The road to France – Euro 2016
December 15, 2015
Olé, Olé, Olé………after an exciting 12 game adventure, Ireland will be one of 24 countries who will be travelling to France next summer to take part in the 15th UEFA Euro 2016 championships. Now that the draw for Euro 2016 has been completed, you may be thinking about how you’re going to travel over to France to support the Irish team. Check out our Come On You Boys In Green Euro 2016 tips first.
Costs can really add up for popular events like this one so it is a good idea to start planning a budget now. Our Euro 2016 budget planner can help with budgeting for the main expenses such as tickets and flights, and other costs you need to think about. Plan ahead before you go – research the local area, public transport and places to eat out. Consider investing in a guidebook or research local areas online. You are less likely to end up in an overpriced tourist area or paying too much for a taxi if you do your homework before you go. We have pulled together some money saving tips to help you save on the cost of your trip and keep your spending under control once you arrive in France.
Our loan calculator is a handy tool if you are thinking about borrowing money to help pay for your trip. It shows you what your monthly repayments would be depending on the amount you borrow, how long you want the loan and the rate you pay. But before you take out a loan, think realistically about how much you can afford to borrow and repay each month. The longer your loan lasts the more it costs you in interest, so don’t borrow for longer than you need to. A good rule of thumb for a holiday is to have the loan paid off before your next holiday.
You should be aware that if you book a package deal through a travel agent which may include match tickets, travel and accommodation, you are entering into a contract with them so you have certain protections if things go wrong. In this case, the match would be the major part of this package and if it is cancelled or rescheduled, the operator must give you the option of a full refund, a replacement trip of equivalent or superior quality (if they can provide this), or a lower grade trip, with a refund of the difference in price (if they can provide this).
Beware of potential scams. Scammers are always on the look-out for opportunities to scam people and they are likely to try and capitalise on the popularity of Euro 2016, with many people trying to get their hands on tickets for games. Tickets for the Championships are in high demand and are for sale through the official UEFA site via a lottery system. According to UEFA, their ticket portal is the only authorised way to buy tickets from people offering their tickets for resale. However, there may be other unofficial reselling sites, which may be offering tickets but will be reselling them at a huge mark-up. You could end up paying a large sum of money for a ticket, that doesn’t exist or isn’t accepted when you try to enter the stadium. If you buy a ticket from an individual private seller, either face to face or online such as from an auction site, you don’t have consumer rights if you run into any problems. Watch out for fake websites offering tickets simply to get access to your credit card details. We have some tips to stay safe and avoid being scammed when shopping online.
If you have booked your trip through a travel agent you may already have purchased travel insurance as part of a package. If not, or if you are booking your trip yourself, then you can buy a single or multi-trip policy from an insurance company. Always check the terms and conditions of any policy before you sign up to it to ensure you have the level of cover you need. You should also get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before you travel which entitles you to free or reduced-cost, state-provided healthcare when visiting a country in the EU.
Go and research the different travel options available to you. There are a number of different ways you can get to Euro 2016, depending on your budget. You could book a one-day package which includes return flights and a match ticket, or you could decide to stay for longer and get tickets for a couple of matches. There are a number of different packages available from travel agents, but you may find it cheaper to do it yourself and book all the different parts of your trip separately. For a more affordable option, you could stay in cheaper accommodation such as a hostel or camping. Other options include hiring a camper van, which might be a good option if you are going with a group and you can share the cost.
Lastly, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy yourself. Come On You Boys In Green!
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