I (55 years) and my wife (48 years) will travel from India to Greifswald in Germany on the 10th November 2014 to visit a clinic there. We will be free by the next day. After that, we wish to spend another 8-9 days in Europe before we return to India. We want to see mainly places like Berlin and Paris, on a low-cost budget. can anyone help us in our planning the trip? We like to travel in a leisurely way.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Train tickets can be pretty expensive if not purchased a couple of months in advance. For instance, tickets from Koeln to Berlin range from 55 to 117 euros per person, one way, 2nd class, with the lower rates going on sale 3 months in advance of the travel date and selling out first. Similarly, Thalys tickets from Koeln to Paris are not covered by a German pass and have a wide range of prices, depending on how soon you buy.
For travel within Germany, a German Twin pass is a good value, starting at 308 euros total for 2 passengers for 3 days of travel, no reservation necessary, and for sale at most German train stations. (A France-Germany 2-country pass is not sold at stations and does not give good coverage of the Thalys train.)