Loyal Chelsea fans dreading long trips that make a return next to impossible can stop fingering the worry beads now.

Sure, there is a Tuesday trip to Sunderland for a 7.45pm kick off in the weeks leading up to Christmas on December 13, but generally there is plenty of scope for the Blue army to get to and fro on key away days.

Needless to say, nobody from west London will be able to use public transport to get back from the Stadium of Light at 10pm midweek, and there are one or two other tricky trips.

But the derby games apart from Tottenham on January 2, all take place in the late summer or early spring.

It's off to Watford for the first one on August 20, and then a month later to the Emirates for the big one against Arsenal.

Best of luck: It's Sunderland away on a Tuesday in December

Blues face Manchester City at the beginning of December, and fans with a three-line whip from the family to go Christmas shopping can fit the shove and heave in shopping malls before a quick scoot across town to Crystal Palace on December 17.

It's going to be hard work for anyone to get back from Liverpool on Wednesday, February 1 - no thanks to an 8.00pm kick-off.

Burnley to away fans often appears the land time forgot, but at least the schlep to Turf Moor is on a Saturday: in this case February 11.

West Ham and a brand new ground - the first for Chelsea since the Emirates is up the District Line on March 4.

Devotion: An overseas Chelsea supporter puts travel in proportion

Bournemouth and a spring break by the seaside is enticing enough on April 4, before Old Trafford and all that on April 15 - but another Saturday.

That said, TV and all their demands have yet to have their say with the above, so fingers crossed Sundays, Mondays, lunch times and Saturday evenings don't wreak too much havoc with travel plans.

Chelsea key away days: 20/08/2016 15:00 Watford v Chelsea; 24/09/2016 15:00 Arsenal v Chelsea; 29/10/2016 15:00 Southampton v Chelsea; 03/12/2016 15:00 Manchester City v Chelsea; 13/12/2016 19:45 Sunderland v Chelsea; 17/12/2016 15:00 Crystal Palace v Chelsea 02/01/2017 15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea; 01/02/2017 20:00 Liverpool v Chelsea; 11/02/2017 15:00 Burnley v Chelsea; 04/03/2017 15:00 West Ham United v Chelsea 18/03/2017 15:00 Stoke City v Chelsea; 08/04/2017 15:00 A.F.C. Bournemouth v Chelsea; 15/04/2017 15:00 Manchester United v Chelsea