#ticket guide

This article reads like a warning before it reads like a guide. Its central point is that supporters usually lose the race for away seats long before the draw is even made. Once UEFA confirmed the round of 16 draw for February 27, with first legs on March 10 and 11 and returns on March 17 and 18, the sales window became brutally short. The piece frames the new format as harsher because the league phase and extra playoff layer compress the calendar and force clubs to tighten access. 

The heart of the article is practical. It explains that clubs, not UEFA, control the real market for away seats, and that loyalty history, membership standing, request windows, and ballots decide who gets in. It uses Barcelona, Chelsea, and Manchester City as examples of three different systems, then argues that a glamorous European trip is usually “won” on cold domestic away days months earlier, when attendance history quietly becomes currency. 

It also strips away comforting myths. The €50 away cap helps. The 5 percent allocation rule helps. But neither guarantees access. Named tickets, identity checks, updated account data, and fast reaction times matter more than blind optimism. In the end, the article’s message is blunt: treat the process like a field manual, not a dream board.

Everyone wants the Super Bowl bucket list moment. Not everyone wants to get destroyed by junk fees and bad seats. This guide is built like a real playbook for fans who are serious about going to Super Bowl LX and want to know exactly what they are paying for before they hit buy.

The article breaks down how official sales work, what face value usually looks like for different levels, and where the big jumps in price really start. It looks at premium club sections, basic upper deck seats, and those big all in hospitality packages that wrap food, pregame events and extras into one number. It also explains the difference between primary sales and the secondary market, with clear talk about risk, timing and how prices move as the game gets closer.

There is no magic trick that makes the game cheap. But there are smarter ways to plan, safer places to buy and better moments in the calendar to strike. If you have ever stared at a resale page and felt lost, this guide calms things down and gives you a plan.

Updated as I found a sneaky new way to get cheaper premium seats.

This is basically a guide on how to get the best value for money when seeing Matilda. As a student on a budget, but not being the biggest fan of sitting way in the back, this is all important to me and I thought it might help others too.

The Cambridge Theatre isn’t that big, and honestly, there’s nowhere in the stalls or dress circle that is a truly horrible view. The show is pretty visually spectacular, and the set, lighting, and performances extend into the ceiling and sides of the walls, so there’s always something to watch. This is also the show that I believe is the most fairly priced of all the West End Musicals currently playing, and it also has a nice variety of price brackets to work with. But anyway, here are my ticket tips for Matilda.

16-25 Day Seats: £5; you have to queue (EARLY) for these, and there’s only 16 per show. Mega restricted view, middle or back of the upper circle. They sell these seats for £20 usually, so yeah, good value for money, but if you can save up for other seats, do that.

Front Row: I’ve gotten front row tickets for anywhere between £37 and £67, but they’re usually on the cheaper end of that spectrum. Unobstructed view, chance to get picked on in Telly... best value for money in the theatre imho.

Premium seats for less: This is the best idea if you live in London and have a flexible schedule (i.e. you’re not desperate to see the show) as it doesn’t guarantee tickets. And if you don’t mind spending a bit more money. It requires good timing and luck though, and you have to be VERY polite to the box office people. The best days to do this are Tuesdays and Wednesday (esp. Wednesday matinees!), but I’ve had it work for Saturday evening shows.

Basically, a couple of hours before the show, go to the box office and inquire if there are any tickets left for the show. Tell them your budget is under £60. If premium seats in the stalls/dress circle are all that’s left (I usually check beforehand), they’ll usually sell them for £47 or £57 depending on who you talk to. I spent £47 on a ticket that a few hours before they were trying to sell for £122 (bought at 4pm for a 7:30 show). At this point, they know they’re not going to sell them full price and they just want to get rid of them, so they reduce the price if you ask (if you just ask for premium tickets, they’ll still give you the £95/£122 price tag!)

China is a land of hidden wonders with some of the world’s greatest travel locations. Without a strong grasp of the language it may be frightening to ride a train or buy a train ticket. Train tickets are one of the trickier things to buy in China. There are not many websites with English that offer train tickets. Luckily since there are fixed prices that companies can charge for tickets, prices are the same year around. There are also small train ticket agencies located through the city. These agencies charge a fixed 5 RMB for each train ticket you buy. Applications such as Dong Dong trip are able to locate ticket agencies near you. You can download the free version for searching trains and ticket agencies. I would suggest that you use this app or Ctrip to figure out the train number that you plan on taking. Write down the train number then write down the Chinese characters for the two cities.  This way you just have to hand them a piece of paper, and not have to yell across the counter at a Chinese lady.

Train tickets start to be sold 10 days before hand. You must bring your Passport in order to purchase. A word of advice, during the holidays, such as the days leading up to Chinese New Year (February 19th) the trains are jammed packed. Since the majority of the 1.3 billion people want to return to their home towns to visit family, they begin to sell standing tickets. One of my friends purchased a train ticket online through a Chinese website, when he got to the train station, all the seats were taken. He then had to endure the 13 hour, standing train ride to Xian. After reading this article I hope you will feel comfortable enough to leave your Shanghai Apartment and board a train to your desired destination.

Different Train Types

K – Slowpoke train.  The Chinese government refers to these trains as “fast trains” They can reach 120 Km/hr. These trains also have a lot of stops, so the maximum speed is never held for long. Many of these trains are outdated; during summer of 2012 I rode a few of these trains. In the majority of these train’s second class (hard seat area) the air conditioning was not working. It was like being in a sauna full of few of sweaty Chinese men,  a rancid smell of Body Odor along with the smells from mushrooms and fish that some riders were taking home to the family. And be prepared to see a lot of bellies as when it’s hot, Chinese men like to roll their shirts up over their bellies.

T- Express trains. These trains reach a speed of 140 Km/hr and are far cleaner than their K counter part. They run from major city to major city with a limited amount of stops and are equipped with soft sleepers and hard sleepers. The term hard sleeper is a bit misleading. You do not have to worry however as the hard sleepers you will not be sleeping on slates of hard rock. If you order a soft sleeper ticket, don’t expect a memory foam mattress. The softness is about the same between the two bunks however the size is different and the amount of bunks in each cabin is different. In hard sleepers, there are 6 bunks per room The bunks are laid out in three in a row from top to bottom. If your ticket says 上卧 be prepared to do so climbing. In the room on each side the beds are stacked up in threes.  Since there is not enough head room for the middle and top person to sit on their beds. It is common etiquette for the bottom bed person to allow people to sit on his/her bed. While in the soft sleeper cabin there are only 4 bunks per room. The bunks are also slightly wider and there is also a legitimate door that you can lock in your room. Compared to the hard sleeper it also has a little curtain.

Z- Direct Express trains. Some of these trains are only equipped with soft seats and soft sleepers. This train can reach 160 Km/h. These have a limited amount of stops and are efficient for traveling long distances since they maintain their speeds.

D- Bullet train. These trains reach a max speed of Km/h often travel between major cities such as Nanjing and Shanghai. G-Fast Bullet Train. These trains are the fastest that China has to offer, reaching a max speed of 350 Km/h. These trains usually run long distances with minimum stops. Bullet trains only offer seat tickets. This train can travel from Shanghai to Beijing in 5 hours compared to the D-train counterpart taking in excess of 9 hours.

Return Policy

If you miss your train, you will not have the option to cancel your ticket however depending on the railway station, some stations may let you get on the next train leaving if they feel sorry for you. To cancel your ticket and get a refund you must go to a train station and bring your passport with the purchased ticket. You are not able to cancel your ticket at a ticket agency. If you cancel your ticket before 48 hours before hand there is a 4% fee. If you cancel your ticket between 24 and 48 hours before departure there is a 10% and within 24 hours there is a 20% service fee.

Change Tickets

Train tickets are allowed to be exchanged if the train has not departed yet. A ticket can only be changed once. You are allowed to change the time of the ticket to an earlier or later time. You can also change the destination that you wish to travel. If the train you wish to change to is a different price, you will pay or receive the difference.

Traveling by train within China is now a convenient and quick journey, but finding the perfect home in Shanghai can be quite the opposite experience! Shanghai Properties is the most experienced, recognized, and trustworthy agency for expatriates in Shanghai. We specialize in expat housing; making sure to fulfill your every need and provide superb customer service. Go with the most trusted and experienced expatriate property agency!

Contact us at +86 216 471 0288 if you have any lingering questions or doubts. Or, mail me at [email protected] if you would like more details or have any questions.

Adrienne Farrelly is one of Shanghai’s most experienced expatriate Property Agents helping expats find new homes since 1994. You can reach her at  +86 13122 810 421 or  [email protected]. Connect with her on Skype at shanghaiproperties8. Shanghai Properties

Further reading for Train ticket booking Mobile App: