Travelling to a German game

[yogisbairns]

It's in Hamburg in November.

Mind get well wrapped up. We went there November about 7 years ago to see them play Swampy's team, Duisburg. It was feckin freezing. Baltic by name and Baltic by nature. Its a great city though, and we'd love to go back later in the season. From our own experience, April is the best month, as we've always been in shorts n t- shirts every time we've went then. I managed to get to know one of the blokes in the ticket office on our visit and he helped us secure tickets for the world cup the following year.

Our best bet for German tickets over the years has been to actually phone the club up in person. You'd be amazed at the amount of people within the clubs who can speak perfect English. If you've got skype on your computer, it'll cost penny's for quite a long call. Well worth it.

Edited July 19, 2012 by yogisbairns

[Meathead]

My auntie somehow managed to obtain 3 tickets for me, my dad and my uncle for the Schalke end at a Dortmund vs Schalke game a few years ago. Schalke won 3-2 and being in a packed Signal Iduna Park was a fantastic experience. I'd thoroughly recommend going to see Schalke play for anyone considering going to a German game, the noise their fans can generate is unbelievable.

[yogisbairns]

My auntie somehow managed to obtain 3 tickets for me, my dad and my uncle for the Schalke end at a Dortmund vs Schalke game a few years ago. Schalke won 3-2 and being in a packed Signal Iduna Park was a fantastic experience. I'd thoroughly recommend going to see Schalke play for anyone considering going to a German game, the noise their fans can generate is unbelievable.

The year after the world cup in Germany we tried getting tickets for Schalke v Hamburg. Absolutely no chance anywhere until I received a reply from the tourist information place in Gelsenkirchen. They must have forwarded a letter I sent them, to the mayor of Gelsenkirchen (Frank Baronowski no less). He in turn e-mailed me offering us 4 free tickets for the press box for the Schalke game. I thought it was some kind of hoax, but sent a reply saying "We'd be delighted to accept". True to his word, 4 press box tickets were waiting for us at our hotel in Dusseldorf when we arrived.

Last year we managed to get 6 tickets for the game Dortmund won the bundesliga on. Ironically, we had tried getting a hold of tickets for Koln v Leverkusen, but at the last minute, Koln decided not to have a public sale. I phoned up Dortmund, and they said they had a few briefs still available for the Nurnburg game (title decider as it transpired). Koln's loss was our gain!

[McLee]

Mind get well wrapped up. We went there November about 7 years ago to see them play Swampy's team, Duisburg. It was feckin freezing. Baltic by name and Baltic by nature. Its a great city though, and we'd love to go back later in the season. From our own experience, April is the best month, as we've always been in shorts n t- shirts every time we've went then. I managed to get to know one of the blokes in the ticket office on our visit and he helped us secure tickets for the world cup the following year.

Our best bet for German tickets over the years has been to actually phone the club up in person. You'd be amazed at the amount of people within the clubs who can speak perfect English. If you've got skype on your computer, it'll cost penny's for quite a long call. Well worth it.

The guys in the Hamburg office have been brilliant, emailing back and forward a couple of different folk then eventually phoned them and he spoke perfect English and was very helpful, even understanding a couple of my shite jokes.

[Fudge]

I'm going back to Dusseldorf in April. Friday til Tuesday. I can't understand why anyone who wants to go to Germany for a football weekend would go anywhere other than Dusseldorf or the surrounding cities.

The weekend I'm going the teams playing at home are.....

Dortmund

Monchengladbach

Schalke

Leverkusen

Duisburg

Bochum

Last time I went we managed to cram in 4 games. Hopefully the days the matches are scheduled will be kind and we'll get to at least 3.

[Swampy]

MSV are shite this year and will probably go down to the 3. Liga.

[Fudge]

MSV are shite this year and will probably go down to the 3. Liga.

I went to their game v Aachen last time I was there. As you probably know, their ground holds just over 30,000. The attendance was about 10,000 but about 75% of fans were in the terracing behind the goal, or the seated section above the terrace so the the ground looked almost completely empty from my view point.

As great as it is going to the bigger Bundesliga games, I really enjoyed myself at the Dusiburg and Bochum B2 matches.

EDIT - Attendance was 13 147

Edited October 31, 2012 by Fudge

[Waspy]

Alemannia Aachen is a good day out

[Swampy]

I went to their game v Aachen last time I was there. As you probably know, their ground holds just over 30,000. The attendance was about 10,000 but about 75% of fans were in the terracing behind the goal, or the seated section above the terrace so the the ground looked almost completely empty from my view point.

As great as it is going to the bigger Bundesliga games, I really enjoyed myself at the Dusiburg and Bochum B2 matches.

EDIT - Attendance was 13 147

How much was it in? I keep on meaning to go but never get around to it. Anytime I'm in Europe I end up in Scotland and/or Spain.

[Fudge]

Tickets for Duisburg and Bochum were about 14 Euros for the terracing behind the goals. Last time, there were no tickets left for the terracing at Gladbach so paid about 35 euros for a stand ticket (terracing was about 16 Euros). Schalke sell out before the season kicks off so paid £70 for a terracing ticket through seatwave.com.

[Swampy]

Fair play. I think Germany and to a lesser extent France are responsible for the whole "football's so cheap on the continent" thing, and the cheap tickets are indeed great value.

[Fudge]

Fair play. I think Germany and to a lesser extent France are responsible for the whole "football's so cheap on the continent" thing, and the cheap tickets are indeed great value.

The terracing tickets are very reasonably priced, but tickets for every other part of stadium (for Gladbach at least) are between 25 - 45 Euros.

You'll probably know this anyway, but other might not. Your match ticket gets your free rail travel to and from the match (anywhere in Nort Rhine Westphalia) which saves you quite a bit of money.

[Swampy]

Aye I heard about that a few years ago. Pretty braw system.

[Fudge]

At all of the grounds I've been to in Germany, there was a free bus shuttle bus from the main train station to the ground and then back to the station after the match. It's almost as if they do all they can to get people to attend football matches!

[Swampy]

I wonder if that's the case in the old East, which (I think, but am not certain) still has more of a hooligan problem than elsewhere.

[German Jag]

Unfortunately a bit of hooliganism creeping back in. Couple of hundred Dresden "casuals" created havoc after running at the gates and stewards at the cup game with Hanover on Wednesday night (since reunification there has been a bit of needle between H96 & Dresden). Added to that there was a fair bit of aggro at the recent Dortmund ~ Schalke game! Hopefully gets nipped in the bud!

Due to the fan numbers, then the free public transport makes sense. Much better to have everyone on trams, buses or local trains than clogging up the streets with their own cars. Plus the amount of extra public transport put on at the end of the game negates the need for a "subway loyal" type scenario.

As mentioned above, standing areas are cheap & cheerful. My season ticket at Hanover 96 (terracing behind goals) works out at 10 €uro per game.

Away tickets (standing) are also good value (was at Frankfurt 2 weeks ago, cost = 15 €uro). Getting standing tickets in the BL1 can be difficult for away games, most get allocated to the supporters clubs. Away tickets for the seated sections can be v. expensive (for what is either a seat behind the goals or in the corner). Last year was at Dortmund 46 €uro, Munich 49,50 €uro, Wolfsburg 19 €uro, Berlin 37 €uro.

[jm1]

As far as the ticket resale websites go, Ive bought tickets off Viagogo a few times and theyve always been cheaper than the likes of Seatwave and that

Got tickets for Fortuna v Schalke and Dortmund v Gladbach on there last time out. Tickets were about £30 for each game which isnt too bad.

Also Ive never paid more than £140 for flights and hotel for a long weekend in Dusseldorf. As Fudge says, I dont know why youd go anywhere else for a football and beer weekend.

[yogisbairns]

Unfortunately a bit of hooliganism creeping back in. Couple of hundred Dresden "casuals" created havoc after running at the gates and stewards at the cup game with Hanover on Wednesday night (since reunification there has been a bit of needle between H96 & Dresden). Added to that there was a fair bit of aggro at the recent Dortmund ~ Schalke game! Hopefully gets nipped in the bud!

Due to the fan numbers, then the free public transport makes sense. Much better to have everyone on trams, buses or local trains than clogging up the streets with their own cars. Plus the amount of extra public transport put on at the end of the game negates the need for a "subway loyal" type scenario.

As mentioned above, standing areas are cheap & cheerful. My season ticket at Hanover 96 (terracing behind goals) works out at 10 €uro per game.

Away tickets (standing) are also good value (was at Frankfurt 2 weeks ago, cost = 15 €uro). Getting standing tickets in the BL1 can be difficult for away games, most get allocated to the supporters clubs. Away tickets for the seated sections can be v. expensive (for what is either a seat behind the goals or in the corner). Last year was at Dortmund 46 €uro, Munich 49,50 €uro, Wolfsburg 19 €uro, Berlin 37 €uro.

6 of us heading over to Hamburg for the weekend of April 19th. Hamburg are at home to Dussledorf, Bremen are a home to Wolfsburg and Hanover are at home to Bayern that wwekend. As a Hanover watcher, what do you reckon our chances of picking up briefs for the Hanover game will be? With a bit of luck, we may get two games in at the weekend.

[German Jag]

6 of us heading over to Hamburg for the weekend of April 19th. Hamburg are at home to Dussledorf, Bremen are a home to Wolfsburg and Hanover are at home to Bayern that wwekend. As a Hanover watcher, what do you reckon our chances of picking up briefs for the Hanover game will be? With a bit of luck, we may get two games in at the weekend.

Chances for the H96 v Bayern game will be next to non existent (especially for 6).

For the other two games you've mentioned tickets will be freely available.

Eintracht Braunschweig are also at home that weekend, although if they are still sitting atop the league then tickets will also be difficult to come by.

ETA, exact dates & times won't be fixed/announced till end February or so.

Edited November 3, 2012 by German Jag

[yogisbairns]

Chances for the H96 v Bayern game will be next to non existent (especially for 6).

For the other two games you've mentioned tickets will be freely available.

Eintracht Braunschweig are also at home that weekend, although if they are still sitting atop the league then tickets will also be difficult to come by.

ETA, exact dates & times won't be fixed/announced till end February or so.

Thanks for the heads up German Jag. What league are Eintracht Braunsscheig playing in, and are they far from Hamburg? I usually use a web site called "footiemaps.com" to find out where teams play in their respective countries and cant honestly say that I noticed them. Generally we're willing to travel about 1 1/2 hours max by train to take in a game using the "Lander pass" which makes for good value.