Interrail - Zone D

Random

I'm trying to get some information about interrailing Zone D - Czech Republic, Polan, Slovakia, Hungary & Bosnia-Herzegovina.



Has anyone done this before?

We'd proberly have only 2 weeks to do it - so I'm trying to get some feedback. What sort of distances are they? What are the citys to see? What are the places to avoid? Is it possible to make the best out of it all in 2 weeks?

14 days, gives 13 nights. I'd say 2 nights in each place from experience is what we should be aiming for, so that gives us 6 citys and then a 7th with one night. Looking at the map there's bucketloads of places, it's a pretty big region.

Thanks

breadmonkey

IMO, seeing 6 places in 2 weeks is madness. You're supposed to be on holidays! Don't spend all of your time on the trains.

saraj14

do not make plans unless you have to, you may get to a place and hate it and leave that day. also you can travel at night on the trains. saves paying for hostels and you meet some really interesting people (chicken farmers from norway!!!!). you will have a ball, but travel light. bring as little as possible. i do think your not giving yourself enough time but whater you do you will have a ball.
if you do go, bring a pen knife (very handy), and some string to make a portable clothes line on the train. this way at least you have dry clothes eventually.

themole

Last year myself and two friends went on a similar trip.

We flew into Vienna, then went to Bratislava, Budapest, Krakow, Kiev and Moscow, flying back from there. Around 2 1/2 weeks in all.

Not much to see in Bratislava. There is a castle which was cool enough.

Budapest was cool. There are loads of hot springs there, which are well worth a visit. Lots of other cool buildings as well.

Krakow has Auschwitz nearby and also the salt mines.

My main piece of advice is to pay for first class on most of the trains. We got a train from Budapest to Krakow and had to bribe a guy in Slovakia and pay for an upgrade in Poland. It was a night train, but there were no beds. The difference between first class and second class was that first class had relining seats which could be used as beds, where as second class had hard backed straight seats. Not so cool if ya want to get some kip.

themole

1 zone [16 days] 156,00 EUR

Seems steep.

I would check out the prices for individual tickets before buying the inter rail ticket

breadmonkey

themole wrote:

1 zone [16 days] 156,00 EUR

Seems steep.

I would check out the prices for individual tickets before buying the inter rail ticket

I reckon I probably broke even on my interrail ticket but the fact that you don't have to buy individual tickets in random train stations in areas you aren't familiar with from people who don't speak english, makes the ticket useful.

Random

Keep it coming lads. I've been interrailing before in Zone C, but I'm assuming it's a whole different kettle of fish in D

breadmonkey

Meh, if you've done it before you'll be grand.

Random

It's nice to get feedback on different countrys and citys! Train systems, etc

breadmonkey

ciaranfo wrote:

It's nice to get feedback on different countrys and citys! Train systems, etc

Lonely Planet/Rough Guide will have transport system maps!

Random

Will have a look at those 2 websites aswell breadmonkey - thanks.

sunnyjim

themole wrote:

1 zone [16 days] 156,00 EUR

Seems steep.

I would check out the prices for individual tickets before buying the inter rail ticket

Ye gods man, don't throw out advice like that ya mad thing. Its great value. Did zone D last year, you'll save plenty on the intercountry tickets. Don't bother travlelling at night, this was my second time interrailing, and although I figure I can handle myself and look out for others, I still felt at unease the whole time.