Beijing launches online ticketing for 2008 Games

BEIJING, Mar 8 (Reuters) Chinese nationals and foreigners residing in China can now register to book advance tickets for the 2008 Games online after organisers launched the official ticketing Web site today.

The site (www.tickets.beijing2008.cn/) announced tickets would be issued in three phases and that tickets to oversubscribed events would be allocated by random draw.

Overseas residents would be able to buy Olympic tickets from their national Olympic Committee or from designated outlets at the same price as Chinese residents, an organising official said.

Tickets range in price from 30 yuan (3.50 dollar) for preliminary shooting events and up to 5,000 yuan (646 dollar) for the opening ceremony on August 8, 2008.

REUTERS PDS BST1708