Euro2024 travel help
 

Hi Everybody,

I’m a brand new member of this forum having previously looked at it when I was planning a round Europe trip just before Covid!!. Well basically I’m going to be travelling to Germany in the summer of 2024 to hopefully watch some football,soak up the atmosphere and do a bit of sightseeing whilst in country. I have started looking at the camping options and although there seems to be plenty of choice I really don’t know what I’m looking at!! I’m looking in the north Westphalia area due to England playing their group games in Gelsenkirchen,Frankfurt and cologne so anywhere in that immediate area would be ideal. Also are there any tips that can be passed on for travelling that time of year in Europe.

Much appreciated

I´d guess, there will be temporary camping spaces within city limits close to the events. At least WorldCup2006 had some pop up spaces on parking lots. Have a look at the host city's webpages. Regular camping areas are mostly for camper vans and trailers with limited tent space, often in remote suburbs, far from the stadiums and city/events, hardly accessible by public transport, even sober. Except for Cologne, which has good access and public transport far over the city limits south to Bonn and north & east into the Rhine-Ruhr area.

This website lists a few camp grounds jetcamp.com/en/blog/camping-euro-2024-football/

For a nation wide camping guide have a look at the ADAC motor club website.

Of your three cities Cologne has most to offer and would be my first choice to set camp for longer at a secured camping ground along the Rhine during your group games. Travel to F and G by train (<1h). Hang out in Cologne's pubs, bars shops cafes, museums or browse around the region on your bike between the games. Scenic (wine-) routes south of Cologne, industrial heritage sites (Essen, Zeche Zollverein & Villa Hügel), 17th century Dutch coastal villages, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Nurburgring all within 2-3h drive. Also close to other interesting host cities, like Dortmund (100km, stadium with most dense atmosphere, smallest field & biggest crowd). Gelsenkirchen is a depressing run down concrete shit hole - even if your team should win - stadium far out of town, big local hooligan scene, best to depart from right after the game. Frankfurt ranks touristically somewhere in the middle with a serious open drug scene problem in the city (main train station and surroundings), I would not leave a fully rigged bike there unattended in the public. Always chain tie it to the ground.

In general: German motorists do not expect bikes sneaking through traffic jams like in France. That gap might close suddenly and unexpected. Peak season in conjunction with the football cup will need early bookings. Weather can be weeks long dry +30°C accompanied by occasionally heavy rainfalls with lightnings and gale force gusts. Rhine basin usually has warmest nights, even +20°C. A bad summer might feel very British (low 20°Cs, frequent rain). Locals are harmless to friendly, most young know your language but no directions within their hometown w/out their smartphone. Cash still widely preferred, tips are welcome. No shirt, no service.

Feel free to express your touristic needs and desires to receive more tailor made travel suggestions.

Enjoy your stay.

Nordrhein-Westfalia is a very densely populated area even without the Euro Cup. This does give you the advantage of great public transport across the region, as TodoTerreno mentioned, but it also means there will almost always be heavy traffic. Staying off the autobahn will not help - local roads are full of local traffic.

Germany has something called the Deutchlandticket - you pay 49 euros for the month and can take any public transport for free, short of IC/ICE express trains. In NRW, this should also cover the Regional Express trains that are very nearly as fast as ICE trains in that area (~5 minutes slower over a 2-hour journey). It's a great deal, and I believe it's available to non-residents, but you have to jump through a few hoops. More details here: https://jonworth.eu/germanys-49-euro-ticket-a-faq/

The Eiffel National Park (Rurberg as the central village) has nice roads and not too much traffic IIRC. You're also within a few hours' riding distance of both Nürburgring and Spa. Near Aachen, you have the headquarters/warehouse of FC-Moto, where you can pick up just about any piece of gear you could think of.