Coach trips and 33-hour ferries as fans flock to Bilbao

What lengths would you go to, and how far would you go?

Up to 80, 000 fans from Tottenham and Manchester United are scheduled to show up for the Europa League final on Wednesday in Bilbao, which will have a population of about 350, 000.

As the airport prepares to handle 174 private jets, three times the usual number of flights, National Police staff has been working at the city’s airport, strengthening border control.

However, many supporters are following creative itineraries to travel to Spain for the final because of the expensive costs of direct flights and limited accommodations (bilbao has an estimated 13, 000 hotel beds).

The 33-hour ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao was a “bucket-list” trip for Manchester United fan Dave.

He made a lot of new friends while traveling alone to the final, leaving his Derby home on Sunday morning for Portsmouth via London Waterloo, and arriving in Spain at 07:00 BST on Tuesday.

“This journey was on my bucket list,” he said. I’ve already started using the Pride of Bilbao [ferry] but I’ve never done it. I’m anticipating Bilbao’s sights because it seems to be very good food. My first visit to the Basque country.

Although he is skeptical about United’s chances, he envisions the final as a showcase for English football’s best.

He expressed his hope that United would put a little class on the field and give us some more. And it’s enjoyable for both fans and neutrals to showcase Premier League football.

Ben, a London-based Tottenham fan, was also taking the ferry. He enjoyed the unexpected wildlife encounters and fan interactions while taking the train and taxi to Portsmouth after some initial hiccups.

The ferry was lovely, I thought. Did some whale watching and dolphin sightings, which I didn’t expect,” Ben said.

“Many holidaymakers were surprised to hear Sol Campbell songs being sung last night. Fans of United and Spurs were both present during the laugh.

Ryan from Southampton, a fellow Tottenham fan and for the first time, said: “I felt a little seasick at first, but it’s all good. It will be incredible and I’m very excited to be here.

Sue McGranigan, a Manchester United supporter, chose to travel all the way through France on foot instead of a bike.

She will depart by coach at 02:45 BST on Tuesday morning, arriving in Bilbao around Wednesday lunchtime, following a ferry from Dover to Calais, a nine-hour coach to Bordeaux, where she will spend the night, and a final four-hour coach ride to the Spanish city the morning of the match.

It’s much less expensive, they say. The coach trip costs about £350, whereas direct flights cost 900. She said when she spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live from a distance of about half an hour from London, “I’ve had about half an hour’s sleep.”

The coach is quiet, though. I assumed they would be drinking and singing, but it’s all United fans, which is very quiet.

For his part, Adam Paterson will travel more than 2,500 miles to Spain. On Tuesday afternoon, the United fan will fly from Manchester to Bilbao with friends Dylan Heath and Will Baldwin and then fly to Dublin, Paris, and Rome.

We simply thought, “Why not?” You don’t compete in the European final every week, Adam said, explaining his bizarre and wonderful “journey to BBC Radio Manchester.”

We don’t even have a hotel, according to the statement, which is not even the worst part of it. Simply put, we’ll need to pull an entire-night err.”

Arun, Ed, and Justin, the team’s optimistic supporters, avoided the high costs by making travel arrangements well in advance of Tottenham’s selection for the final.

Before setting off on a 370-mile journey to Bilbao, they rented a car from Stansted to Barcelona.

The Football Policing Unit, Greater Manchester Police, and the Metropolitan Police have collaborated with local police and Uefa to ensure that all fans have a positive experience, according to Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the national lead for football policing.

From Wednesday morning, more than 3, 000 police officers will be stationed throughout the city, with three security rings around the stadium limiting access to spectators and locals.

Roberts advised fans who don’t have a ticket to Bilbao to avoid the city and said British police would be there to “act as a liaison” and provide information and assistance.

Each team received approximately 15, 000 tickets, with the remaining being purchased by neutrals or donated to Uefa sponsors.

Bilbao is a beautiful city, and fans can’t wait there thanks to the neighborhood’s police and residents. However, it’s not the biggest city, and Bilbao’s ability to accommodate those additional travelers without a ticket is what worries most. If there are no tickets available, we suggest that people think about not traveling, he said.

Some police departments still think English fans are influenced by the 1980s, which is quite out of date. We want to counteract intelligence and claim that supporters of this nation should be treated based on behavior rather than perception.