Traveling cost
 

My boyfriend and I are taking our first trip to Europe next month. We are stopping in Munich (Oktoberfest), Zurich, Paris and Amsterdam over a time of 13 days. Our flights are paid and we are staying with a friend in Munich for 3 nights. Other than that, I have no idea how much money I should bring with me. Can anyone give me an estimate?

Switzerland is quite expensive, especially Zurich. How long is your stay there?

It depends entirely on where you choose to stay, what you choose to eat and drink, how you choose to get around, and what attractions you choose to visit.
Switzerland is IMO frighteningly expensive. Amsterdam is just a bit less expensive. Paris is affordable IMO. And Munich probably the least expensive of the four.

I recommend using credit cards whenever you can - and make sure you have a NoForex card (one that doesn't tack on a 3% fee for purchasing in a foreign country).

***and note to everyone*** if given the option to process your charge in EUR or USD, always choose EUR. (Choosing USD *won't* save you the Forex fee and the exchange rate offered will be confiscatory.)

If you need cash in Europe, use your ATM/Debit card to withdraw the amount of cash you'd like to carry around for the two weeks. Better exchange rate than you'd otherwise get.

I believe we are only staying in Zurich for 1 night. Is it unwise to use my debit card I thought I could swipe as credit or use ATMs and cash when I needed

Use your debit card in ATMs, use your credit cards in other places.

I'm hoping $8,500 usd will be enough to stretch the whole 2 weeks.

In my experience, that's enough. Usually our two week trips, including airfare from LA, stays in nice places (average 200-250€/night, usually breakfast included), eating at good restaurants, etc averages $9,000-10,500 for everything. We haven't been to Zurich or Munich, but have to Paris several times and Amsterdam.

So if you've already paid for the plane, in my experience you'll be fine.

Use the ATMs for cash, credit cards as much as possible, like the others said.

Please do not carry $8500 in cash on your person.

I travel with minimal cash and get some with my credit union debit card when I land. If you concerned about your cards being compromised, you might ask the institution if you can pre-authorize a debit limit.

It is always good to have enough pocket cash to cover a day in case the restaurants don't take cards. Although the number of merchants has increased, some have a minimum or don't accept at all. I just ate at a great pizza place in Trier that was cash only.


Bottom line: not quite like USA, so be prepared.

That should be plenty. We live in Europe so don't have airfares, either, so are starting from the same point as you, having already paid for the airfare. It's not often that a 2-week trip costs us more than 5,000 €. Our hotel expenses are rarely more than 100€ a night, though, and we don'teat in fancy places for the most part.

So your budget is about $4000 a week or $570 a day. Is that for two people or one, I'm not clear on that? If for one, yikes, I never spend that much money per day myself. In fact, if 2 people, the hotel costs are only half per person anyway as solo travel, so That is a humongous amount of money per day to spend on a vacation in my world. And I don't stay in one star hotels, either, but generally 3-4*. I don't go to expensive restaurants, though. I guess if you were spending $350 per day on a hotel, that would do it, though, adding in food and other stuff.

I personally have never found Switzerland to be unusually expensive, just a little bit but not that much more than major capital cities like Paris or London. I've only been there twice, though, but still didn't think it was unusually expensive.

We are stopping in Munich (Oktoberfest), Zurich, Paris and Amsterdam over a time of 13 days>

Taking trains between them I presume?

If so you can pay a ton - probably $500 or more p.p. for full walk-up fares but a fraction of that with discounted tickets you must however book in stone weeks in advance to get - maybe spending $200 all told - for example Thalys trains Paris to Amsterdam cost about $200 p.p. full fare but can be had for about $50 p.p. at the best discounted price.

Great sites for getting a fix on trains and discounted tickets: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Munich-Zurich book your own online discounted tickets- www.bahn.de/en (German Railways site)

Zurich-Paris - www.voyages-sncf.com (French rail site)

Paris-Amsterdam www.thalys.com.

do not consider any railpasses -not traveling enough.

Its for 2 people, 2 weeks. I wouldn't carry that much cash on me ever, I hope to visit the ATM whenever I need cash. Thanks for all of the input :)

Sorry I forgot to mention that we have a rental car, the only extra travel we need is the flight from Paris to Amsterdam.

If just going to those four cities take the train - cars are a liability in cities - trains are so great. And there could be huge drop-off charges for say renting in Munich and returning car in another country.

Don't fly Paris to Amsterdam - Thalys trains start at 39 euros and take 3.5 hours city center to city center - flying longer all told and more expensive and you don't see the lovely countryside in between.

Why Zurich? A large modern city that many don't care for - the beauty of Switzerland IMO is in the high Alps - the Interlaken area -drive up to Grindelwald and be eyeball to eyeball with glacier-girdled soaring peaks.

anyway something to think about.

That's $607 for two people per day with 3 nights lodging for free and a rental car already paid for. That's a generous budget imo.

You might save some $ by using the train. The Swiss Rail pass saved us money with the flexpass that you can get it, for how as many days you would be on a train in Switzerland. Zurich is quite expensive, however the smaller villages are much more reasonable, and I would book hotels before you go, check prices on Internet, get ideas on this site. The Swiss Rail pass also has discounts on lake boats, some mtn trains/lifts. I think you have alloted enough money, but take two charge cards and debit card. AMEX does not charge an exchange rate, but double check this, and let your charge card customer service know that you will be in a foreign country so they will not cut off your card while there. If in Zurich, ask hotel for good but less expensive restaurants, we had a great fondue dinner at one Italian restaurant, that was more reasonable. Sue

<< AMEX does not charge an exchange rate>> They most certainly do, it is 2.7 pct. Some of their expensive subscription fee cards may not, but the ones that are free have a 2.7 pct markup, as that is what I have (an Amex Blue Everyday Cash card). I always take one of each type of card to be on the safe side (Visa, MC and Amex) but rarely use the Amex because of that fact. But more and more places take it in Europe where I go, so it's good to have, you never know.

There are various free credit cards around that do not, though, I have two of them (Capital One and AAA Visa).

<That's $607 for two people per day with 3 nights lodging for free and a rental car already paid for. That's a generous budget imo.>

Are you suggesting they bring enough cash for the entire trip, eh, suze?

Other than that, I have no idea how much money I should bring with me>

Bring no money but an ATM and credit card.