QPR fans will be looking forward to this Saturday's trip to Ipswich, traditionally one of the best awaydays of the season. Here's the usual guide for those making the trip.

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

By Car:
Stay the A12 until the Copdock Interchange (the junction with the A14, where the big Tesco and Toys R Us are) where it turns into the A1214 (London Rd) going through town.

So, at the Interchange, take the 2nd 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 1st 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 1st exit. Take the 1st exit at the next roundabout, and the 1st left will be the other end of Portman Rd

Map:

Click map to visit Multi Map site and zoom in/out or tour round.

Parking:
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 it’s a very decent option to take. 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. £3 or thereabouts per car and a regular bus.

Ipswich park and ride website

By Train
Ipswich is a fantastic awayday for those travelling by rail - there are regular high speed services between London and the town and the ground is within easy walking distance of the station and a number of pubs. Try these on for size:

Liverpool Street 1100
Ipswich 1208

Ipswich 1730
Liverpool Street 1847

You can still book this trip for £31 off peak return and I think that fare may be available for those paying on the day.

On arrival come out of the main entrance and everything should be obvious to you. There's a pub dead opposite the station that is traditionally a haunt of the away fans and then the ground is behind that, over the river bridge, and about five minutes away on foot. The town centre is no more than five minutes beyond that.

Pubs:
QPR fans tend to drink in The Station, right opposite the station funnily enough. Failing that the Black Horse is two minutes past the ground on Portman Road as you walk from the Station and is a cracking pub although they don't do food on match days, and it gets packed after 1pm. Not sure what the policy is on away fans there. Failing that again the town centre is a five minute walk away although it's become a bit of a minefield of bouncers, home fan only polices and bans on football colours which is a shame but there are still numerous options. There is a Weatherspoons in the market square not two minutes from the ground where many Rangers fans gathered last season.

Tickets
Ipswich are operating the usual highly complicated ticket policy for this match. Rangers have 317 seats in the middle of the upper tier in the Cobbold Stand. These are on a similar price level to Loftus Road, i.e. a bloody rip off, and can be bought for £33.50 adults, £22 seniors and £9 juniors. We have 1400 tickets in the side blocks of the Cobbold Upper and from experience there really isn’t that much different between centre and wing – it’s still cramped, dank and out dated. These tickets are priced £28 adults, £19.50 seniors and students, £10 juniors. The cheapest tickets are in the lower tier of the stand however this is designated as a family stand and you have to have two kids with you to buy tickets in there and will be refused admission without them – no rounding random children up on the Portman Road guys. Those with sprogs can buy tickets for £24 adults, £16.50 students and seniors and £7 kids. All tickets increase by £2.50 if bought on the day and it’s cash only at the gates.

Links:

Detailed fans' guide to Portman Road

Official website

Photo: Action Images

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