NEC Birmingham this weekend means Friday 13 to Sunday 15 November 2026, and four events share the campus. The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show and the Mind Body Spirit Festival both run all three days. Atif Aslam plays bp pulse LIVE on Friday, and Shinedown play there on Saturday. The pinch points come at closing time, around 5pm to 6pm, when exhibition visitors leave as concert doors open at 6pm.
This guide covers the timetable, parking, drop-off, the road situation and how to plan around the busiest hours. For the full detail on two of the events, follow the links to our dedicated guides.
NEC Birmingham this weekend at a glance
| Event | Friday 13 | Saturday 14 | Sunday 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Motor Show | 10am to 6pm | 9am to 6pm | 9am to 5pm |
| Mind Body Spirit Festival | 11am to 6pm | 10am to 5pm | 10am to 5pm |
| bp pulse LIVE | Atif Aslam: doors 6pm, show 7.30pm | Shinedown: doors 6pm, show 7pm | No show listed |
| City centre | Paul Heaton at Utilita Arena | Check Utilita Arena | Check Utilita Arena |
Classic Motor Show times are the organisers’ and the ticket seller’s figures. Opening times differ between sources, because the NEC’s own listing shows Friday from 9am and Saturday and Sunday from 10am. Closing times agree: 6pm on Friday and Saturday, and 5pm on Sunday. Check your ticket confirmation.
Mind Body Spirit’s times come from the festival’s exhibitor terms. AXS gives Shinedown’s times, and the NEC’s what’s on page lists the rest.
The busiest hours of the weekend
Friday, 4pm to 7pm
Friday is the pinch point. The Classic Motor Show and Mind Body Spirit both close at 6pm, and Atif Aslam’s doors open at 6pm. Expect crowded forecourts, car parks and the walkway to Birmingham International. If you can, arrive at the NEC before 4pm or after 7pm.
Saturday, 4pm to 7pm
Saturday has a similar overlap. The Classic Motor Show closes at 6pm, Mind Body Spirit closes at 5pm, and Shinedown’s doors open at 6pm. Paul McKenna also gives a 90-minute live workshop after the festival closes, according to the Express & Star, which adds to the evening crowd.
Sunday, the quiet day
Expect Sunday to be the quietest day for travel. There’s no concert on the NEC campus, and both exhibitions close at 5pm. If you only want a show visit, Sunday is the easiest day to arrange a pickup.
What’s on at the NEC this weekend
Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show
The show runs from Friday to Sunday, with the organisers quoting more than 3,000 cars and bikes, over 300 clubs and an auction. Our guide to the Classic Motor Show covers tickets, highlights and the day’s travel in detail.
Mind Body Spirit Festival
According to the Express & Star, the UK’s longest-running wellbeing festival returns to the NEC on 13 to 15 November. The programme includes workshops, a Wellbeing Studio and a main stage. A new children’s programme includes mindfulness sessions and story time. The festival lists after-hours events too, including Haunted UK Live and Paul McKenna.
Atif Aslam at bp pulse LIVE
The singer plays on Friday 13 November, with doors at 6pm and the show at 7.30pm, according to the venue’s event page. Our guide to Atif Aslam in Birmingham covers the venue, the bag and age rules and the journey home.
Shinedown at bp pulse LIVE
The rock band plays on Saturday 14 November, with Coheed and Cambria and Those Damn Crows, according to AXS. Doors open at 6pm and the show starts at 7pm. The venue’s bag policy and age limits apply, and the next section explains them.
Venue rules to know before you travel
Bags at bp pulse LIVE
bp pulse LIVE inspects all bags and recommends not bringing one. If you need to, it must be no bigger than A4 (21cm by 30cm by 19cm) and have no more than two compartments. Rucksacks aren’t allowed. If you’re visiting an exhibition first, leave bulky bags with your driver or at your hotel.
Age limits
On seated tickets, under-14s must be with an adult aged 18 or over holding a valid ticket. Standing floors don’t admit under-14s, and 14 and 15-year-olds need an adult. Check which type your tickets are, because the rules differ.
Getting to the NEC by chauffeur
Where you’re dropped off
The NEC says Veezu is its official private hire partner, with points near the main entrances. Other private hire providers drop off and pick up at the Piazza area or the Atrium entrance. Agree one with your driver, and use the NEC’s Getting Here page for the latest arrangements.
Why a pre-booked car suits this weekend
Several events end at the same time, and taxi ranks and car parks fill up together. A pre-booked car with an agreed pickup window avoids both. Our events chauffeur service page explains how event bookings work.
Fixed rates
You agree your price in advance, so queues and slow roads don’t change what you pay. Ask for a quote that covers both legs of your journey.
Parking at the NEC
Pre-book to save £5
The NEC says pre-booking saves £5 on the standard rate when you book before midnight the day before. It’s a cashless site with number plate recognition, and rates can vary by event.
Recent guides quote £13.95 to £14.95 if you pre-book. On the day they quote £18.95 to £19.95, so use the price shown when you book. A local report also says shuttle buses run from the car parks to the halls.
Leaving the car park
Car parks empty slowly at the end of the day. If you drive on Friday or Saturday, expect a long exit between 5.30pm and 7pm. Leaving earlier or later avoids the worst of it.
Station parking
Avanti lists Saturday and Sunday tickets at £9.50 for the Birmingham International station car park. Prices change, so check before you travel. Parking at the station and walking to the halls avoids the main exit queue, though the station is also busy at closing time.
The road situation near the NEC
Bickenhill Bridge
According to the NEC’s travel alert, the northern side of M42 junction 6 at Bickenhill Bridge is closed. National Highways says it removed the bridge during HS2’s planned closure and is developing a temporary solution.
Access to the airport, station and NEC remains open as normal, and diversions are in place. Follow signed routes rather than relying on satellite navigation.
Weekend M42 closures
HS2 postponed its weekend M42 closure from 23 to 26 October because of the weather. It rescheduled it for 30 October to 2 November, with backup dates of 6 to 9 November, all before this weekend. We found no closure announced for 13 to 15 November, but plans can change.
Getting to the NEC by train or air
By train
Birmingham International station is next to the NEC campus, and a covered walkway leads to the halls. West Midlands Railway, CrossCountry and Avanti West Coast all call there. Check National Rail for engineering works, and for your last train home on Friday and Saturday nights.
By air
If you’re flying in, the free Air-Rail Link connects Birmingham Airport to Birmingham International station. For a direct car with your bags, our Birmingham Airport to the NEC guide covers the route and the alternatives.
Planning your weekend: three examples
Friday: exhibition then gig
You could visit an exhibition in the afternoon and see a concert in the evening. Closing and doors overlap at 6pm, so plan for a crowd. Ask your driver to collect you after the show, at an agreed pickup point, rather than at the exhibition’s closing time.
Saturday: a longer day
The Classic Motor Show opens at 9am on Saturday and closes at 6pm. An early arrival gives you the best of the day before the crowds build. If you’re staying for the concert, agree a late pickup window.
Sunday: an easy day
With no concert on the campus, Sunday is quieter. Plan a mid-morning arrival and a pickup shortly after the 5pm closing time, which should be straightforward.
A sample Friday plan
This timeline is an illustration for two people who visit an exhibition and then see Atif Aslam. It isn’t a timetable.
- 11.00am: Arrive at the NEC and head for the halls.
- 4.30pm: Leave the exhibition before it closes at 6pm, and eat nearby.
- 6.00pm: Doors open at bp pulse LIVE, and you join a shorter queue.
- 7.30pm: Atif Aslam starts.
- 10.30pm: Meet your driver at the agreed point.
Adjust the times for your tickets and your plans. Leaving the exhibition before closing time keeps you ahead of the crowd.
Choosing a pickup window
A fixed minute is hard to meet in a crowd. Agree a window of 20 to 30 minutes after your event ends. Message your driver when you leave your seat or stand. After a concert, thousands leave together, and the first half hour is the busiest.
Travelling from across the Midlands
Visitors come to the NEC from Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry and further afield, and journey times differ. Weekend roads are less predictable than weekday ones, and Friday afternoons are busier than they look. Tell us your full address, and we’ll build your pickup time around your route and your event.
Carrying your purchases
Both exhibitions encourage spending. The Classic Motor Show has traders and an autojumble, and Mind Body Spirit has a retail area. If you buy anything bulky, a car with your driver is simpler than carrying it on a train or across a car park. Tell us what you expect to buy, so we choose a vehicle with enough room.
Groups, families and corporate guests
Groups and families
The Mercedes-Benz V-Class seats up to seven passengers, so a group or family travels together. A Mercedes-Benz E-Class or S-Class suits couples and small parties. Tell us the number of passengers and bags when you book.
Corporate guests
Companies sometimes host clients at the Classic Motor Show or a concert. Our corporate service offers fixed or pre-agreed rates, multiple authorised bookers and consolidated monthly VAT invoicing with journey-level detail. It also includes a dedicated account manager and hourly or full-day hire.
Dress for November
Mid-November is cold, and you’ll move between halls, forecourts and car parks. Wear layers and sturdy shoes, and keep a warm coat for the walk to your pickup. Keep your tickets on your phone, with the screen brightness turned up and the battery charged.
Staying overnight near the NEC
Hotels near the NEC fill up when several events share a weekend, so book early. Give us the hotel address when you arrange your transfer, and we’ll plan the short journey between the hotel and the halls.
Your NEC weekend checklist
- Check your event’s opening times and your ticket confirmation.
- Pre-book parking before midnight the day before.
- Plan around the busy hours between 4pm and 7pm.
- Follow signed diversions around junction 6.
- Check the bag rules for bp pulse LIVE.
- Agree a pickup point and a pickup window with your driver.
- Check your last train home if you travel by rail.
Book your NEC weekend chauffeur
National Executive Transfers provides fixed-price chauffeur transfers to the NEC, using Mercedes-Benz E-Class, S-Class and V-Class vehicles. Tell us your event, pickup address, group size and return plans, and we’ll confirm a fixed price. Get a quote and book online.
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Frequently Asked Questions
From 13 to 15 November 2026, the Classic Motor Show and the Mind Body Spirit Festival run all three days. Atif Aslam plays bp pulse LIVE on Friday and Shinedown play there on Saturday.
Between about 4pm and 7pm on Friday and Saturday. The exhibitions close at 5pm or 6pm, and the concert doors open at 6pm.
The NEC says other private hire providers drop off and pick up at the Piazza area or the Atrium entrance. Veezu is its official partner, with points near the main entrances.
The northern side of junction 6 at Bickenhill Bridge is closed, but access to the NEC remains open as normal. Follow signed diversions, and allow extra time.
Rates vary by event, and pre-booking saves £5 on the standard rate. Recent guides quote £13.95 to £14.95 in advance and £18.95 to £19.95 on the day, so use the price shown when you book.
bp pulse LIVE recommends not bringing one. If you do, it must be no bigger than A4, with no more than two compartments, and rucksacks aren’t allowed.
