How To go to the World Cup

The 2010 Fifa World Cup games will be played June 11 to July 11 in the Republic of South Africa.  The South African government is pulling out all the stops to ensure a successful event.  Competitions will be held in several cities around the country, and many stadiums are being renovated especially for the games.  The government is also working hard to ensure adequate security for players and fans.

Cities that will be venues for matches include: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Durban, Polokwane, Bloemfontein, Nelspruit, and Rustenburg.  If you've never been to South Africa you'll be pleasantly surprised at the level of development.  Hotel accommodations, restaurants, and transportation meet, and in some cases even exceed, Western European standards.

Getting to South Africa from Europe or the U.S. is not difficult, but involves some long flights.  Jan Smut International Airport in Johannesburg, the main point of entry for most international flights from Europe or the U.S., is served by many of the major airlines.  If you're flying from the East Coast of the U.S., for example, flights from Washington, DC on South African Airways, United, Delta, and Northwest, transit Europe or a major African city like Dakar, Senegal.  The total travel time can be up to 21 hours, with an average layover of just under three hours.  Round trip fares range from around $3,000 to $7,000, depending upon the airline.  South African Airways offers the cheapest fares.

Hotels in South Africa range from 5-star luxury resorts (with 5-star prices) to more modest chains.  Service and accommodations, though, are excellent regardless of the class of hotel.

Getting around the country is easy.  In addition to an excellent domestic air service, roads between cities are in top notch condition.  The taxi ride from Jan Smuts into downtown Johannesburg is very much like riding on any interstate in the U.S., except that they drive on the left side like in Britain.  Most of the major car rental companies have outlets in South Africa, and the road signs are all in English, so driving yourself is also a possibility.

Demand for tickets to matches is high, and getting individual tickets can be difficult.  The best course would be to work through a travel agency and book a package tour that includes air transportation, hotels, in-country transportation, and game tickets. An Internet search using the keywords "World Cup 2010" will yield you a number of agencies, including charter transport companies, that offer World Cup packages.

A schedule of games can be found at the official World Cup 2010 website: worldcup2010southafrica.com.