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World Cup Venues:
Useful Links: World Cup Tickets |
ADVICE FOR IRISH SUPPORTERS
TRAVELLING TO We hope you enjoy your time during the FIFA
World Cup 2002 tournament. Early and thorough preparation for your trip will
help to prevent problems later on, so please spare a little time to read
this leaflet carefully and keep it for reference. General
The
cost of living is generally higher in Japan and Korea than it is in Ireland. While
the crime rate is low in Japan and Korea, you should take normal precautions
to ensure that your possessions, especially money, credit cards and
documents, are secure. It
is important to be sensitive to the local culture during your stay :
when meeting
Japanese and Korean people, be sure to show the same level of respect
to them as they will show to you. BEFORE YOU GO
Passport
-
Make sure that your passport is valid for your stay. -
If you need a new passport, apply now. The relevant forms are available at
Garda Stations, Post Offices or from the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork. Follow the instructions on the form carefully as incorrectly completed
forms will delay the issue of your passport. Applicants submitting properly
completed applications through the "Passport Express"
facility, which
is available through most Post Offices, will receive their passports within
10 working days. -
Be sure to take a number of photocopies of your passport. During your stay
you should always carry a photocopy of your passport at all times. Insurance
(Travel and Health) -
Take out travel insurance against the loss or theft of your belongings. -
Take out a comprehensive worldwide medical insurance policy to cover possible
medical expenses. -
If you are already insured for medical expenses, you should consult with your
medical insurance company
to ensure that you are covered for all risks when
in Japan and Korea, as well as on the way to and from these countries. Booking Your Trip
-
Make your FIFA World Cup 2002 travel arrangements through a bonded
travel agency
only. Ask for written evidence that your travel agent is fully licensed
when making travel arrangements. If
the travel agent refuses this, you
can take your business elsewhere. Match Tickets
1.
The most reliable sources of tickets are the FIFA-approved tour operator-appointed
agents in Ireland. 2.
Beware of ticket "touts" or "scalpers". The
Japanese and Korean authorities
have indicated their intention
to stamp out illicit match ticket
sales during the FIFA World Cup Tournament in June, 2002. 3.
Access to the vicinity of stadia is likely to be limited to those
in possession
of match tickets. You may be asked to identify yourself, so bring a
copy of your passport with you. 4.
Match tickets are not transferrable. Match
Locations Japan The
Ireland team will play, in the first round, at three match venues in Japan,
as follows: Niigata
Stadium Saturday, 1 June, 2002 (kick off 15.30 local time) versus Cameroon Travelling
from Tokyo to Niigata takes from two hours using the Shinkansen (bullet
train) and 5 hours by bus. Kashima Stadium in Ibaraki Prefecture,
Wednesday, 5 June, 2002 (kick off 20.30
local time) versus Germany Depending
on the mode of transport used, travelling from Tokyo to Kashima can
take from 2½ to 3½ hours. Yokohama
Stadium Tuesday 11 June, 2002 (kick off 20.30 local time) versus Saudi
Arabia Travelling
from Tokyo to Yokohama by train takes from 25 to 40 minutes depending
on the route taken. The most convenient is the Shinkansen which takes
17 minutes and stops at the station closest to the stadium, Shin-Yokohama. Temporary
Irish Consular offices will be set up at each of the match venues. Contact
details for these offices will be available from the Irish Embassy in
Tokyo in mid-May. Details will also be
posted on the Embassy website in mid-May.
The website address is www.embassy-avenue.jp/ireland/index.htm Korea Should
Ireland progress to the second round of the tournament, they will play
their second round match in Korea. The winner of Ireland's group (Group E)
will play their second round match on 15 June in Seogwipo on Jeju-do, an island
off the south coast of Korea. A flight from Korea's main airports (Gimpo
and Incheon) to Jeju-do takes approximately 65 minutes. The
runner up in Ireland's group will play their second round match on 16 June
in Suwon, Korea. Suwon is 80 km from Incheon airport and 65 km from Gimpo
airport. Travelling from Seoul to Suwon takes 1 hour by train. DURING
YOUR STAY Transport Japan The
transport system (air, land and sea) in Japan is excellent. A variety of prepaid
travel options are available for foreign travellers. The
"Japan Rail Pass" is recommended for the independent traveller
using the national
JR railways but you should take into account that it can be purchased
only outside Japan. Travellers on all-inclusive travel packages may
find the Pass useful for travel on JR trains between match dates. The subway
system is not covered by the Pass nor are private railway companies. The
pass is issued for a fixed time period. Seven, fourteen and twenty one day
passes can be purchased. It provides virtually unlimited travel on the national
network of JR railways, including the Shinkansen (bullet train), but
not the Nozomi Super-Express. A seven day pass, for example, costs Yen 28,300
(Euro 246.19) and may be purchased at Japan Airlines or All Nippon Airways
offices outside Japan. A
variety of prepaid magnetic subway cards are available from dispensing machines
in subway stations throughout Japan. English Language guides on computer
touch screens are available at some subway station ticket machines. New
Tokyo International Airport (Narita) is situated approximately 60km from central
Tokyo. Buses depart at frequent intervals for a number of major points
in Tokyo and also to Yokohama (approximately 90 minutes). Various trains,
operated by Japan Railways (JR) and Keisei Railways, also run a frequent
service. These are faster,
as they avoid the heavy traffic frequently
experienced in Tokyo. Taxis from Narita Airport to central Tokyo are
extremely expensive. Kansai
International Airport (Osaka) is situated southeast of the city centre
on Osaka Bay. Japan Railway
trains and a private railway both operate
services to and from the airport to Osaka city centre.
Buses also run
frequent services. The
journey to Osaka takes between 30 and 60 minutes. Korea
Korea
has a good and inexpensive public transport system. A "Korean Rail Pass"
may be useful for visitors but this cannot be purchased in Korea. Check
with your local travel agent for availability in Ireland. You will receive
a purchase voucher which can be exchanged for the rail pass itself at
one of the eight Korean Rail tourist offices in Korea (including one at Incheon
airport). For further details check the Korean Rail website : www.korail.go.kr/eng/train/index_train5.html Taxis
(except when travelling from Incheon airport into Seoul) are relatively
good value in Korea. There are two main types available: "Ilban", or
standard, taxis are usually white or silver (yellow in some cities) with a
blue, green or white lamp on top. "Mobom" taxis, less common
outside Seoul,
are usually black with a yellow lamp. As "Mobom" taxis are of
a higher
standard, fares are approximately double those of standard taxis. When
arriving at an airport in Korea, there is an "airport
limousine" bus service
which operates between the airport and the main hotels and city centre.
The bus is comfortable, convenient and economical. Money
and Credit Cards Japan Plan
your budget carefully. The Japanese currency is called the "Yen".
In April 2002, the exchange rate was approximately Yen 116 = Euro 1. You
should bring a mixture of Yen notes and Yen travellers' cheques. The
latter can only be exchanged in banks and tourist hotels. Keep a separate
record of travellers' cheque numbers in case of loss or theft. Not
all Automatic Telling Machines (ATM) accept foreign credit cards and
the hours of opening are variable. English language machines can be difficult
to find. Credit
cards are accepted in most, but not all, large department stores
and hotels as well as in some other outlets, such as restaurants, in Tokyo. In
rural areas, it is not the norm to use credit cards and travellers'
cheques. Cash transactions in Yen are more usual. Korea
Korea
is a mainly cash-based society. Travellers' cheques, preferably
denominated in US dollars, can be exchanged at major bank branches
and in larger hotels, but are not accepted in shops, restaurants etc.
US dollars can be exchanged easily at almost any bank, and may be accepted
by some retailers. The Korean currency is called the "Won". In April
2002 the exchange rate was approximately Won 1,160
= Euro 1. While
credit cards are accepted in large department stores and hotels,
as well as in some other outlets, cash transactions are more usual. Many
shops, restaurants and smaller hotels will not accept credit cards. Not
all Automatic Telling Machines (ATM) accept foreign credit cards and
the hours of opening are variable. English language machines can be difficult
to find. Language
signs
in the Roman alphabet are nationwide. The purchase of a travellers' phrase-book
is recommended, as is a guidebook on travelling in Japan and Korea
generally. Telephones Japan Irish
mobile phones will not function in Japan. Temporary hire of a local
mobile phone is possible. You will need your passport ( and a copy of it)
and your credit card. Prepaid telephone cards in Yen 500 (Euro 4.34) and Yen
1,000 (Euro 8.68) denominations may be bought at convenience stores, telephone
booths and kiosks. Direct
dial calls are less expensive between 19:00 and 23:00. Calls made
from 23:00 - 08:00 are 25%-40% less expensive. It
is not possible to make international calls from all public pay phones.
There are specially designated grey, and some green, pay phones located
in train stations and airports for making international calls. There are
two types of prepaid telephone cards available in Japan. Please make sure
when purchasing a telephone card for public phones to ask for the international
call card. The
emergency phone number for the Police in Japan is 110 and for Fire
and Ambulance is 119. Korea
Irish
mobile phones will not work in Korea. Payphones using coins and/or
Korean phone cards are available in most train and subway stations and
in many other public places. International calling cards, available in Ireland,
at international airports in Korea and in some hotels, can make international
calls less expensive. Each brand of card offers different rates,
so check the rates for calls from Korea to Ireland before you buy. Also
check that the freephone access telephone number in Korea is given. The
emergency phone number for the Police in Korea is 112 and for Fire
and Ambulance is 119. Climate Japan June
is the month of the rainy season in Japan. The weather is likely to be very
warm and humid, with frequent bouts of rain. Occasionally, the rain can be
heavy. Some lightweight waterproof clothing is recommended. The
average temperatures in Japan for June are 18 - 25 Celsius. Korea
June
is normally hot and relatively rain free, but occasional rain showers can
occur, especially in Jeju-do island (Seogwipo venue). Humidity is usually
high in June. The
average temperatures in Korea for June are 16 - 27 Celsius. Time Difference
Japan
and Korea are 8 hours ahead of Ireland in Summertime. Earthquakes
Japan
is earthquake prone and tremors are felt throughout the year. In 2001 the
Meteorological Agency registered 1,513 tremors. In the unlikely event of serious
tremors occurring during a World Cup match, evacuation procedures will
be announced publicly in the stadium. Earthquake
tremors are not common in Korea. Websites
The
Japan National Tourist Organisation (JNTO) has opened a multilingual Website
to inform visitors about sightseeing. The site address is Other
useful site details are as follows: http://www.city.yokohama.jp/me/sports/intoro_3.html http://www.pref.niigata.jp/worldcup http://www.pref.ibaraki.jp/prog/wldcup_wel.htm Website
of the Embassy of Ireland, Tokyo http://www.embassy-avenue.jp/ireland/index.htm The
Korean rail website address is http://www.korail.go.kr/eng/train/index_train5.html The
FIFA website address is http://www.fifa.com/index.html Emergency Contact Numbers
If
you need emergency Consular assistance, the following are the details of the
Irish Embassies in Japan and Korea: Japan
Embassy of Ireland
Ireland
House 5F, 2-10-7
Kojimachi, Chiyoda
-ku, Tokyo1020083 Tel
: ++81 3 32630695 Fax
: ++81 3 32652275 Korea Embassy
of Ireland Daehan
Fire and Marine Insurance Building, 15th
Floor, 51-1
Namchang-Dong, Chung-Ku, 100-778
Seoul Tel
: ++ 82 2 7746455 Fax
: ++ 82 2 7746458 Issued
by: Consular
Services Section Department
of Foreign Affairs Hainault
House, 69-71
St. Stephen's Green, Dublin
2 (Tel:
+ 353 1 4780822) (Fax:+
353 1 4082798) In
consultation with the World Cup Co-ordination Group, representing the Department
of Foreign Affairs, the Irish Travel Agents Association, the Football
Association of Ireland, an Garda Síochána, the Embassy of Japan, Dublin
and the Embassy of Korea, Dublin.
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Japan Embassy of Ireland Ireland House 5F, 2-10-7 Kojimachi, Chiyoda -ku, Tokyo1020083 Tel : ++81 3 32630695 Fax : ++81 3 32652275
Korea Embassy of Ireland Daehan Fire and Marine Insurance Building, 15th Floor, 51-1 Namchang-Dong, Chung-Ku, 100-778 Seoul Tel : ++ 82 2 7746455 Fax : ++ 82 2 7746458
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