BayArena: Guide for Visiting Fans

The cleanest way in from anywhere in the Rhine corridor is the S-Bahn. Leverkusen Mitte is served by S-Bahn line 6, which runs between Cologne and Düsseldorf. Trains from both Düsseldorf and Cologne Hauptbahnhof take between 15 and 20 minutes to reach Leverkusen Mitte station. The BayArena is about a 10-minute walk from the S-Bahn stop at Leverkusen Mitte, mostly across an open park — and you can see the stadium from the platform. On matchdays, match tickets can be used by fans to travel free on the ÖPNV network (VRS and VRR) , so pocket that ticket and hop on.

Leverkusen Mitte station can also be reached via regional express lines RE 1 (RRX) and RE 5 (RRX). If you're coming by bus, the BayArena bus stop is served by lines 203, 207, and 222.

The nearest major airport is Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN), roughly 25–30 minutes by car or about 45–50 minutes with a combination of regional train and S-Bahn. Düsseldorf International (DUS) is slightly farther but very well-connected via direct RE trains. Coming from Cologne on the S6, the walk from Leverkusen Mitte through the Stadtpark is pleasant and intuitive — just follow the "Stadion" signs on the platform and you won't go wrong.

Rideshare works fine on the approach side; Uber and Bolt operate in this corridor. Drop-off on Bismarckstraße near the stadium is straightforward before the game. After — different story (see the egress section).

Don't plan to park next to the stadium. The area around the stadium is a residential area and is closed down massively on matchdays, so don't even try to park close. The club's official solution is Kurtekotten, and it works well. Bayer 04 asks all visitors travelling by car to use the free car park at the Kurtekotten shuttle bus terminus. Parking is available at Kurtekotten — at the "Chempark" S-Bahn station — from two hours before the start of the match.

The shuttle bus service commences two hours before the game, travelling from Kurtekotten to the BayArena, ending at the street "Am Stadtpark" — a short walk to the stadium. The same service runs for two hours after the game is finished. The car parks can be reached via Otto-Bayer-Straße from Cologne.

Away fans with coaches: reserved parking spaces P2–P7 are available for coaches. Disabled parking is even simpler: car parks for fans with disabilities are located directly opposite the BayArena at Bismarckstr. 133, 51373 Leverkusen — access requires a blue wheelchair parking permit.

There's one genuinely obvious answer and it happens to be a good one: the Lindner Hotel BayArena is a 200-room property located on the site of the stadium, next to the McDonald's. It's now operated as The Curve Hotel and is basically attached to the ground — you cannot stay closer. Some rooms and the restaurant of the hotel overlook the field. Prices hover in the €120–€180 range per night for standard rooms, more on big European nights. Book early; it's the away fan natural habitat and fills fast.

If you'd rather stay somewhere with more urban character and cheaper options, Cologne is the answer. It's 15–20 minutes on the S6, has dozens of hotel options in every price range around the Hauptbahnhof, and frankly has a better night out waiting for you before a midweek match. If you have a couple of hours spare time when visiting Bayer Leverkusen, go to the neighbouring city of Cologne — it has so much more to offer than the Leverkusen city centre. That's not a slight on Leverkusen; it's just an honest observation from anyone who's done both.

BAX Biergarten and Brauhaus Janes are both good options located on Bismarckstraße — very close to the stadium, meaning fans congregate here to enjoy a cold pre-match beer. BAX Biergarten in particular ( a popular meeting spot for fans of all stripes heading to Leverkusen games ) has a proper outdoor terrace and gets lively well before kickoff. Home and away fans have historically mixed here without incident — it's one of those places where the football matters more than the tribal posturing.

Winner's Place at The Curve Hotel (Bismarckstraße 118): Located within the Lindner Hotel BayArena, it offers high-quality dining in a cozy-modern setting with a varied buffet and à la carte options — and as a sports bar with ample space, it's an ideal spot for football enthusiasts to gather and watch games over beer. Practical for anyone staying in the hotel, and open well into the evening.

Haus am Park: Among the best restaurant options near the stadium , this is your sit-down dinner option in the green belt between the Stadtpark and the ground — more relaxed, fewer away scarves, good German food at sensible prices.

For a longer dinner, making the trip into Cologne's Altstadt and eating there before catching the S6 down is a better meal than anything Leverkusen's immediate environs can muster.

The bag rule here is strict and enforced. Fans must not bring large bags or rucksacks — all objects bigger than A4 size cannot be taken into the BayArena. That's an A4 sheet of paper: roughly 21×30cm. If your bag is bigger, you're storing it. There is storage available at the stadium, located directly to the left of the away entrance in a red container — it costs €1 per item, and this is cash only. So bring €1 in coins even if you're going cashless everywhere else. No power banks either: it is not permitted to bring power banks or additional batteries into the BayArena.

The BayArena opens two hours before kick-off. Away fans enter via Gate G/SG for most matches. Away fans are located in the south-west corner, which is nearest to you when walking from the station. Arrive 90 minutes before kickoff minimum to clear the security process without stress — body searches are thorough, not cursory. One more thing to know: if supporters seem visibly intoxicated, a breath test will be carried out — and depending on the result, that determines whether you'll see the match. Germany is serious about this.

All wheelchair-accessible tickets are located to the right of the away section; entry is via Gate H3. Personal assistant seats are positioned behind wheelchair user seating, with accessible toilets in close proximity — though note these toilets do not have a hoist. The wheelchair viewing area is covered and not impacted by weather, though the entrance procedure is open to the elements.

There is no storage available for wheelchairs, walkers, or other mobility support equipment, and there is no lift access to the upper tier of the away section. For fans arriving by train, for a barrier-free journey on S-Bahn 6 from Cologne/Düsseldorf, the club recommends traveling to Chempark station, from where there are wheelchair-accessible shuttle buses to the BayArena. An audio-descriptive commentary service is available at the stadium, though it is only provided in German. Contact the club's accessibility team before the match for any medical items you need to bring in.

Away fans are housed in the south-west corner, between the South Stand (which contains most of the executive boxes) and the West Stand. The area is capable of seating around 2,500 travelling supporters and is fenced off from the home sections. The away section spans two tiers, with the lower section being much larger; occasionally away fans are permitted to expand into the adjacent block if the allocation needs to be increased.

The lower tier is safe-standing for most Bundesliga matches and is where you want to be — louder, tighter, more communal. The distance from the furthest seat to the field's centre is only 94 metres, so in hardly any other Bundesliga stadium are viewers this close to the action. There are no bad sightlines in this ground. Avoid worrying too much about upper vs. lower — you'll see plenty. The south-west location does mean you're looking diagonally across the pitch rather than end-on, which is actually ideal for following the game rather than staring at the backs of strikers.

Leverkusen fans are not the most intimidating you'll encounter in the Bundesliga — they lack the raw decibel count of Dortmund's Yellow Wall and the sheer menace of a Schalke derby crowd — but since the 2023/24 unbeaten title season they've found a new confidence that fills the BayArena differently than it used to. The noise now has expectation in it rather than just support. The atmosphere before the match is very friendly — supporters from both clubs mingle around the ground and meet in the Biergarten to discuss the forthcoming match. In the ground itself, it's a different equation: the acoustics are boosted by the impressive roof overhanging all stands. That Makrolon canopy doesn't just keep the rain off — it keeps the sound in. What surprises first-timers is how a 30,000-seat stadium can feel louder than venues twice its size. The away section is tight enough that it generates its own noise pocket, and on a European night especially, that south-west corner has a proper atmosphere. You won't feel isolated. You'll feel outnumbered, but that's the deal.

By train: The S6 back toward Cologne is your main artery. There is no planned holdback following the fixture (though this remains at the discretion of local authorities, and an in-stadium announcement will be made if it changes). Walk directly from Gate G/SG back through the Stadtpark toward Leverkusen Mitte — the route is the same as arrival, well-lit, and well-signposted. The S6 runs frequently, but the platform fills fast. Wait approximately 15–20 minutes after the final whistle before leaving the ground: the first wave of home fans will clear the platform, and you'll board more comfortably on the second or third train. Alternatively, away fans who parked at Otto-Bayer-Straße can walk to Leverkusen Mitte station and get off at the next stop, Leverkusen-Chemiepark, on S-Bahn S6 (platform 1) toward Cologne to pick up their vehicles without fan mixing.

By car: The area immediately around the ground locks down hard post-match. If you're in the Kurtekotten shuttle lot, the same shuttle service runs for two hours after the game is finished. Take the shuttle, retrieve the car, and use Otto-Bayer-Straße to filter back toward the A3 (exit Opladen direction). Budget 45–60 minutes to be on a moving road after a full-house match.

By rideshare: Surge pricing is near-certain within the first 30 minutes after a big match. Walk 10–15 minutes toward Leverkusen Mitte station before calling your Uber or Bolt — you'll halve the surge and halve the wait. The streets immediately adjacent to the stadium are closed to through traffic anyway, so drivers can't reach you there regardless.

The one tip: If you're going back to Cologne for the night, just take the S6. It's direct, it's covered by your match ticket, and Cologne Hauptbahnhof is a far better place to find dinner, a late bar, or a connecting train than Leverkusen at 10pm.

How do I get to BayArena from Cologne?

Take S-Bahn line 6, which runs between Cologne and Düsseldorf, to Leverkusen Mitte station. The journey takes about 15–20 minutes and the walk to the stadium from the platform is around 10 minutes through the Stadtpark.

Is my match ticket valid for public transport?

Yes — match tickets can be used by fans on matchdays to travel free on the ÖPNV network (VRS and VRR). Check your ticket for the transport activation code, which may need to be entered separately.

What is the bag policy at BayArena?

Fans must not bring large bags or rucksacks — all objects bigger than A4 size cannot be taken into the BayArena. Bag storage costs €1 per item in cash, located to the left of the away entrance.

Is BayArena cashless?

Yes — BayArena is a cashless stadium. Credit and debit cards can be used at kiosks. Apple Pay and Google Pay are also accepted. Bring €1 in cash only for bag storage if needed.

How much does food and drink cost inside?

Beer costs €5.10 (plus a €0.20 returnable cup deposit) and Bratwurst is €4.40. All drinks are sold in cups that cost €2.00 deposit, which is returned at the end of the game.

Where is the away section at BayArena?

Away fans are located in the south-west corner, which is nearest to you when walking from the station. It covers two tiers, with the lower section being larger and used for safe standing in Bundesliga matches.

What time do gates open?

The BayArena opens two hours before kick-off. Arrive at least 90 minutes before kickoff to clear security searches comfortably.

Can I park at the stadium? Not on matchdays — the residential streets are closed. Bayer 04 asks all visitors travelling by car to use the free car park at the Kurtekotten shuttle bus terminus, from which free shuttle buses run to and from the stadium starting two hours before kickoff.