charlieg

While trying to find a hotel in Berlin I learned that the World Cup is being held there during the days we are planning to visit. The hotels I have checked are either not available or the rates are 2-3 times higher. While I can keep looking for a hotel, I am more concerned about the crowds and if things get rowdy on the streets. We will be two females traveling alone.

Does anyone have experience with this?

Marty99

things will get rowdy for sure - but the "soccer hooligan" mentality is definitely a minority. i think the atmosphere will be great. i too will be in Berlin at this time. i have booked hostel accomodation well in advance and the rates aren't too much higher than usual...

charlieg

Marty99: Thanks for your response. Do you know the exact days the games will be played in Berlin? Also, are they held in the day, night or both? Is the stadium in the City Centre or elsewhere? Thanks again.

Viajero2

I was in Italy when their national selection qualified for the 1993 World Cup. We couldn't sleep all night with the noises out on the street. That said, I'll bet the atmosphere will be festive and infectious (no pun intended). If you much rather not deal with the whole thing, skip Berlin, go to Munich

PatrickLondon

According to the official FIFA website, the matches will be at the Olympia Stadium (which is well to the west of the city centre) as follows:
13-Jun-2006 9pm Brazil/Croatia
15-Jun-2006 9pm Sweden/Paraguay
20-Jun-2006 4pm Ecuador/Germany
23-Jun-2006 4pm Ukraine/Tunisia
30-Jun-2006 5pm Quarter finals
09-Jul-2006 8pm Final

You could expect public transport to and from the stadium to be very crowded at the appropriate times. Trouble is relatively unlikely, since European police forces are getting pretty sophisticated at tracking the people who set out to make it. Those people are in any case interested in challenging each other, not people who are uninvolved. You can't rule out the possibility of drunks making a nuisance of themselves when any woman is around, but I don't think you need worry too much.

There are matches in Munich too. The whole point about hosting the World Cup is that the matches are spread around the country.

See; http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/

Joe18

I've always been an optimist about finding a hotel at the last minute, but I met my match in Munich last April. I was there for five days for a conference and had booked ahead of time. Then I planned to travel to Jena and Cologne for a few days and return to Munich for two days before flying home. I hadn't booked any hotels for the second half of the trip, relying on my usual luck. I had no trouble finding convenient and inexpensive hotels when I got to Jena and Cologne, but I wasn't able to find a hotel in Munich for the first night of my return because of an EU trade fair, and had to stay in a Lutheran convents (no hotels available) in Augsburgh, which is about 40 KM away. I got a room in my original hotel in Munich for the last night, but had to pay three times as much. So I'm beginning to believe that there really are times when you can't get a room, at least at a reasonable price.

charlieg

Thanks for the replys. I think that I will keep our plans as they are if I can find a hotel.

I read on the website that the game on the 23rd of June starts at 1600. Does anyone know how long these matches usually go?

rkkwan

A soccer match lasts 1:45 (45min 1st half, 15min interval, 45min 2nd half), plus a few minutes of extra time at the end of each half.

But in the 2nd round competition onwards, if a game ends in a tie after regulation, there's a 5 minute interval, then TWO 15-min periods back-to-back. So, that's an extra 35 minutes.

It it's still tied after that, then it's time for penalty kicks. Time will vary...

Intrepid1

If this is the first time you have chwcked the hotels how do you know their rates are "two to three times higher"????

willit

The game on the 23rd is a normal group match, two hors by the time you have added injury time and half time.

The only negative will be that it is the last of the group games, so a lot will depend on the result. I doubt that Ukraine v Tunisia is on a list of games police think likely to be problem.

charlieg

Intrepid1: Based on rates quoted in a 2006 guidebook, the rates I am being given are 2-3 times higher.

RKKWAN and WILIT: Thanks for the explanations.

youngblueeyes

The soccer pitch is outside of the city center so your girls should not have trouble with football fans. Also the Germans have an excellent police force. Berlin is a fantastic city and is very safe. If you can't find a hotel that is central,try for something further out. Their metro system (U Bahn) is excellent, efficient and when it stops at night, buses run the exact routes overground until the metro starts up again. Just don't book anything near the Olympic Stadt (soccer pitch).

TXgalinGA

You're not alone! I'm taking my mom on a two week tour of Germany 11 June- 26 June.... I've already booked my Munich hotel.. prices were almost double at some places. We still found one under 100 E... I just hope that we as Americans are not underestimating the World Cup.

luv2cthings

Have you tried the Hilton? I don't what your budget is, but the rates seem reasonable to me, i.e. between 111 and 139 euro.

Mark

Betsy

Berlin is a good city for using Priceline. Go to www.biddinngfortravel and be sure you know how to bid before you go to the PL site. For additional info, try typing "Priceline Berlin" (without the quotes) into the search box at the top of the page.

TXgalinGA

I tried priceline for Munich during World Cup time- it was a big fat NO. Hotels *are* upping their rates and I do not believe Priceline will work during the World Cup... just start emailing hotels and see what you can get That's what I did for Munich and we got a 2 star for 92 E in a great location! It's only for 2 nights, so we'll live.