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TRAVEL FROM THE U.K. |
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There are exotic options - including
cruising down the Danube to Ruse. (For details of a
German-speaking cruise click
here.) You could head for the Bulgarian capital
city, Sofia, but then would need a six hour journey by
service bus over the mountains to reach Ruse. Or you might
enjoy time in the Bulgarian Riviera on the Black Sea, but
then need a three or four hour service bus journey to
Ruse. Train journeys between those places take similar
times - see railway timetable. This is the information I can find as at mid September 2011, but flight details can change a lot before August 2012. Fares are per person. I aim for an outbound flight on Friday 24th August and return flight on Sunday 2nd September - but if the airline does not fly on those days, or only flies at impossible times, I tried some other dates. Budget airlines use Bucharest's Baneasa airport, the others use Bucharest's Otopeni airport. They are close together. Both airports have other titles - the names of local aviation heroes - but these are their common names. Baneasa airport has a very poor reputation among online travellers, with little information in English. Otopeni is a fully modern airport with clear signage and announcements. Remember that airlines quote local times. Both Romania and Bulgaria are 2 hours ahead of UK (8am UK = 10 am Romania). When choosing flights remember that on the inbound journey it will take at least 2 hours after landing before reaching your hotel in Ruse. On the outbound trip you must leave about 4 hours before your flight time to allow for the drive to Bucharest and the check-in time. Blue Air Non-stop flights of 3 hours 10 minutes and good prices, but the dates/times are difficult. Like many budget airlines they charge extra for "hold baggage", credit card use and so on.
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Wizz AirTheir online booking system does not go more than March 2012 at present, hence the dates shown! The return flights are not at good times. They fly direct. Like many budget airlines they charge extra for "hold baggage", credit card use and so on.
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Heathrow FlightsThere are many flights to the Otopeni Airport in Bucharest - including a cheap direct flight by Tarom, where the snag is a late arrival which would mean getting to Ruse around 23:00. The Lufthansa option is a good price but involves a few hours stop-over in Munich. Expedia is a good website to get flights with major airlines and connections to most UK airports.
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Around BritainSome sample flights whose times are not too dreadful. Departing Friday 24th August returning Sunday 2nd September, prices per person. All subject to change!
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Airport TransfersWhen you know your flight arrival time on 24th or 25th email your name, flight number and time of arrival to transruse@abv.bg to book a seat in one of the buses. You will be met at the airport by someone with a UNICA sign. The bus may not leave immediately as it waits for other delegates from other flights, but within an hour you should be on your way. It will probably cost about 15 Euros for the transfer from either airport to Ruse. If you are returning on Sunday 2nd September a similar service is offered in the opposite direction … once again email your requirements. The journey time will be around 1 hour 45 minutes Some delegates like to go early to a UNICA or to stay later after it. (Frankly there is not a great deal to see in the area near Ruse. A few attractions are reachable but involve a run of over two hours in a normal service bus. You might consider stopping off in Bucharest.) There will not be dedicated shuttle buses to and from the airports for other days but the same company can arrange a taxi between the airports and Ruse for about 45 Euros. You can make independent arrangements and there are bus and rail options for travel between the Bucharest airports and Ruse … the adventurous may try them, but we strongly recommend the festival's suggestion of the shuttle buses. |
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