Ibrox Stadium away guide

Glasgow has direct trains and direct flights from most UK cities, so there is no hub-and-connect detour: from Manchester or London take the train straight to Glasgow Central, then the Subway (the "Clockwork Orange") three stops to Ibrox, about six minutes from the ground. Away fans sit in the lower Broomloan Stand towards the Govan corner, allocation around 2,500 (Avanti West Coast, Football Ground Guide).

Fast facts

Getting there from the UK

This is a domestic away day, so the fly-to-a-hub logic that applies to European trips does not apply here. Glasgow has both direct trains and direct flights from most of the country, and because the train drops you at Glasgow Central in the city centre it is usually the closest, cheapest and simplest option. Flying only wins on raw speed from London, and even then the airport time claws most of it back. Here are the ways there and roughly what each costs and takes.

Costs are estimates and swing hard on how far ahead you book. Advance rail singles from Manchester can be found near £16 and from London near £36, while flights are cheapest booked weeks out (Trainline, Omio). From Manchester the plane rarely beats the train once you add airport time, so most fans take the train both ways.

Getting there from the airport, city centre and station

From Glasgow Airport (GLA) the simplest route to the centre is the First Bus Glasgow Airport Express service 500, roughly every 10 minutes, 24 hours, about 15 minutes to town. A single is around £11, an open return about £16.50 (Glasgow Airport, First Bus). From the centre pick up the Subway to Ibrox.

From Glasgow city centre take the Glasgow Subway, the "Clockwork Orange". Board at Buchanan Street or St Enoch, both within a short walk of Glasgow Central, and it is roughly 10 to 15 minutes on the outer circle to Ibrox station, then about a 6 minute walk (Avanti West Coast, Rome2Rio). A single Subway fare is around £2 (SPT Subway).

By national rail, Glasgow Central is the main mainline station for the ground. Connect there to the Subway rather than walking the full distance (Avanti West Coast).

By car, follow the M8 and exit at Junction 24 (Helen Street) for the away visitors car and bus park, or Junction 23 onto the A8 Paisley Road West (GMFC, Football Ground Guide). The Albion car park sits directly opposite the stadium at around £7 (Avanti West Coast).

Expect heavy policing and segregation on Old Firm and high-profile fixtures, and slow going out of Ibrox Subway afterwards (Football Ground Guide).

Inside the stadium, allocation and what you can bring

Away supporters are housed in the lower Broomloan Stand towards the Govan West corner, beneath one of the large video screens. The view is rated excellent and the acoustics are good (GMFC, Football Ground Guide). Enter via turnstiles 69, 70, 76 or 77 depending on your seat, so check the number printed on your ticket; wheelchair users enter via a staffed door at turnstile 76 (GMFC).

Typical away allocation is around 2,500, cut to about 2,000 for Celtic matches and sometimes raised for cup ties (Football Ground Guide).

All bags are searched on entry. Small holdalls are allowed only if they fit under your seat without blocking the walkway. Prohibited items include weapons, fireworks, smoke canisters, flares, laser devices, bottles, glass and cans. Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is banned throughout. Flags must be on canes under 3 feet, and banners need a fire-approval certificate (GMFC). No alcohol is sold in the stands, in line with Scottish football regulations; food and soft drinks are on the concourse before kickoff and up to half-time (Football Ground Guide).

Where to stay

Stay in the city centre or Merchant City rather than near the ground: you get the bars, the restaurants and the stations on your doorstep, and Ibrox is a short Subway hop away. The centre around Central Station, George Square and Buchanan Street keeps you close to the airport bus and the Subway loop, and it is the sensible base for away fans wanting a night out that is not partisan.

Where to drink

The bars immediately around Ibrox are busy Rangers pubs and are not away-friendly on a matchday, so drink in the city centre and travel out on the Subway (Football Ground Guide). A pint runs about £4 to £5 in the centre, more for craft (BrewDog Merchant City).

• The Horse Shoe Bar, Drury Street: a Glasgow institution near Central Station with one of the longest bars in the UK, unpretentious and cheap.
• The Pot Still, Hope Street: friendly, neutral, hundreds of whiskies and a good pint, five minutes from Central.
• Waxy O'Connor's, West George Street: sprawling multi-level Irish bar, easy for a big group and used to away crowds.
• BrewDog Merchant City, Candleriggs: 30-plus taps, relaxed, a solid neutral craft stop (BrewDog).
• Babbity Bowster, Blackfriars Street: characterful Merchant City pub with a courtyard, calmer and good for food too.
• The Ben Nevis, Argyle Street in Finnieston: cosy, whisky-heavy, on the strip near Kelvingrove if you fancy the West End before the game.

Avoid the pubs hugging the stadium in Govan and Ibrox if you are following the away team; they are hardcore home ends. Keep club colours covered on the Subway and around the ground on the big fixtures.

Where to eat

Glasgow does hearty and cheap as well as it does sit-down. Local plates to try: a square (Lorne) sausage roll for breakfast, haggis, neeps and tatties, Cullen skink (smoked haddock soup), and a proper Scotch steak pie. Glasgow also lays claim to inventing chicken tikka masala.

• Café Gandolfi, Albion Street: long-running Merchant City spot doing Cullen skink and Scottish classics, mid-range and reliable (Visit Glasgow).
• The Butterfly and the Pig, Bath Street: whisky-flamed haggis, neeps and tatties in a shabby-chic room, budget to mid.
• Mharsanta, Merchant City: traditional Scottish, mussels, Cullen skink and steak pie, sit-down.
• Stravaigin, Gibson Street: "think global, eat local", famous homemade haggis, a step up.
• Shish Mahal, Gibson Street: the West End curry house that claims the tikka masala, good value.
• The Horse Shoe Bar upstairs does one of the cheapest pub lunches in the city if you want fast and filling.

What to do

• Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, free: Dalí's Christ of Saint John of the Cross, a Spitfire and Sir Roger the elephant, one of Scotland's most visited attractions (VisitScotland).
• Riverside Museum and the Tall Ship, free: award-winning transport museum on the Clyde with the Glenlee moored alongside.
• George Square and the City Chambers: the civic heart of the city, grand Victorian architecture a short walk from Queen Street.
• Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis: a medieval cathedral and the atmospheric hilltop Victorian cemetery behind it, both free.
• Buchanan Street: the main pedestrian shopping run, buskers and the "Style Mile", straight down to St Enoch.
• The West End and Glasgow University: the Gilbert Scott tower, Ashton Lane and the Botanic Gardens with the Kibble Palace glasshouse.
• The People's Palace and Glasgow Green: social history of the city on its oldest public park, free entry.

Common questions

How do I get from Glasgow Airport to Ibrox?

Take the First Bus Glasgow Airport Express 500 into the city centre, roughly 15 minutes and about £11 single, then switch to the Subway to Ibrox station, about a 6 minute walk from the ground. Buses run up to every 10 minutes, 24 hours (Glasgow Airport, Rome2Rio).

Which airport should I fly to, and is there a hub?

Glasgow Airport (GLA) is six miles from Ibrox and has direct flights from many UK cities, so no hub connection is needed. For Manchester and much of the north the train to Glasgow Central is usually quicker door-to-door than flying. From London you can fly direct in about 75 minutes or take a direct train in about 4h 30m (Rome2Rio, Trainline).

Where do away fans sit at Ibrox?

In the lower tier of the Broomloan Stand towards the Govan West corner, under one of the big video screens. The sight lines and acoustics are both rated highly (GMFC, Football Ground Guide).

What is the away allocation?

Around 2,500 tickets for most fixtures, reduced to roughly 2,000 for Old Firm matches against Celtic, and sometimes increased for cup ties. Enter via turnstiles 69, 70, 76 or 77 as printed on your ticket (Football Ground Guide, GMFC).

What time should I arrive?

Get to the ground 30 to 45 minutes before kickoff to clear the bag search and turnstiles without a rush, and earlier for Old Firm or cup games when policing and segregation are heavier. The Subway can bottleneck badly right before kickoff and straight after the final whistle (Football Ground Guide).

Can I drink alcohol inside the ground?

No. Alcohol is not sold in the stands under Scottish football regulations, and this applies across Scottish grounds. Food and soft drinks are available on the concourse before kickoff and until half-time, so do your drinking in the city centre beforehand (Football Ground Guide).

How much is a pint in Glasgow?

Budget roughly £4 to £5 for a standard pint in a city-centre pub, and £5 or more for craft in places like BrewDog Merchant City. City-centre bars are your best bet, since the pubs by the stadium are home-fan territory (BrewDog Merchant City).

Is Glasgow safe for away fans?

Glasgow is a friendly, easy city for a football weekend, but the Old Firm rivalry runs deep and matchdays are policed hard. Keep club colours covered on the Subway and around Ibrox, stick to city-centre and Merchant City bars rather than the partisan pubs by the ground, and you will have no trouble (Football Ground Guide).

Which areas are away-friendly?

The city centre around Central Station and George Square, and Merchant City just east of it, are neutral and used to visiting fans. Finnieston and the West End near Kelvingrove are relaxed too. Steer clear of the bars in Govan and Ibrox immediately around the stadium on a matchday (Football Ground Guide).

Does my match ticket include free local transport?

No. Unlike some English clubs, a Scottish match ticket does not cover Subway, bus or rail travel, so buy fares separately. A single Subway fare is around £2, and the Airport Express 500 is about £11 single (SPT Subway, Glasgow Airport).

How far is Ibrox from the city centre?

About three miles south-west of the centre, roughly 10 to 15 minutes on the Subway from Buchanan Street or St Enoch to Ibrox station, then a 6 minute walk. By car it is a short hop off the M8 at Junction 23 or 24 (Avanti West Coast, Rome2Rio).

Where should I stay?

Base yourself in the city centre or Merchant City for the bars, restaurants and stations, and ride the Subway out to Ibrox on matchday. It keeps you close to Central Station, the Airport Express and the Subway loop, and away from the partisan pubs near the ground.

How much is parking at Ibrox?

The visitors car and bus park costs about £8 for cars and £12 for buses, and the Albion car park directly opposite is around £7. On-street parking exists nearby but Glasgow runs a matchday tow-away scheme, so obey the restrictions (GMFC, Avanti West Coast).