Study Abroad Student / Solo Traveler - 6 Cities in 7 days?

Use rome2rio.com to find transportation options and estimated travel time (a little on the low side IMO). Use bahn.com for train schedules. Buses are a lot slower than trains in much of Europe because the trains can go twice as fast (or more) than buses and don't encounter traffic either. Also consider that weather events (snow, ice, rain,fog) can impact all means of tranportation.

Most of us would recommend choosing 2 cities.

You won't see much more than the inside of a bus, train, or hotel room. Pick two that are close together and fly into one and out of the other.

6 cities in 7 days. Dreamer.

Check out the website of Andy Steves' company, Weekend Student Adventures (he is Rick's son). There are several sample itineraries, including some multi-city trips with both guided and unguided options. The Central Europe trip is 9 days and 4 cities, which for most of us non-student types is way too fast. But if you have youth on your side and don't mind spending most of your time travelling, go for it.

What's the point? You won't see anything of the cities you intend to visit. Why choose those cities? What interests you about them?

It appears to me that this is simply a checklist to say "i've been to so and so" rather than making a meaningful visit.

Too much - draw it out logically with travel times. If the train arrives at 2PM and you need to leave the next morning at 8,what can you do there? If you want to stay out late and enjoy nightlife will you be ok with an early train the next day? Too much rushing.
For legs that require flights remember to factor in time to get to the airport - they are often 30-60 minutes out of the center - arriving 2 hours ahead, then travel into the arrival city. Meaning a 2 hour flight takes 5+hours of transit.

7 nights I'd do 3 cities if you are up for a fast pace. 2 nights each. You could push it to 4 cities if you are aware of the timing and pick places close together. 2-2-1-2. I personally would do 2, but I'm in my 30s. I like 3 nights per city to enjoy it more, but you are younger and can push it a bit. 6 cities is not pushing, it is way over the line and you won't enjoy it.

Laurel is absolutely correct. Your memories will be of bus stations, train stations, and the world whizzing by the window. For the amount of time you have, pick two places that are close together from which you can make day trips. That way you'll actually be able to enjoy the trip.

Before you sincerely consider traveling all night, or in the early morning/morning make detailed checks of the ability to do that with the city pairs that you are considering. You will find that most night trains are now only history and that those combinations often require you to change (standing on a cold December train platform for many minutes or hours in the middle of the night) and that overnight buses are too slow to work for you on such a tight schedule.

Any particular reasons you picked the financial capitals of Milan and Zurich instead of the artistic / beautiful / historic areas of Rome/Florence/Venice or the Swiss mountains?

Chose Milan because its cheap to fly there to catch a train to Switzerland. Wasn't really going to stay long in Milan but cheaper than flying straight into somewhere in Switzerland from Madrid. I've already been to Venice, Florence, and Rome (3 cities in 12 days last summer along w/ Pisa day trip.) I wanted to focus on Zurich or Interlaken, Switzerland now that I think about it.

You may want to check the budget airlines, Vueling and Easyjet.
A flight from Madrid to Geneva takes 1H55m. Cost now showing between $46 & 55.

Nigel's point about the overnight trains is a good one. My wife and I went overnight from Frankfurt to Berlin. At midnight, we arrived at Hannover. The next train left at 2:45 AM. Once on the train to Berlin, my wife decided to read for an hour (??). We got 2 hours of sleep, and were useless the whole next day. I've done nighttrains where you could sleep, but it's another thing when you do not have 6 solid hours to get some rest.

I see that OP has revised his itinerary. 2 cities max, my friend. Remember, you are traveling to see something other than the mode of transport. They say that the journey is more important than the destination. All seasoned travelers know that this comment is totally wrong and idiotic. The destination is what you want. The journey just gets you there.

One other point - of all your destinations, Switzerland is by far the most expensive. If you are on a limited budget, consider Croatia, Austria, Germany, Hungary. If I were you, I would go to Vienna, Austria for 4 days and Budapest for 4 days. These are wonderful cities, with a great culture, lots of students (ruin pubs in Budapest are really cool), and are not as expensive as Switzerland. By far.

Just a budget suggestion: stay on the non-Swiss sides of the Alps and you will save money, and not have to change currencies.

Thanks! I might try to break it up to see some of the other cities over weekend trips then focus the big break on the two cities I want to see most--probably Vienna/Budapest. I am a solo female traveler so thats my next concern. Thanks to everyone who responded!

Go for it you are young; you will learn from it; it is not the end of the world. I have friends musicians that travel like that to get to gigs.

Fly Madrid to Budapest
Train Budapest to Vienna
Train Vienna to Munich
Train Munich to Zurich
Train Zurich to Milan
Fly Milan to Madrid

Take a plane instead of the train where ever it is available

Hi,

You need to reduce the number of places in order to make the trip logistically feasible and since you have a limited schedule, in your place , I would do night trains, such as from Prague to Vienna, or Munich to Budapest, if you want maximize the time available.

If you have no problems taking night trains, ( I don't), then use them as another option. Night trains run from Italy (Verona, Venice) to Munich. Munich is one of the hubs for night train routes.

I would suggest dropping Switzerland.

Hi!
Thanks for the response!!

I changed the length of the trip 11 days---

and have decided to visit 4/5 cities in 11 days

Budapest, Hungary
Vienna, Austria ---possibly Salzburg, also
Berlin, Germany
Czech Republic

Hi!
Thanks for the response!!

I changed the length of the trip 11 days---

and have decided to visit 4/5 cities in 11 days

Budapest, Hungary
Vienna, Austria ---possibly Salzburg, also
Berlin, Germany
Czech Republic

So glad you carved out more time ! You won't regret it !

I changed the length of the trip 11 days--- and have decided to visit
4/5 cities in 11 days

Budapest, Hungary Vienna, Austria ---possibly Salzburg, also Berlin,
Germany Czech Republic

Your 6 cities in 7 days seemed like mere items to check off on bucket list -- running around without really experiencing an area. With 11 days, I would pick no more than 3 cities. Consider the travel time between each region and the fact that you will lose precious visiting time by schlepping from one city/region to another. Berlin to Vienna isn't a 30 minute train ride for example. Budapest to Salzburg isn't a quick trip either. Food for thought.

The OP needs to sit down and actually do some times and money. Transportation costs money, time, and mental energy. We traveled this summer, and spent no fewer than 3 nights in any one place. 11 days with 5 cities is actually 6 days of actual visiting the cities, each of which you will get 1 or 2 days in. Vienna is a 3-4 day stop, as is Budapest.

My ideal approach here would

Salzburg - 3 nights
Vienna - 4 nights
Budapest - 4 nights

Hi,

It is better with 11 days, very doable. I would suggest, however, only 3 cities, Berlin, Budapest, Vienna since with all three you have the night train connection, giving you another day. Between Budapest and Berlin is a night train connection, same with Berlin and Vienna. Look at the time of arrival on the night route, from 0600 to 0800 hrs. is ideal. That's what I aim for in the summer.

I've done a few times but on a longer route via Munich. In your case with the time limit, take the direct night train Vienna to Berlin via the Czechia.