Roll out your wallets, it’s the annual QPR trip to Portman Road again this coming Tuesday evening.
Ground Name: Portman Road
Capacity: 30 300 (all seated)
Address: Portman Road, Ipswich, IP1 2DA
Main Telephone No: 01473 400 500
Fax No: 01473 400 040
Ticket Office: 0870 111 0555
Stay on the A12 until the Copdock Interchange (the junction with the A14, where the big Tesco and Toys R Us) where it turns into the A1214 (London Rd) going through town. At the Interchange, take the second exit (straight across), over the A12. Follow this road into Ipswich. When you get to the traffic lights at the crossroad with Yarmouth Rd (by Sainsbury's petrol station), turn right and follow the road round. If you want to park by the ground (on the away fan side), get into the left hand lane when you join the one way system by the big ugly council building (the dented steel monstrosity), and the first set of traffic lights onto the Princes St. Depending on your timing you should be able to turn onto Portman Rd and go into the car park. If not, continue to the roundabout with Fransican Way, and take the first exit. Take the first exit at the next roundabout, and the first left will be the other end of Portman Rd.
Click map to visit Multi Map site and zoom in/out or tour round.
There are several large pay and display car parks around Portman Road however Ipswich loves its park and rides. In fairness the service is cheap, reliable and on a match day when the middle of the town clogs up from lunch time onwards very handy indeed. If you're coming from London the nearest park and ride is at the Copdock Interchange (regular road commuters will have heard that on the travel news few times) between the A14 and A12. The park and ride is located in amongst Tesco and Toys R Us and all of that bollocks. £3 or thereabouts per car and a regular bus. Last season I parked on Dickens Road on the way into Ipswich off London Road just before I’d gone under the railway lines into the town centre. It was a ten minute walk from there and I was straight out afterwards with no problems.
Loads of QPR fans usually go on the train to this fixture but a midweek kick off rather complicates matters as there are few options after the game, and on the way out you’re likely to be caught up in the peak time fares. If you can go in the afternoon then there are still £17 single tickets to be had on most trains up to 1538, and £8 singles on the way back at 2142 or 2242. An off peak return is £31.90. However if you’re looking to head up after work, and with a journey time of between 60 and 90 minutes from Liverpool Street. it is feasible for those in the city, price rise quite considerably. After 5pm it’s £64.90 for a return, or £29 there and £8 back if you buy two singles. The last cheap ticket of the day going there seems to be the £17 single on the 1632 train that arrives at 1747. The last trains back are at 2142 (arrives 2254), 2208 (2334) or 2242 (0002). Book in advance or bring an overdraft facility. Once in Ipswich you really cannot miss the ground from the station – come out the main entrance, cross the main road, walk across the river bridge, and the ground is there, no more than five minutes on foot.
Ipswich has become a bit of a pain for pubs in recent times although it may be different for a Tuesday night match. Rangers; fans are often sent into the pub opposite the station which is handily placed for both the trains and the ground but is otherwise a pretty rank place. A lot of those round the ground operate home fans only policies, including apparently the Black Horse which we have enjoyed in the past. In the town centre there are the usual Wetherspoons and such like.
Ipswich charged some QPR fans £39 for last season’s game, and while the prices for this fixture are not quite as ludicrous as that the Tractor Boys (who once went under the tag ‘The Family Club in the Premier League’) remain one of the most expensive clubs in the league for away fans, particularly for concessions. Rangers have 1,400 tickets allocated priced £31 for adults (£33.50 on the night), £22 for seniors, students and 16-19 year olds (£24.50 on the night), £11 for juniors (£12 on the night) and £18 for disabled which must be booked in advance from Ipswich on 01473 400556.
Detailed fans' guide to Portman Road