Travelling round Europe/Inter-railing.

[Terbinator]

Anyone done this or have any tips?

Basically me and 3/4 friends are planning on travelling around a few key(read: cities) destinations during the summer but we've not really set anything in concrete yet and i don't want to leave it too late.

Any tips from finance, security, and destinations would be really useful.

I've had a quick look over the inter-rail website but the top-tier ticket (30 days) seems expensive and doesn't get us out of the country, either.

The general plan at the minute seems to be a flight out (probably easyjet/similar) to Barcelona then go essentially anti-clockwise.

So yeah, i know you lot are well travelled so any tips would be greatly welcomed.
NB: Looking to go form Mid-July to Mid-August.

[nibbler]

Almost everyone starts in Amsterdam - cheap flights with easyjets and... it's Amsterdam. We started there anyway. I took the 2 week ticket and set it up so that the ticket started when we left our first place and ended when we got to our last place - we got a week on either side. I went to Amsterdam, Vienna, Budapest and Berlin and it was a great trip, Budapest especially recommended (so cheap, different and fun). I'd recommend happy hostel in Budapest too. I got a caxton fx card for finance, it's free and the exchange rate is pretty good. No charge for transactions at all in europe (apart from in the UK). Don't go to Bratislava, everyone goes there and says it's awful. I'd say choose 4-5 cities and spend 2-4 days in each, as it's more relaxing.

[Terbinator]

I think Amsterdam was going to be our last stop so we could spend the end of our journey baking out. Although nothings set in stone yet so I'll definitely pass your thoughts on.

Berlin, Munich, Budapest, Amsterdam, Florence and Rome are definitely on our list though.

[TheAnimus]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000N8GXI...SIN=B000N8GXI2

stops someone casually taking your bag, can make it look a target thou. I often put my overpack over this so it doesn't stand out.

http://www.equipyourtrip.com/lifeven...ource=googleps put like 100euros emergency dosh in it, NEVER take it out of sight.

Other than that always talk to strangers, the amount of problems I friends and I have avoided thanks to the kindness of strangers is immense, but also don't trust anyone other than yourself. I normally look after a mate of mines passport too when we're doing dangerous stuff because he knows he's a liability.

[nibbler]

Photocopy passports, take EHIC etc

[Galant]

Take a look here.

Wanderlust mode engaged!

[Terbinator]

Sorry for the thread necro, but the wheels were finally set in motion for this today.

Am i right in thinking i don't need a Visa or similar to travel around the EU, given the Schengen agreement/area? I'm going to take my passport (obviously) and drivers license with me, as well as an ISIC card.

[TheAnimus]

Correct!

I would say, separate your passport from your drivers license, using the latter where possible.

Also, don't forget to get your EHIC, as well as proper insurance.

[Jonatron]

I recently did fly to Copenhagen->train to Hamburg->sleeper train to Amsterdam->fly back. It worked out cheaper to get individual train tickets because we only got 2 long distance trains, but for you inter rail will most likely be cheaper. It takes a lot of planning to get everything matching up like hostels/hotels on the right days, so start now! It's quite tricky to figure out what trains you need reservations for too. The sleeper train for us seemed like a good idea at the time of booking but we were so knackered the next day we didn't do much. Also the smell of 4 guys who had been walking around all day in a very very small space wasn't great. Also, strangely, what would have really helped us was good detailed maps and a compass. The number of times we went in the polar opposite direction of where we were supposed to be going... Also yeah, I had this awesome mains adapter that had USB ports on it, it was handy when we wanted to charge 3 phones when there was only one socket in the hostel room.

[Terbinator]

I recently did fly to Copenhagen->train to Hamburg->sleeper train to Amsterdam->fly back. It worked out cheaper to get individual train tickets because we only got 2 long distance trains, but for you inter rail will most likely be cheaper. It takes a lot of planning to get everything matching up like hostels/hotels on the right days, so start now! It's quite tricky to figure out what trains you need reservations for too. The sleeper train for us seemed like a good idea at the time of booking but we were so knackered the next day we didn't do much. Also the smell of 4 guys who had been walking around all day in a very very small space wasn't great. Also, strangely, what would have really helped us was good detailed maps and a compass. The number of times we went in the polar opposite direction of where we were supposed to be going... Also yeah, I had this awesome mains adapter that had USB ports on it, it was handy when we wanted to charge 3 phones when there was only one socket in the hostel room.

I think we were(are?) just planning to get off the train and see where we end up for the night in terms of hostels - so I'm open to recommendations if you think there would be any specific ones worth looking at? From a quick Google some of the hostels seem too good to be true in terms of what they look like/offer for the price (link - £17pp/ per night) - is this the norm and i've just been living under a rock?

[Jonatron]

I think we were(are?) just planning to get off the train and see where we end up for the night in terms of hostels - so I'm open to recommendations if you think there would be any specific ones worth looking at? From a quick Google some of the hostels seem too good to be true in terms of what they look like/offer for the price (link - £17pp/ per night) - is this the norm and i've just been living under a rock?

We had someone who flat out refused to come unless we guaranteed we weren't going to stay in hostel dorms, so we had to book private rooms. I don't see any reason why you couldn't just walk around looking for places to stay when you get there. £17pp/night seems like a normal sort of figure for a hostel! Although one place added on extra fees for not having a hostel international membership card or something.