FilipeFT
Traveller
2 comments
Posted 15 years ago
Hey !
First of all, congratz on this awesome forum, I usually come here a lot but only now registered.
We are four guys from Portugal (ages 17 / 18), and are planning on InterRail this summer, on a 22-Continuous Pass, from 14 Aug to 4 Sept.
Our route is the following (of course this is just a plan, because, in the spirit of InterRail, if we want to change a bit our route, we are going to):
Lisbon to Barcelona (via Madrid) - Here I have a question, The train leaves Lisbon 22:38 and only crosses the Spanish Border at 1:00 AM. So, the first day (I mean, the 22:38 PM day) doesn't count as a travel day, because de IR pass isn't valid to our country of residence right?
Barcelona to Marseille - We arrive at 23:30 ... where should we sleep? Are hostels or campings open at this hour, or can we sleep, I don't know, anywhere in the city?
Marseille to Menton / Monaco - Monaco to Roma (via Genova - Night Train) - Roma to Venice (Night Train) - Venice to Wien (Night Train) - Wien to Krakow (Night Train) - Krakow to Prague (Night Train. If we really like any other of the previous cities, we're cutting Prague down) - Prague to Berlin (We were planning on a night train ... the only one we found was 3:00 departure in Prague... isn't there another one? Is it safe to stay in the station at that hour? Or is it more worth taking a day train, in terms of arriving early to Berlin?). - Berlin to Amsterdam (CNL Night Train) - Amsterdam to Paris (Probably IC to Brussels, and Thalys to Paris) and finally Paris to Lisbon via Irun.
We are going to stay 2 days (1 night, as we arrive early at the city and departure late the following day) in almost every city, 3 days (2 nights) to Barcelona and Rome and 1 day only to Marseille, Monaco and Venice.
Our major concerns are the above ones, as we would like some advices, please. Aswell, how about reservations? Which one of the trains I stated need a reservation? And can I get them at the town lets say one day earlier, or is it better to book some of them, I don't know, at Lisbon? Should we book some of the hostels now?
Thanks a lot for your time. ;)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Lisboa - Madrid: Yep, you have to buy a regular CP ticket from Lisboa to Valencia de Alacantara (border station). You get a 50% InterRail discount when your ticket is valid; if your pass starts being valid Aug 14th you have to take the train from Lisboa 14th in the evening to benefit from the discount, not on the 13th! :(
Same applies for the journey home. Maybe you get another cheap offer from CP to save these days.
For the night in Marseille it would be sensible to book a hostel online - you can see if it has 24h reception. Searching for a hostel this late in Marseille might no be too agreeable. Same applies for sleeping somewhere in the city...dont think Marseille is really suitable for doing so.
The Nice - Roma night train has been withdrawn; you'll probably have to go throughout the day, which really pays off since the train runs at the coast almost all the time.
There might be connecting services throughout the night via Genoa or evene Milano but you'd probably have to change trains in the middle of the night.
IMO there's no need to cut Praha down, beutiful city with lots of things to do and see. ;)
Indeed the train leaving Praha at 0340 is the only night train. Cant tell anything about safety at the station, however the train isnt calling at the main station (Hlavni Nadrazi) but at Holesovice you probably wouldnt have a comfortable stay there.
You could spend the night somewhere drinking cheap beer and then catching the train like proposed in another topic though.
Last train in the evening: 1829
First train in the morning: 0629
Forget about Thalys - IC to Antwerpes, then via Gent and Kortrijk to Lille and continuing from there to Paris with TGV - have a closer look here:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/amsterdam-paris-train/f1472[/u]
If you're traveling by night trains around peek days (friday, sunday, bank holidays) try to book as early as possible. If a train is full already you'll find alternative routes for sure - they might not be as fast but you'll get to where you want.
Try to book those connections on which you have to rely a 100% in Lisboa (if they're able to do it), if that doesnt work then try at other stations along the route.
Same applies for hostels - try to book those where you know by now that you're going to stay now.
Hope that helps for now.
Flo 8)
FilipeFT
Traveller
2 comments
Thanks a lot! You really helped me.
Damn, I won't have the 50% off ... xo Whatever.
As of Nice - Rome, I was not planning on going this night train. My idea was going Monaco to Genoa in late afternoon and catch the night train that goes to Naples (3 hours later though), arriving at Rome at 6:00 AM. Is this teh one who got canceled? xo
Yes, I knew about the Praha - Berlin at 3:40 AM that wans't in the central station. Its probably waste a bit more and do it day train than catch this really late night train than, right? Btw, our other option, its the only city we have agreed on visiting ... Some of us intended to go to Praha, others to Warsaw. Any opinion about this cities? Which one is the best, etc, etc... or they are the same (in different ways of course)?.
The Thalys, well ... I understand, and that route was an option, but because of the schedule we're getting a bit out of time ... But if using Thalys it gets a bit expensive. We have to reunite and talk seriously about this.
We're trying to make some of the reservations than (which one are most needed for reservations in late Aug?) and some hostels aswell (mainly the first ones).
Thanks again, you were extremely helpful!
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
I've been speaking about the EN Nice - Roma/Venice which has been withdrawn last december, so dont worry you can go as you've described:
Nice 1846 - 1935 Ventimiglia
Ventimiglia 1951 - 2301 Genova
Genova 2353 - 0551 Roma
Never been to Warszawa, sorry. I know that Praha is worth the visit. Spend at least one day there, for instance if you're coming by night train from Krakow/Warszawa you have the whole day to have a walk through the old town and Hradschin, have a beer somewhere and leave with the last train to Berlin. :)
I see your point in going by Thalys.
However look at this connection (as an example):
Amsterdam 1054 - 1300 Antwerpen
Antwerpen 1306 - 1455 Lille
Lille 1500 - 1602 Paris
There are connections like this almost every hour (at certain hours the TGV leaves at Lille Europe instead of Lille Flanders making it impossible to catch it in such short time); there'd be at least one connection leaving you more time in Lille to change too.
Five hours and 3€ (maybe 10€ already :| ) supplement compared to 4h40 with IC Amsterdam - Bruxelles and Thalys Bruxelles - Paris with 26€ supplement. :)
For the reservations I'd recommend making the ones you need for CNL trains, AVE, EurostarItalia (or similar) and EN Roma - Wien as soon as possible. Maybe make others too, depending on how much flexibility you are willing to lose. ;)
Flo 8)
FilipeFT
Traveller
2 comments
Thanks a lot! You're awesome!
Im gonna check about that route to Paris, if the difference is only about 30 minutes, and almost 20 E (in peak season) of supplements, its worth it.
OK, we were planning about staying 1 night (2 days) in Prague, but probably we are going to departure on day later from Lisbon (therefor almost losing 1-day travel, but we'll get the 50% off, which btw is a lot), and we will only stay one day in Prague, leaving as you said in the latest train to Berlin, or sleep there, and catch the first train to Berlin, I don't know, we'll talk.
Just to finish, about the train reservations, if in Lisbon they're not capable of doing them, can I book them online? Where? Do we have to pay in advance? Because we are 17 and some recent 18ers. Same question to some hostels.
Those are my latest doubts. Our route is almost 100% sure (it can change during our travel, but at least we have a doable plan, and if we like it during our route, we'll be sticking to it). The only thing that's left is the reservation of some (least possible) trains and hostels.
Thanks again, xD
Filipe