Hi thanatos!
Thanks again for your patience. This answer should provide you with
everything you need to know about how to arrange your trip. If you
have any questions about it, please request a clarification before you
rate it.
Many of the web sites listed below display prices in either British
pounds or Euros. I used the following links to convert the prices to
U.S. dollars:
Yahoo! Finance - Currency Conversion: British Pounds to U.S. Dollars
http://finance.yahoo.com/m5?a=1&s=GBP&t=USD&c=0
Yahoo! Finance - Currency Conversion: Euros to U.S. Dollars
http://finance.yahoo.com/m5?a=1&s=EUR&t=USD&c=0
======================================================================
Passport
--------
If you do not have a valid passport, you will need to apply for one.
You will not be allowed to board the plane if you do not have a valid
passport!
The following page on the U.S. State Department web site has
everything you need to know about applying for a passport:
Passport Services and Information
http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html
Basically, if you do not have a valid passport, you should apply for
one as soon as possible. After you have submitted your passport
application, it may take up to six weeks before you receive your
passport.
If you have a passport that has expired, you might be able to renew it
by mail. The following web page describes the conditions that must be
satisfied in order for you to be allowed to renew your passport by
mail, and it has details on the form that needs to be completed, the
necessary attachments and fees, and where the application must be
mailed:
How to Apply for a Passport Renewal
http://travel.state.gov/passport_renewal.html
The total fee for renewing a passport is $55.
If you do not have a passport at all (or if you are not allowed to
renew by mail), then you must apply for a passport in person at any
location that accepts passport applications.
The following web page describes the application form and documents
that you must bring, along with how you can pay the relevant fees:
How to Apply in Person for a U.S. Passport
http://travel.state.gov/passport_obtain.html
The following web page lets you search for locations where you may
apply for a passport:
Where to Apply for a Passport Nationwide
http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/
There is only one location within 50 miles of Jacksonville, FL:
http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/details.asp?FacilityName=USPS+Jacksonville+FL&AFID=5697&FacilityTypeID=G&FacilityEMail=&PhoneNumber=%28904%29+359%2D2839&FaxNumber=&Address=1100+Kings+Road&City=Jacksonville&State=FL&ZipCode=32203&Handicap=&Photoonsite=&Photonearby=
It is a post office, and here is its information for your convenience:
USPS Jacksonville FL
1100 Kings Road
Jacksonville, FL 32203
(904) 359-2839
Open M-F, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
The total fee for obtaining a passport is $85.
======================================================================
Flying to Europe
----------------
There are several web sites that sell discounted airline tickets. A
good list of these can be found in the answer to the following
question on Google Answers:
Online Travel Services
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=126847
I also found a couple of web sites that offer student airfares:
StudentUniverse
http://www.studentuniverse.com/
STA Travel
http://www.statravel.com/index_secondary.asp
I searched several of the web sites found in the links above to try to
find the cheapest way to get to Europe. I used all of the possible
combinations of the following cities:
Departing from Arriving in
-------------- -----------
New York (NYC) London (LON)
Philadelphia (PHL) Paris (PAR)
Washington, DC (WAS) Amsterdam (AMS)
Atlanta (ATL) Frankfurt (FRA)
Jacksonville (JAX) Hamburg (HAM)
Orlando (MCO) Berlin (BER)
Miami (MIA) Milan (MIL)
I also specified the following dates:
Departure: Saturday, July 26, 2003
Return: Monday, August 4, 2003
Those dates should give you enough time to spend about three days in
Berlin and more than three days at the Wacken Open Air festival.
After all of my searching, I determined the following:
1) It is generally cheapest to fly out of New York.
2) It is generally cheapest to fly into London.
3) Student airfares are not always cheaper than regular airfares.
Indeed, the cheapest round-trip ticket that I found is for a flight
going from New York to London, and it is on CheapTickets.com. The
ticket costs approximately $553 (including all taxes and fees).
Since you are unable to drive to New York, I also searched for flights
going from various southern cities (Atlanta, Jacksonville, Orlando,
and Miami) to New York. The cheapest round-trip tickets that I found
are for Orlando flights, and they cost approximately $160 (including
all taxes and fees; available on CheapTickets.com and Expedia.com).
CheapTickets.com
http://www.cheaptickets.com/
Expedia.com
http://www.expedia.com/
While searching for flights, type in "MCO" for Orlando International
Airport, "NYC" for all New York airports, and "LON" for all London
airports. Also, use July 26 as the departure date and August 4 as the
return date.
If you were to book two flights -- one of the Orlando to New York
flights for approximately $160, and the New York to London flight for
approximately $553 -- the total cost would be approximately $713.
You can also find similarly priced flights from various southern
cities to London. While most of them have a stopover, you would only
have to make one booking instead of two. The two student travel web
sites that I mentioned above offer comparably priced flights to
London:
StudentUniverse
http://www.studentuniverse.com/
STA Travel
http://www.statravel.com/index_secondary.asp
On those two web sites, flights to London from Orlando, Miami, and
Atlanta cost approximately the same amount. Since you live closest to
Orlando, you can search for flights going from Orlando to London:
StudentUniverse: flight search page
http://www.studentuniverse.com/fly/main
STA Travel: flight search page
http://www.statravel.com/bookit/airlinetickets.asp
Make sure to type in "MCO" (for Orlando International Airport) and
"LON" (for all London airports), and use July 26 as the departure date
and August 4 as the return date.
On the StudentUniverse web site, you have to be a registered member in
order to see flight details and the total cost of a ticket including
all taxes and fees. You can register for free on their registration
page:
https://www.studentuniverse.com/register
Since I am not a student, I cannot register on their web site.
However, I would guess that the total cost of a round-trip ticket
would be around $700.
On the STA Travel web site, you can buy tickets only if you have an
ISIC card. The following web pages have information on the ISIC card
and the benefits that come with it:
STA Travel: ISIC Card (this page also has a link that lets you buy an
ISIC card for $22)
http://www.statravel.com/planyourtrip/isiccard.asp
International Student Travel Confederation: ISIC
http://www.isic.org/ISIC_Card.asp
An ISIC card is a student identity card that can be used all over the
world to obtain discounts on various sights, accommodation, transport,
and other things.
The total cost of a round-trip ticket and an ISIC card is
approximately $723. While this may be higher than the prices
mentioned for the other web sites, the discounts offered by the ISIC
card may make it a better deal.
Since you will be going on your trip during the peak season, I do not
believe that you will be able to find a ticket that is significantly
cheaper than the ones mentioned above. In addition, you should be
aware that ticket prices and availability may change at any time.
If you would like to follow the itinerary that I have mapped out, then
you should select a departure flight that lets you arrive at London
Heathrow Airport early in the morning (preferably before 8:00 AM) on
July 27. You should also select a return flight that departs from
London Heathrow Airport on August 4 (the time does not matter).
If the flight that you select has a stopover in New York, then you may
have to go to a different airport for the connecting flight. The Port
Authority of New York and New Jersey web site has information on how
to get to the different airports:
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey: Connecting Between
Airports
http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/connframe1.htm
According to that page, the cheapest way to go from one airport to
another is to take one of the express buses. The cost ranges from $10
to $13, depending on which bus you take and which airports are
involved.
Since you will be taking a flight from Orlando, how do you get to
Orlando International Airport, and where can you park your car? The
Orlando International Airport web site has information on parking:
Orlando International Airport: Parking (has maps and other
information)
http://www.orlandoairports.net/goaa/ops/parking.htm
According to that page, you should use the Satellite Parking lot on
Cargo Road (one mile north of the terminal building) for long-term
parking. A free shuttle is available to take you to the main
terminal. The cost of Satellite Parking is $7 per day.
Here are directions on how to drive from Jacksonville to the Satellite
Parking lot on Cargo Road, provided by Yahoo! Maps:
http://maps.yahoo.com/py/ddResults.py?Pyt=Tmap&ed=ipoBQuV.win0B09Reqt_NxOzaSQ4Gukcz7SSGYTIG_mh0_Lb0VANL6Eqtr3bW6rjOFVQ&newcsz=Jacksonville,+FL&newcountry=us&newtcsz=Orlando,+FL&newtcountry=us
The rest of this answer assumes that you will be arriving at London
Heathrow Airport early in the morning on July 27, and that you will be
leaving London Heathrow Airport on August 4.
======================================================================
Going from London to Berlin
---------------------------
The cheapest way to go from London to Berlin is to fly on an
intra-European airline. The following article mentions four airlines
(although one of them has just been bought out by another) that offer
cheap airfares within Europe:
Low-cost intra-European air carriers
http://www.smarterliving.com/student/deal.php?id=2800
Only one of the airlines mentioned in the article, Ryanair, offers
flights from London to Berlin. You can search for flights and buy
tickets on Ryanair's web site:
Ryanair.com: Online booking
http://www.bookryanair.com/skylights/cgi-bin/skylights.cgi
Search for one-way flights that go from London Stansted Airport to
Berlin Schonefeld Airport on July 27. You should select the flight
that leaves London Stansted at 2:25 PM and arrives at Berlin
Schonefeld at 5:15 PM. Since you will be arriving in London early in
the morning on July 27, you will have enough time to pick up your
baggage, go through customs, and then go to London Stansted Airport.
The total cost of the flight is approximately $59.
Since you will be arriving in London at Heathrow Airport, how will you
get to London Stansted Airport for your flight to Berlin? There is a
good discussion about that subject in the London travel forum at
VirtualTourist.com:
http://www.virtualtourist.com/f/p/2e06/
Stansted Airport is pretty far away from Heathrow Airport, so there
are not any really cheap ways to go from one to the other. One of the
least expensive options would be to take the National Express coach.
According to the National Express web site, the coach leaves Heathrow
Airport every hour or less, and takes approximately an hour and a half
to get to Stansted Airport. A one-way ticket costs approximately $30,
and a round-trip ticket costs approximately $38. You can view times
and fares and buy one-way or round-trip tickets on the National
Express web site:
National Express
http://www.nationalexpress.com/
If you are going to buy a coach ticket, enter the following values
into the search box on the front page of the National Express web
site:
From: heathrow
To: stansted
Going out: July 27
Coming back (if you are buying a round-trip ticket): August 3 (This is
not a typo. You will see later that you will be back at London
Stansted on August 3.)
You should probably select the 11:10 AM outward journey departure
time, as that will give you plenty of time to get your baggage and go
through customs at Heathrow Airport. You will then arrive at Stansted
Airport at 12:50 PM, which will give you enough time to check in for
your flight to Berlin. If you are buying a round-trip ticket, you
should select the 4:05 PM return journey departure time. (You will
see later that on August 3 you will arrive at London Stansted Airport
at 2:55 PM.)
Another option would be to take the Tube (subway) from Heathrow
Airport to the Liverpool Street station. According to the Tube web
site, this takes about 75 minutes and costs close to $6. After you
get to the Liverpool Street station, you could take the Stansted
Express to Stansted Airport. According to the Stansted Express web
site, this takes up to 90 minutes and costs approximately $20 for a
one-way ticket and $36 for a round-trip ticket. You can view times
and fares for the Tube and buy tickets for the Stansted Express on the
following web sites:
The Tube: TubePlanner
http://www.thetube.com/cgi-bin/tpquery3.exe?EntryType=Stations
Stansted Express
http://www.stanstedexpress.co.uk/
This option takes much longer than the coach, and if you are buying
round-trip tickets, it costs more too.
======================================================================
Transportation in Berlin
------------------------
Berlin has several modes of public transportation, including the
U-Bahn (subway), the S-Bahn (urban rail), buses, and trams. They are
all run by BVG, and they all follow the same price structure. You can
find more information about these modes of transportation at the BVG
web site:
http://www.bvg.de/e_index.html
Here are direct links to some useful pieces of information on the BVG
web site:
BVG: Fare Zones
http://www.bvg.de/tickets/e_bereiche.html
BVG: Fare Overview
http://www.bvg.de/tickets/e_bereiche01.html
BVG: fahrinfo online (shows timetables)
http://www.fahrinfo-berlin.de/bin/query.exe/e?L=
BVG: S-Bahn and U-Bahn map
http://www.bvg.de/images/sunetz_aktuell.pdf
BVG: Tram map
http://www.bvg.de/plan/images/tramnetz.pdf
The following web sites also provide information on public
transportation in Berlin, as well as other means of transportation:
Let's Go: Local Transportation in Berlin
http://www.letsgo.com/GER/05-Berlin-32
Frommers.com: Getting Around in Berlin
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/berlin/0046020015.html
Since you will be arriving in Berlin at Schonefeld Airport, how do you
get into the city? Berlin Schonefeld Airport is shown on the lower
right part of the S-Bahn and U-Bahn map:
http://www.bvg.de/images/sunetz_aktuell.pdf
According to the map, line S9 of the S-Bahn goes into the heart of the
city, while line S45 of the S-Bahn goes around the heart of the city.
======================================================================
Hostels in Berlin
-----------------
There are plenty of hostels in Berlin. You can find a good list of
them by searching on Google:
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off&q=berlin+hostel&btnG=Google+Search
Here are some additional lists of hostels in Berlin:
Hostels.com: Berlin Hostels
http://www.hostels.com/en/de.be.be.html
Hostels of Europe: Hostels in Berlin
http://www.hostelseurope.com/germany/berlinhostels.html#Anchor%20berlin
hostelberlin.com: Hostels
http://www.hostelberlin.com/hostels.php
Backpacker Network Germany: Berlin hostels
http://www.backpackernetwork.de/index.php?site=hostels&lang=en&stadt=Berlin
BackpackingEurope.com: Hostels Germany (including several in Berlin)
http://www.backpackingeurope.com/hostelgermany.asp
Most of the hostel web sites are available in English, and they
provide information on amenities, prices, and directions. Many of
them even let you make reservations online. You should expect to pay
between $11 and $16 for a room with several other people.
Here is a site with hostel reviews from various travelers:
bugeurope.com: Berlin hostel reviews
http://www.bugeurope.com/reviews/Germany/Berlin/
Another good resource for hostel information is the Hostels discussion
board at EuroTrip.com:
EuroTrip.com: Hostels discussion board
http://www.eurotrip.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3
You can search the forum for recommendations on hostels in Berlin:
http://www.eurotrip.com/forum/search.asp
Just type "berlin" in the 'Search For' field and click the Search
button.
======================================================================
Going from Berlin to the Wacken Open Air festival (W:O:A 2003)
--------------------------------------------------------------
None of the low-cost airlines offer flights from Berlin to Hamburg
(the closest major city to Wacken), so a train would be the cheapest
way to go.
The Journey page on the W:O:A web site gives directions to the
festival:
http://www.wacken-open-air.de/info/info_anfahrt_eng.html
It states that when going by train, you should take the train to the
Itzehoe station. From there, you can take the shuttle to the W:O:A.
Deutsche Bahn AG offers train rides from Berlin to Itzehoe. You can
search for trains on the Deutsche Bahn AG web site:
Deutsche Bahn AG: Query page
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/e
Enter the following values into the search area:
From: berlin
To: itzehoe
Outward Journey Date: 30.07.03 (this is the format for July 30)
Outward Journey Time: 17:00 (you can change this depending on when you
want to arrive at the W:O:A)
You cannot order tickets for trips that are over two months away, so
prices will not be displayed. However, you can still get a good idea
of the cost of a ticket by entering a date that is less than two
months away. For example, a ticket for a train ride going from Berlin
to Itzehoe on June 11 at 4:32 PM costs approximately $52.
The train leaves from the Berlin Zoologischer Garten station. You can
get there by taking the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, or bus.
The train ride takes three and a half to four hours. Once you get to
the Itzehoe station, you will need to take the shuttle to the W:O:A.
The Busshuttle page on the W:O:A web site has information on fares and
departure times:
http://www.wacken-open-air.de/info/info_busshuttle_eng.html
The shuttle takes about 30 minutes and costs a little over $3.
======================================================================
Wacken Open Air festival (W:O:A 2003)
-------------------------------------
Information on the Wacken Open Air festival can be found on the W:O:A
web site:
http://www.wacken-open-air.de/index_eng.html
The festival officially takes place from July 31 to August 2, but you
are allowed to arrive as early as July 29 and leave as late as August
3.
The Tickets page on the W:O:A web site has information on ticket
prices and how to buy a ticket:
http://www.wacken-open-air.de/shop/shop_tickets_eng.html
You can buy a ticket on the Metaltix web site:
http://www.metaltix.com/
To see the W:O:A ticket on the Metaltix web site, do the following:
1) Click on the 'english' link.
2) Scroll all the way down to the bottom and click on the 'show
more...' link under the Tickets section.
3) Scroll down and click on the 'W:O:A' link along the left side of
the page.
A ticket costs close to $60 and includes camping (as well as access to
the Wackener swimming pool), so you might as well camp out all the
nights that you are there.
======================================================================
Going from the Wacken Open Air festival back to London
------------------------------------------------------
Ryanair is the only low-cost airline that offers flights from Hamburg
to London. The earliest flight from Hamburg to London on August 4
arrives at London Stansted Airport at 9:45 AM. All of the flights
from London back to Orlando on August 4 depart no later than the early
afternoon. Since you need a few hours to get to Heathrow Airport and
check in for your flight, you will not be able to make it if you take
the Hamburg to London flight on August 4. You will have to take a
flight from Hamburg to London on August 3. You can search for flights
and buy tickets on Ryanair's web site:
http://www.bookryanair.com/skylights/cgi-bin/skylights.cgi
Search for one-way flights that go from Hamburg Lübeck Airport to
London Stansted Airport on August 3. You should select the flight
that leaves Hamburg Lübeck at 2:30 PM and arrives at London Stansted
at 2:55 PM. The total cost of the flight is approximately $65. Do
not select the flight that arrives at London Stansted at 11:20 PM.
Coaches to Heathrow Airport do not run that late, and the Stansted
Express may not get to the Liverpool Street station in time for the
last train to Heathrow Airport.
Now how do you get from the Wacken Open Air festival to Hamburg Lübeck
Airport? The Lübeck Airport web site has directions on how to get
there:
Lübeck Airport: public transport
http://www.flughafen-luebeck.de/800/english/anreisebusbahn.htm
According to that page, if you are going by train, then you must go to
the Lübeck main station. From there, you can take a bus to the
airport.
So on the morning of August 3, you will need to take the shuttle back
to the Itzehoe station:
http://www.wacken-open-air.de/info/info_busshuttle_eng.html
Since the shuttle takes about 30 minutes to get to the Itzehoe
station, you should take the 8:30 AM shuttle. The cost is a little
over $3.
From the Itzehoe station, you can take a train to the Lübeck main
station (Lübeck Hbf). You can search for trains on the Deutsche Bahn
AG web site:
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/e
Enter the following values into the search area:
From: itzehoe
To: lubeck hbf
Outward Journey Date: 03.08.03 (this is the format for August 3)
Outward Journey Time: 9:00
You should select the train that departs at 9:41 AM and arrives at
11:47 AM. This ticket cannot be bought online, so you should buy it
at the Zoologischer Garten station while you are in Berlin.
Once you get to the Lübeck main station (Lübeck Hbf), you can take bus
number 6 to Lübeck Airport. The bus takes approximately 30 minutes to
get to the airport.
======================================================================
Transportation in London
------------------------
You will arrive in London around 3:00 PM on August 3. The cheapest
thing to do would be to take the coach from Stansted Airport to
Heathrow Airport (so you should buy the round-trip coach ticket).
Then you can hang out there and wait until the next morning for your
flight home (see the next section for information on sleeping at the
airport).
However, I understand if you would rather spend the afternoon and
evening walking around the city, instead of sitting in an airport. If
this is the case, you should not buy the round-trip coach ticket. You
can still buy a round-trip Stansted Express ticket though, since the
Stansted Express only goes to the Liverpool Street station in the
city:
Stansted Express
http://www.stanstedexpress.co.uk/
Once you are in the city, how do you go to places (besides walking)?
According to the Transport for London web site, there are several
modes of transportation in London, including buses, coaches, the
Docklands Light Railway, trams, and the Tube (subway). The web site
has timetables, maps, fares, and other information on all of the modes
of transportation:
Transport for London
http://www.londontransport.co.uk/
The following web sites also provide good information on
transportation in London:
Let's Go: London - Public Transportation Zones
http://www.letsgo.com/LON/02-OnceInLondon-63
Let's Go: London - Travel Passes
http://www.letsgo.com/LON/02-OnceInLondon-65
Let's Go: London - The Underground (Tube)
http://www.letsgo.com/LON/02-OnceInLondon-87
Let's Go: London - Buses
http://www.letsgo.com/LON/02-OnceInLondon-96
Let's Go: London - Docklands Light Railway
http://www.letsgo.com/LON/02-OnceInLondon-105
Frommers.com: Getting Around in London
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/london/0055020015.html
Frommers.com: Getting Around in London by Bus
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/london/0055030096.html
Frommers.com: Getting Around in London by Underground (Tube)
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/london/0055030026.html
======================================================================
Sleeping in London / Getting to Heathrow Airport
------------------------------------------------
Since you have to spend one night in London (the night of August 3),
and your flight home is the next morning (the morning of August 4),
you might as well sleep as cheaply as possible -- at Heathrow Airport
for free!
There is a web site devoted to sleeping in airports:
The Budget Traveller's Guide to Sleeping in Airports
http://www.sleepinginairports.net/
The web site has reviews of London Heathrow Airport submitted by
people who have slept there:
http://www.sleepinginairports.net/europe/londonheathrow.htm
The following web page has a good list of tips for sleeping in
airports:
Suite101.com: The Art of Sleeping in Airports
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/youth_travel/74003
If you decide not to go straight from London Stansted Airport to
London Heathrow Airport, then you will have to go to Heathrow Airport
sometime in the evening. How do you get there from the city? Several
options are described on the Heathrow Airport web site:
Heathrow Airport: Getting Here
http://www.baa.co.uk/main/airports/heathrow/getting_here_frame.html
The cheapest option is to take the Tube. It costs close to $6 to take
the Tube from the city to Heathrow Airport. You can view times and
fares with the TubePlanner:
http://www.thetube.com/cgi-bin/tpquery3.exe?EntryType=Stations
======================================================================
Summary of itinerary
--------------------
Here is a summary of the itinerary that I have mapped out in the
sections above:
Saturday, July 26: Drive to Orlando. Estimated gas cost: N/A;
estimated parking fees: $70
Saturday, July 26: Depart from Orlando International Airport.
Estimated airfare: $723
Sunday, July 27, before 8 AM: Arrive at London Heathrow Airport.
Sunday, July 27, 11:10 AM: Take the coach to London Stansted Airport.
Estimated coach fare: $38 (round-trip)
Sunday, July 27, 12:50 PM: Arrive at London Stansted Airport.
Sunday, July 27, 2:25 PM: Depart from London Stansted Airport.
Estimated airfare: $59
Sunday, July 27, 5:15 PM: Arrive at Berlin Schonefeld Airport.
Sunday, July 27, night: Sleep in a hostel. Estimated room cost: $13
Monday, July 28, night: Sleep in a hostel. Estimated room cost: $13
Tuesday, July 29, night: Sleep in a hostel. Estimated room cost: $13
Wednesday, July 30, afternoon: Depart from Berlin Zoologischer Garten.
Estimated train fare: $52
Wednesday, July 30, evening: Arrive at Itzehoe.
Wednesday, July 30, evening: Take the shuttle to the W:O:A. Estimated
shuttle fare: $3
Wednesday, July 30, night: Camp out at the W:O:A. Estimated W:O:A
cost: $60
Thursday, July 31: Attend the W:O:A.
Friday, August 1: Attend the W:O:A.
Saturday, August 2: Attend the W:O:A.
Sunday, August 3, 8:30 AM: Take the shuttle to Itzehoe. Estimated
shuttle fare: $3
Sunday, August 3, 9:00 AM: Arrive at Itzehoe.
Sunday, August 3, 9:41 AM: Depart from Itzehoe. Estimated train fare:
N/A
Sunday, August 3, 11:47 AM: Arrive at Lübeck Hbf.
Sunday, August 3, 12:00 PM: Take the bus to Lübeck Airport. Estimated
bus fare: N/A
Sunday, August 3, 12:30 PM: Arrive at Lübeck Airport.
Sunday, August 3, 2:30 PM: Depart from Lübeck Airport. Estimated
airfare: $65
Sunday, August 3, 2:55 PM: Arrive at London Stansted Airport.
Sunday, August 3, 4:05 PM: Take the coach to London Heathrow Airport.
Sunday, August 3, 5:25 PM: Arrive at London Heathrow Airport.
Sunday, August 3, night: Sleep in London Heathrow Airport.
Monday, August 4, morning/afternoon: Depart from London Heathrow
Airport.
Monday, August 4, afternoon/evening: Arrive at Orlando International
Airport.
Estimated total cost (does not include certain items such as food,
transportation costs within Berlin and London, admissions to sights,
and the items above whose costs are N/A): $1112
If you would like to stay more or fewer days in Berlin, or if you
would like to attend the W:O:A earlier, then days can be added or
removed easily.
======================================================================
Questions you may have
----------------------
Would it be cheaper to fly to Berlin or Hamburg instead of London?
The total cost of the flight from Orlando to London, the round-trip
coach ticket from Heathrow Airport to Stansted Airport, and the two
Ryanair flights to and from Germany is approximately $885. The lowest
fare that I found for a flight going to either Berlin or Hamburg is
approximately $935 (Atlanta to Hamburg). In addition to the $935, you
would also have to add the cost of a train ride from Hamburg to
Berlin. So flying to Berlin or Hamburg is not cheaper than flying to
London and then taking intra-European flights.
Would it be cheaper to take a ferry from England to France and then
take a train to Berlin, instead of flying from London to Berlin?
SeaFrance offers ferry trips from the port of Dover in England to the
port of Calais in France. You can view sailing times and fares on the
SeaFrance booking form:
https://reservation.seafrance.net/cgi-bin/booking.cgi?cl=sfr&wagt=107504&form_status=fresh_booking
A one-way ferry ticket from Dover to Calais on July 27 would cost
approximately $27. In addition, you would need to add the cost of
going from London to Dover. SNCF offers train rides from Calais to
Berlin. You can view times and fares on the SNCF web site:
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/_SvHomePage?_DLG=SvHomePage&_CMD=cmdHomepageUK&WB=HP
A one-way train ticket from Calais to Berlin would cost approximately
$132 (including the under 26 discount). You can see that taking a
ferry from England to France and then taking a train to Berlin is much
more expensive than flying from London to Berlin.
Would it be cheaper to go to the Wacken Open Air festival first and
then Berlin?
If you shifted your trip forward three days, so that you departed on
July 29 and then returned on August 7, your round-trip ticket from
Orlando to London would cost the same. The earliest flight from
London Stansted Airport to Hamburg Lübeck Airport that you could take
on July 30 would arrive in Lübeck at 10:30 PM (and it would cost
approximately $43). That would be too late to make it to the W:O:A
that night, so you would have to stay in Lübeck or Itzehoe that night.
A cheaper option would be to just not take that flight, sleep over at
London Stansted Airport, and then take the 6:30 AM flight to Hamburg
Lübeck Airport the next morning (which would be pretty cheap --
approximately $29). If you still want to be at the W:O:A on July 30,
then you would have to depart on July 28, and you would still have to
sleep over at London Stansted Airport on July 29.
The tail end of your trip would not be affected by the three day
shift. You would still have to fly from Berlin Schonefeld Airport to
London Stansted Airport the day before you return, and then sleep over
at London Heathrow Airport. However, the flight from Berlin
Schonefeld Airport to London Stansted Airport would be extremely cheap
-- approximately $23.
So it would be approximately $72 cheaper to go to the W:O:A first.
However, you would have to waste a day sitting in London Stansted
Airport.
======================================================================
Getting foreign currency
------------------------
While you may use a credit card to pay for certain things in Europe,
there are some things that you will have to pay for with cash (like
hostels). You will need Euros while you are in Germany and British
pounds while you are in London. The following web sites provide good
information on how to get foreign currency:
Let's Go: Germany - Currency and Exchange
http://www.letsgo.com/GER/03-Essentials-63
Let's Go: Germany - Credit, Debit, and ATM Cards
http://www.letsgo.com/GER/03-Essentials-67
Let's Go: Britain and Ireland - Currency and Exchange
http://www.letsgo.com/BI/01-Essentials-74
Let's Go: Britain and Ireland - Credit, Cash, and Debit Cards
http://www.letsgo.com/BI/01-Essentials-82
======================================================================
Additional resources
--------------------
I strongly recommend that you look at the following books. They
contain a lot of useful information for budget travelers, including
recommendations on hostels, restaurants, sights, entertainment, and
bars and clubs. You should be able to find most of these at your
local library, so you do not need to buy any of them!
Let's Go 2003: Germany
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312305753/ref=ase_letsgo06/104-8704754-8188718
Lonely Planet: Germany
http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/product_detail.cfm?productID=2002&seriesID=1&seriesname=Travel%20Guides&
Let's Go 2003: London
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312305826/ref=ase_letsgo06/104-8704754-8188718
Lonely Planet: London
http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/product_detail.cfm?productID=2007&&
Let's Go 2003: Britain & Ireland
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312305664/ref=ase_letsgo06/104-8704754-8188718
Lonely Planet: England
http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/product_detail.cfm?productID=1707&seriesID=1&seriesname=Travel%20Guides&
Hanging Out in England
http://catalog.frommers.com/product.asp?isbn=0764562460
Hanging Out in Europe
http://catalog.frommers.com/product.asp?isbn=0764564714
In addition, you may find the following web sites useful. They are
loaded with excellent information for budget travelers visiting
Europe:
EuroTrip.com
http://www.eurotrip.com/
BackpackEurope.com
http://www.backpackeurope.com/
Finally, the U.S. State Department web site has important information
for U.S. citizens traveling abroad:
Travel and Living Abroad
http://www.state.gov/travel/
======================================================================
The information that I have provided above should serve to answer your
question. Feel free to request a clarification if anything is
unclear.
Best regards,
sldreamer
Search strategy:
passport
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orlando airport
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uk france ferry
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france trains
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+how get heathrow stansted (cheap OR cheapest OR cheaply)
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stansted airport
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london subway
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stansted express
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berlin hostel
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hostels
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berlin hostel reviews
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berlin transportation
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let's go berlin
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frommers berlin
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germany train
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wacken open air
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hamburg lubeck airport
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london transportation
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let's go london
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frommers london
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heathrow airport sleep
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sleeping airports
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heathrow airport
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europe budget travel
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The link to the 'Low-cost intra-European air carriers' article was
provided by larre-ga. |
