Lions Tour 2013 travel/accommodation/ticketing queries

HankScorpio1985

Hey,

Not sure if this is in the right thread or if it should be in the travel section so please feel free to move it if so.
Anyway, I am contemplating traveling down to Australia for the Lions tour in 2013 and I was just wondering if there was anyone else thinking about it and maybe we could share advice etc. I am thinking about getting to 3 or 4 of the regional games and obviously the 3 tests. I was hoping to do it by campervan but looking at the fixtures I am not sure if it is feasible. What do people think? Obviously I'd love to see some of Australia as well so I wouldn't want to be driving all the time. I'm also considering buying one of those priority packages on the Official Lions Tour 2013 website so I can definitely be guaranteed tickets. Do people think this would be the best option? Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

CatFromHue

The travelling distances could be a nightmare

Perth to Brisbane (Reds game) is over 4000Km so fly that.
Brisbane to Newcastle (Combined county game) is 800Km
Newcastle to Sydney (Waratahs game) ain't so bad at 160Km.
Sydney to Canberra (Brumbies game) ain't so bad at 300Km
Canberra to Brisbane (1st Test) is 1200Km
Brisbane to Melbourne (Rebels and 2nd Test) is 1700Km
Melbourne to Sydney (3rd Test) is 900Km

If you joined the tour in Newcastle it could be do able in a campervan but the way the tour is structured you'd be cutting back on yourself alot i.e. Brisbane to Sydney to Brisbane to Melbourne to Sydney.

What I'd recommend is go to your library or bookshop and get a Rough Guide or Lonely Planet guide book. That'll give you approx prices of campervan rental. Then I'd have a look along the route at places or things you want to go to or do. Roughly speaking that is, the prices will go up and you don't want to be planning the fine details now.

I wouldn't go with the mentality that you have to see every game either as the travelling could be a right pain. If you don't go to the first test and join the tour in Brisbane for the Reds game you'd be roughly speaking able to a nice loop ending up in Sydney.

HankScorpio1985

Thanks for your reply. Ya I knew the distances would be huge and there is a lot of back tracking but I think it would be worth it. Do you know anything in regards to getting tickets? I see there is two companies selling priority bookings where you get first preference on tickets but you have to buy a package which would also include flights/hotels etc. I just want the tickets to be honest. Have tickets been easy to get for previous tours?

Thanks again

Luckycharm

I was on the 2001 tour - I was doing my year in Oz at the time.
I was at all 3 tests plus Brumbies game (plank incident), Tahs game (Rog bashing) and A game (Mal had a mare lions lost)
To do it properly and to see a bit of OZ you would need 3 weeks/month. I would only go to Perth if you can get it as part of your flight deal as way too to drive and internal flights to Perth are very expensive.
Have been back to OZ 3 times since so know it quite well except west coast.
Not seen the Itinerary but going by what Cat Hue posted - Brisbane to Newcastle is about an 8/9 hour drive there are a couple of places to stop but not that many- stop in Byron bay which is about a hour south of brisbane- I presume there is a 3/4 day gap so could do it over a few days.
Newcastle is not great nice beaches but June is not beach weather- so would just do 1 night there. Sydney is about an hour and half away spend a bit of time there.
Canberra is about 3 and half hours drive from Sydney it can be very cold there and a pretty dull town so would only go there for a night.
To be honest would fly between Canberra to Brisbane (1st Test) is 1200Km
Brisbane to Melbourne (Rebels and 2nd Test) is 1700Km- or you will be wasting days on the road with not that much to see. You can get cheap flights with Jetstar and Virgin blue.
Melbourne is great not really a rugby town though improving - hire a car do the Great ocean road etc.
Regarding tickets they could be pretty hard to get with the tests as there are thousands of Irish and british expats who will be queuing up for tickets over in OZ - had to queue overnight for tickets for final test. Other games should be easier not sure if you can buy online here from Ozzie Ticketmaster.
Also just be aware OZ is really expensive at the moment I would reckon about 20% more then here currently (was in May anyway)

GerM

If you skip one or two games it's a fairly handy itinerary. Join the tour in Brisbane. You could do a return flight from Melbourne to Brisbane for the first test but that would be by far the most costly element. Aside from that, there's a solid enough bus service around Australia down the east coast. It's probably already booking up though. They go overnight for the big journeys so you're collected normally close to your hostel/hotel and then sleep on the bus and wake up in the next destination. Brisbane to Newcastle and Melbourne to Sydney would be the big journeys and they both have an overnight option. Buses aren't particularly comfortable but a sleeping tablet will sort that out. Importantly, the buses are reliable. Campervans will be extremely expensive so if you're going to go that way, book now.

gillbill5

Hi All, I'm based in Perth and only staring to look into this. I understand tickets are being released in early 2012 and am confused as to wether to sign up to these priotity passes (costing 250GBP) advertised on the lionstour website (don't think there is an official website either, more a tour./travel site?) or just wait for tickets through ticketmaster? Will they defo come available on ticketmaster does anyone know?

Agree with what has been said in terms of Oz being more expensive than Ireland. Tap into all the people you know here for free accomodation is all I can say!

Ohh and you might think it will be worth seeing all the matches but I went to the RWC in NZ for the entire tournament and to be honest I was rugbyd out by the end. I'd have rathered watch some games and soaked up the atmosphere in the pub (esp after Ireland exited).

The Aussie

gillbill5 wrote: »

these priotity passes (costing 250GBP)

Just out of interest what does the £250 cover???

If your heading over there, eating out anywhere is well beyond a joke in Oz so if your following the games around your almost forced to eat out unless your crashing on a couch at a mates raiding his cupboard.

Should be a good tournament if we can find a Front Row and a Back Bone by then.

gillbill5

The 250GBP is for a Priority Access pass. Here's what (www.lionstour.com)says about it.

"A Priority Access Pass will guarantee that you will be able to join the Lions on Tour in 2013.
All you need to do is purchase a Priority Access Pass for each member of your group. The payment can be redeemed against a package when they're launched in 2012, and is fully refundable in the unikely event that you decide not to travel."

www.lionstour.com is supposed to be the "official lions tour travel company" and is the only website on www.lionsrugby.com, which is supopsed to be the "official lions tour website". I'm doubting either of them are official, but can't find any others or any other info on where to get tickets. It's not like the RWC official website was. Certainly no cash upfront before purchasing tickets.

Luckycharm

gillbill5 wrote: »

Hi All, I'm based in Perth and only staring to look into this. I understand tickets are being released in early 2012 and am confused as to wether to sign up to these priotity passes (costing 250GBP) advertised on the lionstour website (don't think there is an official website either, more a tour./travel site?) or just wait for tickets through ticketmaster? Will they defo come available on ticketmaster does anyone know?

Agree with what has been said in terms of Oz being more expensive than Ireland. Tap into all the people you know here for free accomodation is all I can say!

Ohh and you might think it will be worth seeing all the matches but I went to the RWC in NZ for the entire tournament and to be honest I was rugbyd out by the end. I'd have rathered watch some games and soaked up the atmosphere in the pub (esp after Ireland exited).

They certainly went on Sale through ticketmaster last time but your best bet was to pick an ticketmaster agent out in the Suburbs as there was hundreds of people queuing in Sydney city centre ticketmasters anyway. Don't think you get quite as many backpackers in Perth as the east coast so should be easier but you might have the prob of the tickets going on sale at 8/9am east coast time which would be the middle of the night in Perth.

HankScorpio1985

Anyone have any idea when the tickets are actually going to go on sale? I can't find anything on the net.

NBTD

gillbill5 wrote: »

The 250GBP is for a Priority Access pass. Here's what (www.lionstour.com)says about it.

"A Priority Access Pass will guarantee that you will be able to join the Lions on Tour in 2013.
All you need to do is purchase a Priority Access Pass for each member of your group. The payment can be redeemed against a package when they're launched in 2012, and is fully refundable in the unikely event that you decide not to travel."

www.lionstour.com is supposed to be the "official lions tour travel company" and is the only website on www.lionsrugby.com, which is supopsed to be the "official lions tour website". I'm doubting either of them are official, but can't find any others or any other info on where to get tickets. It's not like the RWC official website was. Certainly no cash upfront before purchasing tickets.

I'm also based in Perth, and was going to buy a Prioirity pass. I'm sure I read on the website that it guarantees you a ticket to each of the matches, and the 250GBP is taken off the cost of the tickets.

Closing date was Friday though, and i noticed last minute that you have to be a EU resident to purchase....

Fishooks12

I wish I had money

Prince Humperdinck

I have managed to get a 2 week pass. So hoping to get last 2 tests, fly into Melbourne and out of Sydney. Four of us travelling. Is a camper van or hotels better for us. Saw a price of $3600 for 2 week hire of campervan. How available/expensive will accomodation be?

HankScorpio1985

Prince Humperdinck wrote: »

I have managed to get a 2 week pass. So hoping to get last 2 tests, fly into Melbourne and out of Sydney. Four of us travelling. Is a camper van or hotels better for us. Saw a price of $3600 for 2 week hire of campervan. How available/expensive will accomodation be?

If you don't mind me asking how much did the 2 week pass cost you? What were the restrictions on the flights?

Cheers

Neil3030

HankScorpio1985 wrote: »

If you don't mind me asking how much did the 2 week pass cost you? What were the restrictions on the flights?

Cheers

Haha, I read that as a two week pass from 'she who must be obeyed', i.e., he's allowed go!

.ak

Neil3030 wrote: »

Haha, I read that as a two week pass from 'she who must be obeyed', i.e., he's allowed go!

Then it would either cost a) his manhood or b) a prison sentence.

Prince Humperdinck

Spot on Neil. The pass is costing me perfect behaviour for the next year and a half.

CatFromHue

Rumour has it that Gatland is being offered the job at the moment.

---

The Sunday Telegraph reports that Gatland was offered the job following an interview with the Lions committee in London on Wednesday in the wake of his second Grand Slam success with Wales.

http://www.planetrugby.com/lions-09/story/0,25883,16024_7624822,00.html

kevohmsford

Yeah Warren Gatland has been given the job. The best candidate I think.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17507668

irishbucsfan

You'd imagine it'll be Gatland and Edwards with a few other coaches thrown in. I wonder if Kidney will be involved at all?

thomond2006

irishbucsfan wrote: »

You'd imagine it'll be Gatland and Edwards with a few other coaches thrown in. I wonder if Kidney will be involved at all?

Edwards is a certainty to go and Howley is a likely choice as backs coach.

Graham Rowntree (current England scrum coach) seems popular with the players (he was universally praised by the England players during the RWC leaked reports), went on the last tour and England's scrum has been strong so I imagine he could go again.

Kidney is a head coach, don't see a role for him tbh.

On another note, I find it ridiculous that Gatland has to forego the 2012 Six Nations in order to be the Lions coach.

HankScorpio1985

Prince Humperdinck wrote: »

Spot on Neil. The pass is costing me perfect behaviour for the next year and a half.

I'm still confused as to how it was misread but I apologise nonetheless. Any chance of you sending me some details as to what you bought and where would be much appreciated.

Cheers

jacothelad

thomond2006 wrote: »

Edwards is a certainty to go and Howley is a likely choice as backs coach.

Graham Rowntree (current England scrum coach) seems popular with the players (he was universally praised by the England players during the RWC leaked reports), went on the last tour and England's scrum has been strong so I imagine he could go again.

Kidney is a head coach, don't see a role for him tbh.

On another note, I find it ridiculous that Gatland has to forego the 2012 Six Nations in order to be the Lions coach.

He is?
Neither do I.

2013 6 Nations? I suppose they want a 'neutral' coach. I don't see how this is possible Frankly. Woodward packed the 2005 side with a lot of geriatric Englishmen.

Prince Humperdinck

Nothing bought yet Hank, was hoping to get some advice here as to the best and most economical way to get the two last weeks of the tour. All help is appreciated from those who have made similar trips or are planning this one. Think I've ditched the campervan idea now. Hopefully accomodation in big cities such as Melbourne and Sydney will be available. Will match tickets be a big problem?
Sorry for being cryptic about permission from wife.

justsomebloke

Ok I have altered the thread title for this to more reflect the nature of the thread. Can we please keep this thread to queries on travelling, accommodation and official ticketing channels etc please

mick lennon

I am going and looking for a partner. I looked at lionstour.com today I am up for the three test tour with the melbourne rebels game added.

Prince Humperdinck

Got an e mail off Trevor Brennan tours. Flights, accomodation and tickets for last 2 tests. 11 nights, €6000. Seems steep, would be great to have everything organised for you but thats alot of moola for less than 2 weeks.

HankScorpio1985

That seems very steep. Although, you'd know the craic would be 90 with the Barnhall Bruiser himself. I think I am going to wait it out and see when the tickets officially go on sale. Either from this side or the OZ side and then buy them that way. I know a few people in Australia so I have them keeping an ear out and they think the tickets won't go on sale until next year. I am going to organise travel and accommodation then I think.

GerM

Prince Humperdinck wrote: »

Got an e mail off Trevor Brennan tours. Flights, accomodation and tickets for last 2 tests. 11 nights, €6000. Seems steep, would be great to have everything organised for you but thats alot of moola for less than 2 weeks.

I'd replace the word steep with ridiculous. Pricey flights to Australia from Dublin would cost €1,500 (you can do that for about €950 if you shop around at normal times). We'll say €200 for match tickets. Leaving 11 nights accommodation for €4,300. I wouldn't say they're putting you up in a 5 star luxury resort either. Far better off organising it yourself. If people were on the ball, they could do the entire tour for that price themselves.

Prince Humperdinck

Sounds like a good plan Hank, I think we'll do the same.

FrPhelimYoung

I see Trevor Brennan has his various packages up online now. Looks good but still ridiculously steep methinks. Dunno if I'm allowed post links up here so won't. But looking at say taking in 2 final test matches would cost you approx €6k or more dependent on package.