Veltins Arena – Schalke 04 Stadium

There is a special program at the Veltins Arena that would allow participants to see stadium sections that are never visible on a match day. You will be able to get into the changing room for the home team, hospitality Centre, media facilities, and much more. There will also be a strong insight into the club’s history.

As a result of being one of the technologically advanced stadiums, there is a lot of scope for this stadium tour to provide more insights into the technical aspects of Veltins Arena. This is indeed the case, as you get to experience the pitch movement, roof opening and closing, and other features. The overall length of the tour will be around 75 minutes. It is even available in English for the convenience of global visitors.

You can avail the stadium tour for just €9 while kids will have to pay €5. If a group of more than 18 individuals are coming, they can avail additional features like a special foreign language tour for an additional cost of €20. If you want a more private experience for up to 17 people, one can go with the Exclusive Small Group package, which is priced at €175 for a group.

Since the Veltins Arena is a modern ground, there is a lot of thought process that has gone into making sure that there are enough facilities for handicapped and disabled individuals. In fact, this was given a lot of thought process even before construction started in 2001. Now, there are separate parking spots for disabled individuals and it is conveniently positioned so that they can easily get into the stadium without any barriers. It is possible to access the arena without any stairs or through the elevator.

There are also 98 seats available in the ground for disabled individuals. An accompanying person can join the disabled individuals and seats are allocated for them as well. These seats do not have any viewing interruptions due to their ‘barrier-free’ nature. The Block X is set aside for individuals with walking disabilities to witness the games. Even though there are officially only 40 passes available, the club will increase the capacity if required. A prior intimation is therefore essential so as to avoid any issues just prior to a game.

Unlike every major top-flight team in Europe, Schalke are reasonable when it comes to ticket prices. In fact, this is a trend in Germany where football is relatively easy on the pocket. It is possible to get a ticket in the upper tiers for around €15, but you have to make do with no seats. This is due to the presence of many standing areas in the ground. For a bit more cash, you can get yourself a seat just behind the goal in either end. The seats would cost around €25. The luxurious seats on the stadium would start from €52.

For those who want even greater luxury from their football experience, Veltins Arena is an excellent destination since several executive areas are available. It is possible for you to hire a VIP lounge were numerous benefits are available. Some of the different lodges offer to fans are Libuda Lounge and Glückauf-Club. In fact, Schalke is very strong in terms of hospitality for their high-profile fans.

Even after considering all the factors, watching live games at the Veltins Arena is very easy on the pocket. It is one of the reasons for the stadium receiving a large number of visitors even when Schalke have gone through tough times.

One of the top ways of getting to the Veltins Arena is by driving a car, as the city enjoys copious amounts of excellent road network. There are two highway exits located near the stadium and they can help ease the connectivity issues a lot. The location of the stadium in the Gelsenkirchen North – between the A2 and A42– makes it convenient to reach by road.

For those who are taking the A42, the key exit will be 17 at Gelsenkirchen-Schalke. Now, you have to turn north and proceed on the road for around 2 km. After switching right at the Kurt-Schumacher-Straße, you will soon come across the stadium on the right side of the road. For those using the A2, the Gelsenkirchen-Buer exit is the one to watch. After taking a left at the upcoming roundabout, you will take another left to the Kurt-Schumacher-Straße. Now, the stadium will be on the left.

It is very easy to go from the stadium to the city centre, which is only 6 km away. If you are still perplexed about the idea of driving to the Veltins Arena, switch on the satnav and enter this address:

Ernst-Kuzorra-Weg 1, 45891 Gelsenkirchen

In terms of parking, you should not have any issues since the ground has space for around 14,000 cars. Even if this is not sufficient, there is plenty of on-street parking that can save the day. This makes the Veltins Arena a joy to reach by car and not many stadiums can boast of this capability.

By train or metro

If you are thinking of taking the train, Gelsenkirchen is well connected to different cities across Europe. The time taken to travel depends on the stops and changes that you may have to make. If you are heading from London, there will be a stop in Brussels, Cologne, and Oberhausen. As a result, the overall journey could take around six hours. After getting to Gelsenkirchen, however, it can be extremely easy to reach the stadium. There is an option of taking the Light Rail to the light rail station that is located within a few minutes away from the ground.

If the idea of driving to the ground does not sound appealing, then you can take any one of the numerous taxis that are available in the city centre. The ride from the city centre to the stadium will take around 10 minutes with costs of around €15. Unfortunately, Gelsenkirchen does not enjoy great connectivity by air, as the closest airport is in Düsseldorf – around 45 minutes from the city centre.

Since there are not many buses available to the ground, the train and tram are the best options at your disposal. Still, you will find some decent bus connectivity that leads to the station via lines 380 and 381.

Supporters who make the travel to the Veltins Arena will be kept in the V and W sections, which is located in the south-east corner. If the size of the travelling contingent is more, a greater size could be allocated for the supporters. The experience of visiting such a technologically advanced stadium will provide a remarkable experience.

It does not take long to understand that you are firmly in the backyard of a formidable club. The blue colour is predominant in most areas of the stadium, which has uninterrupted views owing to the modern architecture. As a result, you are likely to get a remarkable viewing experience irrespective of the tier in which you are positioned. There is also a lot of Champions League history associated with this stadium, as it hosted the 2004 final between Monaco and FC Porto.

Even after getting into the stadium, you will be able to purchase food. It is a relatively simple process, as there are kiosks inside the stadium. After picking up a dedicated card, you can deposit money and pick up food. The only thing to remember is that these dedicated cards work for any event at this ground and it is essential to not lose the same.

If you are seeking an awesome place to drink beer before the game, then you should not consider any option other than Destille Buer. Recommended by most Schalke supporters, this bar is situated just 20 minutes by walk from the stadium. This translates into great atmosphere before and after a game. You will find that the beers are quite inexpensive over here and most of the staff do speak English.

This bar can be a great option just a few hours before the start of a match. This will provide plenty of opportunities to make new friends with the locals. Since Schalke allows beer inside the stadium, you will find that the overall matchday experience increases substantially when you take the cold beer to watch the action. This is actually profound during the warmer months.

If you want an option that is closer to the ground, then the list of options increase further.

If you also want to experience all the best of food and drinks in Gelsenkirchen, there are some top three destinations like:

Café Del Sol

This is a place located very close to the Veltins Arena, but it can be a great place to drop in for a quick drink and bite. This may not be great as a pre-match hangout place, but the food on offer is excellent. It is even friendly with pets.

Charly´s Bummelzug

After having been associated with Schalke as a team manager, Charly Neumann has provided this great hangout for watching sports while having some excellent food. This is one of the best places to find friends in Schalke’s supporters group. The place is frequented by Schalke supporters and it is best to avoid if you are a Borussia Dortmund fan.

Fliegenpils

If you want to experience a sports bar with live sports, this is a great option. There is a ton of options to drink, as you are not just limited to alcoholic drinks. There is even coffee and soft drinks in good numbers.

The Veltins Arena is a technologically advanced stadium with a capacity of more than 62,000 spectators. Despite opening in the early 2000’s, Veltins Arena has the potential to bring about a wow factor in your first visit. The stadium comes with an impressive range of facilities which help it become a concert arena with little to no effort. A retractable roof and LCD displays that drop down are some of the highlights of this ground.

The stadium can be broken down into four key sections:

Veltins-Nordkurve (North) – This is one of the intense areas of the stadium since it contains the most passionate Schalke supporters. This stand happens to be located close to the Parkstadion, which is the former home of Schalke.

Gazprom Tribune (East) – This section of the stadium runs along the pitch side and it is the place where away fans are stationed – close to the start of the Sudkurve section.

Sudkurve (South) – This section also holds a passionate set of supporters, but they are not as passionate as the supporters on the Nordkurve.

Ergro Tribune (West) – This stand sits opposite to the Gazprom Tribune and it can be regarded as the main section of the stadium since it happens to possess all the key details like dressing rooms, dugouts, technical area, players’ tunnel, press rooms, and more.

Record Attendance

77,803 – Germany v United States Ice Hockey (2010)

Average Attendance

2019-2020: 46,704 (Bundesliga)

2018-2019: 61,069 (Bundesliga)

2017-2018: 61,331 (Bundesliga)

Schalke Fixture List (redirects you to the BBC site)

Borussia Dortmund

Schalke Fanclub