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DNova posted:If you're staying within one zone (e.g., the entirety of the 23 districts of Vienna), you need one ticket per trip, regardless of the number of transfers you make. When you travel between Vienna and the airport (which is not actually in Vienna, and is another transport zone), you need a 2-zone ticket validated. I believe that validating two 1-zone fares is also valid. You'd want to validate them at the same time if you are crossing the zone boundary before alighting, because otherwise you are taking a 2-fare trip with only 1 fare validated, which can get you in trouble. Perfect. So I'm assuming that most of the major cities I'm visiting has a similar system? Right now I'm bussing to Bratislava where I'm staying for the majority of my trip. Afterwards it's Prague for 4 days. Getting there by train.
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May 4, 2013 10:58
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Kolta posted:Perfect. So I'm assuming that most of the major cities I'm visiting has a similar system? Right now I'm bussing to Bratislava where I'm staying for the majority of my trip. Afterwards it's Prague for 4 days. Getting there by train. Every city you go to will have differences with public transportation policies, so make sure you understand the rules in each place.
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May 4, 2013 11:37
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So I swung by O2 mobile today and got some information about prepaid. Did I understand correctly when they said .50$ a day for 400MB of data?
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May 5, 2013 16:10
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Kolta posted:So I swung by O2 mobile today and got some information about prepaid. Did I understand correctly when they said .50$ a day for 400MB of data? I would bet what they've done is amortized the price to "per day" while they haven't done the same with the data (i.e. it's actually $15/month for 400 MB of data, which is a pretty standard price/quantity for prepaid plans in Europe), but I guess it's also possible they charge you 50˘ the first time you use any amount of data in a given 24 hour period, and you can use up to 400 MB, which would make it one of the best prepaid cellular data plans. E: Sorry just saw you were in Bratislava, maybe it's way cheaper there. For some reason I thought you were in Lugano. I know Lebara's prepaid is ~$15/mo for 400 MB data in France and Switzerland.
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May 5, 2013 19:30
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Kolta posted:So I swung by O2 mobile today and got some information about prepaid. Did I understand correctly when they said .50$ a day for 400MB of data? Yes, this is correct. Each day (0:00:00 to 23:59:59) you use the internet on your phone is 0,50€. I couldn't find what happens after using 400 MB, but based on their other plans it appears that the speed is throttled to 16 kb/s. Kolta posted:Perfect. So I'm assuming that most of the major cities I'm visiting has a similar system? Right now I'm bussing to Bratislava where I'm staying for the majority of my trip. Afterwards it's Prague for 4 days. Getting there by train. Since you're already here, you probably already found out, but this site may provide any other information about public transport in Bratislava.
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May 5, 2013 21:07
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vetinari100 posted:Yes, this is correct. Each day (0:00:00 to 23:59:59) you use the internet on your phone is 0,50€. I couldn't find what happens after using 400 MB, but based on their other plans it appears that the speed is throttled to 16 kb/s. Right now I'm in Nitra at the Agrokomplex. I'm suppose to meet with the dean of European studies to start my internship in bio energy. I still have no clue what I'm (we) are going to be doing. Once I get my grounds settled I'm thinking of heading to Bratislava since we've litrerally seen all of Nitra yesterday except for the small chapel and caves located on top of the exterior hills surrounding the town. E: I'm figuring that the University will want to show us more. Nitras a very beautiful place. Kolta fucked around with this message at 09:53 on May 6, 2013 |
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May 6, 2013 09:51
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Kolta posted:Right now I'm in Nitra at the Agrokomplex. I'm suppose to meet with the dean of European studies to start my internship in bio energy. I still have no clue what I'm (we) are going to be doing. Good luck with your studies! To be honest, Bratislava is not that much larger, and you'll be able to see most of the city in 1-2 days. Depending on how much free time you'll have, I'd suggest also visiting East Slovakia for a couple of days (High Tatra mountains, Spiš castle, Slovak paradise, Dunajec River Gorge, Levoča, Prešov, Košice, etc...).
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May 6, 2013 11:50
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Yeah, eastern Slovakia was awesome, I think I posted some pics in the thread already ed: I guess not and they're on a different computer. Spis Castle was HRAD and we also visited some ice caves which were COOL 
greazeball fucked around with this message at 12:06 on May 6, 2013 |
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May 6, 2013 11:53
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bee posted:Rome: Eat dinner at a restaurant called Sensus, go do the usual touristy stuff like the Colloseum, Pantheon, Palatine Hill. Go to Trastevere and eat at some hole in the wall trattoria run by an old nonna for the best pasta of your life. Awesome, thank you! Alright so we split up some of the itinerary duties and I'm taking Barcelona and Prague. How is this for Barcelona? http://www.tripadvisor.com/Guide-g187497-l51-Barcelona_Catalonia.html Any city passes or things I need to pick up that'll make my life easier/cheaper? We will arrive by night-train on the first morning so hopefully we get there early. As far as Prague goes, I hate to link another 3 day trip adviser page but heeeeere we go. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Guide-g274707-l76-Prague_Bohemia.html For Prague we have 3 full days and travel days before and after so we can flexible as to when we leave/arrive. Any cool bars or something we should go to the night we arrive? How does that schedule look? The stuff like restaurants and shopping are obviously not MUSTs but what about the big things? I do want to go to good restaurants but they certainly don't have to be the ones they tell me to go to. We're all in our earlyish mid twenties. spacebrospiff fucked around with this message at 00:10 on May 7, 2013 |
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May 6, 2013 17:33
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Can someone fill me in on using my iphone 4s in Ireland? I'm on Verizon and from what I understand, I have to call Verizon to have them unlock the phone. Then, I can stop at a Tesco or wherever in Ireland and buy a SIM card and accompanying plan. I will then have an Irish phone number as well as data access. We're flying into Dublin but will then head directly to Belfast. We'll only be in N. Ireland for a few days and then Republic for rest of two weeks. Can I get the SIM in N. Ireland or should I get one in in the rebublic? I do see their phone numbers are different so I assume it matters.
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May 6, 2013 17:40
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Kaddish posted:Can someone fill me in on using my iphone 4s in Ireland? I'm on Verizon and from what I understand, I have to call Verizon to have them unlock the phone. Then, I can stop at a Tesco or wherever in Ireland and buy a SIM card and accompanying plan. I will then have an Irish phone number as well as data access. [Deleted] Apparently the iPhone 4S has a SIM slot even in the CDMA version, it's only the iPhone 4 Verizon users who are screwed. Should work fine for you. Don't know about the specifics between North Ireland and Rep Ireland, but I'd guess you'll get a SIM in Rep Ireland, then just not use it as much in North Ireland to avoid the international roaming fees. Or get another SIM if you're really devoted to being on your phone nonstop. Saladman fucked around with this message at 18:43 on May 6, 2013 |
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May 6, 2013 18:34
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Heading to Iceland in a month for about 4 days. I know there's a lot of awesome stuff to see there but.. I'm just not sure what exactly to spend the time on. Anything goes really, assuming we'll be hiring a car for the time there to get around. Flying in to Reyjavkaiackcik of course! E: One thing I'd like some further insight on is lava caving. What's it like? Is it worth it? Or is it just caves from old volcanoes once upon a millenia? Alkazard.exe fucked around with this message at 14:24 on May 7, 2013 |
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May 7, 2013 14:08
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Saladman posted:[Deleted] Apparently the iPhone 4S has a SIM slot even in the CDMA version, it's only the iPhone 4 Verizon users who are screwed. Should work fine for you. Got it, I just wanted to verify what I've found. Sounds pretty straight forward for the 4s.
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May 7, 2013 14:19
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Alkazard.exe posted:Heading to Iceland in a month for about 4 days. I know there's a lot of awesome stuff to see there but.. I'm just not sure what exactly to spend the time on. Anything goes really, assuming we'll be hiring a car for the time there to get around. Reykjavik has some great sea-food and bars and you could spend a day wandering around and looking at the Viking museum, opera house etc. There are also some great whale watching tours. Basically in 4 days you should probably do the main sites. Golden circle - Gulfoss, Pingvellir and the geysirs - this is a long 1 day tour from Reykjavik. Blue Lagoon - is nice before you get on your plane. After that you either go north to the Snćfellsnes peninsula. Which is pretty stunning drive and then the peninsula itself is incredibly rugged and beautiful although barren. Or you go South and head towards Vik and black sand beaches and Jökulsárlón lagoon. You won't go far wrong though if you drive and plan to stop every 20 mins to look at some other amazingly weird nature thing.
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May 8, 2013 10:27
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Hey guys. I received a University ID card for while I'm in Nitra. They said I can keep it if I want. Kinda like a souvenir I guess. My question is, wouldn't this be perfect for student discounts around Europe? Like the l'ouvre?
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May 8, 2013 10:52
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Kolta posted:Hey guys. I received a University ID card for while I'm in Nitra. They said I can keep it if I want. Kinda like a souvenir I guess. My question is, wouldn't this be perfect for student discounts around Europe? Like the l'ouvre? Yes, as long as it doesn't expire before you try to use it and you don't actually tell the ticket people you're from outside the EU. e: even then you'll probably be fine since you are in fact a bona fide student in the EU.
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May 8, 2013 11:14
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duralict posted:Yes, as long as it doesn't expire before you try to use it and you don't actually tell the ticket people you're from outside the EU. There's a valid from date but they didn't put an expire date. Where it says expires it's blank. Maybe it's a good thing maybe it's bad. The expiry date is located on the back of the card.
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May 8, 2013 11:47
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Anyone know anything about camping in Spain, specifically Barcelona? I'm looking for a super basic campsite ... one not full of families and kids and swimming pools and bars, ideally.. anything cheap anyone could recommend?
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May 8, 2013 11:49
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Kolta posted:There's a valid from date but they didn't put an expire date. Where it says expires it's blank. Maybe it's a good thing maybe it's bad. The expiry date is located on the back of the card. These are the best. I have frequently used a university ID that has no date of expiration either and never had anyone say anything. As long as you still kind of look like the guy in the photo on the ID, you'll be fine. Unless you're like 60 or something. E: And actually in some countries in Europe, student discounts only apply if you're a student AND under 26 (hi Belgium).
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May 8, 2013 15:28
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Saladman posted:E: And actually in some countries in Europe, student discounts only apply if you're a student AND under 26 (hi Belgium). Yeah, that caught me off guard. Personally though I've never been asked my age after using a student ID card and I am not under 26, so it's at least worth trying.
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May 8, 2013 16:23
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Saladman posted:These are the best. I have frequently used a university ID that has no date of expiration either and never had anyone say anything. As long as you still kind of look like the guy in the photo on the ID, you'll be fine. Unless you're like 60 or something. Yup! They used my passport photo and I'm 24. Score! Kolta fucked around with this message at 17:19 on May 8, 2013 |
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May 8, 2013 17:11
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So due to a bunch of random things happening I am possibly going to Ireland for like 6 or 7 days tomorrow. Just me, I've got a top three list of things to see based on research that are all kind of around each other. Is it worth it to rent a car given that I can't drive stick and will have to pay for automatic? I'm not so much worried about the danger of driving I'm just wondering if I can get around perfectly fine using bus/trains. One of the places I'd like to go is next to a hiking area that's a little bit out of the way. Anyone rented a car in Ireland? Experiences?
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May 9, 2013 16:03
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Where are you going in Ireland? If you want to go hiking, honestly, unless you have a seriously drat good reason not to do it, I'd say definitely get a car. Public transport is poo poo in Ireland anywhere outside of a city, and not that fab within cities (from my limited experience - I grew up in the country.) I'm gonna always vote for Co. Kerry and Co. Cork. One of the most beautiful most-Irishy experiences you can have IMO is to go down to the South West coast, visit Dingle (where I'm from  ), go and get drunk in the Droichead Beag on Main Street and see Irish music, go out on the boat to see the Dolphin, eat loads of food, drive around the ring of Kerry, then get your city fix in Cork - and I remember I really liked visiting the nearby island of Cobh. 
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May 9, 2013 16:22
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My goal is to pretty much hit cork and the dublin area, which I figure will be plenty for 6 days.I want to see some casztles, walk around, ride some bikes, drink some beer. Only thing stopping me from renting is the driving on the left but I might just chance it for the convenience and hope I don't die.
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May 9, 2013 22:01
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I'm going to Paris for a week at the end of June and although I'm looking forward to it very much... I'm kind of worried about pickpockets (googled "France pickpockets" and I'm making GBS threads myself), particularly as I'm a woman travelling alone. On the other hand I've walked round Vienna, Berlin and central London alone with no trouble whatsoever, and when I was in London I was about 17-18 and I looked it. I just stayed vigilant and tried to look like I always knew where I was going. What can I do to minimise the chance of trouble? I already know not to wear shorts, not to carry loads of cash and not to walk around with my nose in a travel guide. If anyone wants to suggest places to visit, too, I'm open to suggestions. I haven't yet bought a travel guide and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.
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May 9, 2013 22:34
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If there's a sudden commotion near you, pay attention to your bag and pockets. Don't carry your passport or other irreplaceable items. Enjoy the city and don't worry too much. Also, don't buy a travel guide; wikitravel has more than enough information.
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May 9, 2013 22:49
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DNova posted:If there's a sudden commotion near you, pay attention to your bag and pockets. Don't carry your passport or other irreplaceable items. Enjoy the city and don't worry too much. Thanks! Wikitravel seems excellent, though I admit I'm still considering the Rough Guide to Paris for the Kindle. So, generally normal vigilance, it seems - that's nothing I wouldn't do in Berlin or London. Or the city I live in, for that matter. With regards to the passport - should I carry a photocopy? I've heard you can be asked for ID in France. I'm also going to want to take photos - pulling out a digital camera isn't going to make me too much of a target, is it? I don't think I attracted much extra attention in Berlin, apart from when a man on a bike engaged me in a conversation about starling flocking patterns.
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May 9, 2013 23:10
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Relax, it's Paris. About half the people you see at any given moment will be pointing cameras at things. Don't stress about thieves, either, as long as you don't seem both wealthy and oblivious they'll go for easier targets. You don't have to run faster than the bear, just faster than your friend.
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May 9, 2013 23:55
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Yeah, hell I walked around Paris with my purse in one hand and my giant camera bag full of poo poo and never had a single problem. I always think the risk factor of these things is overstated so much for terrified Americans who have never left their country. Don't be an idiot and carry things in the back pocket of your jeans and you'll be fine. Plus the French police have gotten way better at moving the thieves along in the majorly troublesome locations, you used to be able to spot 20 of them from any given spot if you stood near the Eiffel Tower, last time I was there I saw only 2-3, and then 5 minutes later they were being moved along by the gendarmes.
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May 10, 2013 00:31
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photinus posted:With regards to the passport - should I carry a photocopy? I've heard you can be asked for ID in France. Go for it, if you want. They're not going to send you to Chateau d'If for not having ID on you, though.
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May 10, 2013 00:38
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It's probably overstated, but even French people are victims. I've seen someone who was talking on the phone get the phone yanked out of their hand from behind and the thief just run off. My mom has had her purse handle slit and the thief try to snatch the bag. A lot of Parisians I know have seen stuff like that happen once or twice. This in a 15 year time span though, so it's not an every day occurrence. My best advice if looking out for pickpockets would be to beware of small groups of young girls (two to four 10-15 year olds), especially when boarding/getting off a metro, tram or bus. But don't panic about it. I passed underneath the Eiffel tower the other day, amongst all the tourists, I didn't see anything suspicious. I had a camera in my hand too. You can wear shorts and keep a travel guide. These are tell-tale signs of a tourist, but even without them I'm 98% sure you'll still be identified as a tourist by any Parisian. pylb fucked around with this message at 01:31 on May 10, 2013 |
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May 10, 2013 01:18
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Before I left for Europe I read a bunch of articles about pick pocketing. From Paris to Prague and so on. I've been here a week, I've taken several buses, trains and I've walked a fair bit. I've been in heavy public areas, bars and parties and not once did I have a bad feeling. Actually in Vienna I was looking at a map and a shady looking dude came up to us and said something in German. I just said "nah" and he walked away.
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May 10, 2013 09:50
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Kolta posted:Before I left for Europe I read a bunch of articles about pick pocketing. From Paris to Prague and so on. I've been here a week, I've taken several buses, trains and I've walked a fair bit. I've been in heavy public areas, bars and parties and not once did I have a bad feeling. Haha, he was probably asking you for a lighter or a cigarette. A week isn't much of a sample size, and to be honest I know a few firsthand accounts of personal theft in Europe. One of my friends had his camera stolen from him at some kind of dance party in Prague or Budapest. Another had his camera stolen in Dubai (not Europe but whatever), also at a party. One couple I know had a bag with a laptop and other stuff stolen from them on a Paris Metro. One of my co-workers had his camera bag stolen from him on a beach in Spain. Basically, it can happen to you. Try to minimize your exposure to risk of theft and the subsequent loss. Say your wallet gets lifted -- did they get half a day's worth of cash and hotel room key and a credit card? Sucks, but all that is easily replaced. But if they also got your Passport and your train ticket for the next day's outward journey and 2 week's worth of cash, you're a bit more hosed then. Say your camera is stolen -- did they get away with a day's worth of new photos, or an entire trip's worth? Make copies of your digital photos as often as you can and leave the "backup" copy in a safe place. When you have literally everything with you while you're traveling between destinations be extra vigilant and aware of the situation. If you're on a sleeper train, for example, keep your bag on your bunk, between your body and the wall. It's all about making your stuff a bit more of a pain in the rear end to steal than the next guy's. Sucks for the next guy, but better him than you. Most of all, don't let the possibility of bad things happening prevent you from enjoying the world. There's more good than bad out there.
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May 10, 2013 10:40
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Couldn't agree more! I still have 9 more weeks here and who knows what will happen.
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May 10, 2013 10:48
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Thanks for the advice, everyone. Impoverished and vigilant it is, then! I'm just a bit of a worrier, and I noticed that all the pickpocket stories were coming from France, Italy and Spain and not anywhere I've been to. Heck, last time I was in Berlin I ended up in a massive crowd on the Strasse des 17. Junis (it was the Day of German Unity) and I never worried that someone would lift my purse. Or camera. I should probably add I'd just been talking to a friend who encouraged me to pick Paris for a holiday who spent a good deal of time warning me about pickpockets, but she also said she hadn't been in several years, so if it's got better, great. Actually, I would appreciate some advice about backing up photos on the move. I have an oldish Olympus that takes XD cards, if that helps. I wasn't planning on taking anything more sophisticated than a phone. Kolta posted:Actually in Vienna I was looking at a map and a shady looking dude came up to us and said something in German. I just said "nah" and he walked away. I got a marriage proposal in Vienna. In English. I dealt with it in much the same way.
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May 10, 2013 11:05
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photinus posted:Actually, I would appreciate some advice about backing up photos on the move. I have an oldish Olympus that takes XD cards, if that helps. I wasn't planning on taking anything more sophisticated than a phone. Specifically directed at you, for a 1-week trip: Paranoia level 0: It's only a week so don't worry about it. Paranoia level 1: Have multiple cards with you because replacement would be expensive, if you can even find one. Divide the week by however many cards you have and switch them out accordingly. That is, if you have 2 cards, you switch at the halfway point of the trip. If you have 3 cards you switch for every third of the trip, and so on. Paranoia level 2: Add to your pack list a USB xD card reader and 1 or 2 USB flash drives with enough space on each for the whole trip. Use hostel/hotel/internetcafe computers to back up your fresh photos every day to the flash drive(s). This adds hardly any bulk or expense but provides you a great deal of protection from data loss. It should also only take a few minutes of your time daily. There are a lot of ways to accomplish it. Definitely do something. Just remember that your photos are worth more than the camera.
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May 10, 2013 11:32
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photinus posted:Thanks! Wikitravel seems excellent, though I admit I'm still considering the Rough Guide to Paris for the Kindle. You'll never be asked for a photocopy just walking around, but it's not a bad idea to carry one around either. My grandparents lived in Paris for like twenty years, and my grandfather had his wallet pickpocketed a couple times, but he always wrote a huge, thick wallet stuffed with cash and 2/3rds falling out of his back pocket. I wouldn't be surprised if it actually just fell out one (or both) of those times. In either case, someone with palsy could've stolen it without him noticing. I know people who have been pickpocketed everywhere in Europe (even Switzerland!), and every time they saw who did it, it was groups of young boys (10–16, North African, White, and/or Black). Maybe the gyppos are just so good at it no one ever sees them, but I think normally they just sit on street corners and beg (except in Barcelona). You're extremely unlikely to be a victim of theft unless you leave your purse/camera hanging on the back of your chair in a street café and go to the bathroom, in which case you have like a 20% chance of it getting stolen (and probably like a 1% chance if you leave it hanging on the back and are there the whole time). Old drunks are going to be the only annoyance you're likely to encounter, and they're just going to (A) smell like vomit (B) piss everywhere and (C) yell / mutter obscenities in French. Major tourist sites in Paris also have a roughly equivalent number of army dudes walking around with huge machine guns as like, loving Kabul, too. E: And you'll look like you're a tourist unless you walk like you're in a hurry wherever you're going (unless it's Sunday). I wouldn't recommend doing this; it'll make it less enjoyable if you are just walking fast with your eyes straight ahead, plus I don't think tourists are any more likely to be robbed than a Parisian. No one wants your €80 point-and-shoot camera, they want a French person's iPhone. VVVV Yeah, I originally had (except in Barcelona) in my post, then edited it out. Now... edited back in. To be honest I'm afraid of getting torn apart by a pack of wild dogs while walking around Bucharest at noon, so I don't think I'd even dare walk through the countryside at night. Saladman fucked around with this message at 17:37 on May 10, 2013 |
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May 10, 2013 14:48
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Speaking of pickpockets, here's a bunch of my fine countrymen showing how it's done https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwVHUsTBhIQ By the way, since the freedom of moving around granted by entering the EU, most thieves and other criminals have left the country for greener, richer pastures in the west so as a result right now Romania is safer than most western Europe. You can even walk around at night through parks or most neighborhoods with nothing to fear (except like wild bears searching through garbage in Brasov or other mountain places). So, thank you EU for letting us in 
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May 10, 2013 16:29
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I've been pickpocketed a couple of times but they only ever took the empty decoy wallets I keep in my back pocket when I'm traveling. Nobody even tried for the front or side pockets, even when they'd just seen me put an iPod and an expensive camera in them. One of them even tried to do that Ronaldinho thing although he totally hosed it up. (He still got the decoy, though. Life finds a way.) Basically, don't keep poo poo in your back pocket and you don't have to stress about pickpockets.
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May 10, 2013 21:41
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Berlin or Munich for 3 days.
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May 11, 2013 01:51
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