Sky TV games released for September, now’s the time to book for Middlesbrough away if you like your train tickets expensive rather than just extortionate.
Ground Name: Riverside Stadium
Capacity: 35 100 (all seated)
Address: Middlesbrough, Cleveland, TS3 6RS
Main Telephone No: 0844 499 6789
Ticket Office: 0844 499 1234
Obviously it’s a long hike from London, exactly 250 miles from Loftus Road to the Riverside Stadium, but it should be reasonably simple. Take either the M1 to the A1 at Leeds or the A1 all the way up past York. Then you can either take the A618 at Dishforth and pick up the A19 or carry on the A1 all the way up to Darlington and take the A66 towards Middlesbrough. Either way you end up approaching the ground on the A66 and you should start to see signs for it as you go through the middle of Middlesbrough on that A66.
No official car park at the stadium but it is surrounded by old factories and waste ground and there is certainly no shortage of places to dump the car near the ground. Alternatively there is street parking slightly further afield, on the other side of the A66. Follow the signs for ‘away coaches’ according to the guide (link below) as this takes you past a number of private car parks by the river. The ground is also only a mile away from the town centre and all the associated long stay parking places there.
This is a trip up the East Coast line from Kings Cross with a change at either York or Darlington for QPR fans. A word of advice if booking in advance, returns from Darlington and York to Middlesbrough are dirt cheap so it may be worth seeing if it is cheaper to get a London to Darlington/York ticket and then a separate one for the onward journey. Grand Central run cheap trains from London to York.
Many of these little loop holes have now been closed in the interests of "making things simpler for the passengers” which roughly translates to "removing what few ways of getting affordable train fairs people had left”.
Anyway the cheapest we could find today (28/07) was £34.50 there based on leaving Kings Cross at 11.00 and getting into Boro at 13.59 with a change at Darlington (the earlier ones were all £43) and then £26 coming back based on leaving Boro at 19.21 and arriving back at 22.28 with a change at Darlington again. So 50 notes. If you’re travelling in a group of four or more and book together, Virgin East Coast has a groupsave ticket which drops that down to £102.90 on the way there and £77 on the way back - £45 each return.
There was an £18 ticket from York in the eveing leaving at 19.02 that might be of use to you and the groupsave for four to York was £85.80 there and £65.20 back so £37.75 each widely available.
The ground is easily walkable from Middlesbrough station in about 15 minutes and is visible from the platforms.
Awaiting details.
Few and far between. The Bridge next to the station was where we went many moons ago, but it’s mainly home fans and I wouldn’t advise colours. Sky TV and a mix of fans from both clubs can usually be found at Dr Browns on Corporation Road — detailed directions in the guide linked below.
Awaiting news.
Links >>> Detailed fans' guide to the Riverside >>> Official website
The Twitter - @loftforwords
Pictures — Action Images