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Travel Guide

Over the years, we’ve gathered a wealth of information on how to make the trip to Stamford Bridge and beyond the most memorable. It’s not just about the match itself, but the entire experience surrounding your trip. From finding the best accommodations to exploring the local attractions to creating memorable matchday experiences, having all that information compiled in one place is incredibly useful.

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Lucky for our members, we’ve pooled our experiences together to create this comprehensive Travel Guide. Whether you’ve been to London plenty of times or are planning your first trip, this guide will surely enhance your experience.

Transportation

Airport

Most of our members fly in and out of Heathrow (LHR). You have several options for getting into central London from the airport – London Underground (the Tube), Heathrow Express, Cab, or Car Service.

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London Underground (The Tube) has two lines serving Heathrow and is the most cost-effective route between LHR and central London.

  • If you’re staying in or around Fulham Broadway or Earl’s Court, the Picadilly Line is the most practical as the transfers are minimal and it’s a direct line to these neighborhoods and Central London. Travel to Earl's Court is roughly 35 minutes and travel to Central London typically takes 50 minutes. Train wait times are no longer than 10 minutes, even in off-peak hours.

  • The Elizabeth Line is London’s newest rail line, servicing LHR’s 2, 3, 4, & 5 terminals. The Elizabeth Line takes approximately 26 minutes to get to Paddington Station, across Central London, and into East London. 

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Heathrow Express offers trains from Heathrow to London and has a journey time of 16 minutes non-stop into London Paddington. Trains run every 15 minutes in each direction. Prices will depend on how far in advance you purchase your ticket but it is a flat cost, albeit being the most expensive option. This is a nice option for families or people with lots of luggage.

 

There will be designated signs for cab services, often with a line of cabs waiting and an airport employee guiding visitors toward available cabs. Cab drivers are extremely knowledgeable and rather reliable, but the cost can be immense. Expect to pay upwards of £80 for a cab ride from LHR to central London.

 

Private car service is also available for booking, but can also be expensive. Our members have used Addison Lee previously.

Around Town

London Underground (the Tube) is arguably the most reliable and easiest form of transportation around London. Similarly, the London buses are easy to use and a great way to see the city.

 

Today’s London Underground and London buses now offer several payment options:

  • For smartphone users, you can use the Transit function in your Apple Wallet or equivalent to circumvent needing an Oyster card.

  • Use your chip credit cards for contactless payment. Just make sure you use the same card for entry and exit. 

  • If you prefer to have a travel card, you can purchase and top up an Oyster card at a Tube station.

  • These options apply to the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and the London Overground.

 

You can find Tube, Bus, and other maps on the Transport for London website.

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Cabs are plentiful in the city and are extremely knowledgeable. However, they can be a more expensive and slower alternative. Uber and Lyft are also available.

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To support travel planning, we also recommend downloading the Citymapper app.

South Kensington London Mews

Accomodations

Many people instinctively look to stay near Stamford Bridge or at the Millenium & Copthorne Hotels attached to the grounds. However, there are countless options within the surrounding area. Stamford Bridge is very accessible so staying in the area is not a requirement. Our members have used traditional hotels like Marriott or Hilton, boutique hotels and hostels, and serviced apartments. Airbnb is also an option to entertain when planning your trip.

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Some of our preferred accommodations:

  • Ember Locke Hotel – 202-220 Cromwell Road, Kensington, London, SW6 0SW - Self-catering studios and apartments with in-room/in-house cooking & washing facilities. A 5-minute walk to Earl’s Court station.

  • Hotel Indigo - 34 - 44 Barkston Gardens, London SW5 0EW – situated in the heart of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and is close to the Earl’s Court Tube station.

  • Chelsea Cloisters - Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, SW3 3DW – Situated within walking distance to South Kensington and Sloane Square stations, with access to the District Line, Piccadilly Line, and the Circle Line.

  • Note: these are not sponsored recommendations, but solely based on member experience.

  • Tip: Very few London hotels offer king-size beds.

Stamford Bridge

Getting to Stamford Bridge

Stamford Bridge is serviced by the District Line’s Fulham Broadway station. Check the TfL website for station closures and rail strikes before choosing your method of transportation.

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You may opt to exit at Earl's Court, West Kensington, or South Kensington and take the short walk to Stamford Bridge. West Brompton is the nearest overground station and also a short walk.

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You can also get to Stamford Bridge via the number 14 bus or 414 bus during the nighttime. This can be slow on match days due to capacity and street closures.

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If you’re staying in West Brompton, Earl’s Court, West Kensington, South Kensington, or one of the surrounding neighborhoods, the walk to Stamford Bridge is brief and at most a 30-minute walk.

Stadium Tour & Museum

The Stadium Tour is a must for any supporter. Go behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge and enjoy the best collection of European trophies in London inside the city’s biggest football museum.

 

There are a variety of tour options to choose from, all with varying lengths of duration and features. All stadium tour tickets include entry to the Chelsea FC Museum. You can book stadium tours directly on the Stadium Tours section of the website.

Pub Guide

One question we often get is “Which pub(s) should I go to before and after the match?” We’ve curated a comprehensive

Pub Guide to help you answer that very question.

Train station sidewalk

Away Matches

Depending on where the Away match is, your journey may be a long one so plan accordingly. For example, a mid-day match at Stoke may see you depart central London at 9 am and not return until 9 pm (or later) that night. Meanwhile, an away match at Spurs requires much less travel time. You should regularly check train schedules for maintenance, closures, and/or strikes.

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Typically, one or two pubs in the area are designated for Away supporters. Depending on the city, some of these pubs will be away from the grounds. We don’t recommend visiting one of the pubs designated for Home supporters. Most are “Home Supporters Only” and require home ticket proof at the door.

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Away supporter entrances are usually heavily policed. Be prepared to walk a bit from the tube or rail station to avoid any heckling or crowd trouble. You may also want to investigate the public transit options in the other cities to support your travel. Additionally, you will likely be guided away from the grounds on a specific route to ensure Home and Away supporters stay separated. For example, Away supporters leaving Olympic Stadium after West Ham Away will be guided towards the Pudding Mill Lane DLR station even though you may have come in through the Stratford tube station. We do not recommend deviating away from these instructions.

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What else is there to do?

As with the rest of this guide, we've curated a list of activities, places to eat, and things to do based on our own experiences and interests, varying from your typical tourist stops to the lesser-known.

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Tourist Attractions

Towe of London

London Eye

British Museum

Tower Bridge

Buckingham Palace

Westminster Abbey

National Gallery

St. Paul's Cathedral

Parliament, Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben)

Trafalgar Square

Tate Modern

Hampton Court Palace

Kew Gardens

Kensington Palace

Parks

Others to consider: 

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Markets

  • Spitalfields & Old Spitalfields Market: Spitalfields (16 Horner Square, London E1 6EW, UK). Victorian covered market, although the broader market is extensive. Excellent number of vendors and food & drink options. A great option for lunch and shopping. 

  • Camden Market: Camden Town (Camden Lock Pl, Camden Town, London NW1 8AF, UK). Independent in spirit, the market has long been known as a market for old punk heads and the like. You'll find plenty of goods from the music scene, designer clothes, food stalls, vintage garments, and one-off artworks, alongside workshops and restaurants. 

  • Maltby Street Market: Bermondsey (Arch 46, Ropewalk, Maltby St, London SE1 3PA, UK). Located beneath the vaulted arches of London Bridge. Smaller street food market with great options. A perfect lunch option before, during, or after working your way through the Bermondsey Beer Mile. Not open during the week.

  • Borough Market: Southwark (London SE1 9AL, UK). 1,000 years of marketplace history. Packed with food stalls and specialty vendors, like meat, fish, fruit, and veggie stalls.

  • Portobello Road Market: Notting Hill (306 Portobello Rd, London W10 5TA, UK). Best known for its antique markets and second-hand stalls.

  • Covent Garden: Covent Garden (Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD, UK). Neoclassical market with some serious shopping, from permanent retail stalls and upscale brands to local vendors.

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Favorite Pubs & Restaurants

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Pub Crawls

  • Wapping: 16-minute walk from Tower Bridge. Pubs: The Dickens Inn, Town of Ramsgate, The Turk's Head, Turner's Old Starr, The Captain Kidd, Prospect of Whitby.

  • Fleet Street: Get off at Blackfriars Tube station or Overground station. Pubs: The Blackfriar, The Old Bell Tavern, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Ye Olde Cock Tavern, Old Bank of England.

  • Bethnal Green: Cambridge Heath Overground or Bethnal Green Tube station. Pubs: Sebright Arms, Royal Oak, Workers Arms, Well & Bucket, Golden Heart, Pride of Spitalfields.

  • Bermondsey Beer Mile: Get off at Bermondsey Tube station, about a 1/2 mile walk. Get something to eat at Maltby Street Market. Breweries: Mash Paddle Brewery, Bianca Road Brew Co, Cloudwater, Moor Beer Vaults, Aspach & Hobday, & The Barrel Project.

  • Blackhorse Beer Mile: Get off at Blackhorse Road Tube station. Breweries: Wild Card Brewery, Hackney Brewery & High Hill Tap, Beerblefish, Exale Brewing, Pretty Decent, & Signature Brew.

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Miscellaneous

Electrical Adapter

The associated electrical plug for the UK is a type G, which has 3 rectangular pings in a triangular pattern. The UK operates on a 230v supply voltage and 50Hz.

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You need to look for a power plug adapter for sockets type G. Alternatively, choose a world travel adapter that fits multiple sockets, in case you travel more often. Without a converter, you risk serious damage to your devices. A voltage converter will ensure a safe input voltage level for your devices in England. You can find voltage converters at Amazon. Because you also need a power plug adapter, you might want a combined plug adapter/voltage converter.

Wi-Fi & Data

Unless you already have a UK phone number and plan, you’re probably wondering how you’ll navigate calling and internet use while abroad.

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Most cellphone providers have international plans that charge set amounts each day for data and calling. For example, Verizon offers a TravelPass, which includes talk, text, and data allowances for $10.00/day.

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eSims are also a reliable option for data. Some of our members regularly use Airalo as a global eSim option. eSIMs are virtual SIM cards you can download to compatible phones. These let you connect to a local phone network abroad, often paying a lower price than roaming through your mobile carrier at home. Airalo is a data-only service that grants a variety of GB amounts for a period of time. The good news is that you can still use iMessage (or comparable), Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp calling through this option.

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Many places also offer free Wi-Fi, which you can also leverage.

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We also recommend downloading WhatsApp.

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