QPR’s first away trip of the 2017/18 season takes them to Hillsborough to face Sheff Wed, and if you’re going too here’s details on the cheapest train tickets left available, where to drink etc.
Ground Name: Hillsborough
Capacity: 39 812 (all seated)
Address: Hillsborough, Sheffield, S6 1SW
Main Telephone No: 0870 999 1867
Ticket Office: 0871 230 1867
Straight up the M1 for this one so watch out for the various average speed checks and flashing 50 boards that make up this "smart motorway” along the way. There are four ways to get to the ground once in the Sheffield area. The easiest way, but longest, is to go up the M1 past Sheffield to junction 36 and then follow the A61 into Sheffield, sign posted ‘Sheffield North’. This will bring you directly to the ground and avoid all the nonsense in the middle of town, but it’s a good 15 miles longer than option two which is junction 34 at Meadowhall then the A6178 signposted for Sheffield.
Go straight on past TGI Fridays on your left and the shopping centre on your right until you reach arena square with Sheffield Arena on your left and some chain pub or other on your right. Follow signs for the city centre, taking a right turn over the humped river bridge by the forge mill. At the next roundabout/traffic light junction go straight on following signs for the Northern General Hospital, under the railway on the A6102. Stay on the 6102 through the traffic light junction at the hospital as it becomes Herries Road and then winds it’s way up a hill and through a housing estate. After five miles or so it heads down under a viaduct and the ground is directly ahead of you. If I’ve made that sound complicated it’s really not.
Option three is junction 33 and into the centre of Sheffield on the 'Parkway'. As you go past Matalan on the left join the two lanes to the right signposted for Barnsley, mind the speed camera just inside the 40 limit, and fork right at the traffic lights. Then basically follow that dual carriageway straight to Hillsborough through a million sets of traffic lights.
Option four is to park at Meadowhall for free at junction 34 and get a yellow line tram from there towards Middlewood, that stops at Leppings Lane which is right behind the away end but will take a good 40 minutes. Trams leave every ten minutes.
No official car parking at the ground but with plenty of street parking, businesses offering their car parks, and the nearby greyhound stadium and casino having an ample car park as well you should not really be struggling. As I said earlier if you want to park by the M1 and ride in then leave your car for free at Meadowhall and get a yellow line tram heading towards Middlewood as far as Leppings Lane.
There are a limited number of match day disabled car parking spaces available which are priced at £5 each. Supporters should contact Sheffield Wednesday’s Ticket Office on 03700 20 1867 to book. These are available on a first come first served basis.
Two options for this, direct to Sheffield from St Pancras or with a change at Doncaster from Kings Cross.
The Sheffield option will set you back £50.50 at the time of writing based on two single tickets - £27 on the 09.26 from St Pancras arriving at 11.41 and £23.50 on the 1929 coming back arriving at 21.31. Earlier trains back afterwards are £31. Good news is, the first class tickets are the same price so treat yourself to a slightly bigger seat and the cup of hot water which constitutes East Midlands Trains’ "first class” offering.
You can save yourself a bit going via Doncaster. The 10.48 arriving at 12.16 has tickets available for £14.90 and then it’s a 25 minute hop across for a couple of quid on any of the three local services that run between the stations each hour. Coming back the 19.29 from Doncaster (arrives Kings Cross 21.14) has tickets for £15 so a £20 saving on the direct route. If you’re travelling in a group fo four or more, trains back in the evening from Doncaster are as cheap as £14.80 if you book together on the Virgin East Coast website.
Hillsborough is not walkable from the station. The blue line tram runs from directly behind the station so you can use that, changing at Cathedral onto a yellow line train for Leppings Lane, or taking the blue one all the way to Hillsborough and walking the ten minutes from there to the ground through the park. Alternatively bus number 53 for Ecclesfield runs to the ground from the adjacent bus stop. Taxis are in plentiful supply at the station.
The club coach is leaving Loftus Road at 09.00 and the Target Roundabout at 09.30. It's priced £33 for adults, £22 for over 60s or 18-21 and £20 for under 18s. The usual £2/£1 discounts apply to season ticket holders.
A lot of the pubs around the ground are away fan unfriendly but if you are coming in from junction 36 down the A61 try the New Bridge Inn which is a decent place. Most QPR fans drink in the city centre before these games and get a tram out later — the pubs on West Street are pretty poor and mostly packed with students, avoid the Cavendish, it’s a hell hole, but on the adjacent Division Street you’ll find the Frog and Parrott and then across the green is the Devonshire Cat with a wide selection of real ale. The standard Wetherspoons, RSVP, Lloyds etc are all at the end of Division Street near John Lewis. Many QPR fans arriving by train use The Howard or The Globe which are directly opposite the station, or The Graduate next to the Crucible.
The best pub for beer selection in the whole city is actually at the station - expect a door presence and colours ban at The Sheffield Tap but it's a beautifully restored space with an amazingly well-stocked array of world beers and local brews.
Rangers have been given an initial allocation of 1,000 at the fairly eye-watering price of £36 for adults, £26 for over 65s and under 21s, £15 for under 17s, £10 for under 11s and £5 for under fives. These prices are only available prior to the matchday apparently so turn up without one and presumably they'll hang you upside down and shake all the rest of the change out of your pockets. Needless to say, if it's required, many, many more tickets can be made available for this one.
Six pairs of wheelchair and ambulant disabled tickets with a free carer - select option three when calling the Box Office for these ones.
Links >>> Detailed fans' guide to Hillsborough >>> Official website
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