Travel to Europe
 

I am planning to meet my son in Europe , I changed my plans from my previous topic. This time I will like to start in Amsterdamn, than Paris, Than Madrid and end in Barcelona. My trip dates is from May 14 to May 29 or 30. Need recomendaction on how many days in each place, trains to take , places to stay can be hostals but private. Etcc.,

for lots of great train info check these sites: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com - buy your tickets way in advance to nab nifty discounted tickets that can save a fortune over just walking up - especially on the Amsterdam to Paris Thalys trains (www.thalys.com).

amsterdam 4 days including landing day

Paris 4 days

Madrid 4 days

Barcelona 4 days

and travel in between can take time too so you really have 3 days in each place.

Will it be better to fly from Paris to Madrid, I see that taking train will be to long. If this is a recommendation I need to fly taking an air flight that permits luggage's

The capital of the world's diamond trade has not been condemned. It's Amsterdam.

Why would you go Paris to Madrid and backtrack to Barcelona? Makes no sense.

And unless you like LONG train rides, Paris to Madrid or Barcelona is a flight. Even the new faster Paris-Barcelona run is nearly 6.5 hours. The Paris to Madrid route goes THROUGH Barcelona, so tack on another 3 hours.

The world capital of the diamond trade is in Antwerp not Amsterdam and has been for a long long time. Amsterdam has diamond museums which are really shops but I believe all the diamond processing is in Antwerp.

We'll that is that forum is about. Suggestions, I've only been to Madrid and Rome. Can't help with what's the best way to go? I wanted Barcelona to be the last too visit because there's a concert that my daughter wants to attend and is the last week of May.

You can take a night train to Barcelona from Paris - but the night train part terminates really in Perpignan France with a morning connecting train to Barcelona - not an ideal direct night train but if not into flying...

If you were going to do this trip and last city would be Barcelona, How will you do it. Staring from where?

The best route for your preferences is the original one you stated;

Amsterdam -> Paris -> Madrid -> Barcelona


Amsterdam to Paris is about 3:30 by train

Paris to Madrid should be flown - its about a 2 hour flight and right now $60-$90 one way in late May on Air France, Vueling or Transavia (Orly departure)

Madrid to Barcelona is about 2:30 - 3:00 by train

I count 14 or 15 nights presuming you fly overnight and arrive on the 15th. I would divide them up about equally 4,4,3/4,3 giving the extra night to the 2 or 3 places that you think you would enjoy the atmosphere of the most.

Recommendations Hostals or hotels for eeach place?

Swap the order of Madrid and Barca - then you can get the train from Paris to Barca - its about 6 and a half hours and runs several times daily - no need for a sleeper train. Obviously then you can also do Barca to Madrid by train when it's time to move on (its about 2.5 - 3hrs). Thus removing the need for any internal flights and mind numbing waiting around in airports at all during your trip.

Too bad the direct Barcelona to Paris-Austerlitz Elipsos night trains have been withdrawn - the other night train possibility has you taking a day trip first to Perpignan for the actual night train (and French night trains only have couchette comartments IME - so you are in with strangers, which some don't cotton.

They were old and very tired - it is a huge plus to be able to halve the journey time and travel in more comfort imho. Unless you can afford a single cabin on a sleeper train it is never terribly comfortable or easy to get to sleep. The pluses are that you may get to meet some interesting people in your cabin or couchette but nice as that is I don't think it outweighs the convenience of a quicker trip.

Unless you can afford a single cabin on a sleeper train it is never terribly comfortable or easy to get to sleep.>

I do not think such a universal statement is correct - in your case and perhaps others you know that may be true but with me and many it is definitely not true. Kind of irks me when folks make such blancket statements based on their own experiences - in this case you are plain wrong - I've taken hundreds of couchette trips and I and most others just seem to sleep fine.

I am talking about the specific route you mentioned. On which I have travelled. The trains were crap. Broken seats and footrests. Broken blinds. Split cushions. Poor service in the tired old buffet car. The new daytime service is a colossal improvement on that route.

Btw it kinda irks me that you would think your experience of a sleeper car on a different route - probably in a different country - and God knows how many years ago would be more relevant than someone who used the specific service in question and recently.