Leading comparator advises football fans on travel and car hire issues in South Africa
With the world’s largest sporting event almost upon us, Carrentals.co.uk is offering travellers to the tournament some key advice on making the most of the event and taking in the best that South Africa has to offer.
Hundreds of thousands of travellers from countries all around the world will be making the trip to South Africa in June to cheer on their nation’s footballers, with Carrentals.co.uk urging Britons to prepare before their trip to get the most out of the event.
Gareth Robinson, Managing Director of Carrentals.co.uk, says: “The World Cup is such a fantastic event and excitement is really starting to build now, but for those who are actually making the journey to South Africa, it is important that they are as fully prepared as possible to ensure there are no problems.
“We’ve put together some of our top tips for World Cup travellers to help them make the most of their time in South Africa and to help make sure they have a memorable trip for all the right reasons.”
Carrentals.co.uk’s top tips for those travelling to the South Africa World Cup:
Plan Ahead - if you are planning on staying for the duration of the tournament, make sure you have at least 30 days before the expiry of your passport before departing the UK. You will also need to check you have a travel insurance policy that covers you for South Africa (not just Europe only), and again, if you are intending to stay for several weeks, it is worth considering that an annual policy may work out cheaper than a single trip policy. Speak to your GP about vaccinations, as Typhoid and Hepatitis A & B are recommended, and don’t forget to inform your credit/debit card provider that you will be abroad or else you may risk your cards being blocked.
Getting Around – there are more than 1,000 miles between the two furthest apart World Cup stadiums in South Africa, from Polokwane in the north east to Cape Town in the south west. Hiring a car is a good option, but make sure you book as far in advance as possible because rental vehicles will be limited with such high demand. South Africans drive on the left (same as UK) and drivers don’t need to worry about understanding road signs, as English is one of the languages used. When filling up with fuel, a petrol station attendant will assist you – tipping is optional.
If you are not hiring a car, then make sure you only use official public transport and licensed taxis. Depending on how far you are travelling internally, you may consider flying or alternatively could opt for a bus or coach.
Accommodation – with the high number of fans descending on South Africa from all around the world, it is essential to book accommodation before arriving. Anyone planning on camping should also bear in mind that while the World Cup falls in our summer, it will be winter in South Africa, so may be a bit cold to camp.
Staying safe – as the largest sporting event in the world and attracting hundreds of thousands of fans, the world cup is unfortunately always going to make tourists a prime target for thieves and pickpockets. So, the best advice is to be cautious and to keep your valuables in the hotel safe, don’t carry large amounts of cash around on you and only use official cash machines, as ATM fraud is common in South Africa. It’s also advisable to stick to well lit streets and don’t go wandering around unfamiliar places on your own at night.
Match Day – when making your way to the stadium for a match, make sure you arrive early, as there will be a lot of strict security measures in place and it will take time to get into the stadium. If you are driving to the stadium, don’t forget that you will need to tip the parking attendant (generally between 2 and 5 Rand) and make a note of where you park as there will be thousands of vehicles in the car parks. Finally, and rather importantly, some good news is that the average price of beer in South Africa is approximately 11 Rand, which is the equivalent to £1.
Carrentals.co.uk compares car hire deals from up to 50 rental companies, including Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, easyCar, Holiday Autos and Sixt, in over 9,000 locations worldwide.
To compare the latest car hire deals visit www.carrentals.co.uk.
Related posts: