Booked the Park Inn Radisson with the usual free cancellation but noticed that Lufthansa had a direct flight from Frankfurt on the Friday before and that's gone now. I can't see any direct flights at the moment from Europe on the 8th.Turkish Airlines via Istanbul seems to be the only option at the minute. 

Probably not worth booking flights for another couple of months encase some direct ones open up on the Friday from London/Budapest etc. 

The reason there's no thread on it is that the chance of travel to non EU countries before December are slim imho.

Tend to agree - have taken a punt on Portugal and Luxembourg but wouldn’t be confident at all with non Eu countries especially former soviet bloc 

I know Welsh fans going there next month.  Surely October is still possible.  I appreciate nothing is certain in the current environment.  

Eire32?

ffs I'm planning on heading to the States in September . 

We'll see how EURO 2020 goes. October's a long way off so hopefully we'll have a better idea by August if we can travel there. 

I forgot they were a host for the euros so they’ve guaranteed fans for that, could be a runner 

Is that direct from Frankfurt or via Tbilisi? 

I’d say it was direct when booked but all flights seem to be stopping in Tbilisi now with Lufthansa, don’t think you get of the plane but still not ideal at that hour!

It stops off in Tbilisi, but we don't disemabark.

I’d say Azerbaijan is looking okay if you’re vaccinated as the guidelines for non EU countries allow travel unless the EU apply the “emergency handbrake” to a country and Azerbaijan hasn’t has specific issues to date.

It’s also more likely to allow away fans considering they have done that for the euros 

I highly doubt it. 

I'm sure he was referring to the potential covid situation in Azerbaijan when the fixture comes around. 

Thought the advice was not to travel but it was only advice and think they need to self isolate at least on return

Can’t do those dates now but if I could I would be wary of anywhere outside of the EU and UK especially having to transit through a third country 

And missing out on going to that big glamour home friendly v Qatar a few days after the Azeri game. 

Agree with this but part of me says “you’ve always wanted to go to Azerbaijan!!, this is your chance!”

I’ll wait until late August and hopefully things are better and away fans are allowed. Not sure going in the home end would be a runner.

Though if the government advice for us is not to travel, the FAI won't be issuing tickets.

I think you should be good. 2.5 hours is enough of a cushion. 

I wouldn't chance anything less than 2 hours when it comes to connecting flights but I would stick with that booking if I was you. 

The opposite of what Irishmufc says 

Considering the amount of time you have and I’d get a different way to Budapest, will need two flights but means less stress. 

Leave the stress to wondering about whether Azerbaijan will let tourists in!

Are they fully reopened now ? Last I saw it was only to a certain list of countries and we weren't on that list.

Edit: looks like we've been added to the list, no mention of test but maybe I've missed that. Good news anyway, fingers crossed 

Turkish and Lufthansa would be what I'd normally look at but the flight schedule as you've mentioned probably isn't great.

Free cancelation on the hotel is 2 days before we arrive so I can give it up until as late as possible and see

Very brave this far out  Don't think I've got it in me to bite the bullet just yet.

I assume as vaccinated EU citizens, we wouldn't need to have a PCR flying back into the EU from Azerbaijan?  

Good luck.

Looks like a covid passport is all that’s needed.

Pretty sure that's not up to date anymore

https://nk.gov.az/az/article/1735/" rel="nofollow - https://nk.gov.az/az/article/1735/

Reads that it's both, covid passport and negative test

The above quote is from DFA.ie and the link is Azerbaijan government. So reading into both you need covid passport, neg PCR test and will have to quarantine when arriving back in Dublin? Or, no one has the foggiest idea yet?

Looks like DFA haven't updated their advice based on latest Azerbaijan information.

To me it reads,

Outbound - vaccinated or recovered plus PCR test 72hrs before flight to Baku, no quarantine 

Inbound - EU digital cert is all you need, no quarantine 

Thanks.

I could be wrong though on the outbound to Azerbaijan, things change that much it's hard to keep up on requirements 

If it stays as is I'll probably go, the PCR on the way out even though I'm fully vaccinated is a bit of a pain but it is what it is for the moment anyway

Shouldn't be an issue as you book in as separate legs - like Ryanair they are a point to point airline

Cheers

 

I would say this also but would want to check

That's a right pain as it was a very handy route out there. I'm thinking of trying Ukraine now but not sure on what restrictions they have in place for entry and also the hassle of getting back into EU afterwards.

Work is a big obstacle for me.

Was thinking the same, might look to head out on the Monday or Tuesday. Flights later in the week seem pretty limited

Georgia is now on the Red Covid Travel List.

Lufthansa confirmed today that it's an hour and 5 min stopover and you will not be de-boarding.

So all good there.

The red list doesn't particularly matter if you are vaccinated. If you have your vaccine passport, you are basically grand once you come back into Dublin.

Was taken off irelands list last week

Dublin - Kiev 07/10/21 15.05-20.40 @ €25

Kiev - Baku 08/10/21 19.05-23.30 @ € 105

Baku-Budapest 11/10/21  04.40 -06.40 @ €82

Budapest-Dublin 11/10/21 20.55 -23.00 @ €44.

All in cost of €256. The route over seems ok but very long day on the way back!

Very long layovers both directions. Have you any planned for them (bearing in mind covid restrictions, visas etc)? 

The layover on the way out wouldn't bother me too much as I could do a full day lounging around Kiev. I had a stopover there to Tbilisi in 2019 but was a quick overnight one so didn't see much at all. Flight times are also ok and I would be happy to avoid red eyes going into Baku.

On the way back I would probably just head into Budapest for the day and try keep occupied. It's just a very long day with the early morning flight and I wouldn't get a bus back to Limerick until 00.30 so not home till 03.00. I will hold out either way to see if we have an away allocation and what Covid restrictions are like closer to the time. Hopefully flight prices don't change too much in meantime.

Don't believe there is. The DFA website isn't updated.

You need an EU Vaccine passport.

You need a printed PCR test.

https://azerbaijan.travel/covid-19-en" rel="nofollow - https://azerbaijan.travel/covid-19-en

Yeah it’s a pity the Budapest flight was changed! Anything around 300 would be ok as it should be a cracking trip if restrictions allow!

Hopefully Club extends to international 

DFA advice is out of date for Azerbaijan 

A blessing in disguise 

No. Once you have your EU vaccine passport your good to go. 

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/eu-to-recommend-travel-restrictions-on-6-more-third-countries-including-japan-sources-say/" rel="nofollow - https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/eu-to-recommend-travel-restrictions-on-6-more-third-countries-including-japan-sources-say/

Doesn’t matter if you’re vaccinated in EU. Can come from anywhere into Ireland without quarantine

Currently yes, as the post says its up to each country to do as they please with the EU Council advice.

For example the last revision was to remove America from the list but Ireland hasn't implemented any changes but Italy for example has.

It's just something to be mindful of thats all, especially if having a layover along the way that nobody gets a nasty surprise with any rule changes 

But if someone didn’t know; it would look like from that headline we’d be locked up upon return. 

Govt have taken the decision to exempt anyone from testing/quarantine if they are fully vaccinated. That won’t change in the next month. The only issue that could arise is that some country you were transiting through closed the border to Azeri flights but that’s not likely at all.

And what if you're flying back into Dublin with an Irish passport and NHS vaccination certificate and then heading over the border? One of the lads I was talking to (who also lives in NI) after last night's game said he had recently been to visit family in Dubai and refused to get the day 2 pcr test done after arriving home (even though his wife got hers done) - and he hasn't heard anything from anyone since.

What were people's experiences coming back from Portugal last week btw - what sort of checks were being made at airports over there and back in Ireland and how strict (or otherwise) were they? 

Checked Passport, and Passenger locator, he saw that I had my printed vaccine cert in the sleeve of my passport but didn't check it 

Flew back into dublin, no check on anything except passport. I then flew to England to see family and paid 40 euro for a test in Ireland and 60 pound for a home test in England as Portugal is on the UKs amber list if you've been there in the past 10 days. Nothing was checked. 

If Azerbaijan gets added as a designated country here then your exempt from MHQ as you mention because your vaccinated but your not exempt from testing and home quarantine. You'd be expected to have a test before you come home, quarantine at home when you get back and get a negative test to exit quarantine after 5 days

Look at the section on have you been to a designated country part,

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/77952-government-advice-on-international-travel/#travel-restrictions-for-passengers-arriving-into-ireland-from-outside-eu-iceland-liechtenstein-norway-switzerland

Like I said its just something to watch out for, they may not add it to the list here and I don't expect them to either seeing as they didn't do anything with the last set of recommendations, but its just something to be mindful of seeing as the list can change at short notice, it's up to each country to do what they want with the EU recommendation. I just know for myself if it gets added to the list I can't go, work doesn't allow travel to designated countries given the requirements on return.

Looking at booking somewhere, any idea what area would be best hotel wise ?