Away days: West Ham
With the Swans taking on West Hamon Saturday, we bring you a fan's guide to the London Stadium to help your matchday experience.
West Ham
Saturday, September 30 (3pm)
Address: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, E20 2ST
Telephone: 0208 548 2748
Website: www.whufc.com
What is it like? Swans fans are in the upper and lower tiers in the south west of the stadium. You get good views but you’re far away from the action, especially at the back of the upper tier.
Due to retractable seating, there’s a fair gap between the lower and upper tiers of the away sections. The facilities are excellent, with ample food and drink outlets on big concourses.
Pubs & grub At the moment it looks like there are no pubs for away fans near the stadium other than The Goose (E15 1NG), which has satellite TV and a decent menu for food. Your best bet may be a pub in central London. Alcohol at around the £5 mark is served inside the stadium.
There are a few eating places in the nearby Westfield Shopping Centre that serve alcohol – The Cow (E20 1GL), Aspers Casino (E20 1ET) and the Holiday Inn (E20 1GL).
Outside Stratford International Station, there’s Tap East (E20 1EE) brewing its own beers. Near Hackney Wick station there are two bars that also are attached to breweries, The Crate (E9 5EN) and the Howling Hops (E9 5EN). Along the canal (opposite direction to the stadium) is Mason & Company (E20 3BS), a craft beer and Italian food outlet.
Visiting London There’s loads to do in London with theatres, museums and concerts with musicals, plays and exhibitions available. Weekend shows are extremely popular, so booking in advance is a must.
Check out www.visitlondon.com/ for events happening around the city.
Hotels near Olympic Park include a Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites, Ekko Stratford and The Railway Tavern Hotel.
Parking The London Stadium is designated as a public transport destination, so people driving by car are actively discouraged. A huge residential parking zone is put in place around the stadium on matchdays.
The limited paid-parking is available close to the stadium, at the Aquatics Centre and Copper Box, will be used by corporate sponsors and club officials etc.
The Westfield Shopping Centre has car parking at £9.50 per day.
By train Three railway stations (Stratford, Stratford International and Hackney Wick) are all a 10 to 15-minute walk from the stadium.
Stratford Station is next to Westfield. It’s the main station in the area, with overground connections to London Liverpool Street and Clapham Junction, and has an underground station on the Jubilee and Central tube lines. It’s also on the Docklands Light Railway.
Stratford International Railway Station is on the other side of Westfield and connects with London St Pancras. It’s also on the Docklands Light Railway.
Hackney Wick Railway Station is on the opposite side of the stadium compared to the Stratford Stations and Westfield Shopping Centre. It is served by trains from Clapham Junction, Richmond and Stratford.
They also stop at Highbury and Islington, on the Victoria tube line, and can be a handy if travelling to London Euston.
Due to its small size, fans are discouraged from using it. But it is open on matchdays and if you arrive early, you’ll be fine. After the game, the trains arriving at Hackney Wick will probably be full with fans who got on at Stratford Station.
After games, fans going to Stratford Station are sent on a long route (avoiding the shopping centre) which is stop/started in places to control the flow of fans, before meeting huge queues for the trains.
Trains to Paddington leave Swansea at 7.59am, 8.43am and 9.43am for the three-and-a-half hour trip. Trains leave Paddington at 6.12pm, 7.12pm and 8.12pm.
Fans should be aware that Network Rail’s engineering work will take place on in the Reading area this Saturday and Sunday, which will impact services operating through the Thames Valley area.
Full details can be found via their website HERE
