Away days: Arsenal

27th October
Club

As the Swans get set to face Arsenal on Saturday, we bring you a fan's guide to the Emirates Stadium to improve your matchday experience.

Arsenal

Saturday, October 28, 2017, 3pm

Address: Emirates Stadium, Highbury House, London, N5 1BU

Telephone: 0207 619 5003

Website: www.arsenal.com

 

What is it like? Swans fans are in the lower tier of the south-east corner of the stadium. Away fans are very close to the home fans, meaning a good atmosphere. The stadium oozes quality.

The concourse is not that spacious, but has a good choice of food on offer – although there are usually large queues at the kiosks. There are plenty of TVs plus a bookmaker. Alcohol is served.

 

Pubs and Grub The Drayton Arms (N5 1ND) is the main away fans’ pub, near Arsenal tube station and Drayton Park railway station. The pub overlooks the stadium. Get there really early as it gets very busy on matchdays, with pavements used too.

The Twelve Pins (N4 2DE) is near Finsbury Park tube station. Home and away fans mix in there and it’s a 10-minute walk from the ground. The Blackstock (N4 2DL) also welcomes away fans and has a big screen showing Sky Sports. There’s also the White Lion of Mortimer (N4 3PX), a five-minute walk from Finsbury Park tube station.

For pie fans, on Gillespie Road between Arsenal tube station and the Emirates, is Piebury Corner. It’s in someone’s front garden, but the range of pies at £3.50-£5 is excellent.

Visiting London There is lots to do in London with theatres, museums and concerts with musicals, plays and exhibitions available. Check out www.visitlondon.com/ for loads of stuff that’s going on.

Arsenal offer tours around their stadium and have their own museum. For more info and bookings go to https://bookings.arsenal.com/stadiumtours/booking/faq.htm

Wembley Arena (HA9 0AA) has on the night of the game Weezer Plus Ash & The Orwells. Tickets are £41.50-£68.50.

The O2 (SE10 0DX) has My Name is Prince – the world premiere of the first ever official exhibition about Prince.

Tickets are £12-£25. On the night of the game Daryl Hall & John Oates are there, tickets are £45-£95. On the Sunday, it’s Steely Dan, tickets are £53.75-£141.

 

Parking Arsenal encourage fans not to drive to the Emirates as there is no parking available at the stadium or in surrounding areas. It’s not worth trying to find street parking with traffic wardens prominent on matchdays. It is best to park near a tube station such as Cockfosters and take the tube to the ground.

 

Train The nearest tube station is Holloway Road (Piccadilly line), but it’s closed on matchdays as it has lifts, not escalators. Fans should head for Arsenal tube station. Leaving the station, turn right and follow Drayton Park Road to the left, take one of the large bridges over the railway line to the stadium.

Other tube stations within walking distance are Finsbury Park (Piccadilly line) and Highbury & Islington (Victoria line). Overland trains to Finsbury Park railway station are from Kings Cross.

After the game, lots of tube stations are shut due to overcrowding so it can be a long walk to find one open.

Sometimes police recommend taking the train into Kings Cross to get to central London.

After the game you’re better off walking to Finsbury Park than waiting in the long queues at Arsenal tube.

Trains from Swansea to Paddington (four-hour journey due to maintenance work) leave at 7.39am, 8.40am & 9.40am. Trains back to Swansea are at 6.12pm, 7.12pm & 8.12pm.