Tasnim Chowdhury
BBC Sport journalist
At 10pm on Thursday evening, thousands of Manchester United and Tottenham fans may well find themselves plotting routes to Bilbao.
The Premier League teams go into their semi-final second legs – against Athletic Bilbao and Bodo/Glimt respectively – as favourites to progress.
Should they complete the job, they will secure a place in the final, which will take place at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao on Wednesday, 21 May.
Of the 49,600 tickets available, the finalists will each receive 15,000.
These tickets – as part of Uefa’s ‘fans first’ scheme – are the most affordable, starting at 40 euros (£34).
Tickets for the general public are split into three categories, with prices ranging from 65-240 euros (£55-£204).
Hospitality packages range from 1290-1490 euros (£1,096-£1,266) per person.
How much does it cost from Manchester?
At the time of writing, the cheapest direct return flights that involve travelling out on the day of the game would cost anyone going from Manchester more than £1500. The return flight is the day after the match.
If you wanted to fly out the day before the game, the cost rises beyond £1700.
Flights from Manchester on Monday, 19 May are sold out.
There is the potential for a coach journey at a return cost of more than £200. Starting from Moss Lane East on the morning of Tuesday, 20 May, with changes at London Victoria and Paris, the journey would be almost 32 hours. The cheapest return journey takes roughly 38 hours and 25 minutes.
Those prices could rise further if United do confirm their place in the final.
How much does it cost from London?
Return flights from London, travelling out on matchday, could be slightly cheaper for Tottenham fans, should they make the final.
At the time of writing, travelling from Stanstead to Bilbao on the Wednesday then returning to Gatwick on the Thursday would cost just over £1500.
Heading out a day earlier would cost more than £1600.
There are no flights available from London on Monday, 19 May.
For a coach journey, a return ticket would cost more than £180.
The journey – which would take more than 25 hours – would begin early afternoon on Tuesday from London Victoria, with a stop in Paris. The cheapest return journey leaving on Thursday takes 32 hours.
Anyone thinking of driving to Bilbao is looking at a journey of more than 14 hours from London and more than 18 from Manchester. The cost of the journey would include tolls, fuel costs and crossing the Channel.
Get in touch
What does the expert think?
Travel expert Simon Calder is a frequent visitor to Bilbao – and typically pays £150-£200 for a return journey from London.
He told BBC Sport: “There are many other ways to reach Bilbao. In particular, Biarritz in France is well placed for fans who want to see something of the Basque region en route to Bilbao.
“There is a routing via Basel in Switzerland. From Biarritz airport you can walk to the city’s rail station in about 20 minutes, and board a train to the border town of Hendaye. From here a narrow-gauge railway runs to San Sebastian, from where there is another narrow-gauge train.
“Supporters who want to travel by train should be able to cover the ground for about £200 one way.
“From London St Pancras International on 20 May, the cheapest morning Eurostar train to Paris Nord is £110. After crossing the city to Paris Montparnasse, the lunchtime train to the Hendaye costs £75. From here, it’s those little trains once again.
“The most sedate way to reach Bilbao is the Brittany Ferries sailing from Portsmouth to Bilbao on Sunday, 18 May at 10pm. You get two nights on board for a one-way fare of £201. But no cabins are available, so it could be a long, sleepless voyage.”
How about travel to the stadium?
The recommended route to San Mames is via public transport or walking.
There are several different transport methods to get to the stadium, including underground, train, tram or bus.
San Mames’ official website recommends walking, giving fans a ‘unique experience’ and taking in the sights.
Uefa is yet to update its website on matchday travel for fans.
How much is accommodation?
San Mames is close to to the city centre. To get to the stadium, it is only a 20-minute walk or 9-18 minutes on public transport.
Hotel prices in the city centre range between £850 and £13,345. There are cheaper alternatives about a 35-minute drive away in towns such as Bakio, Bermeo and Mundaka.
This article is the latest from BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team.
