ST ANDREWS - BIRMINGHAM
AWAY FANS:
Away supporters are housed on one side of the Railway Stand's lower tier where the normal allocation is 3,000 tickets, but this can be increased to around 4,500 for cup games. There are Birmingham fans housed above the away supporters, as well as to the other side of the stand (fans are separated by plastic netting). The facilities and the view from this stand are pretty good. It is worth bearing mind that a certain section of Birmingham fans can make for an intimidating atmosphere for away supporters. I would advise as a precaution to keep your club colours covered around the ground or in the city centre.
PUBS:
The pubs near to the ground can be quite intimidating for away supporters and are not recommended. Best to drink in the city centre and get a taxi to the ground (about £5). If you are walking to the ground from the city centre, then you may care to stop at the Anchor Pub on Bradford Street. The pub is situated just behind Digbeth coach station. Otherwise alcohol is served within the ground.
If you coming by train, or decide to drink in the city centre beforehand, visit the Wellington Pub on Bennetts Hill. 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 (which is no smoking) on Bennetts Hill as well.
BY CAR:
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 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.
CAR PARKING
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 businesses that offer parking facilities for around £4-£5.
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. If you arrive at New Street Station in the city centre, either walk to Snow Hill (ten minutes) take a taxi (about £4) or embark on the 20 minute walk to the ground.
As you come onto the concourse of New St station, bear to the left of the escalators and through the glass doors. Walk down towards to the end of the Station Service Road. Cross to the other side of the road at the bottom (where there is a new shopping centre) turn right and follow the purple pedestrian signs for Digbeth Coach Station. These will see you descending a flight of stairs at the side of the shopping centre on your left and then going down a road with the Markets on your right and a large church on your left. Follow this road around to the right and then take the next left to take you up to the main dual carriage way. Turn right along the dual carriageway, passing Digbeth Coach Station on your right and the impressive looking Crown Pub on your left. Cross over the dual carriageway to the Crown pub side of the road and continue walking away from the City Centre. You will come to a fork in the road where you want to bear left going underneath a railway bridge. Passing the Clements Arms on your left just continue straight down this road, crossing a large roundabout (with a McDonalds over on one corner). 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's 96, 97, 58 & 60. The 97 & 98 can be found in Carrs Lane in the city centre. As you come off the platform and onto the station concourse, go straight up the escalators in front of you. At the top the escalators turn left and keep in that direction so that you leave the shopping centre by going down a long ramp. Turn right at the bottom the ramp into New Street and continue to the bottom. Then turn left into the High St and just past Marks & Spencers on the right is Carrs Lane. Turn into Carrs Lane and the bus stops are down on the left by the church.