you get to the stadium. Cell phone networks can get overloaded and wifi access is spotty.
• Post: Royal Mail 2nd Class if match is more than 7 days away, 1st Class if under 7 days.
• Collection: Available from ticket office from purchase up to 3 hours before kickoff; Trinity Road window opens 2 hours before kickoff.

Matchday Info

• Languages: Website available in English, Arabic, Spanish.
• Digital Tickets: Add to Apple Wallet / Google Wallet (download before arrival).
• Stadium is cashless: Card and mobile payments only.
• Nearest ATM: Tesco Express – Google Maps
• Food & Drink: Pies, sausage rolls, vegan options, soft drinks, beer. No alcohol allowed inside from outside. Bottle caps removed at entry.
• Entry Time: Stadium opens 90 minutes before kickoff. No re-entry if you leave.
• Bags: Avoid bringing one. If you are arriving after the kick off, there is at least one late entry turnstile for each area that remain open until half-time.
• Viewing Warnings:
  • Restricted View: One goalmouth partially obscured
  • Obstructed View: Large portion of pitch blocked
  • Severely Obstructed: Significant view impairment

Resale Options

There is currently no official resale platform. Use trusted resellers only, and beware of scams and inflated prices.

Summary for Tourists

• Membership boosts your chances — Claret is recommended.
• Some general sale availability, but big games sell fast.
• Hospitality is the most reliable route for guaranteed access.

Match prices vary by opponent and seat location. Villa uses two match categories (A & B) and 4 seating groups. Below are the 2024–25 prices:

Category A Matches

Group	1888 Seats	Zone 1	Zone 2	Zone 3	Zone 4	Wheelchair Bays
Adult	£92.00	£78.00	£72.50	£67.50	£55.00	£55.00
Over 66 / Under 21	£92.00	£78.00	£54.50	£50.50	£41.50	£41.50
Armed Forces	£92.00	£78.00	£58.00	£54.00	£43.50	£43.50
Under 18	£92.00	£78.00	£37.00	£34.00	£28.00	£28.00
Under 14	£92.00	£78.00	£22.00	£20.00	£16.50	£16.50

Category B Matches

Group	1888 Seats	Zone 1	Zone 2	Zone 3	Zone 4	Wheelchair Bays
Adult	£75.00	£56.00	£50.00	£46.00	£44.50	£44.50
Over 66 / Under 21	£75.00	£56.00	£32.50	£30.00	£29.00	£29.00
Armed Forces	£75.00	£56.00	£40.00	£37.00	£35.50	£35.50
Under 18	£75.00	£56.00	£25.00	£23.50	£22.00	£22.00
Under 14	£75.00	£56.00	£15.50	£14.00	£13.50	£13.50

*Note: Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.

Matchday Tips

• Languages: Website is available in English, Arabic, and Spanish.
• Apple Wallet / Google Wallet: Supported – download your ticket in advance as mobile networks may be overloaded near the stadium.
• Cashless Stadium: All payments inside Villa Park are by card or mobile pay (e.g. Apple Pay). No cash accepted.
• Nearest ATM: Located at Tesco Express [Google Maps]
• Food & Drink: Standard stadium fare; some vegan options available. No alcohol can be brought in. Bottled drinks with caps will have caps removed on entry.
• Entry Time: Stadium gates open 90 minutes before kickoff. No re-entry if you leave.
• Bag Policy: Avoid bringing bags. One turnstile per area remains open until halftime for latecomers.
• Restricted View Tickets:
  • Restricted View: One goalmouth impaired
  • Obstructed View: A large part of the pitch is blocked
  • Severely Obstructed: Major view issues – check booking details carefully
• To see the players arrive: Hang around the car park between the Trinity Road and North Stand about 90 minutes before kickoff.

Premium seats with food and drink start from around £250–£300. No membership is required. Visit avfc.co.uk/hospitality for availability.

Villa Park is an old style stadium with 4 proper stands. You have the Trinity Road stand, the Doug Ellis stand, the Holte End and the North stand.

• Holte End: Loudest support, excellent for atmosphere. Expect to stand for the game.
• Trinity Road: Premium views, ideal for first-timers. The family section is here in blocks C8 and C9 in the lower tier and block B7 in the middle tier. This is where the managers sit in their dugout.
• Doug Ellis Stand: On the 4 occasions I've been to this is where I've sat (blocks M2 and M3). The away fans sit in the North East corner in block Q in the lower tier, and in Block P of the upper tier.
• North Stand: 2 tiers old style stand.

First-time tourists usually enjoy the Trinity Road Stand or lower Holte End for energy and views. But I've also had a great time in the Doug Ellis stand too.

There is a fan zone located in the Academy building opposite the North Stand located here: Google Maps

Address: Villa Park, Trinity Road, Birmingham B6 6HE
Nearest Stations: Witton (5-minute walk), Aston (10-minute walk)
Matchday Tip: Trains and roads get very busy — arrive early and avoid driving unless essential.

Villa Park is located north of Birmingham downtown, in a suburb called Aston (hence the name). There are two train stations, a shuttle bus from downtown, and it's easily accessible by road (although roads do get congested).

Train

Birmingham New Street Station in the middle of downtown Birmingham (Google Maps) is a large well served train station. Trains arrive here from most other cities in the UK (London, Manchester, etc). It's a nice modern new train station. You can get here using a direct train from Birmingham International Airport (BHX).

There are two train stations nearby to the stadium: Aston and Witton. Witton is the closest. It's about a 10 minutes walk from Witton station to the stadium. It takes about 9 minutes from Birmingham New Street station to get to Witton. Aston station is about a 15 minute walk to the stadium. It takes about 5-10 minutes from Birmingham New Street Station (the main railway station in the middle of downtown Birmingham).

Bus

On match days there is a shuttle bus from downtown Birmingham to the stadium. The shuttle pick up point is near Birmingham New Street railway station on Dudley Street (Google Maps). They are used by both home and away soccer fans. The shuttle bus is called AV82 and runs for three hours before games start and for up to 2 hours after the end of the game. All the shuttle buses are wheelchair and pushchair friendly.

It costs £5 for a return ticket and £3 for a single ticket. If you are in a group of 4 you can buy a group ticket (so ideal for families and you can buy from the shuttle bus driver) for £15. You can pay using cash or card payments (including Apple and Google Pay). Or you can pre-book using the Stagecoach App.

If you are coming from other areas you can use bus routes 7, 11A and 11C. Stop at Witton Square (Google Maps). You can also try bus routes 65 and 67. Stop at Aston railway station.

There is also a special bus service on match days from Tamworth (a town north of Birmingham), which is ideal for those travelling by car from Northern England. Read the Car section for information on this service.

Car

For those driving in, there are lots of official and unofficial parking lots available. The unofficial parking lots are where businesses or schools etc, anyone with space available, make that space available for a fee (normally between £5 and £20 to be paid in cash). They get more expensive the closer to the stadium. You will then have about a 20 minute+ walk from these unofficial parking lots to the stadium.

Please note that roads around the stadium are closed to traffic. Witton Lane, Aston Hall Road and Trinity Road are all closed about 2 hours before and for up to an hour after the game. Also note that the roads surrounding the stadium are often residents parking only, meaning if you decide to park there, you will get a £60 fine (including rental cars). Best to use one of the unofficial car parks that are available.

You can use these two official parking lots:
Y International
What3Words: ///moment.senses.await

or:

King Edward VI Aston School
What3Words: Entrance 1: ///spray.damage.prom and Entrance 2: ///dare.slot.fool

Y International is a 15 minute walk from the stadium. It costs £15 per car. King Edward school is a little closer, about an 8 minute walk and costs £20 per car. Both of which must be pre-booked using this website: astonvillaparking.co.uk

There are further official parking lots. You can book these from this website: countrywidemanagementsolutions.co.uk
They cost about £20. They include:

• Birchfield Primary School:
  Birchfield Primary School, Trinity Rd, Aston, Birmingham B6 6AJ (0.5 miles from Villa Park)
  Google Maps
• Prince Albert High School (yes, it really is called that):
  Prince Albert High School, Holford Drive, Perry Barr, Birmingham B42 2TU (1.1 miles from Villa Park via Wellhead Lane/Aston Lane)
  Google Maps
• Concert Park A2: located near to Prince Albert High School
  Concert Car Park A2 116 Aldridge Road, entrance Holford Drive, off A453 Aldridge Rd, Perry Barr, Birmingham B42 2TP
  (1.1 miles from Villa Park via Wellhead Lane/Aston Lane)
• Aston Tower Community Primary School:
  Aston Tower Community Primary School, Upper Sutton Street, Aston, Birmingham B6 5BE (0.7 miles from Villa Park)
  Google Maps

Tamworth

If you're driving from the north east you can also stop at the town of Tamworth and catch a match day special bus called AV1. The service runs for all home men's games and a return costs £7 for adults, £5 for under 18's and over 66's. The buses drop you off on Holdford Road at Villa Park. The buses depart Villa Park about 20–30 minutes after the end of the game.

Taxi

There is no official drop off point for taxis. Just be prepared for long waits after the game. Uber works in Birmingham.

Cycling

Cyclists can use the covered and secure racks at the Brookvale Academy Elementary school which is located here: Google Maps. This is actually an Aston Villa Football Club school for their aspiring soccer players. It's about 2.2 miles from downtown Birmingham to Villa park. It is free to use this bicycle park.

Airport

The nearest airport to Aston Villa is Birmingham International Airport (BHX). It's about a 25 minute drive from the airport to Villa Park. I'd advise you to allow plenty of time (i.e. more than that!) because this estimate very much depends on the time of the day.

You can get to/from the airport to/from Villa Park using the train. Although you will have to change trains at Birmingham New Street station in the middle of downtown. From there, there are trains to Aston station or Witton station which are the two nearest train stations. From Birmingham New Street train station, you can also take the shuttle bus which departs nearby.

You can take a taxi, but this will be expensive. We would recommend the train.

Inside Villa Park there are the usual fast food options and alcohol for sale. Villa has the famous Chicken Tikka and chips (french fries). It's been voted the Premier League's best food in 2023. Available from The Panjabi Grill inside the stadium. It also has excellent curries and kebabs too.

Outside Villa Park the pubs to visit include:

• Witton Arms: Packed on match days with Villa fans. https://maps.app.goo.gl/qEEq3DsXrYxatV5K7
• The Sacred Heart Club: Pub on the South side of Villa Park. https://maps.app.goo.gl/Bew1PdmW4r5oNbGv8
• The Holte Pub: Another fan favourite. https://maps.app.goo.gl/HR4TCygk6RWz6cpNA
• The Yew Tree: Gets very busy. https://maps.app.goo.gl/6FaSjknjKvg6xx4m8
• The Aston Inn: A hotel that on match days gets very busy. https://theastoninn.co.uk/
• The Aston Tavern: Another hotel that on match days becomes a Villa pub. https://maps.app.goo.gl/8U9E74sx5oBJfcD46

For food there is a Tesco supermarket next to the Witton Arms pub. Note that only clear plastic bottles of less than 500ml (17oz) are permitted. It's here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2UoWCCMHwq6bJbSp6

There's a Subway sandwich shop also located there: https://maps.app.goo.gl/rk2Fnb1sdBV8ZfLu5

Around that area are various independent fast food places from Jamaican jerk chicken to Fish and Chips (french fries rather than potato chips).

In downtown Birmingham there are numerous better food options. Birmingham is known for having a large South Asian diaspora, and is famous for its excellent Indian curries. Well worth trying if you're in the UK. Try one of these places which are both excellent:

• Dishoom Birmingham: https://maps.app.goo.gl/WrbnFNvzJcYTP8VG8
• Asha's Indian Restaurant & Cocktail Bar: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nKMtWKZZBxjSPnjn9

• What to Wear: Claret (purple) or neutral — never rival shirts (and blue which is the color of local rivals Birmingham City FC).
• Entry Process: Digital tickets scanned at turnstiles. Bring ID and a power bank just in case.
• Atmosphere: Holte End is loud, Trinity Road and Doug Ellis are calmer. Standing is common.
• Languages: Website is available in English, Arabic, and Spanish.
• Apple Wallet / Google Wallet: Supported – download your ticket in advance as mobile networks may be overloaded near the stadium.
• Cashless Stadium: All payments inside Villa Park are by card or mobile pay (e.g. Apple Pay). No cash accepted.
• Nearest ATM: Located at Tesco Express – Google Maps
• Food & Drink: Standard stadium fare; some vegan options available. No alcohol can be brought in. Bottled drinks with caps will have caps removed on entry.
• Entry Time: Stadium gates open 90 minutes before kickoff. No re-entry if you leave.
• Bag Policy: Avoid bringing bags. One turnstile per area remains open until halftime for latecomers.
• Smoking/Vaping: No smoking/vaping inside the stadium. You can be given an instant fine for smoking/vaping in a non-permitted area.

To see the players arrive: Hang around the car park between the Trinity Road and North Stand about 90 minutes before kickoff.

Make sure to wear suitable clothing. It can be wet and cold and not only during winter.

Villa Park is a cashless stadium.

Small bags are ok but large bags are not allowed. There is no storage facilities for luggage. Expect bags to be searched thoroughly.

Tickets are now becoming digital meaning you should download your ticket to your smartphone. We recommend doing so well before you get to the stadium as data networks often get overloaded before and during games. You add them to Apple and Google Wallets. Or you can download the official Aston Villa app and store them there: https://www.avfc.co.uk/app/

Villa Park opens 90 minutes before the game starts.

The Villa Store is located: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pWvzmDRPgfrm3Zbd9

There are a number of Restricted View Tickets:

• Restricted View: One goalmouth impaired
• Obstructed View: A large part of the pitch is blocked
• Severely Obstructed: Major view issues – check booking details carefully

Aston Villa have three tours available of their stadium: Weekday Tour, Weekend Tour and Legends Tour.

The Weekday and Weekend tours are actually the same tours except one is Monday to Friday and the other (you may have guessed this already) is on Saturday or Sunday.

All three are guided tours and give you access to the same areas: Home locker room, soccer field, press conference, media center, photo opportunities with trophies, players tunnel, etc.

Whilst the Weekday and Weekend Tours are guided by a Villa expert, on the Legends Tour you are guided by an Aston Villa Legend who will be an ex-Villa men's player. In the past the legends have been Nigel Spink, Tony Daly, and Nathon Baker.

The Weekday Tours are available between 10am and 5pm (UK times). The Weekend Tours are available Saturday between 10am and 8pm (UK times), and on Sundays between 11am and 4pm.

Ticket Type	Weekday	Weekend	Legends
Adult	£23	£26	£48
Under 14's	£18	£23	–

Parking for visiting disabled supporters is available on the away coach park. Away clubs will be sent an allocation of permits which need to be purchased in advance from that club. Please note that accessible parking cannot be purchased on the day of the game.

There are wheelchair positions available for fans to buy tickets on a match by match basis located within the Trinity Road Stand. There are three accessible entrances for supporters. There are a smaller number available in the Holte End Stand too.

If you require an ambulant supporter, please contact the Clubs Disability Access Officer (accessibility@avfc.co.uk) when looking to book tickets for the first time.

There are two sensory rooms available inside the North Stand. These can be booked on a match by match basis.

Guide dogs can be brought into Villa Park, please contact the Clubs Disability Access Officer (accessibility@avfc.co.uk) when looking to book tickets for the first time. You can also obtain headsets free of charge that provides an audio commentary. There are a number of induction loops at Villa Park: North Stand reception, Villa Village Ticket Office, Villa Village shop, Trinity Road Ticket Office, Trinity Road Stand Reception, and the Security Lodge. A British Sign Language Interpreter is also available on match days too. Please contact the Clubs Disability Access Officer (accessibility@avfc.co.uk) or head to the North Stand reception.

There are a number of disabled bathrooms:

• North Stand Lower accessible toilet located in the Gas Lamp Lounge. (Hospitality section)
• North Stand Upper accessible toilet located outside sensory rooms. (Hospitality section)
• Trinity Upper accessible toilet located in the corridor outside the Heineken Lounge. (Hospitality section)
• Doug Ellis Upper block P accessible toilet located on the mezzanine level. (Hospitality section)
• Holte End Lower accessible toilet located in the Holte Suite.
• Away fans in Q block, the accessible bathroom is located in the concourse area and there are two additional accessible bathrooms located within the accessible entrance.

There is also a changing room facility located in the lower Trinity Road Stand. It's located near Block C9.

You will need a RADAR key to enter these bathrooms. You can ask the nearest steward who will be happy to assist you.

Lift access is available in the Trinity Road Stand, from ground to upper levels of the stadium bowl. The lift can be accessed via turnstiles 97-103, located close to the McGregor statue outside the Trinity Road Reception. There is no lift access available for the Holte End upper, Doug Ellis upper or the North Stand.

Email: accessibility@avfc.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)333 323 1874

• Official Ticket Site
• Membership Info
• Hospitality Options
• Stadium Tours
• Ticket Resellers for International Fans
• Download the Official Aston Villa app
• Aston Villa Disabled Fans Group