Early Check-In: 2012 London Olympics

The countdown is on. With the London 2012 Olympic Games only months away, it’s either now or never to snag a ticket -- and finalize trip preparations. Smart planning is essential, so take a look at our checklist for a last-minute dash to the finish line.



Scoring Tickets/Securing Accommodations
How many London 2012 tickets are left -- and how do you get them? That’s the big question. The go-to source for many seeking tickets and accommodations is CoSport, the only authorized ticket reseller and hospitality package provider for Americans, Canadians and Australians, among others. (Warning: Unauthorized entities may claim to have Olympic tickets for sale, but only CoSport can guarantee they’re legit.)

CoSport’s sale of individual tickets is ongoing, but hurry. From April to May, CoSport will suspend ticket sales in order to assign and process the seat locations for all sold tickets. Then in June, CoSport will conduct sales of any remaining tickets.
CoSport

Be Aware of Ticket Scams
Watch out for ticket scams. Already, Olympic organizers have identified 103 known email scams -- plus, fake prize draws and lotteries. Get up to speed on fraudulent individuals and companies at the Olympics’ official website.
Tips to avoid online fraud

The Olympics’ official website also offers a website checker to ensure the site you have used is an authorized ticket reseller.
Website checker

Planning Your London Stay
Get smart about potentially over-inflated pricing. Discover who’s reputable by checking out the following list of companies, including hotels, which have signed a charter pledging to keep prices fair. Still, make sure you budget for hotel prices that are predicted to be double the current rates.
Full list here

London has a range of hotels available during the Olympic Games, including Holiday Inn -- the event’s official hotel provider. Search among a range of London accommodations -- including hotels, hostels and homestays -- at Visit London’s website.
London accommodations

Getting There
Check out British Airways, the official airline of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
British Airways

Shop around for special deals from other airlines.
Expedia

Looking to arrive in London by boat? London’s network of rivers, canals and docks offer a unique view of London during the games. Many waterways are close to Olympic Park and other venues.
Ferry connections to London

Getting Around
If you’ve got a ticket to a game event in London, you’ll receive a free 1-day Games Travelcard that’s good for the day of the event. Check out the PDF map below for areas covered by the Games Travelcard.
Games Travelcard

Discover the rest of London -- and avoid the hassle of paper tickets and long lines. Buy a Visitor Oyster card for use on London’s public transit service. But make sure you plan ahead. Estimated mail delivery to a US address is 7-12 days.
Oyster card

For events beyond London, purchase a National rail ticket. Once you’ve got confirmation that you’ve snagged Olympic tickets, you can book a 2012 Games Train Ticket before the games begin.
National rail info


Olympic Venues
Get a sneak peak of the 2012 Olympic Games ahead of schedule, courtesy the London Prepares series -- they're a variety of test events in advance of the Olympics. London 2012 test events will continue in April and May, focused on sports such as football, synchronized swimming, hockey, wheelchair tennis, water polo, athletics and Paralympic athletics.
London Prepares series


Olympic Trials
You don’t have to cross the pond to get an early taste of the Olympics. Olympic trial dates in the United States have been announced for several sports.

Swimming trials will be held in Omaha, NE, June 25 through July 2, 2012.
Swimming trials

Gymnastics trials will be held in San Jose, CA, June 28 through July 1, 2012.
Gymnastic trials

Marathon trials will be held in Houston Jan. 14, 2012.
Marathon trials

Cycling (Men's BMX) trials will be held in Chula Vista, CA, in June 2012.
Men's BMX trials

Diving trials will be held in Federal Way, WA, June 18-24, 2012.
Diving trials

Wrestling trials will be held in Iowa City, IA, April 21-22, 2012.
Wrestling trials