26 days in europe, pls help in preparing itinerary

There is no right and wrong, only what works for you. With your interests you chose some great places to go; Prague, Vienna and Budapest are three very different periods in history. The others I haven’t been to so I won’t comment other than to say that I just have been drawn to see German speaking lands.

You have overlooked the time between stops. 1-4 Amsterdam then 5-7 Berlin? Well you are arriving on day 1 so that’s half a day then you are going to lose the better part of either day 4 or 5 getting to Berlin. For me, generally speaking, if a major city is worth a visit, it’s worth 3 full uninterrupted days where you wake up and go to bed in the same day. That I know for a certain is the minimum for Prague and Budapest. Probably Vienna too if I were to be truly objective (they speak German, see statement above).

Overnight trains: Did it once when I was much younger. Memory is going so I am not sure how I resolved the issues. Here is how I see it at 50-something.

1. Wake, shower, eat, sightsee.
2. Return to hotel at noon and check out of Prague hotel and ask the hotel to watch my bags for the day
3. Stop whatever we are doing and pick up bags at hotel an hour or two before train time.
4. Arrive at train station at 9pm (or whatever time it is)
5. Get on train and delouse bed.
6. Screw around until midnight because this is new and wonderful and I can’t sleep.
7. Wake up at 6 am, dear G-d have we missed the stop????!!!
8. Get off train at 8 am.
9. Find way to hotel and ask them to watch bags until 2 pm checkin
10. Eat and sight see.
11. 2 pm check in and shower. OK, here’s the deal, I got less than 6 hours of sleep and it has been nearly 30 hours since I showered and I just spent a night in a hot train. You don’t want to be around me, I don’t want to be around me.
I would take the train from Prague to Vienna and spend one or two days, then after Budapest I would go back to Vienna for a day or two.

I would drop at least one town, if it were me so I can get more time in the other places.
I would spend at least two full days back in Paris before departing. Final decompression before returning to reality.

For ideas on Hungary or Budapest come to the Hungary forum. Glad to help.

I can’t get to where you want to be in 26 days. Drop one city and this works pretty well. Drop one city and all of Switzerland and you can investigate the smaller towns, castles, wine regions, etc. You are skipping over a lot of character by trying to do so much. I could have a blast in the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and maybe Slovakia for 26 days. My son is joining us for Christmas in Budapest then flying on to Paris for New Year. His fight from Budapest to Paris was only a few hundred dollars.

DAYS
1 Paris to Amsterdam
2 Amsterdam
3 Amsterdam
4 Amsterdam to Berlin
5 Berlin
6 Berlin
7 Berlin to Prague
8 Prague
9 Prague
10 Prague
11 Prague to Vienna (early morning train)
12 Vienna
13 Vienna to Budapest (late train)
14 Budapest
15 Budapest
16 Budapest
17 Budapest to Vienna (early morning train)
18 Vienna
19 Vienna to Munich (late train)
20 Munich
21 Munich
22 Munich to Switzerland? (no idea what your plans are for Switzerland)
23 Switzerland
24 Switzerland
25 Switzerland
26 Switzerland to Paris
27 Paris
28 Paris
29 Home from Paris.

Totally not what you want to do
1 Paris to Prague
2 Prague
3 Prague
4 Prague
5 Prague to Cesky Krumlov – you might consider hiring a car to visit some castles to and from Prague.
6 Cesky Krumlov
7 Cesky Krunlov to Vienna by Bean or CK Shuttle Service (or if you hired a car then CK back to Prague and take the train to Vienna, but I would do this a day earlier so I can spend a full day back in Prague before moving on.) The Czech countryside is amazing.
8 Vienna
9 Vienna/Melk/Vienna
10 Vienna to Gyor / Archabbey at Pannonhalma
11 Gyor to Budapest
12 Budapest
13 Budapest
14 Budapest to Eger
15 Eger and Tokaji
16 Eger to Budapest
17 Budapest
18 Budapest to Vienna
19 Vienna and Wachau Valley or anyone of a number of good day trips.
20 Vienna to Munich
21 Munich
22 Munich
23 Munich
24 Munich to Paris
25 Paris
26 Paris Home

I've always liked Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and Budapest as a combined swing through central Europe. My approach is more to make that a three week trip in itself, add a series of intermediate stops (in smaller towns) between the larger cities, and fly into-out of one end or the other (depends on season and flight deals).

My first impression is that Amsterdam and Paris are the odd cities out when trying to adjust your itinerary. They add the most distance. I like Amsterdam as a separate trip with the low countries (maybe adding northwest France or some of the western German cities to round out the trip).

Oktoberfest is worth seeing once (like Neuschwanstein) because it's so iconic. My favorite part is the parade on opening day that begins in downtown Munich with thousands of people in traditional dress (before the beer sets in). I would never visit Munich without planning a couple of nights in Salzburg - IMO one of the most beautiful little cities anywhere - because I like it so much.

hrb78,

Only you will know if youve planned too much or not enough. Think of this as your Shakedown Cruise. Once you get everything done and your trip is complete, you can reflect back and make adjustments on your next trip.

just realize you cant do/see everything so dont plan like it and you should do fine.

when i planned my first trip i was asking myself the same questions. But i assumed my time was a good guestimation and i used some guide books to help. What also helped me was that i didnt fill my day with things to do/see so if i needed more time at someplace i had some extra to allocate.

happy trails.

Hi,

In your case of 26 days, solo traveling, I would not have bought the Global Pass. The trip can be done with a Select Pass with Austria, Germany, Hungary, esp since you're flying to Berlin. Also, I would suggest cutting two days from Switzerland from the projected five. If you drop Switzerland totally, you have the night train option from Munich to Paris on the CNL, paying only the seat reservation in a six seat compartment if you don't pick a sleeper or couchette, which are pricey and extra.

Great inputs and ideas. I really appreciate it. I have cut down 2 days from Swiss and added a day in Cesky Krumlov and Vienna each. I agree I should not have bought global pass. I will exchange it for a 3 day Slovenia pass for $80 (cheapest option and discard it) and get back $1200. Assuming they allow to do that. Otherwise let go 15%.

I think I got reasonable air tickets at appropriate time/airport. Days listed below are excluding travel time.

Paris - flight - Berlin(3.5 days) - flight - Amsterdam(3.5 days) - flight - Geneva - train - Munich - flight(total Swiss 3 days including all flights) - Prague(2 days) - bus - Cesky Krumlov(1 day) - train - Munich(1 day) - car - Rothenburg(1 day) - car - Fussen(1.5 days) - car - Munich(return car) - train - Vienna(2.5 days) - train - Budapest(3.5 days) - flight - Paris

Paid $448 for all five flights listed above. I had to change the order of places based on the flight ticket deals.

Salzburg sounds interesting, but may be next time.

Still working on more details, so your inputs are very welcome. Thank you !!!

If you don't already have lodging in AMS and Munich, be forewarned that both are at a premium during your proposed stay.
The IBC conference has filled up AMS and surrounding towns.
Oktoberfest, likewise.

Thank you for this valuable tip. I am starting to book accommodation in Amsterdam and Munich right away. Thanks.

Hi,

I went over roughly at your age, then 37, solo, which has both pros and cons. You have to decide which can't cope with and which are tolerable. On dropping any portion of the itinerary, the key is to prioritize, what are the top priorities, then second level priorities in places you want to go, whether you decide to drop Berlin, (a logical argument can be made for that if no night train is in yout traveling plans), or Switzerland or Budapest, etc.

I came close once to being in Munich at Oktoberfest ten years earlier at 27, didn't stick around in the slightest to see it. As pointed out above, you may have accomodation problems in Munich, either nothing is available (even at hostels) or the prices have skyrocketed from their normal prices. I stay at a Pension at the train station in Munich, ca 45 Euro in the summer. At Oktoberfest that won't be the price. I suggest that should you run into " no room" or too high prices in Munich, stay in another town, such as Augsburg, nice Pensionen and hostel there.