Lily Allen at Rod Laver Arena 28 and 29 October 2026: Gates 6pm, Show 8pm, Bags A4 or Smaller, Parking $20 If Booked (Melbourne, VIC)

Lily Allen plays Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October 2026: gates open at 6pm, the show starts at 8pm and it is due to finish about 10:10pm. Bags must be A4 size or smaller, and the fastest way in is the Route 70 tram or a walk from Richmond or Jolimont station. This guide uses Rod Laver Arena’s own event, travel, parking and conditions-of-entry pages, read on 26 October 2026. Melbourne is on daylight saving time (AEDT), so these are local times.

What time do the gates open and when does the show start?

The Rod Laver Arena event page lists the same running times for both nights, and says they are approximate and can change without notice:

What	Time
General public gates open	6pm
Show start	8pm
Event concludes	10:10pm

Other pages show different times. The event page header gives 7:30pm, and Transport Victoria’s list of events at Melbourne Park gives 7pm for both nights. The venue’s running times are the ones to plan around. The page does not name a support act or give set times, so those are not confirmed here. The venue says the show performs the album West End Girl in its entirety, and that it is Lily Allen’s first Melbourne show in over seven years.

Each gate is for a different ticket type, according to the venue:

• Gate 3, via Garden Square: General Admission
• Gate 4, via Olympic Boulevard: reserved seating and suites
• Gate 5, via Olympic Boulevard: VIP

How do I get to Rod Laver Arena by tram or train?

The venue calls public transport the quickest and easiest option and says Melbourne Park is a 10-minute walk from the CBD via Birrarung Marr or Tanderrum Bridge. Transport Victoria says it is running extra trams to and from events at the precinct, and that if you use Journey Planner within 14 days of the event you will see the extra services. Both nights are inside that window now.

Option	What the venue says
Tram 70	From Flinders Street or Richmond Station; stops at Rod Laver Arena (Stop 7B), John Cain Arena (Stop 7C) and AAMI Park (Stop 7D)
Trams 48 and 75	Stop at the MCG on Wellington Parade
Train	Richmond, Jolimont, Flinders Street and Town Hall stations
Bus 246	Stops at the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Punt Road

Other events run at the same time on Wednesday 28 October: Transport Victoria lists the Constellation Cup netball, Australian Diamonds against the Silver Ferns, at John Cain Arena at 7:30pm. For the full set of stops, our Melbourne Park getting-there guide has the walking routes.

Can I park, and what does it cost?

Yes. Parking is at the Eastern Plaza Car Park, Entrance D on Olympic Boulevard. The venue’s parking page gives event-day rates of $20 pre-booked and $30 drive-up, and says pre-booking saves 30%. Bookings close at midnight the night before the event, so for the 28 October show that is midnight on Tuesday 27 October. The venue strongly recommends pre-booking because drive-up spaces are subject to availability.

If the car park is sold out, the venue lists nearby private operators: Yarra Park (MCG), Secure Parking and Wilson Parking. It also says limited on-street parking is available along the Yarra River at the Royal Botanic Gardens.

For drop-off and pick-up, every visitor has 20 minutes, and exceeding that may result in parking charges. Guests with reduced mobility can be dropped off at the Northern Car Park (Entrance A, Batman Avenue). Taxis use the rank next to Melbourne Park Oval on Olympic Boulevard, and rideshare drop-off and pick-up is outside John Cain Arena on Olympic Boulevard. The venue asks you not to order a rideshare until you reach the pick-up point.

What can I bring in?

The event page says bags must be A4 size or smaller and larger bags are not permitted. Cloaking is at the Information Desk at Gate 4 or at Show Court 3, and anything on the prohibited list will not be accepted for cloaking. The Conditions of Entry add that all items are visually inspected on entry. The prohibited list includes:

• Alcohol
• Glass and cans, metal or hard plastic containers, and plastic bottles over 750ml; the venue says whether metal drink bottles are allowed can vary by event
• Chairs and stools
• Professional cameras and audio or video recording devices, tripods, selfie sticks and detachable lenses above 300mm
• Bicycles, scooters, skateboards and skates
• Flags and banners over 1 metre
• Musical instruments including air horns, drones and laser lights
• Any large item that cannot be placed under a seat

Umbrellas must be cloaked unless stored under your seat and not opened inside. Smoking and vaping are not allowed inside or within 10 metres of external doors and food and beverage outlets. All retail outlets at this event are cashless, so bring a card. In the General Admission area, the venue says studded belts and bracelets, large earrings and bags are not permitted, and moshing and crowd-surfing can get you removed. It also notes the event may contain flashing lights, lasers, strobes, haze and pyrotechnics.

Can I cycle, and can I leave and come back in?

The venue encourages cycling. Bicycle parking is on Olympic Boulevard, outside Rod Laver Arena and John Cain Arena, and you must bring your own lock. The venue says management is not responsible for loss or damage to bicycles parked on site. Bicycles themselves cannot be taken inside the arena.

On re-entry, the Conditions of Entry say pass outs may be permitted at some events. If one is allowed, you scan out and present a valid ticket to get back in. If pass outs are not permitted, you cannot re-enter once you leave. The event page does not say which applies to Lily Allen, so ask staff at the gate before you step out.

Which ticket app do I need?

Melbourne Park is moving to AXS as its ticketing partner. The venue says that if you bought Lily Allen tickets through Ticketek before 22 August, your booking stays valid and you use your Ticketek tickets. Tickets bought from 22 August onwards are issued by AXS. Ticketek holders should download their tickets to a digital wallet, and AXS holders should download the AXS app and set up an account.

The Conditions of Entry say a screenshot of a digital ticket may be accepted if the barcode or QR code is clearly visible and scannable, but staff can refuse entry if they doubt it, and the venue recommends the official app where possible. Children aged 2 and under are generally allowed in without a ticket if they sit on a parent’s or guardian’s knee, and anyone under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over 18.

Accessible parking must be booked in advance through your event page on AXS (select Accessible Parking under Available Offers). If that option is not shown, the venue gives the AXS number 1800 316 964. Accessible parking booked through Ticketek before 22 August remains valid.

Sources

• Rod Laver Arena — Lily Allen, Performs West End Girl (running times, bags, ticketing; checked 26 October 2026)
• Rod Laver Arena — Getting Here
• Rod Laver Arena — Parking
• Rod Laver Arena — Conditions of Entry
• Transport Victoria — Events at Melbourne Park (extra trams, Journey Planner)

Featured image: Lily Allen performing at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles in 2018, not at Rod Laver Arena (photo: Justin Higuchi / CC BY 2.0) (text added)

OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Lily Allen, Melbourne Park, AXS, Ticketek or Transport Victoria. Times and rules can change; check the venue’s event page before you go.