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Solo trip across Europe covering 18 countries

Solo trip across Europe covering 18 countries

Old Oct 25th, 2016, 10:36 AM
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Solo trip across Europe covering 18 countries

Hi. I am from India. I am planning a solo trip across Europe and hoping to cover these 18 countries: -

Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

I have 8 weeks time and my budget is about €5,000. I am 26 which makes Eurorail Global Pass a bit expensive for me.

Is this trip feasible given the time and the budget should I stay in hostels and save money wherever I can? It would be great if I can get any advice/suggestions that might help regarding any changes I need to make or anything for that matter. Also i wish to draft a rough itinerary for the trip. Thanks
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 10:49 AM
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No, it really isn't feasible. Even if it was, your budget is very low for that much moving around.

Just for discussion - let's call it exactly 8 weeks/56 days. That will leave you about 30-35 days free to see and do things after subtracting all the travel time. So less than 2 days per country. Not 2 days per city, but 2 days per country. Total waste of time and money IMO.

Pick the 8 countries you most want to visit but even that will be very rushed for some countries.
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 11:12 AM
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I definitely think you should try it and report back here at the end. We almost always tell people who ask this sort of question that it's a bad idea and to plan to do much less. But you're young, presumably have the energy to give it a shot. And then YOU tell US the result. Did you enjoy yourself? Did you get to all the places you planned to see? What would you have done differently.

We tend to be a bunch of know-it-alls around here and I'd like to find out if we're full of hot air and can people with plenty of energy do exactly what you propose to do and enjoy themselves. (I expect my suggestion will elicit more hot air.)
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 11:21 AM
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Yes stay in hostels or youth hotels or do overnight trains- some of which you can sleep on for free or pay about $25 fora place in a couchette - look at various Eurail Select Passes or two-country passes or a Swiss Pass,etc if traveling a lot on trains in expensive countries - buses are cheapest now but not nearly as comfy as trains and you have to fit their limited schedules- trains go everywhere all the time.

In Britain however buses go everywhere all the time and a National Coach Pass can be really cheap compared to trains.

anyways for lots on European trains and passes check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Get a copy of Let's Go Europe - the best guide IMO for finding decent cheap accommodations besides the park bench. Amazon.com sells them.
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 11:30 AM
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You can easily add Luxembourg, as it would make one more country at nearly no cost.
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 12:06 PM
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Consider your daily budget. That's roughly 90 a day, which would be fine IF that was before transit. (You'd have to do hostels the whole trip, though.) If you do that much moving around, transit is going take a serious chunk out of your budget. But only you know how much you need to eat daily, and what you can put up with in terms of lodging.

I agree with mmeperdu - it'd terrific if you went and did this and then reported back.

Another idea- it's not my style but I know some people do it- is book your plane tickets, buy a global pass, and then just roam around. Go where your whims take you. Then you can stay as long as you want in places that interest you and take off when you want to see something else. The rail passes are not generally good value but the only way to really save money is to book ahead which would tie you into a specific itinerary. I think I'd do that over a strict itinerary with a day or two in each country.
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 12:20 PM
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I would not be willing to spend so much time and money moving around all over the place. That will kill your budget before you even see anything! Most of your 8 weeks will be sitting on trains and busses going from one country to the next.

With 8 weeks and a low budget, I'd pick no more than 8-10 cities or regions (not 18 entire countries).
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 12:30 PM
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It depends on what you mean by cover. Do you wish to just walk around one city or to see some major sights, museums, etc? Just pop into one city or have a look at countryside and smaller towns?

In Italy, for example, have you any interest in Pompeii, one of the great archaeological sites in the world, a tour of the sites of ancient sites of Rome, world renowned art like the Sistine Chapel, etc. Do you want to see special and unique places like Venice?

In Greece, are you doing only a day or two in Athens or some of the islands?

In Germany - Berlin, Munich, the Romantic Road, Castles?

Figure out what places and things you most want to see and how much time they will take. Then figure carefully how long it will take to get from place to place and country to country. Calculate costs for travel, not just getting from country to country, but local travel as well, lodging, food, any unique experiences and entrance fees for museums. You can then work out for yourself what is feasible.

Another issue is when are you planning to make this trip?
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 01:36 PM
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You can easily add Luxembourg, as it would make one more country at nearly no cost.>

Or spend the night in a nice youth hostel within walking distance from the train station- one of Europe's most physically gorgeous cities but rather blah otherwise - great one night stand:

https://www.google.com/search?q=luxe...HXRnCK0QsAQIGw
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 02:04 PM
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Look at bus passes; they're cheaper. And check out the Thorn Tree web site and forum; it specializes in low cost travel.
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 05:33 PM
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It would help, I think, to know WHY you want to make this trip. What is your reason for trying to visit all of these places in one trip? While most of us have and will say it is too rushed, we can't say whether it would have a chance of meeting your interests without knowing what those are.

@ WoinParis: ;-)
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 05:37 PM
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My 19 year old D and her 2 friends went for 6 weeks a couple of summer ago. They visited 8 cities (NOT countries) and cam back saying they needed more time everywhere. She spent about $8000 - but did not do any shopping (beyond the guides in the various palaces, etc) and did only student nightlife (dirt cheap beer or wine). And that was WAY less train travel than you are looking at.

Certainly it is possible to travel for less but

Look carefully at hoses, many are fine but some are full of drugs and theft
If you have a small appetite and are happy with a roll for breakfast, slice of pizza or a take out sandwich for lunch) and a budget take away meal for dinner that would be cheaper than what they did. But do check out the cost of many major sights - can easily be 20 to 25 euros - and so blow your budget for the day.

Why go to major cities and then not see the most important sights because your budget won't cover it. And that assumes the $5K does not include your air fare.
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 05:39 PM
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>>Look carefully at hoseshostels
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 06:30 PM
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I agree that what you are proposing is not a good idea. My first trip to Europe covered two months with a Eurail Pass where we just went where we wanted to and we could not make it to England, Ireland, Greece, Croatia, Portugal and Hungary on your list. Three countries on your list were a one day visit, Salzburg from Munich day trip and Oslo and Stockholm one day each with night trains to/from Copenhagen. Your budget and being solo relegates you to Hostels for housing unless you are traveling during the summer in which case you may use University dormitories in many countries. Eating out of grocery stores instead of restaurants will save you a lot of money. Consider buses and limiting your destinations. Unless they are a priority cut out Greece and Ireland for a start. Check out the Thorn Tree website for information.
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Old Oct 25th, 2016, 06:45 PM
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Look at hoses? I think you meant hostels. Poor dude's from India, he can't be expected to know a typographical error.

Yes, WHY?

Equal time to France and Denmark? etc.

Can't you read some travel books to narrow your scope? Would you find Kashmir and Ceylon of equal interest?

Now, granted, I've never been to Denmark, nor India, but hopefully you get the idea.
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Old Oct 26th, 2016, 03:11 AM
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What do you actually want out of your trip?

Do you want to return home and brag about how many countries you saw, show off hundreds of photos of the outsides of famous buildings and then sleep for a week? If that's what you want the trip sounds feasible.

Do you want to actually go inside all those famous buildings and maybe see a few museums? Then you need to slow down and drop at least half of your destinations.

Eight weeks is 56 days. With 18 countries it's ca 3 days/country, NOT counting travel time between countries. If someone told you they wanted to come and "cover India" in three days, what would you say about that? Sure, most of the countries on your list are geographically smaller than India, but that doesn't automatically mean they have less things to see.

I think you budget sounds a bit low. But if you stay in hostels and eat cheap food maybe it will be enough. Maybe.

Going inside tourist sites is expensive, like nytravel says. But if you don't have the time to go inside them anyway that won't matter. You also won't have time to do much shopping.
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Old Oct 26th, 2016, 07:31 AM
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I don't see any reason why the OP can't plan strategically by setting up this itinerary with the thought that what's on the list at the start may, indeed, be impossible. They can trim as they go, even lop off chunks if necessary. I'd rather they did that than take as gospel the rules of a bunch of fogies here. I've done just that at times when I've realized I'd bitten off too much. But have sleeping reservations that can be cancelled or no reservations at all. Depending on time of year which I don't see mentioned.

Another thought regarding where to sleep. Sprinkle in some free nights couchsurfing. There is the website by that name and also hospitalityclub.org. I've used the latter, met some wonderful people and recommend it highly. Sign up well before departure as the process can take a while for the volunteer staff to set you up. It's a good idea to contact members as you go if your itinerary may change, maybe a few days in advance. Individual profiles will often give guidelines for how long in advance they prefer.
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Old Oct 26th, 2016, 07:37 AM
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Boy, a LIVE in Europe and have not been to all of the 18 countries mentioned.

Actually, here I often read posts from Indians who have no clue of European geography and distances.

Each train ride will eat up at least half a day if not a whole day.

After your trip you will be an expert of train seats and toilets, but you will not have seen much of Europe.
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Old Oct 26th, 2016, 09:03 AM
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>

You can make your suggestions without insulting the other posters here.
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Old Oct 26th, 2016, 09:30 AM
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The poster's plan is so minimal, it can hardly be called a plan, rather just an idea. They have no itinerary planned. They have no plans for accommodations. They have no plans for transportation .They did ask for advice on itinerary, lodging and changes they should make, and they ask if their plan was feasible.

I don't see anyone, "old fogies" or not, giving any rules to the original poster. Posters have instead asked reasonable questions and offered information for the poster to consider in actually developing real plans.

The OP could have gone onto a different website geared to younger travelers or backpackers, etc. They came instead to a forum geared to older travelers with lots of experience. I hope they gain from all that experience, and don't discard it because it came from someone older.
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