Overview

Scottish Rugby sell tickets for the Autumn Tests with a May deadline, but only allocate blue badge parking spaces in October a few weeks before the games. There is a wheelchair ballot, again nearer the date of the games, which has been covered in other reviews. I prefer to have a seat rather than rely on ballot success. There are more blue badge spaces near the ice rink than the number required for the wheelchair ballot, so I don’t understand why Scottish Rugby can’t combine May deadline with allocation of parking spaces. In 2022 they also sold “pitch parking” which is as near the stadium as the blue badge parking, but again these were only sold from October not the earlier deadline in May. For 2023 there appears to be no “pitch parking” as the spaces there are now reserved for (corporate) hospitality guests. Scottish Rugby should consider the balance between blue badge parking spaces (relatively few) and hospitality (the majority). I can echo other review comments that staff are generally very helpful but negotiating the crowds can be a little intimidating, as many are drinking alcohol (both before, during and after the game). As our seats were on the upper level (which offers a better view than pitch side wheelchair seats having to put up with passing camera crews and others) so we had to queue for the one lift in the hospitality lounge area. I’m surprised Scottish Rugby didn’t plan for more and/or larger lifts (cf. Wembley for example).

Transport & Parking

We went by car as the games tended to fall on rail strike days and the Edinburgh Tram is on the other (East Stand) side of the stadium. Edinburgh traffic was frankly horrendous both before and after the games, with our normal one hour journey to Edinburgh from north of the Queensferry Crossing taking well over two hours. It was just as bad on the way back. Those parking at the ice rink are warned they may be held till up to 90 minutes after the game to allow the last pedestrians to leave the area. I practice it’s more like an hour’s wait. If “pitch parking” is available, the warning is up to 60 minutes and in practice it’s more like 30-45 minutes. This all makes a day out at Murrayfield a very long day indeed, with kickoff times varying from early afternoon to early evening depending on TV coverage decisions.

Access

Level walking from car parks to lift, but then only one small life which can only hold one wheelchair and/or three or four adults with sticks. Despite being “BT Murrayfield” wi-fi is virtually non-existent, and any priority must be given to media rather than the general public.

Toilets

We did not use them.

Staff

There were quite a few emails and phone calls before the games to clarify ground rules. Scottish Rugby do not appear to have a dedicated Disability Liaison Officer (which many football clubs have) and all questions or complaints are simply referred to Customer Services. Staff on the ground on the day are excellent.