Matchday timeline: when to arrive at Twickenham

Everything on a match day hangs off kick-off. Work backwards from it and the whole day, including the drive home, falls into place.

Last updated 29 Sep 2026

The rules of thumb

• Parked 2 hours before kick-off. That is when the roads close and the roundabout stops moving. Earlier for the close car parks and the big matches.
• Car parks open 3 to 5 hours before. Official ones first, community ones from about 3.5 hours out. Each car park page says.
• Full time is kick-off plus 100 minutes. Roads reopen 1.5 to 2 hours after that; most car parks close 2 hours after that.
• The zone is 11 to 11, fixed, regardless of anything above.

Worked timelines

Three typical kick-offs. The times are the usual pattern; the exact closure and gate times for each fixture are on the stadium's page for it and can shift by half an hour.

2.10pm kick-off

• 11:00Event-day parking zone starts (11am to 11pm, whatever the kick-off). No street parking without a permit from now on.
• 09:10Official stadium car parks open (about 5 hours before).
• 10:10The earliest school and church car parks open (4 hours before). Twickenham School, St Edmund's.
• 10:40Stadium gates and the fan village open (about 3.5 hours before). Most community car parks open now (3 to 3.5 hours before).
• 11:40The A316 and Whitton Road roundabout are queuing. The close car parks (under 10 minutes' walk) are filling.
• 12:10Roads close around the stadium. Anything inside the closures (including the stadium's own car parks) is now walk-in only. Be parked by now.
• 12:40Seating bowl opens. Last comfortable arrival at a 20-minute car park.
• 13:40Anthems and build-up. If you are still driving, you are missing the start.
• 14:10Kick-off.
• 15:50Full time (about 1 hour 40 after kick-off). The car parks with an exit onto the A316 are moving within 15 minutes; everything else is a crowd.
• 16:50Most of the departing traffic is through. A good moment to leave a Whitton or St Margarets car park.
• 17:35Roads reopen (1.5 to 2 hours after full time). Car parks inside the closures can leave.
• 17:50Most community car parks close (2 hours after the match). Erncroft Way church car park closes an hour earlier.
• 23:00Event-day parking zone ends.

3.10pm kick-off

• 11:00Event-day parking zone starts (11am to 11pm, whatever the kick-off). No street parking without a permit from now on.
• 10:10Official stadium car parks open (about 5 hours before).
• 11:10The earliest school and church car parks open (4 hours before). Twickenham School, St Edmund's.
• 11:40Stadium gates and the fan village open (about 3.5 hours before). Most community car parks open now (3 to 3.5 hours before).
• 12:40The A316 and Whitton Road roundabout are queuing. The close car parks (under 10 minutes' walk) are filling.
• 13:10Roads close around the stadium. Anything inside the closures (including the stadium's own car parks) is now walk-in only. Be parked by now.
• 13:40Seating bowl opens. Last comfortable arrival at a 20-minute car park.
• 14:40Anthems and build-up. If you are still driving, you are missing the start.
• 15:10Kick-off.
• 16:50Full time (about 1 hour 40 after kick-off). The car parks with an exit onto the A316 are moving within 15 minutes; everything else is a crowd.
• 17:50Most of the departing traffic is through. A good moment to leave a Whitton or St Margarets car park.
• 18:35Roads reopen (1.5 to 2 hours after full time). Car parks inside the closures can leave.
• 18:50Most community car parks close (2 hours after the match). Erncroft Way church car park closes an hour earlier.
• 23:00Event-day parking zone ends.

4.40pm (evening) kick-off

• 11:00Event-day parking zone starts (11am to 11pm, whatever the kick-off). No street parking without a permit from now on.
• 11:40Official stadium car parks open (about 5 hours before).
• 12:40The earliest school and church car parks open (4 hours before). Twickenham School, St Edmund's.
• 13:10Stadium gates and the fan village open (about 3.5 hours before). Most community car parks open now (3 to 3.5 hours before).
• 14:10The A316 and Whitton Road roundabout are queuing. The close car parks (under 10 minutes' walk) are filling.
• 14:40Roads close around the stadium. Anything inside the closures (including the stadium's own car parks) is now walk-in only. Be parked by now.
• 15:10Seating bowl opens. Last comfortable arrival at a 20-minute car park.
• 16:10Anthems and build-up. If you are still driving, you are missing the start.
• 16:40Kick-off.
• 18:20Full time (about 1 hour 40 after kick-off). The car parks with an exit onto the A316 are moving within 15 minutes; everything else is a crowd.
• 19:20Most of the departing traffic is through. A good moment to leave a Whitton or St Margarets car park.
• 20:05Roads reopen (1.5 to 2 hours after full time). Car parks inside the closures can leave.
• 20:20Most community car parks close (2 hours after the match). Erncroft Way church car park closes an hour earlier.
• 23:00Event-day parking zone ends.

What changes with the kick-off time

Early (1pm–2pm)

Compressed morning. Car parks open at 9 or 10, the zone starts at 11 when the roads are already busy, and the A316 is at its worst between 11 and 12. Breakfast on the way, not in Twickenham. You are out in daylight and home for dinner, which is the good bit.

Afternoon (3pm)

The classic. Park at 12, pub at 12.30, gates at 1.30. Out by 5.30, roads open by 6.30, home for the highlights.

Evening (4.40pm and later)

Long lunch, walk in at dusk, out at 6.30 in the dark. The road reopening is nearer 8.30pm and the community car parks close at 8.30 to 9, so waiting the traffic out is a two-drink affair. Evening kick-offs in November and February are cold: the car is the warm place to wait, which argues for a car park you can sit in rather than one behind the closures. Check the last train times if you are relying on a loop or Reading service.

Sunday

Fewer trains, earlier closing at the Richmond council car parks, and the same road closures. Nations Championship finals weekend has Friday, Saturday and Sunday matches; the Friday is an evening rush-hour kick-off and the worst of the three for the A316.

Coming up

Then choose where the day starts: pubs and food near the car parks, and where it ends: getting out after the match.

Sources: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham (fixture essential information pages); England Rugby help centre (event day parking); London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (road closures, event zone); car park operators’ opening times.

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