Corks118
Traveller
30 comments
Posted 10 years ago
Hi, after a tremendous traveling experience last summer in central and eastern Europe, I'm thinking of doing something similar this summer. It'll only be the 5 in 10 days this time though!
Okay, so the plan is to start in Paris and activate my pass when leaving (I'll get the Eurostar to Paris from London). I was thinking of spending five or six days in the south of France, as I'd like to visit Nice, Cannes, Monaco, St. Tropez (if possible) before heading to Barcelona and finally Madrid.
If anybody could provide any advice on this route that would be fantastic. I received a lot of really excellent advice here for my trip last year, ending up visiting towns, cities and countries I never would have otherwise.
Thanks.
nltrainer
Traveller
1405 comments
IF you only want to do 2 long-dist trips: Par-Cote dÄzur and from there to Mad, an IR is a waste of money. The other trips are very short and in THAT area they do daypasses for 12 or 13 eur: Ventimiglia-Nice-Grasse/Frejus. DO be aware that anything else-accomm, food, going out, in that time of year is horrendously expensive and overcrowded in THAT area.
But this means booking yourself in time for the cheap PREM tickets on voyages-sncf ( [ux]https://rail.shop/sncf[/ux] ). To go Espana: split at border, or try, for a semi-spurge, the new TGV direct to Barca.
Also be aware that much more as Paris (was) Mad is about closed and going out for the terrible heat in august. I would choose another place.
Corks118
Traveller
30 comments
Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a think. I would really like to see the south of France and move on to Barcelona and Madrid and July/August are the only real options. Obviously I'll be on a bit of a budget though so I'll need to give this a bit of thought.
Edit: looking at the website you provided, the trains seem to cost around £100 from Paris to Nice, and Barcelona to Madrid so that doesn't seem to be much cheaper than buying in IR pass.
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi!
Well a possible route could look like this:
1) Paris - Nice
2) Nice area
3) Nice area
4) Nice area
5) Nice area
6) Nice - Marseille
7) Marseille
8) Marseille - Barcelona
9) Barcelona
10) Barcelona - Madrid
You could then use the 5th travel day for a longer day trip from Nice, maybe to Italy (Torino via Breil-sur-Roya would be very interesting!); other day trips around Nice can be done with tickets bought locally (distances are very short and there are good offers available).
To get to St Tropez you would have to get a bus...but there are so many other great places around there... :)
Have a look at Grasse, Eze, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes, Menton!
You could also travel Nice - Barcelona within one day, but I would recommend an overnight stay somewhere. Marseille would be an obvious choice as it is a really great buzzing city; if you have time you could also head to nearby Cote Bleue or the Calanques for some nature: [u]https://rail.cc/blog/scenic-train-cote-bleue/[/u]
Other interesting overnight stops could be Avignon, Nimes or Perpignan.
You will have to get reservations on some routes: Paris to Nice is fastest by TGV; from Nice along the coast you can travel with regional trains, only if you would like to travel fast to Barcelona you could use a TGV here a well.
Barcelona to Madrid the AVE is the logical choice (10€ reservation).
Flo 8)
Corks118
Traveller
30 comments
Thanks Flo, you're a star. I'm going to do some finance calculating in the next week or so, but providing I am thrifty with my money things shouldn't be too extortionate, right? I'm not going to be dining out in fancy restaurants and hitting expensive clubs all night...
It's things like day trips when I'm in Nice, to places like Monaco. If I'm mainly just looking around and only really visiting museums, galleries etc. then I'm hoping the cost won't be too much.
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Well...dining in fast food restaurants will be around 8-10€, and a bit more in a proper but not fancy restaurant. I paid around 18€ in an excellent Indian restaurant in Paris last december...so I would think everything between 10€ and 20€ would be ok if you mix it with the occasional fast food and cooking yourself in the hostel kitchen.
If you do day trips, for instance to Monaco, you will just need to get the train ticket plus maybe something to eat and drink from a local supermarket.
Corks118
Traveller
30 comments
Is the best way to travel from Marseille to Barcelona via Montpellier? There is one direct train but it has a 55 Euro reservation, whereas there are trains to Montpellier and then on to Barcelona.
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
Travel for free with regional trains. What date you want to travel.
Just as example (not daily):
Marseille-St-Charles dep 09:06 - free local train
Avignon Centre arr 10:15
Avignon Centre dep 11:40 - free local train
Port Bou arr 15:28
Port Bou dep 16:03 - free local train
Barcelona Sants arr 18:39
Peter :)
Corks118
Traveller
30 comments
Ah, I'll look into that, thanks.
Another point, and hopefully I'm okay asking in this thread, but the 5 in 10 day Interrail pass is listed as 239 Euros (Promo) but when I go to purchase it goes up to £248 (301 Euros). Am I doing something wrong?
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
No. You are nothing doing wrong.
Have a look at the red text: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-global-pass[/u]
The PROMO offers are not available in peak travel time. Only in spring and autumn.
Peter :)
Corks118
Traveller
30 comments
Ah yes. Still, even without the promo it goes up another 20 Euros for some reason, from 281 to 301 (not including the rail safeguard plan).
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Mmmh... can you please send me a screenshot. Email by PM.
As in the shop I see for an Adult Interrail Pass 5 in 10 without rail safeguard plan and shipping: EUR 281 or GBP 248.
Thank you. :)
Corks118
Traveller
30 comments
That's what I get too Peter, but 281 Euros is actually £231, but it comes up as £248, which is 301 Euros.
Not a really big deal or anything though.
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Okay, now I understand. The typical problem of the exchange rates and their dates when they are fixed.
Sorry, but I can't change this.
It's time that the UK joins the EURO... ;)
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Other option for you if you want to support railcc... buy it via our railcc partner link [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux]
There you should be forwarded to a UK version. Currently available there for GBP 233
Peter :)