2012 Summer Olympics in London

(All Photos: (c) LOCOG media gallery)

Every four years the world comes together to compete in the Summer Olympics and Paralympics Games.  2012 is the year that London will host the world’s athletes and showcase their city to a worldwide audience.

– The Olympic Creed, Pierre de Coubertin

Dates:

• July 27 – August 12, 2012: Olympic Games

• August 29 – September 9, 2012: Paralympic Games

• Television coverage will take place throughout each day and especially at primetime. Live internet feeds will be available in many places throughout the world.

Tickets:

Tickets are only available from Authorized Ticket Resellers in the country in which you reside.  Tickets went on sale months ago and most of the popular events now have limited availability or are completely sold out.  However, if you are interested in seeing any individual Olympic event (which we highly suggest) tickets are still available for some of the competitions.  The tickets vary in price but some start at £20.  This is very reasonable for a world class event.

Authorized Ticket Resellers (ATR):

• If you reside in the United Kingdom or are a designated European country resident, you may purchase tickets online by setting up an account.

• If you reside in the USA, you may purchase tickets online from the ATR in the United States.

• A list of ATRs for all countries selling Olympic tickets may be found on the official web site of the 2012 games.

• A list of ATRs for all countries selling Paralympic tickets may also be found on the official web site of the 2012 games.

• Tickets may be purchased by using any Visa card (debit, credit, or prepaid).

• Tip:  As with any major sporting or tourist event, there are many bogus companies promising something they don’t have.  Please make sure you purchase tickets from a credible source, such as those linked to above.  If you do have a question about a company, Olympic organizers have created a page on their website to show who has legitimate ticket allocations. (This also applies to people selling tickets on the street.  Many of those tickets could be counterfeit.)

Free Olympic Events:

That’s right – your eyes are not deceiving you!  There are certain Olympic competitions that can be viewed for FREE.  And not only will you get to watch a world-class event, but you’ll also have a chance to sightsee since these events are near iconic London sites.

• Triathlon: 

The triathlon takes place in Hyde Park.  While tickets do exist for viewing the swimming and running portions, most of the cycling (the second of the three events) can be seen from outside the gated area.  The cyclist route follows South Carriage Drive, Constitution Hill, and Serpentine Road, winding its way past two major symbols of London – Buckingham Palace and Wellington Arch.

• Marathon:

The marathon starts and finishes at The Mall.  Athletes complete a first loop of 2.2 miles along the River Thames, south to the Houses of Parliament, and back up to The Mall past Buckingham Palace. They then run back to the river and this time head east towards the City of London and beyond to the Tower of London in an eight-mile loop that is repeated three times before crossing the finishing line.   Tickets are required at The Mall, but the remainder of the course in non-ticketed.

Suggested Viewing Spots:  St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London, along the River Thames, and Victoria embankment near Waterloo Bridge.  The finish is at The Mall, so if want to see the final kick, position yourself near Buckingham Palace. Download a full course map here.

• Race Walk:

The Race Walk starts/finishes at The Mall. Athletes race over a 2km loop, taking them up The Mall towards Buckingham Palace, around the Victoria Memorial and up Constitution Hill towards Hyde Park Corner before returning to complete the loop.  The loop will be repeated 10 times for the 20km events and 25 times for the 50km event.  There are certain areas of the route where tickets are not required, such as near Buckingham Palace and Constitution Hill after the Queen Victoria Memorial.

• Cycling: 

The cycling road race starts/finishes at The Mall.  The route passes a number of famous spots, including Buckingham Palace, the Natural History Museum, Richmond Park, Hampton Court Palace and the beautiful town centre of Kingston upon Thames.

There are viewing seats at Box Hill (a summit of the North Downs in Surrey, around 30 km south west of London), but there is a charge of £5-15 for those tickets.  There is also ticketed viewing on The Mall.  For free viewing, place yourself near Buckingham Palace, Constitution Hill, or Brampton Road (use the South Kensington Tube).

The cycling time trials are in southwest London and start/finish at Hampton Court Palace. Hampton Court Palace is a ticketed area, but the remainder of the route is non-ticketed.

Suggested Viewing Spots:  A good place to watch the women’s individual time trial is on Hampton Court Road (Knightsbridge Rail Line). A good place to watch the men’s individual time trial  is on Upper Teddington Road  (Hampton Wick Rail Line).

* All finishing times are estimated.

Spectator Viewing Sites:

Scattered around London and the UK are BT London Live Sites (listed below).  These sites are for people to come together and watch the competitions on big screens.  The Live Sites are very family friendly and will have additional entertainment and food concessions, enabling you to spend hours at them.

• These Live Sites are FREE, but are subject to capacity.  You can reserve a Guaranteed Entry Ticket in advance that will provide you access until 2:00 pm without having to wait in line.  Keep in mind that once you leave the Live Site, re-entry will require standing in the line even if you had a ticket.

• Tip:  Pack lightly. All sites will have security, so just bring the essentials.

• BT London Live Sites – Olympics:

• BT London Live Sites – Paralympics:

Viewing at Home:

• For those not able to make it to London, internet and cable are the next best ways to catch the competitions live in every time zone.

• If you are viewing from the USA, NBC is planning on streaming over 3,000 hours of Olympic coverage.  Things have changed considerably since the 2008 summer games where they were shown mostly in primetime and on your TV.  Now you can see the events on cable (NBC Sports Network, CNBC, MSNBC), computer, mobile, and tablets.  Watching them on the internet or using a mobile device will require you to login through your TV provider the first time (so they know you are a subscriber). Information on complete access may be found on NBC’s web site.

Public Transportation:

• One way of the best ways to travel during the Olympic games is by public transportation. Whether you are using the Tube, buses, DLR, or Tram Bus River, London’s transportation web site has everything you’ll need to know.

• Each Olympic ticket purchased comes with a free travel card to use on public transportation in London (zones 1-9).  The travel card should be used on the day of your event.

•  But what about all those other days? Just use an Oyster Card (smartcard) or Travelcard (paper ticket). These are transport cards that will save you money and hassle when travelling.  You can purchase in advance or when you arrive in London at locations such as the Travel Information Centre, Oyster Visitor Shops and Eurostar Train stations (inbound).  Transport for London has made it quite easy to buy these cards and since it will save you money, you should take them up on it.   Here’s a comparison of the two passes.

• If you reside outside of the UK and you want to purchase Oyster or Travelcards before you arrive, use one of the listed overseas agents.  You will be paying about the same price, but most credit cards charge an international fee (which is something you will not be charged when purchasing in your home country).

National Olympic Houses:

• A variety of countries set up “Hospitality Houses” to highlight their culture and food, entertain their athletes and VIPs, and just have a place to cheer on their teams.   These houses are located all over London and the structures (in their “non-Olympic days”) are restaurants, meeting halls, business centers, etc.  Some countries open their houses to the general public while others are used solely for VIP’s.

•  The Olympic Houses that are open to the general public will host a variety of activities including TV coverage of the medal ceremonies (or even have their own ceremony), cultural exhibitions, concerts, food and evening parties.  Each of them will have their own requirements for entry, such as:  an entry fee, photo id/passport proof of residency, and/or specific times for general public visits.

• Most are open July 28 – August 12,unless stated otherwise.  Travel around the world on the streets on London at these Olympic Hospitality Houses.

London Festival:

In addition to the world-class athletes that will be in London this summer, there will be world-class artists appearing throughout the land.  The athletes will be in the arenas and the artists will be showcasing their talents on stage, in theaters, museums, galleries, and halls. They’ll be featuring dance performances, poetry readings, music concerts, art exhibits, and media presentations.  Sprinkle a bit of culture into your visit when taking a break from the competitions. Many of the events are FREE which is a nice perk in a very expensive city.

• Festival Dates:  June 21 – September 9, happening all over the UK (not just London).
  Check out the Festival Guide for complete details.

• Tip:  Set up a Twitter feed – @London2012fest. While you’re roaming the streets of London you’ll get alerted to any roaming artist exhibits that pop up spur-of-the-moment.

Fun Trivia:

What changes have been made to the Olympics since 1894?

•  This year, London will be the first city to host the Olympic games three times!

• 2012 is the first year that women will compete in all the same sports as men.  The Equestrian event is the only event where Men and Women compete directly with each other.

• The Youth Olympics were added in 2010 and include Athletes between the ages of 14 – 18.

• The Paralympics were added in 1960 and are for Athletes that have mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness and cerebral palsy.

• The Winter Olympics were added in 1924 and included 15 sports.