Are the Fodors demons out today?
Apr 30th, 2002, 02:47 PM
#1
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Are the Fodors demons out today?
I tried to post a reply to a totally innocuous thread entitled "Germany, Switzerland, Italy itinerary advice, please" or something like that and the thread disappeared. The "History" button on my browser reveals the link to have been<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=1368365&numresponses=4&st art=0<BR><BR>which now leads nowhere. The "Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza is dead" thread also seems to have vanished. What gives?
Apr 30th, 2002, 03:20 PM
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Thanks, asdf, that was helpful.<BR><BR>It reminds me of an anecdote about President William Howard Taft. Taft was being introduced at a Republican Party dinner by Senator Chauncey Depew, who gave a long-winded speech ending "And now, I give you a man who is pregnant with courage, a man who is pregnant with integrity, President William Howard Taft." Taft lumbered up to the podium, placed his hands on his belly, and said "If it's a boy, I will name him Courage. If it's a girl, I will name her Integrity. But if, as I suspect, it's only gas, I will name it Chauncey Depew."
Apr 30th, 2002, 04:03 PM
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Hi jahoulih,<BR><BR>I don't think you are imagining things. I think it was my post that was deleted. I went to check out what my responses were and couldn't find the post anywhere, not even if I entered my e-mail address (which gave me my previous postings). Fodors demons are definitely out there. Were you going to respond to my Germany/Switzerland/Italy post? I would appreciate your advice (despite my post mysteriously disappearing. Rex, if you are out there, do you have any more advice for me. We are totally flexible (nothing is set in stone right now)?
Apr 30th, 2002, 04:09 PM
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Hi, Joanne, glad to hear I didn't imagine your post. I was going to say that I liked your itinerary better than Rex and Bob did. The train trips from place to place (not counting the excursions to Neuschwanstein and Pilatus) only add up to 28 hours, and they pass through some beautiful scenery so I wouldn't consider those hours wasted. I plugged your itinerary into www.railsaver.com, and it suggested the 4-day Swiss 2d Class Adult Flexipass.
Apr 30th, 2002, 04:24 PM
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Jahoulih,<BR><BR>Thanks for your advice...I too was curious how Rex calculated 40 hours by train...I myself calculated about 24 hours. The Swiss pass would obviously only cover Switzerland right...I guess I would have to buy point to point for Germany and Italy. Also, did they give you a price for this pass?
Apr 30th, 2002, 05:19 PM
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The 4-day flexipass is $184, or $156 apiece for two or more people traveling together. But you'll also probably want to take the trains while you're in the Berner Oberland, so you might be better off with an 8-day consecutive pass, which would be $225, or $192 apiece for two or more together.<BR><BR>I think the Railsaver site quoted about $124 for the non-Switzerland parts of your trip.<BR><BR>One more thing: Since you want to visit the museum in Lausanne while you're staying in Montreux (if I recall correctly), you might want to make it 3 nights in the Berner Oberland and 2 in Montreux instead of 4 and 1.
May 1st, 2002, 01:56 PM
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Check out<BR><BR>http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/passes/swiss_pass.htm<BR><BR>for what the Swiss Pass does and does not include (it's a fairly complicated subject). The Eurail Selectpasses are on sale for travel until June 30, but as I recall your trip is in September, so I think you'd be better off with the Swiss pass.
May 1st, 2002, 05:30 PM
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I can't comment on my earlier "guess-timate" without knowing more about what are/were the details fo the itinerary. I did not try to add it up - - but I am sure that I meant "door to door" - - not posted train travel times, i.e., time to get to the train station, buy the tickets, go to the right platform and board the train - - then leave the train stattion and take some other public transportation to your ultimate destination.<BR><BR>I am not a city-to-city traveler in Europe, generally - - so I often picture a 2 hour car trip as a 4 hour train trip; clearly there are exceptions to this: Rome to Florence; Paris to Avignon, etc.<BR><BR>I just remember thinking: this is a lot of train travel - - and there were destinations that I don't view as "train friendly" - - in contrast to, Florence, for example.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>
May 1st, 2002, 06:24 PM
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Rex-The plan right now is to minimize train transfers. I'm aware that getting to the final destination will tack on some time to my estimates. I am pretty positive that our time on the trains will be scenic, as well as relaxing. Yes, it's hectic and you have to be organized to do it. Planning is critical. Here's a run of how it looks now (I am still trying to cut and adjust some things).<BR><BR>Sat. Arrive in Frankfurt-transfer to Rothenburg-2.5 hrs<BR>Sun. Rothenburg<BR>Mon. Transfer to Munich (Am-)3 hrs<BR>Tues. Day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle (haven't decided yet whether to do a bus trip or by rail)<BR>Wed. Transfer to Luzern-6 hrs<BR>Thurs. Mt Pilatus (weather permitting)<BR>Depart for Berner Oberland in PM (2-3 hrs)<BR>Fri. Berner Oberland<BR>Sat. Berner Oberland<BR>Sun. Berner Oberland<BR>Mon. Transfer to Lausanne (2 hrs)<BR>Olympic Museum in Pm & Ferry to either Montreux or Vivey<BR>Tues. Ferry to Chateau Chillon: afternoon departure from Montreux to Varenna (4 hrs)<BR>Wed. Varenna<BR>Thurs Afternoon departure for Venice (3.5 hrs)<BR>Fri. Venice<BR>Sat. Venice<BR>Sun. Depart Venice for home<BR><BR>Any suggestions will be appreciated. I am still toying with this itinerary. I was thinking of adding one more night in Munich (to take a day trip to Salzburg), adding one more night in Montreux, adding one more night in Luzern, dropping one night in BO and dropping Varenna completely. We would then leave from Montreux to Venice directly via Cisalpino line (6hrs). <BR> Thanks!
