Visiting - Need Help!

Discussion in 'Germany' started by Beer_Economicus, Apr 4, 2023.

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  1. rodndtube

    rodndtube Zealot (643) Feb 24, 2007 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society

    Are you taking two 70 lb luggage bags on this trip? If so, you will likely want to limit the number of cities/hotels you stay at. Find a town you can use as your basecamp and do trips from there.

    Are you a member of any European hotel clubs (e.g., Accor/Ibis)?

    Some credit card points will redeem train and public transit.
     
  2. Beer_Economicus

    Beer_Economicus Pooh-Bah (2,698) Apr 8, 2017 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Good Question. Most likely, no. Right now I am planning to take 2-3 “total” outfits of business/business casual attire, and mix and match them for the week with a few extra polos. Then bring 2 pairs of pants, 3 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of shoes. Oh, and a pair of biking boots and an ultralight backpack and such. I’ll likely be fine with 1 suitcase under 50lb, but I need to verify that the size of my bag is still fine for international travel. Otherwise I’ll have 2 smaller. No carry on, just a laptop bag otherwise.

    The exception would be if I end up finding a way to coordinate and make caving plans ahead of time. Then I would have an entire separate suitcase of caving gear. (Yea, it’s my thing - professionally for work and as a hobby.)
     
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  3. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,635) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

    The last many times we have been just going to the HBF to get on the train to Bamberg.
     
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  4. rodndtube

    rodndtube Zealot (643) Feb 24, 2007 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society

    In that case a Bavaria ticket would be the most affordable way to go especially if it more than one of you. The Bayern ticket isn't valid for an ICE train but it is for the RE (Regional Express). If opting for the ICE train option then a Sparpreis Ticket option includes a couple of features such as the City Ticket. A City Ticket enables you to take public transit at the destination, e.g., in Bamberg one of the buses to your hotel or to the further side of the city, e.g., Klosterbarueri, and then you can stroll back hitting a few of the pubs along the way.
     
  5. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,635) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

    You're preaching to the choir.
     
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  6. biermark

    biermark Zealot (519) Sep 9, 2008 South Carolina

    Limit your bags to essentials. For a 2 week trip you can do that in a backpack. Sport complicates that but stay under 50 lbs and max bag size.
    Limit your travel as it's a time hog. There will be a 49 euro ticket in may for ulimited travel (no ICE trains)
    Having work pay for the ticket and your phone is ideal.
    Use as much vacation around your work trip as possible as the worst part of going is the plane ticket. Skyscanner, google flights to watch prices then book direct.
    Figure out one country to navigate in then spread out later. English isn't a problem for the most part but learn basic questions and answers. Youtube is your friend.
    Eliminate jet lag by getting up at midnight the week before you go so you're already adjusted to the time change. No naps on your first day.
    It's not that complicated. Learn some basics on custom, travel, be friendly and not an ugly Ami.
     
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  7. Beer_Economicus

    Beer_Economicus Pooh-Bah (2,698) Apr 8, 2017 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'm crazy behind on responding, but I've been absolutely swamped with work. Both a good and bad thing.

    Due to my recent uptick in travel (that I expect will continue for the foreseeable future - i.e. the next 5 years or more), I decided to get an AMEX for the purchases that make sense. Well, one of the travel features is the ability to book through AMEX for plane flights, and on international flights there are sometimes deals. Something else, I noticed that I'd be able to book Delta-only flights, but stitch them together without it costing extra. Meaning I get all the same benefits as if I did it directly with Delta, but I'll have the freedom to land in one city, and leave in another, but still have all the protection/amenities as if I booked directly on Deltas website.

    Honestly, this is a game changer. It should make this entire trip easier, more enjoyable, and should open the plans up quite a bit.
     
  8. barrybeerdog

    barrybeerdog Pundit (941) Aug 17, 2012 South Dakota

    Whew, Zurich to Paris to Berlin to Bielefeld is A LOT of time on the train, (high speed Euro trains can get costly).

    I agree w/ several of the other posters, you are really trying to pack in a lot of places in a relatively short time. I have travelled all over Europe on many occasions & trust me when I say, too many places will wear you out!!

    So many great places to see & visit, but it's best if you can narrow it down to just a couple outside of Bielefeid.

    Since you now have the Delta AM card, (I have the same thing & it's great for travel). I would consider either flying in & out of Amsterdam or into Amsterdam & out of Paris. Both Paris & Amsterdam are Delta hubs w/ co-shares on KLM, (Dutch) & Air France, so that really makes things easy.

    The fact that Bielefeid is in the northern part of Germany makes Amsterdam the best big city to fly into, (0nly 4 hrs by train).

    Consider limiting your travels to the Netherlands, (Amsterdam is a great city) northern Germany, (Dusseldorf is close) & possibly Brussels BE, (another fantastic city).

    Delta airlines (your AM card) & proximity to Bielefeld makes Amsterdam your best option for arrival & departure.

    Good luck & enjoy your trip!! Cheers
     
  9. Snowcrash000

    Snowcrash000 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,041) Oct 4, 2017 Germany
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I can't help you much with your current itinerary, but let me know if you're going to be in Cologne/Düsseldorf, as some people have suggested. If you are a lambic lover, I would also recommend going to Brussels instead of Amsterdam, which is about the same trip from Bielefeld and much quicker from western Germany. Visisting Cantillon and 3F can both be done in a daytrip, with some time to spare for sightseeing.
     
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  10. wannabekraut

    wannabekraut Initiate (176) Aug 7, 2022

    I'll also add my two cents. If I were you I would definitely see Berlin. It isn't typical Germany but it is a really cool city, great vibe, super easy to get around and there is a ton to see. The bars there are fantastic and it's a lovely place when the sun is out. I also agree with the suggestions about going to the Rhineland, it's super easy to take a day trip from Düsseldorf to Köln and vice versa, the beer is great in both places, and there is a lot to see, especially in Köln with the cathedral. Don't sleep on Hamburg either, there's a solid craft scene there and it's another city with a super cool vibe and good food, plenty to see. There is no need to sweat traveling by train, just take an ICE between your main cities (and make it easy on yourself and reserve a seat for five euros), and basically everyone in the train stations speak English, there are announcements and signage in English too. Germany is a very easy country to visit for an English speaker, and even if you aren't necessarily revolving your trip around beer you should still be able to get a feel for the beer here by what's on tap in restaurants. The one thing about northern Germany is that it is pilsner dominated, and while I love pilsner, many of your options (Krombacher, Holsten, etc) you can pass on. Plenty of local/regional breweries beyond the macro pilsners, so there will be plenty for you to try that is of a higher standard than much of what you might see on a kiosk shelf. Also, you can open carry alcohol here, so buy a bottle of beer at a kiosk and take a walk and just enjoy it
     
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  11. Beer_Economicus

    Beer_Economicus Pooh-Bah (2,698) Apr 8, 2017 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Still have a lot to respond to, but been giving everyone's opinion serious thought, and also been working on my schedule a bit. Schedule, I'm thinking:

    Leave US 9 Aug. Arrive in Europe sometime 10 Aug.
    Take 10/11 Aug to get used to time change AND do a little sight seeing in city I arrive in.
    I want to stay in my return city on 22 Aug, and leave on 23 Aug.

    There's so much to see in Germany, so I really am OK with staying here. The only two things that are drawing me away is (1) Louve in paris and (2) Brussels. I can live without the latter, but there's an Egyptian exhibit at the Louve that leaves late summer or early autumn, and it's the only time the exhibit has ever left Egypt. Really pulling me to visit. BUT, not a requirement.

    Curious what others think.

    In total, I'm thinking about the following:

    Stay in arrival city 10/11 Aug, Depart 12 Aug.
    Go someplace else for 12 Aug, depart late on 13 Aug.
    Arrive in Bielefeld late on 13 Aug, and stay there till 20 or 21 Aug.
    Head to departure City on 20 or 21 Aug.

    While in Bielefeld, I can visit Dusseldorf and Cologne if I just take 1 day off from the conference. So, perhaps those will be "off limits" for overnight trips?

    Other things I'd like to do in Germany, but having trouble putting the pieces together:
    • WWII sites; ideally a concentration camp
    • Eagles Nest
    • Saxon Switzerland National Park
    • Other places with great hiking/scenery
    Also, vehicles are pretty inexpensive in Bielefeld, so considering getting a rental for the 8~ish days I am there. So, anything within 2ish hours of driving may be perfect for partial trips during the conference.

    I know that time will pass by very quick, so I'm struggling a bit with how to put all of this together.
     
  12. Bierman9

    Bierman9 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,313) Dec 20, 2001 New Hampshire
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Regarding WWII, the Eagles Nest is near Berchtesgaden, in the extreme southeast area. Way too far for a day trip. Bastogne is about 4 hours away.... Likely still too far. Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp is about 2 hours away to the northeast, just north of Celle. That town is extremely picturesque.

    I can look for more WWII suggestions when I get on my PC at home later...

    Prosit!
     
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  13. einhorn

    einhorn Savant (1,175) Nov 3, 2005 California

    I have rarely seen "inexpensive" rental cars in Germany but me in your shoes, I'd still use the rail/bus system instead of renting a car. It really is easy to traverse and just about everyone speaks a bit of English if you get stuck.
     
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  14. rodndtube

    rodndtube Zealot (643) Feb 24, 2007 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society

    First off, if going to the Louve in Paris to see the special exhibit, I'd highly recommend going online to learn about the particulars for making a reservation within your travel parameters. Going to Paris or not could open an entirely different set of travel options.

    Berchtesgaden (and Eagles Nest plus Obersalzberg Documentation Center and Bunker) makes for a great visit. You may overnight in Berchtesgaden or nearby Salzburg (and visit Augustiner Biergarden) and plenty of other sights. But its a long ways away from your final destination.

    Dacau is near Munich. In Munich there is a Documentation Center (Museum), Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism at Königsplatz. Formal Name: NS-Dokumentationszentrum
    Address: Brienner Straße 34, 80333 Munich
    Visit the famous site of the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923. Many other WWII sites in Munich. Plus bierhalls and biergartens.

    Nuremberg has the Documentation Center & Parade Grounds--afterwards you will want to visit Bräustüberl Schwarzer Bauer (Altstadthof) - http://www.altstadthof.de/ Address: Bergstr. 19, 90403 Nürnberg.

    Also in Nuremberg is the memorial site for the Nuremberg Trials and tour. Allocate a hour or two. Then walk a couple of blocks to the
    Schanzenbräu Schankwirtschaft, Address: Adam-Klein-Strasse 27, Nürnberg 90429 -- http://www.schanzenbraeu.de/
     
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  15. Snowcrash000

    Snowcrash000 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,041) Oct 4, 2017 Germany
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    As was already mentioned, Dachau is probably your best bet when it comes to visiting a concentration camp memorial site. Cologne is home to the NS Documentation Centre of the City of Cologne, which used to be a Gestapo headquarter and prison and has become the largest regional memorial centre for the victims of the ****s in all of Germany.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NS_Documentation_Centre_of_the_City_of_Cologne
     
  16. Bierman9

    Bierman9 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,313) Dec 20, 2001 New Hampshire
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

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  17. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Speaking of which...there is a Band of Brothers Marathon going on right now on AMC. I watched a couple of episodes.

    Now off to mow the lawn.

    Cheers!

    P.S. Maybe a 'lawnmower' beer afterwards!?!:beer:
     
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  18. BeerAndGasMasks

    BeerAndGasMasks Grand Pooh-Bah (5,208) Apr 22, 2012 Virginia
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Consider landing in Paris to visit the Louvre (weekday probably better, check best way to access), walk the Champs and to Notre Dame to get the feel of it and then from there you can catch a train to Brussels - walk around and get a feel for the city, eat chocolate, visit the TinTin Shop and drink lambic! From there you can catch a train to Cologne and thence to Bielefeld. Unless you leave from Munich, getting to Dachau and the Eagles Nest (by Berchtesgaden) is difficult unless you extend your trip for a day or two. As for WW2 sites, Bergen Belsen was already mentioned, but there are Dragon's Teeth (tank barriers) in the vicinity of Aachen and a couple of fortifications in the Rheinland-Pfalz and the Saarland - again a long way from where you will stay. Highly recommend extending in the front or back to get some of those trips in you want. The other option is to come back on a "fun" trip later.
     
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  19. Beer_Economicus

    Beer_Economicus Pooh-Bah (2,698) Apr 8, 2017 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Alright, I'm finally making it back after a few weeks away. Life has been busy with travel.

    I got word yesterday that I'll indeed be giving TWO presentations in Bielefeld, so quite excited to formalize my plans. I certainly had already hoped to have booked everything but...shit happens.

    Everyone has given me a lot to think about, and I apologize to everyone that has spent so much time and effort if it feels to them that I am being indecisive or not taking this seriously. Quite the contrary, I am an obsessive planner, and I'm trying to "get it right". The further I go down this rabbit hole, the more I'm finding that I'm going to have to restrict my trip to not be quite so ambitious. Just to make sure it works out correctly.

    Life is about experiences, and I've been trying to ask myself what I'll remember in 30 years. I've almost for sure decided against Paris. While the louver would be a nice experience, Paris will absolutely ridiculously busy. I hate crowds; it's exhausting. As much as I may enjoy some aspects and want to do recon, I'm quite confident there's a 60% chance I'll end up regretting the choice. By contrast, I think I'll enjoy a much more relaxing pace exploring Germany.

    My refinement now looks like the following 2 options. One is a different arrival/departure; the other is same arrival/departure city.

    Option 1
    Arrive in Munich on 10 August
    Stay in Munich on 10 and 11 August (and possibly 12 August, see next line)
    Travel North to Nuremberg or Leipzig on 12 August, stay there (I am open to nixing this altogether if it seems challenging to fit in)
    Travel to Bielefeld late on 13 August, start of conference.
    14 - 19 Conference - Day trips to Duseldorf, Cologne, and/or some of the WWII locations mentioned above (as possible).
    Leave Mid-late on 20 August for Berlin, stay there.
    Spend 21 and fly out on 22, or spend 21 and 22, and fly out on 23. Just depends on flights.


    Option 2
    Arrive in Berlin on 10 August.
    Immediately head for another town - TBD. Stay there 10 and 11, 12 August.
    13 - 19 Same as above.
    20 to departure in Berlin - same as above



    Regarding the rental car mentioned previously, the price I was quoted was approx. $250/week for a mid-nicer end vehicle.
     
  20. Beer_Economicus

    Beer_Economicus Pooh-Bah (2,698) Apr 8, 2017 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Also, I've been busing Duolingo to learn German, and I've been really sinking every moment I have into it - on the pot, when I wake up, before bed, and if I need a break. I'm embracing it, and it's very fulfilling.
     
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