Travel advice for Manchester United fans travelling to Nur-Sultan for the Astana FC vs Manchester United FC match on Thursday 28 November 2019.

• Date: Thursday 28 November 2019
• Venue: Astana Arena, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
• Kick-off time: 9:50 pm (local time. Nur-Sultan is GMT+6)

As well as this advice, check out our travel advice for Kazakhstan.

Passports and visas

• you can travel to Kazakhstan without a visa, provided your stay does not exceed 30 days (the day you arrive counts as day 1, regardless of arrival time)
• your passport should be valid for your proposed duration of stay
• take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance even if you’re only staying for one night – it could save you a lot of money if you get into difficulty. Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will not be valid in Kazakhstan
• if you’re arriving by air, you do not need to register with local authorities. You will receive a white immigration card stamped by Kazakh Immigration, which you will need to keep and present on departure
• if you enter the country by land (eg by train or car), check your immigration card. If you have only one stamp on it, you should register within 5 days of arrival at the Immigration Police. Hotels may provide this service for guests, but if you’re staying in an apartment or private residence you will have to register yourself. Two stamps on the immigration card mean you have been registered on arrival

Getting to/from the airport

By taxi

• it takes around 15-20 minutes to get from the airport to the stadium and about 30-40 minutes to the city centre
• there are various taxis available in Nur-Sultan including private hire, app-based and metered cabs
• it is best to ask and negotiate a price before getting in the car. A journey from the airport to the stadium will cost you about 2,000-2,500 Tenge (KZT) and to the city centre around 2,500-3,000 KZT. Standard price for trips within the city is 700-1,500 KZT depending on the distance
• foreign visitors might be severely over-charged by local private taxis
• Taxovichkof (call 15800, or use their mobile app) will charge a starting price of 500 KZT and calculate the total price depending on the distance. If you use their mobile app you will get a 10% discount. English version is available
• the majority of taxis will only accept cash in Kazakh Tenge (KZT). If you are using licensed taxis and they have a mobile application you may be able to use your card details to pay via the app
• licensed taxis should have a clear taxi branding on it and they are allowed to use the bus lane
• check that the taxi has working seatbelts
• taxi drivers may not have change, so try to have notes of lower value

By bus

Nur-Sultan buses (N10, N12 and Express N100) run from 06.00 to 22.00 from/to the airport every 5-20 minutes. Details on routes can be found on the Astana LRT website. If paying cash, a single bus ticket costs 180 KZT, or 250 KZT if using the faster express bus, which has a red line on it. Alternatively, an AstraPlat card can be purchased for 400 KZT from a number of terminals around the city. When this card is used, a single bus ticket will cost 90 KZT, or 180 KZT on the express bus.

Getting to the stadium: Astana Arena

Astana Arena is located towards the south-west of Nur-Sultan in between Turan Avenue and Kabanbay Batyr Avenue. Kabanbay Batyr is the road that runs from the city centre to the international airport (12 km from the airport).

Address:

Taxi

For a journey from the city centre of Nur-Sultan to the stadium expect to pay around 800-1300 Tenge (KZT) in an app-based taxi or 1,000-1,500 KZT for a private taxi. Taxis are a convenient route to the stadium, although the traffic can be very busy at peak times so allow plenty of time. On match day official taxis and public buses will have priority for access to the stadium. If driving yourself, it may be difficult to find a parking space.

Try to arrive at least 40 minutes before the game.

Bus

Bus numbers that stop at Astana Arena are 10, 12, 37, 51, 53, 60. If using cash, a single bus ticket costs 180 KZT, or 250 KZT for the express bus (which has a red line on it). Buses can be overcrowded during peak times, when the waiting time could be around 10-20 minutes depending on the route. The bus stop is on Kabanbay Batyr Avenue.

At the match

Where fans should enter the stadium

Tickets in sectors S1 and S2 will be available for Manchester United supporters via the Manchester United official website. If you live in Kazakhstan, you can buy tickets from the ticket offices at the Astana Arena or online on Tiketon website.