Getting to De Vechtsebanen for Utrecht Dragons vs Hijs Hokij Den Haag
Getting to De Vechtsebanen for Utrecht Dragons vs Hijs Hokij Den Haag
Trams, bikes, trains and parking around the ice rink on Mississippidreef, plus how to get home after the final whistle.
Where De Vechtsebanen actually is
De Vechtsebanen sits on Mississippidreef in Utrecht's Kanaleneiland, on the western edge of the city beside the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. It is not a city-centre venue: from Utrecht Centraal station the rink is roughly 4 km away, and walking it takes close to an hour along the Van Zijstweg corridor. Most visitors come by tram or bus, or park on site. Allow 20 to 30 minutes door to door from the station once you include waiting time, and rather more on a match evening when the trams fill up.
The surrounding streets — Mississippidreef, Columbuslaan, Trumanlaan — are wide, car-oriented and short on atmosphere, so there is no reason to arrive hours early to wander. This matters for planning: you cannot easily combine the game with a canal-side dinner unless you build in a tram ride back. For the December 12 fixture against Hijs Hokij Den Haag, treat the rink as a single destination rather than part of a city stroll.
Tram, bus and train: the practical options
The simplest public-transport route is tram line 20 or bus line 12 toward Kanaleneiland and the Dichtig-Noord area, both of which stop within a few minutes' walk of Mississippidreef. From Utrecht Centraal, buy a ticket from the machines or tap in with a contactless card; the journey is short but the walk from the stop at the end is not always obvious in the dark. Check the U-OV journey planner on the day, because evening frequencies on the western lines thin out noticeably after 21:00 on weekdays.
Trains matter if you are coming from The Hague to support Hijs Hokij. Intercity services run Utrecht Centraal to Den Haag Centraal in around 40 minutes, and the last direct trains back run late enough for most evening fixtures — but verify the exact departure the week before, since engineering work on the Randstad lines is common in December. If you are staying overnight, the smart move is a hotel within walking distance of Centraal; browse options via our guide to where to stay in Utrecht for the Dragons v Hijs Hokij game at De Vechtsebanen.
Parking and the bicycle alternative
Driving is genuinely viable here, unlike at most Utrecht venues. De Vechtsebanen has its own car park off Mississippidreef, and the surrounding office-district lots along Columbuslaan are quiet in the evening. Expect to pay by the hour via app or card machine — rates in this part of Utrecht sit below the city-centre tariff, but check the signage on the barrier before you commit. Arrive 45 minutes before face-off on the 12th; the car park fills quickly for Den Haag fixtures because away supporters often drive.
The bicycle remains the local default. From the centre it is a flat 15-minute ride via the Van Zijstweg, and there are racks outside the main entrance. If you are visiting without a bike, a short taxi or ride-hail from Centraal costs a modest flat-ish fare and solves the post-match problem. My pick: tram in, taxi back. The return leg after a late finish is where public transport becomes a waiting game, and splitting the difference keeps the evening relaxed.
Timing your arrival and getting home
Doors typically open well before face-off, and the concourse has basic food and drink, so arriving 30 to 40 minutes early is comfortable rather than wasted. The December 12 game will draw a mixed home-and-away crowd; Hijs Hokij travel well, and the atmosphere around the rink is friendly but busy at the turnstiles. Keep your return plan simple and decided in advance — know your last tram, your parked-car exit route or your taxi pickup point on Mississippidreef rather than improvising at 22:00.
Skip the idea of walking back into the centre after the game; the route along the canal is poorly lit in stretches and takes the best part of an hour. If you are staying the weekend, base yourself near Centraal or in Lombok, where restaurants on the Kanaalstraat stay open later, and use the quiet morning after for the Spoorwegmuseum or a Domtoren climb. Book accommodation early for that weekend — December is Utrecht's busiest month for hotel demand.
Before you book
The questions people ask about Utrecht, answered with this month’s numbers.
Allow 20 to 30 minutes by tram or bus including waiting and the short walk from the stop to Mississippidreef. By taxi it is around 10 to 15 minutes depending on traffic, and cycling takes about 15 minutes on flat, signed routes.
Yes, De Vechtsebanen has its own car park off Mississippidreef, with additional office-district lots along Columbuslaan that are quiet in the evening. Rates are below the city-centre tariff, but arrive 45 minutes early on busy match nights.
A taxi or ride-hail back toward the centre avoids waiting for thinning evening trams. If you rely on public transport, confirm the last departure on the U-OV planner beforehand, as western lines reduce frequency after 21:00 on weekdays.
