DIRECTIONS AND CAR PARKING
The stadium is quite well signposted from the main routes into Oxford, with brown football signs pointing the way. The stadium can be found in between the Oxford Science Park & Blackbird Leys Estate. From the A423 Ring Road, take the A4074 towards Reading. After the roundabout with Sainsbury's on one corner, take the left turning sign posted Cowley/Wallington/Oxford Science Park and you eventually come to the ground on your left.
Car Parking
There are 1,600 car parking spaces at the stadium itself, which are free. However, the car parks tend to fill up fast, so try and arrive early if you can (at least 75 minutes before kick off). An additional 400 car parking spaces are now available at the Ozone cinema and bowling alley complex adjacent to the stadium, which are also free to use. John Attwood a visiting Gillingham supporter adds; 'when arriving at the stadium, ignore the first stadium car park entrance that you come to and go up to the second entrance as the first will have you parking at the "open" end. There is a roundabout by the second entrance, which will take you back to the first entrance if the other half is full. I was also heavily delayed in trying to leave the car park after the game as there was only two exits available'. If you do end up arriving late at the stadium and find that the stadium car parks are full, then don't get tempted to park on a grass verge as you may well end up with a parking ticket for your trouble.
There is also some street parking available in the nearby Littlemore residential area, which is only a ten minute walk away from the ground. There is also a pub called the George (OX4 4PU) in this area, but normally it admits only home fans.
BY TRAIN
Oxford Railway Station is over four miles from the ground and it is really not advisable to try to walk it. You can get the Oxford Bus Company Service, Number 5, from Oxford Railway Station (use bus stop R2) via the city centre to Knights Road in Blackbird Leys, which is a short walk away from the ground. On Saturday afternoons the bus runs every five minutes and on midweek evenings every 8-10 minutes. Journey time to the stadium is around 30 minutes. For more information visit the Oxford Bus Company website. Ed Murray adds; 'I visited the Kassam Stadium for a Tuesday evening game, I took the number 5 bus from the station just before 7pm and, even though the traffic was fairly light, I didn't arrive at the ground until 7:50pm. Coming back after the game, it still took more than half an hour. So it may be an idea to allow yourself plenty of time if you are going to travel in this way.' Tom Raffan a visiting Southend United fan advises; 'It's worth noting that the bus from the train station takes a very windy, indirect route so if intending to get the bus from the station then get there by 1.30pm at the latest (for a 3pm kick off).
In October 2015 a new railway station serving Oxford was opened. Called Oxford Parkway it is served by trains from London Marylebone. Although it is located on the other side of Oxford to the Kassam Stadium, it does have good bus transport links into Oxford City Centre. It is planned that in December 2016 rail services will begin to operate from Oxford Parkway to Oxford.
PUBS FOR AWAY FANS
There are no pubs in close vicinity to the stadium There is a bar in the nearby Holiday Inn Express Hotel, but this no longer allows in away fans. Kim Rockall informs me; 'There is a cinema and bowling alley complex located adjacent to the stadium, called Ozone. Inside the bowling alley there is a bar, which also has Sky television and a fast food outlet'. There is also on the complex a Chinese buffet restaurant called Oxy Oriental, as well as a fish and chip shop called the Ozone Plaice..
Dave Langford a visiting Northampton Town fan tells me; 'I found a small local pub called the George Inn, situated in Littlemore just off the ring road (not far from Sainsburys). It had a number of television screens showing the early kick off and we were served fairly quickly. The Oxford fans at the pub made us very welcome and the landlord suggested that I leave my car in the pub car park for the duration of the match as the stadium was only a ten minute walk away. There were assorted pies and sausage rolls available. All in all a good find.' Please note though that for certain high profile games the pub does not admit away fans.
Another traditional pub in walking distance (15-20 minutes) of the Kassam Stadium is the Catherine Wheel in Sandford-on-Thames. This pub offers local real ales and cider, plus hot food snacks on matchdays.
Otherwise alcohol is also served within the ground in the form of: Carlsberg (500ml Can £3.90), Brains SA Smooth (Pint £3.80), Cider (500ml Can £3.80) and Wine (miniature bottles £4).
WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR AWAY SUPPORTERS?
Away fans are normally housed on one side of the North Stand, towards the open end of the ground. This stand may be shared with home supporters, or if demand requires it, then the whole of this stand can be allocated providing just over 5,000 seats in total. The facilities within and the views of the playing action are excellent, and there is also good leg room. The atmosphere within the ground is not bad, with the home fans in the Oxford Mail Stand doing their best to raise it. There is not much around the ground in terms of pubs and eating establishments, although refreshments inside the stadium are okay, although if there is a large away support, then it can take quite a while to get served. Refreshments on offer include: Cheeseburgers (£3.80), Burgers (£3.40), Hot Dogs (£3) and a selection of Wrights Pies (£3). With one end of the ground being open, there is always the remark 'of watch my car' as another wayward shot flies into the car park behind. On the whole I found the Kassam Stadium to be an enjoyable and a largely friendly day out.
Derek Fennel a visiting Blackburn supporter adds; 'the stewards at the Kassam seemed very helpful and accommodating which led to a feeling of watching the game in relaxed frame of mind. There was great vocal support from the home supporters who really got behind their team'.