Hi everyone --
I have become overwhelmed trying to plan a trip for my family. Last year I planned a 30-day visit to Italy and never felt this confused.
Here are my issues:
We are to visit the following places... Prague, CK, Vienna, Budapest, Venice, Florence. We're flexible on the amount of days but I'm looking at between 16-18 most likely.
My mom and I have open-jaw tickets via airline rewards from Delta so we're good no matter where we fly into (have been thinking about starting in Prague due to a great suggestion on this board to end in Italy where we are very comfie).
My dad, on the other hand, needs an economical ticket. He doesn't mind flying into somewhere and training or flying again but I worry about him being alone. He's been to Europe before but he's 65 and a little deaf and I'm worried about missing connections. So I'm probably going to try and find him an open jaw which is probably going to be more expensive than he will want to do (he likes to think he's getting a deal).
Anyway, what I'm wondering is this: If we go from Prague to Ck to Vienna to Budapest and then onto Italy... Is this the correct way to attack this? I'm a bit confused on locations with Budapest and Vienna and I've read conflicting reports on how to do those three and in what order. Furthermore, then we have to get to Venice and I'm beginning to be fearful that getting to Venice is going to be a nightmare in and of itself.
Personally I could do without Italy this time as I'm going back next fall but I know my parents have their hearts set on it so I must take them. It's an absolute.
If any of you great and educated Fodorites could impart some of your wonderful advice on this itinerary I would be so appreciative. I have made NO reservations yet so everything is open for suggestion.
Also, if I do indeed end up buying my dad an open jaw, what do you feel is the best deal we're looking at and do you think it would be a LOT cheaper to try to train or do inter-europe air from somewhere like London????
I know these are a lot of questions but honestly my head is just spinning and I really need to make some concrete decisions here pretty soon.
Thank you in advance Fodorites!!
I have become overwhelmed trying to plan a trip for my family. Last year I planned a 30-day visit to Italy and never felt this confused.
Here are my issues:
We are to visit the following places... Prague, CK, Vienna, Budapest, Venice, Florence. We're flexible on the amount of days but I'm looking at between 16-18 most likely.
My mom and I have open-jaw tickets via airline rewards from Delta so we're good no matter where we fly into (have been thinking about starting in Prague due to a great suggestion on this board to end in Italy where we are very comfie).
My dad, on the other hand, needs an economical ticket. He doesn't mind flying into somewhere and training or flying again but I worry about him being alone. He's been to Europe before but he's 65 and a little deaf and I'm worried about missing connections. So I'm probably going to try and find him an open jaw which is probably going to be more expensive than he will want to do (he likes to think he's getting a deal).
Anyway, what I'm wondering is this: If we go from Prague to Ck to Vienna to Budapest and then onto Italy... Is this the correct way to attack this? I'm a bit confused on locations with Budapest and Vienna and I've read conflicting reports on how to do those three and in what order. Furthermore, then we have to get to Venice and I'm beginning to be fearful that getting to Venice is going to be a nightmare in and of itself.
Personally I could do without Italy this time as I'm going back next fall but I know my parents have their hearts set on it so I must take them. It's an absolute.
If any of you great and educated Fodorites could impart some of your wonderful advice on this itinerary I would be so appreciative. I have made NO reservations yet so everything is open for suggestion.
Also, if I do indeed end up buying my dad an open jaw, what do you feel is the best deal we're looking at and do you think it would be a LOT cheaper to try to train or do inter-europe air from somewhere like London????
I know these are a lot of questions but honestly my head is just spinning and I really need to make some concrete decisions here pretty soon.
Thank you in advance Fodorites!!
What is CK ?
Hi R,
>Prague, CK, Vienna, Budapest, Venice, Florence. ...I'm looking at between 16-18 [days]....<
Your major problem is that you have too many destinations.
I suggest dropping either Prague or Budapest.
You could fly into Vienna or Prague and out of Florence or VV.
>...try and find him an open jaw which is probably going to be more expensive ...<
Open-jaw flights are usually no more expensive than RTs.
>Prague, CK, Vienna, Budapest, Venice, Florence. ...I'm looking at between 16-18 [days]....<
Your major problem is that you have too many destinations.
I suggest dropping either Prague or Budapest.
You could fly into Vienna or Prague and out of Florence or VV.
>...try and find him an open jaw which is probably going to be more expensive ...<
Open-jaw flights are usually no more expensive than RTs.
Thanks guys... For me, YES, it is TOO many destinations. But we did the Slow Travel thing last year and this is my parents "MUST DO" itinerary this year so I don't really have choice. Gotta make it work. And yes, CK is Cesky Krumluv. Sorry about that.
Hi R,
Try this:
Fly into Prague, visit CK, train to Vienna, train to Budapest, fly to Venice via Skyeurope train to Florence.
Fly home from FLR or PSA.
See www.whichbudget.com and www.railsaver.com
Try this:
Fly into Prague, visit CK, train to Vienna, train to Budapest, fly to Venice via Skyeurope train to Florence.
Fly home from FLR or PSA.
See www.whichbudget.com and www.railsaver.com
Hi, Reed!
Do you have to train?
How about driving? For that many days you can do a lease agreement (usually need minimum of 17 days) which has all-inclusive insurance AND a brand new car.
If you fly into Vienna, you could start your lease there.
I'd seriously consider driving, especially with two elderly parents in tow - all that packing and repacking and trying to get on the correct train. Driving you could just leave the bulk of your stuff hidden in the trunk of the car. Besides which, the countryside in Central Europe is lovely to drive through.
If you do decide to drive, I'd further suggest finding lodging on the outskirts of big cities, park your car in the suburbs and take local transportation into the center of town. In Prague, for example, we stayed so far out of town, we were practically in the country. Yet it was only a 20 minute metro ride to city center.
If you have to skip any big city, I'd suggest skipping Budapest and keeping Prague in your itinerary, but it would be best if you could include both!
Have a great trip! You are going to a wonderful part of the world!
Do you have to train?
How about driving? For that many days you can do a lease agreement (usually need minimum of 17 days) which has all-inclusive insurance AND a brand new car.
If you fly into Vienna, you could start your lease there.
I'd seriously consider driving, especially with two elderly parents in tow - all that packing and repacking and trying to get on the correct train. Driving you could just leave the bulk of your stuff hidden in the trunk of the car. Besides which, the countryside in Central Europe is lovely to drive through.
If you do decide to drive, I'd further suggest finding lodging on the outskirts of big cities, park your car in the suburbs and take local transportation into the center of town. In Prague, for example, we stayed so far out of town, we were practically in the country. Yet it was only a 20 minute metro ride to city center.
If you have to skip any big city, I'd suggest skipping Budapest and keeping Prague in your itinerary, but it would be best if you could include both!
Have a great trip! You are going to a wonderful part of the world!
easytrraveler's idea of a lease might be an alternative, keeping several caveats in mind. I believe that only Peugeot and Renault offer these agreements, and they are not available in Austria and probably not in the Czech Republic. The closest pickup location would be Munich. There is a steep pickup and drop-off fee when done in a country other than France ($150 to $250 for each). The minimum lease time is 17 days. I suspect that the cost of a lease would be prohibitive for you, and not particularly convenient.
Yes, that cost sounds prohibitive... We are on a pretty tight budget. But most of all (call me irrational or what you will, but I don't drive in Europe). I know that sounds crazy (and granted, it may be) but I ESPECIALLY don't drive in Europe with my parents. Can you say BIG NIGHTMARE of backseat driving??? Ha I was planning a trip to England this month (that unfortunately got pushed back till next summer) and driving was suggested for that as well and I just can't do it. Not only because it sort of scares the bejeesus out of me, but because I had back surgery earlier this year and I'm still on narcotics which I would assume, would be frowned upon heavily I do appreciate the advice though!
I do appreciate the advice though!Okay, I'm bumping this hoping for more input. Does anyone know if about $825-$875 is a good open jaw price from either PHX-Bud-FLR-PHX or PHX-PRG-FLR-PHX???
Also, I'm still wondering if where we want to go is best accomplished via Prague to Cesky K. to Vienna to Budapest and onto Venice (this would be most likely via train). Or would it be better to do something like fly to Budapest, go to Prague (how long is that?) and then Vienna to Venice? Should we add a day inbetween somewhere to shorten the train ride or is the night train from any of these okay and safe to go with??
C'mon all you wonderful Fodorites! You made my trip to Italy last year a trip of a lifetime so I know you can help out with this mess of a trip Thanks in advance as always. And if anyone needs ANY info on Italy, I'm practically a walking encyclopedia of wonderful places to stay and great things to save money.
Also, I'm still wondering if where we want to go is best accomplished via Prague to Cesky K. to Vienna to Budapest and onto Venice (this would be most likely via train). Or would it be better to do something like fly to Budapest, go to Prague (how long is that?) and then Vienna to Venice? Should we add a day inbetween somewhere to shorten the train ride or is the night train from any of these okay and safe to go with??
C'mon all you wonderful Fodorites! You made my trip to Italy last year a trip of a lifetime so I know you can help out with this mess of a trip
Thanks in advance as always. And if anyone needs ANY info on Italy, I'm practically a walking encyclopedia of wonderful places to stay and great things to save money.Well, my concern is that your itinerary is a lot of travel given the amount of days you will be gone. I agree with Ira; you have too many destinations. I understand not wanting to do slow travel, but you will loose a lot of time traveling between these destinations. Given your itinerary, I would consider just doing Hungary/Czech/Austria and leaving Italy for another trip, as its far away from any of the other destinations you want to visit.
The train from Budapest to Venice appears to be about 11 hours, or 13-14 hours long for night trains. Trains from Budapest to Prague are between 6.5 and 8 hours long. Check out http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en for train schedules.
Perhaps you could fly from Budapest, Vienna or Prague to Venice and then do the Italy portion of your trip? Check out www.whichbudget.com to see what budget airlines fly where. It looks like SkyEurope does fly between Venice and Budapest, although I did not look up any other routes.
Good luck!
Tracy
The train from Budapest to Venice appears to be about 11 hours, or 13-14 hours long for night trains. Trains from Budapest to Prague are between 6.5 and 8 hours long. Check out http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en for train schedules.
Perhaps you could fly from Budapest, Vienna or Prague to Venice and then do the Italy portion of your trip? Check out www.whichbudget.com to see what budget airlines fly where. It looks like SkyEurope does fly between Venice and Budapest, although I did not look up any other routes.
Good luck!
Tracy
Hi R,
>I'm still wondering if where we want to go is best accomplished via Prague to Cesky K. to Vienna to Budapest and onto Venice ...<
You can get a cheap flight from Budapest to VCE, but not from Prague.
>.. good open jaw price from either PHX-Bud-FLR-PHX or PHX-PRG-FLR-PHX ...<
When? It's a good price for PHX-PRG/FLR PHX in March
Also look into flying out of PSA.
>I'm still wondering if where we want to go is best accomplished via Prague to Cesky K. to Vienna to Budapest and onto Venice ...<
You can get a cheap flight from Budapest to VCE, but not from Prague.
>.. good open jaw price from either PHX-Bud-FLR-PHX or PHX-PRG-FLR-PHX ...<
When? It's a good price for PHX-PRG/FLR PHX in March
Also look into flying out of PSA.
