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FaceEater posted:I ask only because if it's Sunday, it might've been slow down at Sol. Not terribly, but notably different. 6.5 hours... Like I said, if it were me, I might chance it. If you're traveling light, you should GTFO of the airport and go. If you've got luggage and/or any dependents, stay in the airport. Search out any random bar and then have a nap or a good read. I truly hope someone else can reply with something closer that they know of on the metro on the way from the airport, but that's all I've got for a first-timer. I found an awesome as gently caress little restaurant right by the airport, around 10 minutes from the Barajas metro station. It's called Vina de Nerea (the address is Av. de Logrono 128), and it's right beside a sister restaurant that also has wicked food. I just sort of stumbled in on my last evening in Madrid, and I was really impressed. Unlike "airport districts" in most places in North America, the area around Barajas is actually very charming. Do you get the full Madrid experience? Well, no, but you can have a nice lunch/dinner, a few glasses of wine, and not have to stress about having enough time to get back through passport control or security. quote:gently caress yeah dude. San Sebastian is the tits. A little bit of Spanish will endear you to the people there, actually. You don't need to speak Basque. It's not a sore point that I've encountered in almost 10 visits there of varying length. English doesn't hurt, either. When people discovered that I spoke English, many were all to happy to "practice" their English abilities. And I'd speak in my Spanish, and they'd speak in their English, and we'd laugh over beers or whatever. I've rented an apartment for a month in Madrid, and San Sebastian is going to be one of my "side-trips" (the others will be Logrono and possibly Lisbon). I'm guessing I'll be there for around 5 days or something, and the only thing I'm convinced I need to do is eat at at least one 3-star Michelin restaurant (yes, I've been saving my money up...). I am open to all other suggestions. Anyone that has must-see or must-do stuff for me in Lisbon or Logrono is welcome to reply as well. Logrono will probably be a shorter trip, focused around wine and tapas, but, again, I'm open to recommendations. EDIT: My concern about speaking Spanish in San Sebastian was based mainly on my experience speaking English in Montreal -- where, even if people can speak it, they're often pissed off that you aren't speaking French. If it's not quite so politically charged in San Sebastian, I'm sure it will be fine.
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Mar 22, 2015 16:37
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PT6A posted:EDIT: My concern about speaking Spanish in San Sebastian was based mainly on my experience speaking English in Montreal -- where, even if people can speak it, they're often pissed off that you aren't speaking French. If it's not quite so politically charged in San Sebastian, I'm sure it will be fine. I've been to Montreal a bunch and I don't know any French other than Bonjour and Merci and I've never had one problem with people being rude over the fact I can't speak French. Always surprised when I hear people say people in Montreal are rude to Americans, they've always been more than pleasant in my experience. Same with pretty much anywhere I've gone in Europe as well where I can't speak the language.
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Mar 22, 2015 17:55
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EATIN SHRIMP posted:I've been to Montreal a bunch and I don't know any French other than Bonjour and Merci and I've never had one problem with people being rude over the fact I can't speak French. Always surprised when I hear people say people in Montreal are rude to Americans, they've always been more than pleasant in my experience. Same with pretty much anywhere I've gone in Europe as well where I can't speak the language. This is what people say, and I've had the exact same experience as you have everywhere else I've been (including in Quebec outside of Montreal), but I caught a lot of attitude around downtown Montreal (less so in the rest of the city, and less so in more touristy places).
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Mar 22, 2015 18:03
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EATIN SHRIMP posted:I've been to Montreal a bunch and I don't know any French other than Bonjour and Merci and I've never had one problem with people being rude over the fact I can't speak French. Always surprised when I hear people say people in Montreal are rude to Americans, they've always been more than pleasant in my experience. Same with pretty much anywhere I've gone in Europe as well where I can't speak the language. PT6A posted:This is what people say, and I've had the exact same experience as you have everywhere else I've been (including in Quebec outside of Montreal), but I caught a lot of attitude around downtown Montreal (less so in the rest of the city, and less so in more touristy places). In my experience for myself and observing other people, a lot of people's reaction to you not speaking the local language comes down to how you act about it. If you seem like a jerk and don't even speak any French, people will probably be rude to you. If you seem like a nice guy who clearly can't get past bojour then people will probably be nice to you.
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Mar 22, 2015 18:22
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PT6A posted:I found an awesome as gently caress little restaurant right by the airport, around 10 minutes from the Barajas metro station. It's called Vina de Nerea (the address is Av. de Logrono 128), and it's right beside a sister restaurant that also has wicked food. I just sort of stumbled in on my last evening in Madrid, and I was really impressed. Unlike "airport districts" in most places in North America, the area around Barajas is actually very charming. Do you get the full Madrid experience? Well, no, but you can have a nice lunch/dinner, a few glasses of wine, and not have to stress about having enough time to get back through passport control or security. Yep. Spanish is a-ok in San Sebastian. Beachcombing and watching the surfers on Zurriola aka Playa de Gros are good ways to hang out in that town. Also wandering around the Parte Vieja and hitting up the small but interesting Mercado de San Martin south of there would be my suggestions. If you´re up for a little hike Monte Urgull gives a good view from the little castle at the top. I spent a year in Logroño, so Yes, Indeed. Food - In and around Calle Laurel, you are going to have almost too much choice in what to eat. In no particular order - Bar Soriano - Champis con gamba - Mushrooms sauteed in garlic oil sauce with a little prawn on top. There are a million of these mushroom joints, and all are pretty good. But I always liked this place best. Served by old dudes that look like they´ve been grilling mushrooms longer than anyone. Ever. Juan y Pinchame - Langostino y piña - grilled shrimp and pineapple with sea salt. A little pricey for pinchos, but so delicious. Blanco y Negro - the Zapatilla - Jamon serrano, melted white cheese, raspberry preserves, served hot on a slice of bread and melted and awesome. Bar Jubera - patatas bravas - delicious filler food, gently fried potatoes covered in slightly spicy red sauce, with cream sauce as well. Worth a trip. Tío Agus - pincho moruno - grilled heavily seasoned meat slathered in a sauce not unlike chimichurri and tossed on a baguette. Delicious. Bar Charly - This one is half joke, half serious. If you´re an adventurous eater, this place has very traditional Riojano food. Their specialty is moros. Aka pig face and snout. Grilled and salted. I tried once, and must´ve chewed on a piece of snout for three minutes straight. An experience to say the least. A buddy of mine works there still last I checked. La Canilla - El entrecot - thinly sliced steak served rare with sauteed peppers and little pomme frites. The priciest pincho, but so flippin good it hurts and just looking at it makes me miss it. Juana la Loca - Berberechos a la plancha - little clams cooked in oil with salt. Delicious. Also they´ve got great squid (chipirones). Pictures and more suggestions here http://www.escapadarural.com/que-hacer/logrono/bar-juana-la-loca/donde-comer Bars and nightlife El Dorado - Rock and beer bar, very musician friendly. They have Weihenstephaner on tap. That´s a rarity in these parts. One of the few beer bars in town. And they´ve got all kinds of neat, hard to find brews. Great for a pint outside. Not really a late night spot, great for a day drink or your first of the evening. Cafe and Bar La Luna - aka Los Cuentos de La Luna, but everybody just calls it La Luna. Kick-rear end music and rowdy party fun downstairs, upstairs a bit more chill. Upstairs is coffee and a more relaxed atmosphere. Usually a few pieces from local artists on the wall. Downstairs goes til late late late at night on the weekends. And just regular late on weekdays. Bar Stereo - Rock and roll and rockabilly bar open til very late. Made friends with the owner. Generally pretty fun. Biribay Jazz Club - One of the few (only) venues in town. Live music with cheap cover. Very often shows are free. Not just jazz by any stretch. They do movie nights as well. To see and do Plaza del Mercado - Main plaza and square. Historical significance dating back to at least the 11th century, and the cathedral is built on 12th century Roman ruins. The cathedral itself is pretty if you´re into that sort of thing. Puente de Piedra - 10th or 11th century stone bridge spanning the Ebro river. Very cool. Iglesia de Santiago el Real - Aka Santiago Matamoros, or Saint James the Moor-killer. Ramble over to the facade to see Saint James murdering some Moorish folks and installing Christianity. Head inside and towards the back for a loving terrifying experience with a motion sensored statue in a dark corner. Bodegas Franco-Españolas - If you don´t have a car, this bodega will do nicely for a tour. They´re a bit stingy on the tasting section, but the place is pretty cool and is a good way to kill a few hours of an afternoon learning about wine. Tours are only in Spanish last I checked. If you have a car, get to the Monasteries of Yuso and Suso aka San Millán de la Cogolla - Beautiful twin monasteries, one of them dating back to the 6th century and carved into a cave. Still holds the books where the first words of Spanish were ever written. Book tours in advance or at the monastery. Cool trip through gorgeous countryside and great if you´re into old books. Bring a coat because the old monastery in the cave is always effing cold. Also, a quick bus ride (from the main bus station in town) to Laguardia aka La Guardia is a great afternoon trip. Medieval town full of winding streets and fortifications that go way the hell back. There´s a site that goes back to like 1000 BC there. Pick any one of the bodegas there for lunch. Sometimes they run tours and you can get into the caves where they cellar their wine that are hundreds of years old and carved by hand. I´ve gone back there a handful of times and can´t pick a bodega I like best. The views from there on the valley surrounding are quite pretty. Ally McBeal Wiki fucked around with this message at 19:27 on Mar 22, 2015 |
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Mar 22, 2015 19:22
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Awesome, I think I may actually extend my trip to Logrono and drop Lisbon (which seemed a lot, lot more attractive at low-season prices -- I'm almost sure I can get better bang for my buck in San Sebastian, or Logrono, or enjoy myself plenty in Madrid). Are the cathedrals and stuff open for tours? I'd certainly be interested in that sort of thing, but I'm not sure what the protocol is, since I've never really been in a church and (obviously, given that) am not an observant Catholic. Any tips for what to do or not to do in order to be respectful? Do you have any hotel recommendations? The one I was looking at at first, Calle Mayor, had absurdly good ratings on TripAdvisor, but availability seems limited. Besides, last year when I was in Granada, I made a similar choice and I ended up wishing I'd gone for a normal hotel instead of a more expensive boutique hotel.
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Mar 22, 2015 19:53
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Lisbon is great, though. Quite a lot to do around there, and a nice change from Madrid. I'd recommend finding some time for it anyway when the weather along the coast is nice. Can't compare it to your other options though, I've never been there.
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Mar 22, 2015 20:10
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PT6A posted:Awesome, I think I may actually extend my trip to Logrono and drop Lisbon (which seemed a lot, lot more attractive at low-season prices -- I'm almost sure I can get better bang for my buck in San Sebastian, or Logrono, or enjoy myself plenty in Madrid). Link to Lisbon post . http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3318901&pagenumber=158&perpage=40#post442242580 If you have time, get to Lisbon. 3 or 4 days should give you a good taste of the place, but if you´re like me it´ll hook you and make you wish you spent more time there. All the cathedrals and churches and chapels are open and free in Logroño. Some have a suggested donation for renovations and such. SOP is to just walk in, stay quiet, look around, take note of any photo restrictions (most places if they allow cameras don´t allow flash, but some do), and just generally stick to the straight and narrow. Lots of these churches will be empty in the daytime save for maybe one or two people in the pews praying. The cathedral will be busy at all times when its open though. If there is a mass going on, stick to the outer hallways and don´t head down the main aisle. Just be cool. You´ll figure it out. Logroño itself when it isn´t in fiesta season (when exactly are you going again?) can more or less be done in 3 days. Fiestas make it more fun and might make you want to stay longer. San Sebastian is a quick bus trip away, as is Bilbao. I´d suggest perhaps looking into the EuskalTren between Bilbao and San Sebastian (aka Donostia) if you´re feeling restless. Runs through some pretty countryside and while not the fastest way is the best way for a traveler imho. On hotels, I´ve got nothing. There was decent, cheap place I stayed in for a few weeks called Pensión Rey Pastor, but I don´t know if they´re still operating. Pensiónes are often your least expensive option. If money´s no object, it looks like maybe Gran Vía or Calle Mayor would be nice. edit - also, the cathedral in San Sebastian is kinda cool as well. Has a mariner vibe going on. Ally McBeal Wiki fucked around with this message at 20:31 on Mar 22, 2015 |
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Mar 22, 2015 20:22
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Got home from my trip last night. I had a nice time, except for the whole thing where I lost my phone in Nyhavn harbor
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Mar 24, 2015 12:48
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So... question about RENFE. I know the website is a little bit dysfunctional by reputation, so I'm trying to figure out whether I'm seeing a quirk of the website, or a quirk of the train schedule. Basically, I want to go from Madrid to San Sebastian near the end of May. Right now, ALVIA trains are showing up for Sunday/Thursday for the Madrid-San Sebastian route, and Monday/Friday for the return route. If I search for earlier dates (in April) I see multiple ALVIA trains on the same route, and they run daily. Should I assume that trains will be added closer to the date, or is there a reason they'd decide to cut back service on that route? Are there many train services in Spain that would only run twice per week?
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Mar 25, 2015 16:52
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Here's a few random pics from my trip. Apologies in advance since they aren't pro tier MLG shots Only reason to go to The Hague imo   Right next to where I was staying  Utrecht.jpeg  Pancake Bakery  Haarlem is great    18 goddamn dollar burger and fries in Copenhagen  Cool exhibit at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art 
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Mar 26, 2015 15:44
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It looks like they forgot to put a patty in your hamburger.
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Mar 26, 2015 16:18
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Saladman posted:It looks like they forgot to put a patty in your hamburger. I don't eat meat, it's a veggie patty :p
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Mar 26, 2015 16:48
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So dudes for my next trip I was thinking about Paris and then going to Belgium. How is October? I will probably have enough vacation time re-accrued by then, otherwise I'd go earlier. I prefer cooler weather (50s, 60s). I was thinking 5-6 days in Paris, then go to Brussels and visit Ghent, Maastricht (NL), whatever by train while I'm there. It would probably be about 10-12 days total.
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Mar 26, 2015 19:08
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actionjackson posted:So dudes for my next trip I was thinking about Paris and then going to Belgium. How is October? I will probably have enough vacation time re-accrued by then, otherwise I'd go earlier. I prefer cooler weather (50s, 60s). I was thinking 5-6 days in Paris, then go to Brussels and visit Ghent, Maastricht (NL), whatever by train while I'm there. It would probably be about 10-12 days total. Gent is fantastic, please go to Gent. I was there in September last year and remember the weather being quite nice. If you are familiar with use-it.travel, there's a guide for almost every major Belgian city including Gent and its got lots of cool stuff. If by chance you are into street art, there is a really cool guide as well that takes you all over the city looking at great street art and has info about the artists. At the very least, it's a cool way to see the city. Also, if you like espresso you have to go to Mokabon, an amazing local coffee shop that roasts their own beans in the shop and makes their own slagroom (whipped cream). Also, Leuven and Antwerpen are lovely too.
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Mar 26, 2015 23:54
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Cool thanks!
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Mar 27, 2015 00:46
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Weather in October could be pretty lovely
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Mar 27, 2015 00:58
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Can anyone give me a quick run down things to do/see in Prague? I decided to add a few nights there in June just because the architecture looks so amazing but I'm not really sure what else the city has to offer. My friend says it has some crazy clubs but the nights ill be there will be week nights so I'm not sure how much partying I'll be doing.
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Mar 27, 2015 13:12
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I looked at the google.com/flights map and one thing led to another and now I'm going to Sweden and Finland for a quick visit. Can someone recommend a good sausage stand in Helsinki that sells Ryynimakkara because my friend insists that I try some and says that most of the stands are crap.
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Mar 27, 2015 17:59
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Anyone have an estimate for how long it takes to get through customs and to the train station at CDG (Paris) airport?
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Mar 29, 2015 07:12
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.Z. posted:Anyone have an estimate for how long it takes to get through customs and to the train station at CDG (Paris) airport? Assuming no checked luggage, it'll be around 40 minutes from your landing time on the tarmac until you get to the TGV or RER. It'll be a little longer (+5-20 minutes) if by 'customs' you mean 'passport control'. The airport is pretty easy to get around, so you could even do it faster (especially if you're at the front of the plane), but I wouldn't bet a missed train on it. Saladman fucked around with this message at 10:31 on Mar 29, 2015 |
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Mar 29, 2015 10:27
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I'm landing in Munich on Tuesday for a little over a week's stay with some relatives in Vaterstetten, in the metro area. I'm alright with stuff to do in Munich proper, but the tour books in general seem kinda bad about stuff to do in the towns around Munich. Is Starnberg an alright place? Herrsching? I live in rural-ish Michigan and would quite like to visit and just chill in a Bavarian approximation of that for a day, but these tourist books I've been looking at don't seem to have many entries for "nice town for a walk, but not much going on", and the relatives I'm visiting only moved to Germany a year ago, so they're still figuring things out a bit. If all else fails I'll probably just buy a day's pass for the entire MVV network and go in a random direction, but it'd be nice to have some notional goal.
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Mar 29, 2015 19:54
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.Z. posted:Anyone have an estimate for how long it takes to get through customs and to the train station at CDG (Paris) airport? I just did it in an hour or so but my terminal was about as far away from the train as can be
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Mar 29, 2015 22:33
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So my friend and I are planning a trip and so far it looks like this: Arrive in London on June 18th and stay until the 22nd. On the 22nd, take a train to Paris and stay from 22nd - 29th. On the 29th, rent a car and drive from Paris to Brussels and stay in Brussels for the night. Then, on the 30th, drive from Brussels to Amsterdam and fly back to the US on the 3rd. We've already been to London a couple of years ago, but loved it so much we want to go back for a little while just to visit and hang out, so, not really concerned with site seeing or anything too much. All the other places we are visiting are new. I'm assuming there is plenty to do in Paris that we could easily burn a week there. My main question and concern is the renting a car. Is this a good idea, or would we just be better off taking a train? How easy would it be to get one and what would driving from Paris -> Brussels -> Amsterdam be like? I'm over 25 (if that matters for renting a car) and I can drive a manual transmission just fine. Is parking in Brussels possible? We plan on booking hotels beforehand and staying at decent places, so I assume our hotel in Brussels may provide us with parking (I have no idea)? Another assumption I'm making is that we'd be able to return the car in Amsterdam once we get there. Has anyone done this before? Can you rent a car in one country and easily return it in another? I thought it would be a cool adventure to drive through different places, but if this is dumb or is going to be difficult, I'm ok with taking a train if that's easier.
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Mar 30, 2015 02:05
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idontcare posted:I thought it would be a cool adventure to drive through different places, but if this is dumb or is going to be difficult, I'm ok with taking a train if that's easier. It's a decent adventure for about 5 minutes and then the novelty wears off. The train will most definitely be easier and probably cheaper if you book tickets in advance. Renting a car is fairly expensive as it is, but wanting to drop it off in a different country will at least double the price. If you're a confident driver it's not too bad, but with easy train access between those places you've listed trains are the easy choice. I only rented a car for one day and it was to get around the WW1 sites in Calais and Belgium where trains didn't go.
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Mar 30, 2015 02:44
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Ofaloaf posted:I'm landing in Munich on Tuesday for a little over a week's stay with some relatives in Vaterstetten, in the metro area. I'm alright with stuff to do in Munich proper, but the tour books in general seem kinda bad about stuff to do in the towns around Munich. Is Starnberg an alright place? Herrsching? I live in rural-ish Michigan and would quite like to visit and just chill in a Bavarian approximation of that for a day, but these tourist books I've been looking at don't seem to have many entries for "nice town for a walk, but not much going on", and the relatives I'm visiting only moved to Germany a year ago, so they're still figuring things out a bit. Take the S-Bahn (S 8) to Herrsching (end of the line) and walk approximately 2 km through the woods to the Andechs monastery/brewery.
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Mar 30, 2015 09:08
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idontcare posted:So my friend and I are planning a trip and so far it looks like this: Unless you want to stop somewhere along the way I don't really see the point in driving as it's probably more expensive when you account for gas, potential tolls, and parking and someone has to drive. You should be able to see if the hotel will provide parking, probably an additional cost, through whatever website you use to book. I'd also recommend that you spend more time in Brussels, but then I liked that city and thought Amsterdam was mediocre. asur fucked around with this message at 16:38 on Mar 30, 2015 |
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Mar 30, 2015 09:53
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Earlier the thread consensus was that Brussels is a shithole and you'll probably get stabbed (I share this opinion). Do spend enough time in lovely Amsterdam  Driving seems like a big hassle, especially if you're not used to driving in Europe. There's tolls in France, there are complicated things like roundabouts and priorité à droite and traffic signs that don't have words on them, and parking is a nightmare. In Amsterdam, it's €5 an hour in the center, and good luck finding a spot. European cities are no place for cars, it is only worth it if you really want to go somewhere where public transportation doesn't go. Entropist fucked around with this message at 12:22 on Mar 30, 2015 |
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Mar 30, 2015 12:19
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idontcare posted:I thought it would be a cool adventure to drive through different places, but if this is dumb or is going to be difficult, I'm ok with taking a train if that's easier. They will charge you a hefty fee to drop the car off in another country. Don't assume your hotel will provide parking but they might.
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Mar 30, 2015 13:43
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If you really want to travel in a car, you could try car sharing. You would need to be flexible and OK with having to make last minute plans (if they cancel/flake out), but you can save money compared to the trains by using it. I went from Cologne to Paris, with a stop somewhere in Belgium this way. It was...interesting as the person was basically operating an off license bus service in a 15 year old VW van. But I've used it a few times in Germany with no problems.
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Mar 30, 2015 14:18
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idontcare posted:So my friend and I are planning a trip and so far it looks like this: As everyone else has said, take the train and don't drive. You're going to major capital cities, so there will be fast & direct trains all the time and there are only two of you. Cars are really only preferable if you're going somewhere with lovely public transit, have a family, or are planning on spending time in smaller towns. The countryside between Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam is also pretty unremarkable, it's only slightly better than driving through the European equivalent of Iowa. For the person who said roundabouts and priorité à droite are complex,  . Amsterdam is really terrible for parking, though.
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Mar 30, 2015 15:03
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WaryWarren posted:Take the S-Bahn (S 8) to Herrsching (end of the line) and walk approximately 2 km through the woods to the Andechs monastery/brewery. This is good advice. On a similar theme you can also visit Weihstephaner and do a brewery tour. It is towards Freising. http://weihenstephaner.de/en/age-check?redirect=L2VuL2JyZXdlcnktdG91cg%3D%3D Stanberg is a pretty town and the lake is great but if the weather is bad I wouldn't really recommend it. If you want day trips the normal things to do are, go to Neuschwanstein, which is a little over an hour away or Lindenhof or Heerenchiemsee. All 3 are great in their own ways, Neuschwantstein is the star of course. Dachau is interesting if you want to see the concentration camp. Regensburg and Landsburg am Lech are both really pretty medieval towns and both have the advantage of not being overly touristy.
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Mar 30, 2015 15:24
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Saladman posted:Assuming no checked luggage, it'll be around 40 minutes from your landing time on the tarmac until you get to the TGV or RER. It'll be a little longer (+5-20 minutes) if by 'customs' you mean 'passport control'. The airport is pretty easy to get around, so you could even do it faster (especially if you're at the front of the plane), but I wouldn't bet a missed train on it. dupersaurus posted:I just did it in an hour or so but my terminal was about as far away from the train as can be Bleh, that doesn't sound to promising. I'd have to get from Terminal 1 to the train station, get tickets, and board in an hour or I'd have to wait 5 hours for the next train. Time to look at a connecting flight I guess.
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Mar 30, 2015 16:07
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.Z. posted:Bleh, that doesn't sound to promising. I'd have to get from Terminal 1 to the train station, get tickets, and board in an hour or I'd have to wait 5 hours for the next train. I was at terminal 2, don't know how T1 would work. It's a different stop on the RER; I don't know if there's any other connection between the two, but the RER stop at T2 is at the station with the TGV. You can pre-purchase TGV tickets and print them out on your own or send them to your phone to scan.
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Mar 30, 2015 16:16
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Is most of the stuff worth seeing in Paris in zones 1-3? I was looking at that travel card (Visite). For five days it's $45 for zones 1-3, $77 for zones 1-5. If I'm only going out to zone 5 for the airport it'd be better to just get the first one.Entropist posted:Earlier the thread consensus was that Brussels is a shithole and you'll probably get stabbed (I share this opinion). Do spend enough time in lovely Amsterdam Is it really not worth visiting? If I stay in Ghent I can make easy day trips to Bruges, Antwerp, Brussels and Leuven. I'm trying to plan out how much time to stay there, so right now I'm thinking one full day in Ghent (plus nights), and one day for each trip to those other cities. actionjackson fucked around with this message at 16:42 on Mar 30, 2015 |
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Mar 30, 2015 16:23
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idontcare posted:I thought it would be a cool adventure to drive through different places, but if this is dumb or is going to be difficult, I'm ok with taking a train if that's easier. Driving is doable, but as others have said, it's pretty boring and parking fees can get ridiculous. Also, be aware that gas is more expensive than in the US. I would recommend taking the Thalys train; it takes 3.5 hours from Paris to Amsterdam(stopping in Brussels, Den Haag, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Schipol airport) and departs several times a day. It requires a reservation but you're guaranteed a seat. The train is fast and comfortable and you can spend your time reading or sipping a coffee instead of paying attention to the road and trying to figure out what the French and Dutch roadsigns mean. There's a big catch though; train tickets on the Thalys(and most high-speed trains) are sold like airline tickets. If you want a reasonable price, you have to book well in advance(I'd recommend booking soon for a June trip.) If you wait 'til the last minute, you will pay out the rear end. You can buy tickets from the SNCF(French railway company) website, but they seem unable to handle non-French credit cards(it's a little disconcerting that a multi-billion dollar state railway line can't handle the technology that a family-owned bodega or cafe has no problem mastering, but whatever) so I'd recommend buying tickets through Capitaine Train. actionjackson posted:Is most of the stuff worth seeing in Paris in zones 1-3? I was looking at that travel card (Visite). For five days it's $45 for zones 1-3, $77 for zones 1-5. If I'm only going out to zone 5 for the airport it'd be better to just get the first one. All of Paris is within Zone 1. Everything on the Metro is within zones 1-3 and costs the same as any other metro ticket. Some things of interest like the Palace of Versailles is further out(zone 4.) Unless you're planning on spending a lot of time in Versailles, Fountainbleau or Disneyland, it would be best to use the zone 1-3 pass. Also, looking around, it seems like the Carte Visite pass zones 1-5 includes the Orly airport, but not the Charles De Gaulle airport, which is the major one. It's also worth considering getting a Carte Découverte; it's considerably cheaper(21.25 euro + 5 euro processing fee) but it has 2 major downsides compared to the Carte Visite: 1) A week pass starts Monday and ends Sunday. If you buy a week pass on Thursday(last day they sell them), it will only work 4 days. 2) The Carte Visite offers some discounts which the Découverte doesn't. Also, you need to attach a picture and pay a 5 euro processing fee to get the Découverte(luckily, most stations have photo machines for about 2 euro.) FreshlyShaven fucked around with this message at 16:47 on Mar 30, 2015 |
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Mar 30, 2015 16:34
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actionjackson posted:Is most of the stuff worth seeing in Paris in zones 1-3? I was looking at that travel card (Visite). For five days it's $45 for zones 1-3, $77 for zones 1-5. If I'm only going out to zone 5 for the airport it'd be better to just get the first one. Paris itself is only zone 1. The only thing outside of there you might want to visit is Versailles in Zone 4. A two way ticket to Versailles (from Paris) is around 8€ I think.
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Mar 30, 2015 16:47
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Okay thanks. I'll still have to figure out if the visit is worth it since if it's within two miles or so I will usually walk. Might depend on where I'm staying with airbnb. Since the flight back from Paris leaves early, I'm thinking right now... CDG -> Brussels (TGV, Thalys isn't serving the Ghent station starting in April apparently) try not to get stabbed Brussels -> Ghent stay in Ghent, see some other cities Ghent -> Brussels Brussels -> Paris Nord stay in Paris, do stuff CDG->home
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Mar 30, 2015 17:31
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actionjackson posted:Is most of the stuff worth seeing in Paris in zones 1-3? I was looking at that travel card (Visite). For five days it's $45 for zones 1-3, $77 for zones 1-5. If I'm only going out to zone 5 for the airport it'd be better to just get the first one.
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Mar 30, 2015 17:43
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actionjackson posted:Is most of the stuff worth seeing in Paris in zones 1-3? I was looking at that travel card (Visite). For five days it's $45 for zones 1-3, $77 for zones 1-5. If I'm only going out to zone 5 for the airport it'd be better to just get the first one. I just got the museum pass and that was fine for me. I was staying real close to Chatlet-Les Halles, and pretty much everything was well in walking distance. And even towards the end of my stay when my legs were saying "let's spend more time on the train", EUR1.40/ticket isn't bad. Granted, I'm also pretty fit, so your personal tolerances for walking may differ.
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Mar 30, 2015 18:33
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