gabriela_masa

Hi everyone!

I only have three weeks to travel (train or hop on/hop off bus). My itinerary is Berlin-Prague-Salzburg-Munich-Basel-Paris-Monaco-Florence-Rome.

i'll start my trip from Berlin on July 28.

From Berlin, i plan to go to Prague (for two days to see National Technical Museum and Skoda factory and auto museum tour and Tyn church) Salzburg for a day or two (to catch the Sound of Music tour) and Munich (for three days) for BMW Museum, BMW plant tour and BMW city tour and Neuschwanstein Castle.

I might be skipping Stuttgart and go directly to Basel (visit Museum of Transport Switzerland and The Schlumpf Collection of the National Automobile Museum). Stay at Basel for four days.

Then off to Monaco (for Ferrari drive to Eze Village). I would still love to go to Modena or Maranello for other car museums and then Florence but it would depend on the budget and transportation availability.

I am inclined to choose hop on/hop off bus instead of train due to budget constraints (travel expenses could be cut to half if it's a bus). Forgive my ignorance, but with this itinerary, would train be faster than a bus? Which would be more comfortable? Safe? Would it be a wise move? I'll be traveling alone.

From Monaco would it be a good idea to go on a train to Florence and then to Rome where i'm going to catch my flight home to Manila? or would it be better from Monaco i'll catch my flight to Paris?

My budget for the europe land trip would be $3,000. is the itinerary too ambitious for that kind of budget?

Hoping for your advice.

Thank you all!

J62

Hop on / hop off buses are for touring within a city, not for transportation between distant cities.

I like to use www.bahn.de to check for train schedules all over Europe. I can't help with bus schedules. If you plan ahead you can get discount train tickets on many of your routes. In addition to bahn.de (Germany), check www.trenitalia.com for Italy, and www.oebb.at for Austria.

Dresden is 1/2 way between Berlin and Prague. You could stop by and see the glass VW factory there. There's also a nice transportation museum in Dresden, but it might be closed for renovation.

ira

Hi GM,

9 major cities in 21 days? That's not a visit, it is an expedition.

Is there a reason for visiting so many auto factories? Are you writing a book?

$3000 is about 2100 E, yields 700 E/wk = 100E pd

Figure 25E/nite for a bed in a hostel
Food will be no less than 35E

If you don't eat much, take buses as much as possible and sleep on them when you can, you could probably do it.

I don't think that you will remember very much, however. You will be exhausted, grimy and starved.

Why not plan on 3 venues in 2 weeks?

Also, consult the Thorntree Forum at www.lonelyplanet.com

lindy27

With that itinerary trains would seem a better option. Look into a eurail pass to see if you can save any money that way. If you are 25 and under you can get a youth eurail pass.

Do you plan on seeing other parts of the cities you are going to or just the car/transportation museums and tours?

easytraveler

This kind of itinerary always reminds me of the old movie title: "If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium" starring Suzanne Pleshette. ("Suzanne who?" Yes, I know, my age is showing)

Certainly it's doable, especially if you're young and are willing to sleep on trains. You can cut down on travel time by flying sometimes on those budget airlines. The segment between Monaco and Florence is just such an example. The train/bus travel will involve either a slow train along the Mediterranean coast or a fast train detouring to some large city like Geneva - either way you don't have the time, so a flight is best. Try looking into skyscanner.com for cheap flights.

Another segment where it would be better to fly is Basel to Monaco...BTW, why FOUR days (of a 21 day trip) in Basel? You don't have that much time. As ira has calculated for you, it's 9 major cities in 21 days. You have at most two days in each city, not counting travel time.

If you do decide to fly the longer segments, then you don't need to take an overnight train. Otherwise, the overnight train will save you a hostel fee. There are hostels, probably of the fleabag variety, that have beds for as little as 10-15 euros a night. If you stay in a hostel, whatever the variety, you will still have to factor in both time and money to get there and back. Local transportation is usually about 1.20 euros on up for a single trip. Use Hostelworld, which allows you a 24-hour cancellation leeway.

If you stop off in Modena, you might also want to consider going to Bologna where you can see Lamborghinis.

http://www.initaly.com/regions/museums/vintage.htm

It seems it would be better to spend four days in this area than in Basel.

Might I suggest a slight change in itinerary? Go Basel-Modena (fly)-Rome (train) - Monaco (fly) - Paris. Leave Europe from Paris instead of Rome.

A couple of other considerations - you are going in August which is vacation month for most Europeans AND you are starting very late to make your plans, so getting anything cheap may not be possible. Even train seats/beds on certain trips may be fully booked by now. Travel light - the budget airlines allow only one carryon, either your computer or a small suitcase, but not both.

I like that you have themed your trip, but the pace is killing.

nytraveler

Way too many stops.

Not nearly enough money.

Eurail pass and flights will be cheap - but not free. there are buses but the rides are interminable and uncomfortable.

Agree that decent hostels may be booked - try to find places now if you can - and be sure you have a good lock so you can secure your valuables

Have you even looked into the entrance fees to these museums and plants?

Do you have a clue what it will cost to rent a Ferrari for even an hour?

I don;t think you will have money to eat.

ira

Hi nyt,

>Do you have a clue what it will cost to rent a Ferrari for even an hour?<

I missed that.

Has to be a troll.

ira

A random search shows that renting a Ferrari will be about $2000 pd.