guanciale

Hi all...I apologize to anyone who saw this earlier as I'd forgotten to title it (thanks to those who replied). I guess Fodor's gave it the title of "Null." Anyway, here is my question/challenge. I just booked mileage award, open jaw tickets to Paris for our family of four for next June. We can only stay about 14-16 days, and would like to stay at least 4 nights in Paris, go to Salzburg for a couple nights, via a couple nights around Monteux/Vivey or Lucerne, before ending our trip in Ravenna or somewhere interesting on the northern Adriatic for at least 4 nights. (Hoping to book a return from Bologna or nearby.) I'm assuming trains make the most sense for this tight itinerary, and I'm wondering if we should even include Salzburg, or just go straight to Ravenna.

Does anyone have any experience with efficient train routes (or driving if that's more efficient) to these destinations; have any recommendations? (i.e. is it possible to take a direct train from Salzburg to Ravenna in a day?) I have noted a few railway web sites that I need to spend some time with, but wanted to inquire here first. Thanks for any advice!

Musicteacher

The best rail site for checking schedules anywhere in Europe is the German site:
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de

Paris - Switzerland - Ravenna makes more sense to me than Paris - Switzerland - Salzburg - Ravenna. Salzburg would be a considerable distance out of the way.

guanciale

Musicteacher, thanks very much. I will check out the site. Yes, your suggestion does make more sense; we have the nasty habit of trying to see more than might be possible when in Europe, for fear it may be a long time before we're back, so that is why I'm posing the question before booking.

ira

Hi G,

The other way is to skip Switzerland.

TGVEst to Strasbourg - Alsace is worth a few days - then on to Salzburg and Ravenna.

guanciale

Thanks Ira...always good to read your advice. I hadn't considered that route much because we are pretty interested in seeing the Swiss Alps area, but it certainly is more direct, and I would like to see the Alsace region as well.

Musicteacher, I looked through Die Bahn, and that is a great site. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to quote any fares (even if I typed in a false date of later this month), and a few of the routes said "not bookable on internet." So I guess I'd need to work with an authorized travel agent on that. I also noticed on the bigger cities many stops were listed, and you needed to choose one...and with some, they had you walking to the bus station and then continuing on, I guess into the city. Do you know what Hbf stands for?

Does anyone have specific experience/suggestions with Montreux, Lucerne, Salburg or Ravenna? Thanks again!

Lynn_Gibson

I just got back in mid-July from a 2-week trip where I flew into Rome, stayed a few days, took a train to Salzburg and then ended up in Paris. The train trip between Paris and Salzburg was long (all day), but I enjoyed seeing the country. Plus the fact that we had been doing major walking in Rome and Salzburg and were glad to have a day of sitting! We went from Salzburg to Zurich and then Strasburg and then to Paris. Changing trains was necessary in Zurich and Strasburg.

I would do it again. I'd been to Paris and Rome before, but not to Salzburg and enjoyed it tremendously, even though it is somewhat out of the way.

ira

Hi G,

Bahn.de will give you prices into, out of and within Germany.

For France, use www.voyages-sncf.com.

For Austria http://www.oebb.at/vip8/oebb/de/

For CH
http://www.sbb.ch/en/index.htm

For Italy
http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

Hbf is the Hauptbahnhof - main train station.

guanciale

Thanks Lynn, great to hear about your trip! I was pleasantly surprised to hear you did Salzburg all the way to Paris. I think the occasional all day on a train sounds nice as well, after lengthy walking in cities...am considering whether or not my 9 and 12 year old will enjoy that as much though. (Better than in a car all day!) Did you go from Rome to Salzburg in one day, and if so, how did you find that?

Ira, these web sites will be very helpful. (Is "CH" Switzerland?) Good to know about the Hbf! Thanks again.

ira

>Is "CH" Switzerland?

Yes, Confederation Helvetica