The best way to travel for two months in Europe

First off, there is no such things as Eurail. That is not a train company but a travel agency ticket pass arrangement. If you are willing to commit to a fixed schedule regarding trains, then you can book train tickets at deep discount on the national rail sites. But these are no change, no refund type of tickets. Without doing the math you probably would save about 50% over a rail pass fromEurail.

You are planning very long distances by bus. I would not enjoy it. Especially in western Europe train is substantially faster. Prices are pretty good if you can buy tickets ahead. You want to see Prague in one day? You got two months for it so it should be doable. I am not sure about your budget. Are flights included in your $ 5000? That would mean you would have less than 2000 for one month of long distance travel, accommodation, food. Great Britain, Switzerland and Denmark are very expensive countries. Everything cost substantially more there than here. If I were you I would choose few countries which are next to each other instead of being all over Europe. I would also do homework regarding my budget and if necessary drop the most expensive countries and get some cheaper ones.

The Mantra I keep quoting on this site is "there is no such thing as a Eurail train".
Eurail is a US-based travel agency that sells passes which are valid on many (but not all) of the railway companies in Europe.
Unless you are intensively using trains (long distance trip every day), it is usually cheaper to buy tickets for the trips you actually want from the railway companies that actually run the trains. In most cases, tickets bought 2-3 months in advance are a lot cheaper than tickets bought on the day

First, I would question your use of buses. Buses are in most cases much slower than trains, have a much more limited service, and are more uncomfortable. Bus from Edinburgh to London will take all day, a train will take 4½ hours. London to Paris will also take all day, train 2½ hours. A ticket from London to Paris bought today for a June travel date starts at £34.50. Paris to Brussels in April between €29 and €59, trip time 1½ hours.

Also there are many cheap airlines in Europe. Once you get over a certain distance, it is cheaper and a lot faster to use a budget airlines. I would re-work the order of your trip as follows to avoid doubling back. My suggestion would be (though you could possibly improve on it):

• Fly into Dublin
• Budget airline to Edinburgh
• train to London
• Train to Paris
• train to Brussels
• train to Amsterdam
• budget airline to Barcelona
• budget airline to Prague
• train to Munich
• train to Innsbruck
• train to Interlaken (note spelling)
• train to Florence
• train to Rome
• Budget airline to Copenhagen
• Fly home

I am not commenting on your choice of places to visit, that is personal preference. Except to say what. no Venice!

Oops, Bethany, I've just noticed your mention of your Sinuses. You may want to re-work my suggestions about budget airlines.
Re "and staying outside in Scotland". What, are you planning to sleep on park benches? Unless you have full camping gear, no way. People die sleeping outside in Scotland.

Never stay one night anywhere, always stay at least 2 nights. You always loose ½ day travelling, or a full day if by bus. Plan B, drop Barcelona and Copenhagen, they are too far off route. Fly back from Rome. Tell yourself you can always come back another day.
If your budget is tight, skip Switzerland. I live here, and I know it is the most expensive country in Europe by a long way (2nd: Austria and Sweden).

Austria is actually not among expensive countries. Much more expensive are: Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Finland. Also more expensive is Great Britain. The cheapest countries in Europe are the former communist countries, the farther east the cheaper. Also Greece, Spain and Portugal are relatively cheap.

I see your note about the flight issues, but I still think I would replace some of your longer bus and train rides with budget flights; see www.skyscanner.com. Ryan Air and other competitors serve Barcelona-Brussels for under $50 and the flight takes about 2 hours, versus 20 hours by bus or 10 hours by train. That's a long way to go, roundtrip, just to see Barcelona and (it sounds like) no more of Spain or France. You could also fly from London to Barcelona, to reduce backtracking on the ground.

If you don't want to fly, then look a Eurail Global Flexipass, for either 10 travel days ($530) or 15 travel days ($694) within two months, instead of the shorter pass plus bus combo. With the pass, you must reserve well in advance for TGV and Thalys trains which you will take to/from Paris in both directions, e.g., at the time you buy the pass. You also must buy seat reservations for the faster Italian trains, but can easily do that in Italy.

If you're thinking of visiting several places for only one full day each because you're only mildly interested, I think that indicates that you need to do more research into those destinations. The more you read, the more options you will become aware of and the better you will understand what you're seeing. More research could also help you identify interesting destinations closer to your main cities, without such long travel distances.

1994,

just some general comments.

Regarding the sinus issue. Have you had a doctor look into the issue? are there any medicines that will help alleviate or eliminate the symptoms?

regarding where you want to go. you may want to break out a map of the area you want to see and try to figure out an efficient path to take. it can save you time & $$$.

Also, have you thought about cutting back on the quantity (days) of places so that you will have a little more $$ to spend on the places you want to go?

also, for what you have budgeted for 2 months, thats my budget for 1 month and im not looking at sleeping out under the stars either.

happy trails

Thanks for everyone's input! I think I'll definitely fly from Barcelona to Brussels. For Switzerland and Austria I'll be trying to couch surf, but if that doesn't work out I have enough in my budget to spend a few nights each. There's absolutely no skipping Switzerland, Spain, Paris, or Great Britain. I have a friend in the London area who should let me crash for a few nights, and possibly family that I'll end up visiting (my dad's cousin's ex-husband's family, so that's iffy). I'm trying to get in as much as I can, because I may not be able to travel again for a long time since I'm graduating and I'll have to get a job and start paying back student loans when I return. I would rather spend one day seeing the big city than spend an extra day in Paris to pay to go up the Eiffel tower and buy a souvenir keychain :)

Italian fast train tickets can be bought up to 120 days in advance, other countries usually up to 90 days in advance for super-economy fares, but these cheap tickets cannot be changed.

When are you planning to go? Off-season might save you some money. $3900 (if you can get airfare for $1100) for 60 days is about $65/day, which is tight. How much are you budgeting for total transportation expenses? That may reduce your funds by $900, leaving you only $50 per day for food, lodging, sightseeing and incidentals. Not to mention emergencies that may arise.

I would limit some travel by choosing fewer long distance destinations. If you have places on your list with the notation, not much you want to see there, then spend that time where you do want to be somewhere. This won't be your only trip, even if the next one is a few years away.

Look at hostels in London. You say you have a place to stay, but I have found that sometimes changes. The YHA hostels are clean and safe, and you can stay for £15.00 per bed. Look at this website for a place to stay in London:
http://www.yha.org.uk/places-to-stay/london

Whatever you do, please do not "sleep outside" in Edinburgh. That is not safe in any city. There are hostels there, too. By the way, you are missing a lot by taking the bus or train from Edinburgh to London and not seeing anything in between. There's some great stuff you would enjoy.

"Is there a cheaper way to do this?" The major expense of your trip is transportation, because you are moving around so much. I would cut a few destinations and spend more quality time in each country. You have possibly doubled or tripled your trip costs by moving around so much. I am in no way criticizing. It's just that you asked if there was a cheaper way to do this.

Do not worry that you will not be able to return to Europe once you start working. You will have an income then, better cash flow, have credit cards and hopefully a savings account that will grow in the first two years you are working. You will get a one week vacation from your job each year, and you can spend that in Europe. Instead of work restricting you, it will actually free you to travel more, because you will have a steady stream of cash coming in. Some people here on this website go to Europe every year on their vacation. When you are working, you may be able to do this.

Hi,

As others have said here, no need to sleep outside if you mean in the parks. Not only is the big safety factor to be considered, you could also get rained on. If that doesn't prove to be uncomfortable, the police partrols come around and are aware of kids sleeping in parks, and they will wake you up, ask for ID, and tell you to move on.

I suggest you check out Norwegian Air for your flights. They only fly from a few places in the US, but if you can easily get to one of the departure cities, you could save $$$.

I'm not sure where you live or when you're planning to go, but right now Norwegian Air has flights from Orlando to Rome for $438 on June 24; you could work your way up to Copenhagen and fly back to Orlando from there on Aug. 24 for $225.

Flights would be even cheaper if you're traveling in the fall.

I'll be a little less pessimistic of your plans. Keep in mind that many of us here are older and while many still travel on budget, there is a big difference between budget travel and the college-roaming-Europe travel. I did many of the things your are considering once (many years ago) and in some ways it is easier to get around now and in some ways not as easy.

First, do consider how much you are traveling from point to point. There is an expense in doing that and while some places can be quickly seen in a couple of days, you will absorb more if you slow it down just a bit. Or don't have such a wide net of the continent to cover. Two months seems like a lot, but the time will go quickly. You might also find yourself burned out after a month so be prepared to have a day or two every so often to just rest.

Do some cost comparisons on a Eurail pass verses advanced ticket discounts. You are still young enough to get 2nd class so it will make it cheaper, but often it is much cheaper to buy in advance. But if you don't know the exact schedule and want to be flexible, a pass might still work for you. Keep in mind that all high-speed trains and some others now require seat reservations in addition to the pass (and that comes with a cost).

You have a situation in which you have more time than money. I've done a fair amount of that type of travel and so I don't think it's so bad to take busses and trains. You see a lot of great landscape and countryside that way. Especially considering your sinuses, don't worry about not taking flights.

The most expensive places to visit on your list are London, Paris, and Barcelona. Copenhagen isn't cheap, but skipping alcohol is a good way to avoid excess costs there. The city also has good street food so you can avoid more expensive meals. I've done well on the cheap with street food, buying some essential groceries that I carry along with me and ethnic food in places like London and Paris. Never a need for fast food either.

I've never slept outside myself but it seems many places have cracked down on such things. Carefully understand the rules and laws and always be aware of your own security.

Thanks everyone who replied! I looked more into trains and revised my plans. This still isn't set in stone, especially Italy, but I have pretty much calculated the costs of all the travel, including planned day trips.

Hello Bethany.1994,
We appreciate your quick response, saying your revised tentative itinerary for your trip at Europe and Britain. If your total expense for the trip (47 nights) will be $ 5000. (U.S. Dollars), I guess : most of your overnight accomodations will be at Hostels (a bunk in a dorm room, shared with other people). I think most people, sleeping on a bunk in a Hostel dorm, feel very tired and miserable when they awaken each morning. If a person experiences that, very many nights, the person will have low energy, and be in an unpleasant mood, and the person is likely to become ill. In one of my trips to Europe, I became ill : bronchitis. It was caused by physical exhaustion. Bronchitis causes a person to feel more tired. I cancelled some of my travel in that trip, I stayed at one hotel for five nights, I attempted to rest during the day, one day. At Hostels, I think people are required to be out of the Hostel during the day.
I am much older than you. When I was your age, I did international travel (a 30 day trip). Some of my overnight accommodations were not comfortable. I slept on the floor in an airport one night. I do not recommend doing that.
I think : if a person will spend $ 5000. for a big trip to Europe, the trip should be a pleasant experience. We are concerned that your trip at Europe will be unpleasant for you if you sleep on a bunk in a Hostel dorm most of the nights. You might know a person who slept on a bunk in Hostel dorms in Europe. But what was the total number of consecutive nights of doing that ?

My only comment is that you are focusing on larger cities and might want to slot in some overnight time in more rural areas. I feel that Europe is at its finest in the smaller towns and villages. Ok, one more comment - I don't think that your only experience in Spain should be Madrid. If I were you, I would reduce Munich, skip Lucerne and add all the nights to Spain (Sevilla, Barcelona, etc).

You don't have to worry, I'll be able to sleep just fine in a hostel. I've slept four girls to a double bed before as well as outside on concrete with only a sleeping bag. I've gone camping a lot with my family, so if I can endure sleeping on the ground and my dad's snoring, I'm sure I will be fine with dorm style-beds. I'll enjoy the trip much more staying in hostels where I can meet more travelers rather than isolated in an expensive hotel. If something like an illness does arise, I do plan on having an emergency fund of $500, so staying in a hotel for a night or two to recover wouldn't be a burden or mess up my plans too much.

As for Spain, Madrid was the cheapest place I found to fly out of. Of course if this changes by the time I actually buy my ticket I'll adjust my plans, but I had friends who went to Madrid and loved it, so I'm not worried about missing out. (And I especially don't want to skip Switzerland, despite it's cost.) As for the smaller cities, not shown in this is the day trips I have planned (though I've factored those costs into my travel plans). There are 8 so far, and I might factor in a few others, particularly in England or France.

Hi,

You can assume that most of the rooms in a hostel are dorm rooms, be they 4,6, or even 10 bed rooms. These dorm rooms nowadays include the WC and shower. I usually choose a 6 bed dorm room, if I don't want a private room...depends. You get use to a bunk bed, they're comfortable enough. Fortunately, two of my trips were done under 25, alone, and stayed almost exclusively at hostels If you tire of hostels, another option is the dorm at universities for a change of atmosphere and where you can also get a private room. To avoid school groups (sometimes more than one at the hostel), stay at the private, independent hostels instead of the HI ones.

Hi,

On your revised itinerary: how do you plan on going from Amsterdam to Munich? That route you can do it by night train (direct) on the CNL line, the best night train in Germany. That may be an option. If you do decide on a Youth Pass, the Pass covers the ride, but it's mandatory for you to reserve a seat, which costs less than 20 Euro from start to the terminus (Munich-Amsterdam).

Hello Bethany.1994
You do not know the people in a hostel dorm.

I did not suggest that you be a guest in an expensive hotel.

Bethany - It is clear from some of the posts that you'll need to filter the advice you get (as always). As I noted, this forum tends more to older, vacation type travelers. And while we tend to have a lot of experience and good advice, the style of travel you will be doing is not typical here. Even for me, it's been over 20 years since I did the sort of thing you are planning. So get the good nuggets that are in the thread and don't fret about the other stuff. Just my two cents...

Hi,

If you have no problems sleeping in a dorm room, you'll do fine in a hostel. Why should you not? Others can do it, you can too. Once you enter you'll guests primarily in their 20s. Sometimes older folks like me but overwhemingly those college age or 20 somethings. True, you don't know the people as room mates in a hostel, but they don't know you either, that's even better. If it's no matter to you, the private independent hostels offer girls only dorms and coed dorms. The HI hostels are separated by gender. You'll see both girls and guys who travel in pairs, threes (or more) or solo of various nationalities...US, British, Japanese, Argentine, Chinese, Australian, Swedish, etc...all depends who is there at the moment at the private hostels.