Plan a European Holiday in 5 Easy Steps

........with steps within steps, of course!!

The Incredible Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya

.......truly incredible!

A Trip to The Taj Mahal

.......a truly timeless memorial to love!

Madurai - The City of Temples

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Places to Visit - A Guide to Creating your Own Local Itinerary

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We now come to the raison d'etre for this entire exercise - seeking wonderful and exhilarating experiences. Some may want to jump off a cliff to experience that rush, while other may experience that rush, standing in silence, in front of a painting. 

The Local Itinerary

Your local itinerary decides what you see, and what you decide to skip, hopefully to see when you return another day. The level of control you wish to exercise and the flexibility you want in your daily movements will determine the kind of itinerary you create. This may range from a detailed minute by minute plan for each day to a rough list of places you would like to visit every day. I started with the former 'control freak' version and ended up following the latter 'free spirit' version during the holiday.

Step By Step Guide to Itinerary Preparation

So here are the steps to prepare your local sightseeing plan.

Step 1 - What are the sights you want to visit? You may already have a rough idea of what you would like to see based on your initial research on how many days to spend in each city. You now make the full list of must see and like to see places.

Step 2 - Check which days they are open and their timings. This is extremely important. You dont want to travel a 1000 miles to a city with a plan of seeing one all important museum - and realising it is closed on that day. You can also note its entry fees, for deciding whether to buy a pass or not.

Step 3 - Decide how much time you would like to spend at each place. this is an individual choice. You may be satisfied with just walking into the Louvre, see the Mona Lisa and walk out. Or you may want to spend two full days exploring this awesome museum. Please include the waiting time for entering the place in your calculations. You may have to stand in line for hours in the more popular attractions in Europe. So, check the recommended days or times of entry to avoid waiting too long. For example, you can save over an hour of standing in line by going to the Louvre on a thursday evening, when it is open till 8 PM.

Step 4 - How are they located with respect to each other? In some cities, all the major sights are within walking distance of each other, while in some, most are hours apart. Examine their location on a map and decide which are close enough to be done together.

Step 5 - Prepare the Daily Plan. :-)

Online Resources

There is no single website which helps you in all these steps. Depending upon the level of detail you prefer, a combination of the following resources should help you in making your itinerary.

Attraction Finders.  The following websites will help you decide what to see or do, giving further details of the attraction, including its timing and website. You can also read the users reviews for useful information.
  • Tripadvisor - Select the City and choose "Things to Do". It gives you a list, including places to see and activities to do, ranked by visitors, with community reviews. You can further view them by category, such as landmarks, museums, outdoor activities, tours, food and drinks, etc. This list is an exhaustive one, generally covering even the minor and innocuous places. For example, Rome shows 985 things to do. So choose the activity you are interested in, for example Sights and Landmarks, and look at the top 10. That should give you more than enough things to do. Recommended.


 

  • Lonely Planet - The web version of the old faithful. I wasn't quite happy with this offering of the venerable Lonely Planet, the print version of which I have used for numerous trips, the book always providing accurate and great advice. This site has too many plugs for private tours between the results you are searching for. They have probably given up on this site and started concentrating on their new offering, TouristEye.



  • TouristEye - This is a new website and mobile application by Lonely Planet. An excellent website to help you decide. It has a neat tiled layout, making it easy to get an overview of the major attractions. Their list includes the best 'experiences', 'attractions' and 'eating places' the destination has to offer. The site also has a nice Map layout which shows all the attractions on google map. Highly recommended.
 


  • TimeOut - If the city you are visiting has a TimeOut edition. This is a great site to check out events and activities happening in the city during your stay.


  • VirtualTourist - It is a free website providing travel guides to locations around the world, written by ordinary users and tourists. Very comprehensive.


  • And of course Google - Search for 'Top 10 things to see or do' for the city. It will give you an overdose of results, ranging from commercial websites to user blogs. In addition, a search for most major destinations, google will display a list of top attractions in that city on top of the search results. Lists provided by The Telegraph, Huffington Post and Guardian are generally excellent. 

 Online Planners.   The following websites more than just help you decide what to see - they actually make an itinerary for you.
  • VisitaCity - Select your destination and how many days you are spending there, and then choose your travel guide from the choices, ranging from easy going, kid-friendly, must see, etc. You can see the planned itinerary on a map, including distance between them, travel time and how much time to spend in each place. You can further modify the plan to your liking, and then you can download a PDF copy of your itinerary, including the route map. Highly recommended.

  • Planapple - A similar website for creating your itinerary. Not as polished as VisitaCity, but gives you more control over the plan.



Ready Made Itineraries.   And finally there are the ready made, ready to use itineraries. Excellent, tried and tested routes with minimal effort. Just search on Google with phrases like "Itinerary for Rome in 3 days" or "suggested itinerary for.....". The search results include offerings by travel websites and bloggers. Some offerings, like those by Frommers, Reids, etc include travel directions, such as which bus or tram to take to go from one place to another.



The Final Outcome

The final outcome of all this research should be a document, maybe paper or electronic, which helps you in planning your day. Everyday when you get up and go out, you should have an idea about what you wish to do, so that you do not waste time wandering around, deciding what to do. Please remember, wandering around without purpose is not a bad idea by itself. It is the wandering, when you can't decide where to go, which leads to waste of time and increasing frustration, spoiling the holiday. In my opinion, a document with dates, giving the intended places of visit, separately for the forenoon and afternoon of each day, is the minimum you should aim for.

Here are a few example.

 
I saved my entire plan as a calendar on Google Calendar. It is convenient and permits you to access it from any place or device. I would highly recommend this.

Additional Tip

Where to Eat. You can also use Google to find out the best places to eat in each city. Use search phrases like "cheap places to eat in ....", "best budget places to eat in ....", "top budget eateries in...", "eat like  a local in .....", etc. Websites like The Telegraph, Huffington Post, Guardian, SeriousEats, etc have some excellent articles. When you get the results, just look up their location. Based on their location, and your plan for each day, you can decide where to eat your meals everyday. This can save you time and money, while giving you a taste of the culinary variety of the places you visit. 

For those days when you just want plain, cheap calories, lookup the location of the nearest McDonalds, KFC, etc. They are generally located near most famous landmarks, prominently displaying their logos, inviting hungry tourists into their lairs.

 Insider Secrets. Another extremely useful google search to do before you finalise your plan is "insider secrets of .....", "save money when in ....", "visiting ..... on a budget", etc. This can give you links to great articles. Apart from those already mentioned, these websites are also useful  - eurocheapo, budgettravel, cntraveler, budgettraveller. They can give you fantastic tips on how to avoid long queues, get cheap entry tickets, etc.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Internet is a cornucopia of information. You can get lost, doing hours and hours of 'research', among the thousands of websites. Please remember, you are not planning a military campaign, you are trying to ensure that your fun trip remains fun. The aim of all this research is to ensure that you do not encounter any hiccups which ruin your holiday. 



The level and type of planning required for a young student is very different from that for a family with a young kid. Planning for meals, toilet breaks, rest breaks, kids entertainment, etc are extremely important aspects for a family, while all the student really needs to know is where to find budget accommodation, good food and good company. So decide on your comfort level, balancing details and flexibility, and go ahead.


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Saturday, August 15, 2015

Low Cost Airlines in Europe : A Budget Travelers Guide

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Low-cost airlines are an excellent and viable option for budget travel within Europe. The greatest advantage of flying is of course the saving in travel time. So if you want to see Vienna and Barcelona, rather than spending a full day on a train, taking a flight across Europe would make better sense. 

Low Cost Airlines

The most popular cheap airlines in Europe are Ryan Air and EasyJet. They are Europe's largest budget carriers and have an extensive network covering both Western and Eastern Europe.


Apart from these major airlines, there are many smaller airlines which cater for few specific routes. Most of these airlines operate very limited flights from a few local hubs. A list of such airlines is placed at the end of this post.

Search Engines

You can also use the meta-search engines to search for airlines operating between the cities you want. The most popular sites are Skyscanner, Kayak, Dohop, WhichAirline, Momondo and FlyCheapo. You can also read my post on How to Fly to Europe for further information and tips on searching for the best flight deals.

What is the Catch?

However, there are a few disadvantages and problems with air travel that you must consider before you decide on your mode of transportation. :-
  • Low Fares - But Hidden Charges. The fares may be low, but you will then be charged extra for everything from priority check-in to food to baggage. Cater for these extra charges. For example, you can get a Rome to Paris ticket on Ryan Air for as low as 19 Euros. However, you are only permitted 10 Kg of cabin baggage. If you want to carry check-in baggage, it will cost you 25 Euros for 15 Kg of checked-in baggage.


  • No Check-in Baggage. As explained above, the low-cost airlines generally have a very low baggage allowance. You need to buy your extra baggage limit while buying the tickets. If you don't, you will have to pay more than double at the check-in counter. What this means is that you should know how much baggage you will be carrying when buying the tickets itself. Any unanticipated local shopping can prove expensive in more ways than one.
  • Airports Located in Outskirts. Airports are generally located in the outskirts of the city, while train and bus stations would generally be close to the city centre. You will thus have to cater for the extra expense of transport to the city centre/ hotel location.
  • Obscure Airports. Most cheap airlines use obscure and small airports which are not only outside the city, but probably in a different town. For example, the Frankfurt airport used by Ryan Air is in Hahn, 75 miles away. You may have very limited, and expensive, transportation options to get into the city. That is why many airlines sell airport transfers as an add-on to your ticket. Below, you can see the location of the airport used by Ryan Air in Paris, compared to CDG, the main airport.

  • Check-in Time. You will have to check-in at least 60 minutes before the flight. Any delay may lead to you not being allowed to board. On the other hand, you can reach a station to board a train at the last moment. The remote locations of most of these airports adds to the uncertainty as it may be difficult to estimate travel time, forcing you to keep more time in hand.
  • Unreliable Schedule. Finally, some of the smaller airlines may cancel or reschedule flights at very short notice.

Conclusion

In conclusion, flying by a low cost airline can be a great option as long as you plan properly. It can save you a lot of time and money, especially when you are traveling light - really light - and the distances are long.

List of Low Cost Airlines Operating in Europe

Airline
Hub(s)
Aer Lingus
Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Belfast
airBaltic
Riga (Latvia)
airberlin
Multiple German cities
Air One
Milan, Venice, Pisa
Blue Air
Bucharest, Bacău (Romania)
Brussels Airlines
Brussels
CityJet
London City Airport
Condor
Multiple German cities
Darwin Airline
Geneva, Lugano
easyJet
London, Milan, Berlin, Paris, Liverpool, Geneva, Basel, Nice, Toulouse, Edinburgh, Madrid, and more
Estonian Air
Tallinn
Flybe
Manchester, Newquay, Exeter, Southampton, London (southern England); Jersey, Guernsey (Channel Islands)
Germanwings
Multiple German cities
Helvetic Airways
Zürich, Bern
Icelandair
Reykjavik
Jet2
Multiple British cities
Jetairfly
Brussels, Liège, Ostend (Belgium)
Meridiana
Olbia, Cagliari (Sardinia); Rome and other Italian cities
Monarch Airlines
Multiple British cities
Niki
Vienna, Salzburg
Norwegian
Oslo, Bergen, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Alicante, and London
Pegasus Airlines
Istanbul, Antalya (Turkey)
Ryanair
London, Dublin, and several other cities
SmartWings
Prague, Ostrava (Czech Republic)
Thomsonfly
Connects various British cities to Mediterranean resorts
Transavia
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Eindhoven
TUIfly
Multiple German cities
Vueling
Multiple Spanish cities, Amsterdam, Florence, Rome
Widerøe
Oslo
Wizz Air
Budapest and many other Eastern European cities
XL Airways
Paris
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Sunday, August 9, 2015

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - How to Travel Across Europe on the Cheap

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We now have a return ticket for our destination and a roof on our head there. The next step is getting from one city to another.

These options are available for inter-city travel :-

  • By Train using the Eurail Pass
  • By Train buying individual tickets
  • By Bus
  • By Car
  • By Air

Let us consider the pros and cons of each of these modes of transport to decide what would best suit our requirement. In this post, we will consider Train travel.

By Train


This is an excellent option while in Europe. They have an extensive network, seamlessly running across countries. The trains are clean and comfortable. And they are always on time. Since Europe is not a very large continent, most journeys wouldn't be more than 5-6 hours. Even the longer legs can be gainfully utilised by taking overnighters.

You have two options for using the European Rail network - the Eurail Pass or individual ticketing.

Eurail Pass

The Eurail Pass permits you to use any train on any day, within the terms and conditions of your particular pass. There are many types of Eurail passes, customised for individual travel requirements.

  • Single Country Passes - Almost all countries have their own single country pass. A pass for  8 days of travel in France or Italy will cost you around Rs.25K ($400) per person while a Britrail pass would be around Rs.45K ($700).
  • Two Country Passes - There are various combinations available. A France-Germany pass for 8 days will cost Rs.35K ($550).
  • Multicountry Passes - Most of these passes are for East European countries.
  • Eurail Select Pass - This pass allows you travel within any four adjoining countries. For example Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany would cost Rs.25K ($400) for 5 days or Rs.35K ($550) for 8 days.
  • Eurail Global Pass - However, if you plan to travel to more than 4 countries, you will need the Global pass. This allows unrestricted travel within 28 countries in Europe.Cost, Rs.50K ($785) per person for 10 days.


Pass Validity.   Most Eurail passes give you the option of 'Consecutive Travel Days' or 'Travel days within Given Period'. Any travel, even an hours journey using the pass, would count as a travel day. Overnight journeys are counted as one or two days depending on the time of start and end of journey. For our kind of holiday, the second option will be preferable. 


Who Should Buy the Eurail Pass

The Eurail pass is an excellent option for those who are on a long backpacking holiday, with a rough plan. You can spend more time in a place if you like it, or just catch the next train if you don't. Train tickets in Europe follow a dynamic pricing model similar to airlines. Thus a ticket would be economical if bought in advance, but exorbitantly expensive if bought in the last moment. The pass thus gives you flexibility in your travel plans. It is economical if your plans are not fixed.

However, for travelers who have a firm schedule, individual tickets may be a much more economical option. For instance, during my 23 day itinerary, I traveled on 8 days.  A Eurail pass for two would have cost me over Rs.100,000 ($1600). The individual tickets bought in advance cost me just Rs.30,000 ($470), a saving of over 70%.

Eurail pass is no longer as convenient as before either. Be sure to check the rules regarding use of the pass in every country beforehand. For example, the number of seats allotted to the Eurail Pass holders on trains in France are fixed. Thus, you may have to reserve your tickets in advance. Similarly, there are many trains which require you to pay for reserving a seat.


Pros and Cons in a Nutshell

Pros -
  • Gives you the flexibility and convenience of getting into a train without worrying about buying tickets, etc.
  • You do not have to follow a fixed schedule. If you like a place, stay longer or move on if you don't.
  • You don't have to worry about cancellation charges in case of change of plans.
  • The pass is valid for 1 year and you can use it any time.


Cons -
  • It is expensive. You pay a premium for the convenience.
  • It is no longer as convenient as it once was. You need to do your research as you may still have to reserve your seats in some trains, some on payment.
  • In some countries, like France, they have a quota for Eurail passes. Beyond the quota, you have to buy tickets, irrespective of whether the train is full or empty. So it is important that you do advance bookings.

Individual Ticket Bookings

Buying individual tickets for specific journey dates has its own advantages. Here are the pros and cons :-

Pros -
  • Much more economical.
  • Hassle free in the sense that you know exactly what you have paid for.


Cons -
  • The cheaper tickets may have no refunds in case of cancellation.
  • You cannot change your schedule. The ticket is valid for that specific train on the given date only.


How to Book Tickets Online

The process of booking online tickets for trains in Europe is quite simple. The various resources I found useful for the bookings are :-
  • RailEurope - The RailEurope site is the authorised worldwide booking agent for many European Carriers. They have country specific sites, including for India. All national carriers are covered here and it is a convenient one stop shop. You pay in rupees (or your local currency) and the paper tickets are delivered at your doorsteps. Many discounted fares and deals are available on it, but some discounts are available only on the carriers own website. So, again, it is a trade-off between convenience and saving money.

  • Trenitalia - The national carrier of Italy. They have created an extremely convenient and user friendly website. You can easily search and browse the results. Just remember to use local city names. For example, it is Firenze, not Florence. Once you have chosen your tickets, you can pay online by credit card. The e-tickets are immediately mailed to you. You just need to carry a copy of it, along with your passport, on the train. Bookings on Trenitalia start 4 months in advance. They have fabulous discounts when booked well in advance, including 9 Euro tickets between most destinations. It is a non-refundable, non-transferable ticket. But at Rs.500 ($10) per ticket, it is hardly a loss. The cost of tickets closer to the date are as much as 4-5 times this amount. So for travel within Italy, I would recommend using this site. Trenitalia runs three kinds of trains - standard, Frecciarosa and Frecciargenta. The Freccias are the superfast trains and cost accordingly higher. But again, 9 Euro tickets are available for them too. However, most trips within Italy are just a few hours and thus the fast trains may not be worth an extra expense. Finally, it is best to buy Second class. The trains are clean and spacious and again, First class may not be worth the extra expense.


  • OEBB (or ÖBB) - The Austrian National Carrier. A decent website with an english version. Fares are much higher compared to Trenitalia and Bahn. You can pay online and get an eticket. However, ensure that you choose the option which does not require validation at an Austrian Railway station prior to your travel. Booking opens 6 months in advance.


  • Bahn - The German National Carrier. Again a convenient and well designed website. You can book both trains and buses. Allows you to pay online and buy etickets. You can get good discounts if you buy the tickets early. And end up paying exorbitant fares if you buy late. Bookings open 3 months in advance. Their timetable, considered the best, covers entire europe. However you can only buy tickets for trains originating or terminating in Germany.

  • SBB (or Schweizerische Bundesbahnen)  - The Swiss Federal Railways. I found the fares to be high compared to other carriers. To be avoided, unless traveling within Switzerland, in which case a Swiss Pass is a better option. You can book only 30 days in advance.

  • SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français) - The National Society of French Railways. The website is colorful and can be a little confusing. Though you can buy etickets, this option is not available for all fares. So please confirm the type of ticket before making the payment. Again, you can get excellent fares if you book early. Bookings generally starts three months in advance - though it is a little more complicated. They have limited TGV(High Speed Trains) fares from Germany, Switzerland, etc starting at as low as 29 euros ($31). But these tickets sell out within minutes. On opening the site, it gives you an option to stay or go to the RailEurope website. I preferred buying SNCF tickets on the RailEurope site.


Apart from these National Carriers, there are two other websites which you should check out.

  • Loco2 - It is an extremely minimalist and user-friendly website for booking trains all over Europe. I found the ticket prices to be extremely competitive. Certainly worth checking.

  • Capitaine Trains -This is an even more minimalist and simple interface.It provides tickets for many European countries. However, I didn't find the coverage as good as Loco2. Still worth checking out for good deals.

I will end this post on train travel within Europe with a website recommendation.
  • The Man in Seat Sixty-One.   This is an award-winning travel website focused exclusively on train travel. It covers every aspect of train travel within Europe and around the world. You can check on country specific booking tips, types of trains, the various classes of travel, seat numbering, train timings, left luggage facilities in stations, special requirements like wheelchairs or travelling with pets, etc. It you want to know any train related info, you can be sure to find it here. BTW I have no affiliation with the site. Just found it incredibly useful.

In the next post, we will discuss the other options for travel within Europe - Planes and Automobiles. 

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