Europe travel centre at

How to travel by train from London to Europe - a complete guide General information page How to travel by train from London to Europe . . . Home Site map Search site Useful links Railpasses What's new About me E-mail me Guestbook UK UK train travel Channel Islands Northern Ireland Europe Europe by train general info Albania Andorra Austria Belgium Belarus Bosnia Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Rep. Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Gibraltar Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Monaco Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine Africa Morocco Tunisia Egypt Senegal & Mali Kenya Tanzania & Zambia Zimbabwe Botswana South Africa Middle East Turkey Syria Israel Jordan Iran Asia India Pakistan Sri Lanka Burma (Myanmar) Thailand Malaysia & Singapore Indonesia Cambodia Vietnam China Korea Japan America Canada United States Cuba South America Australasia Australia New Zealand London to China & Japan by Trans-Siberian Railway or silk route Theend of the Orient Express? European& overseas Railpasses Comments? Feedback? Need more help...? Email the Man in SeatSixty-One..! Sign the guestbook Important note about the information on this site. Thank you for visiting my site... Lunch in London... Breakfast in Berlin There's no need to fly from the UK to Europe. It's remarkably easy, quick and comfortable to travel overland by train from London to just about anywhere: Spain, Italy, Greece, Prague, Helsinki, Moscow... The difficult bit is finding out how to do it and where to buy tickets. That's where 'seat 61' comes in..! This website will tell you the best train times and approximate fares from London to major destinations all over Europe. It will tell you what the trains are like, and how to buy your ticket. Where do I start? Rail travel from the UK to: Albania Andorra Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Gibraltar Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Monaco Morocco Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Tunisia Turkey Ukraine Let's start with train times and sample fares from London to your European destination. Simply select your destination country in the drop-down box above, or use the navigation menu to the left. Return to this page for general information. On this page: Where can I buy train tickets to Europe? Couchettes and sleeping-cars Taking your bike How far in advance can I book? Travelling by Eurostar Taking your car - Motorail Can I check train times online? First or second class? Taking your dog or pet Can I check fares online? Child fares Passengers with special needs Can I book any European train from the UK? Luggage Recommended guidebooks Railpasses - for a beginner's guide to European railpasses, including Inter-Rail and Eurail passes, see the railpass page . Where can I buy train tickets to Europe? Back to top Booking online: You can book international train tickets from London or Paris to France, Italy, Spain & Switzerland online at the Eurostar website and the French Railways website - see the can I book tickets to Europe online? section. For most other international train journeys, you'll need to book by phone with one of the agencies listed below. Booking by phone: It's easy to book European trains from the UK once you know who to call..! A number of UK agencies sell European train tickets, although some are better for some journeys than others. Remember that European train reservations open 60 days or for some trains 90 days before departure - you cannot book before reservations open..! Here's a list of the main agencies: Rail Europe 0870 5 848 848 Recommended for booking journeys from London to France, Switzerland, Italy & Spain. Phone lines open 08:00 - 21:00 Mondays to Fridays, 09:00 - 18:00 Saturdays & 10:00 - 17:00 Sundays. Website www.raileurope.co.uk , e-mail reservations@raileurope.co.uk . You can book in person at the Rail Europe travel centre at 179 Piccadilly, London, open 10:00-18:00 Mondays to Fridays, 10:00 - 17:00 Saturdays. It gets very busy in the Summer, so allow plenty of time. Rail Europe is the UK's biggest European rail agency, owned by the French Railways (SNCF). They use the French Railways reservation system, so are good for journeys to France and via France to major cities in Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Austria. Their phone lines are open in the evenings and at weekends, and unlike smaller agencies, the staff are online to the reservation computer during your call, and can quote you train times, fares and availability there and then. A small booking fee is charged (about 6). On the down side, their SNCF reservations system can have problems booking certain trains outside France that the systems used by smaller agencies can do easily - for example, it booked Paris to Rome without a problem, then failed to book a train from Rome to Sicily which Ffestiniog Travel did easily. I have come across staff who are reluctant to sell tickets to more exotic destinations such as Moscow, Istanbul, and Bucharest. Deutsche Bahn has a better reservation system and may have cheaper fares for journeys to Germany, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. If you have any problems booking through Rail Europe, simply try Deutsche Bahn or one of the smaller expert agencies such as Ffestiniog Travel or TrainsEurope. Rail Europe do not sell rail+sea tickets to Paris or Brussels, only Eurostar. Unlike smaller agencies, they won't get reservations for you by fax/e-mail if the reservations you want are not held on the European computerised reservation system (but this normally only applies to more exotic journeys such as Athens to Sofia - see Can I book any European train from the UK? ). Deutsche Bahn 0870 2 43 53 63 Recommended for journeys from London to Germany, Scandinavia, central & eastern Europe. Phone lines open 09:00 - 17:00 Monday to Friday, closed Saturdays & Sundays. Website www.deutsche-bahn.co.uk .e-mail enquiries to sales@deutsche-bahn.co.uk This is German Railways' excellent UK telesales office, good for tickets from London to Germany as they use German Railways' reservation computer and can access all German Railways' special offers. They are also good for Scandinavia, Austria (via Brussels/Germany) and eastern Europe, including trains to Russia and the Ukraine. As you're booking direct with German Railways, there is no booking fee, although a 3 fee is charged for credit cards, so use a debit card if you can. Ffestiniog Travel 01766 512400 An experienced and capable European rail agency offering Eurostar, European rail tickets, & railpasses. Website www.festtravel.co.uk , e-mail info@festtravel.demon.co.uk . It can sometimes be better to book through a smaller specialist agency, especially for more far-flung trips or to less usual destinations. Ffestiniog Travel is one such agency, offering a full range of tickets, including Eurostar, rail-sea-rail tickets, railpasses and seat, couchette and sleeper reservations. It is part of the Ffestiniog Railway, based at Harbour Station, Porthmadog, North Wales. Open Monday-Saturday, telephone bookings taken. A small booking fee is charged, about 8%. TrainsEurope 0871 700 7722 An experienced and capable European rail agency offering Eurostar, European rail tickets, rail-sea-rail tickets & railpasses. Website www.trainseurope.co.uk , e-mail info@trainseurope.co.uk . Fax 01354 660444. From outside the UK, call +44 1354 660222 . Trains Europe can make seat, couchette & sleeper reservation for almost any train in Europe except those starting in Portugal, Serbia, Greece, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova or the Baltic states. A small booking fee is charged. TrainsEurope have a contact in Romania, so are a good agency to call for trips through Romania to Istanbul, for example. Located in March, Cambridgeshire. Other recommended UK agencies: www.railchoice.co.uk (call 020 8659 7300), www.international-rail.com (Ropley, Hampshire, call 01962 773646), www.rail-canterbury.co.uk (39 Palace Street Canterbury, call 01227 450088, e-mail rail@rail-canterbury.co.uk ), www.spanish-rail.co.uk (Spanish Railways' UK agency for tickets to and within Spain, call 020 7224 0345), www.europeanrail.com (Tavistock Place, London WC1, call 020 7387 0444), www.railbookers.com (e-mail info@railbookers.com or call 0870 730 0720), www.freedomrail.co.uk (Blackpool, call 0870 757 98 98), www.thetravelbureau.co.uk (office in Wombourne, West Midlands). If you live in Ireland... You can book European train travel through Irish Rail by telephone on (01) 703 1885, in person at 35 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1, or by e-mail at europeanrail@irishrail.ie . If you live in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore etc... If you live in the USA or Canada, you can buy European train tickets & railpasses at www.raileurope.com , North America's biggest European rail ticketing agency. There are also agencies in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, South Africa and other countries - click here for a list of overseas agencies who sell European train tickets and railpasses. Alternatively, you can book many national journeys and some international journeys online, and pick up the tickets at the station. See the next section below... Sponsored links: Can I book tickets to Europe online ? Back to top Many straightforward train journeys in western Europe can now be booked online, although more complex journeys, and most journeys in eastern Europe, cannot be booked online and will need to be booked by phone. Here are the options for online booking: London to Paris, France, Belgium & The Netherlands: Book online at www.eurostar.com You can book train journeys from London to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, the most popular destinations in France, any station in Belgium, also Rotterdam and The Hague online at www.eurostar.com . Tickets will be sent to any UK address or you can choose to pick them up at the station on departure. This is the simplest and easiest website to use, although it won't book overnight trains, and the voyages-sncf website described below offers more destinations, allows more advanced control over each booking, will also book overnight trains, and can sometimes offer cheaper options. London to France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland: Book online at www.voyages-sncf.com The French Railways website, www.voyages-sncf.com , is the recommended way to book train journeys from London or Paris to anywhere in France and to major cities in Italy, Spain or Switzerland. Tickets will be posted to any address in the UK or most other European countries, and some other countries worldwide. Tickets can also be picked up at stations in France. Paying in euros on this website (so your own bank converts it to pounds sterling) is cheaper than paying UK travel agency fares which are converted at a less favourable rate of exchange. Using the voyages-sncf website, you can find some amazingly cheap 'prems' fares - for example, Paris to Venice 35 euros in 6-berth or 70 euros in 4-berth, Paris to Marseille 25 euros, Paris to Nice 40 euros overnight with couchette, Paris to Milan by TGV 25 euros. But please read the advice below first, and if you have any problems with this site, book by phone if necessary. The same booking system, with prices in pounds and tickets posted to UK addresses only, appears re-badged for Rail Europe (French Railways' UK subsidiary) on www.raileurope.co.uk and www.tgv.co.uk . First, do your homework : Use www.seat61.com to find the best train times and fares from London to your destination, so you know what you're looking for... Make a note of each train you want to book and the date of departure. Then go to www.voyages-sncf.com . Look for the 'English' button: It's a UK flag at the bottom of the page on the left, not the easiest thing to find..! Choose your country : Select 'Great Britain' if you want the tickets sent to a UK address. If you select 'Great Britain' it will later offer you 'payment online in euros' or 'payment in GBP by contacting Rail Europe in London'. Select online payment in Euros if you want a cheap 'prems' fare in France, as these will not show up otherwise. You may also get a better exchange rate buying in euros than paying their pounds sterling prices. On the other hand, the option to pay by contacting Rail Europe allows you to hold a reservation without payment, calling Rail Europe to pay at a later date, and you can arrange to pick up the tickets from Rail Europe's travel centre in London if this is more convenient. If you live overseas , www.voyages-sncf.com will send tickets to any address in Europe and in many countries worldwide, but not to the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Singapore. To get round this, simply book the Eurostar separately at www.eurostar.com , choosing to pick up tickets at Waterloo station in London. Then book the onwards train from Paris at www.voyages-sncf.com , leaving 'France' selected as this allows you to pick up your tickets at the ticket office in Paris or any major station in France. Book your journey in two stages , not one : First book the journey from Paris to your final destination and back, then click 'add another ticket' and book your Eurostar from London to Paris and back as a second separate journey. You can pay for both bookings together at the end of your session. There are three reasons for booking the Eurostar and the onwards train from Paris separately: 1) if you try to book, for example, London to Rome all in one go, it will simply add up the full fares and won't take account of the special offers available from Paris to Rome; 2) you may want to mix and match classes, for example, 2nd class Eurostar London to Paris then 1st class 4-berth couchette or 1st class 2-bed sleeper, on the Paris to Rome leg. You can only do this if you book each leg separately; 3) it allows you to search for an earlier Eurostar connection from London (or a later one back from Paris on your return) if there are no cheap seats left on the recommended Eurostar connection, or if you want to stop off in Paris for a while. Make sure you book the right type of seat, couchette or sleeper : When the page with train times appears, use the 'options' button above each train time to toggle between different types of seat, couchette or sleeper. You'll also need to toggle between 1st class and 2nd class to see all types of sleeper and couchette on a night train. Be careful if it suggests you 'upgrade to first class...' as you could be downgrading from a 2nd class sleeper to an inferior 1st class couchette, or worse, from a 2nd class sleeper to a 1st class reclining seat (!) P lay around & see what this system offers you: If in any doubt you can always book by phone instead . Don't try to use this system for journeys from the UK via Brussels to Germany, Scandinavia, central or eastern Europe, as cheaper fares are often available by calling Deutsche Bahn's UK office . Use other websites (if necessary) to book onwards connections: For example, voyages-sncf.com can book Eurostar and the train from Paris to Rome or Madrid, but may not succeed in booking onwards connections from Rome to Naples or Madrid to Malaga. If so, simply book the main journey with voyages-sncf.com, then book the last leg using another website. For example www.trenitalia.it can book any train within Italy (tickets can be picked up at the station, or there is a ticketless option for the best Eurostar Italia trains), www.renfe.es can book daytime trains within Spain, with ticket pick-up at the station in Spain. There is a list of national railway websites on the useful links page, and many of these will have online ticket sales for journeys within that country. International journeys within Europe... You can book international journeys from France to Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria & Switzerland online at www.voyages-sncf.com - if you select 'France' you can pay by credit card, then pick up the tickets at any main French Railways station. You can book international journeys from Italy to France, Germany, Austria online at www.trenitalia.it - tickets can be picked up at the station in Italy. Online booking is also possible for some international trains such as Thalys (Paris - Brussels - Amsterdam / Cologne), CityNightLine (overnight hotel trains linking Amsterdam, Germany. Switzerland, Austria), www.nachtzug.de (overnight sleeper trains between Germany and Austria, Italy, France, Denmark, Poland, Switzerland) and of course Eurostar (London to Paris & Brussels). Train journeys wholly within one country... Journeys wholly within one country can often be booked at the website of the relevant national train operator - many national railway websites now offer online booking, with tickets collected at the station or sometimes even printed out on your own PC printer. This includes www.voyages-sncf.com for France (including overnight trains), www.renfe.es for Spain (not overnight trains), www.trenitalia.it for Italy (including overnight trains), http://bahn.hafas.de (not overnight trains) for Germany, and others - see the useful links page for a complete list of national railway websites for each country. How far in advance can I book? Back to top Reservations open 60 days in advance - you cannot buy tickets before bookings open..! Reservations for European trains normally open 60 days ( 2 months ) before departure and can usually be made until shortly before departure. Reservations for certain services, such as Eurostar, Thalys, the Paris-Italy & Paris-Spain overnight trains, and (from October 2005) French domestic trains open 90 days ( 3 months ) before departure. You cannot buy tickets or make reservations until reservations open. But don't worry - you are unlikely to have any problems getting a reservation on the train you want if you book when bookings open. Can I check European train times on-line? The online European timetable: http://bahn.hafas.de It's easy to check train times for any journey in Europe at http://bahn.hafas.de . This is an excellent online timetable for the whole of Europe provided by the German Railways, probably the best resource for European train travel on the net. To check UK train times, it's best to use the UK system which will show any alterations due to engineering work - see the UK page . For a list of all European railway websites (usually with train times and fares for their own country), see the useful links page . The Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable... Published since 1873, the world-famous Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable has timetables for trains, buses and boats in all European countries, ships to North Africa, Israel & the Mediterranean islands. If you're going to travel a lot, for example with an InterRail or Eurail pass, you should buy one of these to plan your journey - it will save you a lot of time at stations queuing up to ask questions..! It costs 11 from the bureau de change in any UK branch of Thomas Cook, or you can buy online at www.thomascooktimetables.com (look for 'Timetables' then 'European Rail Timetable'). Alternatively, you can buy the special independent traveller's edition online at Amazon.co.uk . Can I check European fares on-line? Fares for journeys wholly within one country: You can usually check fares for journeys wholly within one country at the national railway website for that country - see the list of websites on the useful links page. Some sites will also let you book online. To check UK train fares and book tickets online, see the UK page . Fares for international journeys: You can check fares from London to major cities in France, Spain, Italy & Switzerland, at www.voyages-sncf.com or www.raileurope.co.uk . You can also use these sites to check fares from France to Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany & the Netherlands. This system has its limitations - it will not have all the best fares for journeys from the UK to Germany via Brussels, for example. It will tell you that some trains don't exist when they do - for example, it doesn't know about the through sleepers from Cologne to Moscow or the direct couchette car from Budapest to Istanbul. Use this system with care - book by phone if you have any doubt about what the system offers you. You can check international fares from Italy using www.trenitalia.it . You can check Eurostar fares from London to Paris or Brussels either using this French enquiry system or at www.eurostar.com . You can check fares within Germany and on some (but not all) international routes from Germany using the German online timetable, http://bahn.hafas.de/english.html . Fares for the Paris - Brussels - Amsterdam / Paris - Brussels - Cologne 'Thalys' high speed service can be found at www.thalys.com . Fares for DB (German Railways) sleeper trains Paris/Brussels-Berlin, Paris/Brussels-Hamburg, Paris-Munich, Cologne-Copenhagen can be found online at www.nachtzug.de . Fares for the 'trainhotels' from Paris to Madrid and Barcelona can be found on the French system mentioned above (which can also book 'trainhotel' tickets online), but fares for all the Spanish 'trainhotels', including the ones from Madrid to Lisbon, Barcelona to Zurich and Barcelona to Milan, can be found in the international section of www.renfe.es (but no online booking). www.elipsos.com also has fares (but as yet no online booking) for the international trainhotels to and from Spain. The fares shown on 'seat61' are obtained using a combination of all these sources. Where can I find a map of European rail routes? Online rail maps For online maps of the European railway network, see www.europrail.net/maps/maps.html or www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps.php . The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe - buy from Amazon UK Buy from Amazon USA This is easily the best and most comprehensive map of European train routes, showing rail lines from Portugal in the west to Ukraine in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily in the south. Scenic routes are highlighted. It costs around 7.95 from branches of Thomas Cook or you can buy online at Amazon. Well worth buying, especially if you are buying an InterRail or Eurail pass. Can I book any European train from the UK? Back to top A good European rail agency can sell you a basic ticket (without reservation) for most national or international journeys in Europe. However, you will need a reservation for a couchette or sleeper, or for a train shown as 'reservation obligatory' in the timetable. It can help to know which trains can and can't be easily reserved from the UK. The European computer reservation system - a linked series of different railways' computers - covers most of Western Europe and some of Eastern Europe, from Portugal in the west to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and (as of 2005) Serbia and Romania in the east, and from Sicily in the south to Sweden and Finland in the north, inclusive. The computer reservation systems used by European rail agents in the UK and by ticket offices at railway stations in most of Western Europe can (in theory) reserve seats, couchettes or sleepers anywhere in that area. For example, both Madrid to Lisbon and Lisbon to Madrid can be reserved from London. The computer system can also book trains starting in this area heading outwards - for example, Budapest to Istanbul or Cologne to Moscow. However, it cannot reserve places on trains in countries outside that area (e.g. Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Russia) or on trains starting outside that area heading back in, for example, Moscow back to Cologne, or Istanbul back to Budapest. In theory, reservations not reservable using the computer system can be obtained by your agency faxing or telexing the railway station where the reservations are held, but many agencies won't to do this. Rail Europe and Deutsche Bahn will tell you that reservations on such trains are 'not possible', but some smaller agencies will try and get a reservation for you, possibly for an extra fee. You can of course book seats or sleeping accommodation for such journeys at the local reservation office when you get there, although you can buy the basic travel ticket (without reservation) in the UK before you go. There is one more thing you need to know. Different agencies (and different national railways) use different systems to access the reservation and fares information. Some of these systems can't access all the information. Rail Europe's French Railways system is particularly bad for this, and may have problems (for example) with some internal trains in Italy or Spain, the Cologne-Moscow sleeper, or the Budapest-Istanbul couchettes. If this happens, they may tell you the train 'doesn't exist' when it does. If you have any problems, simply shop around - different agencies now use different systems, and some are better than others. Travelling by Eurostar ... Back to top Eurostar is the excellent high-speed train from London to Paris and Brussels through the Channel Tunnel. Most journeys to Europe now start with a trip on Eurostar to Paris or Brussels. All 1st class fares include complimentary drinks and a meal, and all passengers have access to a bar car serving drinks and snacks. Remember that you need to check-in for Eurostar trains at least 30 minutes before departure (15 minutes for passengers with certain types of 1st class ticket) to allow for an airline-style security check. Eurostar does not run on Christmas Day. Click here for more information about the Eurostar journey . Eurostar seating plan . The Eurostar website is www.eurostar.com . Eurostar in Paris... Eurostar 2nd class... Eurostar 1st class... Changing trains in Paris: mtro map - www.ratp.fr In Paris, Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord, and your connecting train will probably leave from one of the other Paris stations. The Gare de l'Est is a 10-minute walk from the Gare du Nord, but to get to any of the other Paris stations you'll need to take the metro or RER (Express Metro) across Paris. See www.ratp.fr and select 'plans' for maps of the Paris metro and bus routes. Recommended connection times in Paris The minimum connection times shown here are the minimum amount of time you should allow between the scheduled arrival of your train in Paris and the scheduled departure time of your connecting train from Paris. Travelling FROM London If your connecting train departs from the Gare de l'Est (only a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord, where Eurostar arrives): 45 minutes, if missing it simply means catching the next one. 1 hour 15 minutes minimum if catching the last train of the day or a long-distance sleeper train which you cannot afford to miss. If your connecting train departs from any other Paris station (usually a 30-40 minute RER or mtro ride from the Gare du Nord): 1 hour if missing it simply means catching the next one 1 hour 40 minutes minimum, preferably 2 hours, if catching the last train of the day or a long-distance sleeper train which you cannot afford to miss. Travelling TO London Arriving on a train at the Gare de l'Est (only a 10-min walk to Paris Nord from where Eurostar departs) 60 minutes minimum, which includes the compulsory 30-minute Eurostar check-in time . if you miss the Eurostar because your train is significantly late, the Eurostar staff should let you catch the next one, as long as seats are available. Arriving on a train at any other Paris station (usually a 30-40 min mtro or RER ride to Paris Nord) 1 hour 30 minutes minimum, which includes the compulsory 30-minute Eurostar check-in time. if you miss the Eurostar because your train is significantly late, the Eurostar staff should let you catch the next one, as long as seats are available. Since the opening of the new UK high speed line, roughly 90% of Eurostars normally arrive within 15 minutes of the advertised time, but it is not unknown for problems in the Channel Tunnel to delay a Eurostar by an hour. If you're connecting with (say) a long distance sleeper train which you can't afford to miss, then better safe than sorry..! Changing trains in Brussels: In Brussels, all long-distance trains use Brussels Midi station, where the Eurostar arrives, so changing trains is easy. However, you may have to queue for passport control as you exit the platform, and the Eurostar may arrive a bit late, so allow plenty of time..! These recommended times are the minimum. Recommended connection times in Brussels The minimum connection times shown here are the minimum amount of time you should allow between the scheduled arrival of your train in Brussels and the scheduled departure time of your connecting train from Brussels. Travelling FROM London If you're connecting in Brussels with a local or non-reserved InterCity train, where missing it simply means catching the next one: 25 minutes. If you're connecting in Brussels with a Thalys or ICE train, where you have a train-specific ticket and reservation: 25 minutes, but preferably a bit more - if you miss it because the Eurostar is late they should let you catch the next one, as long as seats are available. If you're connecting in Brussels with a long-distance sleeper train which you cannot afford to miss: 60 minutes, preferably 90 minutes. Travelling TO London Any connection in Brussels 40 minutes minimum, which includes the compulsory 30-minute Eurostar check-in time. if you miss the Eurostar because your train is late the Eurostar staff should let you catch the next one, as long as seats are available. Travelling by train & ferry... Back to top Most people now start their journey to Europe by Eurostar, but you can still travel to Europe by rail and sea if you prefer. It takes much longer and is less convenient, but there are some low fares, and tickets are usually more flexible than with Eurostar. London to Paris train+ferry+train times and fares are shown on the France page . There is an excellent, cheap, and convenient train+ferry+train service from London to Amsterdam, and this is shown on the Netherlands page . There are also excellent ships direct from the UK to Spain and Scandinavia. If you live in the north of England or Scotland, it can sometimes be a good option to take a direct ferry from Newcastle to IJmuiden (Amsterdam) with www.DFDSseaways.co.uk , Hull to Rotterdam with www.POFerries.com , or Rosyth (Edinburgh) to Zeebrugge with www.superfast.com instead of the train to London and Eurostar onwards. Many European rail booking agencies (but not Rail Europe or Deutsche Bahn) can sell both Eurostar and train+ferry tickets, and can combine train+ferry tickets to Paris or Brussels with onward train tickets to Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and so on. If you prefer train+ferry travel, simply substitute the rail-sea-rail times shown on the France and Belgium pages for the Eurostar times to Paris or Brussels shown on the Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland pages. First or second class ..? Back to top Second class is perfectly adequate for most travellers throughout Europe. Even in Southern and Eastern Europe, you don't need to pay for a 1st class ticket to travel in comfort, especially on the fast modern air-conditioned expresses. On the other hand, 1st class travel can be an affordable treat. In the UK, first class is only for business travellers on expense accounts, but in Europe it is normally just 50% more than second class. First class rail travel in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Eastern Europe is particularly good value, because their rail fares are so cheap to start with. First class gets you wider seats, more legroom, and fewer passengers per coach. On overnight trains, whether you have a first or second class ticket is almost irrelevant, because your comfort depends on the type of sleeping accommodation you pay for: ordinary seat, couchette, or sleeping-car. A 2nd class couchette is more comfortable (and more secure) than a 1st class seat. A 2nd class sleeper is more comfortable than a 1st class couchette. The options for travelling on overnight trains are explained below. Travelling overnight ... Back to top Many long-distance expresses run overnight. These include modern ' hotel trains ', designed to equal the facilities of a good hotel, and conventional overnight trains branded 'EuroNight' or 'NachtZug' to indicate that they are high quality. There are three ways to travel overnight: In an ordinary seat, in an economical couchette or in a comfortable sleeping-car. For overnight journeys, which of these you choose is more important than whether you buy a 1st or 2nd class ticket. You are better off spending your money on the second class sleeper supplement than on the first class fare..! ...in a sleeping-car: A sitting room by day... ...a bedroom at night. A sleeping-car is the equivalent of a hotel : A cosy bedroom, with comfortable beds, washbasin, and room service. For the daytime parts of a journey, the beds fold away to reveal a sofa. Sleepers come in 1-, 2-, 3- and (sometimes) 4-berth varieties, depending on the route, whether you have a 1st or 2nd class ticket, and the price you pay. If you are travelling alone and don't want to pay for a 1st class single room, you can book a berth in a 2- or 3-berth room and share with other passengers of the same sex. A sleeper costs about 20-39 in western Europe or 11-20 in eastern Europe per person per night for a berth in a 3-berth in addition to the relevant 2nd class ticket or railpass. A berth in a 2-berth costs about 35-49 per night, plus either a 1st or 2nd class ticket or railpass depending on the route and type of sleeper. A single room costs around 70-90 per night and you must have a 1st class ticket or railpass. On an increasing number of routes (e.g. Paris to Madrid, Barcelona, Italy, and Brussels to Berlin), good-value inclusive fares are now charged, covering travel, sleeper and breakfast. Click here for more information about travelling by sleeping-car . A typical 6-bunk couchette... ...or in a couchette: A couchette is rail's answer to a youth hostel or 'pensione': Economical and comfortable, an ordinary seating compartment for six people by day, with fold-out bunks for six people by night, each with sheet, rug and pillow. Male and female passengers normally share the same compartment, and apart from removing shoes and jackets, passengers do not normally undress. A berth in a couchette compartment costs around 13 per berth per night, in addition to a 2nd class ticket or railpass. On certain routes you can pay a higher supplement (about 18) to travel in a less crowded 4-berth couchette compartment. 1st class couchettes, with four berths per compartment, are rare - they are only operated on a few trains in France, Italy, and on the 'TransBalkan' from Budapest to Istanbul. Click here for more information about travelling in a couchette . Travelling overnight in an ordinary seat is a false economy and not recommended, either for comfort or security. Always budget for at least the couchette supplement for a comfortable night's journey. Types of train: Back to top EuroCity... This is the brand name used for Europe's best international daytime expresses. EuroCity trains are fast, modern and air-conditioned, and have refreshments available. In most countries, a small supplement is payable in addition to the normal fare to travel, which includes the seat reservation fee. EuroNight... This is the brand name used for Europe's best international overnight expresses. EuroNight trains are modern and air-conditioned, and have comfortable sleeping accommodation. Morning refreshments are normally included in the sleeper or couchette supplement. TGVs, ICEs, Thalys, InterCity and Talgos... As well as EuroCity and EuroNight, you will find a whole range train types in the timetable. Some (for example TGV, AVE, ICE) are types of high-speed train. Some are just brand names for a particularly fast or high-quality train service for which a small supplement may be payable in addition to the normal fare. Others indicate a train service run by a special consortium of national rail operators - for example 'Thalys' is a company set up by the French, Belgian, German and Dutch rail companies to run the Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam / Cologne high speed trains, on which special fares apply. Many of these branded trains require payment of a small supplement or a special fare. However, any supplement will be included in the charge for your seat reservation when you book, so you shouldn't need to worry. If you particularly want to know what a TGV, AVE, Talgo, ICE or Thalys is, click here for a glossary of the main train types. Railpasses , Inter-Rail, Eurail... Back to top For a beginner's guide to European railpasses, including Inter-Rail and Eurail, see the railpass page . To check pass prices and buy online in the UK, click the button: If you need a Eurostar ticket or seat/couchette/sleeper reservations to go with you pass,just call Rail Choice on 020 8659 7300 after buying the pass online. To buy European railpasses in the USA or Canada, go to www.raileurope.com . Luggage Back to top Unlike airlines, neither Eurostar nor the other European rail services impose any weight limit on luggage taken with you on European trains. Just remember that you will have to carry it..! Eurostar limits luggage to two large items per passenger, plus a small item of hand luggage. There is room for luggage on Eurostar on the luggage racks and for larger items at the end of each coach. Eurostar passengers may also send up to three items from London to either Paris or Brussels as registered baggage, at an extra charge (approximately 12-20 per item). Visit www.Eurostar.co.uk for details. Virtually all major stations across Europe have a 'left luggage' facility, either a staffed facility or self-service lockers or both. When changing trains with some time to spare, you can leave your luggage and explore the town. Porters are a thing of the past, but most major stations have self-help luggage trolleys. Sometimes these require a coin to release them, which is returned when you return the trolley. Taking bicycles on European trains Back to top You can take your bicycle with you on many European trains, although the arrangements vary on different services. Motorbikes are not carried on any European passenger train, only on the special ' motorail' trains . Getting your bike from London to Paris or Brussels by Eurostar: There are two ways to get your bicycle to Paris or Brussels on Eurostar: Officially, bicycles should be sent on Eurostar from London to Paris or Brussels as registered baggage, at an extra charge of around 20 one-way. The Eurostar website says that there may be a 24 hour delay in making the bicycles available at Paris/Brussels, but to avoid this you can check your bike in at Waterloo a day in advance, so that it will be available in Paris / Brussels when you get there. Visit www.Eurostar.co.uk for details. In practice, bicycles can usually be taken with you as carry-on luggage, free of charge, providing you put your bike in a special zip-up 'bike bag' (available from cycling shops) with its wheels and pedals removed and handlebars turned to reduce bulk. It can then be stowed in the normal luggage rack the end of each coach. Getting your bike from London to Paris by train+ferry: Alternatively, cheaper but a lot longer, you can take your bike with you from London to Paris by train+ferry without the need to dismantle it to put it in a bike bag - see the London to France page for train+ferry times and fares from London to Paris. Bikes are carried free of charge between London and Dover in the guard's van on all trains except those arriving in London before 10:00 Monday-Friday, or leaving London between 16:00 and 19:00 on Monday-Friday. Bikes are then carried free between Dover and Calais on the ferries. Once in Calais, bikes are carried free on both the local trains from Calais to Boulogne, and the connecting express trains from Boulogne to Paris. On the Boulogne to Paris trains, cycles are carried in the special bicycle compartment which is normally in coach 14, marked with a bicycle logo (pictured, right). Beyond Paris and Brussels: Beyond Paris and Brussels, there are two basic options: In practice (meaning sometimes officially, sometimes unofficially), you can take a bicycle with you as carry-on luggage free of charge on just about any train, national or international, if you put it in a 'bike bag', with wheels and pedals removed and handlebars turned. Just remember that it will be a fairly anti-social piece of luggage which may not endear you to your fellow-passengers in a crowded 6-berth couchette compartment. Lugging a bike bag around can be hard work, and so is dismantling and reassembling the bike each time it goes into and out of the bag. Many European trains allow you to carry bikes in the luggage van, sometimes free, sometimes for a small charge. However, most international expresses and many high speed trains don't take bikes at all (other than in bike bags), so unless you go for the bike bag option you may have to travel on slower regional or national services and change trains a few times. The information below may help. For information on travelling with your bicycle within any given country, visit the website of the relevant national train operator - the useful links page has a list of all European railway websites. To destinations in France: You can officially take a bike with you in a bike bag as described above, on any French train, including high-speed TGVs. Dimensions should not exceed 120cm x 90cm. Bikes are carried free of charge in the luggage van on local, regional and most ordinary (non-TGV) express trains (but not during the Monday-Friday peak hours on Paris commuter routes). This includes all express trains between Paris and Boulogne and connecting trains to Calais, which makes the rail-sea-rail service from London to Paris a bike-friendly option, as bikes are also carried free in the guard's van on all London to Dover trains except during the morning and evening rush hours - see the London to France page for details of this service. New from 2002, most overnight trains within France will also accept bicycles in the luggage van if you reserve space in advance and pay a small fee (about 10 Euros), while you travel in a couchette or sleeping-car. On most high-speed TGV trains from Lille and Paris to the Mediterranean, you can put your bike in the luggage van if you reserve a space in advance and pay a small fee (about 10 Euros). To destinations in Belgium: Bicycles can be carried on most Belgian internal trains by buying a 'bike card' for about 4.10 Euros at the ticket office before boarding (visit www.sncb.be for more information). To destinations in Holland and Luxembourg: Bicycles can be carried on the hourly InterCity (non-Thalys) trains from Brussels to Rotterdam, Den Haag, Amsterdam, and from Brussels to Luxembourg on payment of a small fee (about 8.60 Euros) at the ticket office before travelling (more info at www.sncb.be ). To destinations in Germany: Bicycles are not carried on Thalys or ICE, which since 2003 are unfortunately almost the only types of train between Brussels and Germany, other than the overnight train and some local services. However, bicycles are carried for a small charge (about 10-15 Euros) in a special bicycle compartment (marked with a bicycle logo) on the overnight sleeper between Paris / Brussels and Hamburg / Berlin - see the London to Germany page for details of this train. Bikes are carried on the overnight train from Paris to Munich, again in a special bicycle compartment, for a small charge. Elsewhere in Germany, bicycles can be taken on most German Inter-Regio and InterCity trains (but not on high speed 'ICE' trains) for a small charge, providing you make a prior reservation for your bicycle. You can use the online timetable system at http://bahn.hafas.de , ticking the 'carriage of bicycles required' box to find non-ICE train services that carry bikes. To destinations in Switzerland: Bikes are carried on the daytime trains from Paris to Basel and on the overnight train from Paris to Basel, Zurich & Chur. A fee may be charged in Switzerland. Bikes are carried for a fee of about 15 Euros on the two daytime trains between Brussels and Switzerland - however, the connections into and out of these trains to/from London are poor, and may require an overnight stop in Brussels. To other destinations: Putting your bike in a bike bag is likely to be your best option. Bikes are not carried (other than in bike bags) on the Paris-Spain 'trainhotels', the Paris-Italy night or TGV trains, or the Paris-Switzerland TGVs. Children - child fares on European trains Back to top In the UK, children under 5 go free, children from 5 to 15 travel at half the adult fare. On Eurostar, children under 4 go free, and a special child fare (currently 30 single, 60 return to Paris/Brussels in standard class) applies to children from 4 to 11. Children over 12 travel at the adult fare. All children under 12 must travel accompanied by an adult, and unaccompanied children from 12 to 16 require a consent form signed by their parent or guardian. In Europe, the age limits for children vary, but you can generally reckon on children under 4 travelling free, children from 4 to 11 travelling at half fare, 12 and over paying the adult fare. The internet sites of individual train companies will have more details. You can use the links to these on my useful links page . Motorail - taking you car by train... Back to top Normal passenger trains cannot take cars - just passengers and their luggage, and in some cases bicycles. However, there are special trains called 'Motorail' services on which you can travel with your car or motorbike. These run on just a few selected holiday routes, usually only on certain days of the week, and usually summer-only. The trains can take ordinary cars and motorbikes, but cannot take caravans, campers, over-height people carriers or 4X4s (However, French motorail have recently ordered some new car carrier wagons capable of carrying overheight 4x4s and people carriers - they were due to enter service for the summer 2004 season). Here is a brief summary of what is available of interest to travellers from the UK: French Motorail: Calais to Avignon, Brive, Narbonne, Nice, Toulouse; Paris to Nice, Geneva, Avignon, Biarritz, Marseille, Tarbes, Narbonne, St Raphael, Toulon and Toulouse. French motorail trains run overnight with couchettes and sleeping-cars on certain days of the week from May to September from Calais to Nice, Narbonne, Avignon, Toulouse and Brive. A one-way trip from Calais to Brive for a car and up to two adults in a 2-berth sleeper costs from 245 to 409 depending on the date of travel (Summer 2004 prices). For a similar trip from Calais to Nice, fares range from 345 to 509. From Calais to Narbonne, a car and up to 4 people (adults or children - it makes no difference) one-way in a private 4-berth couchette compartment costs from 389-545 depending on the date of travel. There are now no Motorail services to Italy or Spain. For times, fares and booking see www.raileurope.co.uk and select 'Motorail', call Rail Europe's Motorail line on 0870 2 415 415 , or visit www.railsavers.com . Belgian Motorail: There are now no motorail services from Belgium - these stopped running in December 2003. Greece & Turkey If you are travelling further afield, Optima Tours run Motorrail trains from Germany/Austria (Villach) to Bulgaria, Macedonia (Skopje), Greece (Thessaloniki), and Turkey (Edirne). See www.optimatours.de for dates, times and booking information. Other motorail services: There are also motorail services within Italy (for example, Milan to Sicily), within Spain (for example Santander to Madrid, Bilbao to Alicante), and within Germany and Austria. To ask about motorail services in Germany/Austria, call the German Railways UK booking centre on 0870 2 43 53 63 or visit www.railsavers.com . Car ferries: Don't forget that there are also direct car ferries from the UK to Spain (Portsmouth - Bilbao with www.poferries.com , and Plymouth - Santander with www.brittany-ferries.co.uk ), and UK to Germany (Harwich - Cuxhaven near Hamburg with www.dfdsseaways.co.uk ). Taking your dog or other pet ... Back to top First the bad news: Eurostar will not carry dogs or any other animals at all, except guide dogs. Most ferry companies will only allow pets if they remain in your vehicle, in other words, they do not allow foot passengers to take pets. So getting your pet across the Channel without a car can be difficult. Hoverspeed used to allow foot passengers to carry pets, but they stopped all Dover-Calais SeaCat sailings as from 7 November 2005. So your only option is to get a friend with a car to buy a cheap day return ferry crossing and drive you and your pet to Calais. Once across the Channel at Calais, dogs and cats can be taken on the normal trains from Calais Ville station to Paris (Gare du Nord). You can check Calais-Paris train times at www.voyages-sncf.com (the English button is a UK flag at bottom left). Beyond Paris, dogs and cats can normally be carried on most trains across Europe, sometimes free, sometimes for a small charge. In sleeping-cars and couchettes on overnight trains, you can generally only take a dog if your party occupies all the berths in a compartment. For example, a domestic animal may be taken on the Paris-Madrid or Paris-Barcelona 'trainhotels' for 37.50 one way, or on the Paris-Rome, Paris-Venice or Paris-Milan sleeper trains for 7.50 one-way, as long as the accompanying passengers occupy all the berths in a compartment. For more information on the transport of accompanied dogs and other pets, search the website of the relevant national train operators - there is a list of links to each operator's website on the useful links page . Passengers with special needs ... Back to top Eurostar can provide assistance to passengers with special needs travelling from London to Paris, Lille or Brussels. If you are confined to a wheelchair, there are wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets on each Eurostar train. There are also special fares for people travelling in wheelchairs and a travelling companion. For more information, see www.eurostar.com . Once on the Continent, some but not all trains have accommodation for passengers travelling in wheelchairs. For more information, start with the website of the relevant national train operators - there is a list of links to each operator's website on the useful links page . Alternatively, try calling Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848 (lines open 08:00-21:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-18:00 Sat, 10:00-17:00 Sun). To destinations in France: Take Eurostar to Lille. High-speed TGV trains with wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets run direct from Lille to many French destinations, including Lyon, Valence, Avignon, Marseille, Cannes, Nice, Bordeaux. For train times, see the London to France page. For travel information for passengers with disabilities on French Railways, see www.voyages-sncf.com . To destinations in Germany: Take Eurostar to Brussels or Paris. The Thalys high-speed trains from Brussels to Cologne have wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets. From Cologne, there are wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets on almost all the InterCity (IC) and InterCityExpress (ICE) trains which run to destinations all over Germany. Boarding assistance can be provided at most major Germany stations. The overnight trains from Paris to Munich and from Brussels to Hamburg and Berlin have a wheelchair-accessible couchette compartment with adjacent wheelchair-friendly toilet. For train times, see the London to Germany page. There is a handicap brochure with more information on the Germany Railways website, www.bahn.de . You could also consider travelling by sea - www.dfdsseaways.co.uk sails regularly from Harwich to Cuxhaven near Hamburg. To destinations in the Netherlands: Take Eurostar to Brussels. The Thalys high-speed trains from Brussels to Amsterdam have wheelchair spaces. You can also consider travelling by sea - see www.stenaline.co.uk (Harwich-Hoek van Holland) or www.dfdsseaways.co.uk (Newcastle-IJmuiden near Amsterdam). To destinations in Spain: There are direct ferries from the UK to Spain - see www.Brittany-Ferries.co.uk (Plymouth-Santander) or www.poportsmouth.com (Portsmouth-Bilbao). Unfortunately, there are as yet no facilities on the Paris - Madrid / Paris - Barcelona overnight 'trainhotels' for passengers travelling in a wheelchair. To destinations in Austria: Take Eurostar to Brussels. The Thalys high-speed trains from Brussels to Amsterdam have wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets. The 'CityNightLine' hotel train has a wheelchair-accessible compartment in the 6-berth couchette category with adjacent wheelchair-friendly toilet. For train times, see the London to Austria page. Recommended guidebooks ... Wherever you're going, having a decent guidebook makes a big difference. For the independent traveller, I think easily the best ones out there are either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide. Both series of guidebooks are excellent, and you won't regret buying one..! Alternatively, the 'Europe by Rail' guide combines country information with basic train information. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links, to help support the site. Click the images to browse & buy at Amazon... H otels & guesthouses in Europe... To find a hotel in most European countries, try www.venere.com . On this site, the price you see is the price you pay - no hidden extras - and you simply pay the hotel when you get there. After you've booked, you can change or cancel your reservation in line with the hotel's own change and cancellation policy. Seat61 gets a small commission if you book through this link, to help support the site. Feedback from www.venere.com bookings is always welcome. Another site to try is www.expedia.co.uk . For backpacker hostels in most European cities (either a dorm bed or very cheap private room at rock bottom prices) try Hostelbookers.com . Travel insurance - Direct Line.com Always take out adequate travel insurance, either single trip or annual multi-trip, from a reputable insurer. Shop around for the best deal, but I can recommend Direct Line whom I've used myself. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy after clicking this link. Page last updated 18 December 2005 Back to home page

Asia Travel | Asia Travel || Thailand | Asia Travel | Asia Travel | Asia Travel Hotels & | Asia Travel || Myanmar | Asia Travel | Asia Travel | Asia Travel | Asia Travel | Asia travelfish.org Online guide | Asia Travel Guide Countries | ASIA Travel Guide Home | Asia Travel (65) 6235 | Asia Travel | Asia Travel Tips = | Asia Travel Blog Moves... | Asia Travel Birthday Discount | Asia Travel | Asia Travel |

Europe Travel 101 -

Europe Map - European Travel Planning Map - Europe for Visitors  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Continental Europe Travel Planning Map Start your travel planning with this interactive map of Western Europe How to Use the European Travel Planning Map Place your mouse cursor over a country with map and traveler essential coverage and it'll turn orange. Click it and you'll be whisked off to that country's map and essentials page, listing all the resources on this site for that country, including tourist destinations, pictures, rail maps, and information that tourists need to be informed: languages, eating out, tipping, weather, and transportation. The red circle on the left represents a distance of 200 miles from the center to the circle's edge. The diameter of the circle represents 400 miles of course, and that's 643.6 kilometers. Position your mouse over the center of the circle (until it changes into a hand) and you can drag it over the map to get a closer approximation of distances. You'll need the flash plugin if you don't see the picture. Countries in yellow use the Euro (€), countries in green use local currency (see our European Currency Quick Guide for more). Map of Europe © 2003 by James Martin, Licensed to About. If you don't see the map and don't want to download the plugin, a non-interactive map of Europe with distances between major cities is available here . List of all the Maps on Europe for Visitors: European Travel Planning Map Germany Map Baden Baden Map Italy Map Rome Travel Map Cinque Terre Map Tuscany Map Lunigiana Map Spain Map Switzerland Map Austria Map France Map Paris Interactive Map Netherlands Map , Belgium Map Portugal Map Turkey Map United Kingdom Map From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Advertisement Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Headlines Antwerp Pictures Antwerp is a fashion and diamond center for Belgium and... Like to Travel Well? Follow the CIA! I really should have paid attention when the CIA came... Tapas from Cans? Ok, so you wander into one of Barcelona's most celebrated... North Holland: Noah's Ark Redux A pious north Holland businessman took out a 300 000...

Asia Travel Newsletter : | Mexico Travel Database on | Mexico Travel | mexico travel guide, vacations | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel Savings Holiday | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel Go Mexico | Mexico Travel | mexico Travelbymexico.com le presenta | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel Guide, climate: | Mexico Travel | Mexico travel provided by: | Mexico Travel | mexico travel guide, vacations | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel Information Site | Mexico Travel |

Italy Travel Packages South

Italy discount vacation travel tour: Rome Milan package tour 5 Days E-mail sales@italy-travel.net Rome Milan package tour (5 days and 4nights) 2005-2006 Rates Tourist Class Hotels ( 3 stars ) First Class Hotels ( 4 stars ) Price per person US$585 based on doubleor triple occupancy at 3 Stars Hotels Single room occupancy : US$793 per person at 3 Stars Hotels Tourist class Hotels included in this package Price per person US$832, based on doubleor triple occupancy at 4 Stars Hotels Single room occupancy : US$1092 per person at 4 Stars Hotels First class Hotels included in this package Day 01 (Saturday) Rome / Siena / Florence Departure by deluxe motor coach on the " Autostrada del Sole " to Siena. This gothic city is constructed on three hills in the heart of Tuscany.This monumental and medieval city is encircled by its ancient walls and is famous for its splendid square " Piazza del Campo ", designed in the shape of a shell . Here, every year the famous "Palio" takes place. See also the elegant Palace and the Cathedral. In the afternoon proceed on to Florence. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel. Day 02 (Sunday) Florence Breakfast at the Hotel and morning city tour along which we appreciate the artistic beauty of Florence with its Dome by Brunelleschi, the Bell tower by Giotto and the Baptistery. The sightseeing tour continues through Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio and finally the church of Santa Croce. Time at leisure and return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight. Day 03 (Monday) Florence /Pisa/ Padua / Venice Breakfast at Hotel and departure for the excursion to Pisa. This quiet and graceful town shows signs of its past and its greatness through the famous Piazza del Campo, better known as the " Square of Miracles " where we find the Cathedral, the Leaning Tower (a Romanic bell tower of 58mt) and the Baptistery. At the end of the visit depart to Padua for a short visit of the Basilica of St. Anthony.Continue to Venice, the city of gondolas. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel. Day 04 (Tuesday) Venice Breakfast at Hotel and visit of this mysterious city built on 177 islands, 150 canals and 400 bridges. The sightseeing includes the panoramic of St. Mark's square and the Doge's Palace (external). During the morning the group will stop in one of the famous shops of Murano glasses. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel. Day 05 (Wednesday) Venice / Verona / Lake of Garda / Milan Breakfast at the Hotel and departure for Verona, the monumental city setting of Shakespeare's masterpiece " Romeo and Juliet " ( panoramic visit of Juliet's house ).This ancient Roman colony is especially known all over the world for its Arena, a splendid amphitheatre that becomes in summer the scene of the most important Operas and Lyrics. Proceed to Milan via the largest Italian lake: the Lake of Garda. Arrival in Milan. End of services NOTE: IN THE SIGHTSEEING TOURS ENTRANCE FEES ARE NOT INCLUDED Click on the below thumbnails to enlarge photos Route Map Florence Pisa Venice Juliet house, Verona INCLUDED IN THE FEE All scheduled transportations with Deluxe Air-conditioned motor coach All scheduled transfers All scheduled guided tours First class Hotels or Tourist class Hotels asdetailed above Meals as specified in the Itinerary B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner (Drinks at dinners are NOT included) Multi-lingual speakingprofessional guide services All Taxes NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE International Airfares Airport transportations Airport departure taxes Entrance tickets Drinks at dinners Tips Items of personal nature All what is not specifically mentioned in the paragraph "Included in the Fee" Fixed Departure dates 2005-2006 2006 DEPARTURE DATES May 06 13 20 27 June 03 10 17 24 July 01 08 15 22 29 August 05 12 19 26 September 02 09 16 23 30 October 07 14 21 28 Tourist class Hotels included in this package First class Hotels included in this package Click above to see details of the Hotels included in the package Booking Information In order to confirm your reservation we need the full payment in advance. After inputting information into the appropriate below form, you will then submit the form for processing. We use a fully automated reservation system, simply fill out the forms, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and Amex credit cards are accepted on-line, please note that all the transactions are managed by INTERNETSECURE and PAYPAL for your total security. All the information is encrypted, state of the art encryption to keep your credit card information secure, we will not know your card number. Your order will be processed on-line in less then 1 minute, you also receive a receipt of the deposit and the confirmation of your reservation, note that your order is not complete until you have received via e-mail the receipt of payment that is automatically generated at the end of the reservation process. For further information we strongly recommend to look at the travel contract. Please note that we sell on first come basis and we accept reservations until 15 days prior to the selected departure date, we are unable to accept reservations less than 14 days prior to the selected departure date. Please Fill in your Name and Surname Full E-mail address, please check the spelling carefully Departure Date Select 2006 May 06 2006 May 13 2006 May 20 2006 May 27 2006 June 03 2006 June 10 2006 June 17 2006 June 24 2006 July 01 2006 July 08 2006 July 15 2006 July 22 2006 July 29 2006 August 05 2006 August 12 2006 August 19 2006 August 26 2006 September 02 2006 September 09 2006 September 16 2006 September 23 2006 September 30 2006 October 07 2006 October 14 2006 October 21 2006 October 28 Hotel Search | Package Tours | Full day Tours | Discount Airfares | Car Rental | Cruises | Destination Guides | Travel Directory Add URL | Contact Us Tours of Italy by Cosmic Discount vacation travel packages and tours to all the exciting destinations in Italy Email : sales@italy-travel.net US Fax Number 480-247-4242 This information is current as of today, Cosmic Worldwide Discount Travel Reservation Top Destinations Europe : London Paris Florence Rome Venice Italy Travel Packages South America: Travel to Peru Galapagos Machu Picchu Cusco Quito La Paz

Mexico Travel Guide @ | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel Essential Mexico | Mexico Travel Net PUERTO | Mexico Travel Specialists offer | Mexico Travel on Orbitz | Mexico Travel Tips Mexico/Central | Mexico Travel Net PUERTO | Mexico Travel Info thanks | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel Guide Travel | Mexico travel! TripAdvisor SmartDeals | MEXICO Travel Guide Overview | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel Guide With | Mexico Travel |

Mexico Travel Site: Everything

Mexico Travel Tools T RAVEL T OOLS T RAVEL T OOLS Alvarado Antigua Castillo De Teayo Catemaco Cazones Cempoala Cerro Azul Chachalacas Chiapas Coatepec Coatzacoalcos Coatzintla Cordoba Cosamaloapan Costa Esmerelda El Tajin Fortin De Las Flores Gutirrez Zamora Huatusco Jalcomulco Martinez Minatitln Naolinco Nautla Oaxaca Orizaba Otatiln Pnuco Papantla Poza Rica Puebla Quiahuiztln San Andres Tuxtlas San Juan Evengelista San Lorenzo-Tenochtitlan Santiago Tuxtlas Sontecomapan State of Veracruz Tampico Tecolutla Tlacotalpan Tlapacoyan Tlaxcala Villahermosa Xico Navigate Veracruz Mexico City , 20 million strong and growing, is the largest City in the Americas. It is built upon the ruins of the most glorious City of the pre-Columbian Americas by the Aztecs who were the last of many ambitious civilizations who rose to power and glory beginning around 1200 BC with the Olmecs of Veracruz. At the beginning of another age, about 500 years ago, our featured Carnaval City Veracruz was again the cradle of the Mexico today when Hernn Corts landed on the coast near modern-day Veracruz on Good Friday 21 April 1519 with 11 ships, 550 men and 16 horses. The determined man of destiny ordered his ships burned. (history continued ) Daily News Update from Mexico & Latin America ANNUAL EVENTS || PASSPORT/VISA CUSTOMS || GUIDES TO MEXICO || State Tourismo || LINKS || GETTING THERE || - Bus Companies || PLACES TO STAY -- Veracruz State || -120 Cities || HEALTH & SAFETY || TOURS || MAPS || MONEY || FAST FACTS || LANGUAGE || WEATHER || MEDIA || - Top Headlines || TRADE || HISTORY Planning at Trip Mexico by frommers.com > Planning a Trip > Tips for Travelers with Special Needs For Families Highly recommended For Students no formal network of student discounts For Gay & Lesbian Public same-sex affection is rare Disabilities one giant obstacle For Seniors popular country for retirees, paperwork important For Women Alone safer traveling in Mexico than USA Mexico Travel Site: Everything you need to know for an enjoyable vacation in Mexico. Annual Events Calendar of Events by www.visitmexicopress.com Calendar of Mexican Fiestas and Holidays by vivasancarlos.com Holiday Planner by www.infopv.com Similar pages Passport/Visa Customs /Documents Traveling in Mexico requires proof of citizenship, which is easiest to provide by carrying a valid passport. If you do not have a passport, never fear. It is also possible to get a tourist visa (tarjeta de turista) with certified copy of your birth certificate (embossed seal do impress) and a photo ID at border crossings. The cost of a tourist visa is about $20 USD, and is included in the cost of your international plane or cruise ship ticket . Visas are typically valid for 180 days M ost people officially need a passport to pick up their tourist card, but for US and Canadian citizens all that's required is proof of citizenship (an original birth certificate or notarized copy, for instance, or naturalization papers), along with some form of photo ID (such as a driver's license). D on't lose the blue copy of your tourist card, which is given back to you after immigration inspection. You are legally required to carry it at all times, and if you have to show your papers, it's more important than your passport. Get extra visas if you'll be leaving and returning to Mexico during your trip. Planning your Flight & air travel rules by carnaval.com When taking chances on an expired ID your biggest concern is the airlines will not accept it. The Mexican rules do not say the ID must be current but that may not matter to your air carrier. Visas And Red Tape by roughguides for travelnow USA Restrictions of entering USA from Mexico by mexicoweb.com State Department Travel Information Sheet on Mexico US Consulates: Embassies and consular agents should be contacted for such emergencies as police arrest, lost passports or tourist cards, medical difficulties or accidents, or if you find that your car is unable to make the requisite return trip out of Mexico. http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html for Consular Information sheets and warnings http://travel.state.gov/tips_mexico.html Tips for Travelers to Mexico. Visa and Travel Advisories for Mexico by nationalgeographic.com Guides to Mexico OFFICIAL www.visitmexico.com Mexico's Tourism Promotion Board Mexico-travel.com / Ministry of Tourism of Mexico Select City: Acapulco Aguascalientes Ajijic Akumal Alamos Baha de Kino Bajamar Barra de Navidad Batopilas Boca del Rio Buceras Buenavista Cabo Pulmo Cabo San Lucas Campeche Cancun Catavia Cerocahui Chapala Chetumal Chichen Itza Chihuahua Chilpancingo Cholula Cihuatln Ciudad del Carmen Ciudad Delicias Ciudad Juarez Ciudad Madero Ciudad Mante Ciudad Obregon Ciudad Valles Ciudad Victoria Coatzacoalcos Cob Cocoyoc Colima Cozumel Creel Cuernavaca Culiacan Divisadero Dolores Hidalgo Durango El Fuerte Ensenada Garza Garcia Gomez Palacio Guadalajara Guanajuato Guaymas Guerrero Negro Hermosillo Huatulco Huatusco Isla de Navidad Isla Mujeres Ixtapa Ixtapan de la Sal Jalapa Jiutepec Juriquilla Kantenah La Huerta La Paz La Piedad Lagos de Moreno Lazaro Cardenas Len Loreto Los Barriles Los Mochis Manzanillo Maroma Matamoros Matehuala Mazatlan Merida Mexicali Mexico City Minatitlan Monclova Monterrey Morelia Mulege Municipio de Solidaridad Naucalpan Navojoa Nogales Nuevo Laredo Nuevo Vallarta Oaxaca Pachuca Palenque Paracho Patzcuaro Pie de la Cuesta Piedras Negras Playa del Carmen Poza Rica Progreso Puebla Puerto Angel Puerto Aventuras Puerto Escondido Puerto Morelos Puerto Nuevo Puerto Peasco Puerto Vallarta Queretaro Real del Catorce Real del Mar Reynosa Rincn de Guayabitos Rosarito Salina Cruz Saltillo San Blas San Carlos San Cristobal de las Casas San Felipe San Felipe del Agua San Ignacio San Jos del Cabo San Juan del Rio San Luis Potosi San Miguel de Allende San Quintin Santa Rosala Sn Pedro Garza Garca Tamazunchale Tampico Tapachula Taxco Tecate Tehuacan Tenacatita Tepic Tequisquiapan Tijuana Tlalnepantla Tlaquepaque Tlaxcala Todos Santos Toluca Torren Tultitln Tulum Tuxtla Gutierrez Uruapan Uxmal Valladolid Valle de Bravo Veracruz Villahermosa Xilitla Zacatecas Zapopan Zihuatanejo Zimapan OFFICIAL State Tourism Offices in Mexico Mexican Government Tourist Board -- main office in Mexico City (tel. 555/203-1103 ). USA: Mexico Hot Line (tel. 800/44-MEXICO Chicago (tel. 312/606-9252 ); Houston (tel. 713/772-2581, ext. 105, or 713/772-3819); Los Angeles (tel. 213/351-2069; fax 213/351-2074); Miami (tel. 305/718-4095 ); and New York (tel. 212/308-2110 ). The Mexican Embassy is at 1911 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20005 (tel. 202/728-1750 ). Canada: 1 Place Ville-Marie, Suite 1931, Montreal, QUE, H3B 2C3 (tel. 514/871-1052 ); 2 Bloor St. W., Suite 1502, Toronto, ON, M4W 3E2 (tel. 416/925-0704 ); 999 W. Hastings, Suite 1110, Vancouver, BC, V6C 2W2 (tel. 604/669-2845 ). Embassy office: 1500-45 O'Connor St., Ottawa, ON, K1P 1A4 (tel. 613/233-8988; fax 613/235-9123). Guide to Mexico by Lonely Planet || Map || Home Excellent short history and good overview of the highspots. Lonely Planet sells 4 guidebooks to Mexico. www.mexconnect.com mailto:davidmcl@mexconnect.com Mexico travel tips by mpsnet.mx || Interest Index || Mexico City || Espanol Immigration, Customs, Taxes, Tips, Banking Services, Driving, Safety and Health. Huge very capable and worthwhile site. by mexico.netgate.net Organized by State HISTORY MAPS RECREATIONAL SITES ECOTOURISM MUSEUMS LOCAL FESTIVITIES BEACHES COLONIAL SITES ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES . Getting There By Air - Aeromxico and Mexicana are the largest Mexican airlines but there are many airlines offering special pricing. The web is empowering air travelers like never before to enable them to get the best deal with the least hassle. Visit our frequently updated web- guide to this fast growing area. Airports in Mexico BUS Companies in Mexico Mexico has one of the best bus transit systems in the world. nearly every location is served by a bus. Some Spanish will be required By Car - Temporary Import Permit Required As a NAFTA border country, one hopes the long standing hassle of this process would ease. All foreign registered car requires a Temporary Import permit. You can do this at the border but you need to have prepared in advance if your car has a lien on it.. Process takes a couple of hours and requires proof of ownership (notarized permit to take car to Mexico from lien-holder, if any), a bond issued to the Mexican Government for the market value of the car or a valid credit card imprint charged with a processing fee approximately valued at US $12. It is good are good for six months. ... Driving at night is not recommended (potholes, livestock, and the lack of lighting are the chief hazards)... Also be cautious of roadside bandits who may attempt to get you to stop only to rob you... English speaking Angeles Verdes (Green Angels 91-800-90392), assist tourists on the highways for free except for gas and spare parts... Unleaded gas is found throughout Mexico at all gas stations... Gas up when reaching one-quarter level in remote locations. Last Minute Deals From City: To: State or Region... City... This page requires Javascript. Getting Around There Rough Guides Getting Around in association with TravelNow Buses camiones rule! (Mexican word for the long distance buses to serve virutally every town in the nation) First-class vehicles have numbered, reserved seats, videos and air conditioning Trains Only recommended for from the border to Mexico City (where sleeper services represent great value), Mexico City to Oaxaca, and the amazing Copper Canyon Railway. Flights Aeromxico and Mexicana, which between them connect most places to Mexico City, usually several times a day. Aviacsa serves the Yucatn, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guadalajara, Acapulco, Cancn, Tijuana and Monterrey. Aerolineas Internacionales and Aero California also cover most major destinations while Aeromar operates mainly in the north Ferries Baja California with a trio of ports on the Pacific mainland: Santa Rosala to Guaymas, and La Paz to Mazatln and Topolobampo (for Los Mochis). For detailed information on fares and schedules see http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/mexicoferryw.html Driving Recommends not taking your own car but renting for short periods. Mostly due to the targeting of tourists for shakedowns by underpaid traffic police. Drivers from the US, Canada, Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand will find that their licences are valid. Other reasons to avoid the hassle: Speed bumps can be huge, gas by government monopoly Pemex expensive & Theft of your vehicle is a significant concern. Hitching Not recommended particularly solo. If you do keep your baggage to hand in case you need to leave in a hurry (feigned carsickness is one way to get a driver to stop). Particularly avoid areas frequented by bandidos Local Transportation always plentiful and inexpensive, Banditry: A Warning Roads where there have been regular reports of problems, and where you should certainly try to avoid driving at night, include Hwy-15 (Los Mochis-Mazatln) and express Hwy-1 in Sinaloa, Hwy-5 (Mexico City-Acapulco) in Guerrero, Hwy-75 (Oaxaca-Tuxtepec), Hwy-57 (San Luis Potos-Matahuela), and near the border, in particular on Hwy-2 (Mexicali-Agua Prieta) and Hwy-40 (Matamoros-Monterrey). Places to Stay tripadvisor has links to a growing number of places to stay in hundreds of Mexican Cities and over a third have ratings by real people 120 Mexican Cities with on-line booking starsanddiamonds.com.mx has certification program with 5 stars as the highest rating Health & Safety Although Mexico is considered a third world country, its general concern about sanitation and cleanliness have improved enormously in the past decade. As is the case in most tropical countries, consider what your system is used to before you eat it. Purified water is always available during trip. Montezuma's revenge or turista is best avoided by not drinking the water including ice cubes (which are not always made with " agua purificada ") but there is no sure way to avoid the unfamiliar bacteria. Mexico has a relatively low crime rate but take precautions against theft. Nationally: Red Cross Medical emergency 15-20-55 Police emergency is 18-39-54; Fire department 14-2 0 -50; Travelers’ Health Information for Mexico & Central America by www.cdc.gov/travel . Cholera, dengue fever, hepatitis, malaria, polio, rabies, tetanus, typhoid. Air pollution in Mexico City between December and May. USA http://travel.state.gov/medical.html State Department offers medical information for Americans traveling abroad and a list of air ambulance services Health and Vaccinations for Mexico by nationalgeographic.com Talk About It Mexico State Tourism Offices by mexonline.com Travelers Message Service "Before you leave home, give your family and friends the URL of this board.... http://www.weblane.com/experiencia/bb/ ...then if you need to get in touch with each other, just post messages on this board." Tours Frequently updated inclusive list from Publisher Ron Mader, Mexican Association of Adventure Travel and Ecotourism (AMTAVE) Phone: (25) 661-9121 Fax: (25) 662-7354 Email: 74174.2424@compuserve.com Cancun Tours Operators by mexicoweb.com Maps www.maps-of-mexico.com 4000 pages of Mexico maps Maps google.com/search=mexico+maps Mexico Map by lib.utexas.edu Won't fit on your screen or print. Mexico Map by Expedia Money S ince 1998 when we began check the exchange rate for the U.S. dollar, and the one used in this book, is around 10 pesos; at that rate, an item that costs 10 pesos would be equivalent to US$1. However the peso is very unstable so you cannot count on this being the rate. Check before you go Best Exchange Rates: Automated teller machines (ATMs) and credit cards continue to offers the best exchange rates. Traveler's checks experiencing declining relative exchange rate and reduced acceptance. U.S. cash is accepted by many merchants at exchange rates that vary widely. Banks usually give the best exchange rate. Credit cards are widely accepted in most cities and resort areas at exchange rate determined by your bank. ATMS ( Cirrus and PLUS systems) are widely available and allow you to not carry too much cash. Tipping: Luxury resort areas are equivalent to US levels- 15% and 20%. Elsewhere 10% is acceptable. $1 per day for your hotel maid or $1 per bag for the porter. Taxi drivers don't expect tips but be sure to negotiate the price in advance. A tip of U.S. coins, which cannot be exchanged into Mexican currency, is of no value to the service provider. Support your Tour guides (including this one) VAT: Mexico has a value-added tax of 15% (Impuesto de Valor Agregado, or IVA; pronounced "ee-bah") on most everything, including restaurant meals, bus tickets, and souvenirs. (Exceptions are Cancn, Cozumel, and Los Cabos, where the IVA is 10%; as ports of entry, they receive a break on taxes.) Hotels charge the usual 15% IVA, plus a locally administered bed tax of 2% (in most areas), for a total of 17%. You quoted hotel rate may not have included this fee Y OUR CREDIT CARD BANK: There is significant credit card fraud and your bank may not honor your charge unless you have told them in advance of your plans. Also they are more likely to cut you off following significant activity so take a back-up card. Many cards add a surcharge onto foreign transactions particularly Airline cards and American Express. It is ieasy to avoid this chage of 1 to 4% by checking in advance since it is simply a gouge as there is actually no extra cost to the bank card provider more on c urrency Conversion at tradeday.com Costs And Money in Mexico by travelnow.com Mexico is not as cheap as it once was Shopping in Mexico by nationalgeographic.com 800/424-7787 or www.mastercard.com . 800/843-7587 or www.visa.com Fast Facts Electricity: 110V, 60 Hz same as USA Weights & measures: metric (see the conversion table .) Telephone Mexico international access code is 52 . Select city codes: Mexico City is 05, Vera Cruz Area Code 28 , Cabo San Lucas 0684, Cancn 0988, Cozumel 0987, Puerto Vallarta 0322. Omit the 0 when calling from abroad. Long-distance calls are expensive, it is best to arrange to have a calling card access number in advance. You can also place reversed-charge calls by reaching an international operator, dial 09. Business Hours : Banks are open 9 AM–1:30 PM Monday–Friday, although some banks are now expanding hours. Stores often open between 9 AM–8 PM, but can close for siesta in midday. Holidays Banks and most businesses close on New Year's Day (1 January), Constitution Day (5 February), Birthday of Benito Juarz (21 March), Good Friday through Easter Monday (four days in March or April; date varies), Labor Day (1 May), Anniversary of Battle of Puebla (5 May), Independence Day (16 September), Columbus Day (12 October), All Saints' Day (1 November), All Souls' Day (2 November), Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution of 1910 (20 November), and Christmas Day (25 December). Area: 1,972,000 sq. km (769,080 sq. mi) Capital city: Mexico City (pop 20 million) Population: 97,967,000 in 1995 (growth rate 2%) ;Literacy rate 88%. People: Approximately 70% mestizo (mixed European and Indian descent) 9% European and 20% indgena (Native Americans or Indians - including Nahua, Maya, Zapotecs, Mixtecs, Totonacs, and Tarascos or Purpecha) 8% of the population speak Indian languages. Also includes Arabic 400,000, Chinese 31,000 Language: Language: Language: Spanish Religion: 90% Roman Catholic, 6% Protestant GDP: US$370 billion GDP per head: US$4000. Travel Seasons -- Mexico has two principal travel seasons. High season begins around December 20 and continues to Easter; in some places it begins as early as mid-November. Low season is from the day after Easter to mid-December; during low season, prices may drop 20% to 50%. In beach destinations popular with Mexican travelers, such as Veracruz and Acapulco , prices will revert to high season during July and August, the traditional national summer vacation period. Prices inland fluctuate little from high to low season, but may rise dramatically during the weeks of Easter and Christmas and at Carnaval time at the port Cities of Veracruz and Mazatlan. Language English <-> Espanol <-> Portuguese travlang.com/languages One of the web's great travel resources with spoken words for 65 languages. Time to brush up on your travel Espanol? Weather Mexico is often considered tropical but is rather temperate or spring like year-round. Dry winter (November through April) and rainy (May through October) season, although the rain is usual tolerable for travelers. In short, anytime of year is going to be relatively nice for travel. Find the Weather for any City, State or ZIP Code, or Airport Code or Country by Wunderground Satelite Photo of the Hemisphere Be your own weather predictor. Weather and Climate of Mexico by nationalgeographic.com Jan Mar May July Sept Nov Acapulco F) 88 72 88 72 90 77 91 77 90 77 90 75 Rainfall (inch) .5 .2 0 8 11 .6 Guadalajara (F) 73 45 82 48 88 57 79 59 79 59 77 50 Rainfall (inch) .5 .3 1 7 7 .5 La Paz (F) 73 55 79 55 91 63 97 73 95 73 84 63 Rainfall (inch) .3 0 0 1 1 .5 Mrida (F) 82 64 90 68 93 70 91 73 90 73 84 66 Rainfall (inch) 1 .5 3 5 7 1 Mexico City (F) 72 43 81 50 81 55 75 55 73 55 73 48 Rainfall (inch) .5 .5 3 6 5 .5 Monterrey (F) 68 48 79 55 88 68 93 72 93 72 73 54 Rainfall (inch) 1 1 2 3 4 1 Oaxaca (F) 82 46 90 54 90 59 82 59 81 59 82 50 Rainfall (inch) 2 1 5 8 11 2 San Cristbal (F) 68 41 72 45 72 48 72 50 70 50 68 45 Rainfall (inch) 2 2 7 7 14 3 Tijuana (F) 68 43 70 46 73 54 81 61 81 61 73 50 Rainfall (inch) 2 1 .2 0 .5 1 Veracruz (F) 77 64 79 70 86 77 88 75 88 77 82 70 Rainfall (inch) 1 1 4 9 12 2 Media & News Mexico City News || Novedades.com.mx/Frontpage thenews@ri.redint.com Daily newspaper; oldest English-language paper in Mexico El-universal.com.mx Mexico's oldest daily has an English section MediaINFO Link - Latin America Another wonderfully comprehensive directory by Ron Mader eco-journalist. Internet del Diario de Yucatn based in Merida La Jornada en Internet : Espanol Only Diario.com.mx : Espanol Only Today's Top Mexico & Latin American Headlines Trade Business wear is formal. Mexicans attach much importance to courtesy and the use of titles. Prior appointments are necessary and if in doubt about a correct title it is advisable to use licenciado in place of seor. English is widelyspoken in business circles although it is a big plus to be able to speakSpanish. AmCham.com.mx || amchammx@amcham.com.mx American Chamber of Commerce - Mexico Phone: (011-52)(5) 724-3830 MexicoBusiness.com/ || MAILBOX@MEXICOBUSINESS.COM Subscriptions are $45 in the United States and Mexico LATCO.org || info@latco.org Latin American Trade Organization of Oregon. "The Mexican Government continues to enact reforms, including the privatization of many economic areas, making the Mexican economy one of the most open economies world-wide." History T he Spaniards were well received in the Veracruz coastal towns by the Toltecs who resented oppressive Aztec domination and were willing to march with Cortes against the great Aztec capital built on a lake. Moctezuma II, the Aztec god king had been expecting a momentous occasion for his priests had long predicted the phoenix like god Quetzalcatl's to return from the east in the year of 1519. Corts wasted little time reducing the City to ashes taking his eager host Moctezuma hostage immediately after being invited to the palace. The war of conquest would last another 28 months but the destuction and supression of the Aztec and Mayan cililizations would continue for centuries. However, the greatest decimation would soon come to pass with epidemics which reduced the population from 25 miullion to one million by 1605. T he Spanish were conquistadores who left their women at home and went off on a quest for glory, gold and God. Consequently they often took native wives. Spanish-born who expected to be treated like nobility and the natives of New Spain who built the country contolled the country amidst growing resentment between themselves. The natives also separated themselves as criollos (born of Spanish parents in New Spain), metzitos (mixed Eoropean, African and Indian blood) and Indians or Africans. In 1808 the Frenchman Napoleon Bonaparte occupied most of Spain weakening Spanish control and allowing the rivalry between New Spain groups to intensify. On 16 September 1810 Miguel Hidalgo a Criollo parish priest issued his now-famous call to rebellion, the Grito de Dolores. In 1821 Spain agreed to Mexican independence however the new governments were ineffective and unstable. I n 1845, the US congress voted to annex Texas and the Mexican-American War followed. Under the resulting Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), Mexico ceded modern Texas, California, Utah, Colorado and most of New Mexico and Arizona to the USA. In 1864 Napoleon's nephew, the foolishly arrogarnt Napoleon III attempted to colonize Mexico, but the reign of his ruler, the Austrian archduke Maximilian of Hapsburg was shortlived ending with his hanging. T he Party of the Institutionalized Revolution (the PRI) took power in 1934 following the 10 year Mexican Revolution which claimed the lives of nearly 1 out 8 citizens. The PRI has dominated the history of Mexico for most of the 20th century but their control is eroding fast. In 1988, Carlos Salinas de Gortari was elected to the single 6 year term as president despite the widely accepted belief that the current Mayor Cardenas of Mexico City won the election. Salinas was very successful in bringing about economic reform and is the person most responsible for the signing of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement on 1 January 1994. T he prior President, Ernesto Zedillo was 43 when he was elected following the assassination of Salinas' chosen successor. Zedillo has been a genuine reformer allowing opposition parties to win many key elections. His term has been beset be economic crisis as well as a revolution in the southern state of Chiapas by the Zapatistas who demand social justice for Mexico's oppressed Indians. The current President Vicente Fox seeks to completely redefine the relationship of Mexico and its powerful Northern neighbors by opening the borders as wide as possible and convincing his country men to think bigger. A talented and determined historic figure, Fox will have till 2006 to remake a difficult and corrupt bureaucracy staffed by enemies of reform. olmecs are mainly known for f the striking stone figures left behind by the mother culture of Meso America which preceded the Mayans and Aztecs . Olmec civilization was in ascendance between 1300 and 600 B.C. Their greatest architectural treasure has be found at La Venta in the state of Tabasco History of Mexico by nationalgeographic.com Lots of Links: Mexico dmoz Mexico : Travel and Tourism : Arts and Entertainment Business and Economy Education Maps and Views News and Media Society and Culture Transportation Weather Volunteer run DMOZ can be your best way to get a site indexed by google and other search engines Travel and Tourism Lodging Message Boards National Parks Travel Guides Travel Services Birdwatching Camping and RVs Roads and Highways Show Caves Travelogues Wineries Mexican States : Links indicated as of Jan-2004 Note only Baja, Quintana Roo and Jalisco have more than 400. Aguascalientes (7) Baja California (370) Baja California Sur (698) Campeche (10) Chiapas (49) Chihuahua (36) Coahuila (22) Colima (59) Durango (4) Federal District (64) Guanajuato (154) Guerrero (329) Hidalgo (2) Jalisco (405) Mexico State (13) Michoacan (21) Morelos (20) Nayarit (110) Nuevo Leon (79) Oaxaca (166) Puebla (7) Queretaro (13) Quintana Roo (709) San Luis Potosi (19) Sinaloa (76) Sonora (83) Tabasco (1) Tamaulipas (64) Tlaxcala (2) Veracruz see out special section Yucatan (69) Zacatecas (7) Northern Veracruz Costa Esmeralda || CASTILLO DE TEAYO || CAZONES || Cerro Azul || COATZINTLA || Gutirrez Zamora || Martnez || Nautla || Pnuco || P apantla || El TAJN || Poza Rica || Tampico || Tecolutla || Tlapacoyan || Tuxpan Xalapa >> Mexico City Central Antigua || Cempoala || Chachalacas || Coatepec || Jalcomulco || Naolinco || Quiahuiztln || Xico Orizaba- Great Mountains Cordoba || Fortin de las Flores || Huatusco || Orizaba >> Puebla || Tlaxcala Los Tuxtlas Catemaco || Santiago Tuxtlas || San Andres Tuxtlas || Sontecomapan >> Chiapas Papaloapan Plain Alvarado || Cosamaloapan || Otatiln || Tlacotalpan >> Oaxaca Southern Veracruz Coatzacoalcos || Minatitln || San Juan Evengelista || San Lorenzo-Tenochtitlan || Villahermosa Y ucatan Peninsula Cancn || MERIDA || Cozumel || Isla Mujeres || Playa del Carmen Where to Go in Mexico by nationalgeographic.com To Top of Page To Carnaval Home Page (restores frame menu) Questions or comments? email the webmaster@ carnaval.com Last updated Oct-04 Web www.carnaval.com To: From: Depart: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 12:00am 1:00am 2:00am 3:00am 4:00am 5:00am 6:00am 7:00am 8:00am 9:00am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm Morning Noon Evening Anytime Stops: 0 1 2 3 Return: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 12:00am 1:00am 2:00am 3:00am 4:00am 5:00am 6:00am 7:00am 8:00am 9:00am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm Morning Noon Evening Anytime 0 1 2 3 4 5 Adults (15-64) 0 1 2 3 4 Children (2-14) 0 1 2 3 4 5 Seniors (65+)

Mexico Travel Guide pages! | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel Site: Everything | MEXICO TRAVEL BOOKS & | Mexico Travel Books - | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel Go Mexico | MEXICO TRAVEL NEWS 12/23/2005 | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel Information. Travel | Mexico Travel | Mexico Travel Guide Travel | Mexico Travel Travel - | Europe Travel 101 - | Europe Travel | Europe Travel | Europe Travel | Europe Travel |

TAIWAN Travel Guide Overview

VirtualTourist.com - Taiwan Travel Guide - Pictures, Tips and Reviews Taiwan Travel Guide. Tips, Reviews & Photos plus Hotels, Restaurants, Activities & More in Taiwan member log in | join for free! | help Home Travel Guides Hotels Flights Deals NEW! Members Meetings & Events Do It Yourself Guides Forums TAIWAN Travel Guide Overview | Hotels | Forum | Things To Do | Top Member Pages | Deals | Members | Meetings & Events Home » Travel Guides » Asia » Taiwan » Taiwan Destinations Members Keywords Sponsored Links for Taiwan Marriott Hotels Enjoy stylish luxury hotels with Marriott's new rooms. Book now. Hotels Compare Prices, View Photos & More! Low Rates Guaranteed - Book Now Priceline Hotel Discounts Great Low Prices, Pictures, and Guest Reviews. Shop. Compare. Save. Hotels Find Low Rates, Nearby Attractions & Dining, Hotel Pics, Maps & More! Cheap Hotels at Expedia Expedia Special Rates Means We Guarantee Our Low Rates on Rooms. by janeword Taiwan Local time: 6:39 am Thursday, December 29, 2005. TravelPro Sale - LuggageGuru.com Hotels in Taiwan Flights to Taiwan Map NEW! Members living here: 190 Member tips: 33 Member pictures: 124 + Add your own tips and photos Taiwan Hotel Rates City: Check-In Date: Check-Out Date: Guests: 1 2 3 4 Hotels by OneTime.com Hotels in Taiwan (1 Reviews - 1 Photos) Four Points Chung Ho Taipei (0 Reviews - Photos) check rates Howard Plaza Hotel (0 Reviews - Photos) check rates Kenting Chinatrust Inn (0 Reviews - Photos) Splendor Hotel Kaohsiung (0 Reviews - Photos) Riviera Hotel (0 Reviews - Photos) Linden Hotel Kaohsiung (0 Reviews - Photos) check rates Lakeshore Hotel Hsin Chu (0 Reviews - Photos) Hualien Chinatrust Hotel (0 Reviews - Photos) Chungli Chinatrust Hotel (0 Reviews - Photos) Agora Garden Taipei (0 Reviews - Photos) » More Hotels in Taiwan » Write your own Hotels Review Things To Do in Taiwan (13 Reviews - 11 Photos) Tainan Bridemaids to my elder sister Lovely Cafe Ching Jing veteran Farm Love River : The best choice to take a walk Taipei A Hit in Tao God's Ceremony tea shop Ching Jing Veteran Farm Meet offering » More Things To Do in Taiwan » Write your own Things To Do Review Restaurants in Taiwan (4 Reviews - 3 Photos) hot and spicy! Don't miss this.... the only real italian restaurant in TAICHUNG dumpling and fried dumplings » Write your own Restaurants Review Local Customs in Taiwan (0 Reviews - 0 Photos) » Write a new Local Customs Review Nightlife in Taiwan (0 Reviews - 0 Photos) » Write a new Nightlife Review Off the Beaten Path in Taiwan (1 Reviews - 0 Photos) Jiu Fen » Write your own Off the Beaten Path Review Tourist Traps in Taiwan (1 Reviews - 0 Photos) Non Mandarin/Chinese dialect speaking tourists » Write your own Tourist Traps Review Warnings or Dangers in Taiwan (0 Reviews - 0 Photos) » Write a new Warnings or Dangers Review Transportation in Taiwan (7 Reviews - 5 Photos) Taipei Subway Getting here and there Bus in Taiwan Toroko National Park Road Toroko National Park Roads » More Transportation in Taiwan » Write your own Transportation Review Packing Lists in Taiwan (0 Reviews - 0 Photos) » Write a new Packing Lists Review Shopping in Taiwan (1 Reviews - 1 Photos) The cute and expensive statues of TaTong » Write your own Shopping Review Sports Travel in Taiwan (0 Reviews - 0 Photos) » Write a new Sports Travel Review General Tips in Taiwan (5 Reviews - 3 Photos) High up to the sky .... When there are no clouds ... Transporting pets Environment Culture » More General Tips in Taiwan » Write your own General Tips Review Tip Group Editor: Become an Editor More Sponsored Links for Taiwan Experts in Taiwan hotels Big Savings - Discount up to 70%. Quality hotels at wholesale rates. Holiday Inn Taipei Taipei Hotels. Book Online Low Rate Guaranteed Fantastic Hotel Deals 1000's of hotels & villas from 19 Great deals online with Cresta Member Pages About Taiwan 1. Lantern Festival For The Chinese Year by luckymiffy 10 Tips 13 Pictures 2. Round Taiwan Adventure Trip - 01 - 11 May 2005 by shane_02 6 Tips 24 Pictures 3. Taiwan, Republic Of China by YellowFire 4 Tips 1 Pictures 4. Taiwan -taipei by Levente_D 2 Tips 5 Pictures 5. I Love Taiwan by fattyjulia 2 Tips 10 Pictures » View all rated pages (3) » View newest pages » Build your own Taiwan page Taiwan Forum Join a Discussion Any hotel/resort to recommand in Beitou? (4 replies, 3:05 PM Oct. 27, 2005) tourist visa to taiwan (3 replies, 2:34 AM Oct. 20, 2005) Lord of the Dance in Taiwan (2 replies, 11:15 AM Oct. 26, 2004) Be the first to reply to these questions SOS (no replies yet) » All Taiwan Discussions » Post a Taiwan Discussion Travel Resources Car Rental Cruises Vacations Luggage NEW! Taiwan Deals » All Taiwan Deals » Post a Taiwan Deal FREE VT Deals Newsletter great deals, inside tips & no spam Taiwan Flight Rates From: To: Departure Date: Anytime Morning Afternoon Evening Midnight 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Return Date: Anytime Morning Afternoon Evening Midnight 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Passengers: 1 2 3 4 Flights by OneTime.com What's Close By? A-li-shan , 19.00 km / 11.81 miles » See all locations nearby » Popular Taiwan locations Local Merchants in Taiwan » Sign up your local business Find: Destinations Members Keywords Matching: Advanced About VT | Contact Us | Site Tour | Advertising | Local Merchant Login | Travel Tools | VT Chat | VT Gear | Help User Agreement | Privacy Statement Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2005 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

EUROPE Travel Guide Home | Europe Travel | Europe Travellers , Europe | Europe Travel 101 - | Europe Travel | Europe Travel 101 - | Europe Travel Planning describes | Europe Travel | Europe Travel Deals Free | Europe Travel | Europe Travel 101 - | Europe Travel Guide Europe | Europe Travel Deals Free | Europe Travel: Food Of | EUROPE TRAVELERS In Europe, | Europe Travel Deals Register | Europe Travel 101 - | Europe Travel | Europe Travel 101 - | Europe Travel 101 - |

 Travel And Vacations

 Travel Help Worldwide Call

 Travel Guides | Hotels

 Travelers (Children or seniors?)

 Travelers' Health Destinations Health

 Travel Education Special Reports

 Travel Guides Hotels Flights

 TRAVEL SERVICES TRAVEL TICKER

 Travel Education Special Reports

 Travel World

 Travel Planning Survey. Home

 Travel Advice UK Embassies

 TravelGuide.com All material herein

 Travelers (Children or seniors?)

 Traveler? Take a quiz

 Travel Business Travel Family

 TravelGuide.com All material herein

 Travel Guard | AgentLink:

 Worldwide Travel

 travel counselors love their

 travel services, discounts, information

 Travel > Global Style

 Travel

 Travel gift card today

 TRAVEL Welcome - Already

 Travel photography, travelogues and

 travel to and in

 Travel Guides Community Special

 Travel Notes™ Destinations Budget

 Travel

 travel counselors love their

 Travel Company (AMEX:OTV) Home

 travel books | camera

 Travelers Trust City: Check-in:

 Travel Cruise Visits For

 Travel Plan My Travel

 Travel Industry Association (ATIA).

 Travel | Destination |

 Vacation Homes Contact Owners

 vacation ever in beautiful

 vacations Sign in •

 Vacation Club (AFVC) ,

 VACATION West Middle East

 vacation is only a

 Vacation Work Information Exchange

 Vacation Rental Home here!

 vacation stories Win a

 vacation response? Going on

 vacation ever in beautiful

 Vacation Rentals Villas, Condos,

 Vacation Guides Free Brochures

 Vacation Rentals Take your

 VACATION FEATURES & EXTRAS

 vacation from the life

 Vacations Aruba | Bahama

 Vacation Rentals!! "Vacation Rentals,

 Vacation Rentals, Homes Vacation

 Vacations specialist. You need

 Vacations or Business Travel

 VACATION RENTALS Africa Asia

 Vacation homes, condos, villas,

 Vacation Guide: Sign up

 vacations : rental cars

 vacation rentals, bed and

 Vacation Club Check-in date

 Vacation Rentals and Vacation

 Vacation! BY DESTINATION BY

 Vacation Outlet Home Page

 Vacation Rentals RV Parks/Campgrounds

 Vacation Rentals at your

 Vacation Inn of Victoria

 vacation ideas from around

 Vacation® Inc. is a

 Vacation Information "The beauty

 Vacation Travel and Outdoor

 Vacation Rentals, Holiday Rentals,

 VACATION FEATURES & EXTRAS

 vacationing in Florida. Here

 vacation guide to Honduras

 Vacation Rentals - USA

 Vacation Rentals Hotels Real

 Vacation Rentals Hotels Real

 vacation rental, is available

 Vacations | Flight Schedule

 Asia Travel || Malaysia

 Asia Travel Tips ,

 Asia Travel || Hong

 Asia Travel

 Asia Travel Newsletter :

 Asia Travel || Laos

 Asia travel, Deluxe travel

 Asia Travel SINGAPORE HOTELS

 Asia Travel || Cambodia

 Asia Travel to assist

 Asia Travel Office Hours

 Asia Travel || Malaysia

 Asia Travel according to

 Asia Travel || Indonesia

 Asia Travel (65) 6235

 Asia Travel || Indonesia