National Festival of Railway Modelling 2026 (Formerly Warley) at the NEC: Parking, Early Entry and Getting There

The National Festival of Railway Modelling at the NEC runs on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November 2026 in Hall 5. It’s the show formerly known as Warley. Pre-booked ticket holders get in 30 minutes early, from 9:30am, and can book NEC parking for £10 until 23:59 on Friday 20 November.

This guide covers the hours, ticket types and early entry, then parking, the train and where a taxi or private hire car stops for Hall 5. It also covers the other events sharing the NEC campus that weekend, and what to expect once you’re inside.

Details last checked on 3 November 2026. Opening times, prices and travel notices can change, so confirm them on the organiser’s and the NEC’s websites.

National Festival of Railway Modelling NEC at a glance

What’s on at the festival

The organiser describes the show as the UK’s biggest model railway exhibition. It lists more than 65 layouts, over 120 traders, brands and retailers, and clubs and societies. A World of Railways stage hosts talks and demonstrations, and the show has family attractions, including a free ride-on train and a Marble Express train game. Rapido Trains UK sponsors the 2026 event.

The show was previously known as Warley, so some visitors will still search for the old name. If you have an older ticket or a friend’s recommendation from the Warley days, the venue, hall and organiser details above are the ones to follow.

Tickets and early entry

What the tickets cost

Advance booking is recommended, because advance tickets include early entry and cost less than buying on the day. On-the-day tickets are card only, with Visa and Mastercard accepted. Bookings are non-refundable.

A weekend ticket costs £45, which is £5 less than two advance adult tickets at £25 each. It only makes sense if you’re sure you’ll go on both days.

How early entry works

Pre-booked ticket holders can enter from 9:30am, 30 minutes before the show opens to everyone at 10am. That gives you a head start at the busiest trader stands and the more popular layouts. The early slot only helps if you arrive in time, so plan your journey around 9:30am, not 10am.

Carers and access

If a visitor needs a full-time companion, the organiser offers a companion ticket. Supporting documents must be emailed by 13 November 2026. The organiser says only Class 2 mobility scooters or electric wheelchairs with a maximum speed of 4mph are allowed in the show, and that you can hire scooters from the NEC.

Saturday or Sunday?

Saturday runs from 10am to 5pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, so Saturday gives you an extra hour. Saturday also has an evening concert on the campus, which we cover below. On Sunday morning, trains in the Rugby area run to an amended timetable, which can affect journeys from London.

If you can only go on one day, the choice comes down to your travel. A Saturday visitor from the Midlands has the longer day. A Sunday visitor who is driving from further away avoids the Saturday evening campus crowd but should check the rail notice. Check the NEC and bp pulse LIVE listings for Sunday evening before you plan a late finish.

Getting to Hall 5 by train

The NEC is a five-minute walk from Birmingham International station, and the walk is covered. From Birmingham New Street, exhibitors’ travel guides give the journey as 10 to 15 minutes. For a show that attracts a lot of rail enthusiasts, the train is the obvious choice.

Check National Rail before you travel. On Sunday 22 November, trains in the Rugby area run to an amended timetable before 11:50, which can affect services from London. Saturday has no engineering work on the Birmingham route that we could find, but timetables change, so check on the day.

Parking at the NEC for the festival

The £10 offer and how parking works

Pre-booked ticket holders can secure parking for £10 by booking before 23:59 on Friday 20 November. The discount code is in your Eventbrite confirmation email. If you don’t book by then, standard NEC parking applies, and the NEC says you save £5 on the standard rate by pre-booking before midnight on the day before you arrive.

The NEC runs an ANPR car park, which reads your number plate. On arrival, ignore your sat nav and follow the digital signs to the car park your event has been allocated. The NEC says pre-paid parking isn’t tied to a particular car park.

Arrival times and car park hours

NEC car parks normally open from 08:00, with special access for events that start earlier. For a 9:30am early entry, aim to arrive around 8:45am to 9:15am. Depending on your car park, you may walk to Hall 5 or use a shuttle bus, so allow extra time.

Blue Badge, coaches and minibuses

Blue Badge parking is next to Hall 5, and the NEC says it’s allocated first come, first served. Check the NEC’s Blue Badge guidance before you travel, because the NEC may inspect badges. Minibus parking is for vehicles with 10 to 25 seats, and coach parking is for vehicles with more than 25 seats. Overnight parking is allowed only if you’ve pre-booked it.

Taxis and private hire at Hall 5

What the NEC says

The NEC lists Veezu as its official private hire partner, with dedicated pick-up and drop-off points near the main entrances. Any other private hire provider drops off at the Piazza drop-off and pick-up area, or at the Atrium entrance. Taxi ranks sit outside the main entrances.

NET isn’t the NEC’s official partner, so our cars use the Piazza or the Atrium. Hall 5 is on the Piazza side of the campus, according to venue guides, so the Piazza is the natural set-down point for this show. Tell your driver which hall you’re visiting, and we’ll agree the stop before the day.

Step-free drop-off

If anyone has accessibility needs, ask your taxi company to tell the gate staff. The NEC says it can then let the car through to the drop-off or pick-up point closest to the venue. Tell us when you book, and we’ll pass that on.

Carrying your purchases

Model railway shopping adds weight and awkward boxes. The cloakroom next to the hall costs £2 per coat and £3 per bag, and opens 30 minutes before the show. It closes when the show closes, and you can’t leave items overnight. If you’re buying large or fragile boxes, agree your pickup point before you start shopping, and keep the pickup time flexible.

If a transfer looks like the better fit, our events chauffeur service explains how pre-booked event transfers work, with the fare agreed in advance.

The weekend’s other events on the NEC campus

The festival isn’t the only event on the campus that weekend. The table shows what we know about the busiest times.

Our guide to Festive Gift Fair parking and travel covers the same weekend from the shopper’s side. If you’re staying on for the evening, our guide to Deep Purple at bp pulse LIVE explains how the evening crowd moves.

Planning your day at the show

A sample timeline

The table is an illustration. Adjust it for your journey and your ticket type.

Facilities and rules

The organiser lists snacks and hot and cold drinks, and cash points around the venue. First aid is upstairs in the Piazza, next to the newsagent. Traders may take cash, card or both, depending on the stand, so carry a card and some cash. Smoking and vaping are only allowed in the designated areas outside the Piazza entrance, in the Piazza garden and off the Atrium main entrances.

Getting your bearings on the campus

The NEC is a large site, and the show is only one of several events that weekend. Our NEC Birmingham guide explains the campus layout, the entrances and the nearby facilities, which helps if you’ve never visited before.

Families and children

Children aged 5 to 16 pay £8, and families can buy a £58 ticket. The show has a free ride-on train and a Marble Express train game for younger visitors. The cloakroom is useful in November, because coats and bags are heavy on a long day.

For clubs and groups

If your model railway club is travelling together, the Mercedes V-Class takes up to seven passengers and seven bags, which suits a small group with shopping. For larger groups, several cars with matched timing work well, and the NEC has minibus and coach parking if you’d prefer to travel in one vehicle. Tell us the group size, your pickup addresses and your preferred return time when you book.

Your checklist for 21 or 22 November

• Book an advance ticket for early entry from 9:30am.
• Pre-book parking for £10 before 23:59 on Friday 20 November.
• Follow the NEC’s digital signs, not your sat nav.
• Check National Rail if you’re travelling on Sunday morning.
• Agree a drop-off at the Piazza, and a pickup point and time with your driver.
• Bring a card, and some cash for traders.
• Use the cloakroom for coats and bags.
• Leave dogs at home, unless they’re assistance dogs.

Book your transfer to the NEC

National Executive Transfers provides fixed-price chauffeur transfers across Birmingham and the Midlands, using Mercedes-Benz E-Class, S-Class and V-Class vehicles. Tell us your day, pickup address, group size and return time, and we’ll plan the journey around the festival. Get a quote and book online.

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