CARDIFF CITY
DIRECTIONS AND CAR PARKING
To avoid driving through the centre of Cardiff, leave the M4 at junction 33 and take the A4232 towards Cardiff/Barry. Keep on the A4232 towards Cardiff and then leave the dual carriageway at the B4267 exit. At the end of the slip road, turn left at the roundabout, signposted 'Cardiff International Athletics Stadium'. The stadium is situated a short distance down this road on the right. Please note that parking in the nearby retail park is limited to 90 minutes as is being enforced. Also be sure also to park your car properly, as I have been informed that traffic wardens are out in force on matchdays.
A visiting Scunthorpe fans adds; 'If you pass the ground on your right and then turn right at the next lights (about 250m) and proceed up this road for about 300m, you will see HSS Hire (plant hire) on your right. Turn right in front of this and it leads you into a fenced off area adjacent to Turnstile 7 (the away entrance). You can go straight into the ground without leaving this area. It was also well marshalled on our visit. It is not big enough for teams with big support, but I think it would take around 200 cars. Cost was £8.' Pre-booked coaches get preference for this area, so if your team are bringing a number, then the space for cars may be limited.'
Margaret Nicholls a visiting Norwich City fan informs me; 'I would recommend the Gol centre near to ground as a place to park and as a pre-match venue to visit. We arrived arrived early before the children's football at the centre had finished but parking there wasn't a problem at all. It was great to find somewhere warm and dry with clean toilets after a long drive. The bar menu isn't huge (pizza or hot dog) but for lunch it was fine. Very friendly staff and the Cardiff fans using it were okay too. The only downside is that after the game it took a long time to get back onto the main road as the centre is located at the bottom of a cul-de-sac'. There is also the option of renting a private driveway near the Cardiff City Stadium via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.
How to get there by coach:
To avoid driving through the centre of Cardiff, leave the M4 at junction 33 and take the A4232 towards Cardiff/Barry/Airport. Keep on the A4232 towards Cardiff and then leave the dual carriageway at the 3rd exit B4267. The 1st exit is the Welsh Museum of Life....2nd exit is Culverhouse Cross. Just before the 3rd turn off you will see the stadium (slightly to your left). Taking the outside lane (of 2) on the slip road, as you approach the lights, you need to be in lane 3 (of 4). You will be bearing round to the right (keeping the pavement on your left) you are taking the 1st turning off this roundabout into Hadfield Road. Travelling approximately 800 meters down Hadfield Road you will then turn left into Bessemer Road. Travelling down Bessemer Road to the traffic lights at its "T" junction with Sloper Rd you turn left. Approximately 400 meters down Sloper road as you pass the bus depot on your right on your left you will see "HSS Plant Hire". Turn Left Here into the protected compound. Thanks to Malcolm a Cardiff Cabbie for these directions.
BY TRAIN
The nearest railway station is Ninian Park Halt, which is only a five minute walk from the stadium. This station is on a local line (City Line-direction Radyr) which is served by trains from Cardiff Central, which run every 30 minutes on Saturday afternoons (although occasionally extra services are put on). On leaving Ninian Park Halt Station proceed left along Leckwith Road and you will see the stadium over on your left.
Alternatively as Barry Hodges informs me; 'The next nearest station is Grangetown which is around a 15-20 minute walk away from the New Stadium and is served by trains from Cardiff Central, that continue onto Penarth or Barry Island. On leaving Grangetown station turn left, cross the main road and then turn right into Sloper road'. If you are an away fan then turn left into the protected compound at HSS Plant Hire, which leads to the away turnstiles. If for any other turnstile than gate 7, walk on 50 metres, turning left, into the car park towards gate 6 or around the stadium, to the right for lower gate numbers, ticket office or club shop.
If you a bit more time on your hands, then you can walk to the stadium from Cardiff Central, which takes around 25 minutes. As you come out of the entrance to the station, bear left and at the bottom of the station approach road, turn left. Continue straight on into Ninian Park Road, for around a mile passing the Millennium Stadium on your right. At the end of Ninian Park Road turn left and then left into Leckwith Road. You will then shortly be able to see the stadium over on your left (the away turnstiles are on the left hand side of the stadium, as you view it from here). Alternatively a taxi to the stadium from Cardiff Central costs around £7. Alternatively you can catch bus number 95 (going towards Barry) from the adjacent bus station next to Cardiff Central, up to the stadium. You can view a timetable on the Cardiff Bus website.
PUBS FOR AWAY FANS
Pubs in close vicinity of the stadium and Ninian Park Halt Station are for home fans only and should be avoided. One suggestion that I have received is the Gol Centre on Lawrenny Avenue (off Leckwith Road, See Google Map below) which has amongst other facilities a bar. Gwilym Boore informs me; 'We are a 5-a-side centre located about an eight minute walk from Cardiff City Stadium. We charge £5 to park at the centre but this is returned to customers in the form of a bar voucher which can be used against purchases of Hot Dogs, alcoholic and soft drinks, tea and coffee and confectionery. We also encourage FREE use of our pitches by visiting children'. Plus further along Lawrenny Avenue is the Canton Rugby Football Club, which has a bar, large screen television showing Sky Sports and also offers free parking.
Otherwise it is probably best to drink in the city centre and then go on up to the stadium. Alcohol is also available inside the ground in the form of Fosters Lager, John Smith’s Bitter and Strongbow Cider (all £4.30 a pint). Wine is available costing £4.30 for a small bottle. The Club also offers Heineken alcohol-free lager at £3 a can. You can also get a 'Pie and a Pint' for £7 up until kick off. They have a policy of only allowing one person to buy a maximum of four alcoholic drinks at a time. They do though accept card payments.
WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR AWAY FANS?
Away fans are located in one corner of the stadium, between the Ninian & Grange stands. Up to 1,800 fans can be accommodated in this area. The Club operates automatic turnstiles, where you have to put your ticket (which has a barcode on it) into a slot reader, which then allows the turnstiles to admit you. As you would expect from a new stadium the view of the playing action and facilities are good. The acoustics are also good, with the stadium having a loud p.a. system. The concourses are spacious, have televisions to keep you entertained and serve the usual fayre of food, including various Pies; Steak and Ale, Chicken Curry, Veggie (all £3.90), Hot Dogs (£4.30) and Cheeseburgers (£4.50).
Domenic Brunetti a visiting Nottingham Forest fan adds; I was impressed tho as the entrance to the away end as you are kept well out of harms way as home supporters are kept well separated. Inside the facilities were really good and clean. The concourse was of a good size and the food and drink kiosks plentiful, with little queuing time. I noticed that all the signs inside were written in both English and Welsh. Our seats in one corner of the stadium gave us great views of the game and the giant big screen behind us meant we could see replays of the goals (although unfortunately, we lost 3-0!).
Inside the stadium away fans are kept separate from home fans, by an area of 'no mans land' to each side. Whilst outside there is a fenced in compound, which is also used to accommodate the away coaches, but again keeps fans separated after the game has finished which should avoid most problems.
Since moving to the new stadium, then a visit to Cardiff is now normally a more enjoyable one that it was at Ninian Park. Even so I would still advise to be cautious around the stadium and the city centre and to keep colours covered.
NEWCASTLE UNITED FIXTURES
NEWCASTLE 1 TOTTENHAM 2 (Joselu)
Dubravka, Yedlin (90+2), Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie (Atsu 69), Shelvey, Diamé, Kenedy, Pérez (Muto 81),Joselu (Rondón 59)
Subs: Ki Sung-yueng, Schär, Manquillo, Darlow
Saturday 18th August
12:30 Cardiff City v Newcastle United
Sunday 26th August
16:00 Newcastle United v Chelsea
Saturday 1st September
17:30 Manchester City v Newcastle United
Saturday 15th September
15:00 Newcastle United v Arsenal
Saturday 22nd September
15:00 Crystal Palace v Newcastle United
Saturday 29th September
15:00 Newcastle United v Leicester City