I like to start the year with at least one international trip. NW has sub $500 fares from ORD to FRA or MUC for a nice weekend.

Which city would be more interesting?

Munich, no question about it.


There are some interesting places 1 or 2 hours away from Frankfurt, such as Cologne, Dusseldorf (sp?) , etc but Frankfurt itself is relatively boring.

[QUOTE=yevlesh2]Munich, no question about it.

I agree. The very popular Neuschwanstein castle is not too far of a drive from Munich, and there are numerous other sites close by. If you are into cars, you could try and get a tour of the BMW factory in Munich.

FRA has its attractions too, ten good reasons to stay in Mainz here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=597311#post6368113

As this is more a question of destinations than anything to do with a Mileage Run, I'm going to move it to the Europe forum for further discussion.

Dave, a.k.a. dmfriedman
Moderator, Mileage Run

Or you can take a bus to the Frankfurt-Hahn airport and go all sorts of interesting places for peanuts with www.ryanair.com or other LCC's flying from there.

After talking to my brother I bought a ticket to Berlin for $492 - $300 voucher. Now does anybody have any knowledge of private tours by indiviuals? I been all over the world and found this to be the best cost effective way to enjoy a long weekend.

Any cool ideas?

AA has a ORD-ZWS/MHG (Stuttgart/Mannheim rail) for $430 all in assorted March/April dates.

Is it possible to get from Berlin to Auschwitz, stay the night, and get back the next day?

I like to start the year with at least one international trip. NW has sub $500 fares from ORD to FRA or MUC for a nice weekend.

Which city would be more interesting?

Frankfurt blows, after 3 hours in the city you'll be bored. Munich is delightful.

Is it possible to get from Berlin to Auschwitz, stay the night, and get back the next day?

Auschwitz is in South Poland, near the Slovak and Czech borders. It looks like Krakow is your closest airport.

http://www.auschwitz.org.pl/new/index.php?language=EN&tryb=stale&id=445#1

From experience, Poznan is about 3 hours by train from Berlin. Krakow is much further. It would be a L O N G drive, and some German rental car companies are restrictive about allowing their vehicles into former Eastern Bloc nations. You could probably do a flight on LOT from Berlin to Krakow, but it would be pricey, and involve a plane change in Warsaw. Wizzair (don't laugh), a Polish LCC does not fly to either city according to their website. You could get a quick, cheap flight down to Munich on Air Berlin or dBa and visit Dachau.

Is it possible to get from Berlin to Auschwitz, stay the night, and get back the next day?

Ryan Air flies from Frankfurt Hahn to Krakow.

Frankfurt Hahn is about a 1 1/2 hour bus ride from the city. Getting to Auxchwitz from Krakow is about another 1 1/2 hour bus ride from the city center. There are almost hourly busses leaving Krakow, as well as lots of indepenent operators using smaller rent-a-car type shuttle busses.

Actually Auschwitz is two camps, about a mile apart. You can figure that it will take you at least 3 -4 hours to see both.

By the way, Krakow is a fantastic city to visit. The main square is actully bigger than St. Marks in Venice. The old town is really cool. And the ancient salt mines tour that wind their way underneath Krakow is wonderful. It is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Ryan Air flies from Frankfurt Hahn to Krakow.

Frankfurt Hahn is about a 1 1/2 hour bus ride from the city. Getting to Auxchwitz from Krakow is about another 1 1/2 hour bus ride from the city center. There are almost hourly busses leaving Krakow, as well as lots of indepenent operators using smaller rent-a-car type shuttle busses.

Actually Auschwitz is two camps, about a mile apart. You can figure that it will take you at least 3 -4 hours to see both.

By the way, Krakow is a fantastic city to visit. The main square is actully bigger than St. Marks in Venice. The old town is really cool. And the ancient salt mines tour that wind their way underneath Krakow is wonderful. It is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Here is our opportunity to make this happen; do you think makes any sense?

Bus late afternoon Berlin --> FRA
Later flight FRA --> Krakow
Night in Krakow
Visit Auschwitz
Fly back to FRA
Bus Late to Berlin
Flight back to US next day

If you think this is possible I'd do it; if not there is alway another trip

Thanks,

Considering Berlin being around 60 km from the Polish border, it doesn't really make sense to backtrack all the way west to Frankfurt am Main.

That said, the easy and cheap option has gone: Easyjet just suspended their nonstop Berlin - Krakow flights as of the end of October. Your second best option might be to fly with Austrian ( OS ) and transfer in Vienna. http://www.ebookers.de gave lower prices for this route than the Warsaw transit.

I have been to Frankfurt and Munich several times, but I keep going back to Munich (I have been to the Octoberfest twice). The world's largest technical museum is in Munich, the Deutche Museum). 17Km of exhibits. I have spent 8 days walking around and still haven't seen it all. There is a whole room dedicated to the development of jet ejection seats and everything, and I mean everything is cut in half for inspection. Boats, trains, planes, jet engines. If you have never been there and are interested in technology, this is a wonderful place. Not very handicapped friendly, especially the mining sections. Then there are the beer halls ;) for the night life. I have spent many a night drinking with singing, dancing beer drinking Germans, having a great time. ^

Quite often, LH has cheapie intra-Germany fares. I got a MUC-TXL fare for 15 EUR. Much better option than taking a bus/train, IMO.