The European Championships – Logistical Information

We are trying to gather logistical information regarding the European Championships together. If you have any updates/additions please email Alan Phillips and we will keep updating this page as more information becomes available.



 
 
Flying Driving Accomodation Insurance
Flying  Driving  Accomodation  Insurance 

Also go to last year's Italian match report as it will provide, amidst the irrelevancies, some useful background.

To see who will be shooting the match from the UK click here.
The Selected UK Teams.
ESC Official Invitation to UK.
ESC Entry Form.

Published course of fire.

European Firearms Pass

You need to contact the Police Firearms Department who issued your licence and request a European Firearms Pass. These are free. Currently Cheshire can issue these in about a week, but we are aware of some areas taking months so please check asap with your respective firearms department and apply in plenty of time. You will need to specify which guns you wish to take to the match as these will be entered onto your pass. As far as Cheshire Police are aware there are no restrictions on the transportation of weapons or ammunition across European Borders once you have your European Pass.
 

Transport

Flights

Scheduled Flights to Rome: From a search round the web we have located the following flights/airlines. However – please check with a travel agent.
 
Manchester Airport: British Airways
Birmingham International:  KLM
Lufthansa
Alitalia
Ryanair 
+ few other minor carriers
East Midlands Airport: No flights
Luton Airport: No flights
Gatwick Airport:  British Airways
Alitalia
Heathrow: British Airways
Alitalia
+ Ethiopian Air and Libyan Arab Air, we haven’t phoned these two……
Stanstead: Ryanair
Go (now owned by Easyjet)

 

Policy: We have phoned round the airlines listed above and the policy we have been given regarding transportation of firearms and ammunition is detailed below. Please refer to your shotguns as ‘sporting firearms’ and it may be helpful to mention that you will be going to the European SG Championships. The contact number for enquiries is also given. Please check with your airline and inform them of your desire to transport firearms when booking. You will need to present you FAC and European Firearms Pass at Check in.
 
British Airways Gun should be dismantled Gun should be dismantled and securely boxed. Ammunition packed separately in a secure box – maximum of 5Kg. Recommended check in 90 minutes prior to departure. Contact number 0845 779 9977.

 

KLM Firearms securely boxed. Ammunition securely boxed, maximum of 5Kg. Must inform KLM at time of booking. Contact Number 08705 074074
Lufthansa Firearms securely boxed. Maximum of 5Kg of ammunition securely boxed. Contact number 0845 7737747
Alitalia  NO FIREARMS
Ryanair NO FIREARMS
Go/Easyjet Guns in secure lockable case. Maximum of 5Kg of ammunition packed in metal/wooden box. Check in minimum of 90 minutes before flight. Fee of £25 for return travel payable at check-in. Contact Number 0870 6 000 000

NB 5Kg is about 100 rounds.

Driving

For those considering driving we have also spoken to the Channel Tunnel operators. Their policy is:
 
Channel Tunnel Guns must be in secure, lockable container in the boot of your vehicle. Ammunition in separate, secure container. Firearms must be declared at check in. Contact number 08000 969 992
SeaFrance Guns must be stored in a secure lockable box in the boot of the car. Ammunition must be stored in  separate secure box. You should declare your intention to transport firearms when booking and at  check in. Contact mumber 09705 711711
Hoverspeed Hoverspeed require that firearms are declared at check in. Your firearm will be taken from you (with an appropriate receipt) and stored on the Bridge for the crossing. It may be collected from the port office in Calais.
P&O Their policy was that you would normally be expected to call a "Code 100" when you check in. Sometimes you will be requested to pass through the security check point to show them your guns, FAC's and other paperwork. This requires an early check in to allow for the extra time taken. You are normally allocated a special position in the queue for the ferry and when you drive upto to the ferry, you put would normally put your hazard lights on. The boarding controllers will put you in a designated position on the ferry. (Nearly always at the front of it, but it depends on the type of vessel. This is handy for getting off quickly!). When you leave the vehicle, you should then take your keys to the reception desk or info point and they will keep them for the duration of the crossing. You pick them back up when you
arrive at Calais.

Please note that you need written permission from the ferry companies and eurotunnel to transport firearms on their services, so do check when booking.

If you intend to drive to the match please email Adrian and let him know if you have spare space and are able to transport ammunition for other competitors who may be flying.

Finally, for those driving, the AA web site should be checked for regulations concerning mandatory equipment in each country you will be visiting. Remember to check your insurance and breakdown cover as well.

It is also worth visiting the RAC web site at www.rac.co.uk. We requested routes from Calais, France to Terni, Italy and have generated two sets of instructions. Route 1 goes France-Switzerland-Italy while Route 2 bypasses Switzerland and goes straight from France to Italy via Grenoble. The first route is 959 miles, the second is 1059. The distances in brackets are in the format (this leg,total distance). Note that there may be restrictions on transportation of ammo through the Alpine tunnels/Switzerland (if any one knows, please pass on the information so we can post an update).

Nigel Hinton, a UKPSA member who now resides in Italy, has some suggestions:
"I have a couple of comments to make, regarding your routes down. We normally travel to the UK twice a year by road, and I reckon to have tried just about every route available. Going through Switzerland will quite likely involve considerable delay at the St Gotthard Tunnel as well as at the Swiss/French and Swiss/Italian borders. At the tunnel, after the fire, the Swiss have adopted a procedure of alternate traffic for lorries, and this inevitably causes delay for cars as well.
The approach to the Frejus tunnel is quite windy on the last 50 km or so and is not motorway. The trip although motorway around Genoa is also likely to be very fraught, particularly if one hits it around the rush hour. I have found the best route is via Chamonix/Monte Bianco/Aosta/Turin and Alessandria/Piacenza."

Note: The European Firearms Pass does not allow transportation of firearms through any country in which such firearms are prohibited. Note that a maximum of 1000 rounds can be brought into Italy on the EFP and you will need your match invitation supplied by the organisers. Those of you driving will need to check the regulations of EACH COUNTRY YOU PASS THROUGH. If anyone has information please let Adrian know, he will collate and we will update the web page.

Accommodation

It would be a good idea if as many people as possible could organise accommodation relatively close together. This will facilitate team meetings and briefings. In addition, car parking at the range may be limited due to the presence of trade tents in the car parking area (for those of you who visited last year). In the event that parking is restricted, we will try and organise a coach to/from the range. This will only be possible if everyone is close together. The obvious base is the Headquarters hotel which is a 4 star Best Western. The other hotels that are in the same general area, judging from the descriptions are listed below. The Hotel Valentino is offering a free shuttle to the range while the Michelangelo Palace and Hotel de Paris appear to be very close together judging from the address. The preferred Hotels are under Option 1 and others Option 2.
To obtain the special rates shown please book via the European Shotgun Championship website.

Option 1 Hotels

BEST WESTERN GARDEN HOTEL

ESC2003 general headquarter, location for the IPSC General Assembly.

Category: **** Hotel
Address: Viale Bramante, 4 – Terni.
Rooms: 50/70.

Facilities: Hotel - reading room, billiard room, outdoor swimming – pool, sauna, free gymnasium (200 metres far from the hotel), meeting center with 6 halls, 4 business room, TV room, laundry service, buffet breakfast, garage and big parking, "Il Melograno" restaurant, dinner at the swimming - pool; Room - Minibar, air conditioning, safe, sat TV, Tele +, pets allowed, non smoking rooms, hairdryer, radio, direct telephone line, pay TV, + calcio gold, room with whirlpool.

Prices: € 65.50 (single room), € 40.50 (double room), additional bed € 25.50 Distance from the Range: 10 Km (15 min.).

A number of people have now booked into the Headquarters Hotel which we would recommend as the first choice for UK competitors.

MICHELANGELO PALACE

Category: **** Hotel
Address: Via della Stazione, 63 - Terni.
Rooms: 50.

Facilities: Bar, restaurant, parking, garage, minibar, satellite TV, pay TV, telephone, safe box, Modem point, swimming-pool, sauna, Turkish bath, health centre, luggage deposit, ATM.

Prices: € 63.50 (single room), € 41.50 (double room), additional bed € 23.50 Distance from the Range: 10 Km (15 min.).

HOTEL VALENTINO

Category: **** Hotel
Address: Via Plinio il Giovane, 3/5 - Terni.
Rooms: 35.

Facilities: free shuttle from/to match field (in the morning and in the afternoon), free parking, air conditioned rooms, air conditioned restaurant, air conditioned american bar, near the hotel: fixed-price swimming - pool.

Prices: € 70.30 (single room), € 41.00 (double room), additional bed € 35.00 Distance from the Range: 10 Km (15 min.).

HOTEL DE PARIS

Category: *** Hotel
Address: V.le della Stazione, 52 – Terni.
Rooms: 50.

Facilities: Restaurant "La Lumiere" : 10 % discount on the menu; In the room direct telephone line, Tele+, Pay TV, air conditioning, Free swimming pool at 200 mt. from the hotel – fitness – tennis

Prices: € 53.50 (single room), € 37.50 (double room), additional bed € 17.50 Distance from the Range: 10 Km (15 min.).

Option 2 Hotels

CLASS HOTEL

Category: *** Hotel
Address: Via C.A. dalla Chiesa, 1 - Terni
Rooms: 35.

Facilities: Buffet breakfast, newspapers in the morning, garage.

Prices: € 48.50 (single room), € 37.50 (double room), additional bed € 28.50 Distance from the Range: 10 Km (15 min.).
 

HOTEL MILLENNIUM

Category: *** Hotel
Address: Piazza Dante Alighieri, 2/C - Terni.
Rooms: 15.

Facilities: Bar, parking, minibar, satellite TV, telephone, safe box, modem point, luggage deposit.

Prices: € 57.50 (single room), € 38.50 (double room), additional bed € 23.50 Distance from the Range: 10 Km (15 min.).
 

Obviously without a map this is hard to check – the web site details are a little vague but we guess these are all reasonably close together. We would suggest, where possible utilising one of these venues. Once people have booked accommodation please ensure that Adrian Wander knows your intended location.

Insurance

Membership of the Association includes up to £5,000 all risks insurance to your guns and related equipment and will cover Europe. The Association is extending the cover, at the Association's expense, so that those shooting in the match also have third party liability cover (up to £2M)for the duration. This will not include personal accident cover although this can be provided through the Association's insurers, and via the Association, at the very reasonable rate of £36 per person and gives standard type holiday insurance cover for up to 30 days - £1M medical cover, £1,000 baggage, £500 money. If you are interested please send cheque made payable to UKPSA. Note that some insurers may classify shooting as a dangerous sport and you may not be covered should you have an accident at the match.

 
Back to Home Page
ABP Last updated 11/08/2003.