anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
Posted 11 years ago
Hi, My first post on here and just looking for some general info from some experienced travellers. I'm planning on travelling europe this summer for 3 weeks and my aim is to visit Rome-Pisa-Venice-Prague-Berlin-Amsterdam. Does this seem achievable in 3 weeks? Also do most people tend to go for a rail pass as opposed to point-to-point tickets? Like I said, totally new to this so any help is appreciated! Thanks!
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
Between Venice and Prague I would add a stop in Munich or Vienna.
If you know your exact travel dates, you can also buy point to point tickets. Book up to 3 months in advance - as earlier you book, as cheaper the prices.
You can test it for example with the month of April.
The following tickets are all e-tickets. Just print them out at home. Very easy, very save. :)
Rome - Pisa: [ux]https://rail.shop/omio[/ux]
Pisa - Venice: [ux]https://rail.shop/omio[/ux]
Trenitalia ticket seems to be down currently - check prices tomorrow.
Venice - Munich: [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux] (night train from EUR 43)
Munich - Prague: [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux] (day train from EUR 29)
Venice - Vienna: [u]https://rail.shop/oebb[/ux]
Vienna - Prague: [ux]https://rail.shop/oebb[/ux]
Prague - Berlin: [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux] (day train from EUR 29)
Berlin - Amsterdam: [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux] (day train from EUR 39)
If you want to compare it to an Interrail pass, just pick the routes. There you will see if extra reservation fees apply. But should only be the case for Italy and night trains (Italy-Munich/Vienna, Berlin-Amsterdam):
[u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u]
Peter :)
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Additional information.
Rome - Pisa: from EUR 9
Pisa - Venice: from EUR 27
:)
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
Sorry for posting wrong Peter! This is becoming a big headache at the moment haha!
>Rome (3days)
>pisa (1)
>venice (2)
>vienna (3)
>budapest (2)
>bratislava(2)
>Prague (3)
>berlin (3/4)
Is that a better route? We cut out amsterdam to visit cities closer to the route, with the only long train ride being from venice to vienna, which we can do overnight so zzzz all the way!
Train would be the preferred mode of transport and we are just aiming to visit as many places as possible in around 24 days ish. The days spent in each location are in brackets however these are a rough guideline.
Chris :)
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hey Chris ... :)
Looks good your route - only some changes I would add.
You should think about a [b]10 days in 22 Interrail Global Pass[/b] for this route: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-global-pass[/u]
[b]Rome - Pisa - Venice[/b]: for Venice I recommend only one night. Too expensive, too much tourists.
Cross the border to [b]Slovenia via Gorizia[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/blog/travel-lake-bled-train/[/u]
And have a stop at [b]Lake Bled[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/bled/c[/u]
From Bled it is easy to reach [b]Vienna[/b] - and as well a scenic day ride.
[b]Bratislava[/b] is easy to do as day trip from Vienna - only one hour away. Or do it like this: in the morning from Vienna to Bratislava, in the evening continue to [b]Budapest[/b]. So you lose only one travel day.
[b]Budapest - Krakow[/b]: Krakow is a nice student city. Inexpensive and good night live - like as well Budapest. :)
[b]Krakow - Prague - Berlin[/b]
Schedules are here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u]
You can use some night trains on some parts of this trip. But you can also travel without additional reservation fees if you like.
[b]Please support railcc:[/b]
- buy your rail passes and tickets here on the recommended website: [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux]
- add locations of your home-town (bars, nice places, ...).
Thank you! :)
Peter :)
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
Thanks Peter! sure will support the site!
In you honest opinion do you think this is doable in around around three weeks?
I think we can do it and enjoy it however I've heard many people say that is no where near long enough to see the cities?
With your revised plan, do you mean to stop at bled for a night or do it on the way and then sleep that night in vienna? The 10 in 22 days pass seems very beneficial.
Chris :D
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
It is doable. But it's your decision to stay in Bled. Just an option - and you can cut off other cities as well. :)
[b]Rome - Pisa - Venice - Vienna - Budapest - Krakow - Prague - Berlin[/b]
with optional stops in Bled and Bratislava is a good route for 3 weeks.
I recommend three nights for the larger cities like Rome, Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Berlin.
Peter :)
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
Hi Peter, with the pass are there supplements on the Italian trains from Rome to pisa and pisa to Venice? Also we have decided to go from Venice to Vienna instead of via bled. Does this have an additional cost as well? Thanks!
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi!
Train reservations in Italy: :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/train-type/italy/it[/u]
Roma - Pisa: Avoid the Frecciabianca trains on that route which require a 10€ reservation. Better use an Intercity train for which we recommend a reservation for 3€ (available for instance at all ticket machines in Italy or at a counter). There is almost no difference in travel time between the two train types on that route.
Pisa - Venice: There are no direct trains, fastest connections are with a change of trains in Firenze; Pisa - Firenze trains are all Regionale or Regionale Veloce that require no reservation. From Firenze to Venezia the fastest trains are Frecciargento, 10€ reservation. If you want to go to Pisa as a day trip (Roma - Pisa - Venezia), I'd recommend this connection:
Roma Termini 0940 (also calls at Roma Ostiense at 0950) - 1249 Pisa Cle :arr: IC, 3€ reservation recommended
Pisa Cle 1911 - 2000 Firenze SMN :arr: RV, no reservation needed
Firenze SMN 2030 - 2235 Venezia SL :arr: FA, 10€ reservation neccessary
If the arrival in Venezia is too late for you, similar connections Pisa - Firenze - Venezia are available every hour. If you stay in Pisa overnight, you might also think to just use Regionale and Regionale Veloce to get to Venezia which takes more time but would save you the 10€ reservation costs. In that case, travel Pisa - Firenze - Prato - Bologna - Venezia. If you are interested in scenic railway lines you might also think about going across the old line over the Apennin (unlike the other trains which run mostly in tunnels) via Pistoia...oh, and depending on how much time you have in Pisa you could also think about visiting nearby Lucca.
Venezia - Wien: :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/train/venice-to-vienna[/u]
Flo 8)
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
Thanks Flow! With all these additional costs do you think just point to point would be better? For the daytime trains that say reservations, is this required or can you get on without a reservation if there is room?
Thanks
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Nah, not really...point to point would only be an alternative if you'd book all routes quite some time ahead, and even then you wouldn't save a lot, if anything. Also, you would be fixed on your route and had no refund possibility if something unplanned happens.
However, I would recommend to use as much of your travel days as possible...than the IR ticket absolutely pays off. I's cut one day in Bratislava and Praha and add Krakow to your route (Bratislava - Krakow - Praha). Also, you could make a daytrip Berlin - Hamburg - Berlin, definitely worth it! :)
For your current route you only need reservations for Rome - Pisa, Florence - Venice, Venice - Vienna, that's perfectly fine. And you could travel all of these routes without reservations as well, as I explained above.
Flo 8)
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
Thanks for all your help, final route is:
Rome (3days)
>pisa then florence to stay the night (1)
>venice (2)
>vienna (3)
>bratislava(1)
>budapest (3)
> Krakow (2)
>Prague (3)
>berlin (3)
>amsterdam (?)
Included Amsterdam as it is closer to home so the price of return to UK will be less and it uses another of the travel days remaining :) How much time should i give before buying the pass and when i will depart?
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
Looks good your route.
[b]Venice - Vienna[/b]: how do you want to travel this route? If by night train I recommend to make a reservation at least one week in advance (possible vie Trenitalia -> Global Pass reservation option).
Or you could travel the free route via Lake Bled: [u]https://rail.cc/en/train/venice-to-vienna[/u]
[b]Budapest-Krakow[/b] ([u]https://rail.cc/en/train/budapest-to-krakow[/u]) and [b]Krakow-Prague[/b] ([u]https://rail.cc/en/train/krakow-to-prague[/u]): if you want to use night trains on these routes, you can buy the reservations already in Vienna if you like.
If you want to stay flexible, buy them at the stations of departure. If no free places are available anymore for one of the night trains, you can also use a day train connection - so no worries. :)
The shipping to the UK is free and requires two business days. However I recommend to order about 2 weeks in advance: [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux]
Thank you for supporting! :)
Peter :)
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
Cheers! Should have mentioned I'm going krakow early morning to auschwitz then an afternoon train from auschwitz to Prague :) can't wait!