Hello there! I'm looking for some opinions and suggestions on my plans since there's so much conflicting information out there I really don't know what I should take, be it a plane, bus or train between destinations. I've read a fair bit about the train being pretty expensive, especially if you get the rail passes, is this true?
I vote you go by train, there are some really great fares out there if you book in advance, check the german rail web site bahn.com up to 90 days prior to date of departure. You can book, pay and print out your e-ticket, be sure that you take the credit card you pay the tickets with, with you as you will need to give that to the conductor as proof of payment on the train. The trains are so comfortable and 2nd class is fine, you do need to book 1st class. Also, I have found that reserving a seat in advance is really not necessary unless you are travelling on a Fri or Sun. But I did get stuck once on the train from Berlin to Prague with out a seat as I did not pre book, so I simply went into the restaurant car and had a couple of cups of coffee, had a seat in there for the trip. The bus may be a bit cheaper, but you really won't have the comfort of the train.
It is unlikely a rail pass will be any value these days, if you plan ahead and purchase in advance at a discount from the national rail networks. Only you can do the maths. comparison to find out or recognize that likely fact. Similarly only you can do the maths. comparison between whatever forms of transport.
This is an extract from a huge and informative website on train travel - http://www.seat61.com/Railpass-and-Eurail-pass-guide.htm#Should
This is a website for budget flights - http://www.whichbudget.com/
It is unlikely a rail pass will be any value these days, if you plan ahead and purchase in advance at a discount from the national rail networks. Only you can do the maths. comparison to find out or recognize that likely fact. Similarly only you can do the maths. comparison between whatever forms of transport.
This is an extract from a huge and informative website on train travel - http://www.seat61.com/Railpass-and-Eurail-pass-guide.htm#Should
This is a website for budget flights - http://www.whichbudget.com/
Flying around central Europe just really not make good sense. By the time you have to go to airport, check-in go through security, wait for your flight you are wasting time, besides what can you see from the air, mountains perhaps, but travelling by rail.city center to city center you will see the land up close and personal and if you see something you really like you can get off, in an airplane you can't do that.
So, Amsterdam to Berlin -> hmmm, probably train. The journey is approximately 6 hours. Flying wouldn't give you much of a time saving when you consider transport to / from airport, checkin etc.
Berlin to Prague -> By plane or train? Definitely train
Budapest to Vienna -> Train, plane or bus? Train for sure. It is a very short trip between the two cities to def. train.
Vienna to Neuschwanstein Castle, Neuschwansteinstraße, Schwangau, Germany -> Two nights there, I may see Munich maybe? Can you actually stay there? Most people go to the castle on a day trip from either Munich or Salzburg. Both cities are fantastic.
Then home to Amsterdam from either Munich or maybe I'll go from there to Frankfurt and then back to Amsterdam. Not sure why you would consider going to Frankfurt. Just fly out of Munich.
[ 11-Mar-2012, at 03:27 by morro ]
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