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On Saturday, December 2nd, the attention of the football world will be focused on Hamburg as the draw for the Euro 2024 finals is held at 5pm. This is when the qualified teams will learn the locations and dates of their group stage matches, which consist of the first three games of the tournament.
Both England and Scotland have successfully qualified for the upcoming tournament in Germany and will soon learn their opponents, as well as the important details of the match such as location and date, which is of great interest to fans.
The supporters of Wales will need to be patient until March to find out if their national team can succeed in the play-offs against Finland and either Poland or Estonia, in what is expected to be a tough match.
If you are considering a summer trip to show support for your team or simply enjoy the ambiance, taking action now may give you an advantage over the travel algorithms.
What are the fundamental principles of traveling?
There are a variety of affordable flight options from different parts of England and Scotland to Germany, but their prices will likely increase next summer. Some individuals may choose to drive instead, with the Dover-Dunkirk or Harwich-Hook of Holland ferries being the most recommended routes. However, the Newcastle to Amsterdam and Hull to Rotterdam routes are also possible but may be more costly.
One option is to consider traveling to a location near Germany, such as Strasbourg in France or Basel in Switzerland, in order to easily reach key venues like Stuttgart. Another option is to fly to Eindhoven in the Netherlands, which is conveniently located for accessing western venues near Cologne and Dusseldorf.
You also have the option to purchase an Interrail pass at a discounted rate (currently 25% off until November 28th) and combine it with the reduced Eurostar fares to Brussels.
Why is it logical to make travel arrangements before we have information on the location of teams’ games?
Once the schedules for teams are released, the cost of transportation and lodging will increase due to the activation of travel companies’ algorithms. Currently, a flight from London City to Frankfurt on the day of the match and returning the following day costs £145. However, if England is placed in Group E, this price will significantly increase.
Purchasing at this moment may not be inexpensive: A round-trip flight from Glasgow to Frankfurt for the same dates costs £290 on Lufthansa. However, once the draw occurs, prices will quickly increase due to algorithmic adjustments.
Where are you going?
I have determined that Essen, located in the western region of Germany known as the Ruhr, is the optimal location for the Group stage of the tournament. Despite not being an official venue, this decision will help minimize expenses. Additionally, Essen is a captivating city that is conveniently only a short train ride away from three host venues – Dortmund, Düsseldorf, and Gelsenkirchen – and less than an hour away from a fourth venue, Cologne, which is also a stunning city.
If you make a reservation now, there is a high likelihood that both England and Scotland will have a game nearby. The Ruhr region is also known as the center of German football, with notable industrial architecture. Additionally, the German Football Museum is located just a few minutes away in Dortmund.
There are plenty of affordable hotels in Essen that offer double rooms for under £100 during the tournament, making accommodation convenient.
Is it going to be convenient to travel around the host country during a tournament like this?
German Railways has a large and tightly connected system, offering affordable fares for slower trains. There is no urgent need to make reservations in advance as tickets can be purchased on the day of travel. However, on days with major events, there may be congestion, but additional long-distance coaches will be available. If you plan to drive your own car, expect heavy traffic on the autobahns and difficulty finding parking in cities and near event locations.
The authorities announced that all individuals with tickets will receive 36 hours of complimentary local transportation during each game.
Now, let’s move on to the difficult issue of tickets…
There is a limited supply of tickets: Uefa has announced that only 2.2 million tickets will be released for fans. However, 1.2 million of those have already been distributed through a lottery during the initial sales in October. Essentially, fans were purchasing tickets without knowing which specific match they were for, rather than supporting their team.
Out of the remaining one million tickets, the majority will be available for purchase after the draw on December 2nd. There is anticipated to be a high demand since both Scotland and all other teams will have knowledge of their group stage matches and locations. However, this means that each team will only receive 40,000 tickets for their three group games.
Some tickets will be reserved for fans of the teams that make it to the play-offs in March.
If you are willing to spend a significant amount of money, you have the option to book through the designated “hospitality provider” who will secure tickets for all of Scotland’s group matches and the final, for a price just above £9,500.
Alternatively, you can opt for the designated fan areas, which will be situated in places like Cologne’s historic district, the Altstadt.
How about holding off until the elimination rounds?
A viable option is to wait and observe if England, Scotland, and potentially Wales advance past the Group stage. After that, the situation becomes more manageable – there will be less strain on transportation and lodging as many fans unfortunately head back home.
From 29 June to 2 July, the four-day quarter finals in Germany could be the ideal time to visit.
If you’re feeling hopeful, you may consider booking a low-priced trip to Berlin for the 14th of July. Ryanair is offering flights on the day of the game, with a return the following day, for only £145 from Edinburgh to Germany’s capital city.
Unfortunately, most hotels in Berlin are fully booked for the night of the final. However, a highly rated hotel room in Leipzig (the Amano Home) is available for only €79 (£69) on that same night. The trip from Leipzig to Berlin by train takes approximately 75 minutes.
Source: independent.co.uk
