Cricket's most iconic rivalry returns this summer as England and Australia battle once again for The Ashes.
Prepare for gripping matches filled with fierce competition, Bazball batting from Stokes, and showings from legendary bowlers like Broad and Anderson. The Ashes is a testament to the spirit of cricket, showcasing the passion and dedication of both nations as they vie for the famous urn.
With Avanti West Coast, you can find convenient and affordable trains to The Ashes locations across England. Learn more about what you can expect from the series, and how to get to each ground.
How to get to The Ashes
The Ashes takes place in five different locations and four different cities across England.
Here are the five tests, their dates, and locations for The Ashes 2023:
- First Test: Edgbaston, Birmingham - June 16-20
- Second Test: Lord's, London - June 28-July 2
- Third Test: Headingley, Leeds - July 6-10
- Fourth Test: Old Trafford, Manchester - July 19-23
- Fifth Test: The Oval, London - July 27-31
How to get to Edgbaston Cricket Grounds, Birmingham - June 16-20
To get a train to Birmingham, visitors need to get a service to Birmingham New Street. Being in the midlands, trains to Birmingham can be boarded from most places in the UK.
This includes the likes of Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston. You can get a train from London to Birmingham in under two hours.
Once in the second city, Edgbaston itself is quite tricky to get to. The ground is not close to any rail links and is a 45 minute walk from New Street. For that reason, a bus, taxi, or cycling is your best bet for getting there once you arrive in central Birmingham.
The 45 and 47 buses from New Street leave every 10 minutes or so on match days. These take around 20 minutes.
How to get to Lord's Cricket Ground, London - June 28-July 2
Lord’s closest tube station to Lord's cricket ground is St John's Wood, which is on the Jubilee line. This takes around 20 minutes and requires a change at Victoria, via the southbound Victoria line.
Another option is to take the Circle, Hammersmith & City, or Metropolitan line westbound to Baker Street. From Baker Street, you walk 20 minutes, or take the 139 or 189 bus to the ground.
If you can get a train to London Marylebone, this will be more convenient. Lord's is a short 15-minute walk from this station.
How to get to Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds - July 6-10
To get a train to Headingley, visitors need to get a service to Leeds. Trains to Leeds can be boarded from nearby cities like Manchester Piccadilly and Birmingham New Street, but also London Euston.
Trains from London to Leeds take around two hours and 20 mins.
The quickest way to get from Leeds Station to Headingley is to get a short train to Burley Park. From there it’s a 15-minute walk from the ground.
How to get to Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester - July 19-23
To get a train to Manchester visitors first need to get a service to Manchester Piccadilly. Trains to Manchester can be boarded from most places in the UK, including Birmingham New Street, Liverpool Lime Street, and London Euston.
The quickest way to get to Old Trafford cricket ground is to get a tram on the purple line. Get the purple line from Piccadilly to Old Trafford. It should take around 17 minutes. From there it’s a short walk.
How to get to The Oval Cricket Ground, London - July 27-31
To get a train to The Oval, you need to first get a service to London Euston. From here, you can get the Northern southbound to the Oval station. The ground is a two-minute walk, exit the station and the beautiful pavilion is on your left.
Alternatively, board the 159 bus from Euston, which will take you within a five-minute walk from the east side of the ground.
What to do at The Ashes
With cricket’s most famous trophy (or urn) on the line both sides are primed for huge performances. Aussies will be taking on the vocal English crowd, destined to be the 12th man in their support.
England’s new attacking style of play (coined Bazball) makes this one of the most anticipated Ashes series of the century. Two incredibly evenly matched teams. Two different styles of play. It’s sure to make for a fascinating contest.
Play starts at 11 am and finishes at 6:30 pm. There are intervals for lunch at 1 pm and tea around 3:40 pm.
Food and drink outlets are available on the grounds, but you can bring your own resources in. Picnics are typical of cricket-watching tradition. Alcohol is available to buy during the game.
About The Ashes
In one of the greatest sporting rivalries, England and Australia play each other in a series of five Test matches.
Although England and Australia first met in a Test match in Melbourne in 1877, the Ashes as we know it started with the 1882/83 series. The winners take home an urn of immense prestige.
This summer’s series between Ben Stokes' England and Pat Cummins' holders Australia is the 73rd series. The hosts are looking to win for the first time since 2015.
The term 'ashes' was first used after England lost to Australia for the first time on home soil. This was at The Oval on 29th August 1882.
A day later, a magazine created a joke obituary of English cricket, calling it the death of English cricket. It also said that "the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia".
A few weeks later, England's captain left to tour Australia, with their captain Hon Ivo Bligh vowing to return with "the ashes”. The Australian captain, WL Murdoch, vowed to defend them. Thus, The Ashes was born.
Ways to save on your train ticket to The Ashes
Along with these convenient train options, there are plenty of ways to save money as you trek across the country to watch England.
Book in advance with Avanti West Coast, which helps you save money with no booking fees. You can also save money by travelling at quieter times with Off-Peak Tickets. During the week, Off-Peak travel times fall outside the morning and late-afternoon rush hours.
Another way to save on your tickets is to buy a Railcard. Using the right Railcard helps you save up to a third on your train tickets. If you have one, remember to add a 16-25, 26-30 or Two Together Railcard to your tickets before checking out.
There are also group Railcards or Railcards to travel with one more. The Family and Friends Railcard lets you travel with up to four adults and four kids between the ages of five and 16. Give the motorway traffic a miss for once and enjoy some quality time together onboard.
Get the app
The Avanti West Coast App makes finding train tickets to grounds simple. Download it today and find the cheapest train tickets with Avanti West Coast.
As well as no booking fees, the app means you can change the date, time, or seat of your journey, as well as use the exclusive seat picker. This gives you the freedom to choose exactly where you want to sit on your train. Perfect if you need bagging storage or a toilet nearby.
Use ‘Track your Train’ to find all the information you need, from knowing the platform number before the big screens and seeing the quietest carriages on the trains. We want to make your journey as stress-free as possible.
