Veltins Arena (AufSchalke Arena)

All practical information, tips and advice about Veltins Arena, the stadium of FC Schalke 04.

🏆 The stadium hosted the 2006 World Cup and matches from EURO 2024.

🏟️ Veltins Arena is a versatile arena equipped with a retractable roof and a movable pitch. It has Europe's largest video cube (305 m² of screens). The artificial coal Players' Tunnel pays tribute to the club's history.

How to buy tickets for a Schalke 04 match at Veltins Arena?

🎟️ Tickets for Schalke 04 matches can be found on the club's online ticket office (direct link on "official ticket office" below).

🪪 The vast majority of matches are reserved for club members. You therefore need to know a member to access sales.

📆 Tickets go on sale several weeks before matches, typically between 1 and 2 months before the match, with a presale reserved for members.

💸 A ticket typically costs between €17.50 and €70.

🔃 A resale system is in place, allowing season ticket holders and all ticket holders to resell their ticket. Resold tickets may appear at any time on the same online ticket office for the match.

Stadium Traveller's tips for watching a Schalke 04 match at Veltins Arena

Getting a Schalke 04 match ticket is not straightforward. You need to find a club member on social networks or in groundhopper or fan support groups (for example on Facebook).

👍 Note that for fixtures against clubs with small communities (Elversberg, Hoffenheim) or during periods of sporting difficulty, the ticket office may eventually open to the general public. However, this remains very rare.

What are Schalke 04's big matches (derbies, friendlies)?

⚔️ Schalke 04's biggest derby is the Revierderby (Ruhr derby) against Borussia Dortmund. Due to its position in the Ruhr, there are also rivalries with all local teams (Kleine Revierderby): Bochum, Duisburg, RW Oberhausen, SG Wattenscheid and particularly with RW Essen.

Historically, Schalke 04 also maintains a strong rivalry with Bayern Munich.

🤝 Schalke 04 supporters have strong friendships with supporters of 1. FC Nürnberg.

How to get to Veltins Arena by public transport? 

🚇 A tram line runs from the station and town centre to the stadium: tram 302 direction Buer Rathaus.

The line departs from the station, crosses the town centre and ends at the stadium.

📍 Get off at stop: VELTINS-Arena

🕘 Duration: 20 minutes (up to 30 minutes depending on your entrance)

⚠️ Check your entrance gate at the stadium to plan the necessary walking time around the stadium.

🚍 Bus lines 380 and 381 connect to the stadium, station "Sport-Paradies"

How to get to Veltins Arena?

It is not advisable to drive in the Gelsenkirchen area, as the road network is very congested.

The Ruhr is a very densely populated region with many cities and villages in a restricted area. It is easy to travel by train 🚆 from one city to another, at any time of day.

What are the other transport options to reach Veltins Arena?

🚕 by TAXI

Near the stadium, the taxi drop-off/pick-up zone is located on Parkallee.

Taxi services available in Gelsenkirchen are Bolt and Freenow.

🛴 by E-scooter

Various free-floating e-scooter rental companies (or e-bikes) are available in Gelsenkirchen: Bolt, Tier

⚠️ Be careful about the parking zone on arrival (large areas are off-limits for scooter parking).

How to travel to Gelsenkirchen? 

✈️ To reach Gelsenkirchen by plane, 2 airports are possible:

Düsseldorf International Airport, the country's 3rd largest airport. It is connected to Gelsenkirchen by direct RE2 and RE3 trains to Gelsenkirchen in 35 minutes.

Osnabrück Airport can also be an option. Take bus S50 or train R51 to Münster (West) Hbf then a direct RE42 train to Gelsenkirchen. Allow 2 hours.

🛏️ Where to stay in Gelsenkirchen? Our tips for cheaper accommodation.

🚆 Germany has an extremely comprehensive rail network.

🌙 Several trains (local, regional or national) run in the evening/at night.

Check the train lines that run in the evening/at night to stay in a neighbouring city or village.

What payment methods are accepted at Veltins Arena?

💳 No cash payments at the stadium, only credit or debit cards, EC cards, physical cards or phone payments.

Can you eat at Veltins Arena?

🌭 Many food kiosks are located within the stadium. You can eat traditional frikadelles, currywurst and other sausages, leberkäse, chilli, falafel, etc... as well as chips 🍟.

Can you visit Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen?

🎟️ Yes, it is possible to visit Veltins Arena as well as the Schalke 04 Museum. You will find all the information by following this link.

Is there a Schalke 04 shop at Veltins Arena?

🏪 Yes, there is a Schalke 04 shop at Veltins Arena, located near the main entrance on the west side of the stadium. There is also a shop in Gelsenkirchen town centre on Heinrich-König-Platz.

🛍️ The club also has an online shop available here (affiliated link of great support for Stadium Traveller in case of purchase), where you can find the current season kits, current promotions and all equipment related to FC Schalke 04.

👕 If you are looking for old/vintage kits, Classic Football Shirts is the European reference and an official kit seller. Find the entire Schalke 04 collection here (affiliated link that supports us).

👀 What to see / What to do in Gelsenkirchen?

To attract tourists, the city of Gelsenkirchen capitalizes on its industrial heritage 🏭 and mining past although there are no longer any active coal mines in the region.

The sites to visit are all somewhat remote but very varied.

You can visit ZOOM Erlebniswelt (zoo🐾) or the Welterbe Zollverein (industrial site listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site), enjoy a panoramic view 👀 from Halde Rheinelbe, refresh yourself at the 🍺  Biergarten at Schloss Berge 🏰 or enjoy the many activities offered in the vast Nordsternpark 🌸 ...

We have marked a number of points of interest on the map below for reference, prepare your visits using the city's @ tourist websites.