Off to Germany: pre-planning stages [Archive] - Page 14

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roadkit

01 Apr 2006, 12:49 PM

Palermo... why is that??? is the exchange rate a crock at the airports??? im thinking im going to bring 100 pounds so ive got some spending money on my lay over at heathrow, and then get about 500 euro as seed money for when we fly to frankfurt.... if i need more than that, and im sure i will... i can hit an ATM, or charge it and pay for it next month...

The moneychangers have to turn a profit so they add a few % to their exchange rate - ATMs use the exchange rate for that day (since they all fluctuate) and moneychangers aren't normally as agile.

If you can use an ATM, you should do it - just change enough $ to Euros before yoou go to get to the train station, etc. - do the research to know where you can get to an ATM when you arrive (probably at the airport on arrival, I'd bet) and get your main stash of bucks then.

nowherenova

01 Apr 2006, 01:24 PM

The moneychangers have to turn a profit so they add a few % to their exchange rate - ATMs use the exchange rate for that day (since they all fluctuate) and moneychangers aren't normally as agile.

If you can use an ATM, you should do it - just change enough $ to Euros before yoou go to get to the train station, etc. - do the research to know where you can get to an ATM when you arrive (probably at the airport on arrival, I'd bet) and get your main stash of bucks then.

Read it. Learn it. Live it. (I've got 30 euro from last summer because I always plan ahead- actually I found it in some jeans)

JacksonJazz#9

26 Apr 2006, 11:15 PM

Dead thread alert...

did everyone get their tix???

also... im taking some euros and some pounds with me (we fly to heathrow first)... im getting mine from a local coin dealer... from what ive heard from other people that have used him, he uses the published rates with no flat fee...

even if he did, it beats ordering them from a bank, paying their fee, and having to WAIT weeks to get your funds

roadkit

27 Apr 2006, 07:42 AM

JacksonJazz#9

27 May 2006, 06:17 PM

You can always get them at the airport, both here and overseas.

roadkit - aka david something.... suh-weet avatar

roadkit

27 May 2006, 08:36 PM

roadkit - aka david something.... suh-weet avatar

That's sitting in my firesafe right now. I feel like Frodo with the ring - it's always calling me...the one for the Italy game is too. :D

Dynamo73

27 May 2006, 08:54 PM

That's sitting in my firesafe right now. I feel like Frodo with the ring - it's always calling me...the one for the Italy game is too. :D

Hah! My wife laughed when I took the tickets right from the front porch where FedEx left them to the firesafe. Now I can tell her I'm not the only one.

Not to act like no one on the board has ever traveled before, but as long as we're posting planning items, I just remembered today to stop my mail while we're away. You can do it online at www.usps.com. I always forget to stop my newspaper deliveries, too, so I did that as well.

JacksonJazz#9

28 May 2006, 09:29 AM

That's sitting in my firesafe right now. I feel like Frodo with the ring - it's always calling me...the one for the Italy game is too. :D

ITALY TOO?!?!??! YOU BASTARD!!! color me green with envy

JacksonJazz#9

01 Jun 2006, 12:41 AM

tick tick tick... time is almost upon us...

micheal

01 Jun 2006, 08:42 AM

Took my tickets straight to the safe deposit box at the bank. :)

Enge

01 Jun 2006, 01:45 PM

I've got conditionals for USA-Italy. No luck yet. Anyone else score on a conditional ticket?

mtkstriker

01 Jun 2006, 05:58 PM

Hi guys. I'm going to the world cup on june 8th, flying thru dublin, staying overnight, then off to dusseldorf, then train to essen that day and staying at a hostel. I only have shelter for that night and i have a couple questions that i was hoping people could help me with.

-I need a hostel in Dublin. My flight is at 7am the next day after arriving at 10 in the morning the day before. Should I get a hostel or should i stay up all nite drinking?Also any specific places to see in dublin while there?

-The trains in Germany. How do I get around specifically from dusseldorf to essen, then essen to gelsenkirchen?

I'm a college student and im bankrupting myself to go on this trip that ive been planning since 2002 so im gonna be on a tight budget.

Enge

01 Jun 2006, 11:27 PM

http://www.db.de/site/bahn/en/start.html

Upper left, put in the stations and desired times.

You may want to get reservations, even if you already have a pass. See site for instructions.

For local travel, your game ticket counts as a train ticket. I don't know if coming all the way from Essen will work with that, though.

soccerdog11

03 Jun 2006, 12:35 PM

If you are looking for cheap,I would bag the hostel.Find a locker store your things,head out to Dublin explore.When your feet give out,head to the airport and crash.The airport might even have showers,Check it out.As for cheapest way to go in rail transportation,I would go with this:This would cover Dusseldorf and Essen(all located in the same state)
SchönerTagTicket Nordrhein-Westfalen (Nice-day-ticket North Rhine-Westphalia)
EUR 27 if you buy your ticket online or at the ticket machine. EUR 29 if you purchase your ticket at the ReiseZentrum.(also good for up to 5 people traveling on the same ticket)
This ticket is valid from Monday to Sunday for one day of your choice from 9 a.m. until 3 a.m. of the following day (on bank holidays for the whole day). It can be used on all local trains (InterRegionaExpress, RegionalExpress, RegionalBahn, S-Bahn) and the transport systems in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Check out this link it explains everything.

http://www.bahn.de/-S:PtVORd:eVTB5NNNWaOI7dNNNXIM/p/view/international/englisch/travelservice/laender_tickets.shtml

Legion04

03 Jun 2006, 06:19 PM

I'm a college student and im bankrupting myself to go on this trip that ive been planning since 2002 so im gonna be on a tight budget.

Stay in a Jugendherberge (JH). You may have already done your research and have a place to stay, but you can stay in some pretty freaking cheap...I'll be in one or two this summer in Germany (but I'm not going to the World Cup, just watching the US on TV).

Here's how a JH works (just in case you need to know), basically you'll be put in a room with bunkbeds and you'll be with people you've never met. It's wierd for American's but it's very cheap.

As far as train tickets, yeah, do the 5-person pass. If you know German, just ask random people if they want to go in with you on the 5-person pass. My German substitute teacher studied in Germany and would literally just ask people on the train platform if they wanted to create a fivesome to get discount tickets. You could just wing it like that, if you wanted to.