In case you haven’t noticed, London is very excited to be hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics. Certian upgrades have become standard for any city hosting the games, mostly relating to infrastructure and public transportation. If you’ve ever been to London, you may wonder how they will be able to handle the massive amount of tourists that would be coming to the city for the games. The people at the International Olympic Committee had similar concerns, so expect to see big improvements, like the expansion of the East London (above ground) Line, as well as upgrades to the Docklands Light Railway and the North London Line. There is even a brand new rail service, known as the “Javelin” which are going to be a series of high speed bullet trains set to be ready for 2012. Another way London plans on avoiding congestion is by having most of the athletes stay close to the locations where their events will be held.

For the 2012 Olympics, officials have said that there will be 7.7 million tickets available, and half of them are going to be priced under £20, making the events more accessible to more people! This has got to be a good thing for residents who may want to check out an event or two. I know if it were my city, I can’t say I would be too happy with high ticket prices, on top of a massive influx of visitors.

The venues where the events will be held are going to be a mix of the classic venues that London is known for, and new venues built specifically for the event. One location that travelers will probably have not seen before is the new tower that will be known as the Shard. It’s expected completion is in May of 2012, and once finished it will stand at 1017 feet tall, making it the highest skyscraper in the European Union! While the Shard will not be hosting any Olympic sporting events, you can bet it will be one of the more popular destinations for athletes and tourists alike.

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