How to travel to the Champions League Final without spending a fortune
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Q: I’ve been lucky enough to bag tickets to the Champions League Final. But the flights are going to cost me upwards of £1,000 for a return ticket from London. Is there any way of getting there without breaking the bank?
A: It is no surprise you’ve struggled to find cheap flights – prices soared as soon as the semi-finals were over. In fact, according to Skyscanner, there is now no availability on flights from London to Madrid on the morning of the match (June 1).
If you were able to fly out on May 31, you’d be looking at £1,400pp on a return ticket with Iberia. Flying out on May 28 and back on June 2 will cost around £533pp with British Airways and Iberia.
But with food and a hotel on top, that is not much cheaper. Another option is to go by train, although it’s 15 hours each way and involves multiple changes.
The best available route is a Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, then by metro or taxi to Gare de Lyon for an SNCF service to Barcelona, and a final leg by RENFE into Madrid’s Atocha station.
Pay from £700pp for a deal which takes you out on May 30 and home on June 2.
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The cheapest option is to fly somewhere else, pick up a hire car and drive to Madrid.
Getting a car in Zaragoza is from £40 for two days with Rentalcars.com. It’s a 200-mile drive to Madrid, which takes just over three hours.
Direct flights have sold out but you can get an indirect flight out on May 31 and back on June 2 for £681pp with Ryanair and Vueling Airlines.
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