the Netherlands
Nijmegen
Away-day guide
Nijmegen is a compact student city where the centre, station and riverside nightlife are easily covered on foot. De Goffert sits outside the centre in a large park, so away fans should plan the final leg and avoid the home-oriented Fanplein and Hazenkamp route unless officially directed there.
Public transport
The centre is compact: Nijmegen Centraal to Grote Markt is about 15 minutes on foot, and most nightlife is within another five minutes. Breng operates the city buses. For buses and trains, tap in and out with the same contactless bank card, phone or OV-chipkaart; when changing operator, check out of one and into the next. Contactless travel does not automatically give visitors a universal daily cap. Breng sells day products, including off-peak day tickets, but validity and weekday time restrictions should be checked before purchase. Use 9292 for combined bus and train planning and the NS app for trains, platforms and engineering work. Bikes are excellent for getting around, but OV-fiets normally requires an eligible personal OV-chipkaart or linked account, making ordinary shop hire easier for many overseas visitors.
Typical prices
- Beer (0.5L)
- EUR 6.5
- Coffee
- EUR 3.5
- Meal, mid-range
- EUR 22
- Single transit ticket
- EUR 3
✈ Airports & cheaper alternatives
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol AMS primary 125 km Take the NS Intercity from the airport station to Nijmegen Centraal. Direct trains normally run twice an hour and take roughly 1 hour 30 minutes; otherwise change at Utrecht Centraal. The easiest major airport because Nijmegen normally has a direct train. Flights are not always the cheapest, but the simple transfer is valuable on a short trip.
- Weeze Airport NRN alternative 50 km Take bus SW1 to Weeze station, an RE10 train to Kleve, then SB58 bus to Nijmegen Centraal. Allow around 2 hours and check the final evening connections carefully. Often useful for cheap Ryanair fares and geographically the closest airport, but the cross-border public-transport transfer is slow and vulnerable to missed connections.
- Eindhoven Airport EIN alternative 70 km Take bus 400 or 401 to Eindhoven Centraal, then an NS train to Nijmegen, usually changing at 's-Hertogenbosch. Allow roughly 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes. A solid budget-airline alternative with a more dependable transfer than Weeze, though there is no railway station at the terminal.
- Düsseldorf Airport DUS alternative 115 km Travel by regional train towards Arnhem, changing as required, then take an NS train from Arnhem Centraal to Nijmegen. Allow at least 2 hours and check engineering work on the cross-border route. Worth comparing for a wider choice of international flights. The transfer is longer and crosses the German-Dutch border.
🍺 Supporters' pubs
N.E.C. Nijmegen
Home fans: For European games, Grote Markt hosts the N.E.C. Fanplein organised by Café Van Ouds, with outdoor bars, entertainment and a large screen. It is firmly home-oriented and can operate with security checks and one-in, one-out access. Café Piet Huisman in Hazenkamp is a traditional N.E.C. viewing pub within walking distance of De Goffert. Café Samson and De Tempelier are also mentioned locally for watching matches in the centre.
Away fans: The Shamrock Irish Pub is the strongest neutral candidate: football supporters from other clubs use it, including a local PSV group. Tierney's Irish Pub near Molenstraat is another English-speaking sports pub, though rugby may take priority when fixtures clash. Neither is an official away pub, so groups should telephone first and keep colours covered until staff confirm they are welcome. Avoid Grote Markt during the Fanplein, Café Piet Huisman, the immediate Hazenkamp/Goffert home-supporter route and Café Goffertzicht, which has historical links to N.E.C.'s hard-core support.
N.E.C. are entered in the 2026–27 Champions League third qualifying round. There is no reliably published official away pub. European home tickets have been subject to an N.E.C. club-card requirement, while visiting supporters should use the segregated away section, Vak B. Match-specific police and UEFA arrangements can override normal pub and travel advice.
Sourced from supporters' forums — always follow your club's and police advice for the fixture.
Nightlife
Molenstraat is the main late-night strip, with busy bars and clubs aimed largely at students and younger crowds. Grote Markt is best for an earlier round on terraces, but becomes strongly N.E.C.-oriented when the Fanplein is operating. Waalkade has riverside bars and restaurants but is usually pricier and quieter later. Bloemerstraat, immediately west of the station, has smaller alternative cafés, inexpensive food and a less polished feel. For a mixed group wanting televised sport rather than a club night, start at Shamrock or Tierney's.
Food & drink
Try friet with mayonnaise or oorlog sauce, bitterballen, a kapsalon after the pub and the kaasgehakt at De Plak. Marikenbrood, a sweet fruit-and-almond bread associated with Nijmegen, is useful for the train home. De Hemel, in the Commanderie van Sint Jan, is the established local brewpub; expect its own speciality beers to cost more than basic lager. Terrace drinking is concentrated around Grote Markt and Waalkade.
Cheap eats & beer
For a cheap central feed, Eetcafé De Plak on Bloemerstraat is a long-running, informal option; its kaasgehakt is the house speciality and there are useful vegetarian choices. Bregje by the Waalkade is another option for a relatively inexpensive fixed-menu meal. Bloemerstraat and the streets west of the station have döner shops, snack bars and takeaway counters that are generally cheaper than Grote Markt. For beer, the student-heavy cafés around Molenstraat and Bloemerstraat are usually better value than the tourist-facing terraces on Grote Markt and Waalkade, although Nijmegen has no single bargain-pint district. Shamrock and Tierney's are the most practical central sports pubs for independent visitors, but neither is an officially designated away pub; ring ahead before bringing a large group or displaying colours. Near the stadium, Café Piet Huisman is strongly associated with local N.E.C. support, so it is not a sensible away-fan stop. Food immediately around De Goffert is limited: eat in the centre or buy supplies before entering the park.
Staying safe
Nijmegen is generally straightforward, but normal matchday precautions apply. Keep away colours covered around Grote Markt/Fanplein and on the home-supporter walk through Hazenkamp unless police or stewards direct you there. Watch constantly for bicycles and mopeds when crossing red cycle lanes; they often have priority and can approach quietly from either direction. Pickpocketing is possible in packed bars and around the station, so split cards and cash within the group. The Waalkade and riverside paths can be poorly suited to drunk shortcuts late at night. Do not carry open alcohol onto transport where local restrictions or match-specific police orders prohibit it.
On matchday
N.E.C.'s away support is placed in the segregated Vak B at Goffertstadion, with access controlled separately from home areas. Use only the route and entrance stated on the visiting club's ticket information; police can impose compulsory coach or public-transport arrangements and may prevent independent away fans from approaching through home sections. Do not buy a home-end ticket: European home sales can require an N.E.C. club card. Grote Markt/Fanplein and the Hazenkamp approach to the ground are home-fan territory, so keep colours covered away from the designated visitor route. There is no permanent matchday closure of Nijmegen Goffert station, but police can restrict Stadionplein, Goffertweg and paths through Goffertpark at short notice. Check both clubs' updates on the day, particularly for a UEFA qualifier.