Germany
Veltins-Arena
Home of Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen: nominal capacity 62,271, opened 2001, in the Erle district.
Gelsenkirchen62,271
Opened 2001Football grounds in Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen's Veltins-Arena is one of the most technically advanced grounds in Europe, with a retractable roof and a slide-out pitch.
Getting around
Transport in Gelsenkirchen
- Bochum-Gelsenkirchen tram — line 301 serves the arena on matchdays.
- Gelsenkirchen Hauptbahnhof — the main station links to the tram and regional trains.
- Matchday shuttles run from the station in the hour before kick-off.
Planning
A football weekend in Gelsenkirchen
This is a Ruhr ground, not a city-centre one. It pairs naturally with Dortmund on the same weekend: the two grounds are about half an hour apart by train, which makes a genuine two-stadium trip.
Whichever ground you choose, the pattern of the day is the same: travel in with the crowd, arrive at the turnstiles about an hour before kick-off, and leave the return journey until the first surge has cleared. In Gelsenkirchen that advice matters most at the nearest station to the ground, where the queue builds within minutes of the final whistle.
Before and after
Where supporters gather in Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen city centre
The nearest cluster of bars, a tram ride from the ground.
Bochum
A neighbouring city with a wider choice of bars and a direct tram link.
Erle
The residential district around the arena.