Portman Road · Ipswich · Suffolk IP1 2DA · Capacity 30,311
Portman Road: five minutes from the station
Ipswich play in the middle of their town, a five-minute walk from the railway station and a couple of streets from the shops. For a thirty-thousand-seat ground that is genuinely rare, and it makes Portman Road one of the most straightforward away days in English football.
From Ipswich station to the turnstiles. Very few grounds of this size are that close to a mainline station, and it changes what a matchday looks like: everything is walkable, nothing needs a second leg.
A direction Kent supporters rarely travel
Almost every away trip from Kent goes north or west. This one goes east, over the crossing and up the A12.
Then the A12
Dartford Crossing, round the M25 briefly, then a straight run north east into Suffolk.
For the last stretch
The A12 is a dual carriageway rather than a motorway, which makes it steadier and slightly slower.
Everything on foot
Station, shops, pubs and the stadium all within a few minutes of one another.
Both ways
The Dartford Crossing applies. We confirm whether it sits inside your quote before you book.
Kent to Suffolk
An unusual direction for us, and a straightforward one. No city driving and no motorway congestion.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Each way | Home by, 15:00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 82 miles | 1h 45m – 2h 15m | 19:15 |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 78 miles | 1h 40m – 2h 10m | 19:10 |
| Bexleyheath & Welling | 84 miles | 1h 50m – 2h 20m | 19:20 |
| Bromley & Orpington | 88 miles | 1h 55m – 2h 25m | 19:25 |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 95 miles | 2h – 2h 30m | 19:30 |
| Rochester & Chatham | 88 miles | 1h 55m – 2h 25m | 19:25 |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 96 miles | 2h 5m – 2h 35m | 19:35 |
| Canterbury & Ashford | 112 miles | 2h 25m – 3h | 20:00 |
Everything within a few minutes
The main practical advantage of a town-centre ground, and Ipswich has it more completely than most.
| What | Distance from the turnstiles |
|---|---|
| Ipswich railway station | Five minutes' walk |
| The town centre and shops | A couple of streets |
| Pubs and food | Immediately around the ground |
| The waterfront | Ten minutes, and worth seeing |
| Our collection point | Towards the station side, five to eight minutes |
An Ipswich away day
The most convenient ground on our list
Very few stadiums of this size sit in the middle of a town with a mainline station five minutes away. It means no second transport leg, no shuttle, no long walk from a distant car park. Once you arrive, the pubs, the food and the ground are all within a couple of streets of each other, which is a considerable advantage for a group that has travelled two hours.
Going east feels different
Nearly every away trip from Kent heads north or west, into motorway traffic and eventually a city. Ipswich is the opposite: over the Dartford Crossing, briefly onto the M25 and then a long steady run up the A12 through Essex and into Suffolk. It is a calmer drive than most and it takes less time than the mileage suggests, because there is very little congestion once you are past the crossing.
The crossing is the only charge
The Dartford Crossing applies in both directions and it is the one road charge on this route. We confirm whether it sits inside your quote before you book, and we plan the departure around the crossing rather than the total distance, since that is where any delay will be.
A comfortable day return
At under two hours from most of Kent, Portman Road is one of the shorter away days we run despite feeling like a long way. A three o'clock kick-off means leaving mid-morning and being home by half seven, which is earlier than several London fixtures manage.
Portman Road questions
The eastern away day.
How far is Ipswich from Kent?
Around eighty to a hundred and ten miles, which is under two hours from most of north Kent. It is one of the shorter away days we run, despite going in an unusual direction.
What is the route?
Over the Dartford Crossing, briefly onto the M25, then a steady run up the A12 through Essex into Suffolk. Very little congestion once you are past the crossing.
Is there a road charge?
The Dartford Crossing applies both ways. We confirm whether it sits inside your quote before you book, and nothing is added afterwards.
How close is the ground to the station?
Five minutes' walk, which is unusual for a thirty-thousand-seat stadium. The town centre and the pubs are a couple of streets away.
Where do you collect afterwards?
Towards the station side, five to eight minutes' walk, where the roads move rather than immediately outside the turnstiles.
Can we do it as a day return?
Easily. A three o'clock kick-off means leaving mid-morning and being home by half seven, earlier than several London fixtures.
Is there parking near the ground?
Town-centre parking with matchday demand, and it empties slowly like everywhere. Being dropped avoids the whole exercise.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking and unaffected by added time or traffic on the A12.
Eastern venues and guides
Over the crossing, up the A12.