Away-day guide
Loftus Road, hoops.
Quick takeaways
About the place
The MATRADE Loftus Road stadium is in Shepherd's Bush in West London. Its name has changed over the years due to naming rights, but to fans, it'll always be Loftus Road.
It's a proper old stadium, sat in the heart of a community. On all sides, residential properties. There's nowhere to expand to; and many fans cherish this. It's small, it's compact, it's how it should be. If QPR ever moved further out and built a bowl somewhere, it just wouldn't be the same.
Away fans are housed in the upper Achilleus Security Stand, which is the west side of the stadium. The away entrance is on Ellerslie Road.
Club info
Section 02
By train + tube
There are 5 tube stations within a 15-minute walk of Loftus Road, so you’ve got lots of options.
Section 03
Parking options
There is no dedicated disabled parking at the stadium.
Some residential streets near the stadium have blue badge bays, but these are highly limited and fill up quickly. Be aware that South Africa Road closes to all traffic 90 minutes before kick-off, and remains closed for about an hour after the game.
Drop-off points: For those with limited mobility, the recommended drop-off point is at the Bloemfontein Road junction with South Africa Road.
Near the stadium
Min walk
Westfield London (White City) offers 4,000+ spaces across three main car parks (A, B, C) with a "Smart Parking" ANPR system.
Car park entrance: W12 7SL
Min walk
Notes
Du Cane Road is just on the northern side of the A40 Westway, about 15-20 minutes to Loftus Road. We’ve parked here on a Saturday (parking charges were only Mon-Fri 9-5).
Min walk
A smaller matchday car park near the BBC Television Centre.
Silver Lane, W12 7SG
Notes
It has roughly 75 spaces and fills up very quickly, so arriving early (at least 90 minutes before kick-off) is essential.
Matchday road closures
The most significant closure affects South Africa Road, which runs directly past the stadium.
The road closes to all traffic 90 minutes before kick-off, and for up to an hour afterwards to allow fans to clear the area safely.
The roads affected include South Africa Road, Bloemfontein Road (between South Africa Road and Uxbridge Road) and Ellerslie Road.
Post-match traffic
Needless to say, the traffic is very slow around QPR on a matchday. Expect delays on local streets affected by the road closures, as well as Uxbridge Road, Wood Lane and the A40 Westway. If you have the time to wait a bit (maybe grab something to eat nearby) you should have a quicker exit (although you can get stuck in London traffic at any time).
Worth considering
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) covers the entire Greater London area. It operates 24/7 (except Christmas Day).
If your vehicle doesn't meet the required emission standards, you'll have to pay £12.50 per day to drive within the zone. You can pay by midnight on the third day following the journey or up to 90 days in advance.
Check your vehicle, view the zone map, and pay the charge at: tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone
Section 04
Many fans choose to drink in central London before heading out to Shepherd’s Bush.
Closer to the stadium
Ariel Way, London W12 7GF — 10-15 minutes from the away end
Huge shopping mall with similarly huge range of eateries. Also a parking option.
Unit 5, White City Place, 191 Wood Ln, London W12 7TU — 10-15 minutes from the stadium
Great place serving gyros, halloumi and plant-based Greek food. The oregano fries are delicious.
288 Uxbridge Rd, London W12 7JA — 5 minutes from the away entrance on Ellerslie Road
Highly-rated diner known for its burgers, chicken and shakes.
13-15 Shepherd's Bush Green, London, W12 8PH
Belushi's Bar, a short walk from Shepherd's Bush tube, is the go-to away pub for most visiting fans. Live sport on big screens, cold beers, classic food. Allow 15-20 minutes to walk to the ground.
2 Goldhawk Rd, London W12 8QD
The Sindercombe Social on Goldhawk Road is a solid away-friendly option, serving craft beers and pub grub. Around 15 minutes on foot to Loftus Road.
Unit 1, West 12 Shopping Centre, Shepherd's Bush Green, London, W12 8PH
Located in the West 12 Shopping Centre, this is frequently used by away fans, though it is usually mixed and can get very busy.
Section 05
The away entrance is via a single gate on Ellerslie Road, on the south side of the ground.
The QPR away end is one of the best around.
Why?
It's proper old school. Tight, atmospheric, compact. Restricted views and limited sightlines depending on how far back you are.
But it's brilliant fun nonetheless.
We only mention the concourse when there's something worth knowing, and at QPR, there is. It's narrow. So narrow that queues form sideways, squeezed between the kiosks and the stadium wall. Get in early before kick-off, or go during the first half. If you head down there at half-time, you could be gone some time!
Section 06
Inexplicably, we drove to this. We should've parked up at a station near London and made our way in by train.
We got down to London in good time, and parked on Du Cane Road, which is about 20 minutes away from Loftus Road. This was on-street parking, and came recommended. This worked out fine, but we had to pay the ULEZ charge.
The walk to the stadium was easy, passing underneath the A40 Westway.
The stadium is a firm favourite with away fans, due to its authentic, proper old stadium feel. It's surrounded by houses.
When we arrived, we did the obligatory photos outside the ground, then went looking for the away entrance.
The away entrance is on Ellerslie Road, a gateway between two houses. It felt a bit like Fratton Park, having to walk the streets to find the entrance.
We had arrived early, to grab lunch in the stadium before the crowds arrived. We must've been in the first 100 to go in. No queue, hot dogs all round. This was a good plan, as the concourse is VERY tight. I wouldn't even bother going at half time with a sold out away end. And there's no way I'd take the boys there.
We got lucky with our seats, having won a ballot application. We were in the front row of the upper Achilleus Security Stand, so we had a great view of the game.
At full time, we needed to eat something more substantial. As we retraced our route back towards the car, we walked through a little district that had food. We went to The Athenian, a Greek restaurant that serves Gyros and Oregano Fries. 10/10. Not busy, we got fed while the local traffic died down. These are the discoveries that make or break an away day when you've got kids to feed. With everyone fed, we were back to the car and didn't need to stop on the way home.
If you've got more time
Take a punt
5questions, multigenerational. Some you'll know, some only a long-time fan would. No timer, no leaderboard — just for the fun of it.
Reviewed by Andy · 2 weeks ago