EpahdoCatano
Traveller
6 comments
Posted 13 years ago
I plan on having a Interrail for 1 month in 2012 but as newbie, of course that I have loads of doubts :D
1) I've thought of having a strict programme with all the cities that I would visit, hostels,etc but I thought for a while and I guess that cuts lots of fun since I will probably do it alone. So ... If I book the hostels and reserve the trains just 1 or 2 days before will I pay much more for it in the hostels case or will I be without a seat in train ?
2) There are trains to the Alps ? How long they take from Salzburg ? I plan on visiting Salzburg and I would love to spend a day in the Alps :D
3) I also plan on taking the bus from Zagreb to Dubrovnik. How long does it take and is it expensive ? I also don't have a clue from how to leave Dubrovnik since it has no trains right ? What's the best way to go from there to Austria ? ( Vienna or Salzburg preferentially )
4) Is it risky to leave my bag in the hostel while I'm exploring the city ? Ofc I will be keeping all the valuables with me.
5) I also plan on visiting Cracow. What's the best way to get to Awschwitz ?
Thanks, this is really a great site with some really awesome info for interrailers ;)
Hetman
Traveller
364 comments
1) yes, try to book train as early as possible. especially when you want to travel during high peak time like weekends, holidays, etc.
2)for this type of information always use :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-train-route[/u]
3) :arr: google
4)yes, it is.
5)from Krakow take free of surcharge train to station Oswiecim. also there is some bus service from the centre of Krakow buy you have to pay for it (don't know how much)
before the next question, please, look for interesting information on the forum
EpahdoCatano
Traveller
6 comments
Thanks ! My only doubt is about the trains reservation because I was planning in visiting about 20 cities and I know I might get tired in the middle of the trip or know some travelers and join them for a while, so I would like to keep my options open.
So my plan would be to reserve hostel and train 1 or 2 days before I arrive there.
If I reserve a train 2 days earlier, even during August, I will almost for sure get a seat right ? And will it cost me more than if I reserve, lets say, a month before ?
Sorry for all my dumb questions but I haven't found answer to this yet :(
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
There is no rule saying if you get a seat or bed in a train reserving 1 day in advance or 1 month in advance. it is luck, it is the season you are travelling, the route and if you travel on Friday/Sunday afternoon/evening (peak travel time).
Stay flexible, don't reserve too much. there are always alternative free routes: [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u]
The fares are usually the same for reservations. Expect in some stations or agencies you will have to buy a kind of service fee extra.
General step-by-step-guide: [u]https://rail.cc/en/first-time-interrail[/u]
Peter :)
nltrainer
Traveller
1404 comments
as above-no one will ever be able to tell you is a train is ''full' or not untill you are asking for it at the station-and well over 98% of trains are NOt reserveable at all in fact. I guess you have taken some train at home? it is not different anywhere else-go in, find a seat or stand if all is full. Trains are not planes-noone will want to see a ticket before you enter.
BUT; most IRers want to travel fast and limit their stay to big cities/capitals and want to travel night. MOST nighttimetrains need reservation-you choose between seat, couchette or sleep. IRers have a nasty tendency to all do the same routes (just read a few pages of questions-allways all the same) and stay in the same cities. Then you get bunched up. The tipical notthinktoomuch 1st timer always wants to visit too many towns and at too high a speed and hence see nothing at all.
So it is always wise to have plan b-just like at home there will be more as 1 train/day-and you can also cover long distance by breaking up and changing more.
Hostels: some towns have 100s of hostels and other just 1 or 2. Prices mainly differ between type-like a big dorm or small or single room, not so much by when you book. If you are member of a hostelorganisation @ home-use hihostels and get discount. or use the other backapckertypes-there are dozens of sites listing them.
Townbuses etc; in Pl -like Oswiecim, these are very cheap-mostly less as 1eur/ride in local money. in west-europe they tend to cost like 2-3 eur/ride.
nltrainer
Traveller
1404 comments
re bus in Hravtska:=Croatia
buses are not that cheap there as many think-trains are cheaper-and it is a LONG distance. You can use train as far as Split-if you happen to have looked at a map you may note that the route goes via there.
Buses along coast run about hourly in main summerseason. I gather that Spl-Du cost about 20/25eur/single in kuna. Nearly double from Zag. You did not say for when-but IF you have cr card and can book long advance and tie to it, sometimes flying on croatia air Zag_dub is even cheaper as bus.
EpahdoCatano
Traveller
6 comments
Thank you very much ! Yeah, I guess it would be better to just go to Split and from there to take a bus to the paradise of dubrovnik :D
And how about currencies ? It is wiser to exchange lets say, 50 euro to the currencie of which countrie I plan to visit or just when I arrive find a bank and do the exchange ?
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
I simply use ATMs and get some money from there. The easiest way.
Peter :)
EpahdoCatano
Traveller
6 comments
So even if I have only euros in my account i can withdraw PLN for example, from an ATM in Poland ? I didn't knew that :D
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Yes you can. :)