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Sunday, 16 June, 2002, 18:34 GMT 19:34 UK
Getting to the Games
Find out more about tickets, travel, accommodation for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
Thousands of tickets have already dropped through the letterboxes of homes across the country.
Demand has hit record levels - over 80 per cent of all tickets have been sold so far - and some events are certain to sell out.
Tickets are are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
They can be bought via the telephone hotline, 0870 162 2002, or online at:
Further information can be obtained by calling the Games Information Line on 0870 609 2002.
In June, more than 50 Ticket Master outlets opened around the UK to sell the remaining best seats.
During the run-up to the Games, the public can also buy tickets from the MEN Arena box office in Manchester.
Ticket prices vary according to the event, with many costing as little as £5 while seats for the opening ceremony cost between £25 and £195.
Spectators can also line the route for outdoor events, such as the marathon.
Manchester is easily accessible by road, rail and air.
Rail: The city can be reached in 2½ hours from London by high-speed train, with an average of 17 departures every day.
There are extensive train links to the whole of the UK through the two mainline rail stations in Manchester
Piccadilly Railway Station is close to Piccadilly Gardens at the heart of the city while Victoria Railway Station is situated next to the Manchester Evening News Arena.
Within the city centre, smaller stations include Oxford Road, Deansgate and Salford Central.
Road: The county of Greater Manchester has the most extensive motorway network in the UK.
The M62 links Manchester with Leeds and Yorkshire to the east and to Liverpool and ferry ports in the west.
The M6 runs to Birmingham and London in the south and up to the Lake District and Scotland in the North.
The M56 links the city with Chester and North Wales, the M61 runs to Preston in the North, while the M60 acts as an orbital ring road around Manchester.
Air: More than 90 world airlines fly into Manchester Airport from 165 destinations worldwide.
The airport is located 10 miles south-west of Manchester, and is served by a spur from junction five of the M56.
Trains run to Piccadilly rail station and places around the UK, including Edinburgh, Liverpool and York.
Tram: The city has the UK's first modern street operating rail system - Metrolink.With 36 stops, it runs from Bury in the north to Altrincham in the south.
Over 1m people are expected to visit Manchester during the Games, so the advice is to book early.
But whatever your budget and accommodation requirements, there is something suitable - from youth hostels to top-of-the-range hotels.
There are over 2,000 hotels and bed and breakfasts in and around Manchester.
You can stay as close to the sporting action as you like in the city centre, stick close to the airport or find some space on the outskirts of town.
Private houses and apartments in various locations will also available on a night-by-night or weekly basis.
There are plenty of rooms - but demand may still exceed supply.
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