Traveling Europe First time

It takes pencil and paper and time. First, consider an open jaw ticket so that you do not have to back track to London. That generally can be a significant cash and time saver. Second, get on the bahn.de site and determine a number of train schedule options -- price the options. With the discount airlines they may use remote airports which adds to your time and cost getting to and from these airports. Also keep in mind time of year you are traveling and probably of weather delays. Less likely with trains and more likely with planes. Simple have to look at each leg and price the options. Takes time and work.

As most regular European travelers know, the trains are terrific in Europe. However, I just returned from a month of "student-style" travel with my daughter and found many advertisements for quick and very inexpensive flights from one major city to another. I was surprised, since we did not consider flying from one destination to another. The moral of my story... while you are checking around and pricing out train fares, you might also see what it would cost to fly. Of course, traveling on trains in Europe is a great way to see a bit more of the countryside! (The inexpensive air that I saw advertised may only be available in country... so check overseas websites too!) Good luck!

A lot depends on how you feel about train travel. Personally, I have always loved train travel (except for Amtrak). Travel may be faster by air but you won't see anthing in the sky. The scenery will be amazing on the train ride especailly as you get in to the Alps. I've never considered travel days via train as wasted. But it's a personal thing.

A lot depends on how you feel about train travel. Personally, I have always loved train travel (except for Amtrak). Travel may be faster by air but you won't see anthing in the sky. The scenery will be amazing on the train ride especailly as you get in to the Alps. I've never considered travel days via train as wasted. But it's a personal thing.

Since you only have 18 days, I think you'd be much better off flying from London to either Salzburg or Innsbruck rather than taking the train. There are several discount airlines throughout Europe, so it wouldn't be much (if at all) more expensive than the train, and you'd save a lot of time!

John, I definitely second the idea of an open-jaw flight. Even if your combo of cities (London & Paris) costs more than you're comfortable with, be sure and factor in what the train/airplane/hotel accomodations would cost otherwise - meaning if you have to train back to London from Paris, that's going to cost money, you need to spend another night in Paris when your London hotel might have been cheaper, etc. AND you save your sight-seeing time. That's worth a lot of money, and the entire reason you left home in the first place!

In all of your planning, guard against that kind of tunnel vision- it's easy to fall into!

Have a great time planning!