Logistics complicated for 30 May showpiece in Budapest
Arsenal to receive only 16,824 official ticket allocation
Arsenal have had to find different ways to win this season as they pursue a Premier League and Champions League double. Their fans will now have to show similar dexterity if they hope to make it to Budapest for Uefa’s showpiece final.
With direct flights from London costing up to £1,500 and the only available hotel rooms about 20 miles from the Hungarian capital, it could be the most expensive Champions League final to attend in history. But with a bit of luck and logistical flexibility (and the ability to stay awake all night), Gunners supporters can still hope to match Declan Rice’s demand that 200,000 descend upon the Danube at the end of this month.
“Generally, Budapest itself is a write-off by air, but it’s possible to get closer and finish off by train,” says Tom Hall, who has the double qualification of being a travel expert at Lonely Planet and an Arsenal season-ticket holder. “Some fans near me have booked to Bratislava and Vienna, while I saw sub-£200 direct returns to Bucharest, a mere 15-hour bus or train journey away.”
