Barnsley vs Cardiff City, FA Cup
On the weekend of the 5/6th April 2008 Barnsley face Cardiff City, two underdogs that have fought their way to within one game of the FA Cup final. This classic encounter embraces the true spirit of the FA Cup and means that for the first time since 2004 the final will have a team from outside the Premiership in it. Will Barnsley be able to live up to the heroics that brought them victories over Liverpool and Chelsea and continue this glory run, or will Cardiff make it to their first final since 1927 and become the pride of Wales. This is a match for all football supporters to enjoy and should not be missed.
Travel to the Game
To help Barnsley and Cardiff City fans make the most out of this big occasion, we have researched the best ways to see the game and enjoy a weekend in London. We have looked at hotels near Wembley Stadium and in central London to help fans make the most of their trip. We based our research on Barnsley and Cardiff City fans spending a weekend in London from Friday through to Sunday - this gives fans time to get to The Big Smoke and have a night out in London either before or after the game before heading back to Yorkshire or Cardiff. Our research is summarised at the end of this post where we break down each option by price.
Wembley Stadium Hotels
For thoses who wish to stay in a Wembley Stadium hotel there are a few options, here are the nearest 3 and 4 star hotels available:
- 3 Star Quality Hotel Wembley costs from £62.50 per person per night
- 4 star Wembley Plaza costs from £79.50 per person per night
Both of the above hotels are within a mile of Wembley stadium and provide great access to the venue. However there is very little to do around this area and we would advise that you stay in a central London hotel to make the most of your weekend as there is an endless amount of things to do and it is an easy commute to the stadium on matchday.
Central London Hotels
There are literally thousnds of hotels to choose from in Central London, giving easy access to to all the major attractions, bars, restaurants and clubs. If you are a Cardiff City fan and arriving by train into Paddington station, choose a London Paddington hotel - there are more hotels in the Paddington area than anywhere else in London.
For Barnsley fans arriving by train into Kings Cross, choose a hotel near Kings Cross station.
If you prefer to stay right on top of the nighlife in Theatreland, London Piccadilly hotels are ideally placed although slightly more expensive than those in Paddington and Kings Cross. Piccadilly and neighbouring Leicester Square offer easy access to to the tube that runs direct from Piccadilly Circus to Wembley Central on the Bakerloo Line.
Here are 3,4 and 5 star hotels in Paddington, Kings Cross and Piccadilly:
- 3 Star Cresfield Hotel (Kings Cross) costs from £33.75 per person per night
- 4 Star Dylan House Hotel (Paddington) costs from £39.50 per person per night
- 5 Star Sofitel St James London (Piccadilly) costs from £67.50 per person per night
There are many more hotels in Central London. From budget 1 star hostels and economy hotels through to 4 and 5 star luxury hotels, use MATCHhotels.com to compare hotels to find cheap accommodation.
Transport To London
Trains are the best route into London, are much faster than cars and are cheap when booked in advance. Cardiff City fans will arrive into Paddington station in West London, Barnsley supporters coming in from the North should arrive at Kings Cross (board the train at Wakefield and it will only take 2 hours!). Both stations give easy access to Wembley through Londons Underground system. If supporters are arriving by coach then Victoria Coach Station is Londons central coach stop where both sets of fans should arrive.
We would not recommend driving to London by car - car parking is hard to find and expensive. If you do decide to drive make sure that your hotel has car parking facilitiesand beware the congestion charge which is £8 per day (only applicable for Friday).
Match Tickets
Barnsley and Cardiff City should both receive an allocation of roughly 30,000 tickets for the FA Cup Semi Final. Tickets are to priced at £55, £45, £35 and £25 and are available through club websites.
How To Book
This travel and hotel guide should help you find cheap travel and hotel deals for Barnsley v Cardiff City. Please tell your friends about the service we are providing and the cost savings. Add a comment to our blog to let us know what deal you found and how much you saved.
