Friday, August 3

The big draw countdown - part 1 - Cluj





CFR Cluj

Country: Romania

From: The city of Cluj-Napoca, which has a population of 306,009 people

Positioned: In the north west of Romania 276 miles from the capital Bucharest and 256 miles from Budapest. The city's focal point is the central square, called Plata Urinii

Description: A student city known for its art galleries, museums and churches.

Random fact: The Cheeky Girls grew up there

The club: CFR Cluj won the league and cup double last season

Chances of playing United: United are in pot 1 of the draw. Cluj are in pot 4. United have a one in eight chance of playing them.

Stadium: The Stadionul CFR is to the north of the city centre, five minutes in a taxi and 10 minutes on foot from the central train station. It holds 23,500 people.

Tickets: When Chelsea played three two seasons ago, they got 1,200 tickets priced at £18.50.

Hotels (unless stated all prices are per person per night based on two people sharing a twin or double room. They can be booked through booking.com on a pay-on-arrival basis. All bookings can be cancelled for free up to 24 hours before arrival)

Bargain - £10.48

The City Center Hostel, at str.Memorandumului nr 13, is right in the centre of town and offers basic accommodation at a cheap price.

However it only has six rooms, if they sell out, you can get a bed in a dorm for £10 per person per night. All guests used shared bathrooms. Rooms are air conditioning and there is a restaurant.

Value - £23.05

The three-star Seven Hotel, at Gruia, nr.2,is a stone's throw from the stadium and the central train station.

It's in a quiet residential area, but still near enough the centre of town for you to enjoy the city in the days and hours leading up to the match.

There are 30 rooms, which are comfy and stylish and, more importantly there's a restaurant and bar – perfect for post-match drinking.

Luxury - £28.92

This really is an incredible price for a luxury four-star hotel with its own fitness centre and spa. The Hotel Ary, at Magaziei 19, has 40 rooms, a bar, cafe and a restaurant.

It is even closer to the stadium than the Seven – just a street away from the stand away fans occupy.

Getting there

With the club
When Chelsea played there two years ago, Thomas Cook – now United's official travel provider – sold a flight, overnight hotel and ticket package for £269

Cluj-Napoca Airport
£31 on Wizz Air from Luton

The airport is a 5.6-mile bus journey costing £3 return.

Timisoara Airport
£31 on Wizz Air from Luton

The airport is a 6-mile taxi into town costing £5. The train to Cluj takes six hours and costs roughly £30 return or you can take a 45-minute flight to Cluj with Carpatair for £130 return.

Bucharest Baneasa Airport
£150 on British Airways and TAROM from Heathrow

Then a two-hour onward flight on Malev for £70 return

Bucharest Aurel Vlaicu
£31 on Wizz Air from Luton

Then a two-hour onward flight on Malev from Baneasa Airport for £70 return

Budapest
£35 on Wizzair and easyJet from Luton
£56 on Ryanair from Bristol
£66 on Ryanair from East Midlands
£81 on Jet2 from Manchester

It would take 29 hours each way from Manchester via London, Paris, Munich and Budapest.

You can also fly to any of those stops or to Cologne or Brussels and join the train there.