The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are fast approaching, with the Opening Ceremony taking place July 24. That means if you have plans to visit Tokyo for the Olympics and see the games, you better make sure you get your tickets sorted. With 33 different sports taking place in the Tokyo Olympics, there’s going to be an awful lot of great action to watch. Let’s not forget the spectacle of Opening and Closing Ceremonies either! So, to make sure you don’t miss out, here’s our guide on how to buy your Tokyo Olympics tickets.
How Tokyo 2020 Olympics Tickets Work
How International Supporters Can Get Tickets
Each country participating in the Olympics is given a certain allotment of tickets for residents of that country. This allocation of tickets is based on past Olympic performance and history in the different events. It’s estimated that around 30% of tickets for the Tokyo 2020 games are for international spectators.
As part of this system, there are different ticketing websites for each country, known as Authorised Ticket Resellers (ATR). You will need to purchase Olympics tickets from the ATR that manages your country of residence. For instance, CoSport is the ATR for several countries, including the United States.
When are Tokyo 2020 Olympics Tickets Available?
Tickets for the Olympics are generally sold in waves, an approach that is done to manage their availability. The timing of these waves will differ depending on which country you reside in. By now most countries will have had their first release of tickets, which means you’ll likely need to wait now for the next wave if none are still available.
Although the ticketing process for the Olympics began in Japan around June, the Paralympics has had a later start date. Tickets and packages for the Paralympics only just became available on October 2nd.
Tickets for Groups and Seating
Watching the Olympics is always best done with other people to share the moment with. But purchasing Olympics tickets for groups has some factors that you need to keep in mind. When buying tickets online, each account is often limited to buying tickets for 4 people, so groups with more than 4 will need multiple accounts.
Once you have your tickets, then there’s the matter of seating at these events. While some sports will have general admission, meaning you can sit where you like, others will have assigned seating. Because countries are allocated a limited number of seats, there’s no guarantee that groups will be able to be given seats together.
Olympics Supporters with Accessibility Needs
Two types of tickets are available for supporters who have accessibility considerations. These tickets will likely require further information to be provided so that spectators’ needs can be met. One type is Wheelchair Accessible Tickets, while the other is known as TOKYO 2020 Group Tickets and is intended for families or groups with children, senior citizens and/or those with disabilities.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics Ticket Packages
Olympic tickets generally come in one of two ways, either as tickets to a specific event or as part of packages. Packages are designed to provide you with everything you’ll need for your trip to the Olympics. They’ll include an assortment of tickets to different events, but also accommodation, transport and other amenities.
There’s a few reasons why Olympics packages may be an appealing option for supporters. For starters, it saves you from having to personally organise the different details of your trip. It will likely be more expensive than doing the planning and booking yourself, but what you’re paying for is the convenience. Some packages even include staff in Tokyo who are there to help you in person should you need it.
Olympics packages are also a useful option if tickets for events you want to see are already completely sold out. These packages come with various event tickets included and might be the last way for you to get tickets.
It’s important to understand that package tickets are typically sold for two people in a room twin share. Many packages have an option for solo tickets, but that will likely come with a single supplement. You may find that there will be packages that offer different levels of accommodation, like packages with 2-star, 3-star and 4-star accommodation included.
Tips for Buying Tokyo 2020 Olympic Tickets
Genuine Ticket Channels
Make sure you only buy tickets from official channels to not fall into trouble with invalid or counterfeit tickets.
Purchasing Resold Tickets
The idea of buying resold tickets is sure to cross people’s minds desperate to get in and see the games. To do so you’ll need to check the official terms and conditions for the sale of tickets, as well as the terms provided by your country’s ATR.
According to the Tokyo Olympics website, the Official Ticket Resale Service will be introduced in spring 2020. It’s unclear whether this will only be available to Japanese residents or international fans as well.
Ticket-free Events
If you don’t get as many tickets as you would have liked, there are ways to see some events without tickets. Events like the marathon and triathlons are held in the city streets of Tokyo and so will be able to be watched for free by public spectators.
Want other great content like the above? Check out the other blog posts published by the JR Pass team.
