Need Advice on How Soon to Arrive for the Tour

If you can, I agree with arriving 2 days before the tour starts. You'll have a full day to recover from jet lag, and if you are delayed by a day, then you'll still have time to spare to get to the tour. Plus, it gives you a little time to explore your first destination before the tour. I went on the Best of Scotland tour several years ago and got there 3 days in advance, just so I could visit places that weren't on the tour.

I took two Rick Steves tours in 2022, the first times times in 17 trips outside the U.S. starting in 1993 that I went on organized tours of any kind.

In September, I arrived two days in advance of a seven-day tour of Rome. In October, I arrived about one hour in advance of a 14-day tour of Eastern Europe.

I arrived two days in advance of the Rome tour start for a reason. My brother, an executive who frequently goes to Germany on business, met me in the Italian capital.

I think arrival one day in advance should be fine. However, the two-day advanced arrival does give you time to recharge and do some early sight-seeing.

Take a look at the itinerary for your specific tour and see if there are things that you want to see that are not on the agenda. For example, when we did Paris and the HOF, the Eiffel Tower and Versailles were not part of the tour. So if we really wanted to see them, we would have needed 1 1/2 days before or after the tour to include that.

I've usually arrived a day ahead, which has always worked out fine because I'm on the east coast. If I had connecting flights in the US before the transatlantic flight I would probably want more of a cushion.

This is very helpful I appreciate you all!

If you've got the possibility of going in 2 days ahead, I'd definitely do that. It gives you time in case there is some sort of delay in your flight/s and gives you a chance to get out and around in the sunlight for a full day to adjust. There is SO much to see and do in Paris that is not covered by many of the tours. I'll add that Rick's tours are busy so the better you are able to adjust the more fun you'll have.

For reference I've done 12 Rick tours (plus 13 Road Scholar tours). I usually go in up to a week ahead of time but I'm retired and enjoy independent travel around my tours. I did Best of Italy in October and got to Milan 5 days ahead of the tour start. When I did Paris and Heart of France I arrived the day before but I was doing a back to back with the Best of England so had been in Europe for 3 weeks or so by then anyway.

Which tour are you doing?

By the way....major disclaimer here...I LOVE Paris and there is never "enough" time for this wonderful city! AND I'm not even a "city girl"!!!

We always arrive at least 2 days before the tour, and as much as a week!

I agree with stan to check the itinerary to see what you might want to do or see that the tour doesn't cover. And definitely allow at least one day to recover from the trip and orient yourself. So I come down on the side of at least 2 days; more if you have the time and resources.

The (only) time we came a week early was this past spring. We were taking the Loire to the South of France tour, which starts in Chartres. We knew we wanted to spend a 2 or 3 days in Chartres itself pre-tour, and we also had a chance to meet up with some friends in Paris. And who doesn't want more time in Paris? Luckily, we were able to fit all that into our travel schedule, and had a wonderful time. Our only regret was that we didn't have longer in Paris and in Chartres.

What tour are you taking? Just curious.

Happy travels!

One day early should work, although I wonder if your arrival flight lands at your European start location in the early morning, or later in the afternoon or evening? Will you be there a full day ahead of time, or really just one night? Jet lag often hits me the second day after I arrive, not the first day after I get there. Allowing a second day might give you more time to adjust, as well to see any sights you know won’t be part of the tour. If you don’t have additional sights or experiences to include, and can get a good nights sleep the night before your tour begins, one day should be adequate.

Also, would leaving an extra day ahead of time affect the arrangements you’ll need to make at home, before you leave? Someone watching your home, taking care of pets, etc.? Will that require extra planning? And an extra night in Europe means one more night hotel costs, if that matters.

I arrive 4 night (3 days) or more before the tour starts. Last year and this to a different town from where the tour starts. Then I move to the tour hotel the day before the tour starts. This gives me time to survive jet lag, see an addition city and settle in for the first stop of the tour.

If you have time constraints, arrive 2 days before, 1 for the airport and 1 to settle in. Try not to travel in the day the tour starts. If your tour starts in a different town than the airport, you don’t want the stress and anxiety of figuring out trains/transportation or being delayed.

Enjoy your tour!

Hi, if you’re able to arrive earlier, that is preferable. Whether it helps for any flight schedule glitches, or it helps to get over jet lag, it’s nice to know you have some buffer time by the time you will start your tour.

For some of the tours, we arrived three days early and added a pre-location to our experience. For instance, for an Italy tour, we started with three nights in Verona and enjoyed it very much before taking the train to meet up with the group in Lake Como.

For a Paris tour, I started with a night at a different hotel near the Luxembourg Garden before switching to the RS hotel near the Eiffel Tower. It’s handier to just stay at the same hotel beforehand, but I wanted to save some money, and I was familiar with the other neighborhood and taking the metro.

We have always flown home the day the tour ends - sometimes on an early flight. If you only have a couple of extra days, I would suggest adding them to the front of your itinerary. And, if you’re beginning in Paris, there’s so many ways to enjoy those extra days!

When arriving early do try and get rooms at the first tour hotel. Saves the hassle of packing and changing hotels. Deal direct with the hotel, don’t go through Booking.com or similar. Just tell the hotel that you are on the Rick Steve’s’ tour and will be arriving a couple of days early. All being well you should stay in the same room and you may even get the tour rate.

I have always arrived the day before. It has worked, but last year a flight delay actually meant that I would have been arriving same day without a quick pivot. I know some people who arrive same day. I would not be comfortable with that.

Thank you all so much for your input. I have booked us to arrive 2 days early. It will give us time to settle in and explore on our own. We are doing the Heart of France tour and are really looking forward to it