4 city trip to Europe in two weeks.

Andrea_P--respectfully request you take your time and do at the most 2 cities. 4 citise in two weeks is a bit much for me. I would do Vienna and Amsterdam on one combination. Prague and Berlin on the second. But not all four. You'll be tired. Get to know the cities. You can always return. Get to know the places and feel like you have really been there rather than just cheking the been there done that block.

I agree with Franto's comments. I spent a month in Vienna on a home exchange and never got bored.

I have also done a 2 week home exchange in Berlin and been to Amsterdam once for a couple of days (in 1969 so it almost does not count anymore).

No more than on large city per week if you do not want to spend too much time in airports or train stations. If you do Vienna and Amsterdam as suggested by Franto, you would want to fly between them. Berlin to Prague or Vienna to Prague would be doable by train (but you would want to check the schedules so you would know how long the journey would be in advance).

Tom - Congratulations on your 40th!

You may get a lot of advice that four places is "too many". I don't necessarily agree with that point of view.

I believe the type and rate of travel one likes to do is very personal. I know people who have been very happy with a trip like you're contemplating. It all depends on your own preferences and energy level of course. I have done whirlwind trips and slow trips and like both kinds. I really enjoy seeing new places and find that you can get a very interesting, although of course superficial, feel for a place in just a few days. And four days, for example, in a place tells you a lot more about it than zero days! Sometimes variety IS the spice of life.

I personally don't think that there is some magic number of days that mean you know a place. And frankly the difference in being in a place 3 or 4 days vs. 1 week is not all that huge. I'm currently living in Amsterdam for a year. So I suggest that anything less than a year in each place is too brief and hardly worth doing. ;->

You mention it's your first time to Europe, but I don't know about other traveling that you've done. What have you learned about your preferences from other trips (if any)? The idea is to sit down and think about what your own travel style is. I would just suggest that as you plan you consider transit times and other "overhead". Will you mind the necessary packing/unpacking and getting situated that is associated with "starting over" and getting oriented in each new place?

Since you mention you will probably travel by train, as I recall the trip between Amsterdam and Berlin takes about 6 hours (I did it a month or so ago). And the train between Berlin and Prague is about 4 hours as I remember. Don't happen to know the time between Vienna and any of the other cities and am too lazy to look it up. The German website (www.bahn.de), which you can view in English (via a language-choice drop-down box towards the top of the page), is a very good site for getting train schedules all over Europe.

You might want to consider a trip where you return to the US from a different city than you arrive in so you don't spend time backtracking.

What time of year would this trip be planned for?

I think you have a lot to look forward to no matter how many places you decide to stay.

Since it's not Franto's ("You can always return" - how do you know they can, or want to Franto?) or Laura's (you were not bored by a month in Vienna so they shouldn't be by staying a week?) trip I will presume you don't want to accommodate their travel style and that you will still wish to visit the cities noted.

If you travel by train the routing should be; Amsterdam - Berlin - Prague - Vienna. You will be long long way from a return flight from Amsterdam so you will either need to fly back to Amsterdam, or arrange an open jaw flight so that you can leave from Vienna. Open jaws are sometime reasonable. If not you might be able to find a reasonably priced flight from Vienna to Amsterdam. You may also be able to arrange an open jaw out of Munich and get a Vienna - Munich flight, if that is cheaper.

Or, you could visit Amsterdam, for a few days, fly on to Vienna, and then train back to Berlin, leaving from there on an open jaw or taking the train back all the way to Amsterdam before you leave.

Driving does not seem to be good option for 4 people and for the distance you are traveling. The drop charges to leave the vehicle in Vienna would be rather large, I think. Flying is possible but I don't think a lot of people would recommend it on either a cost or convenience basis because of the 4-6 hour train legs you are planning. Throw in all the pre-flight and post flight gymnastics and you are going to be better off, time wise, on the train.

It is a long way across the continent - 14 hours driving - so careful planning will be required to maximize your time and save money. Leaving one of the cities at either end off the trip, would make a big difference logistically because a circular train route is more of a possibility.

Try to do an open jaws flight, into Amsterdam, out of Vienna or Prague or Berlin. This is the multi-city option on airline web sites.

I think you have enough time for 4 cities, but 3 would be better. If you're arriving after a long overnight flight, you will be jetlagged for at least the first day or two. So you need to allow extra time in your first stop.

(For me being jetlagged means getting very sleepy about 6 or 7 PM, then wide awake at 2 AM, nowhere to go, nothing to do. And even when I'm awake during the day, being kinda dazed and foggy-minded.)

Hi AP, 4 cities in 2 weeks is pushing it.

How important is Amsterdam?

--> Berlin --> Prague --> Vienna --> home with 1-2 daytrips from each city would be a pleasant visit.

I think it's a fine itinerary. Would work especially well if you can find a flight out from your last city to avoid returning to Amsterdam for a standard round-trip ticket. You would have 3 days in each place, allowing 1/2 day each time for transfering from one city to the next. If you each pack in only one small suitcase (wheeled 19-21") that will make things even easier.

I think you need to figure out the best plane ticket, then 4 hotel reservations, and you're good to go! I'm not one for rushing around (i.e., 1 night Paris, 1 night Rome, 1 night London type itineraries)... but I think this plan is OK.

Despite all the criticism, I do think the original poster's itinerary is not the recipe for a successful vacation. It sounds like one of those Eurail pass holidays where the point is to max out the Eurail pass. He who travels like that soon learns what all the train stations in the big cities look like but never stays in any of the big cities long enough to find out what it looks like.

Travel style? Four large cities not located close together in 2 weeks will end in a lot of bickering and not much enjoyment.

I did take one of those Eurail pass holidays in 1969 while still a student. I was young and thought it would be my only trip to Europe. It turned out to be one of many--and I never ran around all over again because the "holiday" became a forced march to "see it all" (impossible). These folks are celebrating their 40th anniversary. I assume they are at least 60 years old. Something more relaxed, romantic and less frenetic is called for. I also wonder about the omission of London and Paris--the first two places I would go on a first time trip.

Having said all of that, this vacation is the original posters' holiday. I do hope that, if they do this itinerary, they come back and post a trip report. My hunch is that they will say, "We would never do that again."

If you insist on doing 4 cities, why not do 4 cities relatively close together such as Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris and London. Their holiday is like doing the US in two weeks running from East Coast to West Coast. It's a recipe for disaster.

I hardly see how this is "recipe for disaster":
Fly into Amsterdam, spend 4 days
Train to Berlin (8 hours), spend 3 days
Train to Prague (5 hours), spend 3 days
Train to Vienna (5 hours), spend 3 days
Fly home from Vienna, 1 day

It is a question of personal preference. The four city/two week itinerary is not one I would do but chaucun a son gout.
To OP - suggest you take a look at transit times and schedules for travel between the cities, figure in a bit of time to get situated in each and then decide what will work for you.
And if you do want to pack in several places, maybe an organized tour would work? (Yes, I know that is anathema to many here but sometimes it is OK, especially for first time travlers)

You don;t say how may days you actually have on the ground. If the trip is 14 days, then minus the day you arrive and the day you leave its only 12 on the ground, with 3 of those being moving from one city to another - so 9 divided by 4 cities isn't much time.

If you have a full 2 weeks (leave Fri night and return on Sunday - or better yet make it a holiday weekend and return Monday) then you have 14 or 15 days on the ground - and 4 cities is more doable.

The only sensible way to fly is open jaws (into the first city and home from the last) to avoid losing a whole day backtracking.

If it were me, even with 14/15 days on the ground I would do no more than 3 cities - to get at least a little feel for each - probably would drop Vienna (which is interesting, but not my favorite versus the others).

Hi; We have done four cities in two weeks and found it 'very' doable. That was one of our first trips to Europe. If this was my trip, I suggest Suze and others have it right. It has been suggested that you will be 'tired'. We are only 74 and 70. We laugh at that comment. No one knows how you will feel, except you. Follow your instincts. Congratulations and Good Luck P.S. We loved our four city trip and when we get older, we would considering a similar trip again. I almost forgot, a four city, 16 night trip to Scandinavia next year to celebrate our 50th. Voila

I agree with the poster who suggested looking into a package tour for such an ambitious itinerary. For first timers who are uncertain of their ability to travel in Europe, such tours can remove a lot of the "hassles". Due to the paucity of people traveling due to the economic downturn, there are some excellent bargains out there right now.

P.S. I am about to do a 4 week home exchange in Finland. The only other country I will probably include will be Estonia, as you can easily take day trips from Helsinki to Tallin. My home exchange is located about an hour by train in a town called Lahti. At the end of the exchange (when the other family returns), I will go into Helsinki and finish up the trip there. So, I take my own advice not to kill myself on a trip that is supposed to be, after all, a vacation--not a forced march.

For this type of trip, the open-jaw flight makes sense.

I think so many days-so many cities formula is too simplistic. It does not take into account objectives and interests. I don't use it.

I define objectives of each trip and do conjoint analysis of different options. I have one main objective for each day, and everything else is subordinate. I feel this approach makes sure the main objective is accomplished while accommodating flexibilities.

I think Andres-P's itinerary in itself is doable provided that the poster has sufficient focus. If one does this type of trip without doing sufficient research or defining objectives, one can end up doing time-consuming activities without commensurate benefits. There is not much time to waste time on non value-added activities here.

I am not certain I understand your type of analysis, greg, but, if it works for you, it works for you.

The OP has to decide how much rushing about he/she is willing to tolerate to "see" the 4 cities. The trouble is: When you rush about like that, many things you would like to see end up in drive bys.

Hi ; I never considered going to four cities was 'rushing'. We have done this during our third trip to Europe in 1991 and what we will do in our 32rd trip to Europe in 2010. We enjoyed. We have done the tour bit, with four cities, but mostly have driven. Just decide how you like to travel. People are getting a bit 'testy', but it's all ABOUT YOU and what you want to do. Considerations are, 1. when will you be back to Europe. 2. Will you be visiting these cities again. 3. Are you comfortable taking trains on your first visit to Europe. Just do what you feel is 'right' for you. Dick

Hi Andrea_P,

I think you should visit all 4 cities in 2 weeks ONLY if you know that you're never going to come back to Europe.

It's possible to do it, but make sure you pack really really light, don't waste time checking in/out of hotels/inns/hostels/etc, know exactly where you're going (strict itinerary), and ensure that everyone in your group is entirely mobile (wouldn't work if there are babies/kids/people with mobility problems).

Good luck and have a wonderful time!

Even from my European perspective the OP's plan does not resemble the "It's tuesday, this must be Belgium" syndrome of the maximizing American parachute-tourist. 3 days in each city is a nice start, and the usual timeframe most Europeans would spend at those destinations, e.g. on an extented weekend (and no, we don't travel to anywhere all the time again just because it's just a one hour flight).

On the other hand if you get second thoughts about the number of cities, you should rather skip one city than get stressed. Would you feel comfortable to do a similar trip on your home turf, e.g. 2 weeks to go to Toronto, Santa Fe, New Orleans, and Boston?
Eventually, no one but you can say if your plan is too much or just right.

Open-jaw (in AMS, out VIE) seems to be the only sensible way, btw.

Trains are fine for Berlin-Prague-Vienna.

Amsterdam-Berlin is not only a long train ride, but also a deadly boring ride. It's a somewhat popular alternative for Germans, though, to bring home some dope from AMS and avoid airport procedures like luggage screening.
Transavia.com flies that route for little money from AMS.

It depend on your interest and stamina.
There is a ton to see ( I have been to Vienna and Amsterdam , but because I am going to Prague and Berlin in 10 days I have read a lot about the two) especially if you are interested in museums , churches, galleries, palaces etc .
If you just wish to see the city by walking around, taking a tour, a canal ride, or a ho-ho bus ,it is possible . Although, spending so much time on trains would not be my choice.
Keep in mind it takes time to get to and from train stations to your hotel, check in, unpack , find your way around the city .....
As someone said: travel very light and prepare well.

BTW
"2 weeks to go to Toronto, Santa Fe, New Orleans, and Boston? " .... way too long.

Andrea_P, you can find timetables online and see whether you're comfortable with the amount of time you'll be on a train. The suggestion of flying Amsterdam-Berlin and getting a return from Vienna is a good one. Years ago I spent two weeks in Paris, Lausanne, Munich and Prague and had a WONDERFUL time. The itinerary was dictated by the location of friends I was visiting, and I got everywhere by train. You do need to travel light when you're doing that, though, and it would have been nice (at the time, not in my budget) to simply fly home from Prague rather than returning all the way to Paris just for a final night and the flight home.

I would suggest that you look at the travel times first to figure out how much time you will actually have in each place. (I think I also did at least one leg of my four-city trip on an overnight train - another thing to factor in - some people do fine with that and others arrive at their destination exhausted. It's not worth saving a night in a hotel if you can't enjoy the next day, but to each her own!)

You must have picked those cities for a reason, I'm assuming, so there may already be some "must see" sights for you. But if your interests lean in a particular direction (cathedrals, 20th century history, art, etc.), a post with more specific questions might help us give you some more specific suggestions.

Is the Amsterdam/Berlin leg available as an overnight train?

Cowboy - I agree with your observation that many Europeans travel to various cities in Europe just for extended 3- or 4-day weekends, for example. And plenty of people in the US visit, say New York or San Francisco for just a few days too and nobody seems to think it's strange.

You also bring up a good point about whether the OP would feel comfortable with a similar trip on their home turf. But the example of cities in North America you give is too far-flung to be similar to the OP's proposed itinerary.

The distance from Amsterdam -> Berlin -> Prague -> Vienna is roughly 800 miles I believe - or the distance of a round trip from SF to LA. Which people often do in a weekend, much less in two weeks.

So the OP's trip would be analogous to a person in the US wanting to visit San Francisco, Santa Barbara, San Diego and Las Vegas in two weeks. Would hardly raise an eyebrow.

Sometimes I really don't understand people's fear of spending only 3 or 4 days in European cities. If they only had 7 days vacation at home in the US, for example, would it always be "better" to spend 7 days in Boston and 0 days in New York rather than 3 or 4 days in each city?

To each their own of course ...

" wanting to visit San Francisco, Santa Barbara, San Diego and Las Vegas in two weeks. Would hardly raise an eyebrow.
To each their own of course ..."

I agree with the last sentence , but some European cities are larger than Las Vegas, and with a " bit more" to see .
Granted ,I know people who have been to Rome,Paris, Madrid.. and never entered a museum. They are happy to spend 2-3 days looking ( often driven around by an English speaking guide) at the city landmarks, having a good meal, and shopping.
..

There is a night train between Berlin and Paris that stops at Amsterdam along the way in the wee hours of the morning (and I mean very early). I have taken that train to Paris. I did not sleep much and I did have a whole couchette compartment to myself. I just do not sleep well on trains. Some do. I just don't.

Thanks for all the great advice. I accidentally posted this question under a family member's account, so I've created my own for future questions. Thanks again. -Tom

How about letting us know what you decided to do and what mode of transport you are going to use?