Hornsey Road · Holloway · London N7 7AJ
Emirates Stadium transfers, in the tightest streets in the league
The Emirates is wedged into an Islington residential grid with terraces on three sides. It is the most urban big stadium in the country, and it shows in everything: the closures, the walkways, and a tube station that turns one-way after the whistle.
Supporters emptying into Victorian streets barely wide enough for two cars. There is no ring road, no car park to speak of and nowhere for a vehicle to wait, which is why where we collect from matters more here than almost anywhere.
Four things about N7 that shape the journey
The Emirates is very easy to reach and very hard to leave by car. Understanding why makes the difference between a smooth night and an hour on a pavement.
Arsenal station after the match
The nearest tube becomes exit-only for a period after the final whistle, with entry restricted to manage crowding. People who planned to hop on there discover it at the worst moment.
Elevated bridges and one-way flows
Supporters are routed along designated pedestrian bridges and walkways that funnel in specific directions. Where you come out determines which streets you can actually reach.
Permit zones on all sides
Islington enforces matchday restrictions across the surrounding streets. There is no clever parking spot; there is only a ticket waiting to happen.
Holloway Road and beyond
We hold on the wider roads out towards Holloway and Highbury Corner, where a vehicle can legally stop and actually pull away afterwards. Ten minutes' walk, and a great deal less waiting.
Fixture types and what they do to the timings
Arsenal play a lot of football, and the different competitions land at very different times of day and week. A Saturday lunchtime and a Thursday European night are barely the same journey.
| Fixture | Typical kick-off | Finish | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League, Saturday | 12:30, 15:00 or 17:30 | Afternoon or early evening | The standard job. Straightforward return with the roads clearing quickly. |
| Premier League, Sunday | 14:00 or 16:30 | Late afternoon | Lighter traffic getting in, similar crowd on the way out. |
| European nights | 20:00 | Around 22:00 | Midweek, late finish, and a work morning after. The most-booked fixture type we handle here. |
| Cup ties, midweek | 19:45 or 20:15 | Around 22:00 | Smaller crowds, easier exit, and often better value for a group. |
| Women's fixtures | Varies | Varies | Growing quickly, generally easier access and a calmer exit. |
| Hospitality and corporate | Match dates | Varies | Collection timed to the package rather than the whistle, invoiced on account. |
North London from Kent, matchday timings
N7 sits north of the river and just west of the A1, which from our patch means a tunnel and then a run through north London. Weekend fixtures travel better than midweek evening ones, which coincide with the tail of the rush hour.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Matchday journey | Leave by for 8pm kick-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 30 miles | 70–100 min | 5:30pm |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 25 miles | 65–95 min | 5:45pm |
| Bexleyheath & Welling | 17 miles | 55–85 min | 6:00pm |
| Sidcup & Bexley | 17 miles | 55–85 min | 6:00pm |
| Bromley & Orpington | 18 miles | 55–85 min | 6:00pm |
| Swanley & Swanscombe | 23 miles | 60–90 min | 5:50pm |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 33 miles | 70–100 min | 5:30pm |
| Rochester, Chatham & Gillingham | 39 miles | 80–110 min | 5:10pm |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 42 miles | 85–115 min | 5:00pm |
| Sittingbourne & Faversham | 51 miles | 95–125 min | 4:40pm |
| Canterbury & Ashford | 66 miles | 105–140 min | 4:15pm |
| Central London hotels | 5 miles | 25–50 min | 6:45pm |
Matchday in a residential neighbourhood
The exit is managed, and it works
Islington and the club run a tightly controlled exit for good reason: sixty thousand people in streets this size would otherwise be dangerous. Pedestrian routes are one-way, the station entry is restricted for a period, and stewards keep people moving in specific directions. It is well run and it does mean the walk out is longer than the map suggests. Planning the collection point around those flows, rather than fighting them, is the entire trick.
European nights are the awkward ones
An eight o'clock midweek kick-off means leaving Kent in the tail of the rush hour, arriving during the evening peak, and getting home somewhere around midnight on a work night. It is comfortably the most-booked fixture type we handle at this ground, because the journey home by public transport at that hour, with a change and a Kent connection, is exactly the thing people do not want to attempt twice.
Being a good neighbour is part of the job
The streets around the Emirates are people's homes, and matchday restrictions exist because sixty thousand visitors twice a month is a lot to absorb. We collect from the wider roads rather than idling on residential terraces, we do not double-park, and we do not ask drivers to do things that earn the trade a bad name locally. It also happens to be faster, which makes it an easy policy to keep.
Groups, families and away supporters
The Emirates gets a lot of family bookings and a lot of small groups, and both do better in one vehicle than split across several. For away supporters travelling from Kent, the coach option is straightforward and keeps everyone together through a segregated exit. Tell us which end you are in and we will position accordingly.
Emirates Stadium travel questions
Matchday specifics for N7.
Can you drop us at the Emirates?
We drop as close as the matchday closures allow, typically a five to ten minute walk from the turnstiles. The immediate streets around the ground close to through traffic before kick-off, and Islington's residential restrictions cover everything nearby. We tell you the drop street and the walking direction in advance.
Where do you collect after the match?
Out towards Holloway Road or Highbury Corner, where the roads are wide enough for a vehicle to stop legally and pull away afterwards. It is around ten minutes on foot and considerably quicker overall than waiting for something nearer that cannot move. The exact spot and registration are sent during the second half.
Is Arsenal tube station really closed after the game?
Entry is restricted for a period after the final whistle to manage crowding, so it operates as exit-only while the ground empties. It is a sensible safety measure and it catches out people who assumed they could simply walk in. If you are planning to travel by tube, expect to walk to Holloway Road, Highbury or Finsbury Park instead.
What time should we leave Kent for an 8pm European night?
From Gravesend, about half five. From Medway or Maidstone, closer to five. Midweek evening kick-offs coincide with the rush hour, which is what makes them the trickiest fixtures here. The table above covers it by area.
What time will we get home from a midweek game?
Around midnight for north Kent, later further east. That is the honest figure and it is worth factoring in before agreeing to a Thursday night European tie with work the next morning.
Can we park near the stadium?
Not usefully. Islington operates matchday parking restrictions across the surrounding residential streets and enforces them, and there is no meaningful stadium parking. Anyone hoping to find a space nearby will spend the first half looking for one.
Can you take a group or a supporters' coach?
Yes, from an eight-seater up to a forty-nine-seat coach, with multiple vehicles run as one job for larger parties. Coaches use a different set-down arrangement from cars, which we confirm for the specific fixture.
Do you cover away supporters travelling from Kent?
Yes, and it is a common booking. Tell us which end you are in so we can position the collection sensibly, because segregated exits can send you out of a different side of the ground than you came in.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, quoted at booking on postcode, vehicle and timings. Added time, a slow exit or traffic on the way back do not change what you pay.
Do you cover other north London grounds on the same trip?
We do, though we would gently point out that combining Arsenal and Tottenham in one booking has caused more debate in our office than any other request. Logistically it is straightforward.
Other grounds and guides
The London matchday circuit, run from Kent.