Interrail 5 in 10: Maribor(Ljubljana)-Amsterdam-Paris-Nice

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi Klemen!

I think the idea of getting a plane to London and then making your way back to Maribor is quite nice! :) In fact you have quite a lot of possibilites to use your 5in10 pass. However I dont really know your preferences so I just make some random suggestions (x means use of a travel day): ;)

1x London - Paris (by ferry Dover - Calais, approx costs 30€)
2 Paris
3 Paris and night train to Hamburg
4x Hamburg and to Berlin in the evening
5 Berlin
6 Berlin
7x Berlin - Prague (possible stopover in Dresden)
8 Prague and night train to Budapest
9x Budapest
10x Budapest - Maribor (either via Wien or via Zagreb)

1x London - Paris (by ferry as above)
2 Paris
3 Paris and night train to Latour de Carol
4x Latour de Carol - Petit Train Jaune - Barcelona
5 Barcelona
6 Barcelona
7x Barcelona - Marseille/Nice
8 Marseille/Nice
9x Marseille/Nice - Milano/Venice
10x Milano/Venice - Maribor

1x London - Amsterdam (by ferry Harwich - Hook van Holland, approx costs 30€)
2 Amsterdam
3Amsterdam and night train to Zürich
4x Zürich and to either Bern or Luzern in the evening
5 Bern/Luzern
6x Bern/Luzern - Lyon via Golden Pass Line and/or stopover in Geneve or via Chamonix and Mont Blanc Express
7 Lyon
8x Lyon - Nice
9 Nice and Cote d'Azur
10x Nice - Venezia
Then back home by regular ticket via Gorizia/Nova Gorica or Trieste/Sezana.

Just some possible routes...I am not 100% satisfied with #2 as you have to rush quite a bit towards the end...but anyway, just suggestions. ;)

Basic information :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/first-time-interrail[/u]


Flo 8)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Thank you for your great info!

I somehow thought that Paris can be reached from London just via train.

Link 1:
xxx link timed out
Link 2:
[ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux]
Link 3 (I searched this one up pretty quickly just a minute ago, but as far as I know Eurostar is not included in InterRail right?):
www.visitbritain.com/en/Transport/Getting-to-Britain/Eurostar-train-to-Britain.htm

Where did I go wrong?

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi!

Yeah, Eurostar is not really an option. There is a reduced fare for InterRail travellers on Eurostar but it is 75€ one way! :o
That's because why I suggested the ferry. If you want to travel with Eurostar, then it is better to buy a regular ticket which starts at 48€ bought several weeks in advance.

:arr: [b]Detailed information in the railcc blog[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/blog/london-to-paris-by-eurostar-train-bus-or-ferry/[/u]


Flo 8)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

I have some additional question about travelling with train and travelling in general.

1. Are there any particular countries in which you cannot really communicate in English with regular everyday people (to ask in example for directions)? Are there any difficult countries?

2. If I am informed right, rail stations are usually in the city centers, right? I would like to know how hard is it to find a hotel/hostel in some of the big cities (Warsaw, Amsterdam, Paris)? I know it really depends on the city, therefore if someone can share their own personal experience, that would be great!

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

Hi

[b]London - Paris[/b]: it is the common problem - some websites suggest the direct Eurostar train from London to Paris. And if you are there at the station with your Interrail pass, you are shocked by the EUR 75 you have to pay extra.
Please don't believe everything what is recommended as easy and fast way to travel.
Always check alternative routes and save a lot of money during your tip. We try to list as much connections here on railcc: [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u]

[b]Rail Map Europe[/b]: instead of the graphic file you linked to, you can also use the railcc map, download here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/maps[/u]
Fill in the number of the route you travel to get information here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/maps[/u]

[b]1[/b]: It always depends on the person you talk to. There is no general answer possible. As well remember: you are the guest in the country. So it is simply polite to know some words like hello and thank you in the language of the country. :)
Otherwise it is usually no problem to communicate. At stations if you need a reservation or something, write date and time, destination ... on a paper. So everyone will understand it. Also with a mpa in the hand, everybody can show you the way even not speaking the same language. I never had problems - I only had fun and met nice and helpful people.

[b]2[/b]: I recommend online booking websites. Nearly all hostels have (free) internet access. If you want to stay flexible, book the hostel online for the next night in the day before at the hostel you stay. So you arrive in the new city and know where to go. Saves a lot of time.
Online booking for example here:
[ux]https://rail.shop/hostelworld[/ux]
[ux]https://rail.shop/bookingcom[/ux]
[ux]https://rail.shop/hostelworld[/ux]

Peter :)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Firstly thank you VERY much for all the helpful tips and all those URLs! Secondly I've dropped the idea of taking a plane to London (for now) and then ferry across the water because it adds quite a lot to the cost compared with the route if we start from Maribor.

Here is a little trip a made quickly yesterday: it includes only 4 bigger cities because I think they are worth exploring for more than just a day.

1. (Maribor) -> Zagreb -> Warsaw
2. Warsaw
3. Warsaw
4. Warsaw -> Amsterdam
5. Amsterdam
6. Amsterdam -> Paris
7. Paris
8. Paris -> Firenze
9. Firenze
10. Firenze - Maribor

This was just an example so you get the idea what kind of trip would I like. I am not sure about the cities though, so if anyone has any similar examples I would LOVE to read them. Just keep 'em coming :) I am also not sure about 2 whole days in Warswaw, rather spend one of them either in Amsterdam or in Paris?

EDIT1: We will also have to get a ticket from Maribor to Zagreb on the first day (20,40€) since we are from Slovenia and tickets does not work in home countries.

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi,

you should make this route the other way round:

# Maribor - Zagreb - Warszawa is not possible within one travel day - why would you go via Zagreb?
# Warszawa - Amsterdam with one travel day only possible during the day, not overnight.
# Paris - Firenze is a bit awkward as well, as you would need to go with several trains that require compulsory reservation: Paris - Geneve: Lyria, 9€; Geneve - Milano: EC, 11€; Milano - Firenze: FR, 10€; however you cant easily avoid this, also when going the other way round.

I would recommend:

Maribor - Firenze: :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/blog/travel-lake-bled-train/[/u] To go from Venezia to Firenze, best way is a direct Frecciargento, 10€ reservation
Firenze - Paris: Best thing to do is to take a Frecciarossa (10€ reservation) to Milano, change there from Centrale to Porta Garibaldi station), then by local train to Chiasso, change there to EC to Zürich :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/night-train/amsterdam-warsaw-en-447/91[/u] This night train is said to be withdrawn in July, but nothing is fix yet...so be prepared to travel this leg during the day.
Warszawa - Maribor: First by night train to Vienna :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/night-train/warsaw-vienna-en-407/68[/u] spend the day there and to Maribor in the evening.

However...I think that Krakow is more interesting than Warszaw...you might take the night train Amsterdam - Warszaw, quick visit and proceed to Krakow in the evening; then to Vienna by night train Krakow - Wien :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/night-train/krakow-vienna-d-402/407/70[/u]


Flo 8)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Thank you again for all this tips and help with planning :) I'm a little bit clumsy ... I thought of going from Zagreb because it is a much bigger station than Maribor, with better connections. But checking [ux]https://plan.rail.cc[/ux] I see that I can get from Maribor to Warsaw in 12h (have to change trains 3 times though). Also I really don't mind travelling by day at all.

link time out

Before I do any more planning I just want to ask: is it better to check [ux]https://plan.rail.cc[/ux] for connections or here on railcc?

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

You can use both. The railcc schedules are special schedules made by hand. There you will find connections, especially made for rail pass travellers: avoiding trains with extra fees, going along very scenic routes with all the information (extra fees, photos, night trains) an Interrail traveller needs. This information you won't find on the electronic schedules - big database, but train travel is not only using a stupid machine/computer which shows you the fastest connection - okay, you can do so and spent a lot of money extra as a lot of people seems to love to waste their money. Note: not all train connections are in this electronic database AND such electronic schedules are not made for Interrail travellers!

By the way: yes, we are doing all the rail schedules just for fun, to loose weeks and months of our personal live time, filling them with wrong information to lead travellers the wrong way, so that they pay extra and have a disappointing holiday! *ironic*

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

We created two routes yesterday. One is below, other is just visiting cities in vice versa order (but I prefer the one posted below).

Lists of cities we want to visit:
- Amsterdam
- Paris
- Nice
- Cannes (optional)
- Florence
- Pisa (optional)

[b]Ljubljana - Munich - Amsterdam [/b]
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/munich-to-amsterdam[/u]
[b]Amsterdam - Paris[/b]
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/amsterdam-to-paris[/u]
[b]Paris - Nice[/b]
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/paris-to-nice[/u]
[b]Nice - Florence[/b]
I can't quite figure what is the number of this route; or do we have to go through Milano or some other city?
[b](optional) Nice - Pisa[/b]
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/nice-to-rome[/u]
[b]Florence - Venice - Ljubljana/Maribor[/b]
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/florence-to-venice[/u]
Either will be good:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/venice-to-ljubljana[/u]
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/venice-to-ljubljana[/u]
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/venice-to-ljubljana[/u]


All this trains are OK right? And just to mention, coming to/from Ljubljana is not really a problem for us. Ljubljana - Maribor and Maribor - Ljubljana trains have quite a good schedule or someone can even drive us to Ljubljana with a car.

We were thinking of staying in each city for the same amount of time, but I would like to know anyway if any of this cities is worth a longer stay compared to the others?

EDIT: I've found that you can go to Cannes from Nice with a bus that costs only 1€, but I've read it is rather slow and can take up to 2 hours in one way. I think it's still worth it considering the price and to get a brake from trains (however there is also a train from Nice to Cannes and cost about 5€ - I've read somewhere).

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

I don't want to get on someones nerves, but it would really mean a lot if someone answered my questions above. I also have one new question and it is if there is a way to include more night trains in the trip? Maybe at least one more? (To get faster to the destination and therefore have more time to spend in the cities rather than travelling from 0700 to 1500 and waste half a day).

We'll also order 2 Lonely Planet guidebooks (Paris and Amsterdam) tomorrow because I looked at some LP guidebooks before and they really look like they're worth the money (especially for 13€/guidebook).

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

Just follow the links you gave by yourself.
Night train available for Munich-Amsterdam and Paris-Nice.
I recommend only one travel guide (Lonely Planet or whatever), for example Western Europe:. You won't need it too much in detail for these short stops and it is less weight. But that's my opinion.

engineer_tom
Traveller
25 comments

Amsterdam-Paris: is a bit of a hassle if you want to avoid the Thalys train and it's reservation fee, but I plan on doing just that about a week before you.

London-Paris: I know you have now discounted this but just out of interest the Portsmouth-Le Havre ferry is only 35 euro and as far as I can tell that is one of the cheapest ways to cross the channel (I haven't looked at the Dover-Calais ferries as I live in Portsmouth, and would have to pay to get to Dover) does add a lot of time to the journey but i am doing it overnight .

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

@peter: I think we'll still buy Amsterdam and Paris guides since you can store them for later and they might come in hand if you return to those cities (even if for more days). And can you please show me a way how to get from Nice to Florence? Or is it better to trade Pisa for Florence and finish our trip there?

Are all those cities worth visiting? I'm not sure about Cannes or maybe even Nice, but we really want to jump in the water at least for a few hours.

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

You can travel Nice - Pisa (have a short stop there) - continue to Florence.
I personally recommend Florence instead of Pisa for an overnight stay. And Nice instead of Cannes.

Example weekday:
Nice Ville dep: 0625 - free local TER train
Ventimiglia arr: 0713

Ventimiglia dep: 0748 - free local train
La Spezia Centrale arr: 1257

La Spezia Centrale dep: 1341 - free local train
Pisa Centrale arr: 1451

Pisa Centrale dep: 1709 - free local train
Firenze S.M.N. arr: 1801

Otherwise travel: Nice - Ventimiglia - Milan - Florence. Schedules see here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u]

Peter :)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Thank you again! I don't know if I'm blind but I just could figure out a way how to get from Nice to Florence (didn't know I have to go through Milan). Do you think that maybe we can just leave the Pisa out for now (because I find Florence MUCH more interesting)? Oh and I wasn't planning on spending the night in Cannes, I'm just considering it as a day trip.

Can you please give me an example of how long to stay in each individual city? Just a few different combinations if you have time ...

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

Hi.
Interrail is not all inclusive. I don't know you in person... what you like, what you dislike. Just stay in the cities as long as you want. Interrail lives from its flexibility. Be free - and do what you want. I can not give you a timeframe.
Of course you can leave out Pisa - but you asked for it and I searched the route for you.
Please think before you post then I can save my time, don't have to search connections for you and invest the time in the development of the website to serve the community and not an individual. Thank you.

Nice - Florence:
- if you want to invest in Italian IC (+EUR 3) and high-speed-train (+EUR 10), you can make the route via Milano in 7:30h.
- if you want to travel for free, then journey time is 9:30 via Pisa (but you don't have to exit/stay).

Peter

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Well sorry about that. Pisa is now officially out of the plan. Also I see no train from Nice to Milan in 0730:

[u]https://rail.cc/en/train/nice-to-milan[/u]

EDIT: Oh, and you said that InterRail lives of of its flexibility. What about the hostels, I was going to book them all in advance before the trip. Is this not necessary? Only book for a first city and then go with the flow and just find hostels on the go (well, I'll be sure to research and put some of them on the map)?

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

I do it always like this: reservation for the first one (or the ones where I am absolutely sure about the date I am there). The other all during the trip. Hostels usually have Internet access, so you can book your next hostel for the next days just on the flow.
But always book before you arrive in a new city - then you know where to go and you save a lot of time searching a hostel.
Book via these links if you want to support railcc (same price for you): [ux]https://rail.shop/hostelworld[/ux] , [ux]https://rail.shop/hostelworld[/ux] or [ux]https://rail.shop/bookingcom[/ux]

Yes. Correct link.

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

I just have one mini question. On those routes where we have to change trains, how exactly do you know which train you need to transfer to?

Example: [u]https://rail.cc/en/train/-to-[/u]

How do I know which train to take from Ventimiglia on? I probably need to look at the timetables and find the train that is heading for Milan right? Or for Bordighera? (I don't know if they write smaller stations on the timetables too or just the big ones)

Other than that ... thank you for helping me with everything!

NatureOne
Traveller
273 comments

hi,
in Ventimiglia you'll find a destination board, so there will be no problem. The train station isn't that big. So you have to look for the train, which goes to Milano. The trains destination is Milano :)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

So ... mostly everything is planned for out trip which will take place in less than a month :) I just have one minor question. The days on which the train is able to be taken (on your schedules) start with Monday right? So days 6 and 7 are Saturday and Sunday right? Just want to make sure as not everyone has the same day set for the start of the week (although starting with Monday is probably the most logical way of dividing a week).

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Yes. 1 = Monday,...7 = Sunday :)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

I would just like to ask if reservations are necessary on this two trains? Seat | 2nd class EUR 5 this is probably what I will have to buy as night trains are not completely free of charge right?

[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train/zagreb-munich-en-498/152[/u]
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train/paris-nice-icn-5773/59[/u]



Thank you :)

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Reservation required on both trains.

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Hi,

I was just wondering how come I cannot find all trains on DB BAHN website (Milan - Florence @ 15.05 - 18.50 i.e.)? Not that I don't trust your timetables it is just that they are not really printable and the timetables found at DB BAHN are perfect to be printed.

Thank you!

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi!

Select the checkbox All without ICE and the fast Frecciarossa/AV trains (shown as ES) will disappear and other slower connections will be shown.
Stupid machines... ;)


Flo 8)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Thank you flow! Literally hundreds of new trains appeared.

However I still cannot find that train at DB BAHN: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/amsterdam-to-paris[/u]

reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query2.exe/dn?ld=9647&seqnr=3&ident=nw.0856547.1373565440&rt=1&rememberSortType=minDeparture&REQ0HafasScrollDir=2 - link timed out - please post content directly here in the forum - thank you.

EDIT: Nevermind, found it. Had to search Amsterdam - Rotterdam first :)

EDIT2: However there really is no Antwerp (dep: 1550) - Lille (arr: 1750) at DB BAHN.

EDIT3: Also I need a reservation from Lille to Paris but only have 20 minutes between trains, is this enough? What happens if I board the train without the reservation?

EDIT4: I think I found a mistake in one of your timetables (if not, sorry). [u]https://rail.cc/en/train/milan-to-florence[/u] <--- This train arrives at 1850, but not in Firenze S.M.N but in Firenze Rifredi (DB BAHN info).

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

Hi.
Yes we could add a more printer friendly version of the schedules. But as long as there aren't enough users supporting us with their ticket purchases, we have other things to do... sorry. Maybe I will include it soon for the PLUS users. :)

Amsterdam - Paris: which date? The train you mention is not running every day during the summer months.

Milan - Florence: updated. Thank you.

Peter :)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Well I can easily understand that and I prefer your timetables to any others because they are colorful and you can easily just glance at it and see where to switch trains etc.

The date for Amsterdam - Paris would be 18th of July. I would really appreciate it, if you found it, if you could paste the link from DB BAHN's timetables here :)

Thank you for all the help!

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

Hi.
Just use [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux] and select All without ICE, then you should find a connection for this date. :)
I can only answer PLUS members in detail.
Peter :)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Thanks anyway Peter, you really helped me a lot with planning!

Sorry but I just cannot find this train on [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux] [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/amsterdam-to-paris[/u]

This seems to be the closest one but it goes through Bruxelles instead of Antwerp. This one will be ok too right? reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query2.exe/en?ld=96235&L=vs_partner&seqnr=4&ident=1c.016174235.1373619792&bpls=998294&rt=1&application=PRINTVIEW&guiVCtrl_connection_detailsPrintOut_initFrom_group_overviewOut=1&guiVCtrl_connection_detailsPrintOut_setStatus_all_details=yes&showOut=yes&initialPrintview=yes linke timed out - like mentioned before - [b]PLEASE COPY SCHEDULES HERE IN THE FORUM! Thank you.[/b]

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Yeah, absolutely fine. :)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Thank you Peter and flow for helping me plan this trip! Thank you railcc!

I cannot hold my excitement in any longer, can't wait to finally go on Monday :)

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Enjoy your trip! :)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Thank you!

Now seriously one of my last questions (hopefully last). Why is there always only 2 minute transfer time in Rotterdam Centraal? I checked 3 trains that go from Amsterdam to Paris through Rotterdam and there is always only 2 minute transfer time. Will this be enough?

EDIT: Found out that I can adjust transfer times at [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux]

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

I was quite surprised as well that this 2min transfer is shown. IMO it is too short that's why our timings show one train (15 mintues) earlier from Amsterdam.

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Yeah me too ... I will take that one, I just had to tick the box saying Depart earlier form Amsterdam Centraal and that train showed up :)

klemen_m
Traveller
36 comments

Returned about 10 hours ago from my first InterRail trip and it was awesome :) Will write more details in the following days, but for now I am too tired.

Also, I want you to know that the information (on price) for this train ([u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train/paris-nice-icn-5773/59[/u]) is incorrect as we had to pay 18€ per person for a regular seat for this connection (and not 6€).

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

Hi.
That's good to hear! :)
Just add some photos or locations to railcc - helpful for other travellers.
Yes, the information is correct - but like often at French railways: if the limited Interrail seats/beds are sold out, the price rises from 6 to 18 EUR. :|
That's SNCF.
Relax... Peter :)