Exeter
🏟️ Address: Sandy Park, Sandy Park Way, Exeter, EX2 7NN, United Kingdom Directions in Google Maps
Sandy Park is located on the easterly edge of Exeter. Travelling by public transport is encouraged, but there are off-site car parks and park and ride facilities for those who must drive.
Below you can find general information on travel and parking for Sandy Park. Individual events may have additional/restricted services available, and so we recommend clicking through to the event and viewing the Travel & Parking tab for event-specific information.
From within Exeter, it is just a 15-minute drive to the stadium. For travellers from further afield, Sandy Park is located less than a 5-minute drive from junction 30 of the M5. This junction - at Sandygate Roundabout - can also be accessed via the A3052 and A376 (Exmouth Road), both of which converge at Clyst St. Mary (just before the roundabout) to become Sidmouth Road. Alternatively, drivers can use the A30: join the M5 at junction 29 and follow it southward to Sandygate Roundabout.
On-site parking
On match days there is no on-site car parking, but motorcyclists can park at the stadium. Motorbike spaces are allocated on a first-come first-served basis, however, so be prepared to find another parking spot if they are full.
On non-match days there is a limited amount of parking at the stadium itself - it is usually allocated on a first-come first-served basis. A small amount of disabled-accessible or low-mobility parking is also available at the stadium, by prior arrangement. Email ticketing@exeterchiefs.co.uk for match day parking, or contact the stadium by phone (+44 (0) 1392-427427) or email (events@sandypark.co.uk) if you are visiting on a non-match day.
Off-site parking
Match day parking is available at Exeter Business Park (Grenadier Road), and the price of parking includes a shuttle bus service to and from the stadium. The shuttle buses are disabled-accessible. Spectators can pay on the day, if availability allows, but pre-booking is encouraged. Spaces can be pre-booked online on an event-by-event basis by clicking the product on a specific event page (bookings typically open several weeks before a given fixture), or via email: ticketing@exeterchiefs.co.uk.
Further disabled-accessible car parking is available at Pynes Hill bus stop. The car park is served by Stagecoach's H bus service, which is also wheelchair-accessible. Alternatively, the car park is a 2.0 km (24 min) walk from the stadium.
Other parking options include the small car park at Digby & Sowton Station, a 1.2 km (14 min) walk from the stadium, and paid parking at the nearby Blue Ball Inn, which is a 1.5 km (18 min) walk away. Both options are likely to be busy on match days, so arriving early is encouraged.
Park & ride
Alternatively, you may wish to use the other park & ride facilities located nearby: Sowton Park & Ride is only a 1.0 km (12 min) walk from the stadium, and Digby Park & Ride is a 1.1 km (13 min) walk away. For more information on park and ride and bus services, see the Coach and Bus section.
Exeter is a reasonably priced city with budget, mid-range and high-end accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets. However, accommodation closer to the coast will be more expensive, especially considering some of the nearby coastal towns are very popular with tourists.
Food and drink purchased off-site cannot be brought into the stadium. Cans, bottles, and glass vessels of any kind are also prohibited.
On the stadium site there are multiple food and drink outlets; most of the food outlets are centred around the North Terrace and the South West Comms Stand, and there are further bars in all 4 stands.
There are 4 main entrances to Sandy Park:
There are 16 sets of toilet facilities throughout the stadium, including throughout all stands. All toilets are clearly signposted.
Accessibility
Disabled spectators should access the West Grandstand via the north turnstiles, and all other areas via the south turnstiles. There is a wheelchair-accessible lift located at the south end of the East Stand.
All catering outlets and bars are accessible in terms requirements such as level flooring and clear signage, however there are no lowered counters at the outlets themselves. Disabled spectators who require additional assistance should contact a match day accessibility steward.
Toilets
There are 3 main sets of accessible toilets located in the West Grandstand, behind the North Terrace, and at the rear of the East Terrace.
Assistance dogs
Guide dogs are welcome at Sandy Park, with prior notice not required. Other assistance dogs are generally also permitted, however prior consent from stadium staff is required. Email the Sandy Park accessibility staff to request assistance dog entry: accessibility@exeterchiefs.co.uk.
Hearing loops
Hearing loops are available for spectators with hearing difficulties. Email the Sandy Park accessibility staff to request a hearing loop at least 1 week before the fixture you wish to attend: accessibility@exeterchiefs.co.uk.
Other
Accessibility stewards are on-hand on Chiefs match days, and willing to assist disabled spectators with a range of queries and issues
Travelling by taxi from Exeter city centre can take less than 15 minutes, however match day traffic can be busy, so allowing extra time for your journeys is encouraged.
On-site drop-offs are permitted on non-match days. On match days, spectators can be dropped-off before matches, but cannot be picked up at the stadium sooner than 1 hour after the final whistle, due to restrictions intended to protect pedestrians leaving the ground. If you wish to be picked-up by taxi sooner than that you may need to use a nearby road.
Match day services
There are multiple bus routes which run especially on match days to accommodate stadium ticket holders. All of these services stop at Sandy Park itself:
Public bus routes
The following commercial bus routes and park & ride services can be used to access Sandy Park, whether there is an event on at the venue, or not:
Digby & Sowton is the nearest train station to the stadium, located just a 1.1 km (13 min) walk away. It is connected to Exeter city centre via Exeter Central and Exeter St. David's stations, as well as Exmouth and Paignton and other local areas.
Exeter St. David's is the city's primary rail station, providing services to and from the wider UK. Direct services include those to and from Bristol, Plymouth, and Penzance in the south-west, and major cities such as London (Paddington) and Birmingham. The north of England and the rest of the UK can be reached via connected services. If you wish to travel to the stadium from Exeter St. David's - or the city's secondary station, Exeter Central - it takes approximately 15 minutes in a taxi, or you could simply catch the 12-minute train to Digby & Sowton.
Experienced cyclists can make the trip to the stadium from central Exeter in under 30 minutes, and there are scenic routes available along the River Exe. The footbridge over the A379, by Old Rydon Lane, can be used by cyclists and well as pedestrians, providing a handy route onto the Sandy Park site. For cyclists who do not want to make such a long journey, there is also a "Co Bike" electric bike station at Digby & Sowton Station, just a 1.1 km (13 min) walk from the stadium.
There are multiple free, covered bike racks located by the North Turnstiles.
Walking to Sandy Park is best done from nearby, as it can take over an hour to walk to the stadium from central Exeter. If travelling on foot, the best way to approach the venue is from the rear, via Old Rydon Lane. There is a footbridge over the A379 which can be used to access the site.
Sandy Park has a capacity of approximately 13,652. However, the capacity does differ between events depending on the seating configuration.
Sandy Park Way, Exeter, EX2 7NN, United Kingdom.
