Interrail - Amsterdam - Athens - Lisbon

Peter
Traveller
9337 comments

Hi Patrícia...

let's start... :)

[b]AMSTERDAM to ATHENS:[/b]
first: if you use the train schedule planer [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u]
and always have a look at the supplements: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation[/u]

[b]Amsterdam to Frankfurt[/b] Hbf by ICE International - free - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/amsterdam-to-frankfurt-am-main[/u]
[b]Frankfurt Hbf to Vienna[/b] by ICE International - free - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/frankfurt-am-main-to-vienna[/u]
[b]Vienna to Budapest[/b] by EC: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/vienna-to-budapest[/u]
or [b]Frankfurt to Munich[/b] by ICE (free) and then by Railjet from [b]Munich directly to Budapest[/b] - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/munich-to-budapest[/u]

Now the long distance trains start...
from [b]Budapest[/b] via either [b]Beograd[/b] (I recommend) or [b]Bucharest[/b] to [b]Sofia[/b]:
[b]Vienna to Bucharest[/b] - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/vienna-to-bucharest[/u]
[b]Vienna - Budapest - Beograd - Sofia[/b] - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/vienna-to-belgrade[/u]
from [b]Beograd[/b] you can also take the direct train to [b]Thessaloniki[/b] - direction ATHENS:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/belgrade-to-thessaloniki[/u]
you also have a direct night train for the same fares from [b]Sofia to Athens[/b].

[b]ATHENS to VENICE:[/b]
best route is [b]Athens to Patras[/b] [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/athens-to-patras[/u] then [b]ferry to Italy[/b] [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/athens-to-venice[/u] and go up to [b]Venice[/b]. pay attention to the Italian supplements - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/italy/it[/u]
but to be honest, I don't really recommend Venice. it is expensive and full of tourists. ;)

[b]VENICE to PORTUGAL:[/b]
travel via [b]Florence[/b] (use regional trains with no supplements) - often via Genova to [b]Ventigmilla[/b] (border between Italy and France at the Mediterranean sea).
from there [b]along the coast[/b]: Nice, Marseilles, Montpellier, Perpignan - either to [b]Barcelona[/b] [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u] - then to [b]Madrid[/b] - then to Lisbon or Porto.
or along the Pyrenees to [b]Irun[/b]. Night train [b]Irun to Lisbon[/b] - [u]https://rail.cc/en/night-train/irun-lisbon-th-313/73[/u]


Peter :)

Heli23
Traveller
7 comments

hi Peter :)

Thanks for your precious help :)

Venice seems really attractive and if is full of tourists, that's because has quality :P


The rail I mentioned last post is meant to be done next year... Me and my boyfriend :P

We are really excited and began to plan the trip. We are first-time travellers so any help will be really apreciated and thankful!

After Amsterdam we are a little confused about the route. We'd like to follow South and visit Athens and Venice but the option of going North to Sweden, Finland and coming back by Estonia and Latvia by bus is still on the table.

What do you think about it? What would be the better route? And the cheapest?

We'd like to make the trip in a year's time, maybe in the summer, maybe in September...And we don't work so the money we'll save will be from our monthly allowance :os

How much money do you think we have to save?

Sorry about so many questions :P

Hug,

Patrícia

Peter
Traveller
9337 comments

I would concentrate on Eastern Europe. As in western cities like Amsterdam, Venice, etc you have to pay at least something around EUR 30 per night for a bed in a dorm. in Eastern Europe it is EUR 8-12 ...
the same for the night live ... but all depends on you, if you prefer Scandinavia or more the South ... ;)
the route from Finland to Poland via the Baltic countries is really nice: [u]https://rail.cc/en/finland-estonia-latvia-lithuania-poland-bus-train/f2329[/u]
but you still have a lot of time to plan ... :)

Heli23
Traveller
7 comments

After Amsterdam what do you advise ? Going through the Baltic countries and Finland? And how can we get to Helsinki from Amsterdam ? Is there Helsinki a cheap city? I consider it not very cheap 'cause it's Finland... xD

But I'd really like to go there. Actually, people call me Hel because of my passion for Helsinki xD

The three countries , Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania seem really nice :P But we don't have much knowledge about them or what to see...

Then from Lithuania we could come back to Portugal xD

What do you think?

thanks !

Peter
Traveller
9337 comments

always use the train schedules planer I mentioned above... then you will find your way to Helsinki...
you can travel from Amsterdam to Berlin (cool and not too expensive!), from Berlin take the train to Malmö (Sweden): [u]https://rail.cc/en/night-train/berlin-malmoe-en-300/58[/u]
then up to Stockholm and by ferry to Helsinki...
from Helsinki to Estonia by ferry and like I mentioned above. from the Baltics home, maybe have a look at a cheap flight...?!
and yes, Helsinki is expensive... ;) nothing is for free in the world...! :)

maybe it is also interesting to go to library and rent some travel books like Lonely Planet or something like that. to get a better overview... I can tell you now 1000 nice places in Europe. but I don't know if you have the same preferences like me and as well don't have the time to write here a message of 10 hours... ;)

Heli23
Traveller
7 comments

Hi everyone :) as I started this topic, I thought I might post here.

So, as I described we were thinking about leaving Oporto and go to Pais then London and then Amsterdam.

We thought some days and the north south ahead to Finland is too way expensive plus the baltic countries by bus. Though it's a nice idea we can't afford it.

We thought we may go south to Italy and then Spain and then home or go to Prague or Budapest and then Italy and then home.

Prague seems so attractive but we are thinking of studying Erasmus there, isn't a little bit of waste of time and money go to a city we'll be some time after?

And in Italy we'd really like to visit Venice and I'd like to see Piza because of the tower, of course :P


So, what do you you think of this route?

Pete, help us! :P We are really excited about the trip but we are still planning the route and saving the money we can.

We don't have a big idea about all the stuff we have to plan. Can you give us a hand?

Very thankful,

Patricia :)