Accomodation Tips

[gspain]

Just another point, people are moaning about the difference between prices in May & June but the people I know or have asked about the WC have said they are effectively treating it as peak season and are charging peak season rates. Peak season here is December January when the school holidays normally are, next year the schools are also off for the duration of the World Cup so combined with the World Cup this is the justificatino for the second Peak season.
If you compare a week in Jan and a week in June there should be little or no difference.

Prices are well above the January rates in Jo'burg, Pretoria and Durban.

There is blatant and worrying profiteering going on.

[endabob1]

GSpain

I don't doubt that it will happen I'm a bit surprised at how widespread it seems to be and in cities where there should be sufficient accomodation. All 3 cities you mention have track records of hosting big events like I said to EastTerracer tell them to shove it, I don't think you will get stuck without a bed in any of those cities.
I would expect a bit more profiteering in Bloem, Rustenberg, Nelspruitm, Polokwane, PE where it's a very limited supply of beds, but it's sh!t if it's happening everywhere becaue it will just deter people from coming, the flights from Europe are already 2/3 times the normal price.

[Ari Gold]

I'm half thinking of going out for the week of the 2nd round and basing myself in Jo-berg. I found this place which is outside of the city but seems like a nice place to relax. They are offering match transfers too which takes the hassle out of renting a car.

http://www.ekala.co.za/accommodationsoccer.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...g.html#REVIEWS

Also, I can't seem to post on the World Cup tickets thread for some reason. What would be people's thoughts be on getting tickets for these matches at a reasonable price?

Potential games if things go to form would be:

1B (Argentina) v 2A (Uruguay) in Soccer City
1G (Brazil) v 2H (Chile) in Ellis Park
1F (Italy) v 2E (Denmark) in Pretoria

Also 1C (England) v 2D (Serbia/Ghana/Oz) is reachable in Rustenberg but with a capacity of 42,000 I can't see myself picking up a ticket at a good price.

[gspain]

GSpain

I don't doubt that it will happen I'm a bit surprised at how widespread it seems to be and in cities where there should be sufficient accomodation. All 3 cities you mention have track records of hosting big events like I said to EastTerracer tell them to shove it, I don't think you will get stuck without a bed in any of those cities.
I would expect a bit more profiteering in Bloem, Rustenberg, Nelspruitm, Polokwane, PE where it's a very limited supply of beds, but it's sh!t if it's happening everywhere becaue it will just deter people from coming, the flights from Europe are already 2/3 times the normal price.

I think it will deter a lot of people from travelling. We've already had a dropout due to the cost of B&Bs and the feeling he'd be ripped off at every turn.

I booked on June 30th at 11pm at the normal rate but they shot up the next day. They want silly money now to put an extra person in the room.

I'm only short a bed for 1 night but one of our group (of 3) will be short for quite a few nights. We don't arrive until England head south and will be heading home if they come back north for the 2nd round so I'm not too cocnerned with finding a bed but hope they drop the prices.

You could have flown from Dublin for just over €1K before the draw with 1 stop and £750 ex London via Nairobi or Tripoli though so 2 stopovers from Dublin. Not cheap but not too bad - that was for the first round only - gets worse as you go on in the tournament. A friend did get Swissair for €900 ex Dublin for the whole tournament back in September.

Rental cars are still at the regular price and no problems booking 1 despite the reports of a shortage.

Internal flights are a total ripoff but must come down.

[gspain]

I'm half thinking of going out for the week of the 2nd round and basing myself in Jo-berg. I found this place which is outside of the city but seems like a nice place to relax. They are offering match transfers too which takes the hassle out of renting a car.

http://www.ekala.co.za/accommodationsoccer.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...g.html#REVIEWS

Also, I can't seem to post on the World Cup tickets thread for some reason. What would be people's thoughts be on getting tickets for these matches at a reasonable price?

Potential games if things go to form would be:

1B (Argentina) v 2A (Uruguay) in Soccer City
1G (Brazil) v 2H (Chile) in Ellis Park
1F (Italy) v 2E (Denmark) in Pretoria

Also 1C (England) v 2D (Serbia/Ghana/Oz) is reachable in Rustenberg but with a capacity of 42,000 I can't see myself picking up a ticket at a good price.

I don't think tickets will be a problem except of course for England. Brazil in Ellis Park might be an issue too.

We'll most likely have spares at face value for 1st round games in the previous few days. It will take a few days to work out who is going where.
We have no 2nd round tickets.

[endabob1]

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_i...3854615C855993

An upmarket Clifton property has smashed rental records in South Africa, with an international celebrity leasing the luxurious pad for the duration of the World Cup for a staggering R7.5-million - or R250 000 a day.

The worlds gone mad

[Closed Account 2]

I've a game in Joburg on 27 June at 20:30, then the next day in Durban 28th June at 16:00, then the next day in Pretoria 29 June 2010 at 16:00. What's the best way of getting between the 3, flying is looking like £200 return - which is not ideal, the buses dont seem to go at ideal times, so a 5 - 8hr drive might be needed.

Failing that how likely do you think I'd be able to swap the Durban game (probably Holland v Paraguay) for someone else's Ellis Park game (runner up of Brazil/Port/IvoryCt vs Swiss/Chile)?

Also does anyone know how the tickets are picked up ? Is it all in one go when you arrive or on a match by match basis?

[gspain]

I've a game in Joburg on 27 June at 20:30, then the next day in Durban 28th June at 16:00, then the next day in Pretoria 29 June 2010 at 16:00. What's the best way of getting between the 3, flying is looking like £200 return - which is not ideal, the buses dont seem to go at ideal times, so a 5 - 8hr drive might be needed.

Failing that how likely do you think I'd be able to swap the Durban game (probably Holland v Paraguay) for someone else's Ellis Park game (runner up of Brazil/Port/IvoryCt vs Swiss/Chile)?

Also does anyone know how the tickets are picked up ? Is it all in one go when you arrive or on a match by match basis?

Tickets will most likely be all in one go. That was the case in Germany.
Apparently Jo'burg airport (OR Tambo International) will be one of the pickup points.

Apparently it is a tough drive to durban - min 6 hours each way.

The flights might come down as they are not selling.

Swopping your ticket might be tough but there is still a good chance of getting a ticket for the game in Ellis Park. However if it is Brazil it will be that bit tougher.

[Closed Account 2]

The drive itself wouldnt concern me, apparently it would be about 5 hours and the roads are good. The main issue is that even the cheapest rental car (VW Combi truck thinggy) would be R1700 (base fee R1000 + R700 for the excess mileage) which is not that much cheaper than the air costs. I agree that the flights don't seem to be selling, hopefully they'll come down in price. It seems the Dutch will be involved in the Durban match (assuming they win their group) - I'm already going to a Dutch match so hopefully I could sawp the tickets with one of them who has a ticket for the Ellis Park match.

[historynut]

For those who go be prepared its a beautiful country.
Its a lot bigger than you think and air travel may be a good option to get around country.

Re recent African events taking thread title seriously should ensure pistol under pillow & be armed at all tiimes when out would be good tips.

[endabob1]

For those who go be prepared its a beautiful country.

Very true, probably the mose scenic place I have ever been.

Its a lot bigger than you think and air travel may be a good option to get around country.

Also very true, Cape Town to Jhb 2 hours flying time 13/14 hours driving time, Cape Town to Durban 1,800kms similar to driving from Dublin through the UK and down through France to the Cote D'azur

Re recent African events taking thread title seriously should ensure pistol under pillow & be armed at all tiimes when out would be good tips.

I've lived here twice, for a year in 02/03 and now since September 08 and I've never carried a gun and never will. Be aware of your surroundings especially at night, don't act like a dumb tourist and you'll be fine.

[historynut]

Regarding its beauty recall when last visited (early 90's) sitting in Cape Town airport, thinking I had a problem in that the more times I may go (was due a further visit, that did'nt materialise) I might not want to return home.
Another accolade recall when Rugby World Cup was staged there, watching a game being televised and being enticed into the backdrop of the Hottonnots(?) mountains to the rear of the stadium at Stellenbosch, as opposed to the action on the pitch.

[endabob1]

SA investigates World Cup airline price-fixing, whether anything comes of it or not is another story but at least they look like they are doing something about it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8487099.stm

[Closed Account 2]

Does anyone know anything about Lanseria Airport, I think it's the second airport of Joburg, to the North West. I arrive there from Durban fairly late at night (23:30 ish) and will be looking to get from there to, ideally, Pretoria (assuming I can book decent accom. in Pretoria), how much would a taxi be and would I be able to get one that late at night ?

[gspain]

Does anyone know anything about Lanseria Airport, I think it's the second airport of Joburg, to the North West. I arrive there from Durban fairly late at night (23:30 ish) and will be looking to get from there to, ideally, Pretoria (assuming I can book decent accom. in Pretoria), how much would a taxi be and would I be able to get one that late at night ?

I'm flying to Cape Town and back from there on the 21st.

All I know is that it is quite small and in North Jo'burg so the right side for Pretoria but I'd imagine a taxi would be expensive even outside of the World Cup. Why not stay nearby in northern Jo'burg which is apparently the best part of the city to stay in.

Other option is a rental car.

BTW although most guesthouses haven't yet dropped their prices you will get deals if you email a few and negotiate. Check the May 2010 prices and email a few of them saying you are looking for accommodation but at a price close to your normal level of XYZ Rand. You might pay 50% on top of this price but better than the 300-1,000% increases.

[Closed Account 2]

Cheers, thanks for the tips, I'm probably going to stay near OR Tambo Airport in Joburg (match on 27th), then Pretoria for 2 nights (28th, when I've done a day trip to Durbs, and 29th in Pretoria) from what I've read a cab from Lanseria to Pretoria should be around 350 rand (approx 35 euro), (http://www.bellemodel.biz/property/Gauteng_taxi.html), but things to note are that there is (apparently) no taxi rank at Lanseria and the hire car offices are not open outside of the usual 9-5 hours, a girl I know used to work for Kalula (one of the budget airlines) and they will usually call up a cab for you if you want and it will be there waiting for you at the arrivals hall.

It's about 10 years since I last did serious driving (save the occasional 6 mile trip to the supermarket every other month or so) so I am a bit reluctant to hire one out there. Also if anyone does hire a car out there, from what I've read you need to be a bit careful at night at junctions. Make sure there is a lot of room in front of your car so if the situation gets sticky at a red light you can just swerve out and drive off.