Manandela
Traveller
7 comments
Posted 11 years ago
Hi!
I'm planning to go on a long trip around Europe with my friend. We will have guaranteed transport to Vienna and Plitvice. Then we are planning to go to Venice hitchhiking (which will be our alternative form of transport) and then activate 22-day Global Pass. We hope to make our way through:
>Monaco
>Barcelona
>Gibraltar
>Lisboa
>Paris
>Brussels
>Amsterdam
and arrive in Berlin when the Pass ends.
I have dug through different forums and other websites but couldn't find enough information so I thought You - veteran InterRailers could help us.
We are disappointed with the fact that for most of the trips the InterRail pass is allowing us to take there is some hidden cost (reservation fee for international and night trains, unavailability of trains on international key connections). Then, comes another problem - the 12kg baggage, which we are going to have on our back during the southern summer.
And our goal is to spend only 750EUR - with 340EUR already spent on InterRail pass (not including these sick extra charges for every train). We will have a tent, but the legal stuff and basic hygiene will force us to spend some nights in a more organised places). I can also play guitar on a satisfactory level.
The question is: is it real? :)
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
Just have a look at the railcc schedules. One of the reasons why we run the railcc project is to show routes which avoid these extra reservation fees. Okay, for a night train you have to pay your bed like in a hostel - It hink this is fair. But on some connections, the extra fees aren't friendly at all.
[b]Venice - Monaco[/b]:
first travel Venice to Milan by free trains - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/venice-to-milan[/u]
Then Milan to Nice (better than Monaco - if you like have a short stop there) - Italian IC train EUR 3, get at ticket machine there (Global Pass price): [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/milan-to-nice[/u]
[b]Nice - Barcelona[/b]: also possible by free trains - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/nice-to-barcelona[/u]
If you like, include the Little Yellow Train: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/villefranche-de-conflent-to-latour-de-carol[/u]
In Spain you usually have to pay for the hight speed trains. Reservations available at the stations there.
[b]Gibraltar[/b]: go by direct train from Barcelona to Sevilla: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/barcelona-to-seville[/u]
Then continue to Algeciras - information here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/gibraltar-train-bus/f1327[/u]
I personally do not recommend Gibraltar - nothing special - but if you like, go there. :)
From [b]Sevilla to Southern Portugal[/b] use the bus: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/seville-to-faro[/u]
Up to [b]Lisbon[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/faro-to-lisbon[/u]
And then to [b]Paris[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/lisbon-to-paris[/u]
Here you have to pay the night train (of course) and the French TGV train - on this route you don't really have an alternative to travel for free (French/Spanish border to Paris).
[b]Paris - Brussels[/b]: here you can save again on money and travel for free - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/paris-to-brussels[/u]
Same for [b]Brussels to Amsterdam[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/brussels-to-amsterdam[/u]
More information in the railcc blog for this leg: [u]https://rail.cc/blog/amsterdam-brussels-train/[/u]
So you see, you will have to pay for:
- IC in Italy = EUR 3
- high-speed BCN-Sevilla = EUR 10
- then it depends what you travel else in Spain
- bus Sevilla to Faro = students for EUR 15, others EUR 18
- Faro to Lisbon = EUR 5
- Lisbon to ES/FR border = EUR 7
- ES/FR border to Paris = EUR 6-18, depends if still cheap rail pass seats are available or not
Total ~ EUR 45 plus the bus.
I hope this will help you and if you like the information on railcc, support us and buy your official Interrail pass in our partner. Thank you. :)
Peter :)
Manandela
Traveller
7 comments
Thanks very much - this will surely let us travel without paying as much as we would!
I'm looking forward to (possible) meeting other InterRailers in travel. Seems it's a society equaling to hitchhikers :)
Manandela
Traveller
7 comments
Hi!
Yet everyday I spend planning the trip and came here to ask for advices for the second time.
I've shortened the trip to:
-Venice (~2 nights)
-Milan (~1 night)
-Monaco & Nice (~1 night)
-Barcelona (~3 nights)
-Madrid (~3 nights)
-Paris (~3 nights)
-Amsterdam (~2 nights)
And a ride to Berlin
Now i will surely fit in 22 days and i will have time for sightseeing. Also i will be able to do it with a flexi ticket.
Now my only problems are:
-heavy backpack on sightseeing (one of us will carry a tent, except that sleeping bag, clothes, cutlery, man cosmetics, 1,5l water and maybe some survival stove ;) )
-monies (i plan to fit in 750EUR all, including several nights before in Croatia and Vienna with guaranteed transport and few nights after in Berlin with guaranteed accomodation)
Is it doable? Ok, it isn't. Then, how much CouchSurfing must I use so it will be (breaking da rules - I'm 17)? :)
Note i can't afford the cheap hostels and hey...do i look like a guy who will plan the journey the way he can book them in advance?
Thanks for your help with trains. I'm curious what will you say about the money. Some weird people ask on teh Interwebz if you can make it in Europe with 100$/day. I would never call them travellers 8)
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
You could include Lisbon. Have a look at the schedules: [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-train-route[/u]
Definitely worth and a cheap, nice place to stay! :)
- at several stations you will find lockers - use them. Or the hostels you stay in also have luggage rooms where you leave your backpack before you check in or after you checked out.
- money you need: always difficult - have a look here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/overall-costs[/u]
And make your own calculation per day:
# food in supermarket - if you stay in hostels, use such with kitchen
# accommodation - if you stay at camp sites, note that you have to pay extra for the bus to get there. And the camp sites in the bigger cities are often fare outside and not that cheap. But you have to check it by yourself, the past years I always stayed in hostels as they are located in the city centers - and due to all the work with railcc, I didn't had the time anymore for camping, getting out of the cities, ... :)
Peter :)