Seeking advice/criticism/answers re: 20s-travelers in DE/BeNeLux/FR! (v2)
 

I've done a bit more research into the places I'm going and have a bit better of a handle on where, when, how much time, etc. I still have some questions and of course, always seek advice.

We will have railpasses for the countries involved.

A rough timeline:
Aug23: arrive in Munich sometime around 1-2PM (day trips include Dachau and Neuschwanstein)
Aug26: take the night train to Berlin that leaves at 22:10
Aug27: arrive in Berlin at 08:22.
Aug30: take the night train to Amsterdam that leaves at 00:12 (technically this is Aug31)
Aug31: arrive in Amsterdam 10:00
Sep2/3: go to Brussels
Sep4/5: go to Brugge
Sep6/7: go to Paris - not sure if it'd be wiser to go via Brugge and not pay the Thalys surcharge [via Lille] or go back to Brussels and just bite the bullet on the surcharge. (day trips include Reims/Epernay)
Sep13-15: somewhere in there, fly back. i'm still searching for a reward ticket, so anywhere i can fly out of within reasonable distance of CDG is on the map.

General Questions:
1) Do the trains inside the cities fall under railpasses as well? Getting around Paris, Brussels, Brugge, Berlin, and Munich? Or should I expect to pay for the intra-city transport on top of the railpasses?

2) Are the train stations safe at night? The train stations for the night trains are Munich at 22:10, and Berlin Hbf at 00:12.

3) Do the night trains have space for your luggage that's in your room? From the DB website, it looks like it's a 130E surcharge for 2 people to share a private sleeper room. I assume we can bring our luggage there? On that note, has anyone had these rooms? What are they like? Will we actually sleep in them?

So there's our general plan. Our priorities include nightlife (and being situated in a neighborhood that allows for easy access and return, preferably on foot) (read as: Belgian beer within Belgium. yay brewery tours! cantillon!), food, sightseeing, and keeping the cost down where possible. I'm not sure where to stay in Munich/Belgium, plan to stay in Prenzlauer Berg in Berlin, and plan to stay Les Halles-ish in Paris.

As far as sleeping goes - we want a room to ourselves with a shower/toilet. Other than that, we aren't picky. I am looking at some of the 'Let's Go' and other travel books as well as AirBNB and Priceline - anywhere else I can look? VRBO makes me nervous since the owners can censor reviews...

As always, I'll take any criticism or advice you may have. The first thread was very helpful!

Eurocheapo.com for rooms.

Train stations are all safe.

See my recent trip reports for great beer places

I never use rail passes but I would be very surprised to find that they work in cities - totally different systems.

For loads of info on what trains are like see seat61.com. I travel solo, so I sleep in couchettes, not two-person sleepers - and if you're on a budget you should too. Pack light, your luggage travels with you.

Is that THIS August you're traveling? You've left it a bit late, if so. You do know that you need reservations on some trains on top of the pass, right?

You're mid-twenties, but sleeping well on night trains is difficult and not worth the cost, generally. You can get a very nice room for 130 Euros. Heck, in Berlin you can get a nice room for 3 nights with breakfast buffet for two for 130 Euros. Both those trips are only 6 hours or so. I'd just take a day train, take a snooze along the way, and to maximize your day, stay up a little later on your day of arrival in Berlin and A'dam.

You should check on this but I don;t believe any compartments have private showers - just toilet and sink in the top class ones. I don;t know if you'll sleep on the train or not - but it's much more like sleeping in a business class recliner on a plane than in a bed in a hotel. I don't think they're worth all the expense (on top of any rail pass) and would much rather sleep in a real bed.

But I'm tall. If you're both petite, slim people it may be more comfortable.

One other comment - you are short-changing Paris at the expense of Brussels and Bruges. I would stay in one for 3 nights, spending one day there and the second day in the other - then move on to Paris sooner. I much prefer Bruges to Brussels, since it is much smaller, quainter nd more different. A lot of Brussels is just a large modern city - OK but not really special.

yes, that'd be this august. i was told there are very few if any reservations needed on the trains i'm taking..?

where is this 3 nights with a breakfast buffet for two for 130E you speak of? :o

At booking.com it's actually 3 nights for 110 Euros.

http://www.booking.com/hotel/de/albergo.en.html

For only slightly more- you can be in Mitte;

http://www.booking.com/hotel/de/merc...room=RD6441814

We used Priceline to book our hotels for Amsterdam, Brugge and Brussels last September and I think they were under $100/night. We ended up with the NH Carlton in Amsterdam, the Crowne Plaza in Brugge and the Renaissance in Brussels.

"<i>i was told there are very few if any reservations needed on the trains i'm taking..</i>"

You don't need reservations for most trains -- but you definitely DO need reservations (and extra €€) for sleepers.

Plus some trains require a seat reservation even when you have a Pass.

janisj: thought so. I knew the extra E for sleepers and reservations.

if we decide to thalys instead of brugge-lille-paris, will we need reservations to that?

Hi xerenthar,

Just a few notes on the overnight sleepers:

Yes, you can get a private shower in your sleeper, but it costs a premium. There are private sleepers with showers and without.

I've taken two overnight trips: München to Dresden (they don't do this one anymore), and Dresden to Zürich. In the first one, I had a private sleeper with shower, and in the second I had a private sleeper with only a toilet and sink.

I had no trouble getting to sleep in the sleeper at all. I loved travelling like that -- I think it's romantic and old-fashioned. I brought in a small bottle of wine, turned out the lights in the cabin, and enjoyed the scenery from my bed. I felt like I was in a 1940s movie!

Good luck as you plan!

s

I always slept very well on trains, even sitting in a seat. The train movement is very soothing, unlike airplanes.

Just a note on Paris-I would tend to stay more towards the Marais than Les Halles-it is really not that nice a neighborhood. Not dangerous but just a place kind of filled with KFCs/other US fast foods. You can do better. Not far from there at the Northwest edge of the Marais is a nice inexpensive hotel called Hotel du Sejour Beaubourg: http://www.hoteldusejour.com/

I used to live just down the street. It is near the Beaubourg and easy walking distance to shopping streets like Montorgueil. Rates start at 72 euros with 3 nights.

maybe i will have to look at more neighborhoods in paris. i have some free nights at the park hyatt at 5 Rue de la Paix - what is that area like both day and nightlife wise?

Rue de la Paix is a fine area - especially for free! The area near the hotel is very safe (pretty upscale, actually) and convenient for walking to many tourists sights. There are cafes and bars right in the area and it is also convenient to the Marais by foot/train/bus.

As bardo says the Hayatt location is quite upscale. That said, given your ages, you may find the area a bit stuffy. Given your interest in nightlife, I would be more inclined to stay in the Marais near the river or in the Latin Quarter. Both areas are probably livelier at night. So arrondissements 4 5 or 6. There is some nightlife around the Hyatt but it tends to be the larger theaters with either musicals or live special performances. You might look at accommodations on Lonely Planet website as they tend to have a younger audience IMO. Also, in case you do look at the Sejour Hotel-they do have rooms with private baths but also some with shared, so be sure to make sure you are looking at the private ones since I know you mentioned that.

i'll be at the hyatt for 4 nights and somewhere else for 3-4, i'll check out the 4/5/6arr for sure.

i see that it's quite a hike to the marais/latin Q from the hyatt location. what's late night transit like? (i know berlin for example has a ton of night busses) i've heard nightmare stories of non-french speaking tourists getting taken on 50E cab rides. :-/

In terms of night transportation, the metro subway system stops at 12:30AM. After that you do have night buses and cabs. The good news is that Paris itself is really pretty small. For example from the Hyatt to St. Germain des Pres in the Latin Quarter is only 1 1/2 miles and it is about the same distance to the Hotel de Ville in the Marais area. So you may find that you will be able to walk. The core area of Paris is quite safe especially if you will be in a group of 2-3 people. Taxis should cost you only 10-20 euros inside the core area of Paris.

Here is a link to the night bus site for Paris. While you are at the Hyatt, you should be in good shape since many of the night buses run to Gare St. Lazarre which is very nearby.

http://www.ratp.fr/fr/ratp/c_20530/n...n-bus-de-nuit/

Have a great trip-I live part time in Paris and I know you will fall in love with the city like so many of us!

anyone planning a European rail trip should check out these fantastic sites IMO - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com - you will find many of your questions expertly answered there.