Arsenal and Chelsea fans are racing to find flights to Baku, after both London football teams qualified for the Europa League final in the capital of Azerbaijan on 29 May.

Because of the challenges in reaching the former Soviet republic, supporters are likely to pay even more than Liverpool and Spurs fans heading for the Champions League final in Madrid on 1 June. It follows that there will be fewer supporters than at the senior final, but the experience will be much more exotic.

These are the key options for fans keen to reach the final – and also for travellers heading for the matches in the Euro 2020 finals next summer.

Where exactly is Baku?

As far from the Emirates Stadium and Stamford Bridge as it is possible to be and still be within the confines of “Europe”: exactly the same latitude as Madrid, but further east than Baghdad, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, 2,469 miles from London.

Chelsea vs Eintracht Frankfurt player ratings Show all 23 1 /23 Chelsea vs Eintracht Frankfurt player ratings Chelsea vs Eintracht Frankfurt player ratings Chelsea vs Frankfurt player ratings LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 09: Kepa Arrizabalaga of Chelsea (C) celebrates victory in the penalty shoot out with team mates during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final Second Leg match between Chelsea and Eintracht Frankfurt at Stamford Bridge on May 09, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) Clive Mason Getty Chelsea vs Eintracht Frankfurt player ratings Kepa 8 LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 05: Kepa Arrizabalaga of Chelsea celebrates during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Watford FC at Stamford Bridge on May 05, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. 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See PA story SOCCER Frankfurt. Photo credit should read: Mike Egerton/PA Wire. Mike Egerton PA Chelsea vs Eintracht Frankfurt player ratings Abraham 5 LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 08: David Abraham of Eintracht Frankfurt looks on during the Eintracht Frankfurt Training Session on the eve of their UEFA Europa League semi final against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on May 08, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images) Harriet Lander Getty Images Chelsea vs Eintracht Frankfurt player ratings Hinteregger 6 Frankfurt's German defender Martin Hinteregger takes part in a training session at Stamford Bridge stadium in London on May 8, 2019, on the eve of their UEFA Europa League second leg semi-final football match against Chelsea. 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Photo credit should read: Steven Paston/PA Wire Steven Paston PA Chelsea vs Eintracht Frankfurt player ratings Hasebe 6 Soccer Football - Europa League Semi Final First Leg - Eintracht Frankfurt v Chelsea - Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany - May 2, 2019 Eintracht Frankfurt's Makoto Hasebe is shown a yellow card by referee Carlos del Cerro Grande Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith LEE SMITH Action Images via Reuters Chelsea vs Eintracht Frankfurt player ratings Rode 6 epa07543130 Jorginho (L) of Chelsea in action against Eintracht Frankfurt's Sebastian Rode (R) during the UEFA Europa League semi final, first leg soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Chelsea FC in Frankfurt Main, Germany, 02 May 2019. EPA/ARMANDO BABANI ARMANDO BABANI EPA Chelsea vs Eintracht Frankfurt player ratings Kostic 6 FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY - MAY 02: Filip Kostic and Luka Jovic of Eintracht Frankfurt in discussion after the UEFA Europa League Semi Final First Leg match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Chelsea at Commerzbank-Arena on May 02, 2019 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images,) Martin Rose Bongarts/Getty Images, Chelsea vs Eintracht Frankfurt player ratings Gacinovic 7 epa07543396 N'Golo Kante (R) of Chelsea in action against Eintracht Frankfurt's Mijat Gacinovic (L) during the UEFA Europa League semi final, first leg soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Chelsea FC in Frankfurt Main, Germany, 02 May 2019. EPA/ARMANDO BABANI ARMANDO BABANI EPA Chelsea vs Eintracht Frankfurt player ratings Rebic 6 Frankfurt's Croatian midfielder Ante Rebic takes part in a training session at Stamford Bridge stadium in London on May 8, 2019, on the eve of their UEFA Europa League second leg semi-final football match against Chelsea. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images BEN STANSALL AFP/Getty Images Chelsea vs Eintracht Frankfurt player ratings Jovic 8 epa07556382 Eintracht Frankfurt's Luka Jovic during a training session at Stamford Bridge London, Britain, 08 May 2019. Eintracht Frankfurt play Chelsea FC in the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg match at Stamford Bridge on 09 May 2019. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA

Baku is the lowest-lying capital in the world, nearly 100 feet below ocean level (the Caspian Sea, like the Dead Sea, is below sea level as measured in the rest of the world).

When is the next flight from Heathrow?

At 10.05pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays on Azerbaijan Airlines, touching down at 6.35am the next day. But the flight out the day before the final and the return the day after are already full. So fans will need to find connections.

Istanbul is the main gateway to the former Soviet republics of the Caucasus, with frequent day connections from the New Istanbul Airport and a few from the second airport, Sabiha Gokcen.

Travelling out on Monday 27 May and back on Friday 31 May, fares are around £800-£800 on Turkish Airlines, for journeys that are typically between nine and 14 hours.

Arranging a stopover of at least 24 hours in Istanbul on the way out will cut the cost by £65 because of a reduction in Air Passenger Duty liability – though you will need to pay $20 (£15) for a Turkish e-visa.

Anything cheaper?

Yes, but almost all of them involve travelling via Turkey and are also “self-connect” journeys where there is no guarantee of completing the journey if something goes wrong.

For example, the cheapest deal on Skyscanner on those days (27-31 May), £623, is outbound on Pegasus from Stansted to Izmir in Turkey then transferring to Turkish Airlines for a flight via Ankara to Baku. The return begins on Azerbaijan Airlines to Moscow – for which you may need an incredibly expensive and difficult Russian visa. Then there is a connection on UTAir to Berlin, and British Airways to Heathrow.

Can I go by train?

Yes. You can reach Istanbul from London St Pancras via Brussels or Paris and a variety of Continental trains, on the former route of the Orient Express.

The international rail website Seat61.com says: “It’s easy, cheap and comfortable, not to mention very scenic, to take a sleeper train right across Turkey from Istanbul or Ankara to Erzurum or Kars, then transfer by bus to the Georgian border at Sarp/Batumi for an onward train to Tbilisi.”

Having reached the Georgian capital, there are onward trains to Baku.

Waiting game: you can get an Azeri visa in three working days, or pay $27 (£20) extra for a three-hour service

Will I need a visa?

Yes, but thankfully it is much easier than it was a couple of years ago. Apply on the Asan Visa website. The Foreign Office says: “If you’re applying for an e-visa to come to Azerbaijan for the Europa League final on 29 May 2019, please note in the “purpose of visit” of your e-visa application you should select ‘Europa League Final’.”

You can get an Azeri visa in three working days for $23 (£18), or pay $27 (£20) extra for a three-hour service

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Where will I stay?

Because of Baku’s relative inaccessibility, there are likely to be far fewer football fans than in Madrid three days later. Thanks to Azerbaijan’s oil wealth, there are plenty of upscale hotels. Budget accommodation is rarer, but – as with the World Cup in Russia in 2018 – many Baku citizens are likely to rent out rooms at reasonably modest rates.

What else is there to see besides the football?

Walk the Caspian Sea promenade, dominated by Caspian Waterfront building, inspired by the Sydney Opera House.

Take the Baku funicular railway from the sea to Dağüstü Park, the landscaped terraces of which overlook the Bay of Baku and give the best view over the city.