I love to travel around Europe. The history, the architecture, and the constantly changing scenery. Being able to get from one country to another in a relatively short time frame makes this an irresistible trip. But where do you start when planning a trip like this? It seems like the options are too great and they all sound very appealing. So lets unpack the options and you’ll soon discover that the best way to travel, is to embrace several travel modes in one trip.

It’s only small right?

To those of us from Australia, and I suspect the U.S. and Canada, we know that Europe is lots of small countries. It therefore stands to reason that we can get around quickly. Well, although the individual countries may not be as big as ours, the truth is that they are still fairly significant. You quickly realize this when you’ve been driving for hours and haven’t made much of a dent in it.

We did a 4 week driving holiday back in 2007, and covered 7000km. It was great fun. But it was also having to pack up our room every two days and drive 500km. That gets really tiring, and we needed a holiday when we got home. There was also a feeling that we had raced through some of the areas, and not stopped to really get the full enjoyment out of them.

What should I see?

The first step is to figure out what you’d like to see when you get there. This probably sounds obvious, but a lot of people start with the presumption that they can see it all in one go. We like to base our trips on hubs.

For example on our last trip, we went to Munich, Lucerne, Salzburg, Budapest and Vienna. We planned to stay 4-5 days in each city and we could do days out from there. In this case the cities are all within reasonable driving range, so we hired a car for the whole trip.

On a previous trip, we went from Paris, Berlin, Munich and Athens. It was easier to take a train from Paris to Berlin. Pick up a car at the end of our Berlin leg and drive to Munich. Once we finished in Munich, we flew to Athens.

So if you itinerary goes from Spain, Germany, Italy and Greece, then you will need to use planes and trains to cover the big distances quickly. If your choices are closer then you could do the whole thing by car.

Where Should I Start?

I always try to hit one of the big hubs to fly into. There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly it makes it very easy for you to get trains, tours or hire a car. And secondly it can allow you to double back to that location at the end which makes the flights easier to book, and the hire car is cheaper.

It’s also worth noting that some airports and countries have vastly different taxes when it comes to flights. We tend to hit London, Paris and Munich because they are bigger, and the travel agencies promote then. But you can quite often get cheaper flights into Manchester, Lyon or frankfurt. If it fits into your planned route, then you might as well go there and keep the savings to buy more ice creams.

Here’s a great starting point for you. I wrote a post about the best things to do in Paris. You can check it out here.

What About Passports?

Most of mainland Europe is covered by the Schengen agreement. What this means is that you don’t need a passport to travel between these countries. That is quite handy if you are traveling by car, train or bus as you avoid having all of the usual border controls as you hop from country to country. If however you are traveling by plane, then expect to have your passport checked on both departure and arrival.

Naturally if you live outside Europe then you will need a passport to get in. Rather than me trying to rehash a whole lot about the process of Schengen visa’s, exemptions etc. I will instead direct you to this excellent website, that has all of the up to date details. You can check it out here.

Europe By Train

The rail network throughout Europe is extensive and you can get just about anywhere on the trains. Each country has it’s own rail companies but they work in well with each other, so traveling from Paris to Berlin is seamless.

Some of them also have the high speed trains which travel at 300km/h or 186mph. None of the clickety clack on these beauties. They are whisper quite and smooth too with almost no sensation of movement. With toilets and dining cars on board you can relax while covering the miles to your next destination.

Generally speaking I use trains when the distance is more than 5 hours by car. Over this distance, the train will be quicker, and I can pick up my next mode of transport when I get there. You can also better appreciate the scenery when you don’t have to concentrate of the roads as much.

Europe By Car

The car gives you a huge amount of freedom when traveling in Europe. Importantly it has allowed us to get lost in some wonderful places that we wouldn’t have found otherwise. A car becomes cheaper, the more people that you put into it, to a certain extent. By this I mean that the price is only slightly more fuel if you add 2 more people. A train or bus ticket though just goes up each time you add a person.

The motorways in Europe are a drivers dream. They are very well maintained and have regular rest stops along the way. You need to be prepared to show courtesy to other drivers and they will do the same for you. Don’t sit in the fast lane on the left. You will make no friends this way.

Each country sets it’s own speed limits, but compared to non-European countries they tend to be quite liberal. Germany’s Autobahns, for example have long stretches without a speed limit. It is quite normal to be overtaken by cars driving over 200km/h. That’s why you don’t sit in the fast lane. Sudden lane changes at these speeds and things can head south very quickly.

I quite like France’s approach. They have a sign that has 130 and a picture of the sun, and 100 with a picture of a cloud with rain. Makes perfect sense to me. I find these speeds more comfortable. Once you get above 140km/h, the amount of concentration that you should be using, can bring on fatigue fairly quickly. Besides, it’s tough to really appreciate the scenery when you drive too fast.

What size car?

Hopefully, if you’ve planned well, you shouldn’t have all of your luggage with you in the car each time you drive. You will have found a base, dropped your bags, and are enjoying shorter day trips with only a small day pack. For this reason I would advocate for the smallest car that you think you can get away with. The smaller the car, the cheaper the hire fees will be.

More importantly the parking in Europe can be tricky. Especially for those of use used to wide open spaces. The Europeans have a knack for fitting their cars into ludicrously small spaces, and they expect that you will as well. Practice your parallel parking, you’re going to need it.

Tolls

There are several countries that impose tolls on their motorways. To be fair these wonderful roads probably require a fair bit of upkeep, and they have to get the money from somewhere. We have seen the changes to toll stations over the years. Initially you needed the coins to be able to drop into the chute, then we went to tap and go style credit card transactions.

The system that seems to be taking over now is a sticker system. You purchase a sticker from a petrol station and display the sticker on your windscreen. When you pass under a toll bridge you car is photographed. If you have the sticker, all good. If you don’t, expect a fine in the mail.

So obviously I enjoy driving in Europe, but I don’t just hire a car for our entire stay. Have a look at the city you’re going to and decide what you want to see. If there are 3 days worth of things to see in the city and a couple of day trips, then plan accordingly.

If you came into the city by plane or train, use public transport for the first few days, then hire the car when you actually need it. Not only will you save on hire costs but you will also save on fuel and parking to. This will more than offset the small cost of public transport around town.

Buses

There are a few options for buses. If you are time poor and want to cover a large area, then lots of people opt for the coach tours. There is a set itinerary and you know exactly what you are going to see. Included is a guide you will give you all of the in’s and out of what you are seeing.

I personally wouldn’t try this as a family holiday, because the cost would soon blow out. But a know a lot of young singles, and elderly couples who absolutely love this form of travel. I’m not there yet, and I prefer the flexibility that comes with a car. One day though, I’m sure I’ll find myself on one and loving it.

There are bus routes that head all over Europe just as the trains do, however, they’re not as fast. I also find that legroom on these types of buses can be a bit more restrictive. I’m 190cm or 6 foot 2 and a bit, so for me legroom is something that I cherish.

We do however, use the shorter bus tours. These are either the hop on hop off style tour buses in the cities, of the single day return tour buses. We find that we can get a good commentary during the trip, as well as the chance to relax and look at the scenery. The legroom might be a little tight, but least we get on and off at regular intervals to stretch out a bit.

Boats

The last area that I want to mention is boats. There are several different cruises that can be taken along the major rivers of Europe. These work in much the same way that an ocean cruise does. You have your own cabin for the duration of you stay, regular excursions to visit the regions that you pass through on the way, and food is included. We are looking at doing one of these on the Danube very shortly.

There are also boats that carry passengers between countries. For example we caught a large ferry from Poole in England to Jersey in the Channel Islands where I’m from. This ferry then goes on to France. It is an enjoyable trip under the right conditions and just gives you a different aspect to your journey.

If you want to travel throughout the Greek islands then you will get very comfortable traveling by boat. These boats take you swiftly from island to island and they are a marvel they way they can unload and reload in mere minutes.

Conclusion

So there you are. How to travel around Europe. Arrive at a hub, use trains and planes for the big bits, a car for general touring, public transport around the cities, and a bus for sightseeing day tours. Tack on a 4 day river cruise at the end and you’re set. Which ever method you choose, you’ll have a ball. Just get out there and enjoy yourself.

To help you on your way, here’s some more links that should make the planning a bit easier.

24 Tips to survive a long-haul flight

A guide to hostels in Europe

How to travel the Greek Islands

Cheers and happy travels.