The train strikes, however, have at least been organized with some transparency for travelers: Two days of strikes (during which SNCF train service is reduced by about 80%) are followed by three days of normal service. This “on again off again” strike schedule allows travelers the opportunity to avoid the strike days when booking, and even re-book their train tickets in advance without penalties.

I’m currently spending the week in Sète, a charming canal-lined city that hugs the Mediterranean in southwestern France. I had planned to travel with my family to Paris by TGV this Sunday, but because of the strikes, re-booked to leave on Saturday instead. (Sunday is a scheduled “strike day”, while Saturday is in the clear.) Fortunately, we hadn’t yet booked our hotel and had some flexibility with our schedule!

So what should you do if you’re wondering how your upcoming trip to France will be impacted by the rail strikes? Read on…

French train strike calendar

This calendar, from the SNCF website, illustrates the strike days in red. Note that the strike is scheduled to run from April 3 through June 28, 2018 (although it may be called off at any time).

If your travel days fall outside these scheduled strike days, you’re fine and don’t need to change your tickets. (You should, however, plan for a full train).

Travelers wait to change their tickets at the Gare de Sète.

What to do if you booked a train on a strike day

If you have already purchased SNCF train tickets on a day marked as a “strike day”, you should change your ticket as soon as possible to a non-strike day, when trains will be running normally. Note that trains on non-strike days are filling up quickly, so you’re encouraged to re-book as soon as possible.

As we mention in more detail below, all train tickets for April travel are currently fully changeable at no cost. However, the SNCF will not automatically change all tickets for May and June travel, and changing tickets may incur extra charges if the fare has increased since you made the original booking. This is because the strike may be called off at any time.

However, that’s hardly reassuring for travelers to France who need to know their itinerary in advance, especially as hotel reservations will need to be made ahead of time. Therefore, we would advise all travelers with tickets that fall on strike days to change them, if possible, to avoid any potential travel disruption. You don’t want to be stuck in the train station wondering where to go for the night.

How to re-book train tickets

If you’re already in France, you can re-book by heading into any train station. Ticketing machines are able to re-book tickets, but you may also head to a ticket counter to re-book with a ticketing agent.

You can also change your ticket online, by heading to the official France national rail service website, oui.sncf. From the railway’s website:

TGV around France and Europe and INTERCITÉS

You can exchange your tickets or request a refund at no extra cost, including non-exchangeable / non-refundable rates.

More info on our OUI.sncf website or app:

1. See more on « my bookings » on the website or « my journeys » on the app.
2. Enter your booking reference and the name used for the order.
3. Proceed to the exchange or cancellation of your ticket

For more information about Eurostar, Lyria, Thalys, and other TGV trains, see this page on the Oui.sncf website.

Note that the above policy refers to train tickets for April. Changing tickets for May or June travel dates may incur an extra charge if the ticket price has increased since the time of booking.

A few more hiccups…

If you have built flexibility into your schedule and have refundable (or changeable) hotel reservations, you should be able to avoid too many travel disruptions by simply bumping train travel dates to non-strike days. That’s the best case scenario.

However, travel issues will arise for the rest of us. For example:

• The SNCF’s website is currently allowing travelers to book trains on strike days without warning them that the trains will likely be cancelled. For example, a strike day is scheduled for June 13, yet a search for Paris-Avignon TGV trips brings up a long list of trains that are currently bookable — but scheduled to be cancelled.

• If you scored a cheap seat on the TGV for May or June and are now forced to change it to avoid a strike day, you’ll likely have to pay the fare difference. So much for early bird savings!

• If you’re forced to rework your travel itinerary because of the strikes but have non-refundable hotel rates, you’ll likely still have to pay for those nights.

• You might consider ditching the train altogether and opting for a rental car instead. That could work, but we forewarned that rental prices will increase because of the strikes, as will traffic. (This morning, for example, traffic into Paris was backed up for four hours…)

Stay up to date

For the latest on the rail strikes, check out this page on Oui.sncf, the official website of the SNCF. Eurostar customers can find more information specific to Eurostar service here.

Share your experience

Have you been impacted by the rail strike or do you have advice for those who might be impacted? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

The post France Train Strikes: How to know if you’re affected and how to change tickets appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

From plane tickets to trains tickets, cars and hotels, here’s a quick cheapo checklist of some simple things you can do now to find real savings later.

Note: Don’t feel like booking everything on your own? Check out the current EuroCheapo package deals for pretty incredible savings for US travelers heading to Europe. We book your airfare, hotel, and rental car all at once, and pass along the discounts.

1. Set up airfare alerts.

Know your dates and desired destinations? Create an airfare alert on websites like Kayak, Airfarewatchdog, and Skyscanner for your routes. They’ll send you email alerts when your routes go on sale.

2. Sign up for email newsletters from your preferred airline.

Similarly, make sure that you’re receiving emails from your favorite airlines about fare sales. The airlines will usually blast these off to their lists faster than the airfare alert websites–and with airfare sales, timing is everything.

Note: When setting up alerts, also consider “hubbing it”, by flying into secondary airports from which you can catch a cheap flight on one of Europe’s budget airlines to your destination. For example, if Chicago to Rome is your route, also consider flying Chicago to Dublin or Chicago to London, and then booking a cheap connecting flight from Dublin or London to Rome.

Airlines like Ryanair, easyJet and many others offer some shockingly cheap fares. (Search cheap airfare on EuroCheapo)

Set up alerts and get miles bonuses to score cheap flights to Europe. Photo: phinalanji

3. Consider switching credit cards to get frequent flyer bonuses.

These days, the fastest way for most people to use credit cards to get awards tickets is by taking advantage of sign-on frequent flyer bonuses.

If your mailbox is filled with credit card offers that promote big miles bonuses (up to 50,000 miles) for signing onto a new card, you might want to take advantage of these now. Most miles bonuses won’t be granted until you’ve spent a minimum amount on your new card, so now is the time to get a card, pass that minimum threshold, and cash in your reward miles on a flight to Europe.

All aboard… a Trenitalia train near Genova. Photo: mauboi

4. Buy your train tickets four months in advance.

You may have already read our articles about saving on European high-speed train tickets by booking them yourself through the official railway websites. (Like this one on German trains or this one on French trains. See more.)

Remember that the earlier you purchase them, the better the deals you’ll find. However, in most cases, you won’t be able to purchase these high-speed rail tickets until four months prior to the date of the train travel. You can look on the websites now to see times and routes, but you won’t be given an option to buy.

Here’s an overview of the most popular national railway websites:

• Bahn (Germany): Four months in advance
• Eurostar – (London / Paris / Brussels): Six months in advance
• Renfe (Spain): Four months in advance
• SNCF (France): Four months in advance
• Trenitalia (Italy): Four months in advance

Note that this is only for longer-distance and high-speed trains. Slower regional trains don’t need to be booked in advance.

Driving a car through the streets of Paris can make one nervous. Photo: chezdom

5. Book your car now. Make changes later.

Booking your rental car far in advance is a can’t-lose situation. Unlike with the railways, booking your car many months off is possible, and can result in substantial savings. (I just found week-long car rental in Paris next summer for $175!)

Then, check again as you get closer to travel time. If you do your search through EuroCheapo’s car search, you can cancel or modify your reservation without penalty. Find a better deal later? Cancel and re-book it!

The Hotel Esmeralda is located across the Seine from Notre Dame. Book it well in advance. Photo: EuroChepo

6. When should you book your hotels? It depends.

Knowing when to book your hotels is a wee bit trickier. Here are some general tips:

• Have your dates locked in and have a favorite hotel? Book it now, especially if it’s a popular hotel (such as the Esmeralda or Tiquetonne in Paris or the Celtic in London) and you’re traveling during peak travel season (late spring through late summer). The rates probably won’t get any cheaper — but the rooms will fill up.

• Don’t have your travel itinerary locked down? If your schedule is still in flux, you can go ahead and book hotels to lock in cheaper far-off rates, but stick to refundable rates that you can cancel if your plans change. You don’t want to be locked into visiting a city just because you booked non-refundable hotel rates.

• Flexible about your hotel? You could play the “last minute” game and try to score a great hotel deal. This might reward you with an amazing hotel deal, or it might penalize you with an overpriced hotel in a far-flung neighborhood. It all depends on how many other people are traveling to the same destination at the same time.

For much more on this topic, read my article on the best time to book a hotel. Click here to search hotels in Europe.

See these runners in Amsterdam’s marathon? They almost all needed a hotel room. Photo: archeon

7. Hotel prices too high? Play with your itinerary.

If your hotel searches are coming back with frightful rates, you might be trying to book during a convention or special event. This happened to me last year when I tried to find a hotel in Amsterdam during the city’s marathon. (It wasn’t pretty — and I ended up sleeping in nearby Utrecht.)

If rates seem wacky, do a little research and see if something else is happening during your planned visit. Then, play around with your itinerary, and see if you can visit the city during a less expensive period. Now is the time to tweak your trip.

Go ahead and watch “Amelie” again if it’s going to get you excited about Paris! Photo: petergerdes

Finally…

With all of these logistics, it’s easy to forget that this moment isn’t just about saving money on your trip. This is also the time to start getting in the mood! Your trip starts now! Some suggestions:

• Watch movies and read books about your destination.
• Pick up some travel guides and see which destinations really speak to you.
• Practice the language. Learn to say the basics.
• Seek out restaurants with the cuisines of the regions you’ll be visiting.
• Become familiar with the wines of the area you’re heading to. (It’s tough research, but shouldn’t be overlooked!)

Your tips

Have any “far off” tips to add to our list of ways to save far in advance on your trip to Europe? Share with us in the comments section below.

The post 7 ways to save now on next year’s trip to Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

More recently, Germany started loosening rules on how bus companies could operate, resulting in incredibly cheap fares for international bus travel. The latest development here happened just weeks ago, when two of the country’s big budget bus companies announced they were merging together.

So how is Germany’s national railway, the Deutsche Bahn (DB), reacting to the current travel landscape? What does this mean for the other rail operators in Germany? And what does this mean for your upcoming travel plans?

Unfortunately, it mostly means cuts to service. Read on…

Good Night, Nachtzug

Germany’s night train service, the “Nachtzug,” saw dramatic cuts in the new train schedules which went into effect last December. DB no longer offers overnight trains from Germany to Paris, Copenhagen, or Vienna, and decreased overnight service to Amsterdam.

The company has also reduced their Autozug offerings, which allow passengers to travel with their car to their vacation destination without driving it there.

The company claims that these routes have been losing millions of euros for years, despite the apparent popularity of certain routes (I’m looking at you, Berlin-Paris sleeper train!). However, the rising costs of right-of-way, the company’s lack of high-speed, long-distance locomotives (which required expensive rentals from the French and Danish), and the unwillingness to invest in improving their aging fleet of sleeper cars are among the reasons DB cites for the decision. They’ve promised to reexamine the issue for travel in 2016 and beyond.

Passengers’ rights and environmental groups see this development as a major setback and are looking into ways to support cooperation between rail companies and the growth of investment in European-wide night train networks as a carbon-friendly alternative to flying.

One bright development, as reported last week by hidden europe: Russian Railways (RZD) plans to begin operating a Paris-Berlin service this June.

Bye Bye, InterConnex

The December schedule change ushered out another familiar train route: the InterConnex ran its last trains between Leipzig, Berlin, and Rostock. The independent carrier rode the eastern German rails for more than a decade, offering steeply discounted train tickets on its dedicated routes and schedules. A subsidiary of the larger transportation company Veolia, InterConnex was the first private long-distance competitor of the near-monopolistic DB.

In its announcement that it was ceasing service, InterConnex explained that it was squeezed between the market pressures of the DB, whose control of the railways allows it to demand increasingly high prices from its competitors for access, and new low-cost bus services. When forced only to compete with DB, InterConnex carved out a discount segment that was quite successful. Yet, the overhead of running a train (even a version as slimmed-down as theirs) was so much higher than a bus that it simply could no longer compete.

Hamburg-Cologne Express cuts back

Germany’s other independent long-distance rail operator, HKX (Hamburg-Cologne Express), has also suffered under the new financial pressures and responded with a two-fold strategy. First, it decreased long-distance service to once per day per direction in order to function primarily as a regional connector (thereby increasing its eligibility for German state funds).

Secondly, it’s cooperating with the former enemy, allowing passengers with DB tickets to travel on its trains, as well as allowing DB to sell HKX-branded tickets at a higher price directly to its passengers.

The Thalys is safe

Perhaps the best-known private rail service in Germany is the international Thalys train, which runs between Cologne, Brussels, (Amsterdam) and Paris. The Thalys, however, is a brand unlikely to be negatively impacted by the same pressures outlined above.

Why? A high-speed train like an ICE or TGV, the Thalys offers a higher quality of service between these European capitals. The majority of its European business passengers are unlikely to switch to lower-cost international bus services, even as these services develop between the same destinations.

The post German train service cuts back, under pressure from cheap flights and buses appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

As I mentioned in my post last year about Ouigo, the low-cost TGV service is an incredible deal, given that it whisks you from the Paris region to popular southern destinations (Avignon, Aix en Provence, Marseille, Lyon) in just a couple of hours. If you’re already sold on the idea, go snag your tickets now on Ouigo.com while the promotional rate is still available.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind, as Ouigo isn’t a perfect solution for everyone.

Ouigo provides train service from the Paris region to Aix en Provence, Avignon, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nimes and Valence.

Pros:

• Astonishingly cheap! Ouigo provides high-speed TGV train service at a fraction of the cost of a normal TGV train. Even once these 100,000 promotional €10 seats are gone, the seats are still cheaper than on the TGV.

• Fast! Ouigo gets you there just as quickly as the higher-cost TGV.

• Convenient booking. Book it all online now, print off your tickets, and voila! You’re done. The booking portion of the website is available in English (although, maddeningly, most of the terms and conditions are only available in French).

A search this morning turns up €10 tickets for June travel to Avignon.

Cons:

• Not in Paris. Ouigo does not serve Paris proper, but instead serves Marne la Vallée (home to Disneyland Paris), which is 40 minutes from the center of Paris by RER A (according to the SNCF website). However, this trip could take you longer, depending on your starting location. You can hop on the RER A line in central Paris at the following Metro stations: La Défense, Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Auber, Chatelet les Halles, Gare de Lyon, Nation. (Check out this handy little map of the RER trip.)

• Limited luggage. Your Ouigo ticket includes one suitcase and one piece of hand luggage for free. You can bring more, but you’ll have to pay an extra charge for it. (Note: If you plan to bring extra luggage, save by pre-booking it. €5 per suitcase if you book it when you buy your ticket, €20 if you show up without pre-booking it. More info)

• No seat selection. Unlike on the normal TGV, Ouigo only guarantees that you will have a seat, it doesn’t let you choose your actual seat in advance. Parties that book their reservations on the same ticket (couples, families, groups of friends) will be given some assistance in finding groups of seats together. (Read more about this — in French.)

• Nonrefundable. Once you buy your ticket, you cannot cancel it or get a refund.

• Pay-to-exchange policy. You can change your ticket up to four hours before the train, however it costs €10 to change by internet, or €20 to change by phone. (Read more about exchange conditions — in French.)

• Online only. To buy tickets, you must go to Ouigo.com or use the Ouigo app. You cannot purchase these tickets in the train stations or ticket offices.

More information

Is it a good deal? We think so, as long as you’re willing to take the RER trip out to Marne la Vallée and are flexible about seating selection. If so, you can speed to your southern destinations (or from your southern destinations up to the Paris region) for almost nothing.

For more information and to book tickets, visit the Ouigo website (available in French and English).

The post Flash: €10 Ouigo TGV tickets now on sale for summer travel appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

It pays to think about saving on your ground transportation costs before you even arrive in Germany. In this article, we’ll show you four simple ways to cut the cost of your rail travel dramatically.

1. Book early on the Bahn website.

The only sure-fire method of saving money on German trains is to book your travel as early as possible directly through the website of the German railway, Deutsche Bahn (bahn.de).

You can score deals as low as €19 on long-distance or international connections, if you are among the first to make reservations. When you are certain of your travel dates, there is nothing to be gained by waiting. As time passes and the cheapest tickets sell out, each further contingent costs €10 more for the exact same trip.

If you allow a certain amount of flexibility in your travel times, you may find, for example, an early morning connection that is available at a lower price, so it is worthwhile to search various times of day before booking. The downside to this method: you are stuck with a specific train time and route and these tickets are generally non-refundable.

Related: Why you should book your own train tickets, rather than using an agent.

If you will be traveling by train frequently, consider a BahnCard 25. Photo: Namics

2. Research a BahnCard

If you plan to make at least two full-price train trips within Germany, purchasing a BahnCard 25 may well save you money, as it gives you a 25% discount on every trip you book.

However, before buying a card, consider these points:

1. Do the math yourself. Do the savings on your tickets outweigh the cost of the BahnCard at all? A trial BahnCard 25 (valid for three months) is currently available for €15. If there is no trial card available, an annual card costs €62. For the former, you save once your total ticket purchases per person have surpassed €60, but for the latter, you must spend over €248 to see any savings.

2. Be prepared to cancel. The BahnCard is a subscription service, meaning that it automatically renews and is billed to you if you do not cancel it in time (typically six weeks before it is due to expire). At the time you purchase your BahnCard, you should also submit a cancellation notice through the online customer service forms of the DB website. You can find a detailed German description of the process here, including the cancellation request text in German, which you can simply copy and paste into your message. Be sure to include your BahnCard number and use the email address associated with your DB registration.

Related: Is Germany’s “Rail & Fly” a good deal?

3. Buy “group tickets” and save.

Groups of travelers will have their savings amplified by traveling on group ticket offers which utilize regional trains rather than high-speed (ICE) trains. This method is most profitable and least tedious for travel within one German state or region—such as a group day trip from Munich to Salzburg, Austria (€43 for 5 people) on the Bayern-Ticket or from Berlin to Szeczin, Poland (€29 for 5 people) on the Berlin-Brandenburg-Ticket. You can find full details of the regional ticket offers for the states you’ll be visiting here.

If your travel includes more than one state, you’ll likely have to buy a Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket for weekday travel or a Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket for weekend travel. These tickets are valid from 9 am to 3 am the following day for any regional train in the entire country. The QdL ticket starts at €44 for one traveler, but less than double that for up to five people—a five-person group spends around €15 per person to ride the rails. The weekend ticket has better conditions for less money: The price starts at €40 for a single traveler, but five people pay just €12 euros each for travel from midnight of the day of travel until 3 am the following morning.

That said, you should be clear that regional trains have neither the speed nor the service standard of IC/EC or ICE trains. For example, compare the following travel times:

Berlin-Hamburg
ICE: 1:45 hrs. on ICE with o transfers
Regional: 3-4 hrs. with up to 3 transfers

Berlin-Munich
ICE: 6 hrs. with 0-1 transfers
Regional: 9:30-11 hrs. with 3-6 transfers

Berlin-Frankfurt
ICE: 4:15 hrs. with 0-1 transfers
Regional: 8:15-9:15 hrs. with 3-5 transfers

You should consider carefully whether the price difference alone justifies losing most of a valuable travel day to slower trains. If you go for it, don’t forget to pack yourself and your crew enough reading material, food, and drink for the entire length of your journey!

4. Get a refund if you arrive late.

Consumer protection laws in Germany require the Deutsche Bahn to refund part of your ticket costs if your train is delayed over an hour. For any train arriving more than 60 minutes late, you are entitled to a refund of 25% of your ticket price; for trains over 120 minutes late, you are entitled to 50% of your ticket price.

When you arrive at your destination, have your late arrival “verified” (i.e., stamped on your ticket) by the train station service personnel. If it’s not too late, fill out the required refund form (available from train service personnel or at train station service counters), and turn in your ticket for an immediate cash refund.

If you need your ticket for return travel, turn everything in at any other train station service counter later in your trip. While you officially have six months to request your refund, getting your money back becomes more complicated once you’ve left the country, so take care of it prior to your departure back home.

Travel alternative: Hit the road

If train travel is still too expensive, consider hopping on Germany’s newest travel trend: long-distance buses. See how you can travel across the country for just a few euros in our article on riding the budget bus lines in Germany with fares from €5.

The post 4 easy ways to save on train tickets in Germany appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

However, as responsible Cheapos, we must point out that this is also a critical moment to examine the “small print” of your trip. After all, there might be a few tweaks you could make now to save some cash, or some overlooked details that might end up costing you if you don’t address them.

From travel documents to smartphone settings, here are 10 things to do before you leave that will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises later.

1. Is your passport valid. Really?

Let’s start with the basics. As elementary as it sounds, passport issues happen to both newbie and seasoned travelers. Double-check it now. Don’t just make sure that it’s valid when you take off, but throughout the entire course of your trip. Americans, by the way, can spend up to 90 days (within a 180-day period) inside the 26 countries that are part of the Schengen agreement.

Secondly, do you need any special travel visas for your trip? Probably not, if you’re staying within Europe. However, you might need a visa if you try to venture outside the area (for example, taking a boat from Helsinki to St. Petersburg). Here’s a list of visa requirements by country for US citizens.

2. Call your bank and credit card companies.

This one is never fun, but it’s always helpful. Call your bank prior to leaving and let them know that you’ll be abroad. You don’t want your first purchase in Rome to prompt the overzealous Chase fraud team to block your ability to take out cash or pay for something.

But wait, there’s more! While you have them on the phone, ask them:

• How much do they charge for ATM withdrawals? (This could be a flat fee or a percentage of the withdrawal amount.)

• Do they have a partnership with a bank in the country that you’re visiting? (You might find that withdrawing cash from some ATMs are free.)

• How much will they charge you to use your debit card?

Then call your credit card company or companies (if it’s not the same as your bank). Same drill: Tell them your travel dates and countries, and ask about their foreign transaction fees. If you have multiple credit cards, you could find that one is much cheaper to use than the other. You might just be surprised!

Also, if renting a car during your trip, ask if the card automatically provides insurance coverage—and clarify what that coverage is.

For more on this subject, read our guide to questions to ask your bank before leaving.

3. Get smart about your phone.

While you’re having fun with customer service professionals, why not call your mobile telephone carrier? What happens if you don’t call before arriving in Europe? Well, to begin with, you might find that your US or Canadian phone doesn’t work. More drastic, however, you might wind up with all kinds of crazy international data roaming charges.

First, tell them your travel dates and countries. They’ll make sure your phone is set up to work in those countries. Then, they will try to sell you international calling, text and data packages. Offers differ depending on the carriers, but most of the companies offer similar options. I’ve used AT&T below as an example, but you should check prices with your carrier.

• Calling packages usually cost a set monthly amount to lower the per-minute charges for making and receiving calls abroad. This could make sense if you’re planning to make lots of calls, but never makes sense for me. Without a calling package, AT&T charges $1.50 a minute to make or receive a call in Europe. If you buy a $30 calling package, you’ll get 30 minutes of calling (or $1 per minute). This could never be considered a steal (although the per-minute rates do fall if you buy a more expensive package with more minutes).

I typically make phone calls only in last-minute or urgent situations, and these calls are almost always less than a minute long. I’ve resigned myself to paying the regular $1.50 per minute rate for these. However, if you plan to make more calls or do business, it’s worth considering.

• International texting plans, in my opinion, are a great deal, as they make texting in Europe much cheaper. With AT&T, for example, without a plan texts are $.50 to send from abroad, but with a $30 plan you can send 200 texts (or $.15 each). A $10 plan (50 texts) and $60 plan (600 texts) are also available. (See international texting rates on AT&T.)

• And then there’s the data package. If you’re a power user and really know how to efficiently measure your data use, go for it. AT&T, for example, offers a $30 data package that covers 120MB of cellular data. They estimate that this should be enough to send and receive a whopping 1,300 emails, although that certainly doesn’t include using the Web, posting to Facebook or using Yelp. (Here’s a tool to estimate your data needs.)

To sum up my Cheapo strategy, I buy a texting plan, only use my telephone for quick and urgent calls, and turn off my data roaming. I only use my iPhone’s email and browser when I’m connected to free Wi-Fi. And when I do have Wi-Fi, I use my Skype app to call home for free.

For much more on this, check out our guide to using an American smartphone in Europe.

4. What’s your baggage policy?

Take out your flight confirmation and double check your luggage allowance. How many bags are you permitted to check, and how heavy can they be?

These days, most American carriers flying to Europe allow Economy passengers one free checked bag weighing up to 50 lbs (23 kg). Extra checked bags or heavy luggage will almost always cost you dearly—unless you have status with the airline. Check with your carrier before you get to the airport and have to do some frantic unpacking and repacking.

Don’t forget that you’ll probably be putting on weight during your trip — or rather, your suitcase will. You’ll be accumulating souvenirs, clothing, your allotted two bottles of wine, books and other mementos. It’s better to start your trip well under the weight limit.

Also check the size of your carry-on. Your carrier will tell you the exact dimensions allowed for both checked and cabin baggage. Take a tape measure to it if you’re unsure.

5. Pack, downsize, repack.

Now for the grueling part. If you’re like me, you’ve got a suitcase and a carry-on packed with absolutely essential clothing (for every type of weather and situation), four or five pairs of shoes (the trip will be a great time to start jogging again!) and toiletries (including a bottle of Listorine).

Now pause and reflect: You’re going to be rolling, lifting, lugging and man-handling those beasts through airports, through train stations, onto buses and up hotel staircases. You’re going to be inching around them is a tiny hotel room, packing them into laughably small elevators, and searching for places to stick them on a high-speed train.

The time to downsize your luggage is now. Do you have a smaller suitcase available? Make it work—and yes, this will require ditching some extra sweaters, redundant pairs of jeans, shoes-that-would-have-looked-great-with-that-shirt… Out! Hold onto lighter sweaters, shirts and jackets that can be layered.

The same goes for your carry-on. Keep the essentials and give a hard look at the rest. Keep the guidebooks, of course, but consider ditching the novels and other books that you’re bringing along because “you’ll finally have time to read it.” Chances are you won’t. But you will be lugging it with you all over the continent. As for your laptop, if at all possible, leave it at home.

Side note on guidebooks: Yes, I still bring and love guidebooks. You can read them everywhere, on the plane, on trains, and over breakfast. Sure, you can hunt down information on the web once you arrive, but do you really want to? You’ll get distracted by work emails and waste time. What a buzz kill. Grab a Rick Steves’ or a Rough Guide and try to unplug.

6. Don’t waste money getting money.

The cheapest way for North American travelers to get euros is to use their ATM cards to withdraw money from bank ATMs. These ATMs are very easy to find throughout Europe. But what about arriving with some euros in your billfold? It’s really not that necessary, as you’ll find ATM machines in every major European airport as well, and, if the line is too long, you can also use credit cards to purchase items in the airport, like train tickets, food, and other necessities.

If arriving without a euro-cent in your pocket makes you (understandably) uncomfortable, go ahead and exchange some euros at your home bank before leaving. But chances are they’re going to give you a lousy exchange rate, and might even tack on a fee as well. And don’t even get me started about exchanging money once in Europe—especially at the airport! Again, exchange rates will be lousy and you might be charged a fee. Walk straight past them and to the nearest ATM.

It goes without saying that you should also hunt around for old euro coins and bills from previous trips before heading over. Have a friend or family member who’s traveled to Europe recently? Buy their old bills before you leave (at the current exchange rate). Hopefully they won’t charge you a fee…

Get those TGV tickets before you leave. Photo: To Lillqvist

7. Book high speed rail tickets in advance through official railway sites.

European high-speed rail tickets are cheaper the earlier you book. If you’re planning to take a high-speed train during your trip, buy those tickets as far in advance as possible (most are available up to three months in advance). Note that advance purchase is not necessary for slower local and regional trains. This is only for fast trains between major cities.

Important: When you buy these tickets, it’s almost always cheaper to purchase them directly through the official railway websites than through a ticket agency or third-party reseller. The official websites for major European railways are:

• Austria (ÖBB): www.oebb.at
• Czech Republic (CD): www.cd.cz
• Dutch Railways: www.ns.nl
• Finland (VR): www.vr.fi
• France (SNCF): www.voyages-sncf.com
• Germany (Die Bahn): www.bahn.de
• Great Britain (all rail operators): www.nationalrail.co.uk
• Hungary (MAV): www.mav.hu
• Italy (Trenitalia): www.trenitalia.com
• Ireland (Iarnród Éireann): www.irishrail.ie
• Poland (PKP): www.pkp.pl
• Spain (Renfe): www.renfe.com
• Switzerland: www.sbb.ch

Once you purchase your tickets, read the email confirmation closely. Do you need to pick up the tickets at the train station, or can you print your tickets off at home? If they are “e-tickets” that can be printed off at home, be sure to print off the actual ticket, and not just the confirmation email. Most e-tickets include a bar code that will be scanned once aboard by a (snappily dressed) conductor.

A “continental” (France, Italy, Spain, etc.) adapter, left, and a UK adapter (right). Photo: elwillo

8. Adapters, converters, and chargers, oh my!

Take inventory of all of the electronic devices that you’ll be bringing along, and make sure that you’ve packed all of their power cords and connecting wires. Remember that plugs differ between European countries. An outlet in the UK differs from those in France, Italy and elsewhere on the Continent. Buy the right adapters for the countries you’ll be visiting now, rather than later from an overpriced souvenir shop.

I like to pack all of my cables and cords into a Ziploc bag. It keeps them contained and I can usually tell if I’m missing something. (For example, I always seem to forget my camera’s battery charger!)

A few words about the difference between “adapters” and “converters”. Adapters are cheap little devices that literally adapt your plug to fit into a foreign outlet. Most American electronics run on 110 volts, while their European cousins run on 220 volts. Fortunately, this isn’t a big deal for most modern devices (smartphones, laptops, cameras, etc.), as most will run on either current—if they are marked “110-220 volt”. If, however, you’re traveling with a 1950’s retro hairdryer, well, first read the bit above about over packing, and secondly, bring along a converter to convert the 220 voltage down to 110. If not, the surge of electricity will fry your beloved device.

9. Renting a car upon arrival? You might want to rebook it now.

Does your car rental begin upon your arrival in Europe? That makes sense if you’re immediately hitting the road and not spending the night in the city into which you’ve just flown. However, this doesn’t make sense if you’re going to hang out for a day (or more) in your arrival city. You’re going to end up wasting money.

Let’s say you fly into London, Paris or Rome, rent a car, and then drive into London, Paris or Rome for a few days. Now you’re paying for the car, and you have to keep it in an expensive garage. To make matters worse, you might attempt to actually use it to get around the city (leading, inevitably to great frustration, needlessly elevated blood pressures, and silent meals).

If you’re in this situation, look through your rental details and see if you can change your pickup date to the day that you’re leaving town. Many car rental companies are quite flexible about making these changes.

Related: Search and compare car rental quotes on EuroCheapo | Check out the current EuroCheapo package deals for great discounts for US travelers heading to Europe.

And yes, you’re responsible for tickets (and boots) that you pick up along the way. Photo: Pasa

10. Know your coverage.

One last suggestion for those renting a car: Do some pre-trip research to understand your insurance coverage before you get there. Does your rental include insurance? Many European rentals automatically include liability insurance, which covers damage to things outside the car. For damage to the car itself, you’ll need a CDW, or “collision damage waiver”, which might already be included in your rental. If it’s not, you may be able to purchase it online in advance cheaper than you will once at the agency. (Note that these CDWs typically come with a high deductible, which can be lowered if you upgrade to a more expensive CDW. Got that?)

Did you buy travel insurance? Does it cover your car? Know what you’ve already paid for. (For more on this, check out this article on whether you should buy travel insurance.)

Finally, the credit card that you use may also automatically insure your rental, although it may not cover certain types or classes of cars, and may not give you the level of coverage you desire. Ask your credit card company about coverage when you call with your other questions (see #3 above).

When you’re standing at the Hertz or Europcar counter signing your paperwork and trying to shake off the jet lag, you’ll be so excited to hit the road that an insurance add-on will be an easy up-sell. I’m not saying not to take the insurance (I often do). Just know if you’re already covered.

Other check-list items

What other tips do you have for ways to save on your European adventure before you leave home? Share with us in the comments section below, and if we like them, we’ll add them (and you!) to our list.

Now, take a deep breath and relax. You’re headed to Europe!

The post Pre-Trip Checklist: 10 ways to save time and money before you leave for Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Yes, Devon has a wonderful trawl of place names. Over the last year or two we’ve roamed from King’s Nympton to Eggbuckland, from Nymet Rowland to Weare Giffard.

Car-free Devon

If you really want to make the most of any stay in Devon, leave the car at home. The slow train on the Tarka Line to Barnstaple and the market day bus to Chagford tell more of the county than the nose-to-tail traffic on the Exeter bypass — which captured the public imagination in Britain in the 1950s and 1960s as a highway that each summer boasted fabulous traffic snarl-ups.

The bypass has been tamed, and these days the cars no longer splutter in a stop-and-go procession of exhaust fumes. But many of Devon’s roads are still crowded and, in a county that boasts a wonderful range of public transport options, it just makes sense to take the train… or the bus… or even a boat.

The 319 Hartland to Barnstaple bus. Photo © hidden europe

Devon by rail

For rail travel, the Devon Day Ranger ticket affords unlimited travel by train around Devon for a day. It costs just £10. On some routes there are restrictions on its use on weekdays prior to 9 a.m., but elsewhere you can set off at the crack of dawn — even on the first train of the day from Exeter to Barnstaple. Early birds who take the 5.50 a.m. train on the Tarka Line stand a better chance of seeing the famously elusive otters that frequent the banks of the River Taw.

The Devon Day Ranger rail ticket is superb value. Roam from Axminster (on the Dorset border) to Gunnislake in Cornwall — one of two stations in Cornwall to which the ticket may be used. The other is Calstock.

For travelers who fancy a summer evening roaming Devon by train, there is a half-price version of the Devon Ranger ticket generally valid from 6 p.m. It’s predictably called the “Devon Evening Ranger” ticket.

Devon by bus

Devon is blessed with an excellent network of local bus routes. The Cartogold website has a bang-up-to-date network map, where you can use a simple menu (in the left sidebar) to reveal route details and call up the latest timetable for any bus service in the county (and for services from Devon into the three neighboring counties of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall).

Two of our favorite year-round Devon bus routes are:

1. The 93 from Plymouth via Kingsbridge to Dartmouth, a 2hr 15min journey that takes in some of south Devon’s finest scenery.

2. The 319 from Barnstaple via Clovelly to Hartland, a 80-minute roller coaster of a ride that runs out to the bleak and beautiful coast of northwest Devon.

Bus maps and timetables

Check timetables carefully, as some routes run only in the summer season or on certain days of the week. Among the seasonal routes that are really worth making time for are the 82 Transmoor Link service from Exeter to the granite wilds of Dartmoor and Service 300 which plies the coastal route from Ilfracombe to Lynton and beyond — taking in some fine Exmoor landscapes along the way.

If you are planning to spend a few days exploring Devon by bus, it is worth getting hold of the excellent printed timetables prepared by Devon County Council’s public transport team. The timetables and the accompanying map are free.

Boats, too

Devon’s wonderfully indented south coast, where great inlets cut well into the heart of the county, is tailor-made for exploring by boat. The little ferry that shuttles across the mouth of the Exe (from Starcross to Exmouth — connecting conveniently with rail services at both ends) is a delightful ride.

But make time too for the network of routes from Dittisham, Totnes and Dartmouth operated by Greenway Ferry. Last month we used the company’s service from Totnes to Dartmouth. It’s a relaxing 95-minute trip down the River Dart (and half an hour longer if you opt to travel upstream from Dartmouth to Totnes), and the one-way fare of just £3.75 will appeal to budget-minded travelers. The same company also operates services from Torquay to Brixham.

Slow Devon

Many of Devon’s coastal communities have been shaped by their maritime links — and that’s especially true of both Dartmouth and Brixham. The best way to arrive in either town is by boat. Devon is, in short, perfect for devotees of slow travel. Public transport links of the kind mentioned here give an insight into local communities. Take time for Devon. And take Hilary Bradt’s excellent Slow Devon book with you on your travels.

Travel writers Susanne Kries and Nicky Gardner have penned warm words about Devon twice this month here on EuroCheapo. See their comments on Devon’s serenity (13 November) and their article on Exeter cathedral (20 November).

The post Explore Devon by bus, boat and train to get closer (and save) appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

In this, the first of two articles covering Berlin’s public transportation, we’ll be looking at ticket options.

Which ticket type?

Tourists will only need to consider two types of tickets for purchase: Berlin AB, which covers the entire city including Tegel airport, in- and outside the ring; and Berlin ABC, which covers the above, but also includes the city of Potsdam and Schönefeld airport.

With the exception of a ticket purchased directly from a bus driver, all tickets in Berlin can be used at any time and must be validated in a ticket stamping machine either before boarding (on train or subway platforms, usually at the top of stairwells and next to ticket machines) or upon boarding of buses and trams (typically located near doorways).

Important: Traveling with an unstamped ticket is the same as traveling with no ticket – tourist beware! Each single ticket must be stamped before use, but multiple day passes need only be stamped before the first ride.

Valid for all public transit

The ticket you purchase from any machine or counter is valid for all means of transit in the city: bus, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram, ferry, and even regional (but not IC or ICE) trains within the zones of your ticket.

Regional trains, which stop only at major train stations, can be a boon when trying to get quickly to Schönefeld airport, or across the city between Ostbahnhof and Zoologischer Garten, shaving anywhere from 10-20 minutes off your travel time at no additional charge. Further, these trains also have toilets, if you’re in desperate need of a pit stop!

Hours of service

• Sunday nights through Thursday nights, S- and U-Bahn service ends around 1 a.m.

• A select number of Metro bus and night bus routes run every 30-60 minutes throughout the night at no additional cost. Note that day tickets lose their validity at 3 a.m., so if you are still out after this point, you will need to purchase an additional ticket.

• Friday and Saturday nights, reduced S- and U-Bahn service continues all through the night, with the same limitations noted above.

If you’re traveling with your smartphone, download Berlin’s local transport app here. It can be a real lifesaver when trying to navigate unfamiliar areas or on nights and weekends.

Traveling without a ticket

You might be surprised at how easy it would be to “travel black,” as ticketless travel is known here – the city has no turnstiles, and passengers show valid tickets when boarding at the front of a bus, but at no other time than during random ticket checks, usually performed by teams of three plain-clothed men who’ll fine you 40€ on the spot if you haven’t paid. Save yourself the hassle – even a 7-day ticket rings up 12€ cheaper than being fined for not paying!

In my next post I’ll break down the savings by ticket type and number of travelers, as well as a discuss whether tourist card options may be right for you.

The post Berlin: Transportation tickets explained (and why you should never go ticketless) appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Do note a common misunderstanding. Just because a train styles itself as being a hotel train does not necessarily mean that it is any better than any other overnight train. So much depends on what grade of accommodation you opt for.

On most night trains in Europe, travelers have a choice of three grades of on-board accommodation: seats, couchettes and sleepers.

Night trains: what to expect

That’s the norm, but the situation does vary from train to train. Here are some exceptions. The services from France to Russia are very much top-of-the-range and there you’ll find only sleeping cars. On some other routes (eg. Paris to Rome, Prague to Copenhagen and Munich to Milan) there are couchettes and sleepers, but simply no regular seated accommodation. The night train from Berlin to Malmö consists exclusively of couchette cars – no seats or sleepers on that one. Move to Spain and many domestic overnight trains wholly within Spain have seats and sleepers, but no couchettes.

Even within the three broad-brush categories (ie. seat, couchette and sleeping berth) you will encounter great variations.

Take a seat

The seats on the Vienna to Venice overnight train are in classic six-seat compartments in a corridor coach. If you are lucky enough to travel on a quiet night, then two travelers might manage to bag a side each and stretch out in some comfort. But this is a train where seats are often in great demand, and a night spent sitting up in a regular seat in a full compartment just ain’t a bundle of fun. Believe us.

By contrast, the seated accommodation on the night trains from Zurich to both Berlin and Prague are spaciously arranged in an open-plan carriage. The seats recline and offer a measure of privacy – perfect for snoozing.

Opt for a couchette

Move upmarket to couchettes, and the key choice is between a four-berth or six-berth couchette option. Our view is that couchettes make sense for families traveling on a budget. A four-berther is a fun solution for parents traveling with a couple of children.

Take our advice. We’ve done the couchette deal, enduring long hot nights in stuffy couchettes shared with strangers traveling with mountains of luggage (and in one case a double bass). It does not make for peace and rest. You deserve more.

Enjoy sleeper carriages

So, if you possibly can, opt for a sleeper. Night trains were made for sleeping. And that requires quiet, privacy and crisp, clean sheets. An overnight journey in a comfortable sleeper is hard to beat. On some journeys (eg. Venice to Munich or Nice to Warsaw) there are even double beds on offer.

Even sleepers are infinitely variable, ranging from pokey little cabins to spacious compartments with en suite facilities. Russian Railways (RZD) have some very well-appointed sleeping cars on the routes to Moscow from Paris and Nice. But at a price.

Even those on more modest budgets can however enjoy stylish overnight travel on some City Night Line (CNL) services. The upper deck sleeping compartments on selected CNL trains are very spacious and have a small bathroom (with toilet and shower). There is space to stretch out and watch the evening scenery slip by beyond the window. You’ll find these luxury compartments on, among others, the CNL Aurora (Basel-Copenhagen), the CNL Sirius (Zurich to Berlin) and the CNL Comet (Zurich to Hamburg).

The great thing about the three trains mentioned here is that they all have a full-service restaurant car. Now that really is travel as it should be. A relaxed dinner on board, before retiring to bed, to awake refreshed and relaxed at your destination.

The post Night Train Travel: A guide to snoozing across Europe by train appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Although the giant container ships of the city’s free harbor may offer some competition, there is still one clear winner in this category in Hamburg: Miniatur Wunderland. If you’re visiting the city, plan to dedicate at least an afternoon to the experience. If possible, take a friend (school-age or otherwise) along with you.

Conceived and run by twin brothers Gerrit and Frederik Braun, Miniatur Wunderland is the model railway display to end all model railway displays. The admission price (12€/9€ reduced, children 6€) is worth every cent.  It doesn’t matter if you’re not a train geek or have never dug miniature trains—you’ll be excited about them after your visit.  If you don’t believe me, check them out in action:

Hundreds of thousands of hours and a keen sense of humor have gone into creating the extensive model railway exhibition, which is housed over two floors of a converted warehouse in Hamburg’s central Speicherstadt district. Your journey will take you through Switzerland, Austria, Scandinavia, the United States and Germany. Currently there are over eight miles of miniature rail, but the ever-expanding Wunderland is aiming for a total of 12.5 miles with its Italian, French and British models now under construction.

Over the last decade, the Wunderland has experimented with many technologies. Scandinavia, true to form, is surrounded by water and is serviced by remote-controlled ferries. America and Germany feature roadways with moving cars and trucks. The exhibit’s newest section, Knuffingen Airport, features a runway where planes taxi, take off, and land.

In order to keep the trains from colliding on the tracks and more quickly fix derailments, the miniature railway (and all other elements) is controlled by an extensive computer system that mimics the one used by actual rail traffic controllers.

Great for kids or for the kid in all of us, Miniatur Wunderland is a stand-out experience you won’t ever forget.

It’s open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and in summer these hours are often extended both earlier and later (check the website for exact times).

The post Hamburg’s Miniatur Wunderland is the ultimate model train display appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.