Backpacking/railpacking for college-aged kids

Start by going to the library and checking out Europe Through the Back Door, as well as several guidebooks, to learn some basic travel skills and start selecting places you'd like to go. Once you have an idea of how long/where/what you can start looking at how to get from place to place. Most of your basic questions will be answered in ETBD, and we can help you fine tune an itinerary when you get to that point.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

www.thetravelersnotebook.com
www.letsgo.com
www.backpackeurope.com
www.backpackingeurope.com
www.studenttravel.about.com

In addition to the guidebooks, watch some travel DVDs on countries or
cities you think you want to visit. Globetrekker has a good series of DVDs that is geared towards backpackers. Rick Steves DVDs are also helpful for budget travel and travel skills.

There are many free podcasts you can download and listen to that can help you with planning.

Work on creating a realistic budget by getting a sense of what you have to spend daily for lodging, food, transportation, sightseeing and miscellaneous costs. You have time to save a bit extra for this trip-one brownbag lunch or 1 less Starbucks coffee a week now and you'll have a good bit of money for Europe.

Depending how many of you are travelling, don't think hostels are the most cost effective. Sometimes you can save more by staying in a budget hotel, b&b, university housing, apartments or campsite if there are 3 or 4 people splitting costs.

Without question, the Lets'Go books are the best for college age travelers. Check out their website. They are writtn by college kids, for college kids. You'll love it! :)

I'd BUY it and take it with. I would definitely follow the suggestion to check out books from the library too. Rick's Europe through the back door for general, and Rick's and the Lonely Planet books for individual countries.

The Lonely Planet all or part of Europe type books are not all that great. Very out of date compared to Let's Go, however their individual country books are fantastic!

For planning, check out Rick's map of train prices and times, and sit down one night soon, and decide where you want to go.

Last tips: Hot places first, cold place last (save them for August). AND if you can leave in May/June, by all means do. You'll save a ton over July/Aug in most over Europe.

Have fun! :)

Your trip isn't until 2011. I don't recommend you buy Let's Go, or any guidebook other than ETTBD, until you can get the 2011 edition. Borrow them from the library or browse through a copy at your local bookstore during the planning stages. The info on sights will be pretty much the same year to year, but you want the most up to date info on lodging, nightlife and restaurants.

Rough Guide also publishes guidebooks that have a good mix of lodging recommendations and cover many more places than some of the other guides, unfortunately they don't update yearly but they can help you plan.

A good overall strategy for college students is first to read "Europe Through the Backdoor" for general information about European travel, then go to Let's Go, Lonely Planet and The Rough Guide for specifics. I wouldn't recommend Rick Steves' individual guidebooks for college students for a few reasons. One, his picks for lodging and restaurants tend to be outside of a student budget. Two, his books aren't much concerned with nightlife. Third, as a former student traveler (long time ago!), I remember sometimes having to stop in places I didn't intend. In these cases, it's good to have a guidebook that covers the whole country- Rick Steves only covers selected highlights.