Euro 2016 away thread

[pineapple stu]

So!

Was away travelling for Euro 2012 and missed the finals tournament. Keeping an eye on the aul Syria war before making a call on the Euros, but hoping to head along anyway.

Any advice from those who made the last Euros? Transport - probably the ferry should be grand? Imagine flights will be pricey.

Accommodation - bring a tent? Stay the night of the game in the host city only and then get out to a less Euro-ised place?

Tickets - always seems to be absurdly complicated. How do you get a ticket for the correct games?

Cost - any estimates? Ten days in France might ordinarily cost a grand to fifteen hundred depending on how you do it. Probably a few prices through the roof for the finals though?

The draw is on the 12th of December, so I presume best to wait for that first anyway?

[brendy_éire]

For easy for transport, etc., we'll be after Group A. If it's that, I'll just fly in, use public transport and stay in hotels and friends' houses.
Any other group will mean significant travelling, and with it added costs.
Toying with the idea of just driving the car over from here. Though a campervan could well work out cheaper and more craic.

Probably just best to wait for the draw. There's no rush on it really.

[Claret Murph]

Yep wait until the draw myself a few have booked flights I know of but hey gamble at times but I think the waiting game will be better for this one .

[DeLorean]

I did the two weeks in Poland but I nearly came back in a coffin, so I think I'll scale it back somewhat this time. I'm thinking of just doing the first two games, so would be looking at 5/6 days. We rented a camper van for the two weeks in Poland, great experience but once is enough I think! There's only so much snoring and farting one can take in such a condensed space, especially on the occasional night that you're not full of booze! Obviously with the camper van there was the added workload of having to source campsites to park it. That was okay though, and cheap.

If we are placed in Group A, a ferry and car could be an attractive option, although public transport might be less hassle in a way. Poland was unfortunate in the sense that we were eliminated after two games so the wait for the Italy dead rubber was a bit anti-climatic, especially as burnout was setting in anyway! The fact that we had to head back to Poznan kind of compounded it I think, it might have kept the spirits up if we were heading somewhere new, at least that won't happen this time.

If anybody is going for a game or two and not the full group stage, I would definitely recommend the first or first & second games. The excitement in the lead up to the game against Croatia was just fantastic, Poznan was really buzzing with hope and expectation. Even after losing there was more excitement heading on to a new location in Gdansk. That was definitely the best part of the trip so I wouldn't be overly worried about missing a crunch final game, the safest bet is to be there when the whole thing is kicking off I think.

Hostels opposed to hotels might be the way to go for financial reasons. Security wise trying to fill out rooms is a good idea, as in, if there are four of you then book a 4 bed dorm, etc. as opposed to 4 beds in an 8 person dorm. That way you'd usually have shower facilities to yourselves and nobody could tamper with your belongings (without actually breaking in obviously!).

Can't wait for the draw!

You can register for the official ticket portal here-

[BonnieShels]

Seems the camper van idea is taking hold over here.
Few lads heading from London supporting varying teams so we might end up with a massive road trip and that should in itself be whopper.

Only thing that would scupper things properly would be for us to be in England's group. That would be rather shoite.

[paul_oshea]

I hope we avoid england and northern ireland in either groups and cities. And that we meet England in the next round.

I'd be afraid for a few goons in our element, and some nasties in the Northern support and England. I wonder could there be some fanatical(yes that fanatical, not a fanatical standoff between english and NI supporters) standoff with some rightwing NI and England fans

THe camper van is tough going BS, i know lads who did it in Poland. It's not easy for a couple of weeks.

[BonnieShels]

I hope we avoid england and northern ireland in either groups and cities. And that we meet England in the next round.

I'd be afraid for a few goons in our element, and some nasties in the Northern support and England. I wonder could there be some fanatical(yes that fanatical, not a fanatical standoff between english and NI supporters) standoff with some rightwing NI and England fans

The camper van is tough going BS, i know lads who did it in Poland. It's not easy for a couple of weeks.

I think given that we are a mixed group of lads it might be to our benefit to last a bit longer. Realistically I am only planning on being there for for the first 10 days max depending on how generous my employers at the time are.

Also I would say we will have some for longer than others and others joining later depending on work etc.

PLay it by ear. Sure chances are Stutts will be giving me a lift anyway.

[DeLorean]

Euro 2016: Organisers set to keep fan zones in France

[seand]

I'll probably try a quick in and out for a couple of games over a long weekend. I'd like to see us playing in Lens/Lille as it'd open up Brussels, Charleroi etc, but to be honest I'll happily take tickets to Hungary-Albania and Ukraine-Iceland. There's a public ticket sales window in December-January, so we'll see how that goes then start pulling in favours / begging / lining the pockets of touts.

[jbyrne]

There's a public ticket sales window in December-January, so we'll see how that goes then start pulling in favours / begging / lining the pockets of touts.

in 2012 we all picked up tickets right up to the last min wherever we could without much fear of gaining entry to the stadium. however, given what happened in paris 3 weeks ago is there now a real risk that the authorites will demand that only people who present a passport matching the name on the ticket will be given entry? this has been threatened before but never followed through on in my experience.

[paul_oshea]

Because if you have a passport you won't want to kill anyone.

[tetsujin1979]

FWIW the passport found at the scene has been largely dismissed by the authorities

[jbyrne]

Because if you have a passport you won't want to kill anyone.

the point being that the authorities might want to use everything in their power to increase stadium security

[boovidge]

so what's the situation with tickets? I used to be a regular at home games but I live in Italy now so didn't go during the last campaign. I presume that'll count against me. Rather annoyingly a couple of mates from college with no particular interest in either of the teams have got tickets to the Italy game through the lottery they did last summer

[backstothewall]

I have a season ticket and I've heard nothing. I'd assumed season ticket holders would be allowed at least 1 ticket for every game per ST held, but no info from the FAI yet.

[DeLorean]

The UEFA ticket portal opens tomorrow apparently. Surely tickets for the Sweden game will be pretty handy given the venue. The Belgium game may not be quite as straight forward? Brand new stadium but only a 43,000 capacity and bound to be plenty Belgians.

[DeLorean]

Our proposed itinerary at this stage is to arrive in Paris on the 12th and stay there until the 16th. On the 16th get an early train (only 1hr approx) to Lens to enjoy the atmosphere for the England Wales match, even go to the game if that becomes a possibility. Stay in nearby Lille that night and on the 17th then hit Bordeaux either by train (5-6hrs) or fly with Air France. Head back to Ireland on the 20th and watch the Italy match at home.

[rebel]

I suppose there isn't any point logging on and trying to buy tickets tomorrow if you are not an FAI season ticket holder? I read that it asks for your memebership/account number.

[DeLorean]

UEFA Ticket Portal is different to last time. You just apply for tickets and hope for the best. I preferred the way it was last time when you could just log on and see what they had available.

[brine3]

Does anyone know if the portal works on a first come, first served basis? Or does everyone who applies during the coming month get their names drawn out of a large hat after the deadline? My credit card is being renewed at the moment (bad timing).

I live close to northern France so will probably just drive to the Paris and Lille matches.