How the Olympics in Paris will provoke a rise in prices for flights, hotels and transportation in Europe. And how to avoid these costs.
I once arrived in Prague on the same day as Ramstein’s concert at Letny Airport. Prague hotels were 100% full, and there was no question of hostels at all. It was the band’s first tour after the lockdown, and people missed the concerts and started traveling again.
I’m lucky that my daughter lives in Prague and there is always room for me on an air mattress cuddling with a cat. But when you don’t know what massive events are planned in the city, you can get caught, at least for a lot of money for a hostel bed. At most, you can spend the night on a park bench like a homeless person.
In this article, I’ve collected all the important events, concerts, and activities in Europe that are taking place in the summer. I will also gradually add relevant information.
Check the dates and plan your travels in advance. Or avoid these cities on these particular days to avoid getting caught in the maddening crowds and leaving your entire travel budget for a night in a hotel.
Olympic Games in France
When: July 26 – August 11, 2024
Where: Paris, Lyon, Nice, Marseille, and other cities.
The 2024 Olympic Games is the main event of the year for sports fans, which will take place in the French capital in the summer. It was 100 years after the last time they were held here. The event is expected to be attended by millions of spectators – tourists and fans of their national teams and athletes.
The 2024 Olympic Games will begin on July 26 and will last a total of 17 days, until August 11, which means that there are about 198 days left until the show.
Visas to France
Due to the fact that many people will come to France for the Olympics, the country has introduced digital visas (Ukrainians can visit the country without a visa). On January 1, France launched a new system that will process applications from 15,000 international athletes, as well as 9,000 journalists and delegations from foreign countries that will participate in the 2024 Olympic Games.
Tickets to the Olympics
More than 400,000 tickets for all sports at the Olympics, with the exception of surfing, which is free, have been put up for sale, the official Olympics website announced in November.
The same shows that one third of tickets will be available for 50 euros or less, and about two thirds will cost less than 100 euros. Depending on the sport, the price of a ticket can range from 5 euros to 3,000 euros, with the finals being the most expensive.
To be prepared for any unexpected situations, it is best to buy tickets in advance, which can also lead to a favorable offer. The earlier you get your tickets, the cheaper they are, and those who decide to attend at the last minute will have to pay a lot of money.
I advise you to read it: Paris – a mini-guide for a romantic trip
How to save money in Paris during the 2024 Olympics?
Costs during the Olympics could be high, as the regional transport authority previously announced that metro ticket prices would almost double from July to September 2024. This way, the country will be able to cover the costs of expanding the transportation network for the Paris Olympics.
Single tickets will be sold for 4 euros (compared to 2.10 euros now). And packages of 10 tickets cost 32 euros (compared to 16.9 euros now).
How to save money on transportation?
The French capital has launched a special travel card that will allow sports fans to travel unlimitedly to all Olympic and Paralympic venues during the Games.
During the games, theParis 2024 passwill be launched, allowing passengers to travel in the Ile-de-France region and costing 16 euros per day or 70 euros per week. It’s quite expensive compared to the usual cost of a monthly metro pass, which is currently 84.1 euros.
Where can I use the Paris 2024 travel ticket?
Travel to and from Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports is included, which is a bonus as it is not usually covered by most standard travel passes or tickets.
Many sports facilities are located quite far from the city center, such as athletics at the Stade de France or diving at the water sports center in Saint-Denis. Equestrian competitions and canoeing will be held even further away – in the Palace of Versailles and the Ver-sur-Marne water park, respectively.
Passes mean that travel to all places will be included in a single price. To get one of these, you will need to create an account on the Île-de-France Mobilités website, even if you already have an account. The passes can be delivered to 50 countries – the organizers say that the delivery time will be no more than 10 days.
However, if you want to have a digital pass, you will have to wait until June to apply online.
Accommodation in Paris during the Olympics – book in advance!
On the accommodation side, Parisian hotel owners have expressed concern over the French government’s recent announcement to triple tax paid by visitors for hotel nights during the Olympics. The government said that a 200% increase in the tourist tax would help finance public transportation.
The tourist tax in Paris now ranges from 0.25 euros per night for the most basic accommodation to 5 euros per night for luxury accommodation options.
How to save money on accommodation in Paris?
Therefore, to save money on accommodation, you need to book accommodation in Paris and the cities where the Olympics will be held right now!
Book a hotel on Booking. com in Paris≫
In which cities besides Paris will the Olympic Games be held?
The 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games are going beyond the city of Paris. Here are the main venues that will host athletes and sports fans during the competition.
The cities of Lyon, Saint-Etienne, Nice, Bordeaux, Nantes, and Marseille are also Olympic cities in 2024.
The city of Marseille also hosts sailing competitions, which can be admired from temporary stands installed on the city’s stunning coastal cliffs. The best handball teams (men and women) compete for the gold medal at the Pierre de Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve d’Ascq, near Lille, just an hour’s TGV ride from Paris. On the other side of the world, surfers gather in Teahupoo(Tahiti) to test themselves on amazing and legendary waves. Delight is guaranteed!
Useful articles and links:
- Hotels near airports – where to spend the night before your flight
- Do I have to pay fines for traffic violations in the EU?
- Traveling by car in Ukraine – where TruCam cameras are located
- False airfares, or how to fly for a penny
Bus schedule and bus tickets are available at
InfoBus.ua
Find train tickets in Europe conveniently on Trainline
Green Card and Travel Medical Insurance for traveling abroad – online on the portal HotlineFinance
Booking of hotels and apartments – Booking.com
