Showing posts with label 2017 - Europe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2017 - Europe. Show all posts
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Summary of My Solo Trip To Europe & Travel Expenses

A quite number of friends and blog readers of mine actually requested for my Europe trip itinerary. Let me be clear here. It's not that I'm not willing to share but because for this time around, I wrote it down instead of typing in the computer. Yes, a handwritten itinerary like the old-school time. 

2017 Europe Itinerary

Besides referring to the Lonely Planet and few travel books I got from the previous MATTA Fair which held in Kuala Lumpur, most of the times I was fully relied on the sim card I bought from Taobao (my friend helped me to purchase it cause I can't read Chinese. Yes, I'm a banana) 

Lonely Planet Europe

In case you unable to purchase from Taobao, don't worry cause I found Malaysia's online site that selling travel sim card - Hello1010 (check out their site here). Of course the price would be slightly higher comparing to Taobao but I can't find any better online store than this one. Why I don't use pocket WiFi? Let me do a simple calculation. The cheapest rental rate per day is RM28 and because I will be travelling for 18 days, the total I have to bear all by myself is RM504. One of the downside of travelling alone - no one to share the cost with. 

Hello1010 Travel Sim Card

Here is the summary of my trip to Europe covering 6 different countries and 9 cities:


Day 1: 8th September 2017 BKI → KUL
Initially I supposed to fly with Thai Airways with short transit in Bangkok but due to all the flights delayed caused by MAS, they compensated me by switching to fly with Emirates. Of course, flying with Emirates there would be short transit in Dubai.

Day 2: 9th September 2017 KUL → Dubai → Copenhagen, Denmark
Landed in Copenhagen's Kastrup Airport. Exchanged money in the airport and took train headed to Central Station. Didn't wander around the city much cause not in the mood due to missing luggage.
Stay: Copenhagen Backpacker Hostel

Day 3: 10th September 2017 Copenhagen → Budapest, Hungary
Flew with Norwegian from Copenhagen to Budapest. Took bus 100E from the airport to the city center. Shopping around Vaci street (one of the main shopping and restaurant street in Budapest) cause I don't have any extra clothes to wear. Visited St. Stephen's Basilica, Szechenyi Chain Bridge, Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion.
Stay: Essential Hostel

Day 4: 11th September 2017 Budapest, Hungary
Kicked off my day by visiting Great Market Hall. Then, proceed to Liberty Statue or Freedom Statue, Liberty Bridge, Shoe on the Danube Bank, Hungarian Parliament Building, Hősök Tere, Széchenyi Thermal Bath and Buda Castle. 
Stay: Essential Hostel

Day 5: 12th September 2017 Budapest → Vienna, Austria
Took train from Budapest-Keleti Railway Station to Wien Hauptbahnhof (Vienna Main Station). Bought Vienna Card (24 hours - €13.90, 48 hours - €21.90 or 72 hours - €24.90) for unlimited public transportation ride and discounts for the museums and art galleries. Visited Schonbrunn Palace, St. Stephen's Cathedral, Graben Shopping Street, Imperial Hofburg, Wiener Rathaus and Vienna Opera House. I even visited Cafe Central for a cup of Viennese style coffee and cake.
Stay: Wombats City Hostel Vienna - The Lounge

Day 6: 13th September 2017 Vienna → Salzburg, Austria
Took OBB train from Vienna to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (Salzburg Main Station). Upon reaching the hostel, I signed up with them for a Panorama Tours: Sound of Music. It offers two tours daily; leaving at 9:15am and 2pm and the duration takes about 4 hours covering Leopoldskron Palace, Hellbrunn Palace, Mondsee and Mirabell Garden. Once the tour completed, I went to Mozarts Geburtshaus (Mozart's birth house) but it was closed by the time arrived. 
Stay: International Youth Hostel Salzburg

Day 7: 14th September 2017 Salzburg → Hallstatt, Austria
Left Salzburg to the magical town of Hallstatt. Took bus #150 from the bus terminal outside of Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (Salzburg Main Station) to Bad Ischl. Once arrived Bad Ischl, board on the train to Hallstatt. Continue the journey by taking ferry to across the Hallstatt Old Town.
Stay: Gasthof Bergfried

Day 8: 15th September 2017 Hallstatt → Cesky Krumlov → Prague
From Hallstatt to Prague, I booked shuttle service from CK Shuttle with a brief stop at Cesky Krumlov before continue another second leg to Prague. If possible, do include this picturesque town of Cesky Krumlov besides visiting Prague. I was utterly regret for didn't plan my trip well.
Stay: Ritchie's Hotel & Hostel

Day 9: 16th September 2017 Prague 
Because my train to Krakow was expecting to depart at 11.09pm, I have almost a day to venture around Prague. Visited Old Town Square, Astronomical Clock, Charles Bridge, Prague Dancing House and hiked up the hill for Petrin Lookout Tower. Then, continue to Lesser Town for St. Nicholas Church, Prague Castle and John Lennon Wall. Took overnight train to Krakow which takes about 8 hours train ride. 

Day 10: 17th September 2017 Krakow, Poland
Arrived in Krakow Glowny, the Central Train Station of Krakow. Check-in into my hostel for quick bath. Practically I didn't do nothing much when arrived Krakow cause I need to do my laundry. Right after I done with my laundry, I went to Galeria Krakowska, a shopping mall nearby my hostel because it rained whole day and I can't do any sightseeing. 
Stay: One World Hostel

Day 11: 18th September 2017 Krakow 
It's bright and sunny day on the second day in Krakow. Therefore, immediately I went to Old Town for Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) and St. Mary's Basilica in Main Square. Then, continue to picturesque street of Kanonicza for Saints Peter and Paul Church. Next, Wawel Hill for Wawel Castle, Wawel Cathedral and Dragon's Den. Ended my tour in Krakow by visiting Kazimierz, once a former Jewish quarter.
Stay: One World Hostel

Day 12: 19th September 2017 Krakow → Warsaw, Poland
From Krakow to Warsaw, I took PolskiBus which the journey took about 5 hours bus ride and arrived in Dworzec Autobusowy Warszawa Zachodnia (Warsaw West Bus Station). To get to Central Station, board on the train heading to Centrum Metro Station. I was being penalised while taking bus from central station to my hostel. Another bad day again!
Stay: Dream Hostel

Day 13: 20th September 2017 Warsaw, Poland
Did sightseeing around Warsaw including Stare Miasto (Warsaw's Old Town), Wilanow Palace, Chopin Monument and Lazienki Palace in Lazienki Park, Warsaw Uprising Museum and Warsaw Uprising Monument. I bought a 24-hour ticket to get around Warsaw by using the extensive public transportation including bus and train.
Stay: Dream Hostel

Day 14: 21st September 2017 Warsaw → Helsinki, Finland
Flew with airBaltic from Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport to Helsinki with short transit at Riga, Latvia. From Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport, I took airport train P or I to get to the city centre.
Stay: Hostel Diana Park

Day 15: 22nd September 2017 Helsinki, Finland
Started my day by taking bus to Sibelius Monument. Then, took bus to the market square (known as Kauppatori in Finnish) for Old Market Hall, Uspenski Cathedral and Helsinki Senate Square. I even took ferry to Suomelinna, a World Heritage Site. Bought a HSL Day Ticket which includes unlimited ride on bus and ferry.
Stay: Hostel Diana Park

Day 16: 23rd September 2017 Helsinki → Copenhagen, Denmark
Finally, back to Copenhagen again by flying with Norwegian, a low cost airline but it offers free WiFi to all passengers on its transatlantic flights. Done with check-in into the hostel, straightly took bus to Nyhavn, The Little Mermaid, Amalienborg Square, Amalienborg Palace and Frederick's Church. Before going back to the hostel, I stopby and wandered around the City Hall, Statue of Hans Christian Andersen, Tivoli Gardens and more. 
Stay: Danhostel Copenhagen City

Day 17: 24th September 2017 Copenhagen → Bangkok → Kota Kinabalu 
My flight leaving Copenhagen was expecting to depart at 2.25pm. Hence, I took the opportunity to visit Christianborg Palace before leaving the capital and largest city of Denmark. Home sweet home on the next day with Thai Airways. 

2017 Thai Airways
My virgin experience flying with Thai Airways. And guess what, they served pork as in-flight meal.

CURRENCY
Travelled across 6 different countries, four different currencies were involved. As some of the currencies are not easily found in Malaysia, hence I decided to change to Euro first and changed at the respective country upon arrival.
  • Countries like Austria and Finland are using Euro.
  • Denmark's national currency is Danish krone. The ideal place to exchange currency is at the Central Station. €1.00 = 6.90 Kr on average*
  • The official currency for Hungary is the Hungarian forint (HUF). I found out Great Market Hall offers the best rate. €1.00 = HUF295 on average*
  • The currency for Czech Republic is koruna. €1.00 = CZK24.80 on average*  
  • Poland's national currency is Polish zloty. €1.00 = PLN4.2350 on average*
    *The rate I exchanged in September 2017

    TOTAL TRAVEL EXPENSES 
    I have shared majority of the breakdown of the total damages in the respective previous posts (refer below). Here, I simplify everything for easy reference - which include means of transportation, hostels, entrance fees, food, shopping and misc I spent throughout the 16 days in Europe.

    PARTICULARS
    AMOUNT
    RM
    Flight with Thai Airways

    Cities
    Budapest – 2 days
    Vienna – 1 day
    Salzburg – 1 day
    Hallstatt – 1 day
    Prague – 1 day
    Krakow – 2 days
    Warsaw – 2 days
    Helsinki – 2 days
    Copenhagen – 2 days

    Transportation
    CK Shuttle
    Overnight train

    Miscellaneous
    Travel sim card (Bought from Taobao)
    2,591


    805
    496
    572
    676
    318
    370
    619
    1,473
    1,286


    319
    177


    95
    TOTAL:
    9,795

    The list of accommodations:
    CITIES & COUNTRIES
    NAME OF THE ACCOMMODATIONS
    NO. OF NIGHTS
    AMOUNT
    Local Currency
    RM
    Copenhagen, Denmark
    Copenhagen Backpackers Hostel
    1
    395kr
    276
    Budapest, Hungary
    Essential Hostel
    2
    HUF10,000
    185
    Vienna, Austria
    Wombats City Hostel Vienna – The Lounge
    1
    -
    122
    Salzburg, Austria
    International Youth Hostel Salzburg
    1
    €22.10
    111
    Hallstatt, Austria
    Gasthof Bergfried
    1
    €61.70
    316
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Ritchie’s Hostel & Hotel
    1
    €18.00
    92
    Krakow, Poland
    One World Hostel
    2
    PLN91.20
    116
    Warsaw, Poland
    Dream Hostel
    2
    PLN106
    131
    Helsinki, Finland
    Hostel Diana Park
    2
    €68.00
    352
    Copenhagen, Denmark
    Danhostel Copenhagen City
    1
    -
    204



    TOTAL (RM)
    1,905

    Bear in mind by the time I exchanged to Euro last year, the rate was €1.00 = RM5.12 which consider very high cause currently the rate for Euro is RM4.76. Deng! Feel like want to cry now. 

    As for my travel and shopping haul, most of the times I bought fridge magnets, postcards and stamps in each and every city I visited.


    2017 Europe Travel Haul 02

    And hereby I'm proud to conclude that this is my final post for my solo trip to Europe travelogues. Like finally! Now I'm thinking which travelogues should I blog next - New Zealand, Tokyo, Hokkaido, Sweden & Norway, Vietnam or even Nepal and Bhutan.

    Previous Posts on my 2017 Solo Trip to Europe
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    Europe (2017): My Flight To Europe Wasn't Smooth-Sailing

    Honestly to say, never in my life I would imagine that I will plan to do solo trip to Europe. Never ever, seriously. This is because I experienced travelling alone before and it's not my kind of thing. 

    Somehow, something happened two years ago and I realised life is too short and you only live once (YOLO, like they always said). So when I came across a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark flying from Kota Kinabalu with Thai Airways was a great steal, immediately I bought without thinking any longer. I didn't even have the ample time to ask any of my friends to join along for this trip cause I know most of them have other travel plans. I never fly with Thai Airways before, therefore I was so eagerly want to experience it.

    Because I was going alone, therefore I didn't do any research beforehand and just let everything go with the flow. The only things that I booked earlier are the accommodations and means of transport between two different cities/countries. 

    And now here my never-ending stream of bad luck happened again. Two months right after I bought the ticket from Thai Airways, I received email stating the flight time is being retimed and I was given 6 hours hotel stay in Bangkok Airport transit area. Of course, I accepted the kind option given. Alright, that's fine.

    Less than 10 days before my trip about to start, my friend told me that flight from Kota Kinabalu to Bangkok with Thai Smile will be suspended by 30 August 2017. Great, so what now? Imagine that I knew this news from my friend, and there's no any email or call receive from the airlines itself. It's really kinda disappointed. Instead of waiting for them, I myself decided to send an email to them to confirm whether the news of flight being suspended is trustworthy or not. Luckily they replied me immediately to confirm the news and given me two different options:

    1) Instead of flying from Kota Kinabalu to Bangkok, now the first option is to fly from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur with MAS and then to Bangkok with Thai Airways.
    2) Full refund given for the tickets I bought earlier.
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    Europe (2017): Copenhagen, Denmark - Where I Started & Ended My Europe Trip

    A reader actually email me and she would like to know which country I arrive first and then, return from which country for my solo trip to Europe last year. Well, here's the post specially dedicated for her. 

    Copenhagen, the capital and most populous city of Denmark is my first pit stop after long hours journey with Emirates. From there, I travelled to Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, Hallstatt, Prague, Krakow, Warsaw, Helsinki and ended my trip back to Copenhagen once again. (Can you guess how many countries I managed to cover for this round? If correct, there would be token given.)

    TAKING BUS FROM HELSINKI CENTRAL RAILWAY STATION TO AIRPORT
    Now back to my previous post. Probably Helsinki is not my kind of thing, hence I think spending 2 days there is relatively adequate to cover several famous attractions and landmarks. So on the third day in Helsinki, once again I check-out earlier from Hostel Diana Park to get to Helsinki Central Railway Station cause my flight to Copenhagen is 7.25am. By the time I left the hostel, the day was still dark and walking alone was kinda creepy and scary but I try to remain calm and continuously walking until I reach the station. Surprisingly the railway station is closed and there is no way anyone can enter through it. Luckily I did my research a night before in case I couldn't make it to the train, so what's my next option - which is to take the HSL bus #615 right next to the railway station. From city to the airport, the first bus departure is at 5.10am and the journey takes 35-40 minutes, depending on the traffic. One trip cost €5.50.

    2017 Europe Norwegian Helsinki to Copenhagen
    Flew with Norwegian from Helsinki to Copenhagen for RM274 including 20kg baggage allowance. 
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    Europe (2017): From Warsaw to Helsinki, the Capital City of Finland

    If you ask me how many days should you spend to travel around Poland - I would say at least for a week so that not only you able to cover both Krakow and Warsaw, but Gdansk (one of the oldest cities in Poland) and Wroclaw. Unfortunately for me, I was pressed for time and therefore, only managed to spend four days in Krakow and Warsaw and yet, I found it's still insufficient enough.

    HOW TO GET TO WARSAW FREDERIC CHOPIN AIRPORT 
    My flight from Warsaw to Helsinki was estimated to depart at 9am. Therefore I decided to leave my hostel earlier. Luckily the bus stop is located just right in front of Dream Hostel and I don't have to  worry about catching up the bus. Took bus #175 heading to the airport using the 24-hour ticket I bought a day before. The trip took about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic and hence, it's advisable to plan your journey well. 

    2017 Europe Warsaw Old Town Bus to Airport
    #1: The bus stop in the Old Town "Plac Zamkowy" but then, this is not the bus heading to airport. (For illustration purposes only)
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    Europe (2017): Dream Hostel of Warsaw - The Best Hostel I Ever Stayed in Europe

    Out of the 10 hostels I stayed throughout my almost three weeks trip in Europe, Dream Hostel in Warsaw is the one I love the most. Therefore I think it deserves to have it own post. Here are the reasons behind why you should choose this hostel if visiting Warsaw:

    2017 Europe Warsaw Dream Hostel

    Location - Dream Hostel is smacked right in the center of Warsaw's Old Town (Stare Miasto). It's really convenient as there are abundant of restaurants, cozy cafes, souvenir shops, convenience stores and more within the vicinity. And the best part, bus stop to airport and city is located right in front of the hostel - which is super handy.
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    Europe (2017): Warsaw's Attractions & Sightseeing

    Rise and shine, Warsaw! 
    As usual, I woke up earlier than the rest for another adventures around the capital city of Poland. Normally, I got up from the bed before the sunrise but then not because I want to chase the sunrise but in order to capture photos without being photobombed - like they said, the early bird catches the worm. 

    WARSAW'S ATTRACTIONS & SIGHTSEEING
    As I only have one whole day in Warsaw before leaving, I just selected few best places of interest to visit. 

    Warsaw's Old Town (Stare Miasto)
    The oldest part of the capital city. It is one of the most prominent tourist hubs with cobblestone alley and medieval buildings reconstructed after the WWII such as the city walls, the Barbican and St. John's Cathedral. Right in the heart of the area is the Old Market Place which consists restaurants, cafes and shops. 

    #1: Warsaw's Old Town, the finest and most picturesque part of the city. 
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    Europe (2017): From Krakow to Warsaw & It's Like Hell Day For Me

    It was raining by the time I arrived Krakow.
    And when I was about to leave, it was drizzling and miserably cold too.
    Well, at least the weather was pretty good to me the day before so that I could managed to cover several notable attractions and popular landmarks around Krakow before leaving. 

    I left the hostel right after had the free breakfast provided and walked to the bus station which not far away - less than 10 minutes walk perhaps. This time around, I carried additional thing with me which is the newly bought luggage bag from the shopping mall nearby. In case you're wondering, I actually travel without any baggage throughout my solo trip around Europe for almost three weeks cause the luggage I packed before the trip went missing somewhere in Dubai - not sure whether it's Malaysia Airlines or Emirates's fault (will blog more about this incident in upcoming post) but then always think of a bright side, it's not bad to travel light somehow. 

    2017 Europe Krakow Railway Bus Signboard
    #1: One World Hostel of Krakow is smack right in between the main market/square and railway/bus station.
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    Europe (2017): 3D2N in Krakow, Poland


    After experiencing more than 8 hours in the overnight sleeper train from Prague, the train finally arrived in Krakow Glowny, the Central Train Station in Krakow. The first thing I done right after I came out from the train station is directly look for the hostel I booked beforehand. One thing I love about Krakow is the train station and the old town are located just side by side, without have to travel far away. 
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    Europe (2017): Overnight Train From Prague To Krakow

    After spending more than 24 hours in the beautiful city of Prague, I proceeded to the next country which I never been before - Poland. Poland is a country in Eastern Europe with a rich and eventful history which situated next to Czech Republic. After did my research, I decided to take overnight train from Prague to Krakow. Well, it's not my first time to experience overnight train as I experienced this before in Norway last two years (until now I haven't blog anything about my Northern Light experience yet) but then the difference is, I'm taking alone for this round. It's wise to book everything beforehand than purchase on the spot.

    WHERE I BOUGHT MY OVERNIGHT TRAIN TICKET FROM & HOW
    Almost majority of my transportation tickets I bought online and for this overnight train from Prague to Krakow, I purchased directly from this particular website - the Czech Railways (CD) website www.cd.cz. It's pretty simple and straightforward to book from this website, just like how you purchase your airticket from AirAsia or Malaysia Airlines website. The train booking normally opens 90 days ahead, or even 60 days for certain routes in Eastern Europe. As I plan to overnight in the train, I chosen the sleeper with 3-berth compartment instead of couchette. Of course then, my choice would be slightly higher in term of the cost but I rather sleep comfortably so that I can have the energy to continue my adventure on the following day. Curious how this train looks like? Watch the video I uploaded at the bottom.
    Praha hlavní nádraží
    #1: Praha Hlavni nadrazi, the largest and main railway station in Prague which provides international railway connections. 
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    Europe (2017): Hello Prague Again!

    Somehow, somewhere I feel like I'm still dreaming. I can't believe after 9 years, I am back to Prague once again. I still vividly remember if I was given another chance to visit Europe again, definitely Prague would be top of my list (refer to my old post: I'm In Love With Prague). Honestly speaking, I can't explain why I adore Prague so much to the extend, I would love to return for the second time. Probably because it's rich with history and culture as well as for its remarkable and prestigious architecture. 

    After few hours brief stop in Cesky Krumlov, my journey continued with CK Shuttle which I booked earlier. Something happened in the middle of the journey whereby a middle aged couple from Thailand just realised that the wife left behind her waist pack at the toilet of petrol station. She requested the driver to turn around and drive back to the petrol station but unfortunately the driver unable to do so due to company's rules and policies. However, that Thai lady managed to get her waist pack by end of the day. Imagine she left behind three handphones including the latest model of iPhone. Thanks to the honestly of the petrol station's staff who found it right after received the call from the driver. Therefore, bear in mind to always remember to check your valuables before leaving. 

    As I didn't make early request to drop-off right in front of my hostel, the driver stopped somewhere nearby the metro station. Here's come the scary moment. By the time I reached Prague, it was quite late at night. I was literally clueless of how should I get to my hostel. Luckily, I bought sim card with mobile data plan and brought along the leftover Czech crown from my maiden visit; or else I definitely cry for help. 

    Where I Stayed in Prague
    My main consideration when selecting for hostel to stay in Prague is to be as close to Charles Bridge and Old Town Square. But because I did my planning quite last minute and with limited budget, the one and option I have is Ritchie's Hostel & Hotel. I can't deny that the location is nothing short of perfect as this hostel is surrounded by numerous of restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops and etc. However the downside I approached was the whole place a bit worn and the staircase leads to the hostel are insanely narrow. I can't imagine those travel with huge luggage bags especially able to lift up to the hostel.

    2017 Europe Prague Ritchie Hostel & Hotel
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    Europe (2017): Brief Stop in Ceský Krumlov, Czech Republic

    Vienna, Salzburg & Hallstatt - Although I spent at least a day in each of these cities which might consider to be rush and short, but I glad that finally all these three had been ticked off my from bucket list. Will I be back again? Probably yes for both Salzburg and Hallstatt but nope for Vienna. 

    So after spending three nights in Austria, I continued to the following country which is Czech Republic. It is a small landlocked country in Central Europe, located southeast of Germany and bordering Austria to the south, Poland to the north and Slovakia to the southeast. However, getting out from Hallstatt to the capital city of Czech Republic could be quite inconvenient as there is no direct transfer via public train or bus. At the end, my one and only last resort is by taking CK Shuttle.

    CK Shuttle Hallstatt to Prague
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    Europe (2017): The Magical Town of Hallstatt, Austria

    After spending a night in Vienna and another night in Salzburg, so what's next for Austria? Of course, none other than this fairy town known as Hallstatt which has virally shared in Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and more. So tell me now. How's that possible for me to miss out visiting this place when planning my trip to Europe? This little magical town is absolutely one of the must visit place in Europe and became a favourite tourist destination.  

    #1: Sandwiches between a calm blue lake and mountains, Hallstatt has became a favourite tourist destination. 
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    Europe (2017): Salzburg, Austria

    After spending a night in the world's music capital of Vienna, I embarked to the next city - Salzburg. Woke up early morning to pack my bags and straightly check-out from the hostel. Bidd goodbye to a Malaysian lady who I met last night staying in the same hostel and right after that, I walked to the train station which not far away the hostel I stayed.

    From Vienna to Salzburg
    Getting from Vienna to Salzburg, there are two cheapest options; either by bus or train. In terms of fare, both options are not much different with advance purchase fares from €19. I chosen to ride on the train because besides admire riding on the train, the journey time is lesser comparing to taking the bus.

    Two competing operators link Vienna with Salzburg:
    • The State-owned OBB (Austrian Federal Railway) - run twice an hour between Wien Hbf & Salzburg main central station. 
    • Private operator WESTbahn - run every hour between Wien Westbahnhof & Salzburg main central station. It also run every house between Wien Praterstern, Wien Mitte, Wien Hbf, Wien Meidling and Salzburg. 
    For more info about these two operators, check out "The Main in Seat 61" for more details.

    2017 Europe Salzburg 01 OBB Railjet
    Economy class on RailJet of OBB. The comfortable open saloons with large picture windows. Some seats are around table, some unidirectional. The best part is there is free WiFi connection in all classes. 
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    Europe (2017): Solo Trip to Vienna, Austria

    I can't stay longer in a place. Therefore after spending 3 days 2 nights in Budapest, I decided to proceed to the next country, the next city - Vienna, the capital city of Austria. Austria is not a new country to me as I've been before 9 years ago but at that point of time, I only managed to cover Tyrol, one of the cities located in the west of Austria. So for this time around, I included few cities of Austria in my list that I must visit and shouldn't miss out. 

    From Budapest To Vienna
    There are numerous way to get into Vienna from Budapest but of course for me, I would prefer the cheapest option, which is my main priority then following according to the time schedule which suit me. I took train from Budapest-Keleti Railway Station to "Wien". Bear in mind the station names of all stops in Vienna begin with its German name "Wien". I bought my train ticket in advance from MAV at www.mavcsoport.hu/en for €13 or HUF4,030 (approx. to RM69) for almost 3 hours train ride.

    It's really hard for me to explain everything here, hence I recommend you to read this "The Man in Seat Sixty-One" - the best train travel guide which helps me a lot in planning most of my trips. 

    2017 Europe Budapest Keleti railway station
    Budapest-Keleti Railway Station, the main international and inter-city railway terminal of Budapest
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    Europe (2017): Great Market Hall of Budapest, Hungary

    The thing that I like to do when travel overseas is visiting souvenir markets. I love to hunt for souvenirs such as postcards, fridge magnets, keychains and even their own local products. And when in Budapest, the most recommended place if you are looking for souvenirs for your family and friends back home would be the Great Market Hall.



    Also known as Central Market Hall, it is the largest and oldest indoor market in Budapest city. It consists of three-storey hall where the ground floor selling daily products such as fruits, poultry, vegetables and etc whereas for the upper floor where you can find raft of stalls selling variety of souvenirs such as Hungarian dolls, embroidered linens, glassware and more. Obviously the upper floor is my favourite section where I wandered for hours, until sensory overload kicks in. 
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