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Inter railing Eastern/Central Europe 2013

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  • 07-12-2012 3:33pm
    #1
    Garmau5
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭


    Hi guys, a few friends and I in our early 20's are planning to go inter railing in May this Summer around Eastern/Central Europe. We have never done anything like this before and would appreciate ANY advice or suggestions from people who have gone to any of these places, have gone on trips with your friends or gone inter railing before. Let me know how your experience was. Thank you!
    (See our planned route below)


    16th May: Dublin to Munich arr. - 10.45AM
    17th: Munich - Salzburg (evening train)
    18th: Slazburg daytrip to Berschtasgaden
    19th: Salzberg
    20th: Salzberg - Bled (morning train)
    21st: Bled - Ljubljana (mornining bus)
    22nd: Ljubljana - Rijeka (evening train)
    23rd: Rijeka
    24th: Rijeka - Split (morning train)
    25th: Split
    26th: Split - Hvar
    27nd: Hvar - Split
    28th: Split - Zagreb (morning train)
    29th: Zagreb
    30th:Zagreb - Budapest (morning train)
    31st: Budapest
    1st: Budapest - Bratislava (morning train)
    2nd: Bratislava - Krakow (evening)
    3rd: Krakow
    4th: Krakow daytrip to Auschwitz
    5th: Krakow - Prague (morning train)
    6th: Prague
    7th: Prague - Dublin dep. - 2.55PM
    Tagged:


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    #2
    TherapyBoy
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 4,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭TherapyBoy


    Did something like this a few years ago.
    Dublin - Zagreb
    Zagreb - Split
    Split - Hvar
    Back to Zagreb
    Night train to Budapest
    Night train to Krakow
    Back to Budapest! (Had such a good experience first time)
    Night train to Prague
    Prague - Dublin

    We spent 3-4 days in each place, long distance trains overnight to save money on hostels. It really was a fantastic experience, met loads of interesting locals & basically wandered around Eastern Europe like headless chickens-on-tour.
    Hvar didn't really impress compared to the other places we visited. We thought it was expensive & there wasn't much happening. It was back in 2004 though & we were so disappointed we left after a day. Budapest was the highlight of our trip. Great bars, nice people & chatty girls everywhere you turned. It's a nice city to walk around, loads of touristy things to do. Krakow is really nice too & the auschwitz/berkanau camps are amazing in a horrible sort of way. They do cycling tours around the city which were really good.
    The only advice I'd give is to go with the flow. We changed our plans almost every day about when & where we were going next. We just had to be in Prague by a certain date for the flight home. Chat to the locals/hostel workers to see what's going on wherever you land.
    You're going to have a great time, green-eyed monster kicking me in the ass atm!

    Moderator: Non Drinkers Group & Grand Theft Auto



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    #3
    Garmau5
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭Garmau5


    Thanks so much! thats exactly the kind of advice I'm looking for.


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    #4
    RADIUS
    Closed Accounts Posts: 353 ✭✭RADIUS


    Garmau5 wrote: »
    Hi guys, a few friends and I in our early 20's are planning to go inter railing in May this Summer. We have never done anything like this before and would appreciate ANY advice or suggestions from people who have gone to any of these places, have gone on trips with your friends or gone inter railing before. Let me know how your experience was. Thank you!
    (See our planned route below)


    16th May: Dublin to Munich arr. - 10.45AM
    17th: Munich - Salzburg (evening train)
    18th: Slazburg daytrip to Berschtasgaden
    19th: Salzberg
    20th: Salzberg - Bled (morning train)
    21st: Bled - Ljubljana (mornining bus)
    22nd: Ljubljana - Rijeka (evening train)
    23rd: Rijeka
    24th: Rijeka - Split (morning train)
    25th: Split
    26th: Split - Hvar
    27nd: Hvar - Split
    28th: Split - Zagreb (morning train)
    29th: Zagreb
    30th:Zagreb - Budapest (morning train)
    31st: Budapest
    1st: Budapest - Bratislava (morning train)
    2nd: Bratislava - Krakow (evening)
    3rd: Krakow
    4th: Krakow daytrip to Auschwitz
    5th: Krakow - Prague (morning train)
    6th: Prague
    7th: Prague - Dublin dep. - 2.55PM

    Central Europe my friend. Except for Krakow these are central European destinations.


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    #5
    jpm4
    Registered Users Posts: 497 ✭✭jpm4


    Garmau5 wrote: »
    Hi guys, a few friends and I in our early 20's are planning to go inter railing in May this Summer. We have never done anything like this before and would appreciate ANY advice or suggestions from people who have gone to any of these places, have gone on trips with your friends or gone inter railing before. Let me know how your experience was. Thank you!
    (See our planned route below)


    16th May: Dublin to Munich arr. - 10.45AM
    17th: Munich - Salzburg (evening train)
    18th: Slazburg daytrip to Berschtasgaden
    19th: Salzberg
    20th: Salzberg - Bled (morning train)
    21st: Bled - Ljubljana (mornining bus)
    22nd: Ljubljana - Rijeka (evening train)
    23rd: Rijeka
    24th: Rijeka - Split (morning train)
    25th: Split
    26th: Split - Hvar
    27nd: Hvar - Split
    28th: Split - Zagreb (morning train)
    29th: Zagreb
    30th:Zagreb - Budapest (morning train)
    31st: Budapest
    1st: Budapest - Bratislava (morning train)
    2nd: Bratislava - Krakow (evening)
    3rd: Krakow
    4th: Krakow daytrip to Auschwitz
    5th: Krakow - Prague (morning train)
    6th: Prague
    7th: Prague - Dublin dep. - 2.55PM

    You might not want to spend a night at Bled unless there is a specific reason to - it's very pretty but I was bored after a few hours. I would suggest an extra night in Ljubljana which is a very pleasant city, and at least you have more options there.

    Zagreb is OK but nothing special if partying is more your thing then would recommend an extra night in Budapest or Split (didn't stop in Split myself , but Budapest is party central)

    Bratislava doesn't have an awful lot going on (save some stunning women in fairness) but Vienna is an hour away by train where there is lots to see and do (more expensive too though).

    Don't try to cram too much in and just have a blast!


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    #6
    token101
    Registered Users Posts: 3,050 ✭✭✭token101


    Skip Bratislava and Slovakia entirely, other than savage women, it's a kip really. I wanted to leave the minute I got off the train. Spend as much time in Budapest as possible, and make sure you go to the Szechenyi baths. I've heard Sarajevo and Belgrade are amazing as well for nightlife. Don't know if you're constricted by time or anything, but if I'd any advice to give it'd be try and hold off few weeks later, late June/July/August kind of way. Plenty of music festivals on during then you could take in as well, like Sziget in Budapest, Exit in Belgrade, and the likes. And European festivals are way cheaper and better than Ireland and the UK.


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    #7
    ballynamona
    Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭ballynamona


    Hi, would echo the poster who said to skip Bratislava. I went there after Prague and the outstanding thing was respite from the crowds in Prague. The old town that is worth seeing is tiny, an hour would do to see it. Unless you are there on a weekend night I would expect it to be quiet.In that broad area, if you need to break the journey, Brno might be better. It should certainly be better than Bratislava. It is the 2nd city of the Czech Republic.

    Re Slovenia, in your early 20s it sounds like you want a party town. There is a resort of sorts in Bled but I'm not sure many in your age group go there. The Slovenes themselves go to Croatia to party, or to Portoroz on their tiny coastline. Bled tends to get couples and older holiday makers. Lake Bohinj, near Bled, is much less developed but far nicer in my view. But on a whistle-stop tour you may not have a chance to go there and get value from it. It is no party place, it is very peaceful and surrounded by Triglav National Park, great for hiking.

    Ljubljana is a very nice city, but small enough. You would be taking on a lot of travel on one day on the 20th, but if you spend the day in Bled it's not much more than one hour to get to Ljubljana in the evening. If you do decide to stay in Ljubljana a night or two, then Skofja Loka would be a very good day trip. Only about 45 mins on the bus. Quiet, old but very nice.Ljubljana is nice but there is not loads to do.

    Would question spending as much time in Rijeka. I didn't think there was much there, though it is on the coast. Seemed like an industrial port city. I would go on straight to split if ye can. I have heard better things about Zadar which is an hour or so south of Split.It's got quite a nice old town and sounds similar to Dubrovnik, except less of a tourist trap.

    As for Hvar, May could be slightly early to hit a resort. If it's quiet in a resort the time just drags. Plus they are expensive. Cities probably better in May.

    I would agree with the poster who said to allow some flexibility.

    All in all, sounds great.


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