Day Return to Milton Keynes

Last updated : 19 December 2008 By Shrimpers24
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:MK_Dons.png v http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Southend_United_FC.png

TICKETS

Adults, £16.60; Seniors (60+) & Students, £11.70; Under 16's £6.80 and Under 7's free.

Concrete cows

Not the official mascot

COACH

For the latest news, prices and pick-up points for the supporters club coaches click here: www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/default.asp?page_id=616

For an alternative journey keep up to date with SoL Travel at www.theshrimpers-online.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=8.

Under 16's only allowed to travel if accompanied by an adult.

National Express has a service to Milton Keynes from London Victoria with fares as cheap as five pounds single which will more than compete with the 'bus' service you'll get from train companies and around the same time. However the bus station at Milton Keynes would certainly need a taxi to the ground. (See cab link below)

If interested take a look here: www.nationalexpress.com

TRAIN

If you read TLG's article about Milton Keynes and the railways posted September 30 you'll be well warned. Engineering works at Luton mean its a coach service from Euston.

Pendolino train

Let the train take the strain, but only to Luton

Regular services. Two choices from London; all the way by bus takes two to three hours each way, or train to Luton then bus replacement service taking about 45 minutes from Luton to MK. The latter is the quickest at 1 hour 41 minutes, but costs slightly more.
Return from London to MK on bus replacement £14.50 or £9.55 with a railcard.

Return from London train Luton/bus replacement to MK £17 doesn't seem to be reduction for Rail Card.

To purchase tickets without hidden costs go here: www.londonmidland.com

The bus services past the stadium do not run Sunday, see bus link below, and there is no fast train back to London after the game!

More likely you will end up at
Milton Keynes Central which is around four miles away. There is a taxi rank outside the station, see cab link below.

You could stay on the coach to Bletchley
which is around about two miles away from the stadium. There is a taxi rank outside, (but book ahead, the guy at MK Taxi told me, "Bletchley, it's a ghost town on Sunday!", see cab link below), otherwise you can embark on the 20-25minute walk to the stadium.

Turn left immediately you come out of the station building and continue to and down the steps. At the bottom of the steps turn left go under the railway bridge. At the roundabout by the Park pub turn left onto Saxon Street. Keep straight on this road and you will eventually reach the stadium. However you will need to cross over to the other side, as there is only one path beside it. You will pass Bletchley Bus Station on your right and then the Enigma Pub. Go straight across the double mini roundabout following signs for the A5 and you will see the stadium over on your left. (See map below.)

(All fares correct as of Friday December 12)

BUSES AND TAXIS

There is NO Sunday Service for the 7 and 32 buses that go past the stadium. I am told that the 5E does run and goes close. Ask the driver!

A cab from MK Central costs around £10 to the ground, from Bletchley a touch cheaper. So if four of you get together not much more than the bus anyway.

ROAD

Fill in the details from your home postcode to here for a full route plan www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp but for an edited version;

Approx. 82 miles, 1 hours, 40 minutes.

Leave the M1 at junction 13 and take the second exit (A421) which runs parallel with the M1 for a mile before bending left. After 3 miles as you approach a roundabout on the edge of the city take the second exit, this is called H9 Groveway, stay on this road going straight over 4 roundabouts, you will now approach the roundabout over the A5, and the stadium is in front of you slightly to the left, take the second exit. The entrance to the stadium is first left at the traffic lights.

If you are approaching the stadium from the South along the A5, then leave the A5 at the junction of the A421 and you then really can't miss it.


Please note that the stadium is no where near the centre of Milton Keynes. If you do get lost follow directions to Bletchley and/or IKEA.


FOOD AND DRINK

There's no alcohol outlets for away fans at the stadium.

There is a Weatherspoons and an Italian near Central station but in the ground the concourses are spacious and offer a good range of food including; Cheeseburgers (£3), Rollover Hotdogs (£2.90), Shire Foods Pies (Chicken & Mushroom, Steak & Kidney, Meat & Potato, Chicken Balti, all £2.40 each), Cornish Pasty (£2.40), Mega Sausage Roll (£2.40), Pizza Pod (£2.40) and Spicy Potato Wedges (£2).

Like a number of new stadiums though, its main drawback is location, It is located adjacent to the A5, but well away from the centre of Milton Keynes, so there is little on offer in the way of pubs or eateries. This is though a cafe in the Asda next door!

One of the very good Gourmet Burger Kitchen chain is close to MK Central. Recommended.

The Hub, 4 Mortimer Square. (0190) 839 4317, Sunday 11am to 9pm.



Those nice people at www.moneysavingexpert.com have secured a 2for1 voucher for any GBK that you can use before the game. Go here: http://images2.moneysavingexpert.com/vouchers/gbk_gang_xmas_gift.pdf

For the best choices for a decent pint, and there's not a lot, go to the Pub Crawl in Milton Keynes here: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/news/loadsngl.asp?cid=EDW8&id=421708

SHORT BREAKS

If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Football Hotels who are powered by Activehotels, who specialise in locating accommodation near or within a short travelling distance of the football ground. They also have the added advantage over some other hotel booking services that you pay on departure.

To access their Milton Keynes page click here.

(Thanks to the Internet Ground Guide, http://www.footballgroundguide.com/mk_dons.htm
, and DoDtS's excellent Shrimperzone Away Travel section, www.shrimperzone.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=24, for their help in preparing this article.)