Arsenal – Emirates Stadium
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The Emirates Stadium is all seater, with a capacity of 60,500. It is the home of Arsenal FC.
The stadium is actually called Ashburton Grove, but is named the Emirates Stadium due to a sponsorship deal with Emirates Airlines.
Designed by HOK Sport (who also designed Sydney’s Olympic Stadium), the stadium, which opened in 2006, had a build cost close to £400 million. Away fans are housed in the lower tier of the South East corner. This lower tier is quite shallow, meaning that the view is not as good as it should be in a new stadium.
How to Get To the Emirates Stadium
By Road:
The Emirates Stadium is located in Ashburton Grove, Holloway, London N5 1BU.
Away fans driving from the North should follow the M6, merging onto the M1. Exit at junction 2, following signs for Holloway / Central London (The City) / A1. The A1 merges into the Great North Way after about a mile, which should be followed for a further mile before taking a slight left onto the North Circular Road. After about ½ a mile take a right into Falloden Way and continue to follow the A1 for a further 3½ miles, turning left into Sandridge Street. There is a sharp left turn after approx. 1½ miles onto Hornsey Road. Take the third exit at the roundabout, leading to Ashburton Grove.
Drivers arriving from the South are advised to use the M3 as far as junction 2, exiting onto the M25 towards the M4/M1. At junction 15, take the M4 exit, signed London (W&C) / Reading / Slough. Keep right, following the signs for M4 / London (W) / London (C), merging onto the M4, after about 9 miles. Exit onto the A4 towards Chiswick / A315 / A205 /A308 /A406. At the Chiswick roundabout, take the first exit onto the North Circular Road (A406). Follow the A406, taking a slight right into Falloden Way after a further 9 miles. Directions are then as above. Additionally, numerous websites offer precise door-to-door directions to the Emirates Stadium. Entering “driving to Emirates Stadium” into a search engine should produce the appropriate results.
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By Rail:
Overland trains connect from London Kings Cross station to Finsbury Park, which is only a 10-15 minute walk from the stadium. Away fans should note that Drayton Park station, located very near the stadium is closed at weekends.
The nearest convenient tube station is Arsenal, on the Piccadilly Line, just a few minutes from the Emirates. On exit, fans should turn right, following Drayton Park Road and using one of the railway brides to reach the stadium. Other convenient tube stations are Finsbury Park (Piccadilly Line) and Highbury & Islington (Victoria Line). Click here to check the current train timetables
By Air:
The nearest airport to the Emirates Stadium is London Heathrow at a distance of about 19 miles. The Heathrow tube station connects with the Piccadilly Line, allowing easy access to the Emirates Stadium (see above). Click here to check the current flight times
Where to Park?
Driving to the Emirates Stadium is definitely to be avoided, as strict match day parking restrictions operate around the stadium. Additionally, there is a total ban on vehicle movement in surrounding roads, one hour either side of the start and finish of a match. For those with no alternative to driving, parking at a tube station some way from the ground is recommended (Cockfosters is popular), followed by a hassle-free tube trip to the stadium.
Emirates Stadium Tours
Away Friendly Pubs near the Emirates Stadium
Recommend “away friendly” pubs include the former Finsbury Park Tavern, now renamed the Twelve Pins, close to Finsbury Park tube station. Within 10 minutes of the stadium, it offers a good mix of home and away fans, receiving high marks for its congenial atmosphere.
Immediately opposite, the Blackstock pub has received decent reviews from visiting fans and offers a large screen with Sky Sports and Setanta. The Drayton Arms which overlooks the ground is the nearest pub suitable for visiting fans but gets uncomfortably busy on match days.
Hotels near the Emirates Stadium
The Hilton London Islington is located at 53 Upper Street, London, N1 0UY, within 1½ miles of the Emirates Stadium and in close proximity to popular tourist attractions. This modern, stylish hotel has a 4-star rating, offers on-site parking and has attracted excellent reviews from fans visiting the Arsenal ground.
For those with a smaller budget, Travelodge London Kings Cross is situated at 100 Kings Cross Road, London WC1X 9DT, within walking distance of Kings Cross St Pancras tube station, just a few stops from the stadium. Visiting fans have described the rooms as basic but functional and more than adequate for a one-night stay.
What have other Away Fans said about their trip to the Emirates Stadium?
On the whole, visiting fans have been greatly impressed by their visit to the Emirates Stadium. Many have remarked upon the excellent facilities, offering highly padded, comfortable seats with ample leg room. The public address system was noted as excellent by away fans, being audible without the deafening quality of those in other grounds.
Most considered a day at the Emirates a rewarding experience and would have no hesitation in recommending it to other fans. On the downside, numerous visiting supporters complained of the intimidating atmosphere brought about by the proximity of the home fans. Others, while impressed by the stadium’s looks, were disappointed by the view of play offered from the lower tier seats they were allocated.
The refreshments served inside the ground have also received considerable criticism, in terms of quality, available range and prices, which were considered to be extortionate.
Hi
Thanks for mentioning the Twelve Pins. I’m working on a website for the pub right now, at http://www.twelvepinspub.co.uk, feel free to add a link to the site above. I’ll be adding a link to this page as a good guide to getting to the stadium.
Best,
Aaron
(repost:typo in the link)
As above, don’t even bother trying to drive anywhere near the ground – the police have closed all roads within about half a mile of the ground, so you’re better off parking well away (there is on-street parking, but some roads are permit-holders only) and walking to the ground, which is easy enough to find.
Our pub of choice was the Drayton Arms, which although it seemed heaving inside it seemed mainly due to the queues for the toilets, as the bar staff were lightning quick at serving, and you could then take your pint outside (I guess weather permitting!) as they’re all served in shatter-proof glasses.
The ground itself is certainly breath-taking. “Wow” is the only word to sum up the first view you get from inside the stadium. However, I left with a feeling of sadness that it was all a little too plastic, designed as a money-making machine, and found myself longing for a “real” football ground somewhere up north with an uncovered terrace. Little/no atmosphere was offered up by the Arsenal “faithful” (7,000 of whom turned down a FREE ticket to see their team play in an FA Cup tie against Championship opponents), and I point-blank refused to pay the extortionate prices for food and drink inside the ground.
As you first sit down, you marvel at what a wonderful view of the whole pitch you have. Just wait however until the game actually begins, and one person, twenty rows in front of you decides to stand up. Then the two people behind him have to stand up to see. And the 5 people behind them have to stand up in order to see. And the 10 people behind them, and the entire row behind them. And so on..
For a new stadium, the toilet facilities are inadequate. Having left at the stroke of half time, I arrived back at my seat nearly 5 minutes into the second half (to find us 1-0 down.. grr) – It’s the same at New Wembley – what is it with stadium designers?
Even allowing for the rubbish toilets, expensive grub, lack of atmosphere and people blocking your view, I’d have no hesitation in recommending a trip to the Emirates, at least once with your team – It is not only a really great day out, but it’ll make you appreciate your team, with its real fans and non-corporate mentality more!
Top tip on parking: there is loads of free parking at weekends and evenings near Tufnell park tube station. There is non-permit parking (weekends and week nights) off the Brecknock road. It’s only about a 20 minute walk from the stadium too, so not too bad!
Like with all London grounds; public transport is the only thing to use. The Erimates Stadium has 3 nearby tube/train
stations. Arsenal, (Piccadilly Line) Highbury & Islington & also Finsbury Park (Overground). The ground is very well signposted & with the amount of the fans who attend then you just follow them. There is a bridge that takes to the stadium, with the very impressive merchandise store below. But leave a just before the final whistle as the police only allow a certain amount of fans to enter the train stations a time. If your an away fan, then cover your colours too, as depending on the result some of the supporters can become a bit nasty. However most of them are okay.
By the way you can drive down to Arnos Grove in Noth London, just south of Barnet, park in a street for free and then get on the underground and it’s only 2 stops to Highbury & Islington which takes 10 mins to walk to the Stadium.
Have visited Emirates 3 times,by far the best away ground in the country.Drayton Arms is a must,Arsenal fans are decent enough.As for parking,I parked about a mile away going towards M1 and got the bus to the ground with a good 30 minute walk back.Free parking in the street also.Petrol station nearby as a landmark.Not seen any trouble on the 3 occasions and recommended unlike OT.