Football trip Dortmund

Of all the grounds in Europe, the Signal Iduna Park is the one people keep talking about afterwards. Not for the architecture, but for the noise.

The south stand is the largest standing terrace in Europe. Twenty-five thousand people standing, singing and jumping for the whole match. On television it looks impressive; inside the ground you feel it in your chest.

What makes Dortmund practical is where it is. In the middle of the Ruhr area, with a main station on the ICE network and an airport of its own. You can set off on Saturday morning, see the match and in principle be back the same evening. With a night's stay it becomes a complete trip without having to take a weekend off.

The city itself is the Ruhr: old industry, no picture-postcard centre. But on match day the whole city is yellow, and that is worth more than a pretty old town.

The stadiums

The Signal Iduna Park holds 81.365 for domestic matches. For European fixtures it is lower, because the standing terrace has to be converted to seating. That is worth knowing: the same spot feels different on a Champions League night than at a league match.

The Yellow Wall is the south stand. Actually standing there is a different experience from hospitality; it is packed, hot and you see little of the far end. For most visitors a seat along the side with a view of that stand is the better choice: you see what is happening rather than being in the middle of it.

The ground is about twenty minutes' walk from the main station, or a few stops on the U-Bahn.

When is the best time to go?

The Bundesliga runs from mid-August to the end of May, with a winter break from late December to mid-January. That break exists only in Germany; England and Spain play straight through.

Most matches are at 15:30 on Saturday. For a short trip that is the best time there is: out in the morning, back in the evening.

In Germany fixture dates are confirmed some weeks beforehand. That is comparable to England, but matches are spread across the week less, so the risk of an awkward change is lower.

Practical

By train you arrive at the main station, twenty minutes' walk from the ground or a few stops on the U-Bahn. Dortmund airport is twenty minutes from the centre; Düsseldorf has more flights and is a little over an hour away by train.

Parking at the ground is limited on match day. Park in the centre and take the U-Bahn; that saves you an hour in traffic afterwards.

The Bundesliga has something England does not: beer on the terrace and affordable prices at the bar. Payment there is often by a stadium card that you top up in advance.

Bring photo identification. With hospitality it is checked.

Frequently asked questions about a football trip to Dortmund