Katie_emie_carpenter
Traveller
4 comments
Posted 14 years ago
Hello,
I have been trawling this site for sometime today (Love a snow-day, off work) and I am planning to spend the summer ( 4 and a half weeks) interrailing with a friend, i would like some advice if possible on my route selection, whether i should do it the way i have roughly written down or make changes. I am very open to suggestions and a helping hand is needed if possible.
Going to start in Berlin, Vienna, (possibly go to Prague, or Krakow, suggestions please?) Budapest, Ljubljana, Venice, Florence....and this is where it gets a bit hazy... I would like to go to Greece (potentially to Athens, or to an island, again not sure) but I would also like to go to Istanbul and Sofia.... Will i have time to do all that?( 4 and a half weeks) If I do, any ideas on how to plan that route, to save time?
Thanks
Katie
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi Katie!
4 1/2 weeks should be enough time to do all the cities and places you mentioned.
My suggestions for a possible route:
:arr: Berlin - Krakow: [u]https://rail.cc/en/berlin-krakow-gdansk-night-train/f1407[/u] or during the day by EC 341: Berlin 0935/0941 - 1935 Krakow
:arr: Krakow - Prague: [u]https://rail.cc/en/krakow-prague-night-train/f3847[/u] day connections also available but requiring change of trains
:arr: Prague - Wien: Several day connections (~ every two hours) taking about 4 hours or [u]https://rail.cc/en/prague-vienna-night-train/f1677[/u]
:arr: Wien - Budapest: RJ service every two hours taking about three hours
:arr: Budapest - Ljubljana: D 246: Budapest 1411 - 2305 Ljubljana
:arr: Ljubljana - Venice: [u]https://rail.cc/en/ljubljana-venice-train/f3663[/u] maybe also of interest: [u]https://rail.cc/en/ljubljana-villach-venice-bus-train/f3647[/u] there would be also a direct night train available but it's leaving Ljubljana at 0218 in the morning...alternatively you could go Vienna - Ljubljana (by direct day train) - Budapest (by direct day train) - Venice (by direct night train); you may also want to avoid staying directly at Venice and look for cheaper accommodation in the surrounding places
:arr: Venice - Firenze (- Ancona for ferry to Greece): [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/italy/it[/u] All Italian long distance services require a compulsory reservation :!:
:arr: Italy - Greece by ferry: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-ferry/italy/it[/u]
:arr: Greece: Note that the Greek railway system is not that widespread so you won't reach every beach - plan a little in advance where you want to go and how you can get there so you won't arrive in Patras without any clue. ;) Most long distance services (IC, ICE) all require quite expensive compulsory reservations - take that in mind when going up north towards Turkey and Bulgaria. You will have to go Athens - Thessaloniki, from there you will have connections to Istanbul and Sofia.
Hope that helps for now - please ask if there are more questions. And if you want to support the work here at the website and forum please buy your ticket directly at [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux] . Thanks. :)
Flo 8)
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi Katie ...
A lot of snow here in Europe - as well at my place in Germany. :)
To your travel-plans.
Maybe an idea how to travel...
[b]Berlin-Prague[/b]: free direct day trains - [u]https://rail.cc/en/berlin-prague-train/f3361[/u]
[b]Prague-Krakow[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/prague-warsaw-night-train/f1443[/u]
[b]Krakow-Budapest[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/krakow-budapest-night-train/f3305[/u]
[b]Budapest-Vienna[/b]: free direct day train: RAILJET
[b]Vienna-Venice[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/vienna-venice-night-train/f3671[/u]
Venice to Florence or somewhere else in Italy.
[b]Venice-Ljubljana[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/venice-budapest-night-train/f1487[/u]
and : [u]https://rail.cc/en/venice-ljubljana-train/f3664[/u]
[b]Ljubljana-Beograd[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/ljubljana-belgrade-night-train/f1898[/u]
[b]Beograd-Sofia[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/belgrade-sofia-night-train/f3410[/u]
[b]Sofia-Istanbul[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/belgrade-sofia-istanbul-train/f3054[/u]
[b]Sofia-Athens[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/sofia-athens-night-train/f3440[/u]
[b]Turkey-Greece[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/istanbul-athens-train/f2369[/u]
and: [u]https://rail.cc/en/athens-istanbul-train/f2370[/u]
[b]Greece Islands[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/athens-cyclades-santorini/f2456[/u]
I recommend Istanbul - as well train travel is cheaper there. Supplements for IC trains in Greece are expensive... between 20-40 EUR. :/
Maybe interesting for you to read: [u]https://rail.cc/en/istanbul-sofia-belgrade-budapest-ljubljana-venice-vienna-train/f3849[/u]
And if you want to support this answer and the whole project, buy your official InterRail tickets via [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux]
Delivery is by express mail.
Thank you. :)
All the best, Peter :)
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Oooh [b]Flow[/b] was the faster one ... :D
But good for you... now you have two options ... one by ferry ITALY-GREECE and one without the ferry. There are always two ways which leads to a goal. :idea: