Millennium Stadium manager Gerry Toms is advising all fans attending the Cardiff Blues and Leicester Tigers Heineken Cup Semi-Final clash on Sunday 3 May 2009 to take to the roads when planning their route to Cardiff.

Pre-arranged rail track maintenance means restricted services into the Welsh capital on that day and fans are asked to check train schedules carefully, but the man in charge of Wales’ national stadium says contingency arrangements are in place to cope with the flow of fans expected to descend on the city from the Midlands and throughout the country.

The Blues set a new Heineken Cup record for home attendance in Wales at their quarter-final meeting with Toulouse when over 36,000 fans saw them seal a 9-6 victory – and hundreds of those fans queued outside the Blues ticket office as tickets were released yesterday morning.

Leicester Tigers supporters are also used to filling the Millennium Stadium, beating Munster 15-9 at the venue in the 2002 Heineken Cup Final in front of a capacity crowd of 74,600 and so attendance at the semi-final is expected to be high.

"The rail maintenance shouldn’t be a major problem for spectators provided we can get the message out far and wide that they will need to plan their journeys in advance and preferably travel in groups," said Toms.

"Free parking will be available at the Civic Centre at Cathays Park for coaches and minibuses which is the advised way to travel and there will also be an extensive park and ride facility in Cardiff Bay signposted from the main arterial link into Cardiff the M4.

"The rail track maintenance had been planned well in advance of the fixture being scheduled and, whilst it is unfortunate timing, the Millennium Stadium and Cardiff City are well used to ensuring travel conditions for major events are of the highest standards possible.

"We have had major football and rugby matches here before when fans have come from far and wide and stayed off the trains simply through their own habits and the road network is more than capable of coping.

"The important thing is that fans are aware of the issue and can now plan to work around it by using coaches, minibuses or car sharing wherever possible."

For spectators travelling by coach or minibus there will be free parking at the Civic Centre at Cathays Park. Coaches should follow M4 electronic signs and exit at junction 32, follow A470 south to City Centre. Those travelling by car should follow M4 electronic signs to junction 33 and follow signs south along A4232 to park and ride facilities in Cardiff Bay. The park and ride will operate between 10am and 7pm and will cost £5 per car. Spectators are strongly advised to check with the Rail Authorities before selecting this form of transport.

Tickets for the game are available now from www.ticketmaster.com and 08705 582 582 as well as the Blues and Leicester Tigers ticket offices and prices range from £40, £30, £20 and £10 concession