Off to Germany: pre-planning stages

[Bigdog]

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

Thank you Mirka, I am sure we will all be thankful for your advice and knowledge for the Cologne/Leverkusen area.
Bd

[SoulflyTribeFC]

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.

I think you're right. I think you have six months from the time you buy them to use them.

[HSV Hooligan]

I've read through the posts at one point or another, but how many people are planning on renting a car when in Germany?

[Bigdog]

Eurorail here

[MikeLastort2]

I'm probably going to rent a car. The train rocks, but my wife and I are going to want to see things that it'll be tough to get to without a car.

[SoulflyTribeFC]

Nothing but trains fur mich.

[REVS FAN 1]

I've read through the posts at one point or another, but how many people are planning on renting a car when in Germany?

I'm going to use the rails for three weeks and I'm renting a car for one week....as for now anyway... :D

[Ronaldo's Idol]

I have a ceiling of probably around $4,000 total (maybe up to $5,000) I can spend on the entire trip all included with tickets, airfare, lodging, food, trains. I'm going with my girlfriend and she can also spend the same (so a total of $8,000 max). Looking at airfare prices, they aren't looking good (from the west coast, they are at least $1,000 but more like $1,200ish); lodging is going to be rough...I don't want to stay in hostels the whole time, but if I have to I will. Apartment rental for a week at $1,000 is expensive, but surely much cheaper than the gouged hotel prices. I might be staying for the whole cup, 4 weeks, and I know lodging is going to be the major cost.

So:
Anyone know what the best way is to make hostel reservations? Can you do it online, and can you cancel the reservations without paying a fee (assumning I'd cancel months ahead of time if I do).

What amt. of $ is everyone else expecting to spend? Can it be done comfortably for $4,000/person for two people?

Also, does anyone think that buying one way plane tickets, so that the return date is flexible (I'll be trying to buy knockout round tickets while I'm there most likely but don't know if I'll get them and don't want to stay in Europe if I don't) is a good idea? Will it be the same price or more expensive than round trip?

Also, with airfare, I highly doubt that flights from the US to Germany will really be that clogged...consider how many Americans are really going there, what a maximum of maybe 20,000? They'll be flying into cities all over Germany, over multiple days, leaving anytime during June or early July...it just doesn't make that much sense. The flights within Europe to Germany will be worse, but I don't think the airfare is going to be gouged due to the WC, at least not for flights from the US to Germany. Still, from the west coast it is going to be over $1,000/person.

[SoulflyTribeFC]

What amt. of $ is everyone else expecting to spend? Can it be done comfortably for $4,000/person for two people?

I'm also trying to spend about $4,000 but as of now I'm going alone. If you have $8,000 you should have no problems.

[Palermo10]

I'm spending over $2000 just on the basics: airfare, lodging, tickets.

But I also bought my tickets for over $1000.

Lodging for me (hostel) will be about $300 for the entire first round, airfare we are looking at $800-$1000.

So if you got your tickets from FIFA you could still have $500 of regular spending money to keep it under $2000, so $4000 is definitely plausible.

[Stupid_American]

I am going through SoccerTravel and am probably getting raped, but I wanted to be sure I had tickets and a place to stay that was nearest to the action so I went through an agency. Plus, they provide ground transportation to and from all the games and cities.

But anyways, I am spending about 4100 per person when it is all said and done. However, that is just for the three group games and the first two weeks. Like I said, you can do it much cheaper than this, I am sure. Just listen to the advice of people on the board who have been to WC's before and know how to play the game. I am too lazy to play the game, so Ronaldo's Idol, if you are lazy like me, PM me and I will give you more info.

[Palermo10]

I am going through SoccerTravel and am probably getting raped, but I wanted to be sure I had tickets and a place to stay that was nearest to the action so I went through an agency. Plus, they provide ground transportation to and from all the games and cities.




I too was going to go through SoccerTravel and get raped, until I came on here and got raped for saying I was going to get ra... ok you get the point.

You might as well shell out the dough for tickets, because everything else will be cheaper than what SoccerTravel provides.

And P.S. - Ground transportation from hotel to stadium on game day is via bus or train, and is FREE with ticket. ;)

www.Euroteam.info is where I went for tickets, Hotel4Youth is where I'm staying in Berlin, and you can probably save about $1000 or more by not dealing with Soccer Travel.

[Ronaldo's Idol]

I'm spending over $2000 just on the basics: airfare, lodging, tickets.

But I also bought my tickets for over $1000.

Lodging for me (hostel) will be about $300 for the entire first round, airfare we are looking at $800-$1000.

So if you got your tickets from FIFA you could still have $500 of regular spending money to keep it under $2000, so $4000 is definitely plausible.


Have you booked your hostel(s) yet? Do you know how to do this? I'm definitely interested in that as an option. Thanks.

[HSV Hooligan]

Apartment rental for a week at $1,000 is expensive, but surely much cheaper than the gouged hotel prices.
I've been looking at some nice things for less than $3000 for a month (meaning less than $1k/wk). Try the different sites provided here (http://www.ussupporters.com/pageApartments.asp). If you're going on a tight budget, a plush apartment in the hippest/trendiest part of Berlin may not be the best choice. (no, I'm not trying to be sarcastic/smart-@$$, but that seems to be the only place I've seen those type of prices). Keep in mind that there are 12 venues, not just Munich, Berlin, and Hamburg (which are probably going to be the most expensive). Consider one of the smaller venues and getting the rail card. It may take longer or you might have to go to a larger city then transfer to a train to take to the proper venue, but will probably save costs if that's what you're looking to do. Many of the apartments I've looked at in Berlin (especially) are adding at least 50% to their normal rental fee, which is why I'm looking elsewhere.

[Palermo10]

Have you booked your hostel(s) yet? Do you know how to do this? I'm definitely interested in that as an option. Thanks.


Yes I booked through a website that does booking for hostels all over the world. Hold on while I try to figure out what it was called.... ah yes, www.hostelbookers.com

You could possibly do like a 3 night in 3 city thing, waiting until after the December draw.

I am just doing 16 nights in Berlin. Basically because it's easy, I will have 6 months of luggage from being in Spain before Germany, big city, famous city, etc etc.

[Palermo10]

Many of the apartments I've looked at in Berlin (especially) are adding at least 50% to their normal rental fee, which is why I'm looking elsewhere.

I saw the same. A few even had 100%.

You can rent "apartments" at some hostels, kitchen, baths, etc, for like $25 a night per person.

[Mikeymike15]

I saw the same. A few even had 100%.

You can rent "apartments" at some hostels, kitchen, baths, etc, for like $25 a night per person.

yes this is true but many are still at regular prices, none of the 3 flats (yes I'm renting 3) have been jacked up. You just need to put in a few minutes to search through them.

[Stupid_American]

I too was going to go through SoccerTravel and get raped, until I came on here and got raped for saying I was going to get ra... ok you get the point.

You might as well shell out the dough for tickets, because everything else will be cheaper than what SoccerTravel provides.

And P.S. - Ground transportation from hotel to stadium on game day is via bus or train, and is FREE with ticket.

I guess I like playing the martyr. Or the idiot. Maybe there isn't a difference.

And not that it matters that much, but the transportation is via some kind of car provided by the agency, not public transportation.

[Wizhawk]

I'm going to Germany as well. I was going to go the hostel route and book everything myself, but my parents don't like the idea of my roomate and me finding our way around Germany for two weeks, so they're making me get the soccer travel treatment... :eek: Anyone else doing soccer travel? I look forward to the trip and I hope to meet up with some people I met in Cbus(and maybe do another bouncing elevator cheer).

[SoulflyTribeFC]

I guess I like playing the martyr. Or the idiot. Maybe there isn't a difference.

And not that it matters that much, but the transportation is via some kind of car provided by the agency, not public transportation.

If you've got the money, use it. If you want to spend it this way to get to Germany, that's your call.

I don't have more than $3000-4000 to spend which is why I'm trying to get everything as cheap as possible. If I had a slightly higher budget, f it!