Langhorn Drive · Twickenham · London TW2 7SX · Capacity 14,800
The Stoop: next door to Twickenham, nothing like it
Harlequins play at the Stoop, three hundred yards across the road from Twickenham Stadium. Same postcode area, same approach roads, and a completely different day out, because fourteen thousand people leave in a fraction of the time that eighty-two thousand do.
Between the Stoop and Twickenham Stadium. Close enough that people confuse them constantly, and different enough that the transport plan for one is nothing like the plan for the other.
The Stoop or the Stadium?
They face each other across Whitton Road, and getting this wrong changes your whole afternoon.
14,800, Langhorn Drive
Harlequins' home ground. Club rugby, quick exit, easy access.
82,000, Whitton Road
Internationals and Big Game. Wide closures and an hour to clear.
At the Stadium, not the Stoop
Harlequins' Christmas fixture moves next door. Check your ticket carefully.
Enormous
Fourteen thousand people disperse in ten minutes. Eighty-two thousand take an hour.
TW2 from Kent
West London, and the far side of it. The journey is the work; the ground is easy.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Matchday journey |
|---|---|---|
| Bromley & Orpington | 22 miles | 60–90 min |
| Bexleyheath & Welling | 25 miles | 65–95 min |
| Sidcup & Bexley | 24 miles | 65–95 min |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 32 miles | 75–110 min |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 33 miles | 70–100 min |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 37 miles | 85–115 min |
| Rochester & Chatham | 46 miles | 95–125 min |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 46 miles | 95–125 min |
| Canterbury & Ashford | 70 miles | 115–150 min |
A club rugby afternoon
Premiership rugby is a longer, gentler day than football, and the transport reflects that.
| Feature | Note |
|---|---|
| Kick-offs vary widely | Afternoon and evening across the season. Check your fixture. |
| No segregation | Home and away supporters mix throughout. A different atmosphere entirely. |
| Bars open long after | Rugby crowds stay. Book the return later than the final whistle. |
| Twickenham station | About fifteen minutes' walk, and shared with the Stadium on big days. |
| We collect towards Richmond | Where the roads move, ten minutes' walk. |
A Harlequins matchday
Check whether your fixture is next door
Harlequins move their Christmas fixture, and occasionally others, across the road to Twickenham Stadium, where the crowd is five times larger and the closures are on a completely different scale. Your ticket will say. If it is the Stadium, our Twickenham page is the one that applies, and the collection point moves accordingly.
Rugby crowds do not leave promptly
This is the practical difference from football. The bars stay open, people stay in them, and a fair proportion of a rugby crowd is still on site an hour after the final whistle. That is part of the appeal. It also means booking a collection for ten minutes after the whistle is usually a mistake, and we would rather set it later and get it right.
Fourteen thousand is an easy crowd
Once you do leave, the Stoop empties quickly. It is a compact ground with proper circulation and a manageable number of people, and we can hold considerably closer than we ever could for an international next door. Ten minutes' walk towards Richmond puts you on roads that are moving.
The journey is the only difficulty
TW2 is the far side of west London from Kent, which makes this among the longer London runs we do. Sixty to ninety minutes from Bromley, closer to two hours from Medway. We leave earlier than a satnav suggests and the fixed fare absorbs whatever the afternoon traffic does.
Twickenham Stoop questions
Which ground, and when to leave.
Is the Stoop the same as Twickenham Stadium?
No, though they are three hundred yards apart. The Stoop holds around fourteen thousand and is Harlequins' home ground. Twickenham Stadium holds eighty-two thousand and hosts internationals. Check your ticket.
What about the Big Game?
Harlequins' Christmas fixture is usually played at Twickenham Stadium rather than the Stoop, which means a much larger crowd and completely different closures. Your ticket will say which.
When should we book the return?
Later than you think. Rugby crowds stay in the bars long after the whistle, and a collection booked for ten minutes after the final play is usually wasted. Tell us how long you expect to stay.
Where do you collect?
Towards Richmond, around ten minutes' walk, where the roads are moving. For a Stoop fixture we can hold considerably closer than we could for an international.
How long does it take from Kent?
An hour to two and a half hours depending on where you start. TW2 is the far side of west London from us.
Is there segregation like football?
No. Home and away supporters mix throughout, which makes for a very different atmosphere and a gentler exit.
Is there parking?
Matchday controls apply across the surrounding residential streets, and they are shared with Twickenham Stadium on big days.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking and unaffected by traffic or how long you stay afterwards.
Rugby venues and guides
Club and international rugby from Kent.