Braga friendly 6 August

[olaftab]

Is anyone  here thinking of going to this match?
How  do you get there?
So far I have found fly to Porto and than use whatever is available to Braga.

[Holte L2]

I'm in South East Spain, and contemplating a flight for the day. Havent investigated how easy it's going to be yet.

[ChrissyPrice]

The bet way is to fly to Porto. Plenty of buses or trains to Braga from there and the ground is near the centre. I'm a bit biased because I used to live there but I'd say Porto has more to offer for a visit so base yourself there.

[spk]

Is that the stadium where one end is a sheer rock face?

[olaftab]

The bet way is to fly to Porto. Plenty of buses or trains to Braga from there and the ground is near the centre. I'm a bit biased because I used to live there but I'd say Porto has more to offer for a visit so base yourself there.

Thanks. I am only going for two dayer. So the plan now is  Stansted to Porto Saturday morning. Bus to Braga assuming match will not kick off before 18.00 however should be there  in time even if its a 15.00 kick off. Stop in Braga. Travel back to Porto Sunday lunch time. Time to look around before the 21.15 flight back.

[villajk]

We're going by train.  Down to London, Eurostar, TGV, sleeper, then another train.  Oh the joys.

[*shellac*]

Is that the stadium where one end is a sheer rock face?

Yep.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The bet way is to fly to Porto. Plenty of buses or trains to Braga from there and the ground is near the centre. I'm a bit biased because I used to live there but I'd say Porto has more to offer for a visit so base yourself there.

Thanks. I am only going for two dayer. So the plan now is  Stansted to Porto Saturday morning. Bus to Braga assuming match will not kick off before 18.00 however should be there  in time even if its a 15.00 kick off. Stop in Braga. Travel back to Porto Sunday lunch time. Time to look around before the 21.15 flight back.

The game will either be at 6pm or 7.45pm or 8pm. My calculated guess is 6pm. Braga normally play their games early evening. There are two scheduled TV games that night. Just checked, Benfica are playing Arsenal in Lisbon at 19.45 so expect a 6pm kick off.

[andrew08]

We're going by train.  Down to London, Eurostar, TGV, sleeper, then another train.  Oh the joys.

Fair Play to you ! Did that cost much ? I'm flying on Friday morning but I would have done that just for the hell of it.

[olaftab]

The game will either be at 6pm or 7.45pm or 8pm. My calculated guess is 6pm. Braga normally play their games early evening. There are two scheduled TV games that night. Just checked, Benfica are playing Arsenal in Lisbon at 19.45 so expect a 6pm kick off.

Thanks Mark. It is timed as either 7.15 or 9.15 kick off at the moment  on the Villa website.

[Legion]

[villajk]

We're going by train.  Down to London, Eurostar, TGV, sleeper, then another train.  Oh the joys.

Fair Play to you ! Did that cost much ? I'm flying on Friday morning but I would have done that just for the hell of it.

I'm not even thinking about the journey.  24 hours travelling, an overnighter in an hotel, and then another 24 hour journey.  Add to that the fact I'll still be jetlagged from HK.

I've no idea how much it is costing.  I leave that to Jon and ask no questions.  We do get a certain amount of free travel because of Jon's job but we've had to pay some for the eurostar and the sleeper train.

Where you flying from and to?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The bet way is to fly to Porto. Plenty of buses or trains to Braga from there and the ground is near the centre. I'm a bit biased because I used to live there but I'd say Porto has more to offer for a visit so base yourself there.

Thanks. I am only going for two dayer. So the plan now is  Stansted to Porto Saturday morning. Bus to Braga assuming match will not kick off before 18.00 however should be there  in time even if its a 15.00 kick off. Stop in Braga. Travel back to Porto Sunday lunch time. Time to look around before the 21.15 flight back.

You may be better to get the underground from the airport to Campanha, the main railway station in Porto and get a train from there to Braga. This may help:

Take the METRO DO PORTO Line E from the Airport to Campanhã station. Trains run about every 20 minutes from around 6am until about midnight. That will take about 33 minutes and costs €2.50 - a Z4 (four zone) ticket. More details at the METRO DO PORTO website. By the way, don't throw away your 'ANDANTE' ticket if you are coming back to Porto. It is rechargeable. You can use it until it wears out and saves you €0.50 on each subsequent ticket of the same type. Tickets are sold at the Airport tourist office but if it's not open you will need some coins for the ticket machines.

At Campanhã walk from the Metro station round to the main railway station of CP, Portuguese Railways. That takes only a couple of minutes.

From there, local electric trains of the Porto Urbanos network run to Braga about once every hour every day with extra trains in weekday rush hours. The journey takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes and will cost a whole €2.30. There are simple to use ticket machines in the hall; there were long lines at the ticket office all three times I was there. The machines take notes as well as coins. NB these 'Urbanos' tickets are NOT VALID on Intercity trains.

If I come up for the game, I'll stay in Braga, rather than Porto. Braga has enough to keep me interested for 36 hours. It's a small town with plenty to see, great food and drink. Porto would just be too confusing for such a short time. The last thing I want to do is to be running around in the heat. I'm thinking more, relaxing in the shade, some good food and a few beers.

[olaftab]

Excellent Mark. Thanks you.
I will PM my mobile just in case you do end up in Braga.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Think it's called 'The Quarry'.