Tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games are now on sale around the world. In the UK and within the EU, people can apply for tickets between 15 March and 26 April 2011. 6.6 million tickets will be on sale to the public from 15 March 2011.
In the video above (2m 26s flashplayer required), Miranda Hart provides a personal guide to how to apply for tickets – it’s not first come, first served so take your time and plan your Games!
UK and EU residents can apply via at any time during the 42-day application period. It is not a first come, first served system and there is no advantage to applying earlier in the process.
From 15 March, ticket and accommodation packages will also go on sale in the UK through Thomas Cook branches and on their website www.thomascooklondon2012.com.
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games published its sport schedule earlier this year, with 645 separate sessions currently planned across 26 Olympic sports. The sport takes place against the backdrop of iconic London with venues such as Horse Guards Parade (Beach Volleyball), Wembley Stadium (Football), Greenwich Park (Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon) and Lord’s Cricket Ground (Archery), as well as the new venues currently under construction at the Olympic Park in east London.
LOCOG Chair Sebastian Coe commented: ‘This is a momentous moment for all involved in London 2012. This starts the journey for those who have been dreaming of getting hold of an Olympic ticket since the day we won the bid in 2005 – these really are the greatest tickets on earth. In the UK, people have 42 days to make their application and I urge everyone to take a look at what sports are available on what days and make their choice. If any sessions are oversubscribed we will run a ballot which we think is the fairest way of allocating tickets.’
There are also venues outside London, with sport taking place at Weymouth and Portland (Sailing), in Essex (Cycling – Mountain Bike), and Football taking place at grounds throughout the UK including Old Trafford in Manchester, Hampden Park in Glasgow and the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.
Ticket prices were announced last year with a wide range of prices available. Full price tickets start at just £20 across all sports and LOCOG has created an innovative ‘Pay Your Age’ scheme at more than 220 sessions for young people who are aged 16 and under when the Games start on 27 July 2012. People aged 60 or over when the Games start will pay just £16 at these sessions. The lowest priced ticket for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games will be £20.12, with the highest priced ticket coming in at £2,012.
LOCOG is also launching a print advertising campaign, featuring athletes such as Tom Daley and Beth Tweddle, with the tagline ‘The greatest tickets on earth’.