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Strings
Supporter
Username: Blue_eyes
Post Number: 340
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 4:19 pm: |     |
A co-worker of mine is getting married in Salzburg over the summer and I'm seriously considering attending the wedding and turning it into a little vacation for myself. While I'm pretty good at figuring out travel information (hotels, transportation, etc.) on my own, I've never done so for a European trip. I'd like to spend a few days in Vienna, then venture to Salzburg for the wedding, then travel through Germany to Amsterdam, preferably by train, if possible.
Would I be better off trying to do this through a travel agent? Is it much more expensive than to just try to figure it all out on my own? Does anyone have any travel/transportation tips for Austria/Germany/Netherlands in July? Any suggestions are appreciated as always! |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 4806
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 4:51 pm: | |
Unless you have a good working knowledge of the best in discount on-line travel sites and a precise idea of where you want to go, the best place to stay (given your budget and interests), and what you want to do at each place along your itinerary, it will probably be cheaper for you to work through a travel agent. Try to select one who is familiar with the parts of Eurpoe in which you will be traveling. |
Strings
Supporter
Username: Blue_eyes
Post Number: 347
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 5:12 pm: | |
I guess that's what I'm leaning towards - any suggestions??
Also, I do not speak German at all. I have some experience with French and Latin which I have found help me understand most Romantic languages on a very elementary level. I also had a truly nutty music history professor in college who used to spell everything in German, so I might have picked up a little from him - will this be a huge problem? Should I pick up "German for Dummies" now? |
finnegan
Citizen
Username: Finnegan
Post Number: 169
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 7:28 pm: | |
I think it also depends on what level of travel and accommodations you want. Heck, I made it from Salzberg to Amsterdam on a Eurail pass, staying in Youth Hostels, with only a smattering of German and traveling with no credit cards and very little money the summer I turned 21. It's not that hard to get around, but it is worthwhile to learn at least a little German because the Germans are so grateful for even pathetic attempts to speak their language, quite unlike the French. |
Miss L Toe
Citizen
Username: Miss_l_toe
Post Number: 144
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 8:42 pm: | |
Try this brilliant travel site for trains (including how to book, photos of the cars and cabins, schedules and anecdotes) and ferries not only in Europe but other continents too:
http://www.seat61.com
Have a fun trip! |
eliz
Supporter
Username: Eliz
Post Number: 972
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 9:12 pm: | |
I guess it would depend on your level of comfort with foreign countries but I would strongly recommend against a travel agent. Europe is very easy to get around by rail and if you leave it open you are free to make your choices as you go. You arrive in Salzburg and you love it so you stay an extra day, you don't like and you head to Vienna, Vienna's too expensive - you hop on a train and head to Budapest or Germany etc etc. All you need is a credit card and a reliable guide book and train schedule and Bob's your uncle.
Bon voyage. |
Strings
Supporter
Username: Blue_eyes
Post Number: 350
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 10:57 am: | |
I'm not looking for a 5 star vacation, but am definitely looking for some organization. I need to look into rail passes (great site, Miss!!) And I would prefer a hotel as opposed to a hostle just because I don't want to totally wing it. As much as I'd love to just fly by the seat of my pants, since I have an event to attend and will most likely be traveling with someone else, I don't know if it's reasonable.
I was doing some research last night - the driving time from Salzberg to Amsterdam is about 8 hours through Germany. I thought this might be a cool little road trip inside a trip - is this realistic to consider?
If I can plan this with out an agent, I think it'd be much more fun, but I sometimes feel I might get a little lost if I don't. Thanks for all the suggestions so far - keep them coming! |
Glenn
Citizen
Username: El_duderino
Post Number: 542
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 11:20 am: | |
Strings:
You can do this easily by yourself. I don't know the website offhand, but European train schedules are very easy to navigate. It's all available on the web. As far as hotels, they are very easy to book online and everyone over there speaks English, especially in Germany. Decide what cities you'd like to stay in, do a search (google city name, hotel accommodations) and most of the time you can reserve rooms on specific nights right on the hotel's own website (any hotel in Europe that has their own website can be counted on to speak English and be user-friendly for foreigners...) Often, you can crossreference the hotel with past visitors' opinions of it.
I've never driven in Germany, but hear the autobahn is fun!!
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Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 891
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 11:23 am: | |
Strings, I grew up in Germany, and still go back 'home' regularly.
Driving from Salzburg to Amsterdam should be a really nice roadtrip, I would plan for more then 8 hours, though.
Language is not a problem, all the staff in hotels does speak english, french however won't be of to much use in Germany. It might be worthwile to get one of those common phrase books, so that you can decipher signs and ask people if they speak english in German. (Entschuldigung, sprechen sie englisch?)
Travel by train, is also very easy, and especially if you are under the age cutoff, you won't be able to beat the price of a eurorail pass.
There is no such thing as motels, but plenty of hotels and Gasthaeuser (Inn).
Nice stops on the way are Koeln (Cologne), Wiesbaden, Heidelberg (my home town), Tuebingen (close to Stuttgart), Ulm, Muenchen (Munich), and plenty of others.
Youth hostels in Germany are incredibly clean and nice, however guests are required to perform duties and often rooms are shared with many.
Enjoy your trip and have fun. I also have the contact info of a Maplewood born expat in Germany, I'm sure she would love tohelp you out with any questions. |
Miss L Toe
Citizen
Username: Miss_l_toe
Post Number: 146
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 12:26 pm: | |
Glad you like the Seat61.com site Strings, it really is excellent!
Time Out has a mini website guide for Salzburg, an extensive guide for Amsterdam and info on many other major European and world cities here:
http://www.timeout.com
http://www.timeout.com/travel/salzburg/
http://www.timeout.com/amsterdam/
Time Out is a British-owned company, so most of the travel links are related to the mega-cheap flights one can take from UK destinations...for example see just how cheap it is to fly with these airlines:
http://www.ryanair.com
http://www.easyjet.co.uk
1 British Pound Sterling is about $2 USD....imagine getting a flight from London to Salzburg for just 2.99 pounds (with a max of 14 pounds in airport taxes!).
I'm now wondering if it's time to move back home to England...there are so many places in mainland Europe which I haven't even explored - Salzburg looks wonderful! |
AlleyGater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 39
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 1:01 pm: | |
My wife and I did a European driving vacation (England ->France-> Switzerland -> Germany -> Holland -> Belgium -> England) many years back. My wife and I chose the desination cities and amount of days in each. She then found us a great rate on a car rental and she found us hotel accomodations. We definitely don't understand all of those languages. It was a blast.
I find that traveling by the seat of your pants is fun and exciting and serendipity certainly creates some wild and usually fun moments. But, it can sometimes cramp your vacation style. I find that when you travel that way, THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO DO when you hit a new city/destination is secure accomodations for that night. Sometimes this is easy, and sometimes this is hard. Do you really want to waste your only day in a great place by running from hotel to hotel?
I would say go online, see if you can find lodging on your own (Expedia, Travelocity, etc.). Google the name of the hotels before you book them, and check them out as best as you can. See what other people say about the place before you spend your money. And just deal with the fact that some of the hotels will blow you away and other's will leave something to be desired. Do this for every city/town you want to visit and you have yourself a lovely driving vacation through Europe.
Just don't forget to get yourselves an Internation Driving license before you go. Also driving on the wrong side of the road (if your in a country like that) can be a little challenging at first. |
Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 897
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 1:50 pm: | |
As far as car rentals go. The best value rental company in Germany is Sixt, but you need to book on their site to get good rates.
http://www.sixtusa.com/ |
LilLB
Citizen
Username: Lillb
Post Number: 363
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 2:33 pm: | |
Recently went on a trip to Prague and Vienna with a friend and found everything online myself, including hotel, airfare and got the train schedules. I wouldn't buy the ticket in advance, as I found the actual price when buying it there was about 1/3 of the price on the site..
http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/fares_schedules/index.htm
I dread driving in other countries - freaks me out a little. So, the train was the best to get from one country to another - it was a nice way to relax and see the countryside too.
While in Austria, we only went to Vienna (no time for other areas like Salzburg). There are tons of hotels in Vienna and the whole city is walkable.
Tripadvisor.com is a great site because it does side-by-side comparisons of all the top travel sites, so you can do a quick scan of the best deals. Also, most countries have a website that has links to hotels, car rentals, etc.
In Vienna - I stayed at the Intercontinental and got a great "advance booking" rate with them. I basically couldn't make a single change to the booking or I was SOL, but we were set in our travel dates, so I was confident it would work out. It was a good location for the hotel because it was far enough from the noisy main tourist strip (where Hotel Sacher is) but only a 5 minute walk to get there from the hotel.
I've traveled to various non-native English countries for work and on the most part (with the exception of Poland...travel advice: never get yourself lost in Poland...), they speak English well. I've brought German dictionaries with me when I traveled to Germany and Austria, but I've never used them. Vienna - I knew how to say Thank you in German, and that's about it. No problem getting around at all. I'm sure Amsterdam will be the same way.
I've only used a travel agent twice - once because it was for my honeymoon and I didn't want to plan anything at all after having planned a big wedding. The second time I did, I really regretted it because it was just for air travel, and they don't seem to get better deals than I could find.
If you have any Vienna questions, let me know. I was just there in November. Beautiful place. Since you'll be there in the Summer, you'll probably be able to get a nice glimpse of some of the gardens there that weren't at their peak when we were there.
One other tip - get a "Streetwise" guide at the bookstore of the cities you're going to - you can see where the hotels are in relation to everything else because it shows you the main attractions. I like to be in walking distance of places I plan to go, and this helps show that.
Good luck! |
mjc
Citizen
Username: Mjc
Post Number: 170
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 2:40 pm: | |
What worked for us: (1) Eurailpass (cheap and fun); (2) when you get to your destination for the day, do as Alleygater suggests and immediately get accommodations, BUT do it by phoning from the train station, no running around. Working from a guide book (this was pre-internet), we never encountered unacceptable lodgings.
With the web, you can substitute a list you've made from online information for the guidebook.
But know yourself: if you're really uncomfortable winging it, make reservations ahead (hopefully ones that can be cancelled in case you just have to stay one more day someplace wonderful).
have a great time!
and yes, get phrase books; people are so appreciative when you try their language, it helps you read the signs, and the books can be hysterically funny after you reach a certain point of fatigue and disorientation. |
Strings
Supporter
Username: Blue_eyes
Post Number: 354
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 8:25 pm: | |
Thanks for all the advice and suggestions!! I'm printing up this thread to save and reference as I continue my planning. Too bad the adult school doesn't offer a German class! |
meluga
Citizen
Username: Meluga
Post Number: 19
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 8:13 am: | |
Go to Fodors.com ...talk ...Europe You will be able to get some great info. |
ina
Citizen
Username: Ina
Post Number: 157
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 11:26 am: | |
Be sure to avoid Salzburg's Mozart Festival (I think it's in August, anyways). You won't find lodging. Train travel is easy and there are several trains A DAY to wherever you want to go. I remember car rental being very expensive, and remember you pay I think x 3 what you pay here for gas. Every single German schoolchild is taught English so you should have no problems language wise. Just don't go into the 'Herren' restroom if you're a woman (means gentlemen) . |
Strings
Supporter
Username: Blue_eyes
Post Number: 358
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 12:52 pm: | |
Ina - you've sparked my interested. I'll have to check the dates on the Mozart Festival - I'm a musician (and a music teacher!) I might actually want to be there for that!!  |
Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 903
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 1:04 pm: | |
There is a german language school in Morristown. My wife took a class there once. However, she didn't like the teacher at all.
If you are interested I will get the info from her, but you really won't need it, unless you are interested in languages anyway. |
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 908
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 2:04 pm: | |
Also keep in mind that *every* European town (tiny and large) has an accomodations bureau -- usually in or near the train station.
Done this many times -- and found some wonderful places to stay. Now I prefer smaller hotels & pensions and B&B places vs Marriotts -- but if this is your taste -- I would go for it.
Especially if you do rent a car, you might be able to get slightly out of the way accomodations at great rates (vs walking or taking public transport).
I find that the accomodations bureaus are also helpful when driving a car -- since parking *will* be an issue. I often found a place to stay and was able to negotiate (key word!) -- parking included!
(he says to himself..."How many frequent flyer miles DO I have left?!?")
Pete |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 3741
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 2:37 pm: | |
I haven't been to Germany, but the train lines throughout Europe are so easy to navigate and so flexible that you'll kick yourself if you do anything else.
It's not at all like here. A good compromise between the "winging-it" and the rigid schedule is to ask for recommendations on this board for hotels in your cities of interest. I've found that on MOL there are at least 3 people who've been anywhere you can imagine at least once, and usually someone who was raised there or is married to someone who was.
You could then make reservations in different cities. As long as you find out the cancellation policy & remember to cancel if you decide to go elsewhere, you should be fine.
Most people do speak English, although it is nice to learn basic phrases. And, if you can't manage that, a smile and "I'm sorry, my xxx isn't very good" is just as good. Anything but "ugly American" goes. And why should it? You are the guest!
Business travel takes me overseas a lot, but I can never plan to go anywhere or do anything because it's work. But, I always manage to get out a bit & the lack of planning has led me to some wonderful places. People on MOL are great for that, too. I often ask "I only have 3 hours in ..." and someone has a great suggestion that isn't in the tour books.
Two weeks ago, I found myself wandering around a cave and tunnel system under the ancient hills of Budapest. I was all alone, with nothing but a lantern to guide me. The next day, I was in the central market, with the old-fashioned butchers, farmers and basket-toting grandmothers. It was very cool and I would not have found any of it if MOLers hadn't encouraged me with info about Budapest.
Travel agents are going to send you to the usual tourist places and that would be a real shame. You can stay home for that. 
I'll start out by offering The Victoria in Amsterdam. Right across from Central Station, 20 minutes from Schipol airport. Victoria is clean, charming, lovely and near everything. Go out the door in one direction and you are two blocks from the famed red light district. Turn the other direction and you are 15 minutes' walk from the Anne Frank house. The streets are narrow, the vibe funky, the canals everywhere. The staff at the Victoria is very friendly.
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Glenn
Citizen
Username: El_duderino
Post Number: 547
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 4:22 pm: | |
If you're planning on making stops in Germany, check out the town of Bamberg. As picturesque as any medieval European town. It was spared any destruction during the war and has canals like a little Venice. Plus, they have their own style of smokey beer which has to be tasted in an authentic beer garden to be believed.
It's in Bavaria, so probably not out of the way from Salzberg to Amsterdam...
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