Need some help
Mar 23rd, 2012, 12:09 PM
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Need some help
We are 60 and 64 and have done a bit of traveling. We have driven through Israel alone for 3 weeks and we toured China with a tour company.
We would like to go to Berlin to Warsaw, Poland, to Krakow, Poland, to Budapest, Hungary to Vienna, Austria, to Praque, Czech Republic. We have 3 weeks. We were thinking about one tour group and learned that their demographics catered to 20 and 30 somethings. We started thinking about driving ourselves. My husband is very good with maps. Then we started thinking about going via train. I got overwhelmed when I started looking at that option. Any advice? Thanks, Jo from the USA
We would like to go to Berlin to Warsaw, Poland, to Krakow, Poland, to Budapest, Hungary to Vienna, Austria, to Praque, Czech Republic. We have 3 weeks. We were thinking about one tour group and learned that their demographics catered to 20 and 30 somethings. We started thinking about driving ourselves. My husband is very good with maps. Then we started thinking about going via train. I got overwhelmed when I started looking at that option. Any advice? Thanks, Jo from the USA
Mar 23rd, 2012, 12:31 PM
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If you decide to drive on your own you will be very confident if you use a gps. Either rent one with your car or pickup a portable one online before you go. Make sure you get one with Europen maps. I bought one with US and Europen maps several year ago and it has paid for itself over and over at home and in Europe.
Mar 24th, 2012, 03:35 AM
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I've had no experience in these countries, but based on what I read here I think trains would work well since you are planning to visit some major cities. That being said, a navigator who is good with maps makes for some wonderful journeys. Perhaps you could repost your question with a more specific title, e.g. Car or train in Central Europe?, and see if you get more useful replies.
Mar 24th, 2012, 04:02 AM
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Since you're only going to cities it makes sense to take the train as the car will sit idle while you're in the city and you'll have to navigate unfamiliar city streets and pay for parking during your stay.
The reason you are overwhelmed is that you want to visit 6 large cities in 15 days, giving you only 2 days per city. That is not enough time for these wonderful places.
In 3 weeks you could see Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest or any combination of 4 cities.
It's difficult to go from Krakow to any place else by train as there are many stops and train travel takes a long time.
If you include Warsaw and Krakow in the mix, see Krakow first, take the high speed train to Warsaw (3 hours) and fly home from there.
You don't say what train site you've been looking at but the best one for scheduling is bahn.de and then switch to the English version. This is a Germany site but will give train info for all of Europe.
Krakow is one of my favorite cities and no tour company will give you enough time there. Rather than going with a tour company you should consider local walking tours and private guides for part of the trip.
Sandeman's gives good overview tours that are free (tip the guide) in Berlin and Prague. I've used private guides in Poland who were reasonable. There are lots of walking tour companies in these cities and some sights offer guided tours given by the docents.
Make a list of everything you want to see in these cities and you will soon see that you're overscheduled. Choose a maximum of 4 (I could see 3 cities in 3 weeks and not be bored as there are often day trips outside the cities you can take), lay out a schedule and come back with specific questions.
The reason you are overwhelmed is that you want to visit 6 large cities in 15 days, giving you only 2 days per city. That is not enough time for these wonderful places.
In 3 weeks you could see Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest or any combination of 4 cities.
It's difficult to go from Krakow to any place else by train as there are many stops and train travel takes a long time.
If you include Warsaw and Krakow in the mix, see Krakow first, take the high speed train to Warsaw (3 hours) and fly home from there.
You don't say what train site you've been looking at but the best one for scheduling is bahn.de and then switch to the English version. This is a Germany site but will give train info for all of Europe.
Krakow is one of my favorite cities and no tour company will give you enough time there. Rather than going with a tour company you should consider local walking tours and private guides for part of the trip.
Sandeman's gives good overview tours that are free (tip the guide) in Berlin and Prague. I've used private guides in Poland who were reasonable. There are lots of walking tour companies in these cities and some sights offer guided tours given by the docents.
Make a list of everything you want to see in these cities and you will soon see that you're overscheduled. Choose a maximum of 4 (I could see 3 cities in 3 weeks and not be bored as there are often day trips outside the cities you can take), lay out a schedule and come back with specific questions.
