My 2 other friends and I would go on an European trip for around a month from early June to mid-July this year. We will just graduate from the university in June so we don't have that much money to travel around. Please give us some advice on how to travel cheaply!
* route
There are places that we really want to visit, like Paris, London and Venice. We'll go to Germany to meet up another friend too. We actually have thought of many other different cities like Barcelona, Prague but we think travelling around Europe to different countries can cost a lot so maybe it's cheaper for us to mainly stay in three or four countries and stay longer for each place. Maybe more or less one week for each place. So suppose we're going to Paris, London, Venice and Munich. (Or maybe cities in France, Germany, Italy which are also worth-visiting) Can you please suggest a route that's relatively cheap and convenient (and most importantly, safe) to us? (p.s. we're going from Hong Kong@China)
* means of transport
I know there are cheap airlines like Ryanair which is also a very popular means of transport for travelers. Are cross-country buses or coaches also common? (and cheap?) But are these safe???
* safety
We three are girls and are still young so we're quite worried about safety actually. We have heard news about foreign visitors being robbed in popular cities like Paris and Barcelona so certainly girls are an easy target for thieves and scammers. Do you have any tips or advice about how to stay safe? Or can you share with us what kind of tricks those thieves are using these days???
* accommodation
Do you have any recommendations on cheap (don't have to be the cheapest, but at least not too expensive) but decent (at least safe and hygienic) hostels or places for accommodation in Paris, London and Venice?
Thanks a lot!!!
[Edited: 2013 Mar 10 11:57 - Lucilla LMY:261340 ]
Reply to this * means of transport
In western Europe, it's better a lot of times to just travel via the cheap airlines like Ryanair. For shorter distances though, trains are common but not all that cheap. I only have experience with buses in eastern Europe.
* safety
There are pickpockets and scams in Paris, but just don't go off alone and don't entertain any sketchy strangers by stopping to engage in their game. No reason to be worried or scared, but you should be aware.
* accommodation
I had a lot of success CouchSurfing in Paris and found that to be among the best of my experiences traveling Europe. When you stay with the real people of the city who live there everyday, you'll leave feeling as if you really experienced the place you visited.
Reply to this Hello and welcome to Travelblog!
For transport you can get special tickets for trains with
Interrail and buses with
Eurolines . You basically pay for a pass for an amount of time and you can use trains or buses. Have a look at the websites for some route ideas.
For accomodation, check out a website like
Hostelbookers or
Hostelworld . They have reviews from fellow travellers so it's really helpful.
Reply to this Hi lucilla, perhaps you guys would be best suited for renting a campervan? Between the three of you it would be quite a cheap way to travel. If you get one that is decked out with beds, a kitchen, and for 3 ladies perhaps even a portaloo would be a good idea too. Kitchen means you can cook yourself and keep costs down. The only transport cost is van hir and fuel, avoid major toll roads to keep costs own again. For safety you old stay at campsites which are usually situated a short train o bus ride out of town. Another benefit is you can take heaps of stuff with you as you don't have to carry it in your back packs. Some camper and also have safes bolted to the chassis of the van where you can use a combination to store all of your valuables whilst not in the van.
I travelled for 6 months around Europe Ian campervan with my wife in 2009 . We both loved it. Check out my first couple of blogs in my profile to see the set up of our van.
Good luck, and enjoy.
Reply to this Hi there,
you will enjoy Europe, it is easy to travel here and a lot to see and do, even on a budget. And as long as you are careful (don't walk around late at night in unknown places, don't get drunk and be careful with new "friends") you will be fine. With the itinerary you have it makes sense to fly into London, and then take the train to Paris. From there go by train to Germany and then down to Italy. Possibly it is cheaper to go back to London with a cheap airline like Ryan Air and go back home from there though you could check what an "open jaw" trip to London with return from Rome or Milan would cost you. An Interrail may be the cheapest option for the train, but if you book well ahead you can get big discounts (but you can't usually change those tickets). In France and Germany there aren't any intercity buses, so your only alternative is train. Train is also a great way to travel because you will see so much, and it is very clean and safe too.
London is expensive, but there are many free museums that could make up for the cost of hostel. As for Germany there are many lovely cities you could visit. For example go from Paris to Strasbourg (well worth a visit too) and then to Heidelberg, which is immensely romantic. If you could add a stay in the Alps it is absolutely stunning scenery, but if not you should plan your trip down to Venice in day time so you don't miss those mountains. Venice is very expensive but if you stay on the mainland it is much cheaper and there are frequent buses which takes about 30 minutes. There are many places in Italy worth visiting too, Rome and Florens at the top of the list, which you may be able to fit into your schedule.
Barcelona is a wonderful city but difficult to fit into your schedule unless you fly there.
Reply to this Thanks so much for your replies! All noted😊
Actually I'm fascinated by the train view of Europe in traveling programmes too but I've checked the price for the global pass thing is rather expensive...
I heard that these rail lines from time to time have sale or discounts for students right???? Usually when is it???
Reply to this Oh I just realize interrail is only for European residents...
So maybe if I really want to try taking a train I have to opt for Eurostar I think?
I'm thinking about going to London by train from Brussels@Belgium. Do you think it's a good idea???
Reply to this It all depends in where you fly into how to best arrange the itinerary. You should be eligible for a Eurail pass, which is for non-Europeans. For rail journeys in Europe check the RailEurope website. They probably have all the information you need.
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