Backpacking in Europe this Summer

[Alcibiades]

Going to Europe this summer, fly in to London on May 21st, and head back home on July 6th.  Heading from London making a big loop all the way around western Europe, Paris > Copenhagen > Berlin > Athens > Rome > Barcelona > and back to Paris while seeing a lot in-between.  Just planning on staying in hostels throughout, and visiting friends.

One of the big hassles my friend and I are finding is the eurorail.  Prices appear to be about $800 for just a month of travel for the global pass, which is what we would need.

Is there something cheaper or are we looking at it wrong?  Seems somewhat expensive to do that.


That is our biggest concern, any other tips you can offer?

[Tamas]

Prague-Krakow-Budapest-Vienna.

You should just stick your US passport on your forehead and you would get all the east euro girls you want.

[Caliga]

Good boy for not doing this for an entire year.

[Zanza2]

If you just want to travel between cities, I'd suggest you look at cheap flights (e.g. skyscanner.net). If you get good flights, $800 should allow you to visit quite a few places. You could always look for busses instead of rail.

I don't even want to imagine a train from Berlin to Athens anyway. That must take ages.

[szmik]

I don't even want to imagine a train from Berlin to Athens anyway. That must take ages.

... and go through Balkans   

[Zanza2]

Lowest prices for flights in June: London - Copenhagen 38€, Copenhagen - Berlin 25€, Berlin - Athens 62€, Athens - Rome 48€, Rom - Barcelona 22€ ...

[Slargos]

Say whaaaat.

Vienna Languish meet? 

[Caliga]

... and go through Balkans   

I would love to go through the Balkans.


At the head of a Crusade, preferably. 

[Richard Hakluyt]

A good way of getting to Greece is to get the ferry from Venice to Igoumenitsa - from a mere 27 euros 

Or several hundred if you eschew the deck and fancy a luxury cabin 

http://www.greekferries.gr/minoan-en/minoan.htm

From Igoumenitsa you can use entertaining Greek rural buses to get to further destinations 

[Alcibiades]

Well maybe we will fly then, we were kind of floored by the price of the rail.


My actual route is going to be :London >Paris> Antwerp > Amsterdam(area, Ive heard Amsterdam is kind of crap, but surrounding cities in the Netherlands are nice) > Cologne ( to see a friend) > Copenhagen > Berlin > Dresden > Prague > Munich > Vienna > Budapest > Athens > Venice > Rome > Milan > Marseille > Barcelona > back to london for flight out.


I would honestly love to meet all of you, so if you want to do a Vienna meet or we can just stop by at a pub or something if you live nearby any of these cities while I'm going through, that would be cool. 

[Slargos]

Sounds like an awesome trip at any rate.

We've been talking about a Vienna meet this summer anyway, since I'd planned on taking a roadtrip from Berlin to Vienna and back. Tamas and Syt were more or less confirmed as I recall. Marti was talking about joining.

[Slargos]

Hell, with your plans in mind, we could probably even carpool Berlin>Prague>Vienna. 

[Alcibiades]

Yeah, we don't really have set dates, trying to keep it loose for the most part to allow flexibility.  Assume 1-2 days in most places, obviously longer in places like berlin, prague, vienna and Athens.

[Admiral Yi]

Way back in the late 20th century when I did my jaunt the Eurail pass didn't cover the UK.  Maybe your global is more than you need?

One thing handy about train vs. plane is you can take a night train and sack, save the hostel money.

[The Brain]

Copenhagen? Why?