Dusseldorf to Prague, Berlin, - Best City-Hopping Options
Jun 13th, 2009, 08:59 PM
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Dusseldorf to Prague, Berlin, - Best City-Hopping Options
My daughter will be leaving for Amsterdam mid-July for 5 weeks in Europe. She'll be staying one week in Amsterdam with family first, and then connecting with her French and German friends and travelling a bit with them and their families, but some places in Germany and Prague she will be alone.
For the last six days of her trip, my DH and I will meet up with her in Italy and we will all visit Florence and Rome together . I've been working out our itinerary for the six days we will have with her in Italy and I'm finding that challenging enough - but, she's just asked for my help with sorting out the "city hopping" for most of her trip and needs to start booking trains and/or flights between cities. She will also need to find accommodation in the cities that she will be visiting solo. Please give us your advice and guidance. Should she purchase a train pass, take buses, or fly? Must admit to being a bit nervous of her "solo" segments, so are there places she should avoid when she's travelling by herself? She has about 5-6 days alone and wants to visit Prague, Berlin or Munich (or all?) from her from base in Dusseldorf. Here's the order of her "city-hopping" and she really doesn't know how best to get from one place to the next ...
1. Amsterdam to Paris
2. Paris to Bonn or Dusseldorf
5. Dusseldorf to Prague
6. Prague to Berlin
OR
7. Dusseldorf to Berlin
OR
8. Dusseldorf to Munich
After the solo portion of her trip, she and her friends have a flight booked to Pisa and at that point will be travelling together for 7 days. 4 days in the Cinque Terre, 1 day Portofino, 1 day Genova where they'll rent a car and drive to Florence where we'll meet up! What's the best way for them to get from Pisa to Cinque Terra; Cinque Terre to Portofino; Portofino to Genova?
Sorry if this is confusing - it is for me too, so please help with her best transportation options and any other advice .
Many thanks everyone!
For the last six days of her trip, my DH and I will meet up with her in Italy and we will all visit Florence and Rome together . I've been working out our itinerary for the six days we will have with her in Italy and I'm finding that challenging enough - but, she's just asked for my help with sorting out the "city hopping" for most of her trip and needs to start booking trains and/or flights between cities. She will also need to find accommodation in the cities that she will be visiting solo. Please give us your advice and guidance. Should she purchase a train pass, take buses, or fly? Must admit to being a bit nervous of her "solo" segments, so are there places she should avoid when she's travelling by herself? She has about 5-6 days alone and wants to visit Prague, Berlin or Munich (or all?) from her from base in Dusseldorf. Here's the order of her "city-hopping" and she really doesn't know how best to get from one place to the next ...
1. Amsterdam to Paris
2. Paris to Bonn or Dusseldorf
5. Dusseldorf to Prague
6. Prague to Berlin
OR
7. Dusseldorf to Berlin
OR
8. Dusseldorf to Munich
After the solo portion of her trip, she and her friends have a flight booked to Pisa and at that point will be travelling together for 7 days. 4 days in the Cinque Terre, 1 day Portofino, 1 day Genova where they'll rent a car and drive to Florence where we'll meet up! What's the best way for them to get from Pisa to Cinque Terra; Cinque Terre to Portofino; Portofino to Genova?
Sorry if this is confusing - it is for me too, so please help with her best transportation options and any other advice .
Many thanks everyone!
Jun 14th, 2009, 05:10 AM
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Sorry to say that, but you are a little late with planning, because the cheapest tickets are already sold out. In any case, you shouldn't lose more time and book ASAP.
From Düsseldorf, you have good flight connections with Lufthansa and Air Berlin. Check their rates:
www.lufthansa.com
www.airberlin.de
Your daughter might also start from Köln-Bonn airport which is just 30min from Düsseldorf. Check the low-budget Lufthansa subsidiary Germanwings:
www.germanwings.de
Berlin can also be reached by train from Düsseldorf. Check:
www.bahn.de
If she has to choose between München in Berlin, I strongly suggest to opt for Berlin. Berlin has much more to offer, especially for a young person.
From Düsseldorf, you have good flight connections with Lufthansa and Air Berlin. Check their rates:
www.lufthansa.com
www.airberlin.de
Your daughter might also start from Köln-Bonn airport which is just 30min from Düsseldorf. Check the low-budget Lufthansa subsidiary Germanwings:
www.germanwings.de
Berlin can also be reached by train from Düsseldorf. Check:
www.bahn.de
If she has to choose between München in Berlin, I strongly suggest to opt for Berlin. Berlin has much more to offer, especially for a young person.
Jun 17th, 2009, 01:17 PM
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Altamiro - Just wondered if a sensible 4-5 day itinerary would be (taking the train):
1. Dusseldorf to Berlin (how long by train?)
2. Visit Berlin (2 days)
3. Berlin to Prague (how long by train?)
4. Prague (2 days)
5. Prague to Dusseldorf (fly?)
Thanks very much.
1. Dusseldorf to Berlin (how long by train?)
2. Visit Berlin (2 days)
3. Berlin to Prague (how long by train?)
4. Prague (2 days)
5. Prague to Dusseldorf (fly?)
Thanks very much.
Jun 17th, 2009, 01:32 PM
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First of all, sorry if this offends you but: Your daughter should be doing this for herself. If she can't do this, she isn't old or motivated enough to independently travel.
you also wrote:
>>After the solo portion of her trip, she and her friends have a flight booked to Pisa and at that point will be travelling together for 7 days. 4 days in the Cinque Terre, 1 day Portofino, 1 day Genova where they'll rent a car and drive to Florence where we'll meet up! What's the best way for them to get from Pisa to Cinque Terra; Cinque Terre to Portofino; Portofino to Genova?<<
They should just stay put in one location, and do day trips. They should only stay in le Cinque Terre if they are keen on hiking, or keen on hooking up with English-speakers there own age. If they stay le Cinque Terre, they can day trip to Genova by train, and to Portofino via train to Santa Margherita Ligure and then by bus or boat, or train to Rapallo, and then by boat to Portofino.
If they are not determined hikers and could care less about being around other tourists, they should stay in another town closer to Portofino and day trip to le Cinque Terre.
But under no circumstances should they do one-nighters in Portofino and Genova. If they want to split their overnights between le Cinque Terre and someplace else, try Camogli or Santa Margherita Ligure as the other location. They can rent a car in Rapallo, which is a much easier place to navigate than Genova -- but I actually think it's foolish of them to rent a car at that point. They should just take a train to Firenze (having made the mistake of flying into Pisa rather than Genova for this part of their journey).
you also wrote:
>>After the solo portion of her trip, she and her friends have a flight booked to Pisa and at that point will be travelling together for 7 days. 4 days in the Cinque Terre, 1 day Portofino, 1 day Genova where they'll rent a car and drive to Florence where we'll meet up! What's the best way for them to get from Pisa to Cinque Terra; Cinque Terre to Portofino; Portofino to Genova?<<
They should just stay put in one location, and do day trips. They should only stay in le Cinque Terre if they are keen on hiking, or keen on hooking up with English-speakers there own age. If they stay le Cinque Terre, they can day trip to Genova by train, and to Portofino via train to Santa Margherita Ligure and then by bus or boat, or train to Rapallo, and then by boat to Portofino.
If they are not determined hikers and could care less about being around other tourists, they should stay in another town closer to Portofino and day trip to le Cinque Terre.
But under no circumstances should they do one-nighters in Portofino and Genova. If they want to split their overnights between le Cinque Terre and someplace else, try Camogli or Santa Margherita Ligure as the other location. They can rent a car in Rapallo, which is a much easier place to navigate than Genova -- but I actually think it's foolish of them to rent a car at that point. They should just take a train to Firenze (having made the mistake of flying into Pisa rather than Genova for this part of their journey).
Jun 17th, 2009, 07:38 PM
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Hi Zeppole- No offence taken. I so appreciate your perspective and experience. Can't help being a crazy, worrying mama! Mh daughter is an amazing young woman! She's our one and only, so am very protective ... Yes, trying to grasp her plans while she's trying break loose is a challenge. Sorry. I'm not good at letting go and have a very vivid imagination (in a negative way). I particularly appreciate your comments about
"under no circumstances should they do one-nighters in Portofino and Genova. If they want to split their overnights between le Cinque Terre and someplace else, try Camogli or Santa Margherita Ligure as the other location. They can rent a car in Rapallo, which is a much easier place to navigate than Genova -- but I actually think it's foolish of them to rent a car at that point. They should just take a train to Firenze (having made the mistake of flying into Pisa rather than Genova for this part of their journey)." I will share this with her.
Thank you, Zeppole.
"under no circumstances should they do one-nighters in Portofino and Genova. If they want to split their overnights between le Cinque Terre and someplace else, try Camogli or Santa Margherita Ligure as the other location. They can rent a car in Rapallo, which is a much easier place to navigate than Genova -- but I actually think it's foolish of them to rent a car at that point. They should just take a train to Firenze (having made the mistake of flying into Pisa rather than Genova for this part of their journey)." I will share this with her.
Thank you, Zeppole.
