ACA Barsapara Cricket Stadium, officially the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Cricket Stadium, is Northeast India’s largest cricket ground, seating around 40,000. Tickets sell online through official partners such as District and BookMyShow. Gates usually open two to three hours before play, and most fans stay along GS Road or near Lal Ganesh.
What Is the ACA Barsapara Cricket Stadium?
The ACA Barsapara Cricket Stadium is the Assam Cricket Association Stadium, located in the Barsapara area of Guwahati, Assam. Fans and commentators use several names for the same ground, which causes constant confusion.
You will see it called the ACA Stadium, Barsapara Stadium, and its official name, the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Cricket Stadium. All three refer to one venue at Barsapara, Guwahati 781018.
Quotable fact: the ACA Barsapara Cricket Stadium is the largest cricket stadium in Northeast India, owned and operated by the Assam Cricket Association, with a seating capacity commonly listed between 40,000 and 46,000.
The two ends of the ground are known as the Media End and the Pavilion End. The playing area is compact by international standards, with boundaries in the region of 65 to 70 metres, which is part of why the venue has a reputation for high scoring white ball cricket.
Which Matches Does It Host?
The ground opened for competitive cricket in 2012 and has climbed steadily in status since.
- First men’s T20 International: October 2017, India against Australia
- First men’s ODI: October 2018, India against West Indies
- First women’s ODI: September 2025, India against Sri Lanka
- First Test match: November 2025, India against South Africa
- IPL home venue for Rajasthan Royals since 2023
It also hosts Ranji Trophy and other domestic fixtures, plus concerts and large events.
How Do You Book Barsapara Cricket Stadium Tickets?
Barsapara Cricket Stadium tickets are sold online, and the platform changes depending on who is organising the match. This is the most common mistake fans make.
For recent IPL fixtures, Rajasthan Royals home games were sold exclusively through District. Other matches at the venue have used BookMyShow. Neither is permanently the official seller, so always confirm the platform from the Assam Cricket Association, the BCCI or the franchise before a sale opens.
Step by Step Ticket Booking
- Check the official announcement for which platform is selling that match
- Install the app and complete your account and payment details in advance
- Set a reminder for the exact sale opening time
- Select your stand using the interactive seating map
- Complete payment quickly, since carts usually expire in about ten minutes
- Save your ticket QR code and screenshot it as backup
In practice, popular fixtures at this venue sell out within minutes. Pre saving your payment method genuinely matters, because the checkout window is where most people lose their seats.
Ticket Categories and What They Mean
Ticket tiers vary by match, but the pattern is consistent:
- General stands: cheapest, open to the sky, and the loudest atmosphere
- Premium stands: better sightlines and often covered seating
- Corporate or VIP boxes: highest price, best facilities and shade
Prices swing widely between an IPL night and a domestic fixture, so treat any price you read online as indicative only. Buy from official platforms exclusively, since resale tickets with invalid QR codes are refused at the gate.
How Do Gates and Stands Work on Match Day?
This section matters more than fans expect, and it is where a smooth evening turns into a stressful one.
Here is the key insight. Entry at this ground works in layers: you pass through a designated Main Gate, then an Inner Gate, then reach your Gallery, and finally your row and seat. Your ticket lists all of these, and they are not the same number.
The trap is that the different main gates open onto entirely different approach roads around the stadium. If you read your gallery number and treat it as your gate number, you can be dropped on the wrong side of the ground and face a long walk around the perimeter through match day crowds.
Reading Your Ticket Correctly
Before you leave your hotel, do this:
- Find the Main Gate number, not the gallery or stand name
- Search that specific gate on your maps app, not just the stadium
- Share that exact pin with your cab driver
- Note your Inner Gate, gallery and seat for use once inside
- Screenshot everything in case mobile data is congested near the ground
We rate this the single highest value five minutes of match day preparation. Mobile networks around large Indian stadiums get heavily congested at peak arrival, so having offline screenshots protects you if your ticket app will not load.
What You Cannot Carry Inside
Security here is thorough and typically involves layered checks. Commonly prohibited items include:
- Power banks, Bluetooth speakers and professional cameras
- Outside food and drink, including water bottles
- Umbrellas, helmets, lighters and large bags
- Any item flagged in that match’s specific advisory
Carry a government photo ID such as Aadhaar or a Voter ID, since ID checks alongside your ticket are standard. Rules differ slightly per match, so read the advisory issued for your fixture.
How Do You Reach the ACA Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Match Day?
The stadium sits in south Guwahati, closer to the city than most people assume. It is roughly 4.5 km from Guwahati Railway Station in a straight line, though the road journey runs longer at about 9 to 12 km depending on route and diversions.
From Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, expect roughly 25 to 30 km by road, or about an hour in normal traffic and considerably longer on match evenings.
Your transport options:
- App cabs: convenient, but fares surge sharply on match nights. Book early
- Auto rickshaws: plentiful and practical for short city hops. Agree the fare first
- City buses: cheapest, connecting Barsapara to most parts of Guwahati
- Private car: only if you have a confirmed parking plan
Parking is the weak point. Designated parking grounds near the stadium fill up well before the first ball, and traffic police routinely prohibit parking on the main approach roads, with towing enforced. Check the police advisory for your match rather than assuming last season’s arrangement still applies.
Our advice: arrive two to three hours before start time. Gates typically open a few hours ahead, and that buffer absorbs the security queues and road diversions that catch out first time visitors.
Where Should You Stay Near Barsapara Cricket Stadium?
Looking for hotels near Barsapara Stadium exposes a genuine planning trade off that most guides miss.
The properties physically closest to the ground, around Lal Ganesh and Kahilipara, sit barely one to two kilometres away, but they are mostly small budget hotels and homestays. Guwahati’s main hotel clusters lie about four kilometres away along GS Road and near Paltan Bazar.
Here is the counterintuitive part. On match day, staying four kilometres away in a well connected district often beats staying one kilometre away on a road that becomes a restricted zone. Proximity stops helping once the roads around the stadium close to traffic, and walking in from a nearby but cordoned area can be slower than riding in early from GS Road.
| Area | Distance to ground | Hotel choice | Best for |
| Lal Ganesh and Kahilipara | About 1 to 2 km | Budget hotels, homestays | Walking in, avoiding traffic entirely |
| GS Road and Christian Basti | About 4 km | Widest range, mid to upscale | Dining, shopping, easy cabs |
| Paltan Bazar and Ulubari | About 4 km | Budget to mid range, very dense | Train arrivals, cheapest options |
Choosing Your Base
Pick by your priority rather than by distance alone:
- Arriving by train and staying one night, choose Paltan Bazar for walkable access to Guwahati Railway Station
- Wanting restaurants, malls and reliable cabs, choose GS Road or Christian Basti
- Attending with a group and wanting to walk to the ground, choose Lal Ganesh, and book early since local rooms fill fast for big fixtures
Book accommodation as soon as a major fixture is announced. Guwahati hosts relatively few marquee matches, so hotel rates across the city rise noticeably on match weekends.
Match Day Tips Worth Knowing
A few practical points repeatedly come up from fans who have attended here.
Eat before you enter. Concession prices inside are steep, with simple snacks commonly reported at around 100 rupees, and outside food is not permitted. A proper meal beforehand saves both money and queueing time.
Charge your phone fully. Tickets are usually digital only and live inside an app, and power banks are typically prohibited inside, so you cannot top up once you are through security.
Watch the weather. Guwahati sees sudden thundershowers, particularly in spring and summer. General stands are open to the sky and umbrellas are usually banned, so a light rain jacket is the sensible choice.
The atmosphere is the real reward. The Northeast gets a modest share of top level cricket, and the crowd energy on a full house night at this ground is widely rated among the best in the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can you buy Barsapara Cricket Stadium tickets?
Tickets sell online through official partners, and the platform depends on the match organiser. Recent Rajasthan Royals IPL home games sold exclusively via District, while other fixtures have used BookMyShow. Always confirm the seller through the Assam Cricket Association, the BCCI or the franchise, and avoid third party resellers entirely.
What time do gates open at the stadium?
Gates generally open around two to three hours before the scheduled start, so roughly 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM for a 7:30 PM evening fixture. Exact timings are announced per match and printed on your ticket. Arriving early is strongly advised, since security screening and traffic diversions take time.
Which gate should you use at Barsapara Stadium?
Use the Main Gate number printed on your ticket, not your gallery or stand name. The gates open onto different approach roads around the ground, so arriving at the wrong one means a long walk around the perimeter. Search that specific gate on maps and share the pin with your driver.
How far is the stadium from Guwahati Railway Station?
The ground lies about 4.5 km from Guwahati Railway Station in a straight line, with the road trip running roughly 9 to 12 km depending on route. Allow 30 to 45 minutes normally and considerably longer on match evenings, when diversions and heavy crowds slow traffic around Barsapara significantly.
What items are not allowed inside the stadium?
Commonly prohibited items include power banks, Bluetooth speakers, professional cameras, umbrellas, helmets, lighters, large bags, and all outside food and water. Carry a government photo ID such as Aadhaar alongside your ticket. Restrictions vary slightly per fixture, so check the advisory issued for your specific match beforehand.
Which hotels are best near the ground?
Lal Ganesh and Kahilipara sit closest at one to two kilometres, offering mainly budget hotels and homestays. GS Road, Christian Basti and Paltan Bazar sit around four kilometres away with far more choice. On match day, a well connected area often beats sheer proximity, since roads near the stadium get restricted.
Conclusion
A match at the ACA Barsapara Cricket Stadium is one of the best cricket experiences in India, provided you handle three things in advance: buy from the official platform the moment tickets drop, identify your Main Gate rather than your gallery, and leave early enough to clear security without rushing.
Get those right and everything else falls into place. Book a base along GS Road or near Lal Ganesh, eat before you enter, keep your phone charged, and the ACA Barsapara Cricket Stadium will reward you with one of the loudest, warmest crowds you will find anywhere in the country.