An idiot abroad (Europe)

[twing]

Bit of advice from Euro-travellers please I've (drunkenly) signed up for Munich Oktoberfest next year and need to start budgeting, it's going to be a heavy one. There will be ten or so meeting up in Munich on a Friday and staying til Monday. My plan is to leave a few days earlier and go to Amsterdam alone, travel to Munich and meet up but then have a few days in Bruges on the way back.
I hope it'll be fairly relaxed with timings, maybe leave Amsterdam early and have an extra day in Bruges at the end or maybe end up back there for my last night.
My question is how would you go about travelling? Train, plane or combination? Obviously driving is out of the question.
I don't want to pre-book anything if possible so that I can wing it a bit. I've seen a decent train ticket that lets me go anywhere in Europe for about £450 but Munich to Bruges is about 8 hours on a train and it seems a bit of a waste of tourist time. What would you fellas do?

[anonymous-user]

Cheap/easy flights from Amsterdam to Munich, similarly, loads of cheap flights from Munich to Brussels - then a 55 minute train journey to Bruges.

[Puggit]

Driving is not out of the question! Drove back from Munich to Reading in a day in 2005

[Europa1]

Puggit said:

Driving is not out of the question! Drove back from Munich to Reading in a day in 2005

I think the words "it's going to be a heavy one" might indicate why a marathon drive might not be an option...

[twing]

Puggit said:

Driving is not out of the question! Drove back from Munich to Reading in a day in 2005

Trust me I won't be driving for a long time afterwards

[twing]

had ham said:

Cheap/easy flights from Amsterdam to Munich, similarly, loads of cheap flights from Munich to Brussels - then a 55 minute train journey to Bruges.

Many thanks, that's what I was hoping for! Reckon I could just turn up on the day and fly? I'm booking the Munich bit up early as it'll be so busy but I'd like to leave the rest up in the air.

[Bluebarge]

Flights are not cheap if you just rock up on the day. They know they have you over a barrel, and charge you accordingly. Any reason you cannot commit to doing this a few weeks in advance and booking then? You know when the Oktoberfest is, so it's not as if you can't plan.

Also, turning up in a city holding a major European festival attended by 100s of thousands of people from all over the world, with no pre-booked accommodation, I would describe as, erm, optimistic.

[shirt]

i'd fly. did manchester>brussels>venice>budapest>krakow>leeds a few years back this way, came to about £175 each, mainly using ryanair.

[anonymous-user]

twing said:

Many thanks, that's what I was hoping for! Reckon I could just turn up on the day and fly? I'm booking the Munich bit up early as it'll be so busy but I'd like to leave the rest up in the air.

To re-iterate what Bluebarge said, if you can book early, for outbound and return flights, then absolutely do so as it'll be FAR cheaper and you'll have the seat secured -any flights into/out of Munich get VERY busy around Oktoberfest - so rocking up on the day would be very expensive and very risky - you might get lucky and get a flight, but chances are not good.

[twing]

Accomodation in Munich will be booked way in advance, as will the flight there. It's the rest that will be a bit loose. Although having read all your comments I think I could prob book London to Amsterdam early, Amsterdam to Munich will already be booked by March, Munich to Bruges is expensive but do-able if I book early and then it's just getting home from there which I can take a chance on. I'm beginning to wonder if my liver will survive so getting home is the least of my worries

thanks all, i appreciate the time

[anonymous-user]

twing said:

Accomodation in Munich will be booked way in advance, as will the flight there. It's the rest that will be a bit loose. Although having read all your comments I think I could prob book London to Amsterdam early, Amsterdam to Munich will already be booked by March, Munich to Bruges is expensive but do-able if I book early and then it's just getting home from there which I can take a chance on. I'm beginning to wonder if my liver will survive so getting home is the least of my worries

thanks all, i appreciate the time

Bruges is either ferry from Zeebrugge (Hull or Rosyth), or the train back to Brussels then Eurostar back in to St Pancras.

[//j17]

The train may be the best option if you don't want to book ahead.

Looking for trains from Amsterdam to Munich for next Friday (so avoiding the really advanced deals) you're talking 100Euro / £75 one-way. The cheapest flight on Skyscanner for the same date is £150. Sure you're talking 8hr and 1 change vs a 90min flight but it's also city centre to city centre and turn up/get on train, so you save all the getting to/from airport time, getting there an hour plus before your flight, etc. And you can have a much better nap on the train!

[Robertj21a]

If you're hoping to fly after having a skinful they may refuse you at the gate.

[twing]

//j17 said:

The train may be the best option if you don't want to book ahead.

Looking for trains from Amsterdam to Munich for next Friday (so avoiding the really advanced deals) you're talking 100Euro / £75 one-way. The cheapest flight on Skyscanner for the same date is £150. Sure you're talking 8hr and 1 change vs a 90min flight but it's also city centre to city centre and turn up/get on train, so you save all the getting to/from airport time, getting there an hour plus before your flight, etc. And you can have a much better nap on the train!

I'd thought about the over night train tbh, would save me a hotel room too. After 3 days in 'dam I'll need a good night's sleep

[twing]

Robertj21a said:

If you're hoping to fly after having a skinful they may refuse you at the gate.

Oh sod off with your sensibleness!!!! .... Actually that's a bloody good point matey and one that I'd totally neglected to think

• scratches head * my missus said I was mad planning this far ahead, I think I should started a year ago.