It’s coming home. England’s nerve-shredding victory over Colombia last night was watched by an incredible 23m of the population, and whilst many may have been hiding behind the sofa as the goals, fouls, and penalties flew in, a nation is celebrating, and contemplating an unprecedented run all the way to the final of Russia 2018. Can you get to Russia in time for the QF? Maybe, just maybe.

Once the hangover has worn off, many Brits will doubtless be scheming how they can get to Russia ahead of Saturday’s quarter final against Sweden – a once in a lifetime opportunity to get behind the 3 Lions and make the crowd a touch less partisan than the “away game” atmosphere generated by tens of thousands of die-hard, colourful and clamouring Colombia fans in Moscow last night.

At The Money Cloud we have put together a quick guide to help you assess the feasibility of taking a spontaneous trip to Samara, to bear witness, perhaps, to a modern miracle – England reaching the semi-final of a major tournament. One of those iconic “I was there” moments that you will end up telling your grandchildren about; over and over and over!

Where In Russia Do I Need To Get To?

England’s quarter final against Russia takes place in the Russian city of Samara. Samara is to be found in the South East of Russia and is the country’s sixth largest city, on the east bank of the mighty river Volga. Known as Kuybyshev between 1935 and 1991, the city is home to Russia’s aerospace industry, and its magnificent modern stadium, the Cosmos Arena, known as the Samara Arena for the duration of the World Cup, is inspired by the theme of space exploration. The stadium’s elliptical metal dome roof weighs an impressive 13,000 tonnes and the Samara arena holds just over 44,000 spectators.

How Can I Get There?

A quick search on Skyscanner reveals that it is possible to secure a flight to Samara in time for the quarter final; which kicks off at 6pm local time (Samara is 3 hours ahead of the UK); but it may take a while, and it is hardly cheap.

Flying out from Heathrow at 2245 London time, and changing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport (after a 10-hour layover!) will get you into Samara at 1650 local time – just one hour and ten minutes before the big game starts – and cost just under £600. All things considered, it may be easier to fly out tomorrow, Thursday, which will take just 8 hours, but will set you back a shade over £1,000. Both options also include a return flight back to London on the Monday – well, you may need a day to recover from all that celebrating – or drowning your sorrows.

Where can I stay When I am Out There?

A quick search on booking.com reveals an eclectic selection of hotels, hostels, apartments and dorms; something to satisfy every taste. Accommodation won’t necessarily set you back too many roubles, either; perhaps understandably, however, given it’s World Cup quarter final weekend, spaces are limited, and it does look like most of the best city centre hotels are taken. But you won’t care about that; who needs sleep when you are helping the Three Lions “bring it home”!

How Can I Save Money?

In the heat of a global competition, with the Jules Rimet trophy almost within kissing distance, you will want to to make sure you are inspiring competition between overseas money transfer firms, which is why we recommend our overseas money transfer price comparison service.

The brokers and money transfer operators that we work with offer the best deals, and using our comparison tool, you can quickly work out which offers the best value for you. There are roughly 82 roubles to the pound, and transaction times can take up to 3 days. By using an authorised broker or MTO, you are likely to save up to 80% on fees by not using a credit card, bank transfer high street service or airport exchange bureau. Start the trip with a big win, and prepare yourself properly for a (hopefully) even bigger win!

Can I Still Buy A Ticket To The Game?

You sure can, it seems. We came across site Etickette which is offering tickets to the big game. Starting at €427 euros for a Category 4 ticket (it’s not the pitchside view that counts, it’s the experience of being there, we’re sure you’ll agree) prices rise all the way up to a shade under €8,000 for the full VIP business treatment. Who knows who you could end up sitting alongside – and no need to worry, the good news is, Diego Maradona has already gone home!

We hope our guide helps you make up your mind – remember, time is ticking, and memories last forever! Whatever you do decide, at the very least, we hope you’ll bookmark The Money Cloud for future World Cup excursions (or any other overseas money transaction; holidays, weddings, property purchase, business deals, etc.) of the better planned, less spontaneous variety.

And if you do decide to go for it – make sure it comes home!