Going to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit

Going to the 2016 European Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit

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  • #310461

    Are you going to the 2016 European Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit? Join or start a discussion below and swap notes with other people who are going to this race.

    You can also find more discussion threads about going to the European Grand Prix

    #310462

    Tickets for the race officially go on sale in ten days’ time:

    http://www.bakucitycircuit.com/

    According to the website just 30,000 spectators will be catered for. Here’s where the grandstands will be:

    #310464
    andae23
    Participant

    Also worth pointing out there are only 7,000 hotel rooms in Baku, so maybe a good idea to book the hotel before you buy tickets.

    #310468

    @andae23 Sounds like a job for a certain Manor sponsor…

    #312123
    Rob Andrews
    Participant

    OK, so we’ve booked flights, grandstand tickets and accommodation.

    Flying Azerbaijan Arlines overnight Thursday to Baku and Tuesday evening back to Heathrow.
    Picked the Sahil grandstand as the best compromise between view and price.
    Found an apartment 15 minutes walk north of Sahil grandstand for a better price than a similar spec hotel.

    We wondered if people would rent out space on their private balconies (like they do in Monaco, with food and drink included in the price), but didn’t want to take the chance on not getting somewhere good to watch the race.

    Now just got to keep fingers crossed that the race doesn’t get cancelled!

    #320067
    Alex green
    Participant

    Right flights and hotel sorted (old town) worked in Baku about 15 years ago and according to a friend who lives there it might have changed a bit lol
    Good news that you can get a visa on arrival according to the official website as they were a pain in the behind from what i can remember just a pity we i dont have a schengen country passport as they are $118 for uk and $35 for schengen

    #321153
    zimkazimka
    Participant

    Hi guys. Any idea which grandstand is likely better Bulvar or Khazar? Tickets to both cost the same, they both have the same star rating on the official site and both have a giant screen view?

    #321552
    zimkazimka
    Participant

    Here’s an article (in Russian) about the view from each of the grandstands (photos from grandstands still in construction) – http://ru.oxu.az/sport/134018.

    #321559
    Rob Andrews
    Participant

    Update on my previous post:
    Our accommodation fell through.

    We booked an apartment through Booking.com and everything looked fine, but a week ago, the owner of the apartment emailed us to say that the apartment was no longer available! Booking.com have been really reasonable in finding us somewhere else to stay, even when they couldn’t supply it directly. So we are still going – just staying in a different apartment.

    We are now looking for a day-trip into the Caucasus mountains on Monday, because we don’t fly home until Tuesday evening.

    Enjoy!

    #321688
    zimkazimka
    Participant

    Yeah, people on AWD forum (in Russian) also report that many hotels suddenly realised that F1 is coming to town and quadrupled their prices, canceling prior reservations. Booking is working hard to resolve this mess.

    #321777
    Shukhrat
    Participant

    Hey!
    I’ve heard somewhere that it will be possible use public transport in Baku (namely buses and the subway) by using a specific card. Supposedly, the Baku officials wanted to implement this prior to the race. I haven’t been able to find any specific info, though, so I’d be grateful for any help. Cheers!

    #322404
    Alex green
    Participant

    Asked a friend who lives there(not a local) he reckons if you are staying anywhere close to the centre (fountain square/old town) that everywhere is walkable but most of the grandstands dont have a roof so bring a hat as its roasting out there just now
    The bakikart is the prepaid card for public transport,works in the same way an oyster card does.You pay Azn 2 for the card and then top it up.It costs AZN 1 for four journeys or its 20q for a bus ride,but all the buses havent been adapted to the system yet its only the new red buses.You can buy it at any metro station
    A taxi will cost you AZN 5 to most parts of the city but make sure you ask the driver how much first
    Ive done the e visa but have heard nothing back so ive no idea if im joining a queue when i arrive 2mrto get a visa,looks like it cost $118 for a uk passport or $35 if you live in a schengen country

    #323479
    Alex green
    Participant

    Great time and great city if anybodys thinking about going next year.Only problem with staying in the old town was that it was blocked off for traffic all weekend so you had to carry your own luggage etc to your hotel from the drop off points.On the plus side i could see the track from my window and it was a joy to get woken up on the friday morning by the gp2 cars(travel had taken its toll)
    Would definetly be changing my grandstand for the next time,i was in mugham but on the plus side(my girlfriend) if she needed the loo etc it was a 5 min walk to our hotel even though the facilities trackside were top notch.Also it was great to be able to wander out of the track to go for a cool down in an air conditioned bar/resteraunt in between the action on the track
    Downside was the voucher system used for food and drink trackside but that was to stop any of the vendors ripping off the circuit
    So will be going again

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