layanluvstotravel

So I found this Rick Steve tour of Central Europe for 14 days. The length is perfect and I like how it seems to show you the "highlights". The only thing I don't like is the $4k+ price tag which doesn't include airfare. I'm certain I can copy this trip without paying so much. However, how would we get from one place to the next? Is this itinerary doable via trains or must we hire a car (which is something I always try to avoid)?
http://www.ricksteves.com/tours/germ...itzerland-tour

Thoughts ? Suggestions? Much appreciated?

Thanks!

janisj

You can't really -- not and see the same places in the same amount of time - not easily anyway.

Coach tours (and while RS tours are a <i>bit</i> slower paced than many, it is still a coach tour) hit so many places because they move quickly, don't waste time checking in/out, drop you at the various sites, and move on on a tight time table.

bilboburgler

Thoughts, ok I'll start. Not a great bunch of places a you certainly cover a lot of ground of the places mentioned I guess Trier, Halstatt and Vienna are worth a visit. I'm going to guess prices but lets assume.

Rooms at an average of E150 a night (probably lower in Germany and higher in Switzerland but a good average)

You get half the suppers so lets assume 7*E30 for the food
Travel by train, I'm going to assume 6 moves at E60 a move and days out say E40 a day
so about E3200 with a 15% tolerence and their profit. Plus you don't have to workout where to go, how to translate etc.

However, given how nice whole bits of this area are think you could do better by planning a smaller tour over the same time (after all time in a coach is not the measure of a great holiday).

I'd look at (fly into Brussels/Amsterdam or Paris) Trier down the Mosel, up the Rhine to Strasbourg/Colmar/Mulhouse, over the Black Forest (stopping on the way) to Lake Constance stopping at some of the fine places along the way ending, cross to the Danube and into Austria ending up in Vienna. Have a look at bahn.de and seat61.com for the train links, or you could hire a car.

neckervd

Do you really want to waste your time with this nonsense?
What will you see on this trip:
Trier and the Mosel Valley (beautiful and very interesting places, but nevertheless not the highlights of Germany);
Baden-Baden and some places in the Black Forest hills (nothing to write home about);
Murren, a small old fashioned mountain resort in the Bernese Oberland with phantastic views (only if the weather is fine) to Jungfrau and other snow covered mountains (note that all mentioned mountain railway rides which will cost more than 100 USD are not included in the price). If you stay at Murren only, you will have seen absolutely nothing of Switzerland;
Munich, a interesting German town with some castles und museums;
Salzburg, a scenic Austrian town and it's neighbourhood, the Salzkammergut;
Vienna, a historic capital which needs 3 days for a somewhat decent visit, but you will have only one!
Between these places, you waste a lot of time in (rather slow) buses along not particularly scenic itineraries.

bobthenavigator

You can do it on your own for at least 20% less but I do not know how to do it without a car---just be sure to do a circle and pick up and drop in Germany.