QPR travel to the DW Stadium to face Wigan Athletic at a revised kick off time next weekend. Here are the usual travel tips for those making the journey.
Ground Name: DW Stadium
Capacity: 25,023
Address: Loire Drive, Wigan, WN5 0UZ
Telephone: 01942 774 000
Box Office: 0871 663 3552
Just over 200 miles from Loftus Road this one, up the M1 and M6. Leave the M6 at junction 25 and take the A49 from there into Wigan. Follow that road two miles into town until you reach a large traffic light controlled roundabout after the Aldi store. Turn left there into Robin Park Road which leads to the ground and associated retail park. The ground is easily the biggest structure for some distance in either direction and should be visible from quite some way away.
Click on the map to zoom in or out and move around.
Unusually for a new stadium the DW has been built with more than adequate car parking for all supporters, with a designated away car park apparently charging £4 for cars, £10 for mini buses and £20 for coaches. This can take a while to clear after matches. Avoid the nearby retail park which has a strictly enforced two hour parking limit.
Of course most QPR fans going by train probably had their tickets booked long before our club agreed to Wigan’s request to a kick off change. The most obvious ones to get would have been the 12.21 or 13.21 arrivals with a change at Crewe oweing to the engineering work. Neither of those will now have you there for kick off and although QPR have offered refunds to those who booked it’s not clear whether they will also fund you buying a replacement ticket which is now considerably more expensive than they were a few weeks back. The walk up fee is £70 reyurn but you can still get a return for £48.50 by booking a single on the 0800 from Euston which arrives in Wigan Wallgate at 1102 with a change at Manchester Picadilly. Coming back catch the 1556 arriving at 1904 with a change at Crewe.
The guide has both stations as a 20 minute walk away and advises a cab or a bus but Northern the Elder and I walked it with some ease last time and given that I was reprimanded in the Everton guide for saying three miles is probably too far to walk I’m not going to make the same mistake again. Those coming via Crewe will arrive at North Western, those from Manchester into Wall Gate. The two stations are almost adjacent so it’s roughly the same route.
The guide says: “On exiting Wigan North Railway Station turn left and go down the road heading under a railway bridge. On leaving Wallgate station turn right and go down the road passing Wigan North station on your left and then proceed under the railway bridge. It is a fairly straight walk along Robin Park Road passing the Jacobs Well Pub (at Wigan Pier) on your left, which is okay for away supporters. When you reach the Seven Stars hotel, you should be able to see the stadium over on your right. Either at the Seven Stars Hotel turn right and follow the locals on a shortcut along a canal to the stadium, or take the next road on the right.”
The official club coach is now leaving Loftus Road at 0630 with a collection at The Target roundabout McDonalds lay-by at 0700. Tickets are priced £32 adults, £21 seniors and young adults and £19 juniors with the usual season ticket discounts. Book through the box office. The LSA is running a coach from The Springbok at 0700 with tickets priced £30 adults and £20 concessions. Book through Gary on 07506 028 189.
It’s been a while since Northern the Elder and myself graced the hostelries of this part of th world. Apparently, according to the guide, Wigan now set up a marquee next to the away end offering beer, pies and live football. There is also the Red Robin, a new build pub on the retail park which might be the best bet for those arriving by car and parking at the ground. The town centre is walkable and is where those arriving by train, to either station, will arrive. That has all the usual suspects. The Anvil is the CAMRA recognised pub, the Swan and Railway is the one best avoided.
This is likely to be our cheapest away trip of the season for tickets – we have 4,000 behind the goal priced £20 adults, £15 seniors and under 16s. Disabled tickets are £15 with a carer free.
Links >>> Official website >>> Detailed ground guide