Off to Germany: pre-planning stages

[Palermo10]

The times i've been to germany for games the local trains or busses to and from the stadium are included with the ticket.


Within the city, they are.

[Sagz]

I messed up in the first round of purchasing and didnt have my passport then, so I couldnt complete the purchase request. Is it possible to get tickets without a passport number? So if Im purchasing for friends that may not have theirs yet will soc security numbers work?


Hopefully I can get tickets for any game. I will be there for 2 weeks no matter what but I want to try and make sure I go to at least 1 game (at this point I dont care who I see, but it'd be great if it were USA) :)

[tab5g]

I messed up in the first round of purchasing and didnt have my passport then, so I couldnt complete the purchase request. Is it possible to get tickets without a passport number? So if Im purchasing for friends that may not have theirs yet will soc security numbers work?


Hopefully I can get tickets for any game. I will be there for 2 weeks no matter what but I want to try and make sure I go to at least 1 game (at this point I dont care who I see, but it'd be great if it were USA) :)

many of your questions are answered within this thread:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=236025&page=1&pp=15

[Bigdog]

many of your questions are answered within this thread:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=236025&page=1&pp=15


Some helpful info in this FAQ as well for those just coming aboard, thanx to Mike for it .
http://ussupporters.com/pageFAQ.asp

[RichardL]

for train times etc, even if to just get a rough idea of how long it takes to get between cities, use this site....

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

it covers all of europe (you can even check out getting a train from Cork to Vladivostock, with all stations listed, if you get bored). Sometimes you may need to enter the german name for a city, but usually you'll be OK. The date is dd/mm/yy though.

For flights in europe, the best site is probably www.whichbudget.com which deals, surprisingly enough, with all the budget airlines.


I'm not quite sure how the rail passes work for people in the US, but the euro version is split into zones, with Germany, Denmark, Austria & Switzerland covered by one zone. Even if you are planning to dip into eastern europe for the odd day or so, don't extend your pass to cover eastern europe, as train fares are much cheaper and it'd be a waste of money. And if you are travelling in eastern europe and are doing something like catching an overnight train, for about an extra £20 you can upgrade to first class. It still won't be anything special in quality, but you might get a whole compartment to yourself, rather than having to re-enact the black hole of calcutta in 2nd class with everyone else.

I went to five of the grounds in the summer (Cologne & Dortmund for league games, Hannover, Nuremburg & Frankfurt for conferations cup games) and they are all great stadiums with good views. The downside, if the confederations cup is anything to go by is that the food and souvenir options are rather limited inside the stadium area. Beer (if served at the world cup) comes in plastic 1/2 litre jugs with handles which you have to pay a 50c deposit for, but is good beer.
Oh, and for some reason German stadium designers have decided that what everyone really wants before and after every match is a good 10-15 minute walk to or from the station.

[The Magpie]

I'm definitely using trains. I got a brochure with prices and all that stuff. For a month for one person its like $950 or something but two people traveling together, it's $804. And they offer two and three week unlimited passes as well...

FWIW, I think those prices may not be accurate. From what I've been able to find, you can purchase a German Rail Pass (1st Class Adult) for as low as $260.00 that allows for four days of unlimited travel in one month, with the option to buy additional rail days for only $34 each.

The Magpie

[MikeLastort2]

You can rent a car pretty cheaply.

[ilidav]

HELP!!!!! If I understand this correctly, the TST are sold out!! OK, but USSF will have some, when? anyone knows? I want to start planning our trip and of course, saving $$$ and making reservations. We will be celebrating my daughters 15-quinceañera in France and taking the eurail to Germany. Maybe I should only make arrangements in France and just take it as it comes in Germany until I know more? Any tips??

[soccerpops]

HELP!!!!! If I understand this correctly, the TST are sold out!! OK, but USSF will have some, when? anyone knows? I want to start planning our trip and of course, saving $$$ and making reservations. We will be celebrating my daughters 15-quinceañera in France and taking the eurail to Germany. Maybe I should only make arrangements in France and just take it as it comes in Germany until I know more? Any tips??
The brackets will be announced on December 9 - Here's the deal on tickets I got on an e-mail response:[p]Single match tickets will be available during the third sales phase from 12th of December, 2005 until 15th of January, 2006. More specific information about this third sales phase December, 2005 until 15th of January, 2006 as well as about for which country tickets will be available will be published directly before in a press release.

If you applied for tickets during one phase and did not receive any
tickets, your application will be deleted. The applications are valid for the
applicant as well as for the visitors mentioned in the application only for one sales phase. If you would like to apply again within a new phase, in order to simplify the data entry, you can log in with your E-Mail-address and password in the Customer Self Service area. Your personal data entered in a previous sales phase will be saved in there.

Yours sincerely

Your 2006 FIFA World Cup (TM) Ticketing Center

[Bigdog]

HELP!!!!! If I understand this correctly, the TST are sold out!! OK, but USSF will have some, when? anyone knows? I want to start planning our trip and of course, saving $$$ and making reservations. We will be celebrating my daughters 15-quinceañera in France and taking the eurail to Germany. Maybe I should only make arrangements in France and just take it as it comes in Germany until I know more? Any tips??

Re: USSF Allotment

Patience and read the FAQ linked above.
BD

[AyanO]

You can rent a car pretty cheaply.

Not going to work for me.. I admit it i'm a drinker.. i love my beer.. the thought of being in Germany and not drinking beer, tears at my heart. So it will be beer before the game.. possibly during the game, but for sure AFTER THE GAME.. So there will be no driving involved.. might be some stumbling, crawling, etc.. but Driving, nah i'll leave it to the German train system to get me from point A to B.

One thing about driving in europe or foreign countries for that matter that i've heard from friends, is sometimes the insurance they sell to foreigners is like as much as the car rental.. So as cool as it would seem to rent a Porsche and zoom up and down the autobahn, i'll have to do that on another trip to Germany!

[JoeSoccerFan]

Not going to work for me.. I admit it i'm a drinker.. i love my beer.. the thought of being in Germany and not drinking beer, tears at my heart. So it will be beer before the game.. possibly during the game, but for sure AFTER THE GAME.. So there will be no driving involved.. might be some stumbling, crawling, etc.. but Driving, nah i'll leave it to the German train system to get me from point A to B.

I agree - though this means that some towns are not really easily accessible. For example, visiting Neuschswain (nowhere near close - Mad Ludwig castle) is much easier via car. Take the horse ride up, walk down (you'll thank me!)

One thing about driving in europe or foreign countries for that matter that i've heard from friends, is sometimes the insurance they sell to foreigners is like as much as the car rental.. So as cool as it would seem to rent a Porsche and zoom up and down the autobahn, i'll have to do that on another trip to Germany!
I didn't find this to be the case. I've driven in Siena, Munich, Tours to Charte to Paris. However, I had arranged my rental car before leaving the states. Additionally, I was driving itty bitty little cars (Clio, etc.).

[MikeLastort2]

Not going to work for me.. I admit it i'm a drinker.. i love my beer.. the thought of being in Germany and not drinking beer, tears at my heart. So it will be beer before the game.. possibly during the game, but for sure AFTER THE GAME.. So there will be no driving involved.. might be some stumbling, crawling, etc.. but Driving, nah i'll leave it to the German train system to get me from point A to B.

If you're planning on getting drunk, then you're absolutely right, do NOT rent a car. The Germans are very serious about prosecuting drunk drivers.

One thing about driving in europe or foreign countries for that matter that i've heard from friends, is sometimes the insurance they sell to foreigners is like as much as the car rental.. So as cool as it would seem to rent a Porsche and zoom up and down the autobahn, i'll have to do that on another trip to Germany!

Your friends are absolutely incorrect. The car rental agencies do not charge more for insurance for foreigners. In fact, you can refuse supplemental insurance in Europe just like you can in the USA.

[MikeLastort2]

I agree - though this means that some towns are not really easily accessible. For example, visiting Neuschswain (nowhere near close - Mad Ludwig castle) is much easier via car. Take the horse ride up, walk down (you'll thank me!)

Neuschwanstein (http://www.castles.org/castles/Europe/Central_Europe/Germany/germany7.htm). It is absolutely incredible.

http://www.castles.org/castles/Europe/Central_Europe/Germany/Neuschwanstein/MVC-792F.jpg

So are Ludwig's other castles, Linderhof (http://www.castles.org/castles/Europe/Central_Europe/Germany/germany12.htm) and Herrenchiemsee (http://www.castles.org/castles/Europe/Central_Europe/Germany/Herrenchiemsee/).

I didn't find this to be the case. I've driven in Siena, Munich, Tours to Charte to Paris. However, I had arranged my rental car before leaving the states. Additionally, I was driving itty bitty little cars (Clio, etc.).

Whoever told him there was an extra insurance charge for foreigners was lying.

[AyanO]

I didn't find this to be the case. I've driven in Siena, Munich, Tours to Charte to Paris. However, I had arranged my rental car before leaving the states. Additionally, I was driving itty bitty little cars (Clio, etc.).


Well this was in Costa Rica, which while not quite a 3rd world country, in terms of the roads(i.e dirt road with mountain on one side, 3,000 ft drop on the other with no railing..). he said the insurance for the car was about 70 bucks a day..

I'm sure in "1st world" countries like italy, germany, France, where most of the Hertz/Avis of the world operate, it would be about the same price.. And yeah tiny cars that are stick shifts(i dont drive stick.. hell i barely drive, i live in NYC)

[kjksccr]

Guys, if you are going, get your hotel reservations NOW. I booked a couple of months ago and the big hotels are all full and the small ones are charging double. We had four or five recommendations from locals in Munich and all were full or just WAY too expensive at WC prices. We don't have tickets and likely won't get them but I have gone to a cup before like that and had a great time just watching in pubs and restuarants.

[bltleo]

Writers wanted for web travel articles for US Supporters going to Germany Next Summer. If you are living in Germany/Europe, travelled allot there, and have something to share please email/PM me and join Flannigan, Mirka, and others in lighting the path for others. THX!


Hello Big Dog,
as promissed I´m here for all US fans who would like to support US teams
next year in Germany. I will write special report on Cologne and other german cities.

If you have questions now, please feel free and ask me. I´m German,
so I can help.

US Supporter from Germany

Bltleo
Germany

[MikeLastort2]

Guys, if you are going, get your hotel reservations NOW. I booked a couple of months ago and the big hotels are all full and the small ones are charging double. We had four or five recommendations from locals in Munich and all were full or just WAY too expensive at WC prices. We don't have tickets and likely won't get them but I have gone to a cup before like that and had a great time just watching in pubs and restuarants.

I would recommend looking at apartment or house rental. Alternatively, I would also recommend looking at a discount hotel broker like http://www.hotels.com or http://www.priceline.com

You can always reserve now, and cancel reservations if you find something cheaper later.

Also, there's no way that ALL the big hotels are full.

[SoulflyTribeFC]

I would recommend looking at apartment or house rental. Alternatively, I would also recommend looking at a discount hotel broker like http://www.hotels.com or http://www.priceline.com

You can always reserve now, and cancel reservations if you find something cheaper later.

Also, there's no way that ALL the big hotels are full.

Hmmm... apartment rentals, how does that work? What would be the rate for one month? I assume it would be a lot but if I got somebody to split the rate with me and help me out with the costs, it might work out.

bltleo, how much would an apartment run? Ist es zu teuer? ;)

I was also thinking of making reservations at some hotels in some bigger cities and cancelling out of them if they didn't work out for me but I don't want to have to pay any cancellation fees or anything.

For sure, if you're serious about going (and I am), then you've got to have your plane ticket and accomodations secure by the end of the year and probably a rail pass too, although the rail pass you can get at any time. The draw is Dec. 9 and I'm actually hoping to have my plane ticket booked by then.

[MikeLastort2]

Hmmm... apartment rentals, how does that work? What would be the rate for one month? I assume it would be a lot but if I got somebody to split the rate with me and help me out with the costs, it might work out.

bltleo, how much would an apartment run? Ist es zu teuer? ;)

There are apartment and house rentals all over Europe. Typically, you rent them on a weekly basis from Saturday to Saturday.

As far as price, it varies by location. Berlin is going to cost more than Kaiserslautern, for instance. But it's not hard to find a place that sleeps two for less than $1,000 / week. If you're travelling with a group, you can get even better deals.

Typically prices for house or apartment rentals are much much cheaper than stays of the same length of time in a hotel. Plus you also save money because you can buy groceries and cook meals - you don't have to eat every meal in a restaurant.

Try these Google searches

http://www.google.com/search?q=vacation+rental+germany

http://www.google.com/search?q=apartment+rentals+germany

I was also thinking of making reservations at some hotels in some bigger cities and cancelling out of them if they didn't work out for me but I don't want to have to pay any cancellation fees or anything.

I've never made a reservation in a hotel that charges a fee for cancellation unless you cancel less than 24 hours prior to your scheduled arrival date.

For sure, if you're serious about going (and I am), then you've got to have your plane ticket and accomodations secure by the end of the year and probably a rail pass too, although the rail pass you can get at any time. The draw is Dec. 9 and I'm actually hoping to have my plane ticket booked by then.

That is also not necessarily true. Despite many rumors to the contrary, it will be possible to buy airplane tickets to Germany after December 9th.

As for Eurail passes, I don't know if you can even buy those for next summer yet. I doubt that you can.