Western Europe travel during conflict
 

I’m reading the forum but not seeing much about travel during the conflict. We have a trip planned for the end of March which is approaching quickly. We would be arriving in Amsterdam then driving through Belgium, France, ending up in Italy. Most of me thinks it will be alright but I do have concerns. Is anyone else going ahead with their planned spring trip?

There is a thread here somewhere on it.
Honestly I would just go ahead with your trip. There is no more need to worry about your safety here than wherever you live.
The only concern might be the higher cost of fuel and food adding to your expenses.
Of course things can take a turn for the worse between now and then or even while you are here, but I would assume you will be safe and enjoy your trip.

Before the monster invaded Ukraine I would have said come anyway. Right now I don't know where he will stop. Still we cannot insure against that and we are all dead anyway so yep come and enjoy.

You two have made me feel a bit better. We would be coming from the US. So maybe that would explain some of my concerns being that those countries we would be visiting are so much closer. Just a added note when speaking with relatives in Italy I get very mixed signals. Some say come, no reason not to, while some are very negative saying how bad things are. Once again thank you for your input. I’m happy to welcome more opinions.

If i were in your shoes I would absolutely go. I think it’s highly unlikely that NATO is drawn into war this soon, if ever. At the same time, we see how quickly things can change and how uncertain these times are, which means GO, go now while you can. We don’t have certainty about the world 3 months from now, 6 months from now, etc. Subscribe to state department alerts, put embassy numbers/web pages in your phone. And go & enjoy.

Go while you can. i.e. now

I’m listening, so far no one says stay home. Love the positive attitude!

We're headed to Portugal at the end of the month. We've also got a trip to Austria and Germany booked for June and are working on a Switzerland and Spain trip for October/November.

Yes there is a post downstream…Is Ukraine affecting travel to rest of Europe? I had mentioned we have a Viking ocean cruise in Mid May…Greece, Adriatic, Italy. Since this horrific war started I was feeling so unsettled and honestly having travel guilt. Was holding off booking our flights. Not really fear for safety so much as how could I enjoy this trip when others suffer so a few countries away?
But I was encouraged by others on travel forums. Life goes on. How does it help anyone if we cancel? We cannot predict what will happen. Go while we still can….If it gets more serious we will be informed. Get trip insurance. Donate funds to charities to help refugees. Etc….So…this week we booked our flights. Praying hope and mercy for all those who struggle on and on!!!

Good for you, I’m thinking that is the right attitude.

We’re also planning a trip to Italy, 13 nights in Sicily, then four each in Atrani on the Amalfi and Naples, this will be my sister, niece and I. We then fly to Athens where we meet the rest of our family and spend 12 nights between Nafplio, Santorini and Athens before heading back home. This is the big family vacation we took every year until Covid happened.

Yes, I do think of the Ukraine invasion and the hundreds of thousands displaced and suffering untold miseries. We did consider cancelling, but then again, the last time we were in Europe was in March 2020. DH, my siblings and I are in our sixties and not getting any younger and we want to travel when we physically able to. So as of now we’re going ahead with our plans, though everything I’ve booked has free cancellation.

As long as you're not crossing Russian or Ukrainian airspace, your flights won't be impacted. Fuel prices will be higher than they would have been, but, I took a look at this for my upcoming 2 week car trip to France in May, and even if prices go substantially higher, the cost of gas will only marginally impact the overall cost of my trip.

I suppose that if I had a tripped planned to one of the countries that border Ukraine, I might think twice due to the refugee situation, but I wouldn't worry about it in the rest of Western Europe. They were really hurt by Covid and will probably appreciate the business.

I am thinking also to not worry so much traveling these countries mentioned in Western and Central Europe. More concern visiting the eastern border countries. They all need their income after Covid losses and we all have these postponed trips to take! We are also 67 and 70 and not wanting to wait. Life can be fragile and change in a second! We can have hope our pray for all who suffer no matter where we are!

So glad to hear from you all, also happy to hear your travel plans are not being canceled. For now I’m hanging in there too with our plans for the end of March.

We have a trip planned to Italy for the month of June and don't plan to cancel. I feel as others do that time is marching on and I want to travel as much as possible while I'm physically able.
I think it's possible to care about Ukraine and the situation there, donate money and whatever other help we can give plus still get on with our own lives while being mindful of how lucky we are.

So very true raincitygirl, we need to stop and think how lucky and fortunate we are, in reasonably good health, with the means to travel, explore and learn about different countries and cultures. And pray for those less fortunate than us…

I agree with geetika and raincitygirl, and others who might have commented about time marching on. We have a trip planned to Greece for May. Everything is booked, and at this point in time, we are still going. I am 72 and my husband is 75, so we feel we might not have a lot of travel years (especially international travel) left. I hope I'm wrong but who knows what shape we will be in come 80!!! So we are still going to Greece. And if, God forbid, there is a nuclear war, then it really doesn't matter where we are.

We have also made donations to two organizations to help the Ukrainian refugees. If we stayed home, who would benefit by that??? And perhaps another way to look at it is that we are helping the countries we visit by spending our money there. They have all been hard hit by the pandemic.

Go and Enjoy
 

We are planning a trip to Italy in May. The friends we were going with have pulled out because of fear of the war situation. We are still going and also going to Ireland in August. Will surely pay close attention to the events unfolding but we are going and looking forward to the trips.

I am so pleased to see activity on this forum after the Covid drought.
I intended to go to Madrid in early May to see a few games at the tennis tournament.
Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from my city to Madrid until later, ,so I will be “ forced” to
go to Paris instead. 😺.
Madrid + will have to wait until October.
I hope the terrible war is over for the sake of the innocent. Yesterday.

"Forced" to go to Paris! lol, now that's the kind of force I like! Twist my arm, please!
It is nice to see activity here after so long, I agree.
Happy Travels everyone, and yes, may the invasion/war be over soon and the monster Putin eliminated.