dwinter
Traveller
5 comments
Posted 14 years ago
Ok, we are first time interrailers. I'm a performer so I'm used to doing long train journeys (30 hrs a weekend +) and staying in unfamiliar cities; me and my friend know what we're getting ourselves in for but I'm moving to New York in the summer so I guess we have a sense of urgency about seeing a lot of things.
If this helps I am an art history graduate/ performer and an artist: we're visiting friends (Vienna, Nuremberg) and are interested in art (icons, Symbolism, Renaissance, and Weimar art), architecture (Baroque, Soviet, and Art Nouvaeu in particular), history (soviet, medieval)... this is a small list, we want to see a lot of things!
We want to stay for a bit over a month (our pass will start when we leave Istanbul and end when we reach Berlin).
So, how feasible is this:
Istanbul (4days- night train to Sofia)
Sofia (day or a day and a night- night train to Belgrade)
Belgrade (day or a day and a night - night train to Budapest)
Budapest (3 days)
Ljubljana (3 days)
Venice (2 days - not actually staying in Venice as it's so expensive - somewhere outside, hopefully close to Padua so we can see the Scrovegni Chapel one day. I think the night train to Munich goes through Vienna?)
Vienna (1 full day, or 2 nights and a day. There's a night train to Prague I think)
Prague (3 days)
Nurmberg (4 days)
Berlin (approx 1 week)
Basically, we'd love to travel to Berlin via Dresden but we're aware we're in danger of spending the whole holiday on the train! It's also killing me to be so close to Bucharest and not see it... And the Palazzo del Te in Mantua also looks so close...
Is there a more time-effective route we could be taking? This forum has been so helpful in our research so far (and we're definitely buying our tickets from here). And are there any day stops we could be taking that we'll miss this way? Also, our budget is really tight... hence not spending more time in Italy... We wouldn't normally have such a tight schedule but it's really important to see friends and we really are on a budget here. Doing the travelling 10 days out of 22. Any advice is appreciated, even if it's harsh!
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hej hej ...
A really good route you want to travel ... it is as well a favourite one - the part in Eastern Europe. :)
I am sure you already checked the night train connections but I will mention them again. Especially in Eastern Europe and Berlin you can save money, as hostels are good and cheap. Get an an overview at [ux]https://rail.shop/hostelworld[/ux]
[b]Istanbul-Sofia[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/istanbul-sofia-belgrade-night-train/f1641[/u]
[b]Sofia-Belgrade[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/sofia-belgrade-vienna-night-train/f1847[/u]
[b]Belgrade-Budapest[/b]: day train...[u]https://rail.cc/en/sofia-belgrade-vienna-night-train/f1847[/u]
[b]Budapest-Ljubljana[/b] (depends on your mood and have a stop in Zagreb - but I am sure [b]SidDUDE [/b]or [b]flow [/b]might have some more good places to stay at this part of your journey): [u]https://rail.cc/en/budapest-venice-night-train/f1387[/u]
[b]Ljubljana-Venice[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/ljubljana-venice-train/f3663[/u]
[b]Venice-Vienna[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/venice-vienna-night-train/f3672[/u]
The night trains to Vienna and Munich are different ones. Here the one to Munich. If you can chose, select Vienna:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/night-train/venice-munich-cnl40236/36[/u]
[b]Vienna-Prague[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/night-train/vienna-berlin-en-60406/45[/u]
[b]Prague-Nürnberg[/b]: free day train or bus with supplement - [u]https://rail.cc/en/prague-praha-nuremberg-nurnberg-munich-bus-train/f3502[/u]
About your way from Nürnberg up to Berlin. [b]Nürnberg-Dresden[/b] is by direct train: 4:30h - [b]Dresden-Berlin[/b]: 2:30h. Nürnberg-Berlin by direct train: 4:30h ... so you won't loose a lot of time. And 4 days for Nürnberg is maybe too much - split it and stay some days as well in Dresden. You won't need reservations on these routes so you are flexible.
Have fun planing, Peter :)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
[quote]but I am sure [b]SidDUDE [/b]or [b]flow [/b]might have some more good places to stay at this part of your journey)[/quote]
Well, I could recomend you the beautiful city of Graz - you will find there many Renaissance buildings and patios the large Baroque chateau Eggenberg and the largest collection of medieval weapons and armours in the world, the Zeughaus.
You could include Graz somewhere in between Belgrade, Budapest, Ljubljana and Venice...but since you are travling with a 10in22 it might get a bit tricky. I'll have a more closer look an a possible route when I'm back from Uni. ;)
Flo 8)
SiDUDe
Traveller
752 comments
Zagreb is nice, but maybe somewhere like Sarajevo would be more interesting for you? If found it much nicer the Belgrade. If you have time and want to get out of the city, head north in Slovenia towards Bled/Bohinj, both of which are beautiful
dwinter
Traveller
5 comments
Thank you so much to everyone! Especially sorting my silly Munich night train confusion... The direct train links were great, thank you. My travelling companion has his wee heart set on Graz now so thanks for the tip, flow. I'd never thought of Sarajevo before but we think it looks fantastic. Looks like we might be needing a global pass and to change our itinery to spend more time in Eastern Europe to make up the costs!
We'll be back in May much wiser and hopefully able to help others out!
josiej
Traveller
6 comments
This trip is pretty similar to the one i'm planning to do at the end of April (only in reverse!) Havent planned in much detail, just know a few places I really want to go (& everytime i look at the map keep finding new places I'd like to see too) When do you set off?
dwinter
Traveller
5 comments
[quote]This trip is pretty similar to the one i'm planning to do at the end of April (only in reverse!) Havent planned in much detail, just know a few places I really want to go (& everytime i look at the map keep finding new places I'd like to see too) When do you set off?[/quote]
We leave next week! We'll be in Berlin for the last week in April if you're around and want to hear all our tips and stories then pm me :) I know what you mean... I've stopped looking at maps or we'd never be able to decide! We fully expect to get distracted on the journey though :)
josiej
Traveller
6 comments
I'm fully expecting to get distracted too! not long till you head off, I wont be in Berlin (thats the one bit of my trip that is different to yours!) but would love to hear some stories & tips... hope you have an amazing time