How much would it cost to travel around Europe?

How much would it cost for my friends and I to travel around Europe?

• My friends and I thought if would be fun and a great experience to travel Europe after we graduate high school. There are about 10 of us and we will graduate in 4 years(not including the end of this school year). I was just wondering about how much we should save, if we decide to go.

• Answer:

  The most fun way to travel around Europe is by train. Get a Europass good for however long you are going to be there. It saves time and money. You can buy them here before you leave - in fact you can't buy them in Europe. This is cheaper than any other way. There are great youth hostels - Europe is where these were invented, I think. They are far better than anything in North America. My kids and I did it that way a few years ago - and with our backpacks. It was the best trip I have ever taken. You have to plan your trip before you go. Plan on the cities you are going to visit and know where the youth hostels are in those cities before you leave. Stay in places where the price of the room includes all you can eat breakfast. Most hostels do it that way. If you buy your Europass, stay in youth hostels, use the bus/tram or subway systems(the Metro in Paris, for example is great), eat a big free breakfast, do your sightseeing and buy bread, fruit, cheese, wine then pig out in your hotel after you have finished your day. So, you don't spend much money eating in restaurants. We had a 3 week Europass, travelled from England on the hydrofoil across the English Channel to Calais and took the train into Paris and went from there. We hit 9 cities, including Florence, Amsterdam, Brussels, Saltsburg, etc. It cost me about $4000.00 for the three of us. Not including the air fare to fly my kids to London. So, if you have 4 years to save, get on it. It is the trip of a lifetime. And you will never forget it. It may be a little more expensive now. But, you can do it. Wanna go skiing in the Alps, take the cog railway up the mountain in Insbruck - glorious. Good luck.