Interrailing/Eurailing Advice Superthread (IMPORTANT: FAQ at start)
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I'm home now from my trip. I'm going to post a picture of my bag pulled apart, with stuff I didn't use/need at all on one side, and what I did on the other. It's quite a fair bit I didn't really need, and I only took a 50L bag. 
Currently interrailing and in Rome planning on going to budapest later on and so far have an evening and two days scheduled. Do people that have been think this is enough time? Thanks
planning on going to budapest later on and so far have an evening and two days scheduled. Do people that have been think this is enough time? Thanks Hi Everyone. I would love to go interailing this month! Would anyone like to go with me? I am 19 and currently on my gap year
Just got back from Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Krakow, Belgrade and Budapest and had an amazing time. Hit me up if you want any advice or recommendations!
Original post by shaun12345
Currently interrailing and in Rome planning on going to budapest later on and so far have an evening and two days scheduled. Do people that have been think this is enough time? Thanks
planning on going to budapest later on and so far have an evening and two days scheduled. Do people that have been think this is enough time? Thanks Budapest isn't that great during the day but good at night. Have another night there.
Original post by shaun12345
Currently interrailing and in Rome planning on going to budapest later on and so far have an evening and two days scheduled. Do people that have been think this is enough time? Thanks
planning on going to budapest later on and so far have an evening and two days scheduled. Do people that have been think this is enough time? Thanks Original post by The-Dream
Budapest isn't that great during the day but good at night. Have another night there.
I really disagree with The Dream, I felt like there was so much to do in Budapest, and I hardly did anything. I was there for two days and two night. For example, there's brilliant free walking tours of the city, which I definitely recommend and then, there's stuff like thermal baths, caving expeditions, opera if you're into that etc. Yes the nightlife is awesome in Budapest definitely, it gets pretty wild. My biggest tip though would definitely be the free walking tours, there's a few to choose from, if you just Google it you'll find them.
Original post by The-Dream
Just got back from Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Krakow, Belgrade and Budapest and had an amazing time. Hit me up if you want any advice or recommendations!
Hey, we're going to Amsterdam, Berlin, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna and Prague next month. Any suggestions on things to do? Also what are border control/tiket checking like? (I have permenant residence in the UK but no EU passport).
Also did you go for 10 or 22 days?
Original post by Mike93L
Hey, we're going to Amsterdam, Berlin, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna and Prague next month. Any suggestions on things to do? Also what are border control/tiket checking like? (I have permenant residence in the UK but no EU passport).
Also did you go for 10 or 22 days?
Also did you go for 10 or 22 days?
There's basically no border control once you're in the EU. I think the train guards asked to see our passports with our interrail passes a few times on the trip - but I'm not sure if that was to see if you HAD one/correct visa, or to see if the country on your pass matched your nationality. On night trains they sometimes take your passport off you until the morning.
In Berlin you should definitely go up to the Reichstag dome - book this online in advance, it's awesome. East side gallery, Mauerpark on Sunday afternoon (markets and kareoke), potsdamer platz at night, walk by the river around Museum Island / Hackesher Markt. Depends how long you have / what you're into really.
P.S Don't waste your time with Checkpoint Charlie / Story of Berlin museum. You can see where Hitler's bunker was (near the Holocaust memorial) but apart from a sign it's basically a car park.
(edited 10 years ago)
Hey all.
Thinking of doing an short Euro trip approx 10 days. Any idea where I could that is relatively 'cheap' i.e less than £600 excld ticket for everything?
Thanks!
Thinking of getting the 5 in 10 ticket?
Thinking of doing an short Euro trip approx 10 days. Any idea where I could that is relatively 'cheap' i.e less than £600 excld ticket for everything?
Thanks!
Thinking of getting the 5 in 10 ticket?
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by Mike93L
Hey, we're going to Amsterdam, Berlin, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna and Prague next month. Any suggestions on things to do? Also what are border control/tiket checking like? (I have permenant residence in the UK but no EU passport).
Also did you go for 10 or 22 days?
Also did you go for 10 or 22 days?
Don't think they checked our passports at all going through those countries and if they did, it was just to check our names matched our interrail ticket. Have you got a Eurail ticket?
Amsterdam is cool but very expensive. Quite easy to walk around it all so just see it all! A lot of weed and prostitutes. There's a sex show which is €2 for 2 minutes in the red light district which is funny.
Berlin is awesome. I'd recommend hiring bikes and seeing the whole city... it's very big and you can't really walk around it all. Get single tickets for the u and s bahn but don't activate them, then it only costs €1.50 and you can use it for a couple of hours. Sounds silly but if there's a few of you, go to brandenburg gate and go on one of the bikes with 7 seats... it's actually very funny. Nightlife was amazing in Berlin. There's a lot of cool bars everywhere. I went to a rooftop club called Weekend which was amazing on a monday night, I'd definitely recommend that if you're there on a Monday. Electro music but I didn't really listen to the music because I spent most the time on the rooftop bar. It's expensive though and go early or in small groups with girls or you won't get in. Matrix is awesome if you like hip hop and rnb. Clubs don't really get lively until about 1 and go on til about 6. Get the s bahn to Warschauer Straße and there's cheap alcohol stalls as soon as you get off and it's buzzing... matrix is to the left and there's a electro club to the right called suicide something that's in a shack that you'll hear and see straight away that's supposed to be awesome too but I didn't go in.
Krakow is awesome. Really nice city and so cheap. Meals in restaurants are about £5, big bottle of vodka is about £5, pints in bars are about £1.50. Go to jewish quarter for cheap bars and pubs then old town for clubs. It dies down at about 3pm in Krakow though. We went to Auschwitz... if you want to go, get a minibus from the bus station (in the train station) in the basement, it's cheap. Polish girls are amazing too!
Budapest... stay at Grandio if you can. Go caving during the day, it's expensive but really is worth it and a lot better than you'd think. In the evening, go to a bar called szimpla and smoke a shisha. It's one of the coolest places you'll go. In Budapest, they have loads of "ruin bars" which are essentially abandoned buildings turned into bars and clubs but are really cool. Go to a club called instant and go to the top floor with the rotating pig... really nice people in there and free really cool place. Go late at night though after you've been doing other things. If you're there on a Saturday, be sure to go to the Magic Baths bath party too. It's a very dusty city.
Haven't been to Vienna.
Prague is a nice city but very touristy in a bad way. Not particularly cheap either. Beer is cheap though... about £1.50 a pint again. Get a pedelo in the river.
Have you booked hostels? Hope this helps... let me know if you want to know anything else!!
Hey all, im a newbie here planning on starting my interrailing journey on Saturday by flying out to Budapest for the Sziget festival(anyone been?) and ending in Amsterdam. First timer and very worried how unorganised and unplanned I am for this trip so any advice that anyone could give me regarding my queries would be so grateful!
1) After Budapest, Im hoping to visit 1/2 of the other eastern european countries like bosnia or romania. However, I have very little knowledge of using the trains in europe and I am not sure how feasible/inconvenient it is to go to these places, and then go again through Budapest to Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam. Looking at the map it seems very inconvenient and a very long journey back up again? Also if it is feasible, for any of you who have been down to these countries, can anyone recommend which ones are the best to see in terms of its uniqueness and safety, as well as hostels there?
2) As I have said I have very little knowledge of european trains, and I am very confused at what trains to take where, when you need to make a reservation, whether the pass allows you to travel on trams/buses/trains in these countries? I have bought the popular Thomas Cook train timetable book but unsure how to make best use of it :/ A step by step dummies guide would really really be helpful!
3)When is it advisable to book in advance for hostels and which hostels do people recommend in Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam? What is the average price per night? I am looking for a mix of both a part hostel as well as one where you can get a decent nights sleep if you want to. Also I am unsure about hostels and how safe they are, how it is sharing with others etc - can anyone shed any light on this? Are hostels really recommended to have fun and meet people?
4) Can you use your mobile phone to call people in europe/outside to London? What is the cheapest way for parents to call you? In terms of money, do most people use a prepaid card? Can you convert your currency in each place?
Sorry for the long message, any help whatsoever would be appreciated. Thank you
1) After Budapest, Im hoping to visit 1/2 of the other eastern european countries like bosnia or romania. However, I have very little knowledge of using the trains in europe and I am not sure how feasible/inconvenient it is to go to these places, and then go again through Budapest to Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam. Looking at the map it seems very inconvenient and a very long journey back up again? Also if it is feasible, for any of you who have been down to these countries, can anyone recommend which ones are the best to see in terms of its uniqueness and safety, as well as hostels there?
2) As I have said I have very little knowledge of european trains, and I am very confused at what trains to take where, when you need to make a reservation, whether the pass allows you to travel on trams/buses/trains in these countries? I have bought the popular Thomas Cook train timetable book but unsure how to make best use of it :/ A step by step dummies guide would really really be helpful!
3)When is it advisable to book in advance for hostels and which hostels do people recommend in Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam? What is the average price per night? I am looking for a mix of both a part hostel as well as one where you can get a decent nights sleep if you want to. Also I am unsure about hostels and how safe they are, how it is sharing with others etc - can anyone shed any light on this? Are hostels really recommended to have fun and meet people?
4) Can you use your mobile phone to call people in europe/outside to London? What is the cheapest way for parents to call you? In terms of money, do most people use a prepaid card? Can you convert your currency in each place?
Sorry for the long message, any help whatsoever would be appreciated. Thank you
Original post by UCLstudent123
Hey all, im a newbie here planning on starting my interrailing journey on Saturday by flying out to Budapest for the Sziget festival(anyone been?) and ending in Amsterdam. First timer and very worried how unorganised and unplanned I am for this trip so any advice that anyone could give me regarding my queries would be so grateful!
1) After Budapest, Im hoping to visit 1/2 of the other eastern european countries like bosnia or romania. However, I have very little knowledge of using the trains in europe and I am not sure how feasible/inconvenient it is to go to these places, and then go again through Budapest to Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam. Looking at the map it seems very inconvenient and a very long journey back up again? Also if it is feasible, for any of you who have been down to these countries, can anyone recommend which ones are the best to see in terms of its uniqueness and safety, as well as hostels there?
2) As I have said I have very little knowledge of european trains, and I am very confused at what trains to take where, when you need to make a reservation, whether the pass allows you to travel on trams/buses/trains in these countries? I have bought the popular Thomas Cook train timetable book but unsure how to make best use of it :/ A step by step dummies guide would really really be helpful!
3)When is it advisable to book in advance for hostels and which hostels do people recommend in Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam? What is the average price per night? I am looking for a mix of both a part hostel as well as one where you can get a decent nights sleep if you want to. Also I am unsure about hostels and how safe they are, how it is sharing with others etc - can anyone shed any light on this? Are hostels really recommended to have fun and meet people?
4) Can you use your mobile phone to call people in europe/outside to London? What is the cheapest way for parents to call you? In terms of money, do most people use a prepaid card? Can you convert your currency in each place?
Sorry for the long message, any help whatsoever would be appreciated. Thank you
1) After Budapest, Im hoping to visit 1/2 of the other eastern european countries like bosnia or romania. However, I have very little knowledge of using the trains in europe and I am not sure how feasible/inconvenient it is to go to these places, and then go again through Budapest to Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam. Looking at the map it seems very inconvenient and a very long journey back up again? Also if it is feasible, for any of you who have been down to these countries, can anyone recommend which ones are the best to see in terms of its uniqueness and safety, as well as hostels there?
2) As I have said I have very little knowledge of european trains, and I am very confused at what trains to take where, when you need to make a reservation, whether the pass allows you to travel on trams/buses/trains in these countries? I have bought the popular Thomas Cook train timetable book but unsure how to make best use of it :/ A step by step dummies guide would really really be helpful!
3)When is it advisable to book in advance for hostels and which hostels do people recommend in Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam? What is the average price per night? I am looking for a mix of both a part hostel as well as one where you can get a decent nights sleep if you want to. Also I am unsure about hostels and how safe they are, how it is sharing with others etc - can anyone shed any light on this? Are hostels really recommended to have fun and meet people?
4) Can you use your mobile phone to call people in europe/outside to London? What is the cheapest way for parents to call you? In terms of money, do most people use a prepaid card? Can you convert your currency in each place?
Sorry for the long message, any help whatsoever would be appreciated. Thank you
Disclaimer: Haven't been on an interrail trip - am just currently planning my own. Some things might need to be taken with a pinch of salt.
1. I guess the only problem with going to either Romania or Bosnia-Herzegovina is the fact that you'd going back on yourself. Depends where you want to go in these countries and if the added time expense is worth it to you.
2. Near the front is also a short how-to-use guide for the timetable book. I'll try and do a step by step guide of how I'd use it too... So you want to go Prague after your festival in Budapest? Grab the Timetable book and go to the index at the front. Find Budapest and under it find Prague (or foreign name which is Praha?). Next to it there'll be a number for the route that suits this connection in the guide. Thumb through till you find that timetable/s and search through the routes till you find something suitable.
Note: I've found it useful to check the timetable numbers given for both directions (i.e. look up Budapest in index then Praha under it and vice-versa) as on occasions I've found additional route listings on for one when compared to the other, even though they should give the same (I believe?). So here looking up Budapest-Praha in the index gave me just 1175 but looking up Praha-Budapest gave me 60 and 1175. I don't know why they differ.
At the top of each list of train time you find details (reservations, days running, restaurant car, supplement required, etc) for the respective train via symbols. The most common symbols, which are used frequently, are listed somewhere early on in the book. Train specific details are also listed underneath each timetable.
4. I don't know about mobiles as I'm planning on leaving mine at home. Can always email to keep in touch. And I'm taking a prepaid card (and a abroad credit card incase of emergency). The prepaid card I've got (CaxtonFx) has free atm withdrawals in Euro currency countries and then a 2 or 3 percent charge for atm withdrawals for non-Euro countries.
Original post by UCLstudent123
Hey all, im a newbie here planning on starting my interrailing journey on Saturday by flying out to Budapest for the Sziget festival(anyone been?) and ending in Amsterdam. First timer and very worried how unorganised and unplanned I am for this trip so any advice that anyone could give me regarding my queries would be so grateful!
1) After Budapest, Im hoping to visit 1/2 of the other eastern european countries like bosnia or romania. However, I have very little knowledge of using the trains in europe and I am not sure how feasible/inconvenient it is to go to these places, and then go again through Budapest to Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam. Looking at the map it seems very inconvenient and a very long journey back up again? Also if it is feasible, for any of you who have been down to these countries, can anyone recommend which ones are the best to see in terms of its uniqueness and safety, as well as hostels there?
2) As I have said I have very little knowledge of european trains, and I am very confused at what trains to take where, when you need to make a reservation, whether the pass allows you to travel on trams/buses/trains in these countries? I have bought the popular Thomas Cook train timetable book but unsure how to make best use of it :/ A step by step dummies guide would really really be helpful!
3)When is it advisable to book in advance for hostels and which hostels do people recommend in Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam? What is the average price per night? I am looking for a mix of both a part hostel as well as one where you can get a decent nights sleep if you want to. Also I am unsure about hostels and how safe they are, how it is sharing with others etc - can anyone shed any light on this? Are hostels really recommended to have fun and meet people?
4) Can you use your mobile phone to call people in europe/outside to London? What is the cheapest way for parents to call you? In terms of money, do most people use a prepaid card? Can you convert your currency in each place?
Sorry for the long message, any help whatsoever would be appreciated. Thank you
1) After Budapest, Im hoping to visit 1/2 of the other eastern european countries like bosnia or romania. However, I have very little knowledge of using the trains in europe and I am not sure how feasible/inconvenient it is to go to these places, and then go again through Budapest to Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam. Looking at the map it seems very inconvenient and a very long journey back up again? Also if it is feasible, for any of you who have been down to these countries, can anyone recommend which ones are the best to see in terms of its uniqueness and safety, as well as hostels there?
2) As I have said I have very little knowledge of european trains, and I am very confused at what trains to take where, when you need to make a reservation, whether the pass allows you to travel on trams/buses/trains in these countries? I have bought the popular Thomas Cook train timetable book but unsure how to make best use of it :/ A step by step dummies guide would really really be helpful!
3)When is it advisable to book in advance for hostels and which hostels do people recommend in Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam? What is the average price per night? I am looking for a mix of both a part hostel as well as one where you can get a decent nights sleep if you want to. Also I am unsure about hostels and how safe they are, how it is sharing with others etc - can anyone shed any light on this? Are hostels really recommended to have fun and meet people?
4) Can you use your mobile phone to call people in europe/outside to London? What is the cheapest way for parents to call you? In terms of money, do most people use a prepaid card? Can you convert your currency in each place?
Sorry for the long message, any help whatsoever would be appreciated. Thank you
Hey, I haven't actually been interrailing but have travelled a bit around those parts.
1) The train journey will be fairly long and somewhat inconvenient but I really think it will be worth it, especially Bosnia. I didn't really spend enough time in Romania but I didn't like it quite as much as I did Bosnia. Sarajevo was a really interesting city, and if youi can, get down to Mostar too, it's really great. In Sarajevo, I'd recommend Ferijalac Hostel, it's pretty close to the bus/train station, and the guys running it are the best! There's three of them,m and they immediately treat you as a friend, rather than a guest. It's very cheap too. In Mostar I'd recommend Rooms Deny. The hostel is linked with another just round the corner, run by the guy's best friend, so it's really easy to meet people, even if nobody is around in your hostel. If you do go to Mostar, ask about the sniper tower, it's a really unique experience.
2) I didn't use the book, so I can't say how good it is, but I'd imagine it isn't very accurate (just an assumption though). I used bahn.de almost exclusively, it is very comprehensive, however, the best bet is always to check at the bus/train station when you are there, as on one occassion I missed a train because the website was ten minutes off. For local travel, always ask for help at the hostels where you are staying, they're always happy to help.
Original post by The-Dream
Just got back from Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Krakow, Belgrade and Budapest and had an amazing time. Hit me up if you want any advice or recommendations!
Hey, do you have any tips for Belgrade? Things to do in the day and night - places to stay etc. How long do you reckon is a good amount of time to stay? Cheers
Original post by jonnythemoose
Hey, do you have any tips for Belgrade? Things to do in the day and night - places to stay etc. How long do you reckon is a good amount of time to stay? Cheers
A strange city but pretty cool. It's a small city on the hill. At the top of the hill there's a fort (not sure why) which is the main centre that everyone congregates around (really nice view at night) and the fort is surrounded by a nice park that everyone chills in. The main shopping street (they call it the "pedestrian zone") comes off here too. The city then just spills down the hill to the river then finishes (or turns into suburbs).
One of the first most striking things is what the people look like... all the women are insanely hot and all the men are at least 6 foot, stacked and skinhead but dress up well and look good.
The Bohmian Quarter is the best place for restaurants and bars... go when it's dark, it's a lot nicer then! The RED bar is great... really posh bar but by our standards still insanely cheap. Get Absinthe there and it's actually nice. They have a drink in Serbia called Rejika or something that's really nice too.
The nightclubs are all the "splavs" (barges) down on the river. They're quite surreal but definitely worth visiting! There's tables everywhere that groups stand around and people don't really go crazy. The men fistpump and the women move their arm up and down and move their hips side to side and of course everyone is as described above! Dancers on the ceilings too. Belgrade isn't exactly the sort of place that is any good for meeting people in the bars and clubs (the same men and women always arrive in groups and leave in the same groups) so meet whoever you want to leave with before!
Swimming pool is decent.
(Nearly) everything is cheap so make the most of it!
Train station is strange!
It's a small city with not that much so I wouldn't recommend spending more than a couple of days there. Are you going with friends or alone and have you booked a hostel?
Original post by The-Dream
It's a small city with not that much so I wouldn't recommend spending more than a couple of days there. Are you going with friends or alone and have you booked a hostel?
It's a small city with not that much so I wouldn't recommend spending more than a couple of days there. Are you going with friends or alone and have you booked a hostel?
Thanks for the advice mate! I'm going on my own and am planning on spending two days there. Looking forward to it because it's not a very "common" place to go
Don't have a hostel sorted out yet though; do you have any recommendations? Original post by jonnythemoose
Thanks for the advice mate! I'm going on my own and am planning on spending two days there. Looking forward to it because it's not a very "common" place to go Don't have a hostel sorted out yet though; do you have any recommendations?
Don't have a hostel sorted out yet though; do you have any recommendations? Yeah, Hedonist Hostel was great. A bit more expensive than some of the others but definitely worth it I'd say. It was more like a big house than a hostel and the staff were awesome.
Currently in Bulgaria...the east is amazing
Went interrailing this summer, was amazing! BERLIN...oh my...favourite stop of manyyy people I met! You will want to live in this city after u visit! Ps, when in Berlin, go on the FAT TIRE bike tour, it was brilliant! You get to see eveything, and even stop at a beer garden!
I've been back about 2 weeks and everyday I wish I was still travelling!! Seeing new places and meeting new people! I am already planning where I want to go next year!! Thinking of doing Italy with a one country pass. Things I would say you need that I didn't take was a padlock as most hostels have lockers and you put your whole rucksacks in there extra security even though nothing was stolen of mine! And a neck blanket,( one for sleeping that goes around the back of your neck) could of used these for night trains and early ones! And we went in the heat wave, didn't need the jeans and jumper, they took up room! Went to Paris, nice, Venice, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Brussels. If I can tell anyone about these places, just ask
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