[gaffs]

Originally Posted by Quinny1999

I take your point with regards to returns, but whether these go to fans or not will be the next big question. Look at the Barca game, as far as I am aware no further tickets went on sale to fans and Barca didn't fill their allocation.

You will be lucky to get a return through the club me thinks.

I couldnt see the Barca fans from where i was, (east lower), but were there a lot of empty seats?

All I would say is just call the ticket office on May 6th to see what they have.

[bazalini]

I think everyone should just start putting bids in at a million to all these people selling CL tickets.

Its touting and its illegal

[A1Dan]

Originally Posted by bazalini

I think everyone should just start putting bids in at a million to all these people selling CL tickets.

Its touting and its illegal

Aren't they meant to take these down if reported?

[bazalini]

Have you your visa yet Aidan??

[A1Dan]

Originally Posted by bazalini

Have you your visa yet Aidan??

Nah... I'm (probably foolishly) waiting for this "anouncement" today.

Doubtless
a) it will be late, and we won't hear anything until about 6th
and
b) it won't say much that we don't already know - telling us to get them through visit russia.

I've got my fingers crossed that it will actually be the "major breakthrough" William Gaillard promised - ie Visa sorted along with your match ticket, or even the total removal of visa requirements for fans with tickets which the mayor of Moscow claimed yesterday. But I am aware that I'm being totally unrealistic.

[bazalini]

I am sure closer to the date they will relax the paperwork concerned.

All fans want is in and out in 24 hours. Tour Operators should be given the responsibilty of Visa after Passports have been confirmed to them.

[A1Dan]

Just got this on email from Champion Sport:

Russian Embassy in London has authorised Russian National Tourist Office to be its exclusive visa processing partner for supporters travelling to the UEFA Champions League Final in Moscow.

Therefore Russian Embassy will NOT accept applications from general public and agents for this event. All visa applications must be processed through Russian National Tourist Office only.

Due to the expected high volume of Russian visa applications, the Russian National Tourist Office can only accept POSTAL APPLICATIONS. We highly advise to use special delivery service for the post. We will only accept payment by credit/debit card or Postal Orders (payable to Russian National Tourist Office).

Special arrangements are in place for people obtaining match tickets through the club.

If you have match ticket or electronic confirmation that you have it.

The following documents are required:

Current passport which should be valid for a minimum of six months after visa's expiration date and has at least 2 blank pages
One recent passport size photo glued to the indicated space on the application form
Copy of a match ticket or a confirmation from the club the club that you have it allocated
Completed Consulate Questionnaire (must be completed online). Click here to do it now
Procurement fee is £65.00 including consulate fee + £5.00 postage fee for return special delivery service.
Processing time is 5 working days. Due to high volume of applications Russian Embassy can not accept express applications.

Please check our and Embassy’s websites regularly for the updates.

If you are travelling independantly or do not have match ticket.

Current passport which should be valid for a minimum of six months after visa's expiration date and has at least 2 blank pages
One recent passport size photo glued to the indicated space on the application form
Completed Consulate Questionnaire (must be completed online). Click here to do it now
Procurement fee is £95.00 including consulate fee + £5.00 postage fee for return special delivery service.
Processing time is 5 working days. Due to high volume of applications Russian Embassy can not accept express applications.

Please check our and Embassy’s websites regularly for the updates.

Visa Information hotline: 0208 242 4104

[Derek Brown]

Originally Posted by gaffs

I was thinking what it will cost fans for having the final in Moscow. I think my trip will be £1100 - flights, visa, hotel, ticket (though I don't know the exact cost of the ticker is yet), drinks, food etc. I think that's also quite a conservative estimate. Some others will be paying loads more for flights and hotels so lets say £1500 on average.

£1500 x 21,000 official United ticket holders = £31.5 million

It will be the same for Chelsea/Liverpool so I would say that the 42,000 ticket holders will be paying £63mil.

If it were at Wembley, we would only need a train fair or a tank of petrol.

Where is the sense or logic behind any of this? Who the fuck decides that Moscow is a good venue for the Final? When was the last time a club from Russia was in the CL Final? Why was a country, where an entry visa (bearing in mind the timescale involved) is required, chosen as the Final venue? Who are these assholes at UEFA that make these decisions. An all England CL Final where 42,000 have to fly fuck knows how far to watch their team play. Absolutely un fucking believable.

[Quinny1999]

Originally Posted by A1Dan

Aren't they meant to take these down if reported?

Rules are different in the US and this is where the tickets are mainly on sale at silly money. The few adverts on Ebay in the UK haven't had any bids when I last looked.

[bazalini]

Originally Posted by A1Dan

Just got this on email from Champion Sport:

Russian Embassy in London has authorised Russian National Tourist Office to be its exclusive visa processing partner for supporters travelling to the UEFA Champions League Final in Moscow.

Therefore Russian Embassy will NOT accept applications from general public and agents for this event. All visa applications must be processed through Russian National Tourist Office only.

Due to the expected high volume of Russian visa applications, the Russian National Tourist Office can only accept POSTAL APPLICATIONS. We highly advise to use special delivery service for the post. We will only accept payment by credit/debit card or Postal Orders (payable to Russian National Tourist Office).

Special arrangements are in place for people obtaining match tickets through the club.

If you have match ticket or electronic confirmation that you have it.

The following documents are required:

Current passport which should be valid for a minimum of six months after visa's expiration date and has at least 2 blank pages
One recent passport size photo glued to the indicated space on the application form
Copy of a match ticket or a confirmation from the club the club that you have it allocated
Completed Consulate Questionnaire (must be completed online). Click here to do it now
Procurement fee is £65.00 including consulate fee + £5.00 postage fee for return special delivery service.
Processing time is 5 working days. Due to high volume of applications Russian Embassy can not accept express applications.

Please check our and Embassy’s websites regularly for the updates.

If you are travelling independantly or do not have match ticket.

Current passport which should be valid for a minimum of six months after visa's expiration date and has at least 2 blank pages
One recent passport size photo glued to the indicated space on the application form
Completed Consulate Questionnaire (must be completed online). Click here to do it now
Procurement fee is £95.00 including consulate fee + £5.00 postage fee for return special delivery service.
Processing time is 5 working days. Due to high volume of applications Russian Embassy can not accept express applications.

Please check our and Embassy’s websites regularly for the updates.

Visa Information hotline: 0208 242 4104

So all you need is a copy of any ticket. Hardly worth the while.

Have been quoted £2k by McInerney sports for in and out with Match ticket.

[gaffs]

Got my Flights booked....

London Heathrow to Vienna Late on the 19th with BA
Vienna to Moscow 00.30 on 20th with Aeroflot
Moscow to Vienna 09:50 on 22nd with Aeroflot
Vienna to London Luton on 22nd Easyjet

Total of £390 each.

I should have booked it yesterday as the London flights have gone up - f'in cockney's.

I wanted to get there Tuesday morning as I wanted to do a bit of sightseeing - no point going all the way there for just the match.

[bazalini]

Do you have a breakdwon on those prices Gaffs for each flight

[gaffs]

London Heathrow to Vienna Late on the 19th with BA - £91
Vienna to Moscow 00.30 on 20th with Aeroflot
Moscow to Vienna 09:50 on 22nd with Aeroflot - £220 for the return flight.
Vienna to London Luton on 22nd Easyjet - £79

I reserved the Aeroflot flights yesterday - today, they have gone up to about £300 return.

The London flights were both £20 cheaper yesterday.

I guess other ppl have clocked onto flying into another European city.

I would advise anyone to get flights booked asap. Though if you have not got a ticket, then i guess its a big risk.

I went to Barca last week without a ticket, but that was only £80 return.

[bazalini]

That is a good deal and flight schedule. Well done

[A1Dan]

I've spoken to both VisitRussia and our own wonderful ticket office this morning, and worked out the following:

• You can get a visa for £65 if you have a ticket, or confirmation of a ticket.
• Tickets only start going out on 12th, and th ticket office cannot provide any confirmation whichn is satisfactory to VisitRussia, so effectively these £65 visas do not exist, as things stand.
• The other option is to shell out £100 for the "normal procedure" for people without tickets.
• VisitRussia advised that they're snowed under and told me to get my application in via the £100 route straight away.
• Obivously, the above effectively measn there are no "special arrangements".
• However, the ticket office are still convinced something else is being worked out, but they haven't got a clue what, and just say that they will publish details "in the next couple of days".

So the long and the short of it is we have a choice...

The safe option: Take the £30 hit.
The potentially cheaper option: wait and see.

[ralphie88]

Originally Posted by bazalini

I am sure closer to the date they will relax the paperwork concerned.

All fans want is in and out in 24 hours. Tour Operators should be given the responsibilty of Visa after Passports have been confirmed to them.

Speak for yourself.

As for tour operators, what about fans travelling independently.

Not everyone wants to be flown in and out and herded around without getting to see any of Moscow. It's the Champions League Final FFS, it's meant to be fun.

[ralphie88]

Originally Posted by A1Dan

I've spoken to both VisitRussia and our own wonderful ticket office this morning, and worked out the following:

• You can get a visa for £65 if you have a ticket, or confirmation of a ticket.
• Tickets only start going out on 12th, and th ticket office cannot provide any confirmation whichn is satisfactory to VisitRussia, so effectively these £65 visas do not exist, as things stand.
• The other option is to shell out £100 for the "normal procedure" for people without tickets.
• VisitRussia advised that they're snowed under and told me to get my application in via the £100 route straight away.
• Obivously, the above effectively measn there are no "special arrangements".
• However, the ticket office are still convinced something else is being worked out, but they haven't got a clue what, and just say that they will publish details "in the next couple of days".

So the long and the short of it is we have a choice...

The safe option: Take the £30 hit.
The potentially cheaper option: wait and see.

I'm in Bilbao next week and Zurich the week after. I can't send off my passport in the post. They'd better have something sorted.

[gaffs]

Originally Posted by ralphie88

Speak for yourself.

As for tour operators, what about fans travelling independently.

Not everyone wants to be flown in and out and herded around without getting to see any of Moscow. It's the Champions League Final FFS, it's meant to be fun.

Fly to airport, coach from airport to stadium, coach back from stadium to airport, fly home. F*ck that.

What's the point in going all the way over without seeing this sights....

[bazalini]

Originally Posted by gaffs

Fly to airport, coach from airport to stadium, coach back from stadium to airport, fly home. F*ck that.

What's the point in going all the way over without seeing this sights....

Have a Business to run.

in and out suits me. Looking at in at 1pm local time out at 6am next day.

Loads of time

[Quinny1999]

Originally Posted by ralphie88

I'm in Bilbao next week and Zurich the week after. I can't send off my passport in the post. They'd better have something sorted.

Im in exactly the same boat, I go away for a week on Sunday so will require my passport, there is no way I can send it off in the hope it comes back in time.

Fingers crossed for some sort or announcement later today.

[A1Dan]

got a PM from a guy in the Newbie, who wanted me to pass on this:

I've got my flights and visa sorted and also want a ticket.

Im putting my visa app in today 7 day visa service £90. have been to russia twice before and its a nightmare, best to get a visa through an agency to be sure.

[A1Dan]

Originally Posted by ralphie88

Speak for yourself.

As for tour operators, what about fans travelling independently.

Not everyone wants to be flown in and out and herded around without getting to see any of Moscow. It's the Champions League Final FFS, it's meant to be fun.

I can only get the two days off work - and the wife struggled to even get that. Still, at least going independantly we get in in the afternoon, and can have an hour or two seeing the sites (as well as saving £400 each on charters)!

[gaffs]

Originally Posted by A1Dan

got a PM from a guy in the Newbie, who wanted me to pass on this:

Someone get that guy promoted.

[gaffs]

Originally Posted by bazalini

Have a Business to run.

Stop wasting time on here then

[Quinny1999]

Originally Posted by A1Dan

I can only get the two days off work - and the wife struggled to even get that.

Don't take this the wrong way but surely a euro away is no place for your wife? I have enough trouble looking after myself never mind having the other half in toe

[A1Dan]

Originally Posted by Quinny1999

Don't take this the wrong way but surely a euro away is no place for your wife? I have enough trouble looking after myself never mind having the other half in toe

Don't worry - she can look after herself (and probably me too if required!)

If I tried to suggest she should miss out on this, I'd miss it myself, due to long term hospitalisation...

[Quinny1999]

Originally Posted by A1Dan

Don't worry - she can look after herself (and probably me too if required!)

Ha Ha fair enough. I use away trips as an excuse to get away from it all, have a good piss up with the lads. If the missus knew what it was really like she wouldn't let me go haha...

[ralphie88]

The bird came with me to Kiev and Barca, but I did Rome, and will be doing Moscow, without her. She's no problems with it and is a lot less green that half thew folk you see on Euro aways these days.