millionbubbles ([info]millionbubbles) wrote in [info]_backpackers,
@ 2008-05-03 12:05:00
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Current mood: curious
Current music:None

Europe 2008
So my friends and I are going to Europe in July. We seriously need to start planning out our trip (I've been uber busy with school/work but after this week I will be free of one of those things and can work on getting this organized).

OK So we are flying out of Toronto, Canada on June 30th at 8:30pm into London, England and I forget what time we get in.

So anyways we are going to be in Europe for 27 days. Please tell me if this is a realistic itinerary.

-We want to start in London. I'd like to stay there for at least four days because my cousin lives there and I wanna visit with her. Plus there are a lot of sights I wanna see in London.

-From London we are moving onto Amesterdam. I'd say about two days would be good in Amsterdam.

-From Amesterdam we are moving onto Prague. Now we have to go through Germany and they don't seem to want to go to Berlin (I've already been so I don't really care) but I'm sure it'll take us awhile to get through. Maybe a day to go from Amesterdam to Prague? Germany is big. P.S. We would be taking Eurorail.

-Two or three days in Prague, move onto either Vienna or Budapest. I haven't decided.

-A couple of days in either Vienna or Budapest.

-Move onto Croatia. I keep hearing awesome things about Croatia and I really wanna visit. I'm going to try and convince my friends.

-Two to three days in Croatia move onto Venice. Two days in Venice.

-Move onto Rome four days in Rome.

-South of France. Nice, Cannes, possibly Monacco. I've been here before and I think two days for the region is good.

-From there move onto Barcelona, Spain. Spend about three days here.

-From Spain move onto Paris. 4 days in Paris.

-From Paris move back into London and fly home.

Ok so now onto the questions!

1. I've been to Europe before, but the only time I flew from the one country to the other was on Ryanair so I have no experience with Eurorail. How fast is it and if anyone could give me a time frame how long it takes to get from each country that would be great. Also, do they let you chose if you want to take night trains or is it pretty much you have to take day trains only?

2. Can you take Eurorail from London to the rest of Europe?

3. Vienna or Budapest? Which is the more essential city to see. I am leaning towards Budapest because I am hearing great things about it, and I hear Vienna is really expenisve. But I want to hear your opinions.

4. What do you do about charging your phones/Ipods/digital cameras while in Europe? How much do those chargers cost and is it possible to get them before you leave?

I think thats it for now. Thanks for any help you can give. I'll probably xpost this other places too.

P.S. Feel free to suggest other countries worth visiting. As long as they aren't really out of the way of what our basic route is.

P.P.S. Also feel free to suggest if my timeframes for each city is too much or too little.


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[info]sidekickrita
2008-05-03 04:37 pm UTC (link)
BUDAPEST.

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[info]suzie123
2008-05-03 05:03 pm UTC (link)
Personally, I go for Vienna if you had to pick just one. But the friend I travelled with liked Budapest better, so it depends on the person. But Vienna was one of my favorite cities, while Budapest was kind of closer to the middle. But I also grew up on classical music and Vienna is big for that stuff. Can't go wrong either way.

As for charging, buy yourself an adaptor and you're good to go. I think I saw them at a dollar store, just make sure your electronics are good up to 220V, otherwise you need a convertor which costs more. Charge them in the hostel or wherever, I seem to recall outlets in the cabins of the overnight trains as well.

Also, if I might throw this out there, I honestly don't think you need 2 full days in Venice. 1 full day is probably enough, IMO it's one of the most overrated cities. Cool to see, but not the best place. I would tack that extra day onto the South of France, and take a visit to Monaco one evening. You can stay in Nice and get to Cannes easily, as well as Monaco.

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[info]lovesasa
2008-05-03 05:09 pm UTC (link)
1. How long it takes totally depends on the train. I'm not sure how much the Eurorail pass thing goes, since I only ever had a Deutschebahn Card, but there are everything frome ICE trains (really fast, really nice, few stops) to regional train systems (slow, not as nice, usually for commuters within the region, CHEAP).

Night trains should be an option, but usually only to larger destinations. More local trains shut down for a few hours at night.

2. I think so, but I'm not sure. Flights from London to continental Europe are usually really cheap, too (think, 27euro to Cologne? I think?)

3. Budapest. I almost said Prague, but actually thinking back on it... Budapest was more interesting. Beautiful architecture, less standard castley, WAAAAAAY fewer tourists. Also, an hour or two east of Budapest are Die Höhe Tetra (The Tall Four? Sorry I don't know the English name), supposedly the tallest mountains in Eastern Europe and absolutely gorgeous, if touristy.

Though, two of my dreams have always been to visit Vienna and to bike around Lake Constanz, but you're probably right about Vienna being way expensive and Budapest is, in my honest opinion, a way more interesting and beautiful view. Besides, you have to go through Austria to get there (at least, if you go by car, not sure about train).

4. I had a European phone, a camera with batteries, and got a separate computer cable... But I'm pretty sure you can buy an adapter for pretty cheap at someplace like Radioshack. BUT!! MAKE SURE IT CONVERTS THE CURRENT too, not just the plug in. European current standards are different than in the US, and it will mess with your technogadgets. If you don't find one in the states, you can probably find one (granted, likely overpriced) in one of the more touristy places in Europe.

Germany: VISIT DRESDEN!!! It is the Munich of the East, and one of the most BEAUTIFUL cities I have seen. The downtown area has survived the Firebombing in WWII, a huge flood in 2002, and still is SPECTACULAR.

Besides, it's on the way to Prague. :) Also, I'm not sure how this works with Eurorail, but you can't buy tickets in Germany for the Czech Republic (weird, I know). I took the Vogtlandbahn (a regional train in Southern Saxony) to its furthest stop across the border in the Czech Republic (lots of commuters) and then got a ticket to Prague. Though, I got on the wrong Prague train so it took 2 hours longer than expected, but the countryside was beautiful!

But seriously. Dresden. Do it. (Subliminal messages).

Your times all kind of depend on who you are as a traveler. I prefer to spend as little time as possible in Touristy hotspots, but love spending a couple of days in smaller towns or 'undiscovered' cities in the East. It's really up to your travel style.

Hope that helps!

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[info]pocochina
2008-05-03 05:21 pm UTC (link)
I'd go for Budapest but you will have a wonderful time in either.

I think that since you're tight for time your best bet will be night buses or trains. I know I went straight through Amsterdam to Prague on a night bus last summer, so you can do it, at least at night, and then you don't miss a whole day.

I think the Eurail pass gets you a discount on the train from London to Paris. Or, if you plan in advance what day or night you want to leave, the UK bus company has "fun fares" where you can get from one to the other for a pound.

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[info]millionbubbles
2008-05-04 04:54 am UTC (link)
What was the name of the night bus you took from Amsterdam to Prague?

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[info]smellingbottle
2008-05-03 05:28 pm UTC (link)
You seem to be confused - Eurorail is a kind of rail pass, not a train service. You will be taking a series of trains run by different train networks, depending on where exactly you are travelling. For instance, if you want to go from London to Paris by train, you will be taking the (very fast) Eurostar service. Other trips may be on tiny local commuter trains - it's up to you! Also, it isn't possible for anyone here to tell you how long it will take to get from one of your stopping-off points to another, depending on which service and route you are taking!

London will be by far your most expensive stopping-off point.

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[info]millionbubbles
2008-05-04 04:55 am UTC (link)
Oh...yeah I am not 100% sure what Eurorail is. I guess I thought it was a train service (like Amtrak) that works in central Europe. That's why I was asking if it goes to London or not.

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[info]tharyn
2008-05-03 05:52 pm UTC (link)
Most standard electronics these days don't require a converter, but check on your device to make sure it takes 220V. Adapters are cheap. I bought an international set a long time ago at Best Buy and I've been using them to travel around the world. I've seen a lot of people plugging their Ipods into USB ports at hostels and internet cafes. If you really HAVE to have your music, you should get the adapter that plugs in because not all places will expose their USB ports, but it's still relatively common.

You can look up train timetables online. Night trains and long distance trains usually require reservations, which will be little bit of money on top of what you paid for the pass.

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[info]picadilly_sq
2008-05-03 06:19 pm UTC (link)
1. If you go on eurorail's site there is a schedule which will tell you how long it takes to get from city to city
2. No, I believe you have to take the Eurostar, which is more expensive but way easier than flying, from London to either Paris or Brussles.
3. I've never been to either but from people I've talk to Vienna has a lot more stuff. Essentially its the Paris of Eastern Europe. But if you are short on time, i would say Budapest would be more managable. To help you decide look at a guidebook and see which one has more stuff.
4. Check to see if your charger works on a European current (i'm pretty sure your Ipod def will) Most things sold internationall will. If not, you will need a converter which in most cases is heavy. If your things do work on European currency (all of mine did) then you just need an adapter. Actually two because England and Europe have different plugs.

5. 4 days should be good in London but since you visiting your cousin, depending on how much stuff you want to see i might bump it up to 5 because spending time with her is going to cut into your sight-seeing time.
2 full days in Amsterdam should be perfect.
If you are not seeing anything in Germany I might suggest just flying. Depending on how long it takes to get from Amsterdam to Prague and i suspect its a loong time, its prob just as easy and cheap to fly (you will probably have to pay for either a hostel or overnight cabin if you take the train) to just fly.
Two full days in Vence=perfect, 4 in rome=perfect.

Have a great time!

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[info]millionbubbles
2008-05-04 04:56 am UTC (link)
Thanks. :)
Apparently we are going to Germany now. My friends wanna see Berlin, so I think it will work out. Though we may need to tweak our days a bit now though.

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[info]godlovesaliar
2008-05-13 09:02 am UTC (link)
Berlin is great!
I personally think Amsterdam is the worst city my country has. It´s dirty and the people suck, everything is expensive.. If i were you i´d stay there for 1 day and go to see Utrecht the other day. Or spend one more day in Berlin, they have lot´s of nice musea on the war and other interesting things to see!

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[info]herpickleness
2008-05-16 06:41 pm UTC (link)
where on the eurail site does it have a schedule?

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[info]bluwyngz
2008-05-03 06:39 pm UTC (link)
If you're going from London to Amsterdam, I would try to get a train/ferry combination deal. I traveled from Norwich, UK to Utrecht, Netherlands (via Amsterdam) last year and got a return ticket (including trains on both ends and the ferry) for £50. I was a student, but it sounds like you are too, so I'd check with STA. I remember the trains arriving right at the ferry docks, so no taxis or buses to take. Anyway, that would be my suggestion. From Paris to London, plane or train. It takes forever to take the train/ferry combo and the train station and ferry docks in Calais aren't near each other.

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[info]bouncie
2008-05-03 07:18 pm UTC (link)
If you are in Amsterdam take a canal trip , they have boats near the central station of amsterdam and they leave i think every 15 minutes. Gives you great sight of amsterdams marvelous canals and a guide will tell you (historical)stuff about it

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[info]sweeny_todd
2008-05-03 10:46 pm UTC (link)
I haven't been to Budapest, but I loved Vienna!

I think it is around 12 hours from Amsterdam to Prague (although don't quote me on that)

I think you can just get a plug converter before you go. I got a set of three which included US, UK and Europe, and I had no problem with mine.

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[info]umbluemusic
2008-05-04 05:21 am UTC (link)
I'm playing a concert in Croatia this summer in Opatija, I believe. ^_^ And Slovenia. I keep hearing amazing things about that region as well, so its cool that you've included it.

As for Vienna/Budapest - I keep hearing Budapest is more beautiful, but I am under the impression that they are both so close that you could stay in one and do a day trip to the other. My tour of Europe with the band will end in Vienna but there is a daytrip option to Budapest as well.

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(Anonymous)
2008-05-11 10:07 pm UTC (link)
did u know that you can fly to europe with EFCB for our low prices &&& choose to stay behind on your own. EFCB will chnage your flight back for ANY date you want (up to 4 months) for only $95. You can do a small tour with the group and become familar with the countries...then go off on your own!

we still have a few available spots for the month of July

feel free to check them out at www.efcollegebreak.com

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code: RIVERA5647

if you have any questions, im here to help

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victoria.rivera@students.dominican.edu

Happy Travels!

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