Planning a 3-4 month backpacking trip

[trent]

Hey all,

I was planning a nice long 3 month backpacking trip through europe. I am currently staying in London and doing some work. The trouble lies with the schengen visa. I know it is only 90 days out of 180. And considering I have just been to France for a few days (during mid term break) the visa has started. So I have til the 16th August.

Now my question is, If i travel for say a month around western europe (spain, portugal, belgium, netherlands) or thereabouts. And I duck out to go to a non schengen country or even head back to the UK as I have a working holiday visa. Then head back to europe. Is this possible?


Can anyone tell me what the actual schengen countries are?

Thanks

[herrbert]

which are the schengencountries: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Agreement There is a map, that shows it pretty well.

If you say you have a WHV, should that not mean that you have access for 2 years with the possibility of working? (and therefor: problem solved?)

EDIT: you have a UK - WHV?

[trent]

Well, I do have a UK WHV. Which means I can stay in the UK for 2 years whilst working for 12 months.

I am unsure if this allows myself to travel around without worrying about the schengen visa or not.

[herrbert]

I know that with a WHV from one of the Schengencountries you are able to also travel within the zone, but as you have a UK WHV, I don't know the answer, as the UK is outside of the Schengenzone.

Perhaps it would be wise to ask at the place where you got the visa.

[madamtrashheap]

trent, I'm assuming you hold a passport that is from one of the countries that needs an actual Schengen visa to travel into the Schengen Zone. If this is the case, you can travel in and out of the Schengen Zone and each time you exit the clock is "reset" as such. The 90 days refers to 90 continual days. Another bonus is that you have a UK WHV so this is seen as a type of guarantee that you have a country to return to from the Schengen Zone. By that I mean that even if you did need a Schengen Visa, you would be looked upon more favourably by the Schengen Zone as you have a visa from an EU country that allows you to stay there - even though the UK isn't part of the agreement, they have a type of understanding for WHV and Student visas.

The short answer - you can travel freely to and from the Schengen Zone as long as you don't spend more than 90 continual days in the zone at one time.

[trent]

I hold an Australian passport with the UK WHV

So it doesn't matter how often I go into the Schengen Area I can stay up to 90 days? That makes things a lot easier in the planning.

I am gonna try to make it easier by doing some travel during holidays. I have 2 weeks in about 6 weeks time. I was thinking of doing a 2 week trip consisting of Paris, Brussels/Brugges and the Netherlands. Allowing about 4-5 days in each.

So something like

Paris - 4 days
Brugges/Brussels - 4 to 5 days
Amsterdam - 4 days

Something along those lines. Maybe chuck in a stop to Lille if I can manage to. Any advice on that?

If I leave on the saturday of the holidays, it would mean I would get the first sunday of the month in Paris. And from what I hear its usually free entry to the museums on that day. But I guess they'd be pretty packed.

[gavin24]

so what happens if you leave canada and backpack across europe how would they keep tabs on me the 90 day Schengen Agreement ? i was planning on doin this next fall and i never heard of this before.

[madamtrashheap]

trent, your trip looks good and you've allowed plenty of time in each destination, although I might be inclined to suggest you take one day from Amsterdam (unless you were planning day trips) and add it to Paris so you can fully explore the city, throw in a trip out to Versailles and have time to wander.

You could also leave on the Friday evening after work (if you really wanted to extend your time) and take the Eurostar (book now for good seat prices) to Paris. The museums are indeed free on the first Sunday of the month (although I had heard a rumour they were thinking of scrapping this, can't find evidence that they have), and yes the queues will be long so you can either start to line up early (ie an hour before the museum opens) or take your chance and wander to whichever museum(s) take your fancy about 2hours after they've opened and see if the line has shorted much. In 6 weeks it will still be Spring, but the tourist season would have already started so there will be people about (Paris is never not busy nowdays). Note that the Eiffel Tower is not included in this first Sunday deal.

Bruges & Brussels for 4-5 days will allow time in both cities, along with time to do a day trip to the WWI Battlefields/Ipres and day trip to Ghent. Lille is between Paris and Brussels so if you really want to go there (for shopping? the football team? the Grand Place?) you could for a few hours.

Amsterdam - had you planned on any trips outside the city? And how were you thinking of returning to London from AMS?

gavin24, when you enter a Schengen Zone country from a non-Schengen country (eg, UK) you will often have your passport stamped, but as you move between the countries in the Zone it's very unusual for your passport to be stamped. So in essence it's difficult to say that you'll be completely monitored, but having said that I wouldn't risk going over that 90 days as if you are checked and you're over you risk being deemed "undesireable" and unable to return to the Schengen Zone for a period of time. This website might help you understand travelling in the Schengen Zone: europa.eu/abc/travel/doc/index_en.htm and this will help you understand why the Schengen Agreement exists: europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l33020.htm

[trent]

I was planning to take a day or two from Amsterdam and explore the Hague or somewhere else close by. Or I hear there are plenty of tulips around then, so I might go see that as well. I havent read up too much about what to do at the places - I have glanced over guidebooks briefly.

I have roughly 16 days all up (without leaving on the friday)...so its not like I'm going to run out of time. I could do 5 days easily at all destinations.

The friday night fares for the eurostar were pretty pricey. I think 70 pounds one way. But the saturday there was some for 25 one way. So hence why I was gonna go on the saturday, plus I would get to see the country side on the way to Paris.

Yeah I would probably try to luck it out and go to one of the museums early in the morning. then just cruise around to the others. I was definitely thinking of doing a day trip from Paris. Not sure if that will be Versailles or somewhere else. I would be keen to check out the WW battlefields near belgium - but ultimately not that important. I would much rather see Gallopoli (and plan to do so over summer). But I plan to just walk around the city and soak it all up plus do some of the touristy things like the tower and the catacombes. Maybe take in a sunset from a good vantage point (monmatre perhaps) and cruise around.

I just thought this would take a good chunk out of my bigger trip over the summer holidays.

I searched train times today at raileurope.com and they were all about 20-30 euros. So all up for transportation it would be about 200. As far as returning from AMS I was planning on catching an early train back to paris or belgium to get the eurostar back.

Gavin, I think if you go over 90 days, you cannot reenter the zone for 5 years. It wouldn't be hard to duck over to an eastern europe country or switzerland (I dont recall them being in the schengen zone) and restarting your 90 days. You just have to plan it out before you go and leave a bit of room in case you go off your plan.

[madamtrashheap]

Feb 24, 2009 12:54:51 GMT -5 trent said:

I was planning to take a day or two from Amsterdam and explore the Hague or somewhere else close by. Or I hear there are plenty of tulips around then, so I might go see that as well.

It depends on the weather (ie the Winter-into-Spring transition), but you should catch at least one or two (!) tulips outside the cities - here's a link for a place called Keukenhof...I like to call it Tuliporama www.keukenhof.nl/ If you can spare a day it will be well worth it. And make sure you post your photos for us all to see when you get back!

Feb 24, 2009 12:54:51 GMT -5 trent said:

The friday night fares for the eurostar were pretty pricey. I think 70 pounds one way. But the saturday there was some for 25 one way. So hence why I was gonna go on the saturday, plus I would get to see the country side on the way to Paris.

Fair point, good that there are cheaper fares available on the Saturday, so go for it.

Feb 24, 2009 12:54:51 GMT -5 trent said:

As far as returning from AMS I was planning on catching an early train back to paris or belgium to get the eurostar back.

You could do that, depending on fares, but also look at flights from AMS to Gatwick as they are usually cheaper and there are usually 2 a day. Have a look at EasyJet and British Airways as both have good deals on this route.

Feb 24, 2009 12:54:51 GMT -5 trent said:

It wouldn't be hard to duck over to an eastern europe country or switzerland (I dont recall them being in the schengen zone) and restarting your 90 days. You just have to plan it out before you go and leave a bit of room in case you go off your plan.

Switzerland joined the Schengen Zone in December 2008, so you can no longer use it as a"clock restarter" country.

[herrbert]

Feb 24, 2009 20:21:12 GMT -5 madamtrashheap said:

You could do that, depending on fares, but also look at flights from AMS to Gatwick as they are usually cheaper and there are usually 2 a day. Have a look at EasyJet and British Airways as both have good deals on this route.

There also is a smaller airline, called VLM Airlines, and they are flying from Amsterdam (and also some other smaller airports in the Netherlands and Belgium) to London City Airport. There cheapest seats are priced reasonably. (not as cheap as Easyjet, but cheap than Thalys/Eurostar). You could get lucky there as well.