I am going to give as much detail about my trip as possible, because I am starting to get worried I did not save enough money.
With a college class of 20 or so people, I am traveling to London for 3 days, Brussels for 3 days, and Paris for a day trip. Airfare from the US to London and back is already paid for as well as accommodations.
I am a very light spender and plan on splitting meals with friends (breakfast is provided at the hotel, so I will probably take some for snacking throughout the day). I am planning on buying a few souvenirs and drinking in moderation.
After doing research on the railway system, I am worried that I did not save enough money. I will need to travel one way from London to Brussels one day. And then round trip from Brussels to Paris one day. I am hoping that there will be a group discount.
I just need someone to ease my mind that $700 will be enough to enjoy my 7 days in Europe (in some of the most expensive cities) :) You don't say when you will travel and that may change the fares offered, but London to Brussels in March (one way) is as little as $58 and Brussels to Paris round-trip is $64. The prices are for "Youth" fares as I assume you are under the age of 25. http://travelocity.raileurope.com/us/ind...
However, to get those fares you almost certainly have to buy the tickets in advance. That also means you have to know what train/schedules the rest of your group will be on. Another answer mentions the fact you CANNOT count on waiting until the day you travel to just buy a train ticket at the station, and that's a fact. Note there may be additional discounts if several of you buy the tickets at the same time.
You should be OK on $50 to $75 per day for lunch/dinner and incidentals. Do the things you mention in your question, such as taking items from breakfast for snacks - you may even be able to make sandwiches for lunch. Note that some hotels do not allow the taking of items from the breakfast buffet, so be polite + not obvious about it. Don't argue if you are sill told NO. The staff in question should be able to direct you to a corner market where you can very cheaply buy the makings for sandwiches.
You should also consider bringing snacks from home. Candy bars and granola bars travel well. Take something like Crystal light to flavor bottled water.
Pack carefully so yo don't have to waste money (or time) buying essentials you forgot at home. For example, take minor first aid items and OTC medications with you so you aren't trying to find an equvalent to Pepto-Bismol, Tylenol Sinus, or Band-Aids at midnight.
Only use ATMs associated with real banks. The ones on hotel lobbies and the stand-alone kind on street corners often charge outrageous service fees.
It has been a long time since I visited Brussels, but London is full of very cheap restaurants, even next to tourist attractions. For example, there are several on Trafalgar Square - including a Pret a Manger restaurant. In Paris, prices at the restaurants and cafes next to attractions can be astounding, so shop around a bit.
Good luck! 700 US will be enough for yourself. Of course not if you have to pay for the trips for all of your mates ;-)
You might want to look at other options than eating in restaurants. What about buying stuff at supermarkets and have nice pickniques in the great parks... this is a good experience and saves a lot of money.
For your trips, I can only recommend to book as much in advance as possible for your flight. This will save you money too.
For the Brussels - Paris- Brussels Trip you are best off taking the train - they will offer student discounts, so don't forget to take your student card along (same is true for Museums etc.). If accomodation is already paid for you should be fine. Most people on a budget spent 70 USD per day including accomodation in hostels and food from the supermarkets. If you really are a "penny-pincer" you should have absolutely no problems with 100 USD per day - even with partying.
What I don't understand: If your acco is already pre-booked and paid for, why aren't the train journeys covered too? You need to pre-book seats on the Eurostar London-Brussels and Thalys Brussels-Paris train, especially when travelling in groups. You cannot just show up and expect that there are seats at the last minute. The highspeed trains on these routes operate like airplanes, you need to buy the tickets way in advance. (This is especially true when you want cheap tickets.)
BTW, the trains pretty much have standard fares. If you really need to pay for train tickets it should be easy for you to figure out the prices for this and set this amount of money aside.
http://www.eurostar.com/
http://www.thalys.com Is there any way to use a credit card for emergencies?
My father would have allowed me to carry one, but only use it for the most dire of emergencies, and on the contingency that I would pay him back at the earliest possible. If you haven't got one of your own, ask your parents. If you have time to do so, try to talk them into getting you your own card (even under their name). and ONLY use it if you run out of cash. It is, the easiest way to pay for things, and the best exchange rates.
If you have a choice, try to use one that only charges a 1% exchange fee. they will tell you from the 800 number on the back of the card. Capitol One is one of the least expensive, with American Express following at 2%. Most charge 3%, but they DO give you the best rate of the day, unlike exchange offices, which charge more overall. Also, with changing between England and the rest of Europe, you wouldn't have to worry about being left with Pounds when you leave England.
Have a great trip, and don't worry too much. |
