I've been there a few times by car and the parking is always the "interesting" bit of the journey. Leave an extra 40- 60 mins just for the parking bit, as the queues are usually quite long to get into the carparks. Make a note of where you are parked too...which carpark and which entrance you are nearest to the exhibition centre, as when you come out, it is really easy to get disorientated, especially if it's dark.
The queues last year went right back to the motorway turn off, so I can only guess how long it took for people to get parked...I went by coach last year and the year before....but previous to that I've been by car. I've never managed to get parked in under 30 mins and coming out can take over an hour just to get out of the carpark. It's a busy, busy weekend and the roads just don't seem capable of taking that much traffic.
The queues last year went right back to the motorway turn off, so I can only guess how long it took for people to get parked...
On a Thursday you will have to allow for local 'rush-hour traffic. We went on the Sunday in 2005 (the busiest day) and parking was a dream the roads were so quiet, if it hadn't been for the huge numbers of the dogs at the hotel we stayed in in Coventry, we would have believed we had the wrong day
We found the parking areas busy, but very well co-ordinated, and like many others, we walked over to the buildings rather than use the free bus service.
That said, the whole area around the NEC (M42 / A45 interchange) is a known traffic trouble spot, and there are few occasions where you will have a straight run through without any hold ups
Never been to crufts but we were at the NEC on the 17th of this month for the motorhome show and the queue was right back over the mlotorway bridge and onto slip road.once into car parks it is well organised with lots of traffic people guiding you along,but as someone said make a note of where you are parked the carparks are numbered.we were parked quite away from the main entrance so we got one of there shuttle buses be prepared to be squashed in like sardines.
Hope you enjoy it .
I managed to loose my car and after 60 mins of looking for it realised that I was in the wrong car park, I felt so stupid but it is very easy to get confused - my excuse anyway!
It got worse there was a bun fight to get out of the car park and this took a further hour and a half as no one way prepared to give way the whole thing was gridlocked and no one controlling the traffic.
Saying all that I'm still driving this year but travelling up the night before.
Would love to meet up with you on Sunday but will be showing a Yorkshire Terrier in the morning in Hall 5. Look in a catalogue and come and find me his name is Pyrgus Moody Blues.
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Hi all some info from you seasoned Crufts goers please 
It's a busy, busy weekend and the roads just don't seem capable of taking that much traffic. 
