How many days required in Berlin , Krakow , Budapest , Salzburg , Zermatt
 

I am planning a trip in Dec starting 10th Dec arriving Frankfurt , need to know how many days required in each city and the mode of transport by plane or train . There are 4 of us , family trip . Where to stay in Zermatt ? modern apartment and reasonable price

More to the point, how many days do you have and what kind of budget? What do you like to do? Will you ski? Museums? You say "reasonable price". What is that?

Berlin - 5 days
Krakow - 5 days
Budapest 3 - 4 days
Salzburg - 2 days

The above does not include travel time between cities. Fly between Berlin and Krakow and Krakow and Budapest. Take a train between Budapest and Salzburg.

I might cut down on Krakow a bit, maybe three days

Three days in Krakow is a bit tight if one wants to visit Auschwitz, Wawel, and the Salt Mine. I would agree to three days there if Auschwitz and Wawel are not included in the itinerary. Then there would be time to visit the sights in Krakow and see the salt mine.

How long is a piece of string?

You ask 'how many days' as if there is a definitive answer to such a question. The answer is as long as it TAKES for YOU to see and do everything you want to see and do in each place.

There are no days "required" because you don't have to go to any of them.

What is "reasonable price" to you?

Hi pamelatan11,

As you can see, there's a lot to consider when making plans like this. To get a better handle on things, start with a calendar and get a wall map. one of the big challenges when you have so many destinations (and you have 6 listed, which is a LOT), is accounting for travel time. If you're arriving from the US, you really can't can't the first day for much other than recovery and adjustment time. When traveling between cities, that can easily consume an entire day. so, based on your plans, you have 1 day gone for arriving, one day gone for departing and 4 travel days in between.
Now, how to allocate time in each city you've listed? without knowing your interests, that's a tough call. Adrienne recommends 5 days in Berlin, but only 2 in Salzburg. But, for me, I'd probably do 3 days in Berlin and 4 in Salzburg, but that is based on my tastes and interests.
With the cities you've listed, I hope you have at least 3 weeks planned for your trip. Even with that many days, I personally would find that itinerary rushed and a lot of work, but there are plenty of people who just enjoy being on the move.

Hi pamelatan11,

Not sure if you know that Christmas time is super-high season for Zermatt. Most hotels requre a 7-night stay over/around Christmas, and some even require a 14-night stay. So you may have some trouble if you only plan to stay a night or two.

You may want to take a look for your prospective dates and see what's available:

www.zermatt.ch

Have fun as you plan!

s

I agree with Swandav2000 totally about Zermatt AND there is no way you are going to fly THERE. if you aren't skiing and all you really want to do is view the Matterhorn peak (assuming, and BIG assumption) it is not shrouded in clouds, you can easily do that in a long day. Take the train up from Brig or Visp; train or cablecar up to the two "usual" viewing places, and return to some other town that doesn't require a minimum night stay.

Berlin , Krakow , Budapest , Salzburg , Zermatt

You can easily do all by train

Berlin to Krakow via overnight train
Krakow Budapest via overnight train

these pairs are each long daytime train rides - hop overnight trains, save on the cost of a hotel and daytime travel time - either that or fly.

Budapest to Vienna to Salzburg - easy by day train

Salzburg to Zermatt - a longer train ride but 5-6 hours I suppose but it is very expensive to fly to Zermatt!

anyway for loads of great train info I always spotlight these IMO superb sites: www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com - latter has great info on discounted train tickets that if you buy lon long in advance (sold in limited numbers and typically hard to change or refund from the specific train the ticket is valid on) - but you can save a lot over just showing up.

Depending on what you are doing in Switzerland a Swiss Pass, even for a few days, can be a good deal - www.swisstravelsystem.com for lots on Swiss trains.

Zermatt has no airport.

Berlin - 4 days
Krakow - 3 days
Budapest 3 - 5 days
Salzburg - 1 day

I'd also count in: Vienna and the Danube's Bend in northern Hungary. The latter is a very nice place to visit. Although, many don't know about it.

I don't think the OP is interested as she has not come back after posting this question over a month ago.

Regardless, telling someone they can fly to Zermatt is ridiculous

<< Regardless, telling someone they can fly to Zermatt is ridiculous >>

I don't see where anyone said to fly to Zermatt.

We rented an apartment in Zermatt. Ideal location. $275 US dollars per night. Room for 6. I can provide the details if you return.

Now that I have offered some practical advice let me say that OPs should have to put down a deposit with each question. If they don't return posters who responded split the cash.

Cold always has some unique solutions.. love them

ditto to what Cold says and what lincasanova loves about it!

In fact, PalenQ was correct. To fly to Zermatt you will need to arrive at QZB (IATA code) which is the Zermatt Heliport. People do so every day. I doubt they think there is anything ridiulous about it.

Rather than the logistical nightmare of sharing out cash deposits colduphere, I suggest a new member should not be able to post a question until they have replied to 10 posts.

Even when new posters do come back to acknowledge answers they have been given, often that is the only time they come back. They come only to TAKE and never to GIVE.

Think of it like a free book exchange in a holiday resort bar. FIRST you must BRING a book to leave, before you can TAKE a book away. I've seen such exchanges work well where that rule exists. Where it doesn't, people take the books but rarely leave a book.