FOLLOW ROCHDALE TO GILLINGHAM

Driving & road restrictions

If you are driving, use the postcode of your chosen authorised car park rather than navigating to the stadium’s Redfern Avenue address. The stadium is reached from the A2/M2 and A289 routes through Medway, but the last streets around Priestfield contain substantial resident-permit restrictions.

For the easiest visiting-supporter approach, set your sat-nav to Franklin Road, ME7 4DG, for the supporters’ club’s Sikh Temple car park. Barnsole Primary School is ME7 2JG, with its vehicle entrance off School Avenue. If those are full, Croneen’s on Railway Street provides a council-managed alternative rather than more laps of narrow housing streets.

Local arrangements can change at short notice. Arriva has recently posted roadwork-related diversions around Cornwallis Avenue and Sturdee Avenue, so check live roads information if your route passes those streets.

Stadium address

Redfern Avenue, Gillingham, ME7 2PE — do not use as car-park destination.

Road approach — south

M2 junction 4 via A278/A2 then A289 and Cornwallis Avenue, as described by club.

Road approach — north

A289 and Medway Tunnel approach described by club; route details can differ with closures.

Sat-nav — recommended supporters parking

Kent Ramgarhia Darbar Sikh Temple, Franklin Road, ME7 4DG.

Sat-nav — council fallback

Croneen’s, Railway Street, Gillingham, ME7 1YF.

Restricted streets

The club lists Balmoral Road, Gordon Road, Toronto Road, Priestfield Road, Redfern Avenue and numerous nearby roads as permit controlled.

Roadwork caution

Arriva service alerts show disruption around Cornwallis Avenue/Sturdee Avenue on 14 October 2026; check current road restrictions.

Parking & park-and-ride

Free street parking is possible around Priestfield, but I would keep a paid backup ready. Gillingham FC names Chicago Avenue and the lower end of Sunnymead Avenue as free options. Other nearby roads are resident-permit controlled, and we could not verify the permitted sections and hours against the council’s detailed street orders. Only use a space after checking its signs.

For an easy matchday, try the supporters’ club car park at the Kent Ramgarhia Darbar Sikh Temple on Franklin Road, ME7 4DG. It currently costs £5.50, accepts cash or card and is about five minutes from the Brian Moore away entrance. Spaces are first come, first served, and the car park does not lock during the game.

Barnsole Primary School, ME7 2JG, and Woodlands Sports and Arts Centre, ME7 2DU, also accept away supporters for £5.50, around a five-to-ten-minute walk away. Both lock their gates during play and reopen after full-time, so choose the Temple if you might need to leave early.

If those fill up, use Croneen’s council car park on Railway Street, ME7 1YF. It charges £5.50 for four to six hours, every day including bank holidays, and is a sensible fallback without circling residential roads. Medway Park is another weekend option, but its weekday four-hour limit is tight for football.

Aim to arrive when the supporters’ club sites open, normally 1pm for a 3pm Saturday kick-off. Allow around four hours for the whole visit and longer for a late finish. Do not count on supermarket spaces: no nearby store has been verified as allowing football parking, and general customer limits may be too short.

Parking verdict

Free on-street parking is possible according to the club, but no street section was verified against current council legal orders; use a first-come paid supporters-club site or council backup for predictability.

Free option — Chicago Avenue

Gillingham FC explicitly calls Chicago Avenue a free parking street; bay-level legality, controls and matchday availability have not been independently established.

Free option — Sunnymead Avenue

Club parking policy calls the bottom end free; club Visit Us calls the eastern end an alternative and warns other parts require permits. Exact sections need council TRO and signs checked.

Free option — further streets

Club suggests Canadian Avenue, Valley Road, Sturdee Avenue, Woodlands Road, Carlton Avenue, Alexandra Avenue, Larkfield Avenue, Third and Fourth Avenues; none cleared as unrestricted for an entire visit.

Legal restrictions — near Priestfield

Club explicitly names Balmoral Road, Windsor Road, Ferndale Road, Linden Avenue, Priestfield Road, Gordon Road, Livingstone Road, Coulman Street, Beaconsfield Avenue, Harold Avenue, School Lane, Toronto Road, Redfern Avenue and parts of Sunnymead Avenue as permit-controlled.

Matchday availability — free residential streets

No reliable number of free bays or success rate verified; spaces may be contested; do not assume an early arrival guarantees one.

Walk — Temple to Brian Moore Stand

Approximately five minutes; route via Gillingham Road and Priestfield Road.

Walk — Barnsole to Brian Moore Stand

Approximately five to ten minutes, approach via Barnsole Road and Livingstone Circus.

Arrive by — Temple, Barnsole, Woodlands

Aim for opening time: normally 1pm for Saturday 3pm kick-off, 10:30am for Saturday 12:30pm, or 6pm for a 7:45pm midweek match.

Paid fallback — Kent Ramgarhia Darbar Sikh Temple

Franklin Road ME7 4DG; £5.50 per car, cash or card, roughly 60 spaces, not locked during match, no reserved spaces verified.

Paid fallback — Barnsole Primary School

ME7 2JG, vehicle entrance off School Avenue; £5.50 non-member, £4.50 member, approximately 50 spaces plus 20 overflow if in use; first come, first served.

Paid fallback — Woodlands Sports and Arts Centre

Woodlands Road ME7 2DU; £5.50, about 45 spaces, first come first served.

Gate restrictions — Barnsole / Woodlands

School and sports centre sites lock around 30 minutes before kick-off and reopen about 20 minutes after full-time. Barnsole publishes 6pm/10:30pm final gates.

Paid fallback — Croneen’s council car park

Railway Street ME7 1YF; 69 bays; long stay; £4.50 up to four hours or £5.50 for four to six hours; Monday–Sunday including bank holidays.

Paid fallback — Medway Park council car park

Mill Road ME7 1HL; 221 spaces; up to four hours weekdays (£4.50), up to 18 hours Saturday/Sunday (£5.50 four to six hours).

Paid alternative — Balmoral Gardens

Randolph Road ME7 4PN; 126 spaces and £4.50 up to four hours, but maximum four-hour stay makes it a marginal football choice.

Booking recommendation

Supporters-club sites are stewarded first-come parking and do not promise an allocated space. Arrive near opening, keep Croneen’s as backup.

Supermarket permission/time limit

No verified football-match parking permission at a named local supermarket. Sainsbury’s generally limits most customer car parks to two hours; Tesco says limits vary by location and signage.

Total dwell time

Allow at least four hours for arrival, walking, the match, half-time/stoppage and departure; longer if meeting friends or expecting a delayed finish.

After the match

Temple car park does not lock during matches; Barnsole and Woodlands normally reopen about 20 minutes after the whistle, with final published gate closing times.

Special day restriction — council car parks

Croneen’s long-stay tariff operates every day including bank holidays; Medway Park has weekday short-stay versus weekend long-stay rules.

Street traffic orders

Medway Council publishes CPZ maps and Traffic Regulation Order information; exact Chicago/Sunnymead bay geometry and hours still require verification.

Rail, Underground & tram

Use Gillingham (Kent) station for Priestfield. It is normally a 10–15-minute walk to the away entrance, so there is little reason to change to a bus for the final stretch. London arrivals can use Southeastern from St Pancras or Victoria, or Thameslink via Blackfriars. Check your particular train rather than relying on an old published departure time.

From the station, turn left into Balmoral Road and continue towards Gillingham Road. Follow the signs or the road round to Priestfield Road for the Brian Moore Stand turnstiles. For anyone staying in Rochester or Chatham, travel to Gillingham before the match instead of treating either town as a short walk from the ground.

Gillingham station normally has lifts and step-free routes to all platforms, but National Rail is reporting a lift fault affecting platform 3 access. If you need step-free travel, check that alert and arrange assistance before setting off.

Preferred station

Gillingham (Kent), not Gillingham (Dorset).

Walk — Gillingham station to visiting turnstile

Approximately 10–15 minutes on foot; route via Balmoral Road, Gillingham Road and Priestfield Road.

Trains — London St Pancras

Southeastern High Speed serves Gillingham (Kent); check live schedules and journey-specific fares.

Trains — London Victoria

Southeastern routes serve Gillingham (Kent).

Trains — London Blackfriars

Thameslink trains serve Gillingham (Kent).

Station accessibility

Gillingham is normally category A with access to all platforms by lifts, subject to live defects.

Current station accessibility warning

National Rail station alert reports the lift between platform 3 and concourse out of order as checked 14 October 2026.

Rail engineering

Weekend engineering works and replacement buses can affect the Medway route; check the journey before travel.

Station to ground & away entrance

For the normal visiting allocation, head to the Brian Moore Stand turnstiles on Priestfield Road, not the home-supporter entrances on Redfern Avenue. From Gillingham station, walk left along Balmoral Road to Gillingham Road and continue towards Priestfield Road. The walk is short but the streets around the ground become busy as kick-off approaches.

If you are parking at the Sikh Temple on Franklin Road, turn left onto Gillingham Road and then take Priestfield Road, the second right, for the away entrance. Barnsole Primary School has a different approach via Barnsole Road and Livingstone Circus. Follow the stand printed on your ticket if your allocation differs.

The usual Brian Moore away stand is uncovered. You may need waterproof clothing even if the rest of the ground looks sheltered.

Usual away allocation

Brian Moore Stand.

Away entrance

Priestfield Road turnstiles.

Normal stadium address

Redfern Avenue, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 2PE; this is not the recommended away-turnstile destination.

Route — Sikh Temple to away entrance

Left from Franklin Road onto Gillingham Road; Priestfield Road is second turning on right.

Route — Barnsole to away entrance

From Barnsole Road head to Livingstone Circus, turn right and take second turning right into Priestfield Road.

Away stand weather

Brian Moore Stand is an exposed uncovered structure.

Fixture-specific allocation

Confirm visiting ticket block; accessible visiting seating uses a separate Gordon Road area.

Away coaches

Visiting coaches should use Croneen’s Yard car park on Railway Street for drop-off, as directed by Gillingham FC. From there, follow Gillingham Road towards Priestfield Road and the Brian Moore away turnstiles. The club estimates about a five-minute walk from the coach set-down point.

Do not arrange a coach stop on Redfern Avenue. The club specifically asks visiting coach drivers not to use that road for drop-off or collection because of supporter safety. Agree the actual after-match pick-up point and departure time with your coach organiser before leaving the vehicle, rather than assuming collection will be from the same place.

Published visiting coach set-down

Croneen’s Yard car park, Railway Street, Gillingham, ME7 1YF.

Walk — coach set-down to away turnstiles

Club states approximately five minutes via Gillingham Road to Priestfield Road entrance.

Do not stop

Redfern Avenue is not to be used by visiting coaches for drop-off or pick-up.

Fixture-specific coach access

Confirm collection arrangements with the coach organiser; no fixed return point could be independently verified.

Buses & local travel

For a train arrival at Gillingham, walking to Priestfield is generally simpler than catching a bus. The ground is about 10–15 minutes away, and the main local bus corridors are more useful if you are starting elsewhere in Medway or cannot manage the full walk.

Arriva operates service 101 between Maidstone and Gillingham, while the 175, 176 and 177 group connects Gillingham with Chatham and surrounding districts. Check your exact boarding stop, direction and return time. Current Arriva notices describe diversions around Cornwallis Avenue and Sturdee Avenue, so do not assume a bus will stop in its usual place on matchday.

There is no verified dedicated football shuttle from Gillingham station to the visiting turnstiles. A pre-arranged taxi may help if the walk is unsuitable, but agree a sensible pick-up location away from the tightest stadium streets.

Recommended station transfer

Walk from Gillingham station, normally around 10–15 minutes.

Bus — 101

Arriva route between Maidstone and Gillingham; stop and diversion details require fixture-time checking.

Bus — 175/176/177

Arriva services connect Gillingham and Chatham-area routes.

Current bus disruption

Arriva reported Cornwallis Avenue diversion 12–15 October 2026 and a Sturdee Avenue closure notice from 11 October; confirm before fixture.

Accessible taxi booking

Accessible taxis can be booked at Gillingham rail station; reserve rather than assume a rank vehicle.

Accessible journeys

Arrange accessible seating and any drop-off needs with Gillingham FC before travelling. The club identifies six wheelchair positions for visiting supporters in the Gordon Road Stand, rather than the normal Brian Moore away stand. The accessible visiting entrance is handled separately, so do not assume the standard Priestfield Road turnstiles are the right approach.

Contact the club’s Disability Liaison and Access Officer through 01634 300000 or BReeves@priestfield.com to confirm the correct entrance, companion arrangements, parking or assistance. Dedicated away disabled parking spaces could not be confirmed. Blue Badge holders can park free at council-run Croneen’s, although it has no marked disabled bays; Medway Park lists ten marked disabled bays.

Gillingham rail station ordinarily has lifts to all platforms, but a platform 3 lift fault was showing in National Rail's current alert. Check that this has been resolved before planning a step-free arrival.

Away wheelchair spaces

Six in the Gordon Road Stand, separate from the normal Brian Moore visiting allocation.

Visiting accessible access

Via the Gordon Road match control entrance according to club matchday guide; confirm directly before travel.

Accessibility contact

Ben Reeves, Disability Liaison and Access Officer: 01634 300000, BReeves@priestfield.com.

Wheelchair provisions

Club lists 67 wheelchair spaces in total across stands, including six for away supporters.

Accessible parking — Croneen’s

Blue Badge holders park free; there are no marked disabled bays in council listing.

Accessible parking — Medway Park

Ten marked accessible bays and free Blue Badge parking, subject to space availability.

Step-free rail station baseline

Normally category A with lifts to all platforms at Gillingham (Kent).

Live rail lift caveat

National Rail currently reports platform 3 to concourse lift out of service; check before travel.

Audio commentary

Club lists nine radio headsets requiring advance reservation through its disability liaison contact.

After the match

If you arrived by train, walk back to Gillingham station via Gillingham Road and Balmoral Road. It is a short journey on foot, but leave room for crowds and your actual departure platform. For a tight onward connection, check the train before kick-off rather than relying on a five-minute dash after the whistle.

Drivers using the Sikh Temple can return to their vehicles without waiting for a locked gate. At Barnsole Primary School and Woodlands, expect the gates to reopen roughly 20 minutes after full-time, then allow extra time to clear the residential street network. Croneen’s council car park is a less fixture-dependent fallback, although it means a longer walk back.

Coach passengers should follow their organiser’s collection instructions. Gillingham FC specifically warns that visiting coaches must not collect supporters from Redfern Avenue.

Rail return

Return on foot to Gillingham (Kent) via Gillingham Road/Balmoral Road, around 10–15 minutes under ordinary conditions.

After the match — Temple parking

Temple car park is not locked during the match.

After the match — Barnsole and Woodlands

Gates reopen approximately 20 minutes after the final whistle; check final closing time.

After the match — Croneen’s

Public council long-stay car park offers up to 36-hour parking tariffs; no special football lock-in published.

Away coach collection

Redfern Avenue is expressly ruled out by club; organiser to confirm actual collection point.

Late evening connection

Check train service and last suitable onward connection for your specific fixture.

Where to stay

Stay in Gillingham near the station or High Street if the football is the main reason for your trip. Priestfield is close enough to walk, so you will not need a matchday taxi or a parking space beside the ground. This is particularly useful for an evening game or an early train home.

Choose Rochester High Street instead if you want more pubs, independent restaurants and somewhere to spend the evening after the match. It is a separate short rail journey from Gillingham, so check your last train and allow for the walk back from Priestfield. Chatham offers another wider Medway base, but it is less convenient for a direct walk to the away end.

Do not choose a hotel solely because it is close to the stadium. The streets around Priestfield are residential, and the stronger after-match food and drink choices are in the town centres.

Best base for match access

Gillingham station/High Street area gives a walkable route to Priestfield.

Best base for pubs and food

Rochester High Street has a concentrated independent cafe and restaurant offering; travel to Gillingham for the match.

Alternative evening area

Chatham Intra has pubs, restaurants and live entertainment, but requires a separate connection to Priestfield.

Accommodation market

Visit Medway lists hotels in Gillingham, Rochester and wider Medway; venue-specific rates and availability not verified.