Home Deluxe Arena: Guide for Visiting Fans

The stadium is about 3 km south of Paderborn city centre, in the Maspernplatz area near the university.

Train and shuttle: Paderborn Hauptbahnhof is well-connected by regional rail from across North Rhine-Westphalia. On match days, free shuttle buses run from the station directly to the stadium — they're efficient and well-signposted. The journey takes about 10 minutes. Without the shuttle, PaderSprinter city buses serve stops within a 10-minute walk of the ground.

Driving: Paderborn sits at the junction of the A33 and B1. From the A33, take the Paderborn-Elsen exit and follow signs to the Ahorn-Sportpark. The stadium is clearly signposted from the major roads. Sat-nav: Wilfried-Finke-Allee 1, 33106 Paderborn.

Flying in: The nearest major airport is Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport (PAD), about 20 km southwest — a small regional airport with limited scheduled services. For international flights, Düsseldorf (DUS) or Hannover (HAJ) are your best options, each roughly 90 minutes away by car or 2 hours by train. From Düsseldorf, take the RE1 or RE11 to Hamm, then change to the RE11 or RB89 to Paderborn Hbf.

Rideshare: Drop-off on Wilfried-Finke-Allee works well. After the match, walk toward the university campus before requesting a pickup — it's quieter and drivers can reach you more easily.

Parking directly at the stadium is limited. There are small lots on Wilfried-Finke-Allee and around the adjacent Ahorn-Sportpark, but these fill quickly on Bundesliga match days. Expect to pay €5–8.

Park-and-ride is the recommended approach. Several designated lots around the city offer free parking with shuttle bus connections to the stadium on match days. The shuttle pickup points are advertised on Paderborn's official match-day information page — check before you travel, as locations may change by fixture.

Street parking in the surrounding residential areas is possible but limited and subject to restrictions. Arrive at least 90 minutes before kickoff if you want to park close. The university campus lots are an alternative option — about a 15-minute walk to the ground.

Paderborn is a small city, so everything is walkable or a short taxi ride. The city centre around the Hauptbahnhof and the Dom (cathedral) has the best concentration of hotels.

Best Western Plus Arosa Hotel and Welcome Hotel Paderborn are both centrally located, mid-range options within walking distance of restaurants and the station. Budget travellers can look at the ibis Paderborn City or various guesthouses around the Westerntor area.

The city is compact enough that any central hotel puts you within a 30-minute walk of the stadium, or a 10-minute shuttle/bus ride. There's no need to stay near the ground itself — there's nothing out there beyond car parks and sports facilities.

Paderborn is a university town, so accommodation is generally affordable compared to larger Bundesliga cities. Expect €60–90 for a clean mid-range double room.

The stadium area itself has limited food options beyond the matchday concession stands. Head into the city centre for anything beyond Bratwurst.

Paderborner Brauhaus on Kisau is the obvious football-day choice — a traditional brewery pub serving the local Paderborner Pilsener and hearty German fare. It's in the old town, about 20 minutes on foot from the stadium or a short bus ride.

Ratskeller Paderborn on Rathausplatz is another solid traditional option, with seasonal German dishes and a good beer selection in an atmospheric cellar setting.

The Westernstraße pedestrian zone has a mix of cafes, bakeries, and kebab shops for a quick pre-match bite. It's nothing fancy, but it's practical and central.

Inside the stadium, the concessions serve the standard Bundesliga fare — Bratwurst, Pommes, Currywurst, and draught beer. Quality is decent and prices are lower than at the larger Bundesliga venues.

Bags larger than A4 size are not permitted. No backpacks, no bottles, no cans, no pyrotechnics. All bags are subject to search at entry. Keep it simple — a clear bag or small crossbody is ideal.

Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff. Away fans enter via dedicated turnstiles on the east side of the stadium — follow the steward routing from the away parking area. The away section is clearly separated from home areas.

The stadium is intimate enough that the atmosphere builds quickly, even with 15,000. The standing areas behind each goal are where the noise comes from — as an away fan in the Gegengerade (opposite stand area), you'll hear it clearly. Wrap up warm for evening matches — the partial roof means the open ends get the full force of Westphalian weather.

The stadium has designated wheelchair-accessible areas with companion seating on the main stand side. Access is at ground level with no steps required. Accessible parking is available near the main entrance — pre-book through your club's disabled supporters' liaison.

The match-day shuttle buses from Hauptbahnhof are accessible. Inside the ground, accessible toilets are available on the main concourse level. The stadium is relatively new (2008) and was built to modern accessibility standards, so wayfinding is straightforward.

Away supporters are allocated the eastern end of the ground, with a mix of standing and seated options. The allocation is typically 1,500–2,500 depending on the fixture and league regulations.

At 15,000 capacity, every seat in the ground has a good view of the pitch. The stands are close to the playing surface — this is a compact modern stadium, not a running track wrapped around a pitch. From the away end, you're directly behind the goal with clear sightlines.

The standing section is where the atmosphere builds among travelling fans. If you prefer to sit, the seated rows behind and above the standing area offer a slightly elevated perspective. There's genuinely no bad seat in this ground — it's too small for that.

This is a proper small-stadium Bundesliga experience, and those are increasingly rare. The ground holds under 16,000, the city doesn't have a massive football culture beyond the club itself, and the matchday operation is efficient rather than glamorous. What you get in return is proximity — to the pitch, to the atmosphere, and to an away day that feels more like a community event than a corporate spectacle.

Paderborn's fans are passionate but not hostile. The stewarding is professional and proportionate. The separation between home and away is clear without being oppressive. You'll walk in, watch the game from close range, and walk out without any drama — which is exactly what a good away day should be.

The one thing that catches people off guard is the weather. Paderborn sits on the edge of the Teutoburg Forest, and evening matches from October onward can be bitterly cold, with the open ends of the stadium offering no shelter from the wind. Dress for it.

Shuttle: Free shuttle buses back to Paderborn Hauptbahnhof run from 15 minutes after the final whistle. The queue forms quickly, but the service is frequent enough that you won't wait more than 15–20 minutes even for a sellout.

Driving: The exit from the stadium car parks feeds onto Wilfried-Finke-Allee and then the B1/A33. With only 15,000 fans dispersing, traffic is manageable compared to larger Bundesliga venues — budget 15–20 minutes to clear the immediate area.

Rideshare: Walk toward the university campus or the B1 to avoid the pedestrian congestion around the stadium exits. Pickup is easier from Warburger Straße, about 10 minutes on foot.

How do I get to Home Deluxe Arena from Paderborn station? Free match-day shuttle buses run directly from Paderborn Hauptbahnhof to the stadium, taking about 10 minutes.

What is the bag policy at Home Deluxe Arena? Bags must be no larger than A4 size. No backpacks. All bags are searched.

How much does parking cost at Home Deluxe Arena? Stadium lots cost €5–8. Park-and-ride with free shuttle is available from designated city lots.

When do gates open at Home Deluxe Arena? 90 minutes before kickoff.

Where do away fans sit at Home Deluxe Arena? The eastern end of the ground, with standing and seated options. Typical allocation is 1,500–2,500.

How do I get to Paderborn from Düsseldorf Airport? Train via Hamm (change to RE11 or RB89), roughly 2 hours total. By car, approximately 90 minutes via the A2 and A33.