First time in Europe Itinerary

To check all of your train travel times, use the Deutsche Bahn website as it will show you the travel routes all over Europe. Once you search for a trip, it will give you a list of options. Click the arrow on the left-hand side of any option to see all the train details.

The schedules found here are as accurate as that country's rail service is - which varies by country but is normally fairly accurate.

I'd rather stay in a smaller town than Strasbourg (like Colmar). But if these are the places you want to visit, and if you've budgeted enough travel time (which you don't include), I think you've strung them together pretty economically. Are you breaking your journey in Munich overnight? If not, that's one long trip from Salzburg to Alsace.

Yea the idea was to go from Salzburg to Munich spend the night, then go to Fussen the next day and back to Munich for a night. Is it worth taking the boat to Bratislava for a day trip from Vienna, or should I just maximize my time in Vienna?

I say maximize the time in Vienna - three days can be filled quite easily.

Gregory,
You could spend a day outside Vienna in the Wachau area along the Danube...Durnstein and Melk and the road in between is beautiful and full of small Austrian towns along the river.

Going from Munich to the castles and back to Munich in a day makes for a really long day. Why not stay in Fussen or Reutte for a night? Also, Munich has so much cultural authenticity and history to experience. I might scale back on Paris by 1 day and have another day for Munich. Not sure if you can fit it in, but you should try to see the lakes east of Salzburg. I've never been to Bratislava, but spending more time in Vienna and no time in Bratislava is a no-brainer to me.

3 days for Prague is actually too much. You might want to stop over at Dresden for half a day on your way from Berlin to Prague. Also make sure you spend at least half a day in Potsdam.

Hi Gregory,

May is a great time to go to Europe, and you itinerary looks marvelous!

I just wanted to agree with the posters who suggested dropping a day from Prague and/or Vienna. Three days in Prague might be a bit too much unless you're a huge Art Nouveau fan, but stopping in Dresden on the way from Berlin is a great way to use an extra half-day. Dresden is fascinating, both historically and architecturally. There are also daytrips (Kutna Hora, I believe?) from Prague that could be interesting.

Vienna could also be done in a couple of days rather than three -- again, unless you have a specific interest there. For your first trip to Europe, you're wise to allow yourself some rest time, but just know that if you do want to add in another destination, Vienna and Prague are places you could shave off some time.

And if you want to double-check your timetables, the German train website really is great.

Enjoy your trip!

I agree with Steven, use the Bahn website to get times, but go directly here. I just went there and found 5 daytime train connections all the way from Rome to Paris. They averaged about 13 hours. The longest one was just over 14 hours; the shortest less than 12 hours. Night trains take longer; the direct night train connection from Rome to Paris is 14½ hours.

Gregory, you might consider a day in Cesky Krumlov on your way from Prague to Vienna.

I think your schedule looks great! Basing yourself for three days isn't too long, and if you have time squeeze in a day trip. That way you will sample smaller towns along with the big ones.