De Kuip away guide

For an away game at De Kuip, the cleanest route from most of the UK is to fly to Amsterdam Schiphol, take the Intercity Direct train to Rotterdam Centraal in about 26 minutes, then tram 3 or 23 to the Stadion Feijenoord stop right outside the ground (dekuip.com, Trainline). Away fans sit in the upper tier of the Gerard Meijer Stand, blocks GG, FF, HH and JJ via entrances 61-64 (bayer04.de).

Fast facts

Getting there from the UK

Rotterdam's own airport, Rotterdam The Hague, has few UK links, so from Manchester and most of the country you fly to the Amsterdam Schiphol hub and take the fast Intercity Direct train across, about 26 minutes to Rotterdam Centraal. London has more choice: a short direct flight into Rotterdam The Hague, the Eurostar city centre to city centre, or the same cheap Schiphol-and-train hop. Costs are return estimates and swing with how early you book.

Getting there from Rotterdam The Hague Airport

Rotterdam The Hague (RTM) has no metro at the terminal, so head into the city first. Bus 33 runs to Meijersplein metro station and on towards Rotterdam Centraal (Rotterdam The Hague Airport). From Centraal follow the tram directions below to reach De Kuip, about 5 km south of the centre in the Feijenoord district (Wikipedia).

From Rotterdam Centraal to the ground

From Rotterdam Centraal take tram 3 (direction Beverwaard) and get off at the Stadion Feijenoord stop, right in front of the ground; tram 23 also serves the stadium and takes about 20 minutes (dekuip.com, footballgroundguide.com). On matchdays the RET runs extra trams as line 12 to reinforce the service, and both stop at De Kuip (RET). Trams and buses are free from three hours before kick-off until three hours after the final whistle when you show a valid match ticket (dekuip.com).

Other ways in:

• Metro: take line D or E to Wilhelminaplein, then change to a tram to Stadion Feijenoord (dekuip.com).
• Train: a dedicated station, Rotterdam Stadion, runs on matchdays only with Sprinter trains. Off matchdays use Rotterdam Zuid or Rotterdam Lombardijen, each about a 15-minute walk (dekuip.com).
• Bus: take bus 77 from Zuidplein to Breeplein, then about a 5-minute walk (dekuip.com).
• Water taxi: the dock (Stadion Feyenoord, number 10) is about a 5-minute walk from the ground (dekuip.com).

Where to stay

Base yourself around Rotterdam Centraal or the compact city centre (Stadsdriehoek, Cool, Witte de Withstraat). Everything is a short tram or metro hop, you are on the free matchday network, and the bars and food are on your doorstep. Avoid booking down in Feijenoord itself near the stadium, which is residential and turns into a home-fan area on matchdays.

Inside the stadium and the away section

For a recent European away game the away allocation was blocks GG, FF, HH and JJ, reached through entrances 61-64 (bayer04.de). The away area is in the upper tier of the Gerard Meijer Stand, so expect a steep climb up to the section, with generally unobstructed pitch views (footballgroundguide.com). De Kuip is a steep, enclosed bowl that traps noise and produces a fierce atmosphere on big European and cup nights (dekuip.com).

Entry checks are strict: a pre-ticket check, a ticket scan and body searches on the way in (bayer04.de). Food, drink and toilets are on the away concourse, though catering can stop from around 80 minutes as fans are held in the block, and payment inside the stadium is cashless only (bayer04.de).

What you can bring in: bags are limited to A4 size, with no storage for larger or prohibited items (bayer04.de). No outside food or drink, no alcohol or drugs, and no fireworks, weapons or dangerous objects (dekuip.com). Also barred for away fans: professional cameras, tube or snood scarves, ski masks, aerosols, umbrellas and walking sticks. Pets are not permitted anywhere in the stadium (bayer04.de, dekuip.com).

Where to drink

Beer runs about 6 to 7 euros a glass in the city centre, a touch cheaper than Amsterdam (Expatistan). Drink in town before heading south, not near the ground.

• Panenka: the pick for football, a proper sports bar near the centre with one of the city's biggest screens, a wooden terrace stand and beers on tap. Open to all, gets busy pre-match (matchdayguide.com).
• Paddy Murphy's Irish Pub: the main expat football pub, live sport in HD and a broad beer and whiskey range. Reliable for a UK away crowd (matchdayguide.com).
• Proeflokaal Reijngoud: big screen and televisions throughout, good for watching the earlier games with a beer (matchdayguide.com).
• Stadhuisplein: the central square lined with old Rotterdam pubs such as Get Back and Coconuts, and the default party spot on big match nights (cityguiderotterdam.com).
• Witte de Withstraat: the main bar-and-cafe street, low-key and mixed, good for a quiet start before the crowds (liberoguide.com).

Avoid: the south side of the stadium and the Feijenoord streets around it, where home supporters gather. Away-club guidance is not to wear colours on public transport or around the city (bayer04.de).

Where to eat

The Rotterdam dish to try is the kapsalon, invented in the city in 2003: fries, shawarma meat, melted cheese, garlic sauce, sambal and salad in a foil tray (getyourguide.com). Otherwise go for bitterballen (deep-fried beef ragout balls with mustard) and kibbeling (battered fish).

• Markthal: the vaulted market hall by Blaak, dozens of stalls from Dutch cheese to global street food, quick and easy for a group (lonelyplanet.com).
• Jaffa Shoarma: a Witte de Withstraat institution since 1979, the go-to for kebab, falafel and a proper kapsalon (getyourguide.com).
• Bram Ladage: the local chip chain, Dutch fries with the full run of sauces, several branches including near Centraal.
• Fenix Food Factory: a warehouse food hall over on Katendrecht with craft beer, cheese and grilled plates, a short water-taxi or metro hop.
• Hudson: sit-down sharing platters of wings, onion rings and bitterballen if you want a table rather than a counter (getyourguide.com).

What to do

Rotterdam was flattened in 1940 and rebuilt as the Netherlands' architecture city, so a day here is about modern design more than old canals.

• Erasmus Bridge: the cable-stayed "Swan" over the Maas, the city's signature landmark (lonelyplanet.com).
• Cube Houses: Piet Blom's tilted yellow cubes by Blaak; one, the Kijk-Kubus, is open as a show home (lonelyplanet.com).
• Markthal: worth seeing for the giant ceiling artwork even if you are not eating.
• Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen: the mirror-bowl public art depot you can walk through; the main Boijmans museum is closed for renovation.
• Maritime Museum and the harbour: fitting for one of Europe's biggest ports, with historic ships in the old harbour basin (lonelyplanet.com).
• Euromast: the 185-metre tower with a viewing deck over the whole city and river.
• Water taxi to Katendrecht: the quick boat across the Maas to the reborn Katendrecht docks and Fenix district makes the trip half the fun (lonelyplanet.com).

Common questions

Which airport should I use for a Feyenoord away game?

Rotterdam The Hague (RTM) has direct UK flights only from London City and seasonal Stansted, so from Manchester and most of the country you fly to the hub, Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS), instead. Schiphol has Intercity Direct trains to Rotterdam Centraal in about 26 minutes, which is faster end to end than most connecting options (flightsfrom.com, Trainline).

How do I get from the airport to De Kuip?

From Schiphol take the Intercity Direct to Rotterdam Centraal (about 26 minutes), then tram 3 or 23 to the Stadion Feijenoord stop at the ground. From Rotterdam The Hague airport there is no metro, so bus into the city towards Centraal first, then the same tram (Trainline, Rotterdam The Hague Airport).

Can I get there by train instead of flying?

From London, yes. Eurostar runs direct from St Pancras to Rotterdam Centraal in about 3 hours 13, city centre to city centre, with five direct trains a day. That often beats flying once you count airport time, and drops you a tram ride from the ground (Trainline).

Where do away fans sit?

In the upper tier of the Gerard Meijer Stand. For a recent European game the allocation was blocks GG, FF, HH and JJ through entrances 61-64. Expect a steep climb to the section, with a generally unobstructed view of the pitch if not the whole bowl (bayer04.de, footballgroundguide.com).

How big is the away allocation?

Feyenoord do not publish a fixed number and it varies by competition. European away sections commonly take the standard 5 percent of a 47,500 football capacity, so roughly 2,400, housed in the upper Gerard Meijer Stand. For domestic Eredivisie fixtures the away section is smaller. Check your own club's ticket office for the exact number (dekuip.com, bayer04.de).

What time should I arrive?

Give yourself a clear hour before kick-off. Entry involves a pre-ticket check, a ticket scan and a body search, and the queue for a large away following is slow. Get to the tram in good time, since catering inside can stop around 80 minutes and fans are held in the block late on (bayer04.de).

Can I drink inside the ground and is it cashless?

There is food and drink on the away concourse, but payment inside the stadium is cashless only, so bring a contactless card or phone. Provision can stop from about 80 minutes when away fans are kept in the block rather than the concourse (bayer04.de).

How much is a beer?

Reckon on about 6 to 7 euros a glass in a city-centre bar, a little cheaper than Amsterdam. Dutch measures are smaller than a UK pint, so it is closer to a half. Cheaper spots sit nearer 5 to 6 euros around Witte de Withstraat (Expatistan).

Is Rotterdam safe for away fans?

The city is fine to walk around normally. The football caveat is real: away-club guidance warns of animosity toward identifiable visitors, advises against wearing colours on public transport, and notes home fans gather on the stadium's south side. Police are strict and away fans can be held back at least 30 minutes after full time (bayer04.de).

Which areas are away-friendly and which should I avoid?

Base your pre-match around Rotterdam Centraal, Stadhuisplein and Witte de Withstraat, where the mixed bars and food are and where you are on the free matchday network. Avoid the south side of De Kuip and the Feijenoord streets immediately around the ground, which are home-fan territory on matchdays (matchdayguide.com, bayer04.de).

Does my match ticket give free transport?

Yes. RET trams and buses are free from three hours before kick-off until three hours after the final whistle when you show a valid match ticket, which covers the tram out to the ground and back. Keep the ticket to hand for the return (dekuip.com).

How far is the stadium from the city centre?

De Kuip is about 5 km south of the centre in the Feijenoord district, roughly 15 to 20 minutes on tram 3 or 23 from Rotterdam Centraal, or a matchday Sprinter train to Rotterdam Stadion station beside the ground (Wikipedia, footballgroundguide.com).

Where should I stay?

Around Rotterdam Centraal or the central Stadsdriehoek and Cool districts. You get short tram and metro hops, the free matchday network, and the bars and restaurants on your doorstep. Skip hotels down in Feijenoord near the stadium, which are residential and become a home-fan zone on matchdays.