25 May 2005 - Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul
Press
Information regarding the Champions League Final
25 May
2005 – Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul
Istanbul’s
recently constructed Atatürk Olympic Stadium will shortly be hosting European
club football's most prestigious competition: the 2005 Champions League final.
It will be the
first UEFA club competition final to be played at the 80,000-seater arena, which
was selected after a rigorous assessment procedure involving a number of
top-class European grounds that had been put forward as candidates.
Istanbul is
the largest city in Türkiye, and is famed for being the only city in the world to
be located on two continents – Europe and Asia. It is a modern, cosmopolitan
city with a wealth of historic and cultural attractions.
Entry
Visa Information
Ticket
holders are exempt from obtaining an entry visa when arriving in Istanbul.
A valid ticket to the UEFA Champions League Final 2005 needs to be shown to the
immigration officer together with a valid passport. To speed up the process
ticket holders are kindly asked to provide the immigration officer with a
photocopy of the page of their passport which shows their picture and other
details.
The
Stadium
The Atatürk
Olympic Stadium is a five-star UEFA stadium, having reached the highest required
standards set by the International Olympic Committee and sports federations such
as IAAF, FIFA and UEFA. The stadium has also been classified as a first-class
venue for track and field by the International Association of Athletics
Federation.
How to
Get There
The stadium
is located on the European side of the City, away from the busy city centre, in
the Olympic Park in the district of Ikitelli. It is easily accessible by the
main express roads from the city and is in close proximity to Atatürk
International Airport.
Free shuttle
buses for Liverpool fans (match ticket holders only) will operate from Ataturk
Airport, Sabiha Gokcen Airport and Taksim Square in the City Centre, to and from
the Stadium on the day of the match.
Typical taxi
fares from the City Centre to the Stadium range from 30-52 YTL (£12-£20)
depending on the time of day. From the Airport to the Stadium, you can expect to
pay between 15 and 25 YTL (£6-£10) approximately. Taxi stands are located on the
west and east sides of the stadium.
Those who
are planning to travel directly from the airport to the match should bear in
mind that rucksacks and large bags will not be allowed into the stadium.
Tickets
Tickets for
the match have completely sold out.
Where to
Stay
Istanbul is
on a par with major European capitals and the quantity and choice of
accommodation on offer in the City reflects this. However, there has been
considerable demand for hotel accommodation at this time and we strongly
recommend that hotel reservations are made prior to travel.
Details of hotels in Istanbul can be found in the hotel guide
featured on www.gototurkey.co.uk
Fan Festival
In order to enhance the festive atmosphere of the Final, so
called Fan Festival areas will be set up around the Stadium for the supporters
of each team. Festival areas will open at 12.00 on the day of the match and will
feature various interactive games provided by the UEFA Champions League
sponsors, food and beverage stands, music and entertainment throughout the day,
until kick-off and also after the match.
Further Information
For further
information on the Stadium itself, including facilities, access and regulations
please refer to the
Atatürk Olympic Stadium
official Website at
www.ataturkolympicstadium.com There is a leaflet in English which can be
downloaded from the site which provides full information together with maps of
the stadium.
General information on Türkiye, Istanbul and the match can be
found at
www.gototurkey.co.uk or by calling the Turkish Culture and Tourism Office in
London on 020 7629 7771.
Useful
tourist information for visitors to Istanbul can be found at
www.istanbul.com .
Local
Tourist Information Offices in Istanbul
Atatürk
Airport
Tourism Information | Tel: (0212)
663 07 98
|
Beyazit
Square Tourism Information | Tel: (0212)522 49 02
|
Karaköy
Port Tourism Information | Tel: (0212)
249 57 76
|
Sirkeci Train Station
Tourism Information | Tel: (0212)
51158 88
|
Sultanahmet Tourism
Information | Tel: (0212)
518 18 02-5188754
|
Taksim-Hilton
Hotel Tourism Information | Tel: (0212) 2330592
|
Press
enquiries should be addressed to Joanna Marsh on 020 7436 8009 or by email at
joanna@gototurkey.co.uk