Hello.. I will be departing for Frankfurt, Germany in about three weeks with only the faintest ideas of what I'll do there for my three week stay. I've only been to England, and Central Europe is partly a mystery to me. People keep giving me recommendations on what to see and do, but I have only so much time to cover a lot of ground. I am sure of only two of the things that I'll do when I'm there: Oktoberfest in Munich and a trip to Berlin. Other than that, I don't know what else is essential or worthwhile... <BR> <BR>Anyone have any opinions (?) on doing these things: Hamburg, Dresden, Potsdam, Cologne, Frankfurt, Hanover, Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Budapest, anything in Switzerland, sailing down the Rhine, Warsaw, overnight train from Berlin to Moscow, etc...?? <BR> <BR>I'd be grateful to the extreme if any of you will post some ideas on what to do with three weeks, an unlimited Eurorail pass, and a full backpack.... <BR> <BR>Thanks in advance!!!

Hi! Just want to say enjoy yourself. Be sure to think twice about Oktoberfest. I was there 3 years ago and it is much like Mardi gras, though more crowded. Why don't you pick up a good guide book, it's a lot more interesting and fun when you have some background about the places you are thinking of visiting. enjoy alan

The train from Berlin to Moscow takes a night and day. Times are Berlin Lichtenberg Tuesday, Friday and Sunday at 1812, Brest depart 0823, Mosco 2329. Times back are Moscow Byelorusski Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 1030, Brest arrive 2343, Berlin Lichtenberg 1125. The train has first and second class sleepers, and a restaurant car between Brest and Moscow. For the evening eastbound from Berlin you can either take a packed supper or leave Berlin Zoo at 1655, change trans at Poznan from 2022 to 2205, and dine either on the first train or in Poznan. For the morning run westwards into Berlin you can get a lght breakfast from your sleeping car conductor. <BR> <BR>All in all, rather a long pair of journeys. A simple overnight trai eastwards from Berlin takes you to the handsome city of Krakow. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, Lonon <BR> <BR> <BR>

Matthew, <BR> If I were you I would pick several areas and focus on them. Otherwise you'll spend all of your time on trains. <BR> The weather will be much better the farther south you are- I would skip <BR> Hamburg, Dresden, Potsdam, Cologne, Frankfurt, Hanover, Prague, and choose between Rothenburg, Munich ('Fest), Vienna, Salzburg, , Budapest, Florence, Venice (don't go there on a weekend unless you love crowds), anything in Switzerland (skip Zurich), sailing down the Rhine and Mosel, and maybe Nice. If you want to do an overnite trip try Paris or Rome or Berlin instead of Moscow. Amsterdam is another option. It takes all day (or nite) to go from Amsterdam to Munich and the same time from Munich to Rome. (Don't try to cover Europe in 3 weeks or you won't remember much of anything except the trains. Just because you have a Eurailpass doesn't mean you have to use it every day! However, if the weather is bad you do have the option to move on. The cities listed above are just a guide- Don't try to see all of them in 3 weeks either! ) <BR> Get the Eurail Guide (from the library) and use it to plan with. <BR> Good luck planning- Maybe I'll see you under the Lion at the 'Fest- <BR> <BR> <BR>

Hi Matthew! If you'll still be wanting to come here to Moscow, take care to get a visa in advance. You'd apply for one there in the States or better in Europe to any Russian consulate (to not waste the money in case you wouldn't like to come here). I'm also not sure your Eurorail pass will be valid for Moscow train, so check it. <BR>Well, though Moscow has a very nice (by my opinion) architecture much different from West Europe's one, I don't think it's a good idea to come here in your case. Anyways if you'll decide to come here, will be glad to provide you with more information about this city. <BR>Good luck!

Matthew: Hamburg, Dresden, Potsdam, Cologne, Frankfurt, Hanover, Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Budapest, anything in Switzerland, sailing down the Rhine, Warsaw, overnight train from Berlin to Moscow, etc... Wow they all sound great Add Krakow, Zakopane, St. Petersburg, Torun, Gdansk and other I would skip Warsaw (and pick something in south of Poland- Krakow, Zakopane , or north Poland Gdansk). sailing the Rhine is also fun. Difficult choice... For Russia you will need visa (which means if you do not have friends there - pre-booking/pre-paying the hotel in Moscow (Heard good things about Ukraina Hotel in Moscow) Russian visa will cost you about $70 and you can apply by mail to Embassy/Consulate in DC where you do not have to send you passport just copy of it. As for specific travel places - I think giving better idea what are you interested in seeing would help in providing you with better match for locations/cities.