[Albion] Athens "Travel Form" email...

[Was not Was]

No chance! Never again after that shambles in Marseille.

That's how I'd feel (though I'm not going to Athens). The club and our police officer parroted what they were being told, despite hearing from fans what was happening in the square. We all went along with the official advice that we had to catch the shuttle bus, yet those of us arriving less than 2h45m ahead of kickoff to catch one ended up missing the first 20 minutes of the game. What I learned was: do not follow the official advice.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Irrespective of everything, my flight doesn't get in till half 1 - if everything goes to plan - then it's metro to the hotel, dump stuff, get ticket, go to bus place all naturally a distance apart. Bus at 4 isn't happening.

 

[spoonie]

perhaps we need confirmation from west ham fans who were recently in Athens (playing a different team) fans had no problem getting in if they didn't take the bus?

 

[Wallace]

Whatever Paul Barber tells me to do I will do the complete opposite.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

perhaps we need confirmation from west ham fans who were recently in Athens (playing a different team) fans had no problem getting in if they didn't take the bus?

I think going to Olympiakos in Piraeus is whole different board game to going to AEK, they are a mental lot. But would be interesting to know ff any West Ham did ignore their advice and how it went.

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Right, it starts by saying the Greek police ADVISE….”

The bit that says

• You must board a shuttle bus from outside Panathenaic Stadium

I take the “must” to mean that is the ONLY place to board it I.e don’t try flagging it down outside the Downs Hotel as it won’t stop.

 

[Bozza]

I know it was a different stadium, but Celtic seem to be the last British club to have played AEK and they were strongly advised to use the provided buses...

Celtic fans to be driven to and from AEK Athens clash by buses paid for by club

CELTIC have splashed out on a convoy of coaches to protect around 700 fans ahead of their crucial Champions League tie in Greece. The Parkhead club warned supporters not to use public transport on …

www.thescottishsun.co.uk

 

[Giraffe]

1 hour 59 to walk. 49 mins to get public transport.

May as well get the buses then.

 

[dwayne]

1 hour 59 to walk. 49 mins to get public transport.

May as well get the buses then.

Drive ?

 

[elwheelio]

Do the coaches take you back after the game or are they only provided to the ground?

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Do the coaches take you back after the game or are they only provided to the ground?

I presumed they go back too but I've not seen it mentioned.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Ticket collection is in our hotel reception.

Gives you a change of subject out if the “Room Service 2” challenge doesn’t go to plan

 

[studio150]

Metro will take abut 1/2 hour, plus a 10 minute walk.

and potentially an evening in an Athens hospital if the AEK fans decide to follow the Ajax example and push onto a metro train at a station and bottle you.

 

[Deleted member 37369]

I know it was a different stadium, but Celtic seem to be the last British club to have played AEK and they were strongly advised to use the provided buses...

Celtic fans to be driven to and from AEK Athens clash by buses paid for by club

CELTIC have splashed out on a convoy of coaches to protect around 700 fans ahead of their crucial Champions League tie in Greece. The Parkhead club warned supporters not to use public transport on …

www.thescottishsun.co.uk

“Fans can expect to be security checked more than once on the approach to the stadium.

“No alcohol is allowed at the match. Fans who are drunk will be refused entry.

“Please note that rowdy and noisy behaviour, especially alcohol related, may not be tolerated by the Greek authorities.”

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

No alcohol!

Hardly surprising

 

[Colonel Mustard]

and potentially an evening in an Athens hospital if the AEK fans decide to follow the Ajax example and push onto a metro train at a station and bottle you.

Wow, that seems like an unnecessarily graphic burst of negative imagination?

I'm probably being naive but I'd have thought that if you're not wearing colours, and just quietly gazing into your phone in the corner of the carriage, you're not likely to catch anyone's attention in a bad way.

 

[Bozza]

Just found this "diary" of a Celtic fan there for their trip a few years ago - the same one detailed in the article I posted earlier.

Despite the buses, he caught the metro to the ground without any issues. In fact it reads that he didn't even know about the buses until he came out the ground afeter the game and saw them lined up..

Athens Diary – Day 3 – This is NOT the day that we win away | The Celtic Star

MATT CORR concludes his Athens Diary for The Celtic Star today, covering yesterday's AEK Athens victory over Celtic to eliminate us from the Champions League...and it should be noted that once ag

thecelticstar.com

 

[Thunder Bolt]

and potentially an evening in an Athens hospital if the AEK fans decide to follow the Ajax example and push onto a metro train at a station and bottle you.

I very much doubt it. Any previous trouble was caused by Dynamo Zagreb. AEK fans are fine.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Just found this "diary" of a Celtic fan there for their trip a few years ago - the same one detailed in the article I posted earlier.

Despite the buses, he caught the metro to the ground without any issues. In fact it reads that he didn't even know about the buses until he came out the ground after the game and saw them lined up..

Athens Diary – Day 3 – This is NOT the day that we win away | The Celtic Star

MATT CORR concludes his Athens Diary for The Celtic Star today, covering yesterday's AEK Athens victory over Celtic to eliminate us from the Champions League...and it should be noted that once ag

thecelticstar.com

It doesn't read like Millwall on steroids......

The train arrives at Irini station and I follow him off. After a handshake, I find that I am the lone Celt in the area, a Hoops-adorned subject of curiosity walking through the Greek crowds. I am asked to pose with three young AEK fans and happily oblige. I so want them to take the same photo with my phone, however the cautious Scot in me worries about losing my mobile, my only means of contact. I immediately feel embarrassed and ashamed by my lack of trust. These are good people.

 

[dazzer6666]

I’m going to walk to and from the ground (20 mins or so), the bus departure point is bloody miles away.

The original comms was ‘advised’ (‘must‘ appears in relation to the pickup point as others have stated above)

Getting to the stadium

AEK Athens and the Greek Police have confirmed the following arrangements and we await confirmation of this in the coming days:

1. All away supporters are advised for their safety and security to take the transfer buses from outside Kallimamaro (Panathenaic Stadium) which will take fans straight to the stadium.
2. Tickets will be checked and body searches will take place before getting on the buses.
3. Supporters in Block 47 will need to board different buses to those in Blocks 46&48, please check before you board.
4. Supporters must meet at the shuttle bus point between 3.30pm-4pm, with the journey taking around one hour through central Athens.
5. Further security checks will take place at the stadium turnstiles. Time will be required to allow for these checks and entry through the four away turnstiles.