Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United - Travel Advice

Foreign Office Advice

The Foreign Office has issued Advice for fans travelling to Romania for the Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United tie on Thursday 6 August 2015 here.

Introduction

West Ham United would like to thank the Club’s loyal supporters for following the team to Romania for the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round second leg tie with Astra Giurgiu.

The Club is rightly proud of its fans and would ask that you uphold the Hammers’ reputation by respecting local customs, amenities and cultures.

Fixture information

Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United
UEFA Europa League third qualifying round second leg, Stadionul Marin Anastasovici, Complexul Sportiv Marin Anastasovici, Giurgiu, Romania, Thursday 6 August 2015, 9pm EEST (7pm BST).

Stadium information

The Stadionul Marin Anastasovici, Complexul Sportiv Marin Anastasovici, Giurgiu, Romania was opened in 1963 and was previously home to FC Dun?rea Giurgiu.

In 2012, the stadium became home to Astra has been extended and modernised on a number of occasions and now seats 8,500 supporters in three stands.

The stadium is situated approximately 2 km from the train station in Giurgiu in the south east corner of the city and can be reached by taxi.

West Ham supporters are located in Sectors 7 and 8 (Lower Tier) and G and H (Upper Tier) of the Blue (West) Stand (Tribuna 2), which are dedicated to visiting fans. All tickets are bar coded and supporters have allocated, numbered seats.

Fans should arrive early to access the stadium and take extra time when entering and leaving the seating deck are. Kick-off is at 9pm local time, with the two electronic turnstiles opening at 7pm.

On entering the stadium, fans will be ticket checked and be searched by security staff – local Romanian police with the assistance of a private security firm – for any prohibited items. These include alcohol, professional cameras, guns, fire sources, fireworks, pyrotechnics, firecrackers, glass or plastic bottle, loose coins and umbrellas are not allowed inside the stadium.

Flags and banners are welcome, but not those on sticks, but may be checked prior to entry. Please bear in mind that flags of an overtly political, sectarian or religious nature will not be permitted and may be confiscated.

Smoking is allowed inside the stadium, but supporters wishing to smoke will have to take matches.
West Ham United stewards will be travelling to Romania and will be present at the stadium to assist supporters.

Toilet and catering facilities will be available inside the stadium. However, UEFA regulations stipulate that alcohol will NOT be on sale inside the stadium.

Any fans without tickets will NOT be granted access and will be removed from the stadium area. West Ham supporters who sit in home areas may also be asked to leave the stadium.

No alcohol is allowed at the match. Fans who appear drunk will be refused entry. Drinking on the streets is not permitted and you could be fined.

Loud shouting or singing after 10pm (outside the stadium) is considered disorderly conduct and you may be arrested

All drug-related and sex offences are treated seriously, the age of consent 18.

Getting to Romania

The Club is not arranging any official travel to Malta.
 
By plane…
Fly to Bucharest, initially. A number of airlines fly from London to the Romanian capital, with Wizz Air, Blue Air, British Airways and Ryanair offering direct flights. However, as has happened in previous rounds, prices have risen sharply since the draw was confirmed. Swiss Air offer flights with a stopover in Switzerland or France. Return flights were available for around £250 at time of writing.

From Bucharest...
From Bucharest, you can either hire a car or take a train or bus for the 40-mile journey south to Giurgiu. Buses leave every hour from Eroii Revolutiei square and the trip takes about one hour and costs under 20 lei (£3.30).
 
Rail services leave Bucuresti Nord station for Giurgiu. However, the route taken by the train is a circuitous one, as it travels via Videre on the way south. For this reason, the trip takes around to hours to complete. Direct services leave the capital at 12.50 and 15.24 on both Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 August, arriving in Giurgiu at 14.47 and 18.15 respectively. Trains return to Bucharest at 04.16, 07.56, 11.56 and 15.17 on Friday 7 August. You should expect to pay around 40 lei (£6) each way.

Romania

Bucharest is Romania’s capital and is known, among other things, for its wide, tree-lined boulevards, glorious Belle Époque buildings and a reputation for the high life. In the 1900s, it earned the nickname of Little Paris.

Among the highlights in this city of nearly two million inhabitants are the Arch of Triumph, which was built in 1922 to honour the bravery of Romanian soldiers in the First World War, the Royal Palace and Revolution Squad, which became world-famous during the fall of the Communist regime in 1989.

In Giurgiu, the No1 tourist attraction is the Friendship Bridge linking it with its sister city of Ruse over the River Danube in Bulgara

General information

The official languages of Romania is Romanian.

The currency of Romania is the Romanian Lei. The current exchange rate is £1/6.25 Romanian Lei.
Romania is on Eastern European Summer Time (EEST), two hours ahead of British Summer Time (BST).

Crime
Supporters should maintain at least the same level of personal security awareness as in the UK. There is a risk of petty theft in cities, especially Bucharest. Pickpockets and bag snatchers operate in crowded areas, particularly near exchange shops and hotels, on public transport (especially to the airport), in the main railway stations and inside airport terminals.

Organised attacks by groups, often including children, occur. The most common method is of distraction while several people, often the children, attempt to snatch watches and jewellery from pockets or from around the neck and wrist.

There have been reports of a scam involving thieves who present themselves as plain-clothes policemen. They flash a badge and ask to see passports and wallets. They count the money and give the documents back, but when they return the wallet, some of the money is missing.

Valuables including passports have been stolen from hotel rooms. Use the hotel safe and carry a photocopy of the information pages of your passport as ID.

There have been reports of credit or debit cards being ‘copied’ when used for payment in some bars and restaurants.
 
Road Travel
You may drive in Romania using your full UK driving licence.

You will need to pay a road toll ‘Ro vignette’ to use the national roads. You can buy the vignette (sticker) at border points and at most petrol stations. Failure to display the sticker may lead to a heavy fine.

Observe the speed limit at all times. Make sure your vehicle is roadworthy and you have with you all documentation, including evidence of insurance.

It is illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol. Don’t drink any alcohol if you are driving.
Carry the following equipment: first aid kit, fire extinguisher, red warning triangles and a fluorescent jacket.

If your vehicle is damaged before you arrive in Romania, ask a Romanian Customs or Police Officer to write a report on the damage so that you have no problems when leaving. If any damage occurs inside the country, a report must be obtained at the scene of the accident.
 
Taxis
Yellow taxis in Bucharest should list prices on the side of the vehicle and display a company name. There are frequent reports of foreign visitors being overcharged by taxi drivers.

You are advised that it is always better to enquire and agree on a fare before you enter a taxi.
 
Emergency contacts
You may telephone the Emergency Services on the following number:
112 – General Emergencies
 
Passports
Passports or copies of your passport should be carried with you at all times for identification purposes if required by the authorities.
 
British High Commission Contact Details
British Embassy Bucharest, 24 Jules Michelet, 010463 Bucharest, Bucharest
Telephone – (40) (21) 201 7200 (also for out of hours emergencies)
Email – [email protected]
For further FCO advice regarding a visit to Romania, please click here for further information around the match itself.