Official Ticketing Guide
Accessible version
Contents
Official Ticketing Guide
Accessible version
Share the Dream
Your chance to be part of history
Six simple steps to witness greatness
Further Information
Accommodation to suit everyone
Accessible seating
Free public transport on event day
TRANSPORT OPTIONS
Ticket Pricing
The history of a modern sporting spectacular
Largest integrated Para-Sport program
Ceremonies
Athletics
Badminton
Basketball
Beach Volleyball
Boxing
Cycling Mountain Bike
Cycling Road
Cycling Track
Diving
Gymnastics Artistic
Gymnastics Rhythmic
Hockey
Lawn Bowls
Netball
Para Powerlifting
Rugby Sevens
Shooting
Squash
Swimming
Table Tennis
Triathlon
Weightlifting
Wrestling
Venues
Queen’s Baton Relay
Arts and Cultural program
Queensland - Welcoming the world
Gold Coast - A captivating city by the sea
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply
Ticket request process
Payment and prices
Seating
Help
Terms and conditions
General
Share the Dream
There is nothing quite like competing on the world stage in front of your family and friends. As a proud Gold Coaster, I can’t wait to welcome you to the only city I’ve ever called home.
I’m honoured to be an Official Ambassador for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) and to be a part of Australia’s largest sporting event this decade.
The Gold Coast is excited and ready for GC2018. Each week as I drive past the Commonwealth Games Village at Parkwood on the way to study at Griffith University, it fills me with a great sense of pride knowing that the Gold Coast is going to be showcased to the world from 4 April, 2018.
With a range of affordable ticket prices on offer and free public transport for valid ticket holders on event day, spectators have no better reason than to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
I invite you to join me as we share the dream to showcase Queensland and Australia to the rest of the world.
Cameron McEvoy, GC2018 Ambassador, dual Olympian and Commonwealth Games medallist
Your chance to be part of history
11 incredible days of world class sporting competition
The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) represents a defining moment for the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia and for the Commonwealth Games.
From 4-15 April 2018, over 6,600 athletes and team officials from 70 nations and territories will converge on the Gold Coast to deliver 11 unforgettable days of world class sporting competition.
An extravaganza of 18 sports, including the first ever presentation of Beach Volleyball at a Commonwealth Games, and the largest integrated para-sport program ever, will be presented in the first large-scale multi-sport spectacle to be hosted in Australia for over a decade.
For the first time in the history of a major multi-sport Games, there will be an equal number of medal events for men and women across all sports.
Whilst the action focuses on the Gold Coast, events will also be hosted in Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville to ensure that the benefits and excitement of the Games spread far and wide.
For over a million lucky ticket holders, the experience will be live, loud and unforgettable.
We want passionate fans in every seat, so the ticketing program is inclusive, accessible and affordable to make it simple for everyone to enjoy the Games.
Six simple steps to witness greatness
GC2018 will showcase the largest sports competition schedule in Commonwealth Games history.
Boasting the largest medal event program and the most number of sessions at a Commonwealth Games, GC2018 presents spectators with a wide variety of sports, venues and experiences to choose from.
As a result, it is important to plan ahead prior to ticket requests opening on 24 April.
Our six step graphic opposite explains the process simply and this guide will offer you all the information you require to help you create the most memorable experience possible.
In order to make it fair for everyone, tickets will initially be available via a Ticket Request phase. Ticket requests will be accumulated over a four-week period. No orders will be confirmed or payments taken until after the Ticket Request phase closes.
You can place a ticket request at any time during this phase. No preference will be given to the time of day or date a ticket request is placed.
Any sessions that have more ticket requests than there is availability will have tickets awarded via a fair and equal draw by computer and will be processed randomly.
Placing a ticket request does not guarantee success, but it does provide applicants with the best chance to secure tickets for the most in-demand sports sessions.
On pages 8 and 9 of this guide you will find a breakdown of ticket prices and event schedules.
Further Information
We understand that there is a lot to consider when buying tickets, so we have created a handy Frequently Asked Questions section within this guide to help you (see Page 82).
Our friendly GC2018 Ticketing Customer Service Centre staff are also available to answer your questions and, if required, assist in placing your request for tickets.
Phone1300 21 2018
International+61 7 3404 6735
- Midday 24 April: Ticket requests begin:
- Go to our website
- Take your time to consider what you want
- Place a request for tickets up until 22 May
- No orders will be confirmed, or payments taken, until after the ticket request phase closes
- 22 May: Ticket Requests close:
- Ensure you have your ticket requests submitted
- Check your payment details are correct
- Confirm your card expiry date isn’t before August 2017
- June 2017: Confirmation of Ticket requests and Payment
- You will receive an email prior to payments being processed
- Payments to be processed in late June
- Check your account to see what tickets you have
- July 2017 – April 2018: Remaining Tickets go on sale:
- Any remaining tickets will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis
- Pay for your tickets at the time of order
- October 2017: Seat assignment
- You will be assigned your seats based on the price category, or categories, you selected
- January 2018: Ticket distribution begins:
- Tickets will be distributed from January 2018
- A courtesy email will be sent prior to tickets being distributed
- Keep up to date on all GC2018 news by signing up to our newsletter by visiting our website.
Accommodation to suit everyone
As one of Australia’s premier holiday destinations and a city famous for its thriving tourism industry, the Gold Coast has an abundance of accommodation options to choose from.
Spectators planning their GC2018 experience can explore hundreds of different accommodation options, designed to suit all tastes and budgets.
Hotels and motels are a convenient choice, while apartment accommodation caters for those who may want to prepare their own meals.
Happy campers will find a variety of tourist parks with great tent and caravan sites, along with cabins and cottages for the ‘Glampers’.Holiday houses, bed and breakfasts, houseboats, resorts and hostels are also possible options, while Homestay offers international visitors a true ‘Aussie’ home-style experience with Australian families.
Spectators are encouraged to tailor their accommodation to suit their Games itinerary. Spectators planning to attend the Beach Volleyball at Coolangatta and enjoy some of the Festival 2018 entertainment are urged to look at accommodation options at the Southern end of the Gold Coast.
For those planning to attend the Gymnastics at Coomera and Track Cycling in Brisbane, consider accommodation options in the Gold Coast hinterland, northern Gold Coast or even Brisbane.
The beauty of South East Queensland is there in a richness of fantastic places to stay, see and experience all within an 80km radius of the heart of the city – including the Gold Coast hinterland, Brisbane and Northern NSW.
Event cities Townsville and Cairns also offer unique accommodation options that cater to all tastes and budgets.
For more information regarding accommodation availability and venue proximity information visit our website.
Accessible seating
GC2018’s vision to deliver an inclusive Games also stretches further than the sporting arena and people with an accessible requirement will be provided with appropriate access at all competition venues.
For sports sessions, accessible seating tickets for wheelchair and ease-of-access will be charged at the lowest price category within each session.
For those spectators requiring a companion (a person who is essential for assistance), a ticket will be provided at no additional cost.
GC2018 will cater for a large number of people with accessible needs. However, it is recommended to request these tickets as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Free public transport on event day
To help make your GC2018 experience great, we want to make travel during the event as easy as possible.
Free public transport will be available for ticketed spectators travelling to and from competition events on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane on the South East Queensland TransLink public transport network.
In Cairns and Townsville, free travel will be available on TransLink and qconnect bus services.
Spectators will be required to present a valid GC2018 ticket for the day of travel.
Comprehensive travel and transport advice will be available for spectators in advance of and during GC2018 through a range of communication channels including a GC2018 journey planner, spectator travel guides and online travel information.
The GC2018 journey planner will enable spectators to plan their trip ahead of time and access all travel options available.
Transport Options
Spectators will be able to access competition venues and key GC2018 precincts via a range of travel options, including:
- Active modes such as walking and cycling
- GC2018 shuttle bus services from heavy rail stations and park ‘n’ ride sites
- Local bus
- Heavy rail
- Gold Coast Light Rail (G:Link)
Extra transport services will help ensure people can efficiently get to where they need to be, with dedicated Games shuttle bus services and temporary transport interchanges to provide a seamless end-to-end journey for spectators.
Ticket Pricing
- Adult tickets from $20
- Children’s tickets from $10
- Half price Children’s tickets for ages 16 and under
- 278 Competition sessions, including 4 free events
- 80% of all tickets $80 or below
- Over 55% of all tickets $40 or below
- All ticket fees included
- Opening Ceremony from $50 (children’s) and $100 (adult)
- Closing Ceremony from $35 (children’s) and $70 (adult)
A complete Competition event schedule is available online.
The history of a modern sporting spectacular
From 4-15 April, 2018, the Gold Coast will create its own slice of history when it hosts the 21st Commonwealth Games.
It will be the fifth time Australia has staged the Commonwealth Games following Sydney (1938), Perth (1962), Brisbane (1982) and Melbourne (2006) – making Australia the nation that has hosted the most number of Games.
Significantly, GC2018 will mark the first time a Commonwealth Games will be held in a regional Australian city.
The Commonwealth Games have been conducted by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) every four years (except for 1942 and 1946 due to World War II) since the first British Empire Games were held in Hamilton, Canada in 1930.
There have been many magical moments witnessed at the Commonwealth Games over the years, including the famous “Miracle Mile” at the 1954 Games when England’s Roger Bannister and Australian John Landy created history by both breaking the four-minute mile in a race.
A key player in the staging of the first Commonwealth Games was sports reporter and administrator Melville Marks (Bobby) Robinson, who helped bring to reality what Commonwealth nations had been dreaming about for three decades.
Since then, the Games have grown from an event featuring 11 countries and 400 athletes to a modern sporting spectacular that includes 70 nations and territories and over 6,600 athletes and team officials.
Important change has also been made in gender equity over the years, with GC2018 set to mark the first time in the history of a major multi-sport Games that there will be an equal number of medal events for men and women.
The size and format of the sporting competition has also grown over the years.
Up until the late 1990s, there had only ever been single competition sports before the introduction of hockey (men and women), netball (women) and Rugby Sevens (men) at the Kuala Lumpur Games in 1998.
It wasn’t until eight years later at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006 that basketball was introduced.
GC2018 will see the first ever Beach Volleyball competition – a fitting inclusion for the globally renowned beachside destination.
But the Commonwealth Games are more than just about competition.
They aim to unite the Commonwealth family through sport.
The Games reflect the CGF’s core values of humanity, equality and destiny.
They bring together members of the Commonwealth of nations to compete on a level playing field in a spirit of friendship and fair play often referred to as the ‘friendly games’.
Largest integrated Para-Sport program
GC2018 is going for gold in its quest to deliver an inclusive Games and will proudly host the largest integrated Para-Sport program in Commonwealth Games history.
GC2018 will set a new Commonwealth Games record by hosting up to 300 para-athletes and 38 medal events across seven sports – an increase of 45 per cent more athletes and 73 per cent more medals compared to the para-sport competition staged at the last Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.
The GC2018 Para-Sport program has been developed by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) with the International Paralympic Committee and other relevant international sport federations to showcase the best para-sport in the Commonwealth.
Athletics, Swimming, Lawn Bowls, Para Powerlifting, Track Cycling, Table Tennis and Para Triathlon will all be contested during the 4-15 April, 2018 event.
The swimming and athletics para programs will double in size from previous Games, while Para-triathlon will make its anticipated debut at GC2018, building on the great success of the able-bodied Triathlon competition in Glasgow 2014 and the sport’s increasing profile across the globe.
The first ever wheelchair marathon (T54) at a Commonwealth Games will take the inspirational thrill of para-sport competition to the streets and communities of the Gold Coast.
Ceremonies
Spectaculars Rarely Seen
Opening Ceremony
Opening Ceremony: On 4 April 2018, the Gold Coast will welcome thousands of fans, athletes and officials for the XXI Commonwealth Games.
This will be a momentous day for the Gold Coast as the biggest event in its history begins and sets the tone for 11 amazing days of world-class sporting competition.
There’ll be spectacular, uplifting and surprising moments of theatre, breathtaking visual effects, dancing and music.
As a showcase of culture, colour, unity and diversity, the Opening Ceremony will epitomise the spirit of the Gold Coast and Queensland.
Carrara Stadium will be the centre stage for glamour, theatre and entertainment as the venue for the Opening Ceremony.
The Commonwealth will become one for the Parade of Nations, the Competitors’ Oath and the finale to the Queen’s Baton Relay.
And you can be part of it.
Secure a seat at Carrara Stadium and become part of history.
Venue: Carrara Stadium
Tickets from: $50 (Children), $100 (Adult)
Closing Ceremony: The curtain will draw on the XXI Commonwealth Games on 15 April but not before one final celebration in true Gold Coast style.
Eleven days after a spectacular opening, the Closing Ceremony will deliver a fitting tribute to the remarkable athletic feats, extraordinary teamwork and marvellous community participation on show throughout the Games.
Carrara Stadium will host the Closing Ceremony with an emotional, fun and dazzling finale.
As the baton is passed to the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the Gold Coast will say its goodbyes and show the world that it knows a thing or two about throwing a great party.
This is your ticket to party with the Commonwealth.
Venue: Carrara Stadium
Tickets from: $35 (Children), $70 (Adult)
Athletics
Greatness Rarely Seen
The tension builds. A hush falls over the crowd. The moment has arrived. Bang.
Sprinters explode with phenomenal speed. Throwers launch with fierce power. Jumpers soar with exquisite technique. Distance athletes race with supreme endurance.
That’s just a taste of the Athletics competition.
Fans can experience the electricity of the track and field events at Carrara Stadium, the tactics of the marathon at Southport Broadwater Parklands and the toughness of the 20km race walks at Currumbin Beachfront.
History will be made with the most comprehensive para-sport athletics program in Commonwealth Games history.
Athletics originated in Ancient Greece as a competition to test the limits of human performance and that will continue right here on the Gold Coast.
Disciplines and venues:
Track & Field: Carrara Stadium
Race Walks (Free Event): Currumbin Beachfront
Marathon (Free Event): Southport Broadwater Parklands
Tickets from: $10 (Children), $20 (Adults)
Badminton
Speed Rarely seen
A fast-paced spectacle of speed, agility and precision timing, Badminton is considered the fastest competitive racket sport in the world.
Combining deft touch with raw power, players can bring down a smash at lightning speeds of over 400 km/h.
A sport that wows crowds all over the globe – in particular in its birthplace of Asia – Badminton, to be held in Arena 2, is one of four sports to be held at the brand new Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre.
It is on this battleground that men and women are brought together, with Badminton one of few competitions to feature a mixed team event on the program.