Foo Fighters at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday 12 November: Gates 4:30pm, Main Show 8pm, No Parking at the Stadium, Free Park and Ride and Shuttle Buses (Newcastle, NSW)

There is no general parking at McDonald Jones Stadium for Foo Fighters on Thursday 12 November, according to Transport for NSW, which also says pre-paid stadium parking will not be available. Gates open at 4:30pm, the main show starts at 8pm and finishes at 11pm. Free event parking is at Newcastle Entertainment Centre, with a free Park and Ride shuttle to the stadium.

The details below come from the Transport for NSW event page, Newcastle Transport’s Stadium shuttle page and its Foo Fighters timetable, and the promoter Frontier Touring’s tour page, all checked on 3 November 2026. For how the same ground handles other big days, see our Rugby League World Cup semi-finals guide and the Jets match guide.

What time do the gates open and the band start?

Item	Thursday 12 November
Gates open	4:30pm
Support acts from	6pm
Main show starts	8pm
Finish	11pm

These times are on the Transport for NSW event page. The promoter’s page still says set times for each act will be posted closer to the show, so the running order inside that window is not published. The promoter lists The Buoys and C.O.F.F.I.N as the support acts in Newcastle.

Can I park at the stadium?

No. Transport for NSW says there will be no general parking at McDonald Jones Stadium on concert night and pre-paid parking at the stadium will not be available for the show, unlike the Jets and Rugby League World Cup games, where parking was sold as pre-paid tickets through Ticketmaster. It tells drivers to use nearby local parking, allow extra travel time and expect heavy traffic, naming Turton Road and Griffiths Road, and points to Live Traffic NSW for conditions.

The alternative it gives is free event parking at Newcastle Entertainment Centre, with free Park and Ride shuttle buses to the stadium. Disabled parking areas are still designated close to each of the stadium’s accessible entries; to buy mobility parking, phone Ticketmaster on 136 100 or visit the Ticketmaster box office at the stadium. For passenger drop-offs, Transport for NSW says to use the allocated 10-minute loading zone in the stadium car park, with entry via the driveway off Turton Road.

How does the Park and Ride work?

Newcastle Transport’s timetable lists the Park and Ride with pick-ups at Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Doors 1 and 2, and at Broadmeadow Station on Brown Road, running approximately every five minutes to the stadium. Transport for NSW says the parking at Newcastle Entertainment Centre and the Park and Ride shuttle are both free. Neither page gives the first or last Park and Ride bus times, so leave a margin for the queue and check the Stadium shuttle page again before the show.

Are there extra trains?

Yes. Transport for NSW says the closest station is Broadmeadow on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line, about a 15 to 20-minute walk (1.5 km) from the stadium, and lists these additional trains:

Direction	Train
Getting there	From Central at 4:03pm, stopping all stations to Wyong, Morisset, Fassifern, Cardiff, Broadmeadow, Hamilton, then Newcastle Interchange
Getting home to Gosford	Leaving Newcastle at 12:01am, stopping all stations to Gosford
Getting home to Maitland	Leaving Newcastle at 11:38pm and 11:58pm, stopping all stations to Telarah and Maitland

You need an Opal card or a contactless payment card or device on public transport, except the free stadium shuttle buses. If you are coming from Sydney, Transport for NSW lists trackwork on the evening of 12 November on the T1 Western, T2, T3, T5 and T6 lines, mostly from about 9pm to 1:30am, so it matters most for the trip home. From Sydney Metro, change at Epping or Central for a Central Coast & Newcastle Line train to Broadmeadow. Put your starting station into the Trip Planner for that evening.

How do the free shuttle buses work?

According to Newcastle Transport, the stadium shuttle is free for anyone attending a major event at McDonald Jones Stadium, uses limited stops along each route, and drops off out the front of the stadium. Normal timetabled buses keep running at the same time. Transport for NSW names six services for this show: five area routes and the Park and Ride. Returning shuttles pick up on Turton Road in front of the stadium, and the last one leaves about 30 minutes after the event finishes.

Newcastle Transport’s page text says the Foo Fighters services start from 4:10pm. The timetable PDF linked from the same page lists its earliest departure as 4:42pm, from Charlestown, so plan around the timetable and treat the 4:10pm line as unconfirmed.

Shuttle	Pick-up stops (in timetable order)	Departures from the first stop	Arrivals at the stadium
1 Newcastle Interchange	Newcastle Interchange, Stand C	Every 10 minutes from 4:45pm to 7:55pm (4:45pm, 4:55pm, 5:05pm and so on)	13 minutes later, from 4:58pm to 8:08pm
2 Charlestown and Kotara	Charlestown, Frederick St, Stand C; Westfield Kotara, Northcott Dr	Every 10 minutes from 4:42pm to 7:52pm	From 5:00pm; the last at 8:10pm
3 Glendale and Cardiff	Glendale City Centre, Stand D; Main Rd opposite Cardiff Station	4:52pm, 5:06pm, 5:13pm, 5:20pm, 5:34pm, 5:48pm, 6:02pm, 6:09pm, 6:16pm, 6:30pm, 6:44pm, 6:58pm, 7:05pm, 7:12pm, 7:26pm and 7:40pm	5:22pm for the first; 8:10pm for the last
4 Wallsend and Jesmond	Bunn St, opposite Wallsend Village; Jesmond, Newcastle and Blue Gum Rds	Every 10 minutes from 4:50pm to 7:50pm	From 5:10pm; the last at 8:10pm
5 Mayfield and Waratah	Mayfield, Industrial Dr near William St; Platt St, opposite Waratah Station	Every 10 minutes from 4:52pm to 7:52pm	From 5:10pm; the last at 8:10pm
Park and Ride	Broadmeadow Station, Brown Rd; Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Doors 1 and 2	Running approximately every 5 minutes (the timetable gives no start or end time)	Not listed

Shuttle 3 runs on an uneven pattern, so check the exact departure for your stop in the original timetable. The last scheduled arrival at the stadium is 8:10pm, which is after the 8pm main-show start on Transport for NSW’s page. The PDF lists the Cardiff Station stop 11 minutes after Glendale City Centre on the early services, and the Westfield Kotara stop 12 minutes after Charlestown.

What about light rail and the ferry?

Newcastle light rail runs from 5am to 1am daily between Newcastle Interchange and Pacific Park, and from 7pm to 1am services run every 10 minutes, according to Transport for NSW. Take light rail to Newcastle Interchange, then change for a shuttle bus to the stadium or a train to Broadmeadow. Newcastle Transport says the last tram from Newcastle Interchange leaves at 1am. Our Newcastle fares guide explains tapping on and off.

Ferries run between Stockton and Queens Wharf approximately every 20 minutes, and additional late-night ferries leave Queens Wharf every half hour from 11:30pm to 1am. Newcastle Transport says the last ferry from Queens Wharf to Stockton departs at 1am. From Queens Wharf, change for light rail to Newcastle Interchange, or catch a route 13 bus from King Street near Perkins Street to Lambton Road.

Where do taxis and rideshare go?

Transport for NSW says a designated taxi, rideshare and minibus zone will operate on Young Road on concert night. Young Road will have one-way traffic, with access via Womboin Road, and after the concert you follow signage to Young Road for pick-up. Newcastle Taxis is on 13 33 00.

Which regular buses go to the stadium?

The closest bus stops are on Turton Road and Lambton Road, and regular routes 13, 23, 25, 26 and 27 run towards the stadium. Regular fares apply on these, unlike the free shuttles. The Jets’ stadium page recommends route 27 for games.

What do tickets cost?

Frontier Touring lists these ticket prices, which include GST and are quoted before booking fees, as of November 2026:

Ticket type	Price
Front general admission standing field	$249.90
Rear general admission standing field	$199.90
A Reserve seating	$249.90
B Reserve seating	$199.90
C Reserve seating	$149.90
D Reserve seating	$99.90

The promoter says fees and charges vary by ticket type and delivery method, and that a limited number of AXS Premium tickets are sold at prices that will not exceed $624.75. AXS is the authorised ticketing agency, and the limit is eight tickets per purchaser per show. Visit Newcastle describes it as the band’s first visit to Newcastle.

Can I bring children?

The promoter lists the show as licensed all ages. It recommends the event for patrons aged 5 and over, says patrons aged 14 and under must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times, and recommends the general admission standing areas for patrons aged 15 and over. The promoter’s page also links to venue accessibility information and a ticket buying guide.

What is still to come?

• Park and Ride hours, and a firm shuttle start time.
• Set times for each act, which the promoter says will be posted closer to the show.
• Robbie Williams on Tuesday 17 November and Guns N’ Roses on Tuesday 8 December are listed on the shuttle page with their timetables still to come.

Sources

• Transport for NSW — Foo Fighters, McDonald Jones Stadium (checked 3 November 2026)
• Newcastle Transport — Stadium shuttle
• Newcastle Transport — Foo Fighters 2026 shuttle services timetable (PDF)
• Frontier Touring — Foo Fighters 2026/2027 (ticket prices, ages, support acts)
• Visit Newcastle — Foo Fighters Take Cover Tour 2026
• Newcastle Jets — Our stadium

Featured image: McDonald Jones Stadium at night, photographed in 2015 when it was called Hunter Stadium (photo: Holdenman05 / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)

OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Foo Fighters, Frontier Touring, AXS, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle Transport or Transport for NSW. Times and arrangements can change; check the official pages above before you go.