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Post by herrbert on Feb 16, 2007 4:58:23 GMT -5
I was just giving more options (if Chris21 would decide to skip Munich and Frankfurt), I remember seeing tickets to Friedrichshafen from Berlin. You can skip most of the trainride in Germany, and you would still have the best part of the trainride to Gimmelwald (scenicly wise).
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Post by thebalderdasher on Feb 25, 2007 20:14:54 GMT -5
i'm still revising!
i've had to cut my trip down from 31 days to 28 days, but please let me know what you guys think
Paris 4.5 Days
Brugge (via morning train) 3 Days
Berlin (via overnight train) 4 Days
Gimmelwald (via overnight train) 2.5 Days
Train from Interlaken to Venice - 1 Day
Venice - 2 Days
Cinque Terre - 2 Days
Florence - 3 Days
Rome - 5 Days
I cut out Munich and Amsterdam, and stuck 2 days in Cinque Terre.
Opinions on Cinque Terre vs. Munich vs. Amsterdam?
Opinions?
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Post by herrbert on Feb 25, 2007 20:38:15 GMT -5
CT vs Munich or Amsterdam, that's your choice. If Cinque Terra seems more appealing for this trip, then why not. You can always do Amsterdam and Munich some other time in the Future.
I only think that 3 days for Brugge, might be a little too much (unless you have daytrips planned, sorry if I lost track of those). I think you can add one of those days to Cinque Terra. (or spend it on a daytrip to Siena, from Florence.)
The rest looks good to. I think some would say to do Venice, 3 days, but imo 2 is enough.
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Post by thebalderdasher on Feb 25, 2007 22:00:41 GMT -5
Another note:
It looks like a logistical problem getting from Cinque Terre to Venice (6 Hour Train ride?!)
My Highest priority cities being...
Paris
Berlin
Rome
Gimmelwald
Cinque Terre
Bruges
Florence
and then
Venice
Amsterdam
Munich
Since Venice would add 6 hours to the itinerary, it seems like to me it would make best sense to cut out Venice and Munich and add Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is only a short ride away from Bruges. Munich also seems to be out of the way.
Doing Munich would trade the overnight from Berlin to Interlaken for a overnight Berlin to Munich, and would add either another full day ride from Munich to Interlaken or an overnight.
Does anyone recommend otherwise?
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Post by madamtrashheap on Feb 26, 2007 1:40:57 GMT -5
Either way you're going to face some long-haul train rides. But adding Amsterdam is a good idea, so keeping in mind your priority cities, you could do the following: Paris 4.5 days train (via Brussels) to Brugge (2-3 days if doing day trips) train Brugge -Amsterdam Amsterdam 1.5days (incl arrival afternoon) fly Amsterdam-Berlin ( www.transavia.com ) Berlin 4 days fly Berlin-Zurich ( www.airberlin.com, should take around 1hr) then train to Interlaken Ost and on to Gimmelwald Gimmelwald 3 days o'night train Interlaken Ost - Florence (there's a 22.25 or 10.25pm train with only one change that gets to Florence early in the morning) train Florence to Cinque Terre Cinque Terra 3-4 days train to Florence via short sightseeing stop in Pisa Florence 4 days train to Rome Rome 5 days If you don't want to include Amsterdam, then you can take the overnight train Brussels-Berlin and add the extra days somewhere on your itinerary that suits. I don't remember any notes about not wanting to fly - are there any? It's the best way to make the most of your time in your cities of choice, but again if you'd prefer the train then just be prepared for the overnight trains (but they aren't too bad). |
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Post by madamtrashheap on Feb 26, 2007 2:15:50 GMT -5
Another thing worth mentioning is that I will be arriving in Paris behind a day or two behind one of my friends, and one of my friends will be leaving Rome a day or two before the two of us. So I will have the bite the bullet and only get Paris for 3-4 days, while my other friend will get his share and only get 2-3 days of Rome. With that knowledge, I'd suggest dropping Amsterdam and either keeping Venice for 2 days and sucking up the train ride to Cinque Terre, or skipping Venice and going back to the Interlaken-Florence-Cinque Terre suggestion and adding those extra days to cities you like (you're going to like Gimmelwald so allow for that time, despite what you think now, and Cinque Terre for 4 days will be perfect, 5 would also not be an issue). If you're making the most of your railpass, then overnight trains are in I guess! |
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Post by thebalderdasher on Feb 28, 2007 2:35:37 GMT -5
I know this is still going to change, but since I'm just a little OCD about planning this trip, I'm going to post yet another revised version of my itinerary.
May ?? - Arrive in France [Josh and Jeff]
?? City/Village/Town relatively near to Paris ??
May 19 – Arrive Paris [Eddie (me)]
Young and Happy Hostel (in the Latin Quarter]
May 20 – Paris
May 21 – Paris
May 22 – Paris
May 23 – Paris
May 24 – Train to Bruges
St. Christopher’s Bauhaus Hostel
May 25 – Bruges
Late Overnight to Berlin
May 26 – Arrive Berlin Early Morning
Meninger hostel
May 27 – Berlin
May 28 – Berlin
May 29 – Berlin
Overnight to Interlaken
May 30 – Gimmelwald, Switzerland
Arrive afternoon
Mountain Hostel
May 31 – Gimmelwald
June 1 – Gimmelwald
June 2 – Interlaken → Cinque Terre
Day Train
June 3 – Cinque Terre, Italy
Ostello Cinque Terre (Manarola) or Mar-Mar (Riomaggiore)
June 4 – Cinque Terre
June 5 – Cinque Terre
June 6 –Rome
Early Train to Rome
Hostel Alessandro Downtown
June 7 – Rome
June 8 – Rome
June 9 – Rome, [Depart Josh]
June 10 – Rome
June 11 – Siena
June 12 – Monteriggioni
June 13 – Monteriggioni
June 14 – Florence
June 15 – Florence
June 16 – Florence
June 17 – Depart for America
Jeff and Josh have a week head start over me, so their best bet may be to do some other places in France. Any suggestions? (Close to Paris, cheap and non-touristy would be better)
Since Josh now has to leave even earlier, I bumped up France and left the Tuscan cities out (and Venice for that matter), so he can at least get 3 days of Rome in. Jeff and Josh will hit another spot before meeting up with me in Paris.
After Rome, there's a chance that Jeff and I might split up.
I may get assigned to Monteriggioni to do a European Village Project through my school. If I get selected, I get two free days in a Tuscan medieval walled city! Plus, I will be able to hit Florence and Siena, two cities I would like to see, and two cities I definitely feel like I could do by myself (who wants to be bothered and rushed looking at art anyway?). The round trip train from Rome to Tuscany would likely be paid for by the school. So everyone please keep your fingers crossed for me!
So obviously no Amsterdam or Munich, but we would like to do the cities we visit some justice. Still no Venice, but I'm under the impression it would feel as one of the most touristy out of all the cities we picked. And I left the cities which I can do independently for the end, so if Jeff wants out it's no big deal.
How does this version of the plan sound?
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Post by me on Feb 28, 2007 10:47:54 GMT -5
might i suggest a minor change, based on your last posting?
rather than going from Interlaken to CT on a day train, save a day by taking a night train to Rome, via Spiez (a mere 20 min from Interlaken-Ost)
after Rome, rail North to Siena, Monteriggioni, CT, etc. ending in nearby Florence before your flight home.
regarding Riomaggiore: that's where i stayed. great town, but i stayed in a horrid place there, "Cinque Terra Holidays." if Mar-Mar is too close to the train tunnel, the trains going through at night might keep you awake.
- d
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Post by thebalderdasher on Feb 28, 2007 12:27:05 GMT -5
The logic of the day train was to give us a break (though I suppose Gimmelwald and Cinque Terre are "breaks" enough) and to take advantage of the beautiful scenery from the Alps to the Italian coast. It'd also be a day without spending money :-P.
Also, my friend has to leave before I hit Tuscany, so we'd want to hit Cinque Terre on the way down to Rome.
I know it's backtracking to go to Rome and then back up to Tuscany, but I'm willing to do so my friend can squeeze a few days in Rome. My other friend might also depart from Rome, so Tuscany for me would be a solo last leg of the trip.
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Post by madamtrashheap on Feb 28, 2007 21:11:29 GMT -5
May ?? - Arrive in France [Josh and Jeff] ?? City/Village/Town relatively near to Paris ?? So Josh and Jeff want to stay in another city other than Paris so you can all experience it together once you arrive? Think I've got that bit right. If so, and I'm assuming they land in Paris, they could visit Normandy, Reims or even Lyon (it's a quick TGV ride to/from Paris) before meeting up with you back in Paris. All interesting places and worth a 2 day stay in one of them - again it depends how much before you they arrive, but it gives them options. As for CT, I stayed in Riomaggiore too, but in an appartment overlooking the main square (kids playing football, restaurant dumping bottles at 7am - love it!) but it's just up from Mar-Mar and could still hear the trains all night. It's a gorgeous town, great people (really enjoyed talking to the lady who owns the fish restaurant near the top of town) and pretty harbour with short walking track around it. Next time i'd probably stay in Manarola for something different, but you'll love either one (found Monterosso too "big" for my tastes). The Ostello in Manarola is v popular and sits above the village. It's just near the main church so the bells will be better than the train noises! |
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Post by herrbert on Mar 1, 2007 6:57:31 GMT -5
I guess Amsterdam (4 hours by train), but also London (2,5 hrs by train) would qualify as places near to Paris.
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Post by thebalderdasher on Mar 10, 2007 12:21:01 GMT -5
Looks like we're settling on the previous posted itinerary.
One logistical problem I'm anticipating is getting from Berlin to Interlaken via an overnight train. Does anyone have information on getting there?
The Mountain Hostel website lists Berlin to Interlaken overnight via Basel, but I couldn't find any information on this train on the web.
Thanks!
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Post by me on Mar 10, 2007 14:02:01 GMT -5
looking at today's schedule on bahn.de, i see a "CityNightLine" train departing Berlin's main station at 21.25 <9:25 pm> from platform 4 on the lower level. [they have a new station in Berlin since my last visit. so, i'm not sure what this lower level is.] but, this CNL479 gets to Basel at 7.55. you'd change to another train, IC861, departing platform 6 at 8.00, just 5 min. later, going to Bern. It gets to Bern station's platform 5 at 8.56. you cross to platform 6 for a train, IC912, departing at 9.09 which gets to Interlaken Ost at 10.03. Looks like we're settling on the previous posted itinerary. One logistical problem I'm anticipating is getting from Berlin to Interlaken via an overnight train. Does anyone have information on getting there? The Mountain Hostel website lists Berlin to Interlaken overnight via Basel, but I couldn't find any information on this train on the web. Thanks! |
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Post by thebalderdasher on Mar 10, 2007 16:27:24 GMT -5
Regarding the overnight train, Berlin to Interlaken obviously requires a few stops.
Since it is not a direct route, would this require "two days" of travel in terms of Eurail days?
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Post by me on Mar 10, 2007 16:46:35 GMT -5
that connection i gave earlier, since you don't change trains before midnight, the 7 pm rule applies. you mark the *next* day, the arrival date, on your pass. so, this still just takes 1 day on your pass. Regarding the overnight train, Berlin to Interlaken obviously requires a few stops. Since it is not a direct route, would this require "two days" of travel in terms of Eurail days? |
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