Prepare for summer train travel! Photo by hiddeneurope

By Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries in Berlin—It’s that time of year, Cheapos. The time when various European railway administrations launch a deluge of summer specials. So what’s making the top of the list this year? Read on for a list of rail companies that are slashing prices.

TGV

First up? Those deeply discounted offerings from the French Railways (SNCF) on their TGV services. Between now and August 23rd, first-class fares on many routes across France have been slashed to as little as €30 one way. Look for the TGV Prems Vente Flash fares on the dedicated SNCF website.

Thalys

Thalys is also offering regular summer first class specials, again on sale until August 23rd, for services linking Paris with Brussels, Amsterdam and Cologne. With August being a light month for business travel, there are often heaps of empty seats on TGV and Thalys first-class carriages, and so these summer deals give budget travelers the chance to trade up to a spot of unaccustomed luxury! For more info, visit Thalys’ web site.

Deutsche Bahn

Deutsche Bahn launches a new ticket this week that—for travelers in no great rush—looks like a superb deal. The Quer-durchs-Land Ticket (QdLT) is a weekday equivalent of the long standing Schönes-Wochenende Ticket (SWT), which allows unlimited travel in Germany on all but the fastest trains on either a Saturday or a Sunday. Now QdLT will offer a similar option from Monday through Friday. Stipulations include no travel before 9 AM, but for long hops on slower trains,  QdLT can be fantastic value. Okay, so you can’t use the slick express services, but the slower trains bring other benefits – a chance to enjoy the passing countryside at a less hectic pace.

Cologne to Heidelberg, for example, takes less than five hours by regional train on a route that includes the Rhine valley line from Bonn via Koblenz to Mainz, in our view hugely better than the route used by the fastest express trains. QdLT is utterly flexible. No need to state your destination, no need to pre-book. And the basic fare of €34 is good for solo travel, then add on €5 for each extra traveler up to a maximum of five in all (for €54).

Happy traveling, Cheapos.

About the authors: Susanne Kries and Nicky Gardner are regular contributors to EuroCheapo and together edit hidden europe magazine.

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A Deutsche Bahn train in Berlin's main station. Photo by hidden europe.

By Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries—

Okay, we’ve said it before, but we’ll gladly say it again. Have Cheapos realised just how much rail fares in Europe can vary according to where you purchase your tickets?

We took a day out from our regular work with hidden europe magazine last week and conjured up a tempting palette of trips criss-crossing the continent. And then we compared the ticket prices on a national rail website (that of the Deutsche Bahn) with the prices offered for those journeys by rail ticketing agents based in Britain and North America. We took care to ensure that the tickets we purchased were in every case for exactly the same trains.

So a straight comparison, comparing like-with-like. Same class of travel, same comfy seat, same scenery slipping by outside the window – for all five routes in our basket of European rail trips.

The five routes we tested

1. Berlin to London single (by day, depart after 9:00 AM, any route) on September 3: one adult, 2nd class.
2. Amsterdam to Salzburg single (by day, no more than one change of train) on July 14: one adult, 1st class.
3. London to Cologne via Brussels single (depart at 8:00 AM or later) on September 10: one adult, 2nd class.
4. Berlin to Zagreb single via Hamburg (2 night stop) and Munich (2 night stop) on August 20: one adult, any class.
5. Nuremberg to Dresden same day return (direct trains only) on June 20 for a family of five, 2nd class.

For each of these five journeys, we thought that the German Railways (viz. Deutsche Bahn) website at www.bahn.de would offer some reasonable fare advice, and so it did. Indeed, all five journeys could be booked online through their website.

Then we turned to agents selling rail tickets in North America and Britain to get quotes for precisely the same journeys. This was done first by online research, often followed up by telephone calls to check precise details.

The results

And guess what? The leading agencies specializing in European rail tickets always charged at least twice as much as would the Deutsche Bahn for exactly the same journey.

The key point here is that in most of Europe, rail operators have a whole raft of special promotional fares that massively undercut the regular tariffs (often with discount of more than 80% on the standard fare). But agents rarely offer those discounted fares, preferring to safeguard their hefty commission fees by selling only the full fare.

Comparing the fares

Now take a look at how those fares compared. Listed below are the Deutsche Bahn (DB) fares that were available for purchase around midday of Friday, June 12, 2009 followed by the cheapest fare quoted the same day by a leading North American or British agent (all sterling and dollar fares have been converted to euros just to make things clearer).

1. Berlin to London (2nd class) DB: €49 / Agent Fare: €209
2. Amsterdam to Salzburg (1st class) DB: €79 / Agent Fare: €255
3. London to Cologne (2nd class) DB: €49 / Agent Fare: €106
4. Berlin to Zagreb with stops in Hamburg and Munich (2nd class) DB: €29 / Agent Fare: €322
5. Nuremberg to Dresden day return for family of 5 (2nd class) DB: €37 / Agent Fare: €705

Helpful advice?

We found one leading British agent who was extremely helpful on the phone, going to some lengths to suggest that for certain routes it might be wiser to get the tickets from a German source (but declining to give the specific name of the company or website).

A well-known North American agent emphasized that their dollar fares on offer would undercut anything we might purchase in Europe – a claim which is patently undermined by the results of our survey. The North American agent suggested that a rail pass might be a better bet for some of our journeys, and hinted that we would encounter a range of problems if we attempted to purchase directly from the Deutsche Bahn website.

Booking tickets in advance

The reality is that booking train tickets on www.bahn.de is pretty easy, even without a knowledge of German. The site has a decent English language interface, though in some instances you will find additional functionality on the German language website.

Also, it really helps to have a good knowledge of European patterns of service and railway geography. A good place to start is by studying the latest edition of the Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable and the same company’s Rail Map of Europe.

Booking well in advance is often the key to finding cheap fares, but our research found that plenty of discounted promotional fares are still available for travel this summer. And we did not cast around trying to dig up the cheapest possible travel dates, having fixed our palette of routes and travel dates before embarking on our research. If you would like the see the full results of our survey, just click here.

And, oh yes, just in case you were wondering, we were paid not a cent by the Deutsche Bahn to publish this!

About the authors: Susanne Kries and Nicky Gardner are regular contributors to EuroCheapo and together edit hidden europe magazine. They live in Berlin.

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Ralph Bakshi’s “Fritz the Cat” in action, courtesy of Anima ‘09

It’s well known that Brussels is a go-to when it comes to cartoons, comic strips, and animation. One need only browse the halls of the infamous Belgian Comic Strip Center to see that loveable characters like Tintin were first given life here.

Now in its 28th year, the Belgian Anima 2009 Festival, hosted in Brussels, is a huge draw for tourists, comic art professionals, and fans of animated characters and films. The event kicks off February 20th with a costume contest (come dressed as your favorite character!) and runs through February 28th.

‘Toon in!

Highlights of this year’s fest include screenings of top-notch film favorites like Wallace and Gromit, The Smurfs, and Pinocchio (which will be airing once during the week in French and at another time in Dutch). American films are screened in English with French subtitles.

New this year, Academy Award nominees like Waltz with Bashir and Wall-E, as well as a tribute to the creator of Fritz the Cat, Ralph Bakshi, plus a master class with Pixar guru Kyle Balda.

Comical details

The festival takes place in the beautiful neighborhood known as Ixelles (south of Brussels’ city center). See our hotel recommendations here.

If you plan to see more than a few flicks, we recommend going for the five-ticket billet. It costs €25 (that’s €10 cheaper than if you buy separate tickets at a cost of €7 per screening).

Groups and students under 26-years, as well as children under the age of 16, also receive special discounts.

For more information, including transportation and screening times, visit: www.animafestival.be

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Fired up! Ready to go! Photo courtesy of an agent

Yes, we did!

On Tuesday, January 20th, 2009, Barack Obama will be sworn is as the 44th U.S. President and the world will be watching!

We’ve put together a list of places hosting inaugural day events in Europe.

As we said on Friday, the inauguration should be available in high-def at many locations, so if a bar or cafe has a television and gets satellite cable, you should be able to check in on the Washington, D.C. action.

As usual, let us know if you still need to find a place to watch the event.

Signed, sealed, delivered - again!

In Paris: The American Church in Paris hosts a prayer service at 7:30 PM followed by a viewing of the inauguration (one hour behind the live events) and a wine and cheese reception. Stop by and you might just see our Ed-in-Chief Tom Meyers! More info is here. You can also email Arlene Gross, the coordinator of the event, at arlbru2004@yahoo.com

For more ideas on where to hang your hat on inauguration day, check out this great forum on the Fodor’s Paris site. Other ideas include the Havane Cafe, at 70 Bis, Boulevard Auguste Blanqui (near Place d’Italie).

UPDATED: There’s an event at Carr’s Irish Restaurant and Bar (1 Rue du Mont Thabor). It begins at 4:30. The venue promises live coverage from CNN, via two large screen television sets. For further information, visit their web site.

In addition, a group of Democrats Abroad folks will gather to watch the inauguration at The Highlander pub (8 rue Nevers, across from the Pont Neuf).

Finally, if you really want to get your Obama-yes-we-can-can groove on, start out with the group of revelers organizing an event at Le Queenie (5, rue de Berri) for drinks, conversation, and to watch the inauguration. Then, head over to Queen nightclub (102, Avenue Champs Elysees). For info and to RSVP, email obama.obamaparisinauguration.p@gmail.com  

Note: According to the Paris Expat Meetup group, the American Library also has inauguration events planned. More info here.

In Berlin: Our friends over at BootsnAll first broke the news that Berlin would be partying down on inauguration eve. As they so aptly reminded us, it was Mr. Obama himself who said, “People of Berlin, people of the world, this is our moment. This is our time.” Rock on! Head to Goya Nightclub for an evening of celebration or head to the Amerika Haus, where they’ve been celebrating Black History month for weeks already. Check out what they have planned here.

In Salzburg: An event is planned at the Hotel Stein (Giselakai 3-5). All are welcome, including children, but RSVPs are a must. Go here for more info. You can also contact Contact Mary Ann Balko-Koch at 0664 59 23 408.

In Vienna: There’s a big event planned at the Badeschiff (Donau canal between Schwedenplatz and the Urania in Vienna’s first district). The official invite can be downloaded here.  Live jazz music wil be provided. There’s a €5 optional donation. The reservation process officially closed on January 16th, but we recommend still trying to get in. Email: events@democratsabroad.at for more info.

In Brussels: There’s an event at the Hilton Brussels (38, Boulevard De Waterloo). Reservations are required. Email chair-be@democratsabroad.orgby today for info and to reserve your spot.

In London: A host of events are planned in Her Majesty’s great city. For a list of a bunch of them, visit Time Out London’s web site. Might we recommend the “Bye George” comedy celebration at the Southbank Centre on the evening before Obama takes office? By George, now that’s a pleasant thought!

For a real down-home feel, check out what the Chicago Rib Shack has planned. Just for the record, this is exactly where the other resident Cheapos would be if on the other side of the pond next week! They’re in Knightsbridge, near Harrods. For more info, email info@thechicagoribshack.co.uk

In Amsterdam: One of our favorite places to catch great entertainment and share laughs, Boom Chicago, has lots of fun stuff on the docket Tuesday night. Get in the mood earlier with a comedy show called, “Bye Bye Bush!”. For more information on the inaugural fest, go here.

UPDATED: If you’re in the Groningen area, head over to Wijkcentrum Het Floreshuis for pizza and revelry. Events start at 5 p.m. and the food and drinks are cheaply priced. More info: demsfungroningen@gmail.com

Also, check out the Democrats Abroad Netherlands site for up-to-date celebration info.

In St. Petersburg: Fellow Cheapo “Liz” suggests trying the folks at the Grand Hotel Europe, where events are planned. Contact: desk.concierge@grandhoteleurope.com

In Barcelona: This comes courtesy of ‘toshmon’ who commented via our earlier inauguration blog post.

“For Barcelona, information from http://www.amersoc.com/

“When: January 20th from 5 pm to 11 pm (entry at 4:30 pm)
Where: Le Meridien Hotel, C/ La Rambla, 111
Price: 15 euros
What’s included: Live coverage of the swearing-in ceremony on a big screen tv, live music, tapas, beer, wine, soft drinks.

“Make sure to RSVP to admin@amersoc.com and stop by Hotel Le Meridien to pick up your tickets in advance to avoid standing in line at the registration desk on day of the event.”

Thanks for posting ‘toshmon’!

In Granada: Democrats Abroad group will be convening at Paddy’s Irish Pub (on calle Santa Escolastica). Further directions to the venue, info, and more are available here.   The event begins at 4 p.m. and doors open at 3 p.m.

In Athens: The Democrats Abroad hosts an event at the Hardrock Cafe (18, Filellinon). Contact is Alexis Vasilakopoulou (ph: 210 325 2758). For more information, visit the event’s site.

In Madrid: The Hotel Intercontinental offers an event hosted by Democrats Abroad Madrid. The event is private, meaning you must RSVP, but all are welcome and entrance is free of charge. The hotel is at Paseo de la Castellana 49. More details here.

If you’re interested in a more fancy affair, check out this gala event that’s planned in Madrid.

In Rome: We were only able to track down information for the Democrats Abroad event at the Radisson SAS hotel. As of press time on Friday, the event was full. Please comment here if you’re in Rome and know of other events. Thanks!

In Milan: There’s an event at the Fiori Oscuri Bistrot (Via Fiori Oscuri 3, in Brera). All are welcome and there’s no entrance fee. Free copies of the International Herald Tribune will be distributed. For more information, contact Maria Lassila (maria.lassila@gmail.com).

Other suggestions: Check out sites like Democratic Underground, your city’s local Expat Meetup site, or Democrats Abroad for ideas.

Where will you be?

Tell us where you plan to watch the inauguration. Please include city, venue, and relevant contact info. Thanks!

And, go Obama!

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Christmas market in Brussels, Belgium-photo by Ipoh 7

‘Tis the season to visit the European Christmas markets, Cheapos!

The Christmas Market Tradition

Europe’s holiday market tradition began in Germany and Austria. Today, many well-known markets, like those in Nuremberg and Munich, draw record crowds. Heck, there’s even a company that specializes in European Christmas market tours around the holidays.

The most popular markets can still be found in Germany and Austria, but cities in our other countries, like Copenhagen, Denmark and Prague, Czech Republic, throw their own festive fairs. Markets typically open during the last week of November and remain open until the day after Christmas.

Here’s a very merry round-up of the most notable Christmas markets In Europe. If you happen to be nearby, we recommend a browse-through.

Salzburg

The annual “adventmarkt,” filled with stalls, good eats, and more, takes place in Julius-Raab Platz. Check out the fantastical “Christkindlmarkt” web site for more info, or simply visit the Salzburg Tourism Info site here.

Vienna

Mozart’s main stomping ground is the veritable creme de la creme for Christmas market gurus. Fairs are open in multiple locations and feature live DJ music, petting zoos, gospel choirs, and authentic handicrafts. Visit the Vienna Tourism Board for info, dates, and directions to the markets.

Munich

Another mother lode when it comes to Christmas markets in Europe, the Munich Advent “markt” is expansive, boasting concerts, traditional food, and free historical tours of the market. The tourism board has more info, including how to get there, and where to park if you’re arriving by car. (Anyone who wants to offer their own caption for the photo that appears on this page, please pass it on. “Nordic vikings attack unsuspecting child at Munich Christmas market“?)

Berlin

Whether you like your markets authentic or chock full of special effects, Berlin’s the place to be if only for the number and sheer size of some of its markets. Most notably, the market in Potsdamer Platz, titled ”WinterMagic,” features a 4,000 square-foot outdoor space with a Ferris wheel, Legoland structure for kids to play in, and more. A comprehensive list of all markets can be found here.

Bonus: Download a FREE PDF history of the markets here, or watch this YouTube video for more info on the tradition of the German Christmas market. You can also visit the ‘markt’ section of the Berlin Tourism site for more info (in German only).

Copenhagen

The largest market can be found in Tivoli Gardens and has become an infamous go-to spot for getting into the spirit. Here, elves in full costume bounce among revelers and the light displays -orchestrated by the lead designer for Tiffany & Co - hang overhead. Games, ornaments, and much more are available. Check out the “Visit Copenhagen” site for info on this and many more Copenhagen markets. 

Brussels

This year, the Christmas market kicks off in Place St. Catherine. Ice skating is available. Be sure to buy some chocolates, and don’t forget to stop to see Manneken Pis in full Santa regalia. The “Visit Belgium” site has more info.

Prague

The Czech city really does it up with major fests in Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. Smaller fairs occur elsewhere throughout the holidays. Check out the “Prague Experience” site for info, dates, and more.

Stay tuned this week as we take you through the European Christmas market circuit in daily photo montages.

Tell us: And, if you’ve been to a holiday market in Europe, tell us about it! What was it like? What did you buy or sample?

Happy Holidays, Cheapos!

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A royal turkey spread, photo courtesy of RoadsidePictures

Sometimes you just can’t make it back to grandma’s house for Thanksgiving because you live (or are traveling) far, far away.

While a few Cheapos in our office were living in London the year before last, they had an admittedly hard time thinking about family back home, gathered around a table of carved turkey (or turducken), their aunt’s famous green bean casserole, and - especially - mom’s super-human homemade pecan pie.

Cue the drool!

Initially, these Cheapos thought about hosting a Thanksgiving feast at their flat, but didn’t find much in the way of Thanksgiving at Marks & Spencer. Instead, a restaurant in Notting Hill proved to be the right treat. The Cheapos gorged along with a packed house of other friendly American expats and had a happy, festive time.

While it could never be as good as grandma’s cooking, it sure tasted close to home. And while this year we’re all able to celebrate Thanksgiving with family, we thought it’d be helpful to round up a few suggestions for Americans abroad:

Paris
Join the Meetup Expats in Paris group for Thanksgiving dinner at Le Saint-Martin in the 10th arrondissement. Full details here.

Prague
Head over to the Radisson SAS Alcron Hotel and join the AARO (Association of American Residents Overseas) for a Thanksgiving meal. More information can be found here.

Brussels
A group of expats in Brussels will meet at the Sheraton Hotel, Place Rogier, for a meal on Thursday evening. Check out the American Club of Brussels calendar for more info.

London
If you plan to get meditative on turkey day, might we suggest the annual Thanksgiving service at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Folks in the local expat meetup group here meet at the cafe across the street first, to break bread beforehand.

Barcelona
The American Society of Barcelona hosts an annual dinner. This year, the event happens at the Hotel Arts (Pau Casals Room, Marina 19-21). Learn more here.

Rome
Friends in Rome hosts an event at Le Bain (Via delle Botteghe Oscure, 33). Reservations are required. To prepare for feasting, go here.

Budapest
Head over to the Budapest Marriott Hotel (Apáczai Csere János u. 4.) for a full spread. You can register when you get there. Or, try this guy; he’s willing to cook for your whole family!

OK Cheapos, now it’s your turn. Where will you be eating your European turkey and stuffin’ this Thanksgiving eve? Leave us a note here and we’ll pass it on.

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Almost every visitor to Brussels finds themselves at some point standing and smiling at the city’s famous “Manneken Pis” statue, which depicts a youngster cheerfully peeing into a fountain basin.  

Cheapo-friendly Manneken Pis memorabilia flood the streets of Brussels. While large statues can be expensive and too heavy to carry, smaller and cheaper versions are easy to pack and will likely provide plenty of laughs for the folks back home. With a little hunting, you might also find some freebies…

Let’s hear it for the little squirt

In the case of the Manneken Pis, toilet humor is historically justified. There are several legends about the meaning of the statue, most of which involve a small boy urinating on armies attacking Brussels and thus saving the day.

This bronze statue was cast in 1619 by sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy and is located at the corner of Rue de l’Étuve & Eikstraat, very near the Grand Place. Needless to say, the fountain is one of the city’s most famous attractions.

Replicas and pee-themed souvenirs are celebrated city-wide. Entire stores are devoted to M.P. memorabilia. Some of our favorite items include:

• Manneken Pis Belgian white beer
• Manneken Pis butane lighter
• Manneken Pis postcards depicting the boy in various costumes
• Manneken Pis shot glass
• Manneken Pis corkscrew

You can preview these souvenirs above, but know that you’ll be able to find cheaper versions from street vendors or shops in town.

While you’re at it…

If you find yourself eating some of those famous Belgian fries or waffles, check out the napkins. You might find depictions of the Manneken Pis you can take home for free.

Also see: our recommended budget hotels in Brussels.

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Photo by Frank Dhooghe

We bet “sun” and “sand” are two words you don’t readily associate with Brussels, but an afternoon at the city’s free “beach” will change that. Each summer in the city of chocolate and comic strips, from mid-July to mid-August, a stretch of the Rue de la Dyle (north of the city center) is converted into a virtual beach. 

And, like the best beaches, Brussels’ waterside resort is completely free. City officials affectionately refer to the sandy oasis, stretched out along one of the city’s canals, as Bruxelles les Bains (Brussels Spa), or “an urban beach scene.”

Just what makes for such a scene? Well, after tons of sand are dumped onto the street, free outdoor concerts abound (check out the drums in the photo above), as well as ”beachy” activities like volleyball, group yoga, and ultimate Frisbee. Street vendors provide inexpensive food and drink.

Bruxelles Les Bains is open from 11a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, except Mondays. The beach stays open an hour later on Friday and Saturday nights. The summer spectacle is within walking distance of both the Ribaucourt and Yser metro stops and is located at Place Sainctelette at the Quai des Peniches.

The whole experience is just like a day at the shore except that when you’re done, you can hit up the Grand Place or check out a local museum.  So, nab a spot on the fresh sand, lay back, and catch some rays.

Stay tuned, Cheapos, as we travel to Budapest tomorrow and lend you more free tips!

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Cheapo newsflash! We’ve just launched a brand spankin’ new city guide and budget hotel primer for Brussels, Belgium! Turns out, you can sleep cheap in the land of waffles, beer, and all those bandes dessinées.

Our guide includes articles on transportation in and around Brussels, reviews of 27 centrally-located hotels, and more. Stay tuned as we’ll be adding more stuff soon. In the meantime, we hope you’ll enjoy getting to know the city of diplomats, bankers, cartoons, chocolate, and a little guy Belgians like to call Manneken Pis.   

As usual, let us know what you think!   

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With the launch of our newest city guide, we’d like to give one big, warm shout-out to Belgium’s beloved Chez Leon. It’s not easy finding reasonable food fare in the EU capital city, but Leon’s menu and service make it clear why the locals recommend the “mussels in Brussels.”

Mussels at Leon are fresh, cheap (a fixed price meal, including pommes frites and one free beer, is €14.50 per person), and served to your liking. When last there, this Cheapo ordered mussels marinières (mussels steamed in a tomato base) and watched as her fellow Cheapos delighted in mussels à la provencale.

For beer to go, pick up a four-pack for €6. It’s good stuff, we promise.

Check Leon’s web site for details on summer recipes (curry mussels anyone?), Leon beer, and more.

Visit our new Brussels guide here.  

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