Tons of questions!!
Nov 21st, 2009, 12:41 PM
#41
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A mistake that we have made is moving around too much and, consequently,eating up too much valuable time, so I would limit the hotel changes to one or two at most.
Also, the commenter is right who says you could spend the whole time in Paris and not run out of things to see and do (with short trips out of the city if you want). Consider limiting your cities too. Luxembourg and Strasbourg are going to involve a lot of travel time and are going to take you away from major cities.
In 2001 we visited Bruges and it was beautiful, but I can't imagine spending three days of a two week trip there. In 2006 we spent a week in Amsterdam with a couple of trips by train outside the city. We had a ball because for once there was time to have a cup of coffee or a beer and people watch and talk.
If it were my choice, I'd probably do about 3 days in Amsterdam and 9 days in Paris with day trips to Versailles and Chartes. I wish it were my choice this time
Have fun!
Also, the commenter is right who says you could spend the whole time in Paris and not run out of things to see and do (with short trips out of the city if you want). Consider limiting your cities too. Luxembourg and Strasbourg are going to involve a lot of travel time and are going to take you away from major cities.
In 2001 we visited Bruges and it was beautiful, but I can't imagine spending three days of a two week trip there. In 2006 we spent a week in Amsterdam with a couple of trips by train outside the city. We had a ball because for once there was time to have a cup of coffee or a beer and people watch and talk.
If it were my choice, I'd probably do about 3 days in Amsterdam and 9 days in Paris with day trips to Versailles and Chartes. I wish it were my choice this time
Have fun!
Nov 23rd, 2009, 12:57 PM
#42
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was wondering if I should buy in advanced the train ticket Amsterdam - Paris as it would be on december 22, because of the Holiday getting near or just show up on the train station?
Is there much price difference in the other legs of the trip (Paris-Brussels-Brugges-Amsterdam) if buying in advance vs. buying in train station?>
For Amsterdam to Paris on the Thalys train there are typically HUGE differences in prices from advanced online fares to fares bought when you show up in Amsterdam- literally $100 or more so by all means if taking the Thalys (not IC trains Amsterdam to Antwerp/Brussels'Bruges) are thalys trains have a Byzantine fare structure like airlines the earlier you book the more you save. Try www.thalys.com for fares in euros from Amsterdam pr www.ns.nl - the Dutch railways site - in the U.S. try www.raileurope.com but only if you cannot get the thalys.com site to work or if on odd occasions RailEurope actually has a competitive fare - and they do sometimes have Thalys sales so check - for any RailEurope product i always advise trying budgeteuropetravel.com for personal expert service by phone - something RailEurope does not seem to offer and even charges more i believe to speak to anyone by phone - but be sure to try thalys.com as they are usually significantly cheaper than RailEurope or its agents like BudgetEuropeTravel. In any case just do not show up and buy on site - you will always be able to get on but at a formidably higher price IME.
Is there much price difference in the other legs of the trip (Paris-Brussels-Brugges-Amsterdam) if buying in advance vs. buying in train station?>
For Amsterdam to Paris on the Thalys train there are typically HUGE differences in prices from advanced online fares to fares bought when you show up in Amsterdam- literally $100 or more so by all means if taking the Thalys (not IC trains Amsterdam to Antwerp/Brussels'Bruges) are thalys trains have a Byzantine fare structure like airlines the earlier you book the more you save. Try www.thalys.com for fares in euros from Amsterdam pr www.ns.nl - the Dutch railways site - in the U.S. try www.raileurope.com but only if you cannot get the thalys.com site to work or if on odd occasions RailEurope actually has a competitive fare - and they do sometimes have Thalys sales so check - for any RailEurope product i always advise trying budgeteuropetravel.com for personal expert service by phone - something RailEurope does not seem to offer and even charges more i believe to speak to anyone by phone - but be sure to try thalys.com as they are usually significantly cheaper than RailEurope or its agents like BudgetEuropeTravel. In any case just do not show up and buy on site - you will always be able to get on but at a formidably higher price IME.
