Europe om a budget

Thanks As seniors don't want a youth hostel or a 5 star hotel We have been to Europe several times but not traveling on our own for an extended period We can afford nice accommodations but want to conserve where we can We want to go to Ireland &Scotland plus other cities on the Europe mainland We have used vrbo in the U.S. Several times but aren't familiar with Europe lodging We assume a Euro rail pass would make sense but that is a guess Any advice would be appreciated

As Emma said, your question is like saying "how much does it cost to see the US?" The answer depends a lot on you - your interests, your needs, and your preferences. It also depends on where you want to go - London and the area around it are going to be more expensive.

It sounds like you thought you would have one base for 30 days and see the UK from there. This is not a good plan - it's small compared to the US, but not so small that you can see all of it from one base. Four bases, each for one week, is much better (or two bases for two weeks each, if you prefer slower travel). And if you want to see London, one of these bases should be in London itself; any money you save staying outside the city will be eaten up with commuting costs, not to mention time. Londoners have posted here that any place outside the city center with convenient transportation is unlikely to be cheaper; if it's cheaper, there's a reason, and not a good one (bad area, too far, messy transit, etc).

Along those lines, getting to Ireland from England/Scotland/Wales involves either most of a day on surface transit, or a flight; you can't just do it as a day trip. So, if you want to see Ireland, you need a separate base there. Remember the famous saying: In the US 100 years is a long time, and in Europe 100 miles is a long distance. From what I've read, that goes double for Ireland (small winding roads where you simply can't go fast).

To find costs of hotels, a great place to start is Booking dot com: http://www.booking.com/. You can start to see what places cost and what you get for your money. If you want to stay in apartments, you can look at AirBnb: https://www.airbnb.com/. Again, you don't have to book with these sites, but they make a good start for reference. You can see how much it will cost you to stay in places you find suitable for your needs in each area. This will give you a much better idea of costs than any of us guessing what you're looking for.

As Emma said, trains in England have moved to a pricing model where you get substantial discounts for booking non-refundable tickets in advance, and pay a lot for last minute tickets. A BritRail pass may work for you, or you may want a rental car for part or all of your trip, or you may be able to make advance purchase tickets work. Once you know where you want to go, you can figure out the best transit options.

For travel by train just on the island (England, Scotland, Wales) a BritRail pass can be a good value and very flexible to use, such as for your 4 or 8 longest train travel days within a month. Standard class is fine and is cheaper than the senior discount in 1st class. Pass does not cover buses, ferries, nor trains to/in any neighbor country.

If you are based in England and making short trips to the Continent, Eurostar trains run direct between London and Lille, Brussels, or Paris and ticket prices in 2nd class range from $65 to $300 per person, with the best rates selling out early, even the senior-discount versions. For international destinations beyond those cities, I recommend flying; see www.skyscanner.com.