This Football Trip to Erfurt started early on the Saturday morning with a train from Nuremberg.
Football Trip to Erfurt
The journey from Nuremberg would take 1 hours and 15 minutes so we opted for an early 8.32am train just in-case there were any delays, whilst also hoping to maximise the pre-match experience. The train was on-time and we arrived into Erfurt just before 10am.
We explored the City which was extremely picturesque and if you are looking for refreshments try Kafferosterei, located on the Domplatz, where we sat outside enjoying some croissants and hot chocolate!
Erfurt is a beautiful city
Kaffeerosterei
FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt
FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt are currently top of Regionalliga Nordost as they seek to elevate themselves into the third tier via a promotion play-off. Their opposition was Viktoria Berlin who whilst mid-table have been on an impressive run of results with 5 wins and 1 draw from their last 6 matches.
To get to the match we jumped on a Number 1 Tram from the City which took us directly to the stadium.
Steigerwaldstadion
FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt paly their home matches at The Steigerwaldstadion. Thanks to regular renovations, including a £45m reconstruction in 2016, it appears to be a modern stadium – but was actually constructed in 1931. The stadium retained a running track as part of that update whilst changing the shape of the stadium to octagonal. A capacity of 18,559 meant that obtaining tickets was extremely easy.
If you have ever researched the Erfurt stadium, you may be familiar with the giant leaning floodlights and these really are a sight to behold.
The famous leaning floodlights
Food and drink were plentiful inside the ground. A Beer cost 4 Euro and Bratwursts were 3.50 and very enjoyable. As normal in Germany you can take beers into the stand.
Bratwurst at Erfurt
FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt v Viktoria Berlin
Even if Erfurt finish top at the end of a 34 match season, they must then face a promotion playoff with no guarantee of going up. Today the team looked up for the challenge and were by far the better side throughout the match.
The home side carved out many chances, and in the second half should have buried several opportunities however poor finishing and great goalkeeping kept them at bay.
RW Erfurt were undone by a 68th minute goal on the break by Viktoria Berlin, the goal coming from Inaler.
The only consolation for Erfurt is that the team chasing them down, Energie Cottbus, also lost at home meaning that this matchday see’s RW Erfurt one step closer to that promotion play-off.
Final Score: RW Erfurt 0 Viktoria Berlin 1
Erfurt in the evening
We stayed in Erfurt on Saturday evening and were promised a great meal at Schnitzler. We booked in advance and can see why. The food was extraordinary with a huge list of Schnitzels too choose from – both Pork and Veal options.
The Schnitzler Restaurant, Erfurt.
This was one of the meals, a Pork Schnitzel dripping with Spaghetti Bolognese!
Schnitzler, Erfurt.
There are ample good drinking venues in Erfurt and one we would recommend is Augustiner an der Krämerbrücke which had a good selection of draught and bottled beers.
Augustiner an der Krämerbrücke
Covert Football Trips
Covert Football Trips offer Mystery Football Weekends to Germany, and Nuremberg could be your destination. We are now accepting bookings for the 2023/24 season with just a £39 deposit per person. Simply select the weekend you wish to travel and we do the rest. Click here to find out more.
