Maybe you are travelling to a match of Hapoel Beer Sheva and maybe of the Israeli national team – but one thing is sure: finding parking and getting to the Toto Turner Stadium in Beer Sheva is not always a simple thing. In today’s post we are going to describe all the ways you can get to the stadium on the day of a match, where it’s best to park, what to eat in the area and some other tips worth knowing.
Toto Turner Stadium (and in its full name “Jacob Turner Toto Stadium Be’er Sheva”), is the football stadium used by the Hapoel Beer Sheva team, and replaced the old Vasermil Stadium. The stadium was built at a cost of over 220 million NIS, and contains 16,126 seats (And about 2,600 parking spaces around it.) It is named after Yaakov Turner, the former mayor of Be’er Sheva, along with the “Toto” organization (Israeli lottery) that donated most of the funding for the project.
The Structure of the Stadium
As mentioned, Toto Turner Stadium in Be’er Sheva contains a little over 16,000 seats, in the following stands:
- The western stand (gates 1-2 and 11) – contains 4,651 seats. The stand has VIP boxes, a press area and accessible stand as well as a private catering complex.
- The southern stand (gates 3–4) – contains 3,210 seats. During Hapoel Beer Sheva matches, this is the stand that houses the Hapoel Beer Sheva “UltraSouth” fan organization.
- The eastern stand (gates 5–8) – contains 5,055 seats, including a stand accessible to the disabled.
- The northern stand (gates 9–10) – contains 3,210 seats. In Hapoel Beer Sheva matches, this is the stand that usually houses the visiting team’s fans.
The stadium complex was built at a cost of close to 250 million NIS, and it is the second stadium in Israel that has a roof that covers all of the stands. In the stadium there are 8 kiosks selling food (they are located in the lobby of each stand), and hundreds of toilet cubicles for the benefit of the crowd.
From personal experience, except at the peak moments of halftime, there is usually no congestion in the restrooms and kiosks, and they are sufficient in relation to the size of crowd in each stand.
Recommended Parking at Toto Turner Stadium
Adjacent to the stadium are parking lots with about 2,600 parking spaces (P1-P4), but they are closed only for paid subscribers (with tickets only issued by Hapoel Beer-Sheva). In any case, the police will usually not allow access to the area.
The P5 parking lot, named “HaKunchia”, is a bit further away from the stadium but open to the general public. Not far from it is the northern parking lot of the stadium (from the northern entrance to the city), a gravel parking lot which is basically intended for the visiting team supporters. Our recommendation – try to park near the exit as the traffic is high after the match.
Another option is to park in the parking lot of the Kunchia Hall (about a five minute walk from the stadium). Please note that parking is of course limited to the authorized places in the parking lot – parking in the nearby hills and even in an open area will usually result in a parking ticket.
For those who prefer to walk a bit more before the match and save the traffic jams after it, you can park on the roads leading to the stadium rather than in the inner parking lot. On Etzel Street: From the traffic circle of the Kunchia Hall to Sheshet Hayamim Street (westbound). On “Hatzadik from Jerusalem” street: from Reger Boulevard (the northern entrance to the city) to Baalei HaTosafot Street / Nurit Center.
What to Eat near Toto Turner Stadium
Keep in mind that there are almost no relevant places within walking distance of the stadium, so it is best for you to stop for a bite on the way there. You can go to the BIG shopping complex east of Beer Sheva where there are several restaurants (Nafis, Golden Goose, Cramim, Aroma) and pubs.
In Conclusion
Toto Turner Stadium is built in a place a bit far from the city center, so there is not much for you to do there before a match. and on days of big matches, the traffic to it is going to be congested – so it is advisable to plan your travel times well in advance, and try to maximize the number of persons per vehicle.
When it comes to parking near Toto Turner Stadium we have two rules. The first – the earlier you arrive, the closer you can park (as we detailed). The second rule – on the other hand – is that those who park closer to the stadium often get stuck in a traffic jam at the exit. Try to find the right balance.
