Bob

<BR>Central European Vacation Itinerary<BR><BR>I have used this board for some 4 years to plan by twice yearly vacations, one yearly trip is always to Europe. I have never been lead wrong (although I have received posts from jerks, trolls and broom-riders). Please look at the plan/itinerary and make suggestions. The only definite is I will spend one night in Bratislava. For what it is worth, I will be traveling alone (until Budapest) and like to stay right in the middle of everything and enjoy the local urban atmosphere---which will include closing down a few pubs/taverns. So if you have any suggestions on what you would do, it is appreciated.. (No need to tell me to search the site, read books, etc. as I have done all that.) Just want some guidance for people who have traveled this region and good suggestions for a more pleasant trip. I will post this under the three countries.<BR><BR>Thanks<BR><BR>Nov22 Leave work and fly out of US via Detroit to Amsterdam<BR>Nov 23 /Sat Arrive Salzburg around 12:00noon Saturday (staying in Alstadt area)<BR>Nov 24 /Sun Visit Salzburg sites<BR>Nov 25/Mon Visit Salzburg sites<BR>Nov 25/Mon Take late train to Vienna (working on Hotel)<BR>Nov 26/Tues Visit Vienna Sites<BR>Nov 28/Wed Visit Vienna Sites<BR>Nov 29/Thur Visit Vienna Sites<BR>Nov 29/Thur Take train to Bratislava (stay in cheap hotel/hostel in City center)<BR>Nov 30/Fri Morning walk around Bratislava<BR>Nov 30/Fri Take afternoon train to Budapest (Stay on Pest side) Meet up with Hungarian friend for weekend<BR>Nov 31/Sat Visit Budapest <BR>Dec 1/Sun Visit Budapest<BR>Dec 2/Mon Have a few hours in Budapest and fly out at 12:00<BR> Arrive in home town at 11:00pm<BR>Dec 3/Tues Back to work—Conference call at 7:30am with Asian vendor<BR>

Tom

Assuming that the vendor is IN Asia, seems like you would want to re-schedule the conference call to late at night on Tuesday.<BR>

Tuth

Bob you forgot to tell us what's your Asian vendor's name

Bob

Vendor's name is a secret, but you have used or see their products on TV all the time--DUDE !! You may be using one of them now.

Bob

I would leave 3 Dec off the itinerary because no one gives a flip, Dude!<BR><BR>Why do people try to make themselves important?

SA

That's a lot of travel for the short time you will be there. Where is your primary target &amp; perhaps I can help. Budapest does not fit in w/the rest of your itinerary. You could easily add Munich or Venice &amp; save a lot of travel time. If you are stuck on Budapest then maybe Prague &amp;/or Krakow.

duh

Do some of you even read before posting? Since Bob has made a point of telling us he's meeting up with a Hungarian friend in Budapest, that seems pretty clear. Why would you suggest he cut that part out? And he has already given his primary target of Bratislava.

SA

Often when I am meeting my friends they will meet me somewhere as well. I was only offering alternatives as it appears Bob is going to spend most of his time on a train. &amp; what insightful info did you provide ?? I'm not sure how he is getting from Amsterdam to Salzburg either. Perhaps his friend could meet him in Bratislava ?? I don't know, do you duh ??

Rex

I think what he meant to say was<BR><BR>FROM Detroit VIA Amsterdam (to Salzburg).<BR><BR>just like he will be flying from Budapest VIA Amsterdam to get home.<BR><BR>And as to the itinerary, it sounds okay for the little bit of I know about. I will recommend the Goldenen Ente as a place to stay in Salzburg unless you have already chosen some place else (yes, it is in the Altstadt).<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Patrick

Well, Bob, looks like this is one of those posts where you got more than your share of broom-riders, jerks, and trolls.<BR><BR>I think the whole think sounds great, if Rex is right in his assumption you are flying into Salzburg and out of Budapest. Haven't been to Bratislava, but sounds like an ideal inclusion on this trip. Not really that much travel once you get to Salzburg. And you're staying long enough in each place to get a good feel for each.

Bob

Hey Bob Leave it- My statement has nothing to do with self- importance. It shows time schedule from beginning to end. The “Dude” comment was a hint to the question in the previous post. If you were not so fast to criticize and instead of reading the post, offering a suggestion, and yes, getting the clue, you might just offer some form of help which this board is for---of which all the other posts did. . But you would rather criticize and offer nothing. If I wanted to show my self-importance, I would tell you what I did today, not about some phone call. Geeezzz Next time, save the effort and move on.

BroomRidingTrollJerk

Yeah . . . what was the purpose of this line:<BR><BR>Dec 3/Tues Back to work—Conference call at 7:30am with Asian vendor<BR><BR>And what kind of work are you going to be doing on the hotel (Nov 25).<BR><BR>Sorry, couldn't help myself.<BR><BR>I will say this, I stayed at the City Hotel in (I think it was called) the Ruzinof district and if nothing else it was quiet. The other people, also on business, stayed at the Holiday Inn and it was twice as expensive as the City, one of the guys was mugged 100 feet from the front door ( I guess it happens everywhere), but the breakfast was wonderful there.<BR>

bob

Ok now I have vented. I will claify. <BR>1) I will fly from Amsterdam to Salzburg<BR>2) I will fly back from Budapest through Amsterdam<BR>3) Yes, this is a lot of train rides, but the trips are short and I have spent the same amount of time or more in airports, layovers, and getting into other cities.<BR>4) The main cities that form the triangle of which I am flying are Salzburg, Vienna and Budapest (with Bratislava in the middle and a short stayover to see an old Central European town)<BR>5) I take the trains later in the day or early night as I would probably be sitting in a caf&eacute;, napping, etc since I do not eat until 10:00 at night. In short, it does not take much out of the day as I travel light and get in and out fast.<BR>6) For Prague and Krakow, thanks for the suggestion but I was there last year and I love both cities greatly<BR>7) I can not leave off Budapest since my friend is taking a 10 hour train from the east to get there.<BR>8) Question: Which is your favorite? Salzburg or Vienna?<BR>9) Primary target are 3 cities within short train rides (have done Prague/Krakow/Berlin before and the train is a lot longer than any of these)<BR>10) For everyone, except “Bob leave it”---thanks<BR>11) Hey “Bob Leave it”—when I post in January about my trip to Shanghai, just pass over it !!!!!<BR>

Ben Haines

As Patrick says, you certainly had your ration of jerks this time. What you have to do on return bears on how tired you dare get a couple of days before that. Budapest fits in well. Venice is miles away, and Munich is further from Bratislava than Munich is.<BR><BR>You are going to spend limited time on a train.<BR>Amsterdam Central 1925, sleeper, Munich 0622 to 0633, Salzburg 0826 (or you are flying)<BR>Salzburg 3 hours by restaurant car train to Vienna<BR>Vienna South 75 minutes to Bratislava. <BR>Bratislava 3 hours by restaurant car to Budapest

Tim

Bob,<BR>Here is my three cents' worth on Bratislava.<BR><BR>The Rusinov district is three or four miles from the old-town shops-and-pub section by the Danube. The nicer hotels are down there (Hotel Forum, etc.), and from there you can walk up to the Hrad (castle) park for a nice city-and-river view. <BR><BR>However, if you don't mind a short cab or bus ride, you can save a few bucks staying in Rusinov; Hotel Turist for $30 gets you a decent room there.<BR><BR>The Bratislava trains leave frequently from the Vienna Sudbanhof and arrive at either Petrzalka (south of the river) or Bratislava Stanica Hl. (main station, closer to the Old Town). The exact schedules (as well as for Bratislava-Budapest) are posted on the Die Bahn website. Although the Vienna Metro (U-Bahn) does not connect directly to the Sudbanhof, if you have already purchased your Bratislava ticket, you can conveniently catch the Bratislava-bound trains by taking the Vienna Metro 3 (orange line) to the Simmering station (east end) and going up the escalators to the Simmering train platform, where the Bratislava trains make their first stop out of the Sudbanhof.<BR><BR>In summer, the cafes and shops beckon, and you can boat down the Danube from Vienna on through to Budapest.<BR><BR>

Ira

Hi Bob<BR><BR> I've stayed at the Kaertnerhof Hotel in Vienna and found it very pleasant and nicely located.

lynlor

Tim: Do you or anyone else have the address, phone or fax number of the tourist office in Bratislava? I am assuming that there is a tourist office in the city. <BR><BR>Is the opera house near the downtown hotels?<BR>Thanks<BR>lynlor

Tim

lynlor,<BR><BR>I have some Bratislava links I'll post in a while.<BR><BR>As to your last question, check out this link (cut and paste):<BR><BR>http://reservations.lodging.com/servlet/PropertyInformation/RAD_BTSZH/lc<BR><BR>

Tim

lynlor,<BR><BR>Here's what I found on the Bratislava tourism office:<BR><BR>Bratislavska informacna sluzba (Bratislava Information Service)<BR>Klobucnicka 2, 814 28 Bratislava<BR>Tel.: +421/7/54433715, 54434370, 54434325, Fax: +421/7/54432708<BR>e-mail:[email protected]<BR><BR>I think there's one at the train station and in the center of the Old Town pedestrian section.<BR><BR>You might check out this link too:<BR><BR>http://www.panorama.sk/en/<BR><BR><BR><BR>

topping

topping his other posting of this same question.<BR>