How would you go about this? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

wphsmike · 01-18-2006, 01:11 PM

I've decided that if I want to be in Spain for the RoT Bulls this summer I am to start my trip in Dublin, Ireland. I will be able to travel 17 days before I want to be in Spain. Maybe a few less...

I want my first 17 days to be something like this...

Dublin- 4 days
Cork- 2 days
Berlin- 4 days
Munich- 3 days
Amsterdam- 4 days

What is the best way to get from country to country? I thought that the order I listed was the best order. I would like to make travel fast and cheap, so like cheap flights. Some flights can be expensive between countries. Let me know what you think.

Thanks,

MIke

**LostFarmboy** · 01-18-2006, 01:32 PM

Rail is the best around EU, dunno what it's like in the UK though. Cheap flights certainly exist but i wouldn't rely on being able to get one at the drop of a hat.

**omisan** · 01-18-2006, 02:32 PM

This link is my standby for finding cheap flights between particular points:

http://www.whichbudget.com

If you know your dates for sure, and are buying in advance, flights are the way to do it, though you do miss out on the scenery and have to figure out how to get from the airport to the center of town. Otherwise, trains are great because they go from city center to city center. Buses are the cheapest, but I tend to find coach travel pretty miserable.

**noke_travel** · 01-18-2006, 04:19 PM

Aer Lingus has some great deals right now out of Cork, I was just looking them up for my trip to the UK in May. Cork-Heathrow flights are going for €9 which is about €34 after taxes and fees. I don't know what your budget is like for the trip but it isn't a bad option to get to heathrow and take a low-fair carrier to templehof or tegel. also, keep in mind that during the peak season, aer lingus flies non stop from cork to berlin-brandenburg which is in schoenfeld. i'm not sure how far away from the city that is though. the fare can range from €60 to €100 depending on the day of the week so if you have the funds check it out.

wphsmike · 01-18-2006, 04:52 PM

I know I sound like an idiot. But, can anyone tell me where to fly out of/into between those cities I have listed?

Sorry guys, just I need a better picture.

Mike

chelseafc05 · 01-18-2006, 08:16 PM

the airports?

**worldwidemike** · 01-19-2006, 07:59 AM

Nice, Danny boy. Or rather, NOT nice.

Mike, I would assemble an itinerary using cheap flights for your long distances, and the train (or bus) for the shorter ones. So, perhaps fly into Dublin or Amsterdam (two cheap gateways) from wherever you are coming into Europe from. Then, check out the cheap carriers Omisan linked you to.

For example, let's say the cheapest flight you find from home is into Amsterdam. See A-dam for as long as you want, then fly Ryanair to Dublin. See Dublin, then take the train or bus to Cork, and back to Dublin. Then, look to find the cheapest flight to Berlin or Munich. Ryanair, AirBerlin, Germanwings, easyjet -- check them all out. Take the cheapest there, and use the train or bus between Munich and Berlin. Then, check the cheapest airfare between Munich or Berlin and Spain for the Running of the Bulls. Grab it, and then use train/bus to sightsee in Spain itself.

Is this making sense? The one thing this forces you to do is lock in your departure date from each country, since you'll have to buy these airline tickets in advance, before you get to Europe. So, you ARE forming a rough, skeletal itinerary, which is more "structured" than some travelers prefer. That's the tradeoff, though, for doing one of those multi-country trips as cheaply as possible and in as short of a time as allowed.

Feel free to chime in with more questions, or to clarify anything we've suggested...

worldwidemike