Mike

I've spent the last several hours booking our September #Interrail trip.

I love the planning, I love the trips, but the booking is really stressful. I know I have to do it to avoid later stress - In effect I'm a micro-manager of these trips.
Every hotel & seat is booked as far as possible.
I know the times of the trains & will know the platforms before we leave - all on daily travel sheets!

We're flying* to Vienna (flying? boo! hiss!) from Heathrow then going directly to Bratislava.
Then it's a few days in the Tatras at Štrbské Pleso
On to Zilinia for a day and then Brno for a day.
Then a few days in Dresden (with maybe a day trip to Leipzig in there) before we head up for a day each in Koblenz & Cologne.
We'll come home on the Hoek to Harwich ferry as usual - but this time we won't be stopping over in Hoek.

It's coming in under budget for accomodation, but spot on budget for travel.

#Slovakia #Tatras #Germany

*Flying? Because we have to keep the trip down to a sensible length

Mar 24 at 8:39pmWeb
Show threadwoollypigsMar 24
@MikeFromLFE sounds more civilised than when I did interrail back in '91, have a great trip (sorry for the edits, dog wanted cuddles NOW!)
Show threadBecLFCMar 24
@MikeFromLFE I want to go to Cologne. Mostly because I want to go to Bonn. Have a good trip!
Show threadMikeMar 24
@Beclfc We've only ever changed trains in Cologne before.
Bonn is a compact, freindly place - and a good jumping off point for the KD Lines Rhine ferries.
Show threadSiège avec vueMar 24
@MikeFromLFE I trust you'll be feeding us droplets of vicarious travel on here as you go?
Show threadMikeMar 24

@siegeavecvue Yes!
The daily updates are likely to be at https://mikefromlfe.mataroa.blog

With them ultimately uploaded, with a digest to my main travel blog when time permits at https://gaylers.me/travel/

Meanderings around Europe by train – and other stuff

Show threadOliver BlanthornMar 24

@MikeFromLFE sounds amazing!

curious about reluctantly flying to Vienna - did you consider the Brussels sleeper?

I find that because ÖBB tends to only run services every other day I end up having to plan my trips around their schedule...

I'll plug https://nightride.com/en because they're the only way I can do it and retain my sanity

Plan your night journey across Europe – Night Ride

Find the right night train or bus for you & choose the best offer from various providers.

Show threadMikeMar 24
@bovine3dom
Thanks.
We tried the OBB sleeper from Vienna to Amsterdam in 2023 and we didn't enjoy the journey at all. My wife has various disabilities and getting comfortable wasn't easy, and I just didn't sleep well,
I am not a great fan of sleeper trains - I know that goes against the zeitgeist, but there it is!
Show threadOliver BlanthornMar 25
@MikeFromLFE sorry to hear that, for me it was something I got used to after the first ~10 times taking them and now I really look forward to them. Good earplugs help but if you're only taking them once a year I get that "you might get used to them within a decade" isn't an enticing prospect :)