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Post by jennifer on Oct 11, 2002 23:22:12 GMT -5
My girlfriend and I are trying to plan a trip to Europe in January. We have 14-16 days to go. We have friends and family to see in Switzerland, Spain, and Holland. We would also like to see Italy, Lux., and France. ;D Does anyone have any suggestions on doing this the best way. We were planning on flying into and out of Amsterdam. This is the best price we have found for airfaire...unless someone has another idea. PLEASE HELP the lost 23 year olds in Minnesota!  |
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Post by LHR02 on Oct 12, 2002 7:23:10 GMT -5
Hi Jennifer, Welcome to the boards! I am not certain about your post.....you have 14-16 days in total, or 14-16 days over and above seeing family in the countries you mentioned? If it is the former then I really don't think you actually have the time to see much of anything outside of the countries you are already committed to....but there is so much to see in them you'll not be disappointed.  Can you be a bit more specific and we will try to help. ginger |
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Post by wash45us on Oct 12, 2002 11:11:00 GMT -5
Ging~ We are going to be there for 14 - 16 days TOTAL. You think that we should spend all of that time in just Amsterdam, Switz, and Spain? What things do we have to see in these places? Remember we will be there in January. Are there any restrictions or downfalls for traveling in January? Would you buy a eurail pass? We are both get up and go....busy busy busy girls. We are not much of historians, we were just trying to get a taste of Europe for the first time! (and shop, we like to SHOP) We really only need 2 days in each of Spain and Switz. So if there is anyway you could at least fit in shopping and stuff in at least italy or france? Well let me know what you think.....I know we are trying to see a lot but we have no clue about all of this! Germany, Lux, and Belgium are not as important....but I would like to see france and italy if possible. Thanks again for inventing this message board...it has helped me so much just reading other messages. Thanks again for all of your advice...hopefully this will give your more specifics! Jennifer  |
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Post by wash45us on Oct 12, 2002 11:21:05 GMT -5
Ginger~
What if we stayed in Amsterdam and made day trips to Brussels, Paris, and Lux? Then we could take the eurail to Spain and Switz to stay a couple of days? Just another idea.
Thanks Again Jennifer
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Post by Kim on Oct 12, 2002 11:22:53 GMT -5
I agree, that's quite a lot to see if you only have 14-16 days in total. With the exception on Luxembourg, you will probably want to see more than one city per country.
The travel time alone will knock off some of your days. Those places are very spread apart and Spain is really out of your way.
Sample intinery:
Fly into Amsterdam.
3 days in Amsterdam.
Travel to Luxembourg (6.5 hrs)
1 night in Luxembourg
Travel to Paris (4 hrs)
3 days in Paris
Travel to Zurich (6 hrs)
3 days in Zurich
Travel to Barcelona (12.5 hrs) 1 day of travel
3 days in Barcelona
Travel back to Amsterdam (16 hrs)
That's really pushing the 16 days but just to give you an idea of what's possible..
Kim
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Post by LHR02 on Oct 12, 2002 13:13:07 GMT -5
Is there any way you could budget to make some of the magor travel jumps by plane? There are several very low cost airlines in Europe and it would greatly expand your options I think. Not sure if I would buy a rail pass for this trip.....you may come out better just getting point to point. But can't know that for certain till you have some sort of itenerary in place.
I'll do a bit of research and try and make up something different from Kim (although that's a good one!) to give you another idea.
ging
BTW....thank Kim for the board! It's her baby and she does all the work, believe me. She just graciously let's me play here. ;D
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Post by LHR02 on Oct 12, 2002 14:44:16 GMT -5
And one more thought......any preference on trip order and firm dates on when you need to be somewhere? And where, in Switz and Spain are you going? Big cities or out of the way spots that will take longer to 'transport' to and from? Tell us where you HAVE to be, and when, and we'll work on it. ging shopping huh? If it's Italy, and shopping, then it's Florence! IMO of course. |
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Post by LHR02 on Oct 12, 2002 14:45:00 GMT -5
Oh....and budget! Are we working bare bones budget here, or a degree of 'comfort' level?
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Post by wash45us on Oct 12, 2002 20:57:13 GMT -5
OH MY GOSH! I am so excited. I feel like we have a start. I am sorry that I keep forgetting specifics. I also want you to know that I don't have any restrictions. I have a cousin in Barcelona, friend in Switz (I believe she will be in Zurich), and a friend in Amsterdam. I was planning on having around 3500 for EVERYTHING. My dad said he will give me some more money, but I can't count on that. I have no idea how much flights are in Europe. We were looking at leaving around the 3rd of January and I have to go back to school on the 20th. (Monday)...well I hope this is more information. THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jennifer  |
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Post by wash45us on Oct 12, 2002 21:10:15 GMT -5
KIM~
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL BOARD!
I like your itinerary. Would it work to go from Amsterdam to Lux to Zurich to Barcelona to Paris to Amsterdam? Just wondering? SO if I followed this itenerary would I buy a eurail pass? When I looked at point-to-point tickets it seemed outrageous. Paying for unlimited travel between Italy, Spain, France, Lux, Amsterdam, Germany, and Switz was only $420. Again, you all know much more than I do....thanks again for all of your advice..........we will figure this all out before January........and IF there was some reason my friend backed out, would I be ok going by myself?
And last....do I need to make hostel reservations after my flight reservations and we figure out an itinerary?
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Post by wash45us on Oct 13, 2002 0:16:52 GMT -5
ok..........just had to clarify a message i put up there earlier..........the euro pass that I found that would get me around these countries was $325....all of the point-to-point tickets added up to a little over $400.
Thanks a Million
Jennifer
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Post by Kim on Oct 13, 2002 2:05:28 GMT -5
Yep, you could also do it like this:
Amsterdam to Luxembourg (6.5 hrs)
Luxembourg to Zurich (5 hrs)
Zurich to Barcelona (12.5 hrs You can do this as a night train)
Barcelona to Paris (12 hrs You can do this as a night train)
Paris to Amsterdam (4 hrs)
You are absolutely correct on which pass is best for you-it would be the Europass Youth 6 days in 2 months, which is $325. From the looks of it, you would need 5 days of travel and you could use the 6th day to do a day trip if you wanted.
For night trains, you must make a reservation for them and the reservation costs are not included in the rail pass. You can either try and sleep in a chair or reserve a couchette for a better sleep.
Since you only have a set amount of days, I would make reservations for hostels so you don't spend a good part of your day looking for one. Once you have a set intinary and all that, we will help you figure out the best ones for you.
As far as the rail passes go, it's often better to go with one of the online places. The passes are regulated which means they all have to sell them for about the same price, the difference is the freebies that some give away with their passes.
Kim
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Post by LHR02 on Oct 13, 2002 8:31:37 GMT -5
Hi Jennifer, Been doing some research this morning, just trying to get you to where you have to be first. Here's the info I have, for thought and consideration in making some plans. From Amsterdam: 1. to Barcelona 24 hrs train 2 hr 15 min flight 39.90 euros on Easy jet 2. to Zurich 10 hrs train 1hr 30 min flight + rr (22.40 euro to Geneva + 3 hr rr) again on Easy Jet 3. from Barcelona to Zurich 13 hrs train 1hr 40 flight + 3 hrs rr (32.40 euro to Geneva + 3 hr rr) Easy Jet I can not find any cheap flights to Florence.  By train, I think it is prohibitive given the time you have: from Barcelona to Florence - 20 hrs rr Amsterdam to Florence - 20 hrs rr Zurich to Florence - 8 hours rr It surely can be done, and I think if shopping is your game Florence would be a wonderful stop. But unless you can spring for some higher price flights I think you will end up spending too much of your time on a train. But.......it's your trip! Once again.....how long are you planning on staying in the cities you mentioned? One day, two, or three? Since Ams,Barc, and Zurich are MUST stops, need to know how long to allot for each of them before anything else. ging |
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Post by wash45us on Oct 13, 2002 16:16:41 GMT -5
Ging~
Okay...first of all- is Florence the only place for us to shop? Is there anywhere else that is in our route: (Amsterdam, Lux, Paris, Zurich, or Barcelona?) We would like to stay in each city, except for Lux, 3 days. I think we will leave January 2, 2003 and depart Amsterdam January 17, 2003. Thanks for your aiport search, but I just think I feel more comfortable with the europass. Well we will figure this out....thanks again for all of your time and effort!
Jennifer
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Post by wash45us on Oct 13, 2002 16:19:58 GMT -5
Kim~
We just found out that Zurich may not be the city in Switzerland...sorry we don't know this, she is moving there in December to teach snowboarding...anywho that is the only change, it may be a different city in Switz.
Jennifer
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Can you be a bit more specific and we will try to help.
By train, I think it is prohibitive given the time you have: