Virginia to Paris and back again

Author Message   Irwin Rovner Senior Member Username: Irovner Post Number: 435 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 66.32.73.113 Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2010 - 01:43 pm:    Thomas, Thanks for a very smart travel report. It seems this thread has been hijacked to a discussion of combining Space A with the risks of pre-paid scheduled train travel in Europe. This is good info that probably should be shifted to the Ground Transportation page where more folks may find it. Anyway, I've used Space A and switched to trains in England, Spain and Germany, sometimes with scheduled advance paid tickets, sometimes walk-up. Haven't had to forfeit a ticket yet -- which I attribute to luck as much as planning ahead. Some tips are: obviously don't try this if you are low Cat (like VI, which I am) in the tough summer or holiday seasons. If you buy some kind of railpass (such as Eurail), there is no specific scheduled date -- you enter the date when you board the first train to begin your rail travel. So, you can't lose until you let the pass expire after the year or two allowed. Point-to-point second class travel is often cheaper than a railpass, especially if you can qualify for and book a senior special discount ticket. Some of these are so cheap (in Belgium for example) they are worth the risk of missing the travel date. Like Thomas Laws, I usually show up for flights 3 to 4 days before I need to get to Europe (e.g. Ramstein, Rota) following Flight Info on this page and driving to a base according to a Plan A and Plan B I create based on the postings. If I get a flight right away, well one day for rest and relaxation to get over jet lag -- and then to ITT for a day trip or two, or jump on a local/regional train to a nearby town for some "accidental touring." A lot of flexibility, and a little chance adventuring sometimes leads to unexpected highlights of a trip.   Lyle D. Member Username: Yellowstone Post Number: 49 Registered: 01-2009 Posted From: 98.66.134.7 Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2010 - 12:36 am:    Thanks Thomas for your responce. According to RTT at Ramstein the best prices for train travel are 90 days out and a small savings for booking 3 days out. But I suppose if you consider paying for 3 days hotel - hope for Ramstein Inn for $39 or off base for $100 and up = you might as well bite the bullet and book and travel the next day verses waiting around for 3 days to travel. When we arrived at RTT Ramstein in March 2010 I did not ask them to check on savings if we waited 3 days - I did not even know there w as a small saving. It was our first time to ride the train but we surely loved it and would like to do more train travel in Europe. Judy M.   Furman Neeley New member Username: Neeleyf Post Number: 2 Registered: 01-2010 Posted From: 75.149.211.182 Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 - 11:26 pm:    Flexibility is the key to booking trains and hotels at a reasonable cost. I personally believe that booking way in advance is unwise as one is locked in to schedules that may prove to be impossible to meet. I can appreciate that novice travelers would trade flexibility for the peace of mind of booking in advance. I merely suggest that such travelers spend some time online and Google topics like "cheap train Europe." You'll find resources like "Virgin Trains," Eurolines," etc. Also, every train station has some sort of ticket kiosk. Consider standing in line for a ticket for the next train.   Thomas Laws Member Username: Thomlaws Post Number: 16 Registered: 05-2008 Posted From: 98.183.134.124 Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 - 09:25 pm:    Judy, I initially felt quite comfortable booking the train 60 days out. My plan was to start trying for a flight to either Spangdahlem or Ramstein the Sunday before the train left on Thursday afternoon. This gave me four days to snag a flight and still catch the train.In the past three years we've managed to get a seat the first day trying three times and the second day twice, only once to we set out for europe and not get there, we ended up in Key West. The Iceland volcano did make me a little nervous the beginnning of May but then it quieted down. So I'd like to say it's great planning that lets me book the train, hotel and car rental 60 days ahead but it's probably just dumb luck. Plus I've got a wife who does more than enough worrying for both of us.   Lyle D. Member Username: Yellowstone Post Number: 48 Registered: 01-2009 Posted From: 98.92.118.72 Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 - 12:19 am:    Thomas, I would like to know how you feel comfortable about booking train tickets 60 days in advance. We did the Paris thing from Ramstein March 2010 and did not purchase tickets from RTT until we arrived. We had to pay more but I don't feel comfortable anticipating that I will make it timely doing Space A. Enjoyed your report. Judy M.   Tom Jackson Senior Member Username: Tombo Post Number: 501 Registered: 05-2004 Posted From: 76.106.250.199 Posted on Sunday, May 23, 2010 - 03:26 pm:    Poor Leland. When I was working, I got to go to to such places as Strongsville, OH or Corbin, KY. Maybe Albany, NY if I was lucky. I sure hope they are paying you double for the hardship of going to Paris. If not, I would complain. By the way, do you need someone to carry your luggage? I work for food.   Leland Senior Member Username: Leland Post Number: 6265 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 98.218.147.237 Posted on Sunday, May 23, 2010 - 02:21 pm:    If it's Paris, you can't go wrong just walking around. It's a beautiful city. And in much of France (including Paris) the center city is considered the most desirable areas and the slums are pushed out into the suburbs - the opposite of many US cities. So anywhere in the central part of Paris will be wonderful. I will be there in about three weeks (on business, unfortunately).   Chaplaingil Member Username: Chaplaingil Post Number: 34 Registered: 08-2009 Posted From: 70.161.236.152 Posted on Sunday, May 23, 2010 - 12:44 pm:    Thomas Great report, I'm planning a similar trip early next month with my daughter from Norfolk. Had planned to fly SW to BWI but if parking is $8 a day may just drive "Little Red" and book the airfare for latter. Read the Rick Steves, AAA ect any other tips you have about what to see or not see would be greatly appericated. V/R and Blessings, Chaps   Thomas Laws Member Username: Thomlaws Post Number: 15 Registered: 05-2008 Posted From: 98.183.134.124 Posted on Sunday, May 23, 2010 - 08:32 am:    Lester: I'm the one who considered himself an idiot. The desk clerk was just pointing out what should have been an obvious way to save time and money. The taxi stand was at the Metro stop that I has been walking past several times a day for four days.   Lester Green Advanced Member Username: Rtgreen5 Post Number: 316 Registered: 03-2007 Posted From: 69.143.222.224 Posted on Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 11:03 pm:    Tom: How does a desk clerk "politely" call you an idiot? Did he/she say it in English or French? Please explain this. I believe that your request was perfectly proper for a person who was unfamiliar with Paris. In fact, last night at a restaurant, my friend, from out of town, asked the waiter to order him a taxi to take him back to his hotel, and it came in ten minutes. And I do know that a taxi stand was a block away from this establishment. As a person who is supposed to politely provide service to his hotel guests, I think that the desk clerk is the idiot and should be admonished for such conduct. You did pretty well in your Space A connections despite the problems with the volcanic ash.   Thomas Laws Member Username: Thomlaws Post Number: 14 Registered: 05-2008 Posted From: 98.183.134.124 Posted on Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 07:46 pm:    This is intended to be a transportation report only. The sights, the food, the shopping etc is another report. Leg 1. Virginia to Germany May 9 recording at Dover listed several LPM flights to Spangdahlem. Left Newport News, Va midmorning driving up the Delmarva peninsula arriving at Dover AFB by mid afternoon. Signed in as present and went out to dinner. Upon returning from dinner was informed that all flights had been postponed due to the Iceland volcanic ash. Spent the night at the AF Inn. May 10 returned to the terminal, checked in as present, then spent the day at the outlet stores in Rehobeth beach, returning to Dover AFB only to find that that days flights to Spangdahlem has also been scrubbed. Another night at the AF Inn. May 11, no flights from Dover to Germany. McGuire's recording listed one flight to Ramstein via Bangor, ME. Drove to McGuire only to be told that the flight would actually terminate at Bangor and the continuation to Ramstein was a joke on the part of the night terminal staff. McGuire had a flight to Ramstein via Dover on May 12. But the PatEx had a flight from BWI on May 11 late enough to try for and if unsuccessful time to get back to Dover for the flight originating at McGuire. Caught the PatEx at BWI and arrived at RMS early in the afternoon of the 12th. Leg 2. Germany to Paris May 13 took a cab to the Bahnhof in Landstul, for two people for €10.70 plus tip, caught a train from Landsthul to Kaiserslauten, for €3.50 each. Caught the ICE train from Kaiserslauten for €100 each round trip, tickets purchased on line about 60 days earlier. Leg 3. Paris The taxi from the Gare de l'Est to our hotel near the Eifel Tower was about €15 including tip. Transportation around Paris was covered by buying a 3 day combination L'Open Tour bus and BateauBus pass for $60 each and un carnet (10 tickets) for the Metro for about €12. While the Metro is cheap, fast and goes about everywhere, I would not like to have to use is transporting luggage. Leg 4. Paris to RMS May 18, again, a taxi from the Hotel to the Gare de l'Est. I asked the desk clerk at the hotel to call a cab for us and politely he told me I was an idiot. He told me there would have to be €5 charge for the call and it would take 15 minutes for the taxi to show up - a 50m walk around the corner was a taxi stand. Caught the ICE train back to Kaiserslauten. Leg 5. Kaiserslauten to RMS I had arranged with AMCR to rent a car for three day and they picked us up at Kaiserslauten Hbf. Leg 6. RMS to Viginia May 19 failed to make the cut for the PatEx to BWI. May 20 got manifested and actually sat in a C5 destined for Dover for 2.5 hours until they gave up trying to fix it for the day, it did fly out the next day. May 21 got a seat on the PatEx for BWI, paid $80 ($8 a day) to retrieve my car from long term parking and drove home.