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-   -   Interrail Europe Itinerary - Suggestions (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/interrail-europe-itinerary-suggestions-1179595/)

PassingTheHat Jan 10th, 2017 08:14 AM

Interrail Europe Itinerary - Suggestions
 
I am planning an Interrail Europe trip later this year and am looking for any suggestions. I haven't done this type of trip before so I'm sure I could use the advice. I am travelling from Scotland and planning on a round trip from Frankfurt (return flight). What I have got so far is:

Frankfurt (0 nights) > Munich (3 nights) > Venice (3 nights) > Ljubljana (2 night) > Bled (2 nights) > Zagreb (via Ljubljana) (2 nights) > Budapest (2 nights) > Vienna (2 nights) > Frankfurt (2 nights)

I am looking at 18 nights from 18th September - 6th October, which means I'd be in Munich at the start of Oktoberfest.

Zagreb is the city which I am not overly bothered about visiting, I only really chose it because it was logical for shortening the train journeys between Bled and Budapest. Does anyone have any suggestions on missing out Zagreb and visiting somewhere else? Or is Zagreb worth seeing for a couple of days?

I have read a lot about taking your time and not trying to see too many places in one trip, so not sure if I have got the balance right with this. Has anyone got any feedback from experience on my proposed itinerary?

Thanks :)

thursdaysd Jan 10th, 2017 09:39 AM

Two nights is one full day, you need to allow half a day at least for transport.

Two nights is ridiculously short for Vienna and Budapest, four would make more sense, although you could easily spend more.

Zagreb is a nice enough city but you are short on time. i would drop Zagreb and visit Lake Bled as a day trip from Ljubljana. You are likely better off taking the bus from Venice to Ljubljana.

Before you sign up for any kind of pass go to seat61.com and read about train travel and ticket buying in Europe. Then price advance purchase discounted tickets vs. a pass.

RonZ Jan 10th, 2017 10:11 AM

Quick train schedules here, flights on skyscanner.com:

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?

You need to evaluate your plan based on the number of full days on the ground which right now are minimal. With 5 stops that would yield 13 days to split up.

michelhuebeli Jan 10th, 2017 10:34 AM

Feels a bit rushed, more like a business trip than a vacation, spending almost more time on moving trains than in cities.

To the actual hours of the train trips add the time to and from lodgings, and you have very little time on the ground for sightseeing and getting to know a place.

Cut back on the number of cities, and learn more about trains in Europe from www.seat.61.com

PalenQ Jan 10th, 2017 12:23 PM

Well thinking back to my first trip when you age I did about the same time-wise for each city - a full day in each city plus a bit more for biggies like Paris and I LOVED it - I would never do that type of pace now - after zillions of trips but say if you don't mind not seeing every little nook and cranny of every place go for it- Vienna is one place I may add a day.

thursdaysd above makes a salient point about travel time - packing unpacking finding the hotel or hostel and train time can take most of a day.

I took a lot of overnight trains to abate those concerns which you could do as well too - though night trains are fewer now than then- but you could go say Munich to Venice overnight train and several others.

Great resources for planning the rail portion - and yes the pass will be a great deal - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

RonZ Jan 10th, 2017 01:06 PM

Here’s the story on the Munich Venice overnight train. You leave at 8:10PM and arrive in Padova at 5:39AM [getting up at 5 or before] for a change of trains and arrive at 6:48AM, with no opportunity to get to a hotel and freshen up.

However, ariving at the Munich airport at 7:30PM you can catch a flight at 9:45 arriving at 10:45.

PassingTheHat Jan 10th, 2017 02:14 PM

Thanks for all the replies. Perhaps it would be a bit rushed as most of you mention, and I understand cities like Budapest and Vienna should probably have more than 2 nights each to make it worthwhile.

With this in mind, what if I cut Budapest and Zagreb altogether and went from Ljubljana to Vienna direct (6 hour train)?

This would give me 4 more nights to spread out through the trip, and I can visit Budapest separately another time.

This would leave me with:
Frankfurt > Munich > Venice > Ljubljana > Bled > Vienna (via Ljubljana) > Frankfurt

Is there any other suggestions for places to add/change, i.e Nuremberg between Vienna and Frankfurt or Graz between Ljubljana and Vienna?

Or maybe this updated route is better without adding anything again.

Thanks!

PassingTheHat Jan 10th, 2017 02:18 PM

Also, the Munich > Venice train was something I had considered, whether to take the night train or during the day. Have read pros and cons of both, with the day train sounding like it has great views but taking up a fair chunk of the day. Had not considered flying though so that is something I will take a look at.

thursdaysd Jan 10th, 2017 02:52 PM

Do you already have your plane tickets? Because if not, this trip would work much better flying into one city and out of another. Start in the west and finish in the east, or vice versa.

I prefer Budapest to Vienna, but both are good choices. I also like Graz, but I think you are complicating things by adding it. You live close enough to Europe you should have lots of trips in your future.

PalenQ Jan 11th, 2017 09:19 AM

don't add a thing-the temptation is always there - 'well I could squeeze a day in here, etc.

I bored in Vienna after 2 days on the third take day trip by train and boat to the vineyard-strewn Wachau Valley- train to Melk -boat to Durnstein -bus to Krens - train back to Vienna -a very popular day out:

https://www.google.com/search?q=wach...w=1536&bih=760

thursdaysd Jan 11th, 2017 10:09 AM

Can't think how you got bored that fast. I've been back a couple of times and still have things to do.

PalenQ Jan 11th, 2017 10:25 AM

thursdaysd:

typo -meant to write IF the OP gets bored - not

<I bored in Vienna- no I have stayed several days in Vienna without get bored.>

mjs Jan 11th, 2017 09:48 PM

I think you should keep yourself flexible. While it is quite reasonable to plan a trip like this you should be open to change as you go. You are not traveling in high season except for Munich so finding a place to stay should not be difficult. I would however book Munich as soon as you can due to the Octoberfest.

PalenQ Jan 12th, 2017 08:13 AM

Yes to being flexible -you may meet folks you want to travel with, etc. And the railpass makes that possible without worrying about train costs.


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