What is best strategy (A, B or C noted below) to start planning a 22 day trip beginning around September 9, with visits in Normandy (on the west) and Budapest (on the east) and intermediate visits in Chartres, Aachen, Oldenburg, Bremen, Berlin, Frankfurt, Wurzburg, Rothenburg, Nurnberg, Pfaffenwinkel, Salzburg and Vienna.. A Fly Chicago or Atlanta or Washington DC to Paris, travel by train and car (west to east) ending in Budapest and flying back to US from Budapest. B Fly US to either Vienna or Budapest, and then take an east-to-west route, ending in Paris and flying home from there. C Fly round trip to and from Paris, take the west-to-east route ending with a flight from Budapest to Paris; or when arriving in Paris fly directly to Budapest to begin an east-to-west route. We would prefer the A plan but anticipate lodging being very difficult to find within 100 km of Munich in mid-to-late September.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9369 posts
Either A or B just because it makes no sense to backtrack. I would go with whichever place I could find cheaper tickets for (probably Paris). I did do something similar to C once, when I went to Spain the first time, but that's because I found an incredible roundtrip deal to London, and paired it with a budget flight to get to Spain. I don't understand your comment about Munich, since it doesn't appear anywhere on your list. But 14 places in four countries in 22 days? I'm guessing you haven't checked to see how long transportation will take from place to place. Do you want to have time to see or do anything in any of these places, or just drive through? Remember, also that you can't count your arrival day or departure day in the total, since they aren't really usable days. You will spend the bulk of your arrival day getting to your first place, getting settled, going to bed early. Your leaving day will be consumed with getting to the airport early enough for security and all.
Posted by
Ann Arbor, Mi
3696 posts
Well, I would try to find a multi city flight. Fly into Paris, see city first, then get a car to see the surrounding area (Normandy? & Chartes) drop the car back at CDG then fly to Frankfurt and get a car and see all you want in Germany & Austria, return the car to Frankfurt and fly (probably European airline) to Budapest, fly home from there. I tend to do a lot of whirlwind trips but you definitely have lots of locations... It seems you are flexible on your outbound city from the US, so try Delta for the multi city flight from either Atlanta or Detroit.
Are you expecting to make reserations for rooms or just wing it?
Posted by
Madison, WI
4 posts
I was in Munich during the Oktoberfest about 10 years ago was able to find a hotel in the city center area. Of course it was higher priced, but it was a great location. The closer you are to the Oktoberfest grounds the higher the cost and lower availability. Have you compared the rates? You may find just flying in and out of Frankfurt is the cheapest/easiest. That gives you flexibility to change plans. Even though you are going to be gone 22 days, you have a lot of cities listed. They all sound wonderful, however, pick your must see locations and general route. As you travel about, ask people what they think you should see...you may be missing a gem you didn't know about. We spent 19 days just going to Munich, Vienna, Salzburg and visting the King Ludwig Castles (my favorite is Linderhof). The timewill go fast so in each city if you really want to enjoy the culture. Good luck
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23569 posts
Almost all of our trips are linear in that we fly into one city and home from another. The tickets are always the same price or cheaper than round trip. A couple trips back it was $200 cheaper to come home from Zurich than a round trip to Rome. Either A or B and C would be much more expensive and inconvenient.
Posted by
OP
Cincinnati, OH, USA
768 posts
Thanks for the above responses. Yes, the trip looks ambitions (AKA "rushed") but we've been to most of these areas before and are only visiting specific places in France and Germany we didn't have ample time to see on previous visits. We'll have extended visits in only Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg and Berlin and a two-day drive along the "Romantic Road" (and maybe a similar drive from St. Michelle to Rouen if arrangements can be made). In re-reading my post I see the confusion about Munich. I assumed everyone one would read my mind and just know we would have included Munich as a stop between Pfaffenwinkel and Salzburg if hotels were available during Oktoberfest (plus we visited Munich for a week in 2011). However, we had a fine time in Munich last year and would consider a stop this trip if a hotel could be had. Could anyone offer specific recommendations on small hotels away from Theresienwiese near a station (within a 400m walk) on the U1 or U6 (north of the Hauptbahnhof) that might be available at a modest rate (under US$200/night) mid-to-late September? Also regarding Munich; does anyone know if Mini Cooper is manufactured in Munich or Oxfordshire in the UK (or elsewhere in Germany)curiously both Munich and the UK are discussed on the internet? If in Munich, does Mini/BMW offer a purchase-in-the-US-and-drive-in-Europe plan? I checked a web site but the text was a bit discouraging. It mentions "the lack of an English delivery option for Mini Cooper", and the innuendo is that Minis are not available for purchase in the US and pick up at the manufacturing plant (wherever it is). Thanks again for the comments.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
Finding accommodations near Munich during Oktoberfest will probably be a challenge. In 2007, I stayed over the last night of Oktoberfest in Landsberg am Lech, just north of Pfaffenwinkel, about an hour by train from Munich Hbf. I made reservation several months in advance and had no trouble finding reasonably price accommodations, and the hotel did not appear to be full when I was there. You can probably find closer places that will be available, but this is a place I know of from experience.