Rangers travel to the Midlands to face Derby on Saturday aiming to continue their record breaking start to the season. Here are the usual hints and tips for those making the trip.
Ground Name: Pride Park
Capacity: 33 597 (all seated)
Address: Pride Park Stadium, Derby, DE24 8XL
Main Telephone No: 0870 444 1884
Fax No: 01332 667540
By Car:
A simple trip up the M1 for most QPR fans here, about 126 miles from Loftus Road. It could not be simpler really – take junction 25 from the M1 onto the A52 Brian Clough Way that connects Nottingham and Derby. Pride Park will be visible and signposted as you enter Derby after seven miles.
Click map to visit Multi Map site and zoom in/out or tour round. Parking:
There is very little parking around the ground although a number of the businesses and industry surrounding the ground offer up their car parks on a match day. These fill up quickly and it is absolutely rammed after the match and takes a long time to clear. There are plenty of car parks around the Westfield centre and train station at the end of the A52 which might be a better bet although they are likely to be pricey and time limited. The guide recommends the cattle market car park at a cost of £2 which you access from the Pentagon island roundabout next to Derbyshire County Cricket Club on the A52 as you arrive in the city.
By Train
Derby is on the mainline between St Pancras and Sheffield so has a regular service. The station is also within easy walking distance of the ground located just the other side of the industrial park – 15 minutes walk absolute maximum. Tickets are still available for £38 return if booked in advance on the 1125 (arrives 1309) going there and the 1801 (1934 arrival) coming back. You can upgrade to first class on those services for a fiver extra going north, and just a pound more on the way home. A reminder that tickets on East Midlands Trains are always cheaper than other websites when travelling on their line.
Pubs:
Derby can be a little bit tasty for visiting fans, particularly in and around the railway station. The Waterfall opposite the station is a home fans haunt with ticket checked on the door and away fans tend to be ushered along the road to The Brunswick or Alexandra Hotel on the corner two minutes away. Both nice old pubs with real ale on tap but neither has Sky Sports. If you arrive early and want to head for the city centre come out of the station, turn right, walk up to the Brunswick by the flyover, follow the road around to the left and then basically keep walking straight past the car parks and car garages keeping the giant Westfield shopping centre in front of you. There is the usual collection of Walkabouts and all of that rubbish around the Assembly Rooms.
Tickets:
Rangers sold their initial allocation of 1100 tickets which means fans wanting to travel to the game must now pay on the day. The club report up to 4000 tickets can be made available if necessary. Tickets will be on sale from 9am in the main ticket office in the West Stand priced £28 for adults, £16.50 for seniors, £11.50 for under 18s. The club’s official coach travel has also sold out.
Links:
Detailed fans' guide to Pride Park