Can I still get to Paris for the Olympics?

The Olympic Games are well under way – and this time the world’s foremost sports competition is taking place only hours away from the UK.

Millions are journeying to Paris and other French cities to watch competitions from skateboarding to swimming and revel in the heroism and heartbreak of world-class sport at dozens of Olympic venues.

And with much of the games still ahead of us, there are thousands of tickets for sale.

If you’re contemplating a last-minute trip to Paris or fancy watching at a fan zone in the UK, here’s what you need to know.

You can buy tickets on the official Paris 2024 website.

There are seats available at several events including swimming, tennis and basketball on the official ticketing page and resale platform. New tickets will continue to be released throughout the games.

Most events are taking place in Paris but there is also the chance to catch competitions in Lille, Marseille, Nice, and other French cities.

Pricing starts at €24 (£20) for sporting competitions, although you can get €15 (£13) tickets for some football events if you buy four at once.

At the upper end of ticket prices there’s €1,600 (£1,350) Category A seats for the closing ceremony – which takes place in the Stade de France, the national stadium of France. Category C seats cost slightly less at €600 (£500).

Download the Paris 2024 Tickets app to access your ticket QR code. Don’t try to print off tickets and make sure your phone is charged. One account can buy 30 tickets, six per event and four for certain events like ceremonies. The app also allows for ticket resales.

Things go on a first-come, first-served basis, so remember to:

• Regularly check the official Paris 2024 website
• Be wary of scam tickets not from the official ticketing page, app or resale platform
• Try to be flexible as some events are sold out

Of course, if you took a 22-hour flight from London Heathrow through Los Angeles to Tahiti in French Polynesia, you could watch this year’s Olympic surfing competitions for free from the island’s sandy beach.

With France just next door, there are plenty of ways to get to the Olympic Games. But a heads up: booking last-minute means things will be pricey.

A one-way Eurostar ticket from St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord will likely cost £150 or more for the coming weekend. If you plan to go in the following week, standard tickets range from £260 to £98 one way. The journey takes roughly two hours and 15 minutes.

A ticket on the Eurotunnel, the undersea railway for cars and coaches travelling between the UK and France, on Friday 2 August is priced from £170 to £300 with a standard car (Ford Fiesta). The following week, there are several standard tickets available for between £110 to £200. The journey only takes 35 minutes.

Ferry prices vary greatly depending on your departure date and time. A trip from Dover to Calais leaving on Friday 2 August and returning Sunday 4 August is around £200 – £300. The ferry takes approximately one hour and 30 minutes.

You could always ride a bike instead of taking the car. The ferry ticket will only cost around £25. But, it’s an eight-hour ride from London to Dover and then a 16-hour ride from Calais to Paris.

Alternatively, there are buses running from London to Paris. You can find seats going for around £70 – £100 this weekend. However, the journey takes between nine hours to 13 hours and 40 minutes.

Flights are also available from UK airports to Paris. They are usually around £120 to £200. But, you can get cheaper tickets if you fly from Nottingham, Liverpool, Glasgow or Edinburgh. The journey time is around one hour, 20 minutes.

When you land, there are buses, trains and taxis to get from the airport to Paris city centre.

Once you’ve sorted a route to France, securing accommodation is the next big task. Fortunately, there are still several options in and around Paris.

Hotels range from around £90 to £2,000 a night for the coming weekend. The average room rate in Paris has more than doubled during the games – up from €299 (£250) to €460 (£390) according to SiteMinder. Across France, the average room rate has jumped from €251 (£210) to €334 (£280).

Alternatively, you could use Airbnb, the official partner of Paris 2024. From Friday 2 August to Sunday 4 August, several Airbnbs are available ranging from around £75 to £200 a night. Airbnbs in Marseille and Lille are around £50 to £150 a night for this weekend.

Alternatively, you could stay outside the capital in cities like Reims or Rouen and book slightly cheaper accommodation there. Keep in mind, you’ll have to spend over an hour on the train to get in and out of Paris.

If you want somewhere to stay for a longer spell, you could use a Facebook group to find an apartment to rent out. There are several Paris-based pages, but remember these groups are not verified.

Paris is extremely busy during the games and venues are spread in and around the city.

The easiest and most eco-friendly way to travel is. Every venue has bike access and organisers say there will be thousands of bike parking spots across the city. You can rent bikes from operators like Velib’ Metropole and Veligo as you go.

If you need to travel long distances, then there are buses and metro options. But fares have doubled during the games and there are planned closures at some stations. You can use this interactive map to see when stations are closed and times when they’ll be overly crowded.

Spectators are advised to download the Paris 2024 Transport App to plan routes and see real-time traffic updates. App users can purchase a Paris 2024 Pass which covers venues across the region. It cost €16 for a day and €70 for seven days.

There are taxis and Ubers in the capital, but at certain times, security zones will be enforced across different parts of Paris which unauthorised vehicles can’t access.

If you arrive in Paris without a ticket, don’t worry.

Dozens of free fan zones have been set up across the capital, and many are next to iconic landmarks. This includes Champions Park in Trocadero Gardens next to the Eiffel Tower, which opens from 29 July to 10 August. Visitors can meet medal-winning athletes, watch sporting events and enjoy several music performances.

Another fan zone is L’Hotel de Ville – Paris’ city hall – which has two big screens and a raised terrace where people can watch the sunset over the Seine.

You can also go to sporting events in the heart of the city like the marathon between Paris and Versailles.

If you’re keen to get the more traditional Parisian experience, top tourist attractions are open. You can visit The Louvre and Eiffel Tower between games, although there are planned closures at some landmarks so check they’re open before you visit.

If you don’t fancy a trip abroad, there are several public places to watch the games in the UK.

Team GB are hosting special fan zones with big screens, performances and medal celebrations for returning athletes. They will be set up at:

• London, King’s Cross
• London, Grosvenor Square
• London, Battersea Power Station
• London, White City
• Manchester, Spinningfields
• Edinburgh, St James Quarter
• Bristol, Cabot Circus
• Liverpool, Liverpool ONE
• Birmingham, Bullring
• Southampton, Westquay

BBC One and BBC Two are airing over 250 hours of live content as 10,000 athletes compete in 329 gold medal events. There is a nightly highlights programme to recap the best bits, Tonight at the Games on BBC One and BBC iPlayer has a dedicated live stream, Olympics Extra.

There’s a special Olympic schedule running on BBC Radio 5 Live and , plus podcasts on BBC Sounds.

You can also follow competitions on the BBC Sport Website, app and social media channels.

Read more about BBC coverage here.