- Introduction
- About Celtic Park: the essentials
- How to get to Celtic Park by train?
- What to do at Celtic Park?
- Travel tips for visiting Celtic Park
- Conclusion
- Explore more stadium guides
Introduction
Celtic Park, lovingly known as ‘Parkhead’ or ‘Paradise’ by its phalanxes of loyal fans, is home to Celtic Football Club in Parkhead, Glasgow, in Scotland.
Getting trains to Celtic Park is easy, making the journey for people travelling from around Scotland convenient and quick.
This article covers more information about Celtic Park, the best way to reach the station by rail, and some helpful tips for you to consider before kick-off.
About Celtic Park: the essentials
The stadium itself is located on The Celtic Way, in Parkhead, a suburb of Glasgow. Having been opened in 1892, it’s one of the oldest football grounds in the world that remains in use. With a capacity of over 60,000, it's the largest football stadium in Scotland. It is renowned worldwide for its incredible, often deafening atmosphere on match days, particularly during the famous "Old Firm" derbies against long-time rivals, Rangers FC.
Celtic Park was the first football stadium in the UK to introduce a safe standing area for fans. In 2016, Celtic installed almost 3,000 rail seats in the north-east corner of the stadium, allowing supporters to stand safely during matches. Celtic are currently planning to add more safe standing seats in the future.
How to get to Celtic Park by train?
Celtic Park is a thirty-minute walk from Glasgow’s two main train stations: Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street, which are located in the city centre. However, the nearest station to Celtic Park is Dalmarnock Station, which is around ten minutes from the stadium and is run exclusively by ScotRail. Although if you’re coming from around Scotland, it’s probably easier to go to one of the more central stations and then walk from there. Here are some popular routes to the station:
1: Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street
The journey from Edinburgh Waverley takes anywhere between forty-five minutes and one and a half hours when travelling with ScotRail.
2: Dundee to Glasgow Queen Street
Getting from Dundee to Glasgow Queen Street takes around one hour and twenty minutes with ScotRail.
3: Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street
On average, it takes around two hours and forty minutes to travel from Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street with ScotRail.
4: East Kilbridge to Glasgow Central
The journey from East Kilbridge to Glasgow Central takes around thirty-two minutes with ScotRail. Trains depart approximately every half hour.
What to do at Celtic Park?
For the die-hard Celtic fan, a stadium tour of Celtic Park is an absolute must. They typically include access to dressing rooms, media centres, the players’ tunnel, and much more. Visitors can also learn about the club’s rich history through their helpful and incredibly knowledgeable guides.
While there isn’t a dedicated museum at Celtic Park, you can still learn tons about its history on the stadium tour. It features a wide range of memorabilia and artefacts from the club’s long history, including the trophy from Celtic’s 1967 European Cup victory and relics from the club’s founding.
If you fancy a drink on matchday, then the Celtic Sports Bar, found in the southwest corner of the stadium, is a popular spot for a drink before, during, and after the match. Given the fact that the stadium is only half an hour from the city centre, there are tons of interesting pubs, bars, and restaurants to try, too.
Travel tips for visiting Celtic Park
Glasgow is a big ox of a city, and it gets hectic during a match with crowds of footy fans. Especially when Celtic and their arch-rivals, Rangers FC, are playing.
So, before you book your tickets, it’s definitely worth checking how you’ll get to the stadium before the match, what you plan to do before and after, and how you’ll get home. A great way to do this is to book your tickets in advance, as you’ll not only get the cheapest train tickets but also know which route you’ll be taking. If you want to avoid big crowds, it’s worth travelling off-peak, too. It’ll even save you money.
To ensure you have plenty of time to find your way into the stadium and grab some refreshments, it's a good idea to aim to arrive at the stadium approximately one to two hours before kick-off. Always double-check the list of permitted items to ensure a smoother entry into the stadium.
A handy tip for the savings-focused traveller, using a Railcard can also provide an additional discount.
Conclusion
Matchday trains to Celtic Park are always worthwhile. Getting the train is faster, easier, and oftentimes cheaper than getting regular public transport, which can be slow and inconvenient.
Find the best fares for your next stadium visit with TrainPal.
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