gamescom

Flights to and from Cologne from all over Europe for as little as 75 euros

Hotel and tour bookings on the internet

The countdown to gamescom is underway. Europe's new trade show and entertainment highlight will celebrate its premiere on 19 August with the media and trade visitor day. The European gamer community is already keyed up for the opening of the top event for private visitors one day later, on 20 August. Under the motto "Celebrate the Games", the universe of interactive entertainment awaits games fans in Cologne. The latest consoles, PC and online games will play the leading roles, But even after the show, the party goes on. gamescom-Festival, opened by "Die Toten Hosen", brings the games to the city every evening for a glittering show of music and entertainment in the centre of Cologne. If you want to attend the gamescom premiere in Cologne in person, there are plenty of travel and accommodation offers for the cathedral city on the Rhine at special low prices - a few clicks on the internet are all it takes. But the best thing about it is that it is a great opportunity for gamers from every corner of the globe to make new friends and meet other fans of interactive entertainment.

For example, return flights to Cologne/Bonn Airport from elsewhere in Europe are available for as little as 75 euros (Germanwings, 20-23 August 2009, incl. taxes, charges and fees, correct at time of going to press). This offer means that the European games community, whether coming from the UK, France, Austria, Switzerland, eastern Europe or Scandinavia can easily get to Cologne by air and experience the gamescom party live. This makes gamescom, Europe's new trade show and event highlight, the perfect destination for your summer holidays.

Cologne/Bonn Airport also has excellent links to the international air travel network, making it easy to fly from outside Europe too. Fifty-five airlines serve the airport, connecting Cologne with some 180 destinations, from New York to Taipei, in more than 45 countries on four continents. Low-cost carriers fly 100 routes alone. Exhibitors and visitors coming from elsewhere in Germany, meanwhile, can choose from Germanwings und Hapag-Lloyd Express flights several times a day from and to Berlin, Hamburg, Munich und Dresden.

People who demand a little more exclusivity are also catered for. As cooperation partners of Koelnmesse, air partners are offering exclusive charter flights to gamescom. Whether by helicopter, exclusive private jet or wide-bodied aeroplane, our partners have the right aircraft for every need. The suburban railway (S-Bahn) runs between Cologne/Bonn Airport and Koelnmesse every 20 minutes and takes around 15 minutes. www.koeln-bonn-airport.de ( www.airport-cgn.de), http://www.gamescom.de/anreise ( www.gamescom-cologne.com/travelservice/).

Special prices on German Railways - station on the showground

Coming by train from anywhere within Germany costs as little as 89 euros (2nd class)/139 euros (1st class) return. Getting off at Köln Messe/Deutz station lands you right in the thick of the trade show. Prices for return tickets from Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Vienna and Zurich cost between 89 and 129 euros. Book your tickets directly by phone from German Railway's events hotline at 01805 311153 (from within Germany) and tell the operator you are visiting gamescom.

Köln Messe/Deutz train station is situated right next to the showground's South entrance. gamescom participants can also use their admission ticket and/or pass to travel free of charge with local transport operators VRS and VRR from many parts of Rhineland and the entire Ruhrgebiet.

Bus and car specials from connect-gamescom and pendla.de

With a total of ten motorways intersecting near Cologne, it couldn't be easier to travel to gamescom by bus or car. A dynamic traffic routing system leads vehicles conveniently from the city's main intersection - Autobahnring Köln - to almost 15,000 parking spacess at the Koelnmesse showground.

With its partner Connect-gamescom, Koelnmesse has organised a special offer for gamers, with a bus service from more than 30 cities throughout Germany direct to gamescom, in Cologne and back again. Included are major centres such as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart as well as smaller cities like Jena, Giessen and Ulm. The service takes gamescom visitors directly to the trade show gates, without changes or waiting times. For more information and to book your ticket visit www.connect-gamescom.de. Koelnmesse and its partner www.pendla.de have an interesting offer for people travelling to gamescom by car too. Simply visit pendla.de to find others coming by car and make your journey to Cologne a shared adventure - and ease the strain on the environment into the bargain.

Rendezvous on the couch

If you fancy experiencing the gamescom party on the exhibition grounds and in the city up close and make new friends in the gaming community, we have just the thing for you too. In partnership with www.couchsurfing.com, players and fans of interactive entertainment from all over the world can arrange their own sleeping arrangements and make new contacts in Cologne and surroundings. With more than a million registered surfers in 231 countries, including some 100,000 in Germany, couchsurfing.com is the biggest social network that connects travellers with locals free of charge, thus making a serious contribution to hospitality and cultural links.

Hotels and private accommodation

With almost 40 services, Koelnmesse Services, a subsidiary of Koelnmesse, is an international leader, offering extensive support in getting to your destination and finding the right accommodation. Exhibitors and visitors are invited to book their accommodation effortlessly at www.koelnmesse.de, by clicking on 'Services' and can choose from rooms at more than 70 partner hotels ( www.hotelzimmerbuchung.com). Koelnmesse has an arrangement with its partners to pass on hotel rooms the whole year round at reduced rates to visitors and exhibitors. Private rooms can also be arranged in Cologne. Visitors might want to consider booking complete packages (flight, hotel and hire car) as well as further services. Included are transfers, city tours, admission to cultural sites all at reduced prices. gamescom is Europe's new trade show and entertainment highlight of the interactive games industry. From 19 to 23 August 2009 the international games community, families and fans of computer and video games will assemble on Cologne's trade show grounds and at gamescom-Festival in the city. The Business Centre in halls 4 and 5 is the venue for the industry and trade to do business and maintain contacts, while the exhibitors in the Entertainment Area (halls 6 to 9) will showcase the entire world of interactive entertainment. At the end of the trade show, gamescom-Festival will bring the games to Cologne city centre.

Press tips

You can find further information on gamescom - the trade fair and event highlight for the international interactive entertainment industry - at www.gamescom-cologne.com . The latest news is also available as an RSS feed in the press area.

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