QPR start 2011 with a trip to face Norwich City at Carrow Road. Shake off the hangover and join them, with the help of the LFW Travel Guide.
Ground Name: Carrow Road
Capacity: 27 033
Address:Carrow Road, Norwich, NR1 1JE
Main Telephone No: 01603 760 760
Ticket Office No: 0844 826 1902
By Car:
Only 125 miles from Loftus Road, but a bit of a ballache up the M11 and A11 to Norwich with a journey time of almost three hours. The easiest thing to do is use the A11 right to the outskirts of Norwich and then join the A47 southern bypass signposted for Great Yarmouth, follow it two junctions and at the second turn off onto the A146 into town. There are options to park and ride as soon as you come off the roundabout but if you follow the A146 then at the traffic lights turn right and follow the outer ring road. Turn left at the roundabout and then right at the next set of lights before following the inner ring road round to the right, over the river and the ground is on your right. If in doubt follow signs for the railway station. The ground is well signposted from all directions.
Map:
Click the map to zoom in
Parking:
There's space for 2000 cars at Norfolk County hall where it costs £3 to leave your vehicle. This is off the Southern bypass at the junction you come off at for the ground and is well signposted. Last season a few of our crew found spaces in amongst the retail park they've bunged up by the river although there are signs up forbidding this, particularly at Morrisons – although I’ve seen a story today saying that the Morrison’s car park is open this weekend for football fans at a cost of £5 per car. Link.
Train:
This is usually a straightforward trip from Liverpool Street for R’s fans but engineering works mean those travelling from London will find themselves leaving from Kings Cross and changing at Ely, or face a series of bus replacement services on the usual route. An off peak return ticket, which is a turn up and pay on the day fare, is £41.40. The train back to Ely after the match is 1754. This is absolutely rammed after a match at the best of times but with London bound fans diverted onto it as well I’d advise get there early or risk not being allowed on at all.
From the station come out, turn left, walk past Morrisons and the ground is there staring you in the face. You should be able to see it out of the left hand side of the train (facing front) as you pull into the station.
Coach: The official club coach leaves at 10am, there will not be the usual stop at the Target roundabout this week as it will be heading out along the North Circular and away up the M11. Tickets for the coach are £26 for adults, £16 for seniors and young adults and £14 for juniors. A £2 discount for season ticket holders applies. The LSA coach from the Springbok has now sold out.
Pubs:
Norwich is always a great away day for the discerning drinker with plenty of options easily walkable from the station and ground. The Compleat Angler on the river bank directly opposite the station as you come out is the usual haunt for visiting supporters. We’ve had mixed experiences in here in the past – two seasons ago we went in there and found them serving burgers and pies and showing the lunch time match on Sky Sports. Last season the Sky Sports had gone but there was a full menu available. They insist on serving everything in the dreaded plastic glasses, alongside a dinner plate and metal cutlery would you believe. I’ve no idea if Sky is back there or not but it may be a consideration for anybody interested in West Brom v Man Utd the live lunchtime game.
From there Rangers fans used to enjoy a leisurely walk to the ground along the tow path but this area has since been developed into a complex of bars, fast food joints and flats. There's a Weatherspoons and a few other bars in and amongst this little lot if you're a fan of drinking in warehouse structures rather than a traditional pub. Some of these establishments don't like away fans wearing colours so watch out for that.
The Coach and Horses on Thorpe Road is ten minutes from the ground and does its own home brew which sounds dangerous to me.
Tickets
The QPR allocation at Carrow Road gets smaller and more expensive by the year – you don’t hear that from rent-a-gob Mick Dennis when he is busy slating our club for the way they cater for away fans. At the time of writing Rangers have 400 tickets left priced at a scandalously high £33 for adults, £27 for seniors (more than QPR charge for adults in the School End), £23 for under 16s and £16 for Under 12s. Disabled tickets are the same, with a free carer. Any tickets purchased now over the phone will be left for collection at the Norwich Box Office.
Links >>> Official website >>> Detailed fans' guide to Carrow Road >>> Norwich Awayday