Critique this West/North/East European Itinerary

[Guyon]

For Cliff's Notes, address points 1) & 2)

This summer, like many of you, I am planning a multi-destination budget backpacking/rail trip through Europe.

Previously, I have made a similar backpacking trip. Stops included London, Paris, Barcelona, Interlaken, Prague, Berlin, and Amsterdam. This summer, I would like my brother to accompany me. He has not been out of the US ever, so I am considering revisiting some of the places on my first trip I wouldn't mind seeing again.

Some points of interest for this trip I am considering:

1) I would like to see parts of Scandanavia, but have concerns about the logistics in relation to my budget. I am considering a loop through either [Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Russia] or [Holland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Russia] Any ideas on deriving a Scandanavian loop that hits two of the Scandanavian countries, goes through St. Petersberg, and incorporates the least expensive travel methods that go beyond the Eurail Select Pass?

2) I really want to see Russia and spend time in at least one former USSR state, perhaps Ukraine. Sadly, I am grossly underfamiliar with knowledge of these countries. Any recommendations that could point my research in the correct direction that consider budget, off-Eurail travel, and general tourist value?

3) Here's the flexible itinerary:

Arrive Amsterdam (best $ at this time) 5-17
To Norway/Denmark 5-20
To Sweden on 5-23
To Finland on 5-27
To Russia via Estonia 5-30
To Ukraine/CIS/Eastern Nation on 6-4
To Czech on 6-7
To Switz on 6-9
To France on 6-12
To Amsterdam 6-16
Depart 6-17

I encourage experienced travelers to poke holes, make suggestions, etc.

Gracias [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[BigPoppa]

I think it would be easier to go through Denmark to Sweden (they have commuter trains across the Oresund to Malmo), then up the Baltic coast to Stockholm. Not sure if there's a train from Malmo to Stockholm.

Copenhagen is one of the nicest cities in Europe, especially in warm weather.

Pretty sure you can catch a sleeper ferry from Stockholm to St Petersburg, Helsinki, or anywhere else on the Baltic.

You may want to research the cost of a tourist Visa to Russia, as it does cost a bit of money. When I looked into one two years ago, you had to pay a Russian travel agency to give you an "invitation" and then pay again for the Visa.

Would be a shame to go from the Czech Repuplic to Switzerland without stopping in either Munich or Vienna (if not both).

[Guyon]

[ QUOTE ]
I think it would be easier to go through Denmark to Sweden (they have commuter trains across the Oresund to Malmo), then up the Baltic coast to Stockholm. Not sure if there's a train from Malmo to Stockholm.

Copenhagen is one of the nicest cities in Europe, especially in warm weather.

Pretty sure you can catch a sleeper ferry from Stockholm to St Petersburg, Helsinki, or anywhere else on the Baltic.

You may want to research the cost of a tourist Visa to Russia, as it does cost a bit of money. When I looked into one two years ago, you had to pay a Russian travel agency to give you an "invitation" and then pay again for the Visa.

Would be a shame to go from the Czech Repuplic to Switzerland without stopping in either Munich or Vienna (if not both).

[/ QUOTE ]

Good points.

- I don't want Scandy/Russian train/transport budget to ravage my travel BR, so planning this part is imperative IMO. I am considering getting the Eurail Select (10 days, 5 adjacent countries) for 300. Figuring the 5 should be Benelux, DMK, SWD, FIN, and GER. This way, I can loop back through GER from the East.

-Switz may be too expensive, and I've been to Czech. I will be traveling w/ noobs who want to go there, but I may do Vienna and Munich instead. Get my taste of the Alps and Munich is great I've heard.

- Russian visas are 100 for the actual visa, and an "invite" company can get that squared away for 30 if you do it ahead of time (30 days or so I figure)

[Guyon]

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