Retirement holidays.....

zagfles

hugheskevi said:

zagfles said:

hugheskevi said:

Simes122 said:

That interrail option has got my mind running!  3 months first class rail for an adult for £505!  That’s amazing - even if you didn’t hardcore travel and had some sensible stops en route, it’s still huge value.  A brilliant first retirement trip while young enough to do it.  Tickets are valid for first travel within 11 months, which covers me for when I retire next year, so am seriously tempted.  Three months accommodation for 2 is going to cost £9k-£10k I’d think averaged out, and for adults needing creature comforts, spending money would be of similar order I’d think.  What an amazing way to start retirement though!  

A budget of £20K for 3 months, or £80K annualised, would be generous. 

You could travel very well for that budget, using AirBnbs and modestly priced hotels I'd expect travel in Europe for 2 people to cost around £50,000 on an annualised basis (including everything, especially as travel costs would be low due to use of ticket), and £60,000 should be plenty. 

Personally I'd prefer to spend longer trips in more exotic places such as Central or South America or Africa, which also tend to be far cheaper than Europe but perhaps a bit harder to travel around.

ISTR my first interrail trip we allowed £5 per day for everything, including accomodation (usually hostels). But that was early 80's. I think £100 per day for a couple should be easily enough, maybe a bit more in Western Europe and a bit less in Eastern. Private rooms in hostels are worth considering, it's not all dorms these days, some even en-suite with maid service!

I think £100 per day for a couple would be quite tight, and require careful budgeting and sacrifices.

I've kept detailed expenditure records of trips in recent years, and our holidays (2 adults, no kids) consistently come in at about £200 per day when taking into account everything, including flights. Those trips always involve activities and movement, we don't do beach holidays. Usually we cram a lot into trips, so the intensity would be a lot lower on a 3 month trip and that would reduce daily cost. However, we never stay anywhere particularly expensive so others may well spend more on accommodation. We also don't spend much on food and drink, often making our own meals.

Interestingly, the £200 per day has applied regardless of whether traveling to developed or developing world - the developed world has more expensive accommodation and food, but generally flights and activities are cheaper in the developed world. Internal travel is more complex - travel cost per hour is much lower in developing countries, but you can move a lot faster in developed countries so travel cost per mile is much closer.

Ours have worked out about the same, bit under £200 a day inc transport, flights, car hire etc, but for mostly shorter holidays where the transport cost is a significant element. The £100 a day I mentioned above for an interrail holiday wasn't including transport cost, ie after the card is bought, and as you say on a longer holiday it's going to less intense, you're not going to be eating out every night or doing expensive trips every day.

In cities we tend to do walking tours, most are "free" (ie tips only), usually pay around 10EUR each and they're full of tips about good value places to eat, see etc. We've not been to many less developed countries in recent years, the closest would be Morocco and Turkey, and they were both full of excellent value trips, eg full day trips with lunch for around £10-15 each. I notice the interrail card now covers Turkey, I think you'd struggle to spend £100 a day there!

Similar in parts of Eastern Europe, did a solo tour of Translyvania and spent about £50 a day (not inc flights but inc local transport), easy to get decent accomodation (and not hostels, mainly hotels/B&Bs) for £20-25 a night. It would have been well under £100 a day for a couple as it's not much more for a double room than a single.

Things are changing massively in the tourist accomodation market though since the pandemic and probably a bit before - actual old fashioned hotels can be hard to find in some areas, it's all Airbnb type apartments, even if you use the traditional hotel booking sites. But they're often excellent value, more space and facililties, although at the expense of a front desk, bar etc.

zagfles

MallyGirl said:

zagfles said:

Great idea, but not 3 months, one month was enough for me even back in the day when I was 17!

Very different with funds though. I remember a particular hard work train from Venice to Athens through Yugoslavia where I saw my first semi automatic gun in real life - it was pointed at me while they searched the bags of our fellow Slav travelers for contraband.

Yes saw plenty of those on my only trip across the iron curtain to West Berlin and going through checkpoint charlie to the east, and at the stations. The West Berlin underground had some routes under the East through unused stations and the platforms were usually patrolled by armed guards. Never had one pointed at me though!

MallyGirl

zagfles said:

MallyGirl said:

Very different with funds though. I remember a particular hard work train from Venice to Athens through Yugoslavia where I saw my first semi automatic gun in real life - it was pointed at me while they searched the bags of our fellow Slav travelers for contraband.

Yes saw plenty of those on my only trip across the iron curtain to West Berlin and going through checkpoint charlie to the east, and at the stations. The West Berlin underground had some routes under the East through unused stations and the platforms were usually patrolled by armed guards. Never had one pointed at me though!

To be fair - the Slavs had tried to get the rest of us in the carriage to put their new jeans and stuff in our backpacks to avoid paying duty. We had politely declined! Still scary when they take your passport and leave the carriage with it while they check whatever they felt the need to. The guns ensured that we didn't put up a fuss about it.

Somebody

What are the visa requirements now we're no longer part of the EU?  Would I be correct in saying that you'd be OK if you don't spend more than 180 days interrailing?    

marycanary

If you’re travelling to an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you don't need a visa for short holidays. You are able to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, if you wish to stay longer, then you will need to apply for a visa.

cfw1994

MallyGirl said:

zagfles said:

MallyGirl said:

Very different with funds though. I remember a particular hard work train from Venice to Athens through Yugoslavia where I saw my first semi automatic gun in real life - it was pointed at me while they searched the bags of our fellow Slav travelers for contraband.

Yes saw plenty of those on my only trip across the iron curtain to West Berlin and going through checkpoint charlie to the east, and at the stations. The West Berlin underground had some routes under the East through unused stations and the platforms were usually patrolled by armed guards. Never had one pointed at me though!

To be fair - the Slavs had tried to get the rest of us in the carriage to put their new jeans and stuff in our backpacks to avoid paying duty. We had politely declined! Still scary when they take your passport and leave the carriage with it while they check whatever they felt the need to. The guns ensured that we didn't put up a fuss about it.

I had an overnight journey through France after having split from some pals.
I was laid out asleep in a carriage....in the middle of the night somewhere,  when my legs were unceremoniously thrown on the floor, & I face a compartment full of pretty aggressive-looking CRS Police.   I realised that grumbling was not an option, & indeed left the carriage to sleep in a corridor!!

I reckon some 1st Class travel might not be as bad now, given our age, experience & demeanour 🤷‍♂️

JoeCrystal

marycanary said:

If you’re travelling to an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you don't need a visa for short holidays. You are able to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, if you wish to stay longer, then you will need to apply for a visa.

And make sure your passport gets stamped properly as well! Been to Denmark recently. Got asked if I was planning to visit another country and if so, make sure it gets stamped out when leaving the Schengen area. Basically up to 90 days in a 180-day period across the entire zone. So if you spent 30 days in France and 30 days in Germany, then it is 60 days already used up with 30 days remaining. Shouldn't be a problem if your visit is less than 90 days in total for the EU countries (within the Schengen area).

If you want a longer stay, then it can get a little more tricky, It is certainly worth doing proper research on the visas required. Especially with ETIAS kicking in eventually. 

zagfles

cfw1994 said:

MallyGirl said:

zagfles said:

MallyGirl said:

Very different with funds though. I remember a particular hard work train from Venice to Athens through Yugoslavia where I saw my first semi automatic gun in real life - it was pointed at me while they searched the bags of our fellow Slav travelers for contraband.

Yes saw plenty of those on my only trip across the iron curtain to West Berlin and going through checkpoint charlie to the east, and at the stations. The West Berlin underground had some routes under the East through unused stations and the platforms were usually patrolled by armed guards. Never had one pointed at me though!

To be fair - the Slavs had tried to get the rest of us in the carriage to put their new jeans and stuff in our backpacks to avoid paying duty. We had politely declined! Still scary when they take your passport and leave the carriage with it while they check whatever they felt the need to. The guns ensured that we didn't put up a fuss about it.

I had an overnight journey through France after having split from some pals.
I was laid out asleep in a carriage....in the middle of the night somewhere,  when my legs were unceremoniously thrown on the floor, & I face a compartment full of pretty aggressive-looking CRS Police.   I realised that grumbling was not an option, & indeed left the carriage to sleep in a corridor!!

I reckon some 1st Class travel might not be as bad now, given our age, experience & demeanour 🤷‍♂️

There's not really a great difference in first class on trains, it's not like planes where you'd get champagne and caviar. But then again the price differential is nowhere near as much!

But sleepers/couchettes definitely worth considering on overnight trains, I even used couchettes back in the days as a penniless student, some interesting experiences in them!

zagubov

If you're okay about avoiding the high-speed trains you can spend a month of railway journeys around Germany for a total of 9€. And that includes all other public transport like underground (U-Bahn), buses and trams.
https://www.bahn.com/en/offers/regional/9-euro-ticket-en

cfw1994

zagubov said:

If you're okay about avoiding the high-speed trains you can spend a month of railway journeys around Germany for a total of 9€. And that includes all other public transport like underground (U-Bahn), buses and trams.
https://www.bahn.com/en/offers/regional/9-euro-ticket-en

Interesting!
My experiences of the one work trips in Berlin were okay, but cost a few euros every day….that deal sounds too good to be true 🤔

Besides, no good telling me that: we’ve bought our tickets! 

Some extreme planning ahead, for sure.   I suspect we may head south next March and see what we can cover.  Would like to do Portugal, Italy, and maybe up north too…..who knows!