With the Euros fast approaching, one sports and betting expert has provided his top travel tips for fans going to the tournament.

Tens of thousands of Scots are expected to fly to Germany this June to watch Scotland compete.

Chad Yeomans, expert spokesperson at leading online betting and gaming brand Betway, has provided his advice for football buffs arriving in Germany this summer.

Make sure you always validate your train tickets

No matter where you are in Germany, ensure that you validate your tickets before getting on the U-Bahn or S-Bahn, which you can do by using the red or yellow validation machines on the platforms. 

Tourists need to be careful as tickets are different to the UK in that even if you’ve paid for your ticket, if you haven’t validated it before travel, you could pay a fine of up to 60 euros.

 Cumnock Chronicle: Make sure to validate your ticket before boarding a metro train such as the U-BahnMake sure to validate your ticket before boarding a metro train such as the U-Bahn (Image: nick_photoarchive/Unsplash.com)

Take advantage of fan zones

The Euro 2024 festival is taking place across all of Germany’s host cities, and fan zones will be where thousands of people go to enjoy the full European Championships experience. 

There are fan zones dotted across Germany in the likes of Frankfurt, Hamburg and Cologne, which will be open throughout the 31 days of the tournament.

Cumnock Chronicle: Fan zones will be set up across Germany during the tournamentFan zones will be set up across Germany during the tournament (Image: PA)

Supporters will have plenty of things to do in the central fan zones, including a range of football challenges and even DJ sets, while immersing themselves in the local culture. 

Book your transport early 

Even when it’s not hosting the Euro matches, Germany’s public transport network is known for getting busy. So, make sure that if you know you need to get a specific train into or out of the city for a match, book in advance if you want a seat. 

Cumnock Chronicle: Germany's public transport system is known for getting busy.Germany's public transport system is known for getting busy. (Image: wal_172619/Unsplash.com)

However, much of the public transport network does operate late into the night, making it easy for you to get back to your accommodation when you’ve finished celebrating your team’s latest victory.

Gratuity is based on experience 

Instead of tipping in earnest when you eat out in Germany, it’s worth knowing that you’re not expected to tip as standard - instead, it’s based on experience.

A tip, known as “Trinkgeld” in German, isn’t mandatory in the country, but is welcome, and is instead seen as appreciation for how you feel your quality of service is. If you’re satisfied, a suggested tip of 10 per cent of the total bill would be suitable.

Cumnock Chronicle: Tipping is not standard in German restaurants - but it is welcome if you feel you've enjoyed good service.Tipping is not standard in German restaurants - but it is welcome if you feel you've enjoyed good service. (Image: Mirko Fabian/Unsplash.com)

Betway has announced the release of the ultimate guide for fans planning to travel to the tournament, which can be found at blog.betway.com/football/the-complete-guide-to-euro-2024-in-germany/.