tyrusryan

My friend and I are planning a trip to Europe in May/June of 2018. I would like some feedback from seasoned travelers if our itinerary is doable, and definitely any recommendations on places to see at the destinations. We plan on using the Flixbus Interrail pass ((99€ for 5 direct (preferably overnight) routes, to my understanding.)) We will fly to Edinburgh in late May and leave the same night for London by bus (probably on National Express, this is the only route I’m expecting to not use Flixbus), to stay there for 3 days. Then to Amsterdam for 3 days, then to Frankfurt for 7 days (I have family there). Then to Paris for 3 days. Then on to Toulouse (my happy place) for 2 days. Then finally to Barcelona for 3 days. Flying back to USA from there. Thanks in advance for any advice.

janisj

Hard to say if it is doable . . . you need to count in terms of nights - not days. Are there overnight buses on all those routes? If you are taking day bus rides - to get 3 days in a city requires 4 nights, 2 days = 3 nights, etc.

Re logistics and overnight buses -- you will generally get in to the next city in the morning and if you are staying in hostels they often don't allow you to leave your bags until you can check in later in the day. Meaning you may have to lug you suitcase or backpack all day.

Question - why are you flying in to EDI if you aren't spending any time in the city??

janisj

Whether it is doable and assuming ALL overnight buses:
Day 1 home > EDI
Day 2 Edinburgh leaving for London that night
Days 3-5 London
Days 6-8 A'dam
Days 9 - 15 Frankfurt
Days 16 - 18 Paris
Days 19-20 Toulouse
Days 21 -23 Barcelona
Day 24 Fly home . . .

So do you have 24 days?

Kathie

The would be way too much moving around for me! You lose time to see/do/ experience when you are moving from place to place. I'd rather spend time in the places I've chosen rather than spending time on a bus. Also, this itinerary assures that you will be tired all of the time. You've given yourselves no time to acclimate to the time change, then you are doing all of those overnight bus trips! This is a very fast-moving itinerary, and it would be do-able if you were giving yourselves time to acclimate to the time zone. As it is, I expect you will feel tired and rushed all of the time.

mjs

I would not fly into EDI unless you really have a great airfare unless you plan to visit. Otherwise you lose about a day and torture yourself on your first leg of your journey. I also think you are short changing both London and Paris in terms of time. Most of your bus rides are also quite long and may exhaust you when taking so many so close together. Lastly why Toulouse? I would use that time to visit Edinburgh. How many nights do you actually have?

sofarsogood

<<We will fly to Edinburgh in late May and leave the same night for London by bus>>

Are you doing this for a bet?

janisj

My hunch is the OP thinks arriving at EDI in the morning and (probably jet lagged) and taking an over night bus to London lets them 'see' Edinburgh. Won't really . . . And then not getting a decent sleep first night in the UK - starting off on the wrong foot for sure.

bilboburgler

I'd question why London (largest city in Europe by far) gets 2 nights, if you are tired of London you are tired of life.

Things to see, you are kidding me, well apart from Frankfurt (which is a little dull but hey family!) and Touloise everyone of your sites is in the top 10 places to visit in Europe list.

Barcelona go see the cathedral.

StCirq

Sure it's do-able. Personally, though, I wouldn't shell out the airfare to Europe to spend my time sitting on my duff getting familiar with the insides of a bus instead of the sights of Europe.

At least you have some downtime in Frankfurt, a bore of a city if there ever was one, but hopefully your family can make up for that.

I do agree with you about Toulouse. I love that city!

Sassafrass

Do you have tickets already? I am not usually this blunt, but I hope not because flying into EDI in the morning and taking a bus to London that night is insane.

Are any of your places, like the days you are in Frankfurt, set in stone?

When you say days, are you counting full days in a place or do those days include travel time? If they include travel time, you will have much less time in each place than the days you are saying. What are your exact dates? That will help a lot with planning.

If Toulouse is your "happy" place, we must assume you have been there before. Where else have you already traveled?

Have you considered day trips from any of your bases? Frankfurt is a bit boring, IMHO, but It is one of DD's favorite cities, so there are some interesting things. There are also some decent day trips from Frankfurt. Is it close family, such that you want 7 whole days there, or is it to save money? If you cut it to 5 days with 2 being a weekend, would that give you enough time there?

PalenQ

With ovenight buses you will see a handful of mega toursited cities but none of the Europe in between and maybe arrive wiped out early in morning.

Are there day buses - but if so would take all day I guess -- again reconsider trains which blow around at nearly 200 mph often. Train info - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Overnight buses are cheap and you save on accommodations costs but cheapest may not always be best. Discounted train tickets can be rather cheap too - not as cheap but affordable.

PalenQ

if you are staying in hostels they often don't allow you to leave your bags until you can check in later in the day. Meaning you may have to lug you suitcase or backpack all day.>

Hostels are open in morning obviously and you can go in and leave your luggage in lockers most have and IME usually check in too - not sure where janis gets her info on this but though hostels have changed in the zillion years after I used them after getting off night trains and went and checked in in mornings.

And the many youth hotels and private hostels all have their different hours and policies - hard to state a thing that generalizes to all hostels. Make hostel reservations in advance and ask about luggage.

ira

I am exhausted.

janisj

>>And the many youth hotels and private hostels all have their different hours and policies - hard to state a thing that generalizes to all hostels.<<

PQ dear -- re-read what I wrote. I said 'often' not <B>ALL</B>, and as <i>you</i> say, every hostel has different rules re wether one can check in, leave bags before checking in, etc.

So one would have to follow up with each hostel they book to see what's what . . .

PalenQ

Curious as to what you base your statements on as all hostels are open in morning for check-out and check-in too - why would they make someone wait to check in? You may not be open to stay in the hostel until it reopens in afternoon but can leave luggage again the most viable hostels are not HI-hostels but youth hotels or private hostels that are client-oriented. 'Often' implies usually which I do not think is true - how many hostels have you stayed in and what leads you to say that?

A very important point to OP so you should be sure?

Cheers!

PalenQ

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This site books it says 35,000 hostels and note 24-hour reception claim for all of them.

If staying in HI-Hostels -official Hostelling International hostels check however as they may have different rules - but for most young folk those HI-hostels are often in inconvenient locations and often teeming with young teen-age groups.

janisj

PQX- 24 hour reception does NOT mean 24 hour check in. But have it your way.

PalenQ

Enlighten me what does it mean? How do you know it does not? Youth hostels have changed a lot in last few decades and I think your info is out of date except maybe in some HI-hostels.

The hostelworld web site also says:

35,000 properties, 170 countries • Over 9 million verified guest reviews • 24/7 customer service

now what does 24/7 customer service say and highlighted as a plus?

Really what do you base you take on?

24-hour reception to me means you can book in as front desk is open - room may not be cleaned until later but you can put your bags in a hostel locker usually.