SKPKCP11

Thanks a ton PalenQ for the clarity.

Much appreciate it.

Kind regards,
SKPKCP11

PalenQ

<In his well-known novel The Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco named one of the protagonists "Adson von Melk" as a tribute to the abbey and its famous library>

good reading to whet your appetite for the fantastic Melk Abbey!

SKPKCP11

Thanks PalenQ. Will definitely try to look it up.

Kind regards,
SKPKCP11

salilbawa

Dear SKPKCP11


Please give as much detailed info as possible



I have read today with interest, your several questions over last few months. As I am travelling with wife and 2 kids (aged 4.5 and 9 yrs), this seems very interesting and common, as I am in Vienna for 3 nights and then 3 days in Salzburg.

May I request you to kindly post your final itinerary with the places you are visiting and site seeing etc etc..... It would be very very helpful for me and others who plan a similar trip

Cheers
Salil

PalenQ

"3 nights in Vienna and 3 days in Salzburg" - well I would add 3 days to Vienna and 3 nights to Salzburg for starters!

salilbawa

Thanks PalenQ

Unfortunately my bookings in Vienna are already done.
We reach Vienna on the 28th afternoon and will check out on the 1st... so kind of 3 days. We check in Salzburg on the 1st afternoon and plan to leave by train on the 3rd night.

Since SKPKCP11 has asked several queries and all the posters have assisted and I found his trip interesting, have requested SKPKCP11 to post his final itinerary, so that Can use most of it.

easytraveler

A bit more information:

It is not that easy to get from the train station to Melk Abbey. I got lost and had to follow a couple of Americans who were reading instructions from a Rick Steves guidebook, so suggest that you have some sort of directions to get from train station to abbey. The way is not marked and goes through some medieval lanes and roads, so it's not a direct path.

At the abbey, there are two tour groups, one in English and one in German. Their departure times are staggered but very close, like one leaves at 11 and the other at 11:15 (so they don't run into each other!).

If you want to do the boat tour of the Wachau Valley, you HAVE to do the 11/11:15 tour in order to get to the boat dock in time to catch the boat. Bring a lunch as you will not have time enough to do a sit down lunch.

To get to the boat dock from the abbey, go downhill to the "main drag", turn right and go all the way to the end, then turn right again. At the end of the main drag there is a Chinese restaurant (I think). The proprietor's young daughter will be happy to give you directions to the boat dock - in Chinese.

Durnstein: if you want to visit the castle at the top of the hill, there are two ways up/down. One is easier than the other; the bad one is almost like having to walk up a perpetual staircase. How to find the easier path? From the boat dock, get to the "main drag" of Durnstein. Once there, turn right. GO PAST THE OLD GATE. Take the first road on the LEFT, which is a fairly wide road between houses. (Believe that the way that is marked to go up to the castle is the bad road - you can come DOWN this way)

I'll see if I have some photos to help explain.

four_maccas

Thanks for posting this 'easytraveler' - will be heading there in September and you have helped immensely with my planning.

molker

With Melk Abbey sitting high above the village of Melk, it is about impossible not to easily find it with no trouble.
Simply depart the station walking downhill toward the main part of the small town. You will soon find the pesestrain zone with cafes, shops etc. simply turn right on the pedestrian zone and walking slightly up hill on streets toward the Abbey. If I remember correctly small signs help you. Note that Abbey in german is the word Stift .
10 - 15 minute walking time -

Note that you may tour the Abbey on your ownin summer at anytime . No need to wait for a tour unless you wish.
With or without the tour you see the same things.

For the Danube boat cruise with DDSG or Brandner -
simply walk down from the Abbey through the pedestrian zone to the corner where you find the major 2 lane highway of the area. Simply turn right there ( do not cross the bridge as this way leads to the Danube passenger multi day cruise boats.
Follow the roadway several hundred meters to a Gas Station on the left side ( perhaps a BP station ) walk on the roadway just past the gas station to the boat docks -
trip may be 10- 15 minutes.

For Melk info including a Map/ Stadtplan

www.melk.gv.at

print the map if you wish to assist you.

Thousands make this waqy with no troubles.

For Dürnstein- Perhaps the above poster has not been on the castle paths lately.
The way now with information signage in german and english to explain those invoved in the times pertaining to Richard the Lionhearted.
Dürnstein boat dock from Melk - immediately turn right as you leave the boat dock - you walk several hundred meters on a paved promenade along the Danube. Fine picture taking opportunities along this way of the Blue Steeple , old homes etc.

You will find a paved pathway just before the small ferryboat on the left side.
Take this pathway , passing the Alter Klosterkeller heuriger and simply stay on this way till the top passing the nice markers as you go. This the easy way. .

easytraveler

Here are some photos (labelled "Getting Up to Durnstein Castle Ruins) on worldisround):

http://www.worldisround.com/articles/371394/index.html


Molker: I was up there last year. The easy way and the hard way were pointed out to me by a local resident with whom I had struck up a conversation.

The American couple in Melk had lived and worked in Europe for about 20 years. The third member of their family was their son who was visiting from attending some European university (I forget which one), so all three are quite familiar with European towns and roads.

I just didn't think it was necessary to fill in all these minor details.

We all have our opinions. Certainly I'd follow Molker's on Austria any day.

salilbawa

Dear SKPKCP11

It seems you dont want to share the itinerary, though you have asked all the posters for all information for several months.

This doesnt look very appropriate.

Salil

SKPKCP11

Dear Fodorites,

Thanks for the valuable info.

Dear Salil,

Regret the delay in reverting as I have not been very active lately. I do not have any tight itinerary as I am not holding any bookings for any attractions. We are looking at 3 days in Vienna out of which 1 day will be devoted to Melk trip, 1 day to Schonbrunn & its surroundings i.e. zoo & Prater and 1 day to Ring area. Am yet not very clear on what are the best attractions to cover in the ring area and what to skip as we are with kids and beyond a certain point they will not enjoy the museums and also not sure what route to take which is the best and fastest. Guess we will take it forward once we are there. But will certainly try to do the Hofburg Palace. We will give a skip to the Vienna Boys Choir (which is only on Sunday) and the Spanish Riding School but will try to cover atleast 1 museum time permitting. In an earlier post I had indicated the attractions of the Ring area which we wanted to cover but was advised that it is next to impossible to do them in 1 day. Had earlier wanted to do an evening show and also the Grinzing area but not a good idea with kids and also we are not wine drinkers. Hence, have dropped it. Will keep sometime for the Naschmarkt.

Kind regards,
SKPKCP11

easytraveler

If you are looking for things especially for children, there is also the ZOOM museum for children:

http://www.wien.info/en/vienna-for/f...s/museums/zoom

You have started so many threads that it's difficult to remember what has been recommended to you before.

Thus, I can't remember if Zanoni&Zanoni's gelato has been recommended to you before or not. It too is a fun place for children to see the mounds of gelato and the servers in their funny hats.

http://www.zanoni.co.at/

SKPKCP11

Thanks Easytraveller for the recommendation. Seriously doubt how much can be done in such a short period. Do you recommend to start the Ring Tour from Hofburg Palace? Have read about Zanoni & Zanoni in another poster's thread and in some trip reports.

Kind regards,
SKPKCP11

easytraveler

Hi, SKPKCP11: I'm sorry but you have me confused, which Ring Tour is this? Is it a tour run by a tour group?

curiousmoi

Hello,

I wonder if any of you would kindly check into my plan for a day-visit to Wachau valley and point to me if there's anything that doesn't seem feasible to you?

1. Train from Vienna to Melk

2. Boat trip from Melk to Durstein

3. Durstein to Krems (at this point, getting there on foot as suggested by PalenQ, the thought of little stroll through the vineyards sounds very appealing to me. But is it true that there's this local train running between Krems and Durstein? Is that the section that will be covered by a combi-ticket if I were to purchase a combi-ticket?)

4. From Krems taking train back to Franz-Joseph station, Vienna.

In addition, I wonder do we have better to have all tickets reserved/purchased in advance or it shouldn't be any problem to get the train & boat tickets as we get there?

Many thanks in advance!

PalenQ

there should be no problem buying individual tickets as you go along but I think the combo saves you money - there was a train between Durnstein and Krems but someone I believe says it may not be running and there is a bus instead.

molker

I recommend that you buy the combi ticket. This quick and easy - economic.
No reservation needed at all. Just go to the Vienna Westbahnhof train station ( easy access via ubahn lines U-3 and U-6 to a stop in the lower level of the Bahnhof. Then to ticket counter to buy your ticket - english spoken.

train schedule is found at

www.oebb.at

Taking a eary train allows more time at Melk Abbey and then onward to the boat.

A bus goes about one time per hour from Durnstein to the Krems train station in the center of town.
Schedule is timed to co- ordinate with the train back to Vienna.

A train exists from Durnstein to Krems but this runs only about 3 times per day - often less convenient and only weekends and holidays. charge for bus and train for this trip is just a few euro ( not included in combi ticket )you can pay bus driver.

Walking - this is about 10 kilometers / 6 + miles from Durnstein to Krems- part of the walk along the frequently used bike path -
not worth it in my opinion for optimum use of time during this day.

Bus schedule also at
www.oebb.at

Note that the train from Krems to Vienna makes its terminus at the Franz Josef Bahnhof - this is not the same as your departure station.
Quick ride on the streetcar D to the very city center along the Ring in 5-10 minutes.
The D found in front of the train station.
You want the one direction Sudbahnhof.

PalenQ

If you want to train back to Westbahnhof for some reason then take the shuttle train from Krems to St-Poletin, a train stop on the mainline back to Vienna Westbahnhof.

molker

I believe above poster refers to the town of Sankt. Pölten/ St. Polten- it is not St- Poletin on this route.
Traveling this way requires much more time and also a transfer of train to reach Vienna.
The initial train from Krems to St. Polten is normally a small older regional train lacking comfort anf makes numerous stops on its routing.
The direct Krems - Vienna train I mention to Franz Josef Bahnhof above is a newer double decked train with bathroom facilites.Not just much faster but allows travelers options to have choices of stops in Vienna for connections to public transport

at Heiligenstadt to UBahn line U-4 to such areas as Schwedenplatz, Landmitte, Stadt Park , Karlsplatz / Opera

at Spittelau

to UBahn U-6- westbahnhof, Wahringer strasse etc.

and Franz Josef Bahnhof to mentioned Streetcar D.