Whirlwind Europe tour

Any comments on the cheapest way to get to all of these places? and do I book now (4 months in advance) or 3-4 days in advance?

If you are set on your travel plans, it’s always good to book early. For hostels, in your edit tab you can see a list of hostels ranked by price and rating. You can book with us too. And we’re cheap. For real.

As for transport, you’re covering an awful lot of space in a short amount of time. I would consider cutting out some of the one dayers. I would look into rail.

Also, Russia is a bit out of your way for this trip. It will be more of a hassle than it’s worth.

So I’ve cut Russia out of the trip, booked flights to and from paris, made most of the places 2-3 day’ers…set up a couple of couch surfings over the trip, and have some friends in germany holland and possibly london to stay with…

My main concern is the rail passes – since there are too many cities on the list to do it for the whole lot, it seems to me that a Eurail Global 15 Day 2nd Class Youth FlexiPass is the way to go, then city to city tickets the rest of the time?
How much can i expect to pay to reserve seats on trains? Do I always need to reserve seats?or is this only/mainly for the overnighters/long trips? and should I then book my single city to city transport now as well?

Thanks!!

Don’t spend two days in Pisa. It’s definitely worth a couple of hours to see the tower etc., but I’d stay in Florence instead and just make a brief stop in Pisa. Marseilles to Munich is a long trip that requires numerous train changes, so I’d switch the order and go from Marseilles to Pisa or Florence, head south to Rome & Naples (another city I’d reconsider), then north to Venice, Venice to Munich, Munich to Vienna, and so on.

I second the recommendation about Pisa- stay in Florence, and if you want to see the tower, spend a half-day there (I do think it is worth that half-day is worth it). I’d also reconsider Naples- it’s dirty and really the only Italian city I didn’t care for. I spent 5 hours there and got the hell back to Rome (if you go, do eat the pizza because I had the best pizza of my life there, and the Archeological Museum is really interesting. That’s how I spent my afternoon there).

Thanks will shorten the trip in Pisa then! The reason we were going to munich from there is we have relatives in Landshut in mid may…is there an easier city to get there from?Wouldn’t mind going through switzerland etc..
The reason I have naples there is because I want to visit pompeii…is that another thing that I could see in a day trip from rome?

Ahh, I see. Munich would be easier to reach from Zurich or Geneva and there is a direct overnight train to both from Barcelona, but Zurich and Geneva are places many people aren’t too impressed with. You could also fly to Munich from Barcelona, but only if you wanted to skip southern France. Maybe someone else has a suggestion.

Pompeii makes for a long day trip from Rome (2.5 hours each way), and from what I’ve read a lot of people say it’s not worth it without more time and a visit to the archaeological museum in Naples. If you really want to see Pompeii I’d probably just stick with your plan to go to Naples.

I disagree about Pompeii. It is a long trip from Rome, but it IS worth it. (Well, it is if you’re like me and really like archeological sites/ruins). I would take it as a day-trip from Rome if it is something you want to see. Of course, if you want to see the Archeological Museum as well (again, I highly recommend it), then travel to Pompeii from Rome, then spend the night in Naples, see the museum in the morning, and return to Rome (or next location).

Just realize that a day trip to Pompeii (from Rome) will be a tiring day, get sleep the night before and wake up early to head down. Bring your own water. You’ll be tired when you get back at night, but it’s worth it.

Thanks! Yeah thats what I was thinking regarding pompeii, might be pretty exhausted after the first day, plus if want to see the museum..
Regarding Munich/Ladshut if there is a direct train from geneva, maybe thats an excuse to visit switzerland?

Now so as far as train passes, what would you recommend? Because I have more than 15 cities on here it doesn’t like to tell me, but when I took out a few of them this is what I got…any comments on which one better, alternatives? also, does one have to reserve a seat on every single train you want to travel on, regardless? I understand that obviously a night train you would have to reserve a seat…

Eurail 4 Country Austria/France/Germany/Italy 8 Day 2nd Class Youth Select pass
+ city to city passes

OR Eurail Global 15 Day 2nd Class Youth FlexiPass In addition, expect to pay about $54.00 per person in city-to-city tickets.

OR #
Eurail 5 Country Benelux/France/Germany/Italy/Spain 10 Day 2nd Class Youth Select pass #
European East 5 Day 2nd Class Adult FlexiPass #
In addition, expect to pay about $89.30 per person in city-to-city tickets

I would NOT go to Marseille as an ‘experience’ of the south of France. That would be a terrible impression. Marseille is the armpit of France. Definitely head to the Nice/Antibes area instead.