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Need help planing a trip

Posted by on

I bought tickets to my parents to starting from these for 21 days in Europe and my daugther will travel to help them. We are Costa Rican but my daugther been twice (School trips, not an expert) in London , Italy and France. We have co cerros about the Eurorail pass, is it as good as it sounds to be? Here is the rough plan, this will be the only chance for them to visit North Europe and just to get the most exciting of the following destinations; excuse my broken English

1- start in Ireland 2 days and after taking a hop on hop off in Dublin they want to. See what will be the perfect options to see beautiful cliffs and best Castle. Please advise me with the best option of transportation for each country.

2- next London and cross the channel to Belgium , only one night here, what is the most relevant, is it any trolley or something similar for a day tour?

3- same a Belgium now in Amsterdam 2days here, any ideas for a budget city tour?

4- they want to take off to cross Germany from here on a escenic train to Berlin, what it will be the most exciting way breathtaking views?

5- then want to cross to Praha, again please give me ideas at this beautiful place2 days.

6- Viena, both music lovers special classical, please advise me how to take advantage of the short 2 days here

7- the idea is to take an escenic train to head Switzerland crossing the Alps and open to hear what would be the most amazing way to see them. Thank you

8- end of trip an Paris seeing the most relevant of it to finish taking a train to Amsterdam where they will flight back to Costa Rica. Thank you very much for any suggestions you can add, also do I need to make reservations on a night speed train on the last day to Amsterdam or is not required

Posted by
17908 posts
  1. Depart Costa Rica
  2. Arrive Ireland late afternoon
  3. In Dublin
  4. Dublin to London arrive late afternoon
  5. London
  6. London to Belgium by train, arrive late afternoon
  7. Belgium to Amsterdam
  8. Amsterdam
  9. Amsterdam to Berlin by train (direct I think is 6 hours)
  10. Berlin
  11. Berlin to Prague
  12. Prague
  13. Prague to Vienna
  14. Vienna
  15. Vienna
  16. Vienna to ? Switzerland
  17. One night in Switzerland
  18. Switzerland to Paris
  19. Paris
  20. Paris
  21. Home

Way the heck too much for me. I would suggest you spend no less than two full days in the city, then one day to travel, then two more full days in the next city, then another day of travel. To do that you have to drop at least two towns. My real preference would be 3 days in each city would narrows the trip down to about 5 stops.

Posted by
20084 posts

Its a pretty good list. When are they planning to go? Can we assume your parents are in good health and up for this as far has hauling their bags? One rolling suitcase per person weighing no more than 20 kg. Less is always better, 15 kg would be ideal.
A couple of notes, The scenery between Amsterdam and Berlin will not be anything to write home about. Flat farm fields with industrial cities in between, like Wolfsburg, home of the Volkswagen.
If they are music lovers, Berlin, Prague, and Vienna should please. In Prague, enjoy an opera at the Estates Theater if available. They are not too expensive ($50-$75 US), have a competent cast, and its the very same theater where Mozart himself conducted the premier of Don Giovanni.
If they want to do the top Swiss scenic train, it would have to be the Glacier Express. They could travel by train from Vienna to Chur, Switzerland, also a scenic rail trip in itself through the Alps. Spend the night in Chur and then continue on the Glacier Express to Brig, then continue on to Montreux on Lake Leman (Geneva) for the night and then continuing to Paris from there.
No night train between Paris and Amsterdam. It is only 3 1/2 hours on a fast train.

Posted by
6113 posts

I agree with post #1 - far too much traveling and not enough time in each destination. By the time you leave each hotel then go to the station and catch each train then have to find your hotel at your destination, you will have lost half a day. London to Belgium - you need ideally to be at the station 1 hour before departure and Belgium is an hour ahead.

Switzerland is very expensive. If you need to end in Amsterdam, why are you going near the start then going back there? Why not cut Switzerland and Belgium and spend a few nights more in each place? Look at cheap flighs from London to Germany such as Easyjet.

Posted by
14 posts
  1. List item

Thank You so much for your advise. That is very helpful. They are going June 1 rest and I'm still working on the program, debating if get the rail pass for 10 or 5 days and book flights. I definitely took Belgium out of the program and working on itineraries! Also want to ask what American people work about phones in Europe, what is the most convenient plan to do about it since they will have to use gps a lot to get to hotels?
Thank you so mucho for your value information and any more suggestions is greatly appreciate it. Thanks

Posted by
1717 posts

Hello lillymch66. I recommend : be at Ireland, 4 whole days (5 nights) for them to have time for going to 2 regions in Ireland. I agree with the first reply : travel to less cities in Europe. I do not recommend riding in a train at night. Most people would not do good sleeping in a train. Why will they need to use GPS ?

Posted by
14 posts

Need a gps to get to the hotels, besides my daughter at the end of the trip with them will have to stay in Rome for College abroad July month and I want to find out what's the best option for phones in Europe?

Posted by
17908 posts

AT&T and TMobile here in the US have very convenient plans for use in Europe. You can purchase pay as you go phones in Europe or you can purchase international SIM cards that you can put in any unlocked phone. Personally I don't much care for the SIM card solution. I've tried it and wasn't very satisfied. I don't have an answer for your particular situation. Sorry.... Once she gets for Italy for her college study I would imagine that an Italy pay as you go phone would be the best choice.

Most hotels can be found with a tourist map and a few questions.

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