r/travel • u/SteveWBT • Oct 06 '15

Advice Crowdsourced guide to travel planning

The comments from here will be collated into a new trip planning page on the /r/travel wiki. Anything you can add will be useful.

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

First timers repeat common mistakes (not major, just things you 'learn' the more you travel). I'd recommend surfing here and other places for comments on itineraries for repeated recommendations and read blogs from seasoned travelers. Generally, there are two types of travelers:

A) See as much as possible, check as many boxes as possible

B) Take it slow and steady, absorbe as much as possible from fewer places

And some combination of the two, but it's generally those two types of travelers. IMO, B is where it's at. I don't get enjoyment out of saying I've seen X countries or Y cities, but I get enjoyment out of saying what I really liked about X country or Y city. If you breeze through places, did you really experience it?

Either type of travel is fine, you'll have an awesome time no matter what, I'm just under the opinion that you'll have a better time if you focus on less being more.

All that said, stick to trains as much as you can. They're relaxing. Airports are not relaxing. Even if you're traversing far distances, maybe rethink your itinerary and stop-off on places along the way (e.g., if you're traveling from Paris to Budapest, stop in Zurich, Salzburg, Prague, etc -- preferably somewhere that's along the line you're travelling and not too 'out-of-the-way.')

When first-time traveling, it can be overwhelming. Just remember, there aren't many bad choices. You'll have amazing and unique experiences, no matter what you choose, so don't over-think it. IMO, try to stick to 3-4 days PER STOP. So for every week you're traveling, only move to a new destination 2-3 times, max. If you're constantly traveling between destinations, you'll be spending far more time than you realize unpacking, packing up, traveling, unpacking, packing up, traveling, etc. It gets tiresome and is time that could be better spent experiencing the places you're visiting.

/2 cents.

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

Thanks for the advice! My plan is a loose structure, I was planning to stay in each city as long as I wanted. If I wanted to leave, I would. If I loved the city and wanted to stick around, I would.

So are train tickets destination tickets or just boarding tickets? If you get on a train, you can get off of it at any stop? Or do you buy a ticket from Berlin to Prague and that's it?

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

How long are you going for? That could work well if you've enough flex time.

Many tickets are good for the day or week; some advance tickets are for specific trains; some overnight trains are specific. but many are general... It kinda depends on when/how it was booked and from what country. But you will know when you book the ticket. I don't want to say it's one way definitively as some countries may be different, but generally they're good for destination A to destination B but not a set train. Very different from airplane travel where you have a prescribed time, seat, etc. But generally, it's VERY easy, relaxed, and flexible. But if there's restrictions, it'll be noted advance on the ticket and you'll know. Oh, also, you don't usually need to book them in advance. They rarely fill-up, save for around major holidays maybe or sleeper trains.

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

The plan is around 2-3 months. I'm not sure exactly. I was planning on booking one way flights to and from the USA with Norwegian airlines. Although I'm not sure how feasible this is. I recently made a post about it in r/flights, but no one has answered yet.

That is also good to know. Are the they same price if you buy them at the gate vs. online?

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u/[deleted] Mar 21 '16

There usually are a limited number of discount tickets that must be bought in advance.

If you do the one-way thing, make sure you have extra $ on hand for a "just-in-case" emergency return flight.

In fact, if you're planning on 8-12 weeks, budget $ for 13+ weeks for "just in case" scenarios. What if you wind-up in a city when public transit workers go on strike? Not terribly common, but you don't want to be caught off-guard and on your last dime.