michaelflynn61
Traveller
7 comments
Posted 14 years ago
Hi everyone. Been looking at this forum a good bit now, lots of great info.
I am thinking of going interrailing and am looking for some advice. I am planning on going for a month getting the 1 month pass and will be going on my own. I have no definite route as of yet but would like to see alot of eastern Europe. Thinkin of maybe flying to Denmark (I'm from Ireland) and maybe working down from there. Would like to see some of France and Spain but I am realistic aswell that theres only a certain amount you can see in the time. The thing that I am wondering is I am planning on going from the midde of November til middle of December. Am I mad to be going this time of the year when it is going to be really cold and stuff?? Would love to hear from anyone who either has gone at this time of the year or would have any idea what it would be like. I am also a little aprehensive about going on my own so any advice from anyone on this aswell will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks everyone :)
Peter
Traveller
9331 comments
hi Michael ...
you are not mad ... just take some warm clothes with you - that's it...! :)
and the time is good: okay, you can not chill somewhere in the city just sitting around outside in a park or so, but trains are empty, you easily get places for night trains and so on - InterRail lowest season... ;)
about traveling alone: stay in hostels, the best in 6-8 bed rooms and you will always meet other travelers with which you can travel together for some days ... also in night trains, you often meet nice persons there.
Try it, test it and you will love it.
I recommend at least two night in the cities - three are better - to get an impression ...
in Eastern Europe I can recommend you (okay for your route - not all cities are Eastern Europe): Berlin, Prague, Krakow, Vienna, Budapest, Ljubljana ... maybe go down via Bucharest, Sofia to Istanbul - then over to Greece, Athenes and then by ferry to Italy... to France and then back home...
have fun, Peter :)
michaelflynn61
Traveller
7 comments
Thanks Peter. Its nice to get a bit of reassurance. i was thinking that it would be a good time to go in terms of availability of trains and hostels so that is a plus!! The route sounds pretty good too. I am very keen to see Paris but everywhere else I was hoping to go is over in eastern europe so I was thinking I might have to leave it out this time but looks like I may get to keep it in!!
Another quick question, I know some people are a bit funny about answering this so I dont mind if you dont want to. I am trying to think whether or not I have enough money to do it. Just in terms of how much I will have to spend on hostels, supplements, general expenses and stuff. Wondering of anyone would have a ball park figure of how much would be needed for the month. I know it depends on how much I plan on doing etc. I wont be going flashing the cash but would like to have some flexibility in terms of things to do in each city at the same time. Off the top of my head I was thinking hostels for the whole month (given that some nights will be on night trains and not hostels), maybe around €500. I would try to get mostly trains without supplements so would plan on too much for that, maybe around €150. As for spending money then I really dont have a clue, I would guesstimate anywhere between €500 - €1000. Anyone any advice on that for me?
Cheers guys??
paulthebob
Traveller
12 comments
I'm from Belfast and did some solo inter rail this year (2 weeks on my own - 5 weeks total)
Seriously -you'll be sweet for it on your own. At that time of year, off-peak, the prices of a lot of things will be lower. Beds wont be a problem and neither will transportation. Also, you could go skiing in a lot of eastern European countries.
I'm sure some will disagree with me though, but seriously, Bratislava, Slovakia - great for the outdoorsy type, but avoid this city like the plague or you will be plagued with boredom.
Also, if you are the outdoorsy type and might want to buy some outwear like some new Berghaus coats or North Face jackets or something - any outdoor equipment in mainland EU is EXPENSIVE.
Jackets that you can get here for £50 I saw for £2-300 in Slovakia!!!
michaelflynn61
Traveller
7 comments
Thanks a million Paul!! Great to know. Hadnt even thought of skiiing but that would be fab!!! So where abouts did you go??? I am gonna be flying into Munich on the 16th of Nov so having a look now at where I am gonna head to after that!!
Alexander123
Traveller
8 comments
You are certanly not mad and I'm sure you'll have a good time. When you're planning a trip of this magnitute please bear in mind that what you bring with you, you must carry it out through all of your journey. Don't do mistakes, like taking to many with you, because it will slow you dawn and you'll get tired very easy. Remember that you can buy clothes from the countries you'll be visiting. I would also suggest not to take a laptop with you. You can just check the train scheduele and book reservation at the hostels you will be staying, for the first 4-5 days and from than moment on just check train schedueles at the stations and book when you arrive. When I go for some time in a trip a use this system: I always bring more underware clothes (5 underware, 5 socks, 3 swets, 1 jacket, something like that). Take a towel, than you can wash or drop afther several uses, with you, and take a shower every time you can. My biggest problem was my smeeling fet.
About the money: you'll be spending probably less on supliments and on hostels, but I don't know about what you like to eat so I can't pronounce in this matter. If you like fast food, you can easyle live with 10 euros per day in altmost all european countries. If you buy from supermarkets, you can drop bellow 10 euros per day. But if you're going to eat at restaurant it will be more then 20. My suggestion is to combine all 3: buy soda and candies from supermarkets, vegetables from markets or supermarkets, regular food from fast food and from time to time get a hot meal in some restaurant (indian or asiatic ones will be cheaper and the taste it would be... lol, just try it until you'll find something eatable). I would also suggest to buy little food to take with you too (like 2-3 appels or bananas or whatever, some biscuits, water) just in case, something that you can eat or you can dispose of at any time. So there's not going to be any problems with your buggest, as a mather of fact I think you will spend way less then you 1st thought.
I've used to travel in my country of origin (Romania) during december, with a friend. But we weren't staying at hostels, you were sleeping in trains (and not on a bed in a couchete). It was preaty wierd afther the 1st days, as I no longer knew if I'm hungry or cold, or sleepy. But you wont have this problem if you're going to sleep most of the time in a nice and relaxing bed.
Have a nice trip and please come back afther and say how it was.
michaelflynn61
Traveller
7 comments
Thanks a million for the advice alexander. With the packing I was plannin on bringing as little as possible with me! Just the bare essentials. While I would love to have my laptop I think it would be stupid of me to bring it so wont be bringing that with me! As for food, I think you are right, a combination of all 3 is probably a good idea and is probably what I will end up doing. It would be great to get to eat out all the tiime but realistically I cant afford that! It would be great if I do spend less than originally planned, leaving me more money for when I am home for Christmas!
I am getting quite excited about it now. What I was planning for hostels was to book my first few nights which is going to be in Munich and then for everywhere after that I will book it before I leave each city, most hostels seem to have internet access and even for ones that wont I assume that internet cafes should be easy enough to find, hopefully anyway! I havnt really done much travelling by train so I am sure there will be things I dont really think of until I start and come across it! But that is all part of the experience. I will definitely let you know how I get on.