Rugby World Cup 2025

Getting to and from Sandy Park

Top Tip

Allow plenty of time to get to the match. There are plenty of options to enjoy at the Fan Plaza at Sandy Park which is open before and after the match. Spend some time pre and post-match there to enjoy the atmosphere.

🚆 By Train

Top Tip

Please note that last intercity services of the day to some major UK cities will have left Exeter St David’s prior to the conclusion of the matches on Saturday 23^rd and Sunday 31^st August. Please make sure to check timings of last services before booking your travel and consider staying the night in Exeter to enjoy everything the city has to offer over a weekend.

Fans planning to travel on intercity train services should book their travel in advance to ensure that they can book seats on their desired service and to secure advance tickets at the most affordable rate. Tickets can be purchased from 12 weeks prior to the date of travel. To book visit the

Station: Digby & Sowton

Distance from Stadium: 0.7 miles (Approx 15 minutes’ walk)

Destinations served: Exeter St Davids, Exeter Central, Paignton

Frequency of services: every 30 minutes

Step free access is available at both stations

Station: Newcourt

Distance from Stadium: 0.7 miles (Approx 15 minutes’ walk)

Destinations served: Exeter St Davids, Exeter Central, Exmouth

Frequency of services: every 30 minutes

Step free access is available at both stations

🚌 By Bus

Buses to/from Exeter city centre take approximately 30 minutes and offer a convenient way to travel to/from the stadium.

Bus stop(s): Buses stop at a dedicated bus stop in the Sandy Park car park

Routes served: The C bus and 78 routes serve Exeter city centre and the 77 serves both Exminster and Exeter city centre. There will be a bus service from Cranbrook rail station.

Frequency: Services run every 20-30 minutes depending upon the route.

Price: The C bus costs £3.50 for a single fare and £5.00 for a return. Single journeys on the 77 and 78 cost £3.00.

Buses operating on these routes are wheelchair accessible.

🚲 By bicycle

Cycle racks are available at Sandy Park for those fans looking to arrive by bicycle. Make sure to arrive early though as bike racks can fill up fast on match days.

🚗 By Car

By Car

Please note that there is no spectator parking available at Sandy Park Stadium. The closest parking locations are located at Digby Park and Ride and Sidmouth Road Park and Ride sites which are 10-15 minutes’ walk from the stadium.

Parking is available at both sites on a pre-booked basis only. All parking is sold via the official Rugby World Cup 2025 parking website and must be purchased in advance.

Drivers should make sure to closely follow directions shared in their booking confirmation and make sure to display their parking pass in their vehicle windscreen as instructed. Drivers should take note of the 2.2m height restriction to access both car parks.

Accessible parking will be available at Michelmores car park. Parking will be available to purchase for accessible ticket holders via the official Rugby World Cup 2025 parking website. All accessible parking must be purchased in advance.

Exeter has a number of city centre car parks that can be paid for on the day from where fans can take public transport options to the stadium. Details can be found on the Exeter City Council website.

Resident parking schemes are in place in the area around the stadium. Vehicles parked in surrounding streets without the correct permits are liable to receive a fixed penalty notice.

Be Aware!

Rugby World Cup fixtures are taking place across the August Bank holiday and towards the end of the school summer holidays. Additionally, there are other events taking place in the area across weekends of 23^rd August and 13^th September. As a result, you can expect roads in the surrounding area to be busier than usual. Those fans looking to drive to matches in Exeter are urged to allow plenty of time for their journey and should consider whether their journey can be undertaken via another mode of transport to

🅿️ Park and Ride

Sandy Park is served by three park and ride sites on a match day offering a convenient way to get back to your car and on your way following the match.

Locations: Services run from sites at Grenadier Road (EX1 3UT) and Science Park (EX5 2FN)

Drop off/pick up location at stadium: Park and ride services drop off and pickup in the car park at Sandy Park. Follow directional signage or ask stewards for the location of your specific bus stop.

Journey time: Approximately 15-20 minutes

Frequency: Approximately every 20 minutes

Operating hours: 3 hours pre-match to 3 hours post-match

Price: £10 when pre-booked

Park and ride services are available on a pre-booked basis only. All parking is sold via the official Rugby World Cup 2025 parking website and must be purchased in advance.

Location: Michelmores (EX2 5WR).

Journey time: Approximately 5 minutes

Frequency: Approximately every 10 minutes

Operating hours: 3 hours pre-match to 3 hours post-match

Price: £15 when pre-booked

The Michelmores park and ride service is available on a pre-booked basis only. All parking is sold via the official Rugby World Cup 2025 parking website and must be purchased in advance

Drivers should make sure to closely follow directions shared in their booking confirmation and make sure to display their parking pass in their vehicle windscreen as instructed.

Each park and ride location has wheelchair accessible buses operating the service. However, it should be noted that not all vehicles are wheelchair accessible so a wait may be required for the next available service. Michelmores is the designated accessible parking location for Sandy Park.

🚐 By Private Coach or Minibus

A limited amount of private coach and minibus parking is available near the stadium on Clyst Halt Avenue.

Coach and minibus parking must be booked in advance. Parking can be pre-booked on the official Rugby World Cup 2025 parking website. Coach and minibus parking will not be available to book on the day so do make sure to book yours in advance.

The directions shared in the booking confirmation consider local road restrictions so drivers should make sure to closely follow directions and display their parking pass in their vehicle windscreen as instructed.

🚕 By Taxi

Fans looking to travel to Sandy Park by taxi or rideshare should instruct drivers to drop off/pick up in the stadium car park.

Please note that taxis will not be able to access the car park at Sandy Park until at least 30 minutes after the final whistle to allow pedestrians to safely leave the venue.

Geo-fencing is in place around Sandy Park on match days which limits the locations that rideshare apps can drop off and pick up passengers.

Travelling to Exeter

🚆 By train

Exeter is well-served by Great Western Railway and South Western Railway, with direct trains from London Paddington (approx. 2-3 hours) and regional connections from Bristol, Plymouth, and other cities. There are also direct services to London Waterloo via Bath, Salisbury and Woking which typically take over 3hrs.

There are two main train Stations in Exeter: Exeter St. David’s, which is the primary hub for long-distance trains and Exeter Central which is closer to the city centre and convenient for local connections. Both stations have step-free access and facilities to support travellers with mobility needs.

If you are travelling from Europe, Eurostar train services operate to / from London St Pancras Station, from where there are trains to Exeter with a change at London Waterloo or London Paddington.

To plan your train journey, visit National Rail Enquiries website.

🚐 By coach

National Express offers coaches from major UK cities to Exeter Bus and Coach Station in the city centre. These services run frequently from cities like London, Birmingham, and Bristol, and offer an affordable option.

🚗 By car

Exeter is easily accessible by car, located near the M5 motorway. The A30 and A38 also provide easy access from the west. From London, Exeter is approximately 3 hours 30 minutes away (175 miles via M4 and M5). The city is around 2 hours 30 minutes (150 miles via M5) from Birmingham, and roughly 1 hour 15 minutes from Bristol (75 miles via M5).

✈️ From the airport

Exeter has good access to both Exeter Airport within 5 miles of the centre, and Bristol Airport which is reachable within an hour and a half.

Exeter Airport is about a 15-minute drive from the city centre. You have several options for getting between the airport and the city. Stagecoach bus 56 and 4 operates regularly between the airport, Exeter City Centre and the train station, with multiple stops in the city. Travel time is approximately 25-30 minutes.
Bristol Airport is approximately 70 miles from Exeter. Travellers can catch the Air Decker bus from the airport to Bristol Temple Meads, departing every 30 minutes and taking about 25 minutes. From there, a direct train runs to Exeter St Davids, with a travel time of around one hour. Alternatively, National Express offers direct services from Bristol Airport to Exeter. Though these services run less frequently than trains, they provide a convenient, budget-friendly option with an approximate travel time of 2 hours and 30 minutes.

There are designated taxi services from the airport terminals. Alternatively, you can pre-book a private transfer. For further information on local taxis refer to the ‘Getting around Exeter’ section below.

Car hire is available at the airports for visitors looking to drive themselves. Several major rental companies operate here, and advance booking is recommended during peak travel times.

Getting around Exeter

🚌 By bus

Stagecoach offers a comprehensive network across Exeter and the surrounding area. Visitors can purchase a day pass for unlimited travel on Stagecoach buses within Exeter. Use the Stagecoach app for real-time schedules, route planning, and ticket purchasing. More information can be found on the Stagecoach website.

🚶🏿‍♂️ On foot and 🚲 bike

The city centre is compact and easily navigable by foot or bike, with major landmarks like the Cathedral, shopping districts, and the Quayside all reachable within approximately 30 minutes. For a more scenic walk, the Exeter Green Circle offers several walking routes around the city with views of the countryside and the Exe Estuary. Cycle routes can be found here.

🚕 By taxi and rideshare

Apple Taxis is the primary taxi company operating in Exeter. You can find ranks at Exeter St. David’s Station, Central Station, and several points in the city centre. Rideshare apps like Uber also operate in the area.

🚗 By car

The city has various parking options, and key car parks include Princesshay, Guildhall, and the Mary Arches Street Car Park. More information can be found here.

Consider using Park and Ride options at Honiton Road, Matford and Sowton. More information on Park Ride options can be found here.

There are multiple EV charging points around Exeter, with dedicated spaces in central and park-and-ride car parks. Real-time availability information is available on apps like Zap-Map.

Enterprise Car Club is the main car club operator in Exeter, providing a variety of vehicle options and easily accessible locations for members. This service offers an alternative to private car ownership, allowing members to rent vehicles on an hourly or daily basis.

Carshare Devon is a free journey matching website which offers you the opportunity to find people travelling the same way as you. Simply register to carshare, add a regular or one-off journey you make and search over 11,200 members to find a match.

📋 Journey planner

You can plan your sustainable travel and car travel options using one of several journey planners for the area including Citymapper. Komoot is another journey planner app available in the area that focusses on active travel routes such as walking and cycling.

Exeter

A city of beauty by the coast that packs a unique feel, Exeter has it all.

Home of Sandy Park

Getting to and from Sandy Park

Travelling to Exeter

Getting around Exeter

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