Europe 2005 Summer Trip v2 - Dickson Chiu
(email: dicksonchiu at ieee.org // kwchiu at acm.org)
(chat with me through skype id: dicksonchiu or gtalk id: dicksonchiu at gmail.com)

I want to make more friends. For any questions, tips, and discussion about this, please feel free to contact me at the above email. You may read more about me in my home page. Photo album on my PC (through i-cable). (Try this in case of DNS problem) I have also been to Xi'an recently (Photos) (Try this in case of DNS problem). This is a picture of Neuschwanstein, Füssen (Disney's castles are copies of this).

• Main tips of this trip
  • Look out for early bird air-tickets, e.g., from http://www.2100travel.com
  • Any travel agency is probably fine but you have to tell them the discount ticket that you are looking for. Do *not* expect they know all the current hot offer.
  • My trip was: Galelio Flight Details: https://www.viewtrip.com/en-US/ViewTrip.asp
    Booking code: R88DLG (Sunshine Travel - Wendy 98381950 23686900) BA:2P5FI4
  • Choose European carriers and use stopover and open-jaw (e.g., HK->London->Vienna // Paris->London // London->HK)
  • Plan your visit of a chain of cities separated by at most occasionally 4 hours train (e.g., Luxembourg->Paris, Vienna->Salzburg)
  • Thus no night train required - you will have chances to visit other parts of Europe later because of keen airline competitions :-)
  • Move from city to city after attractions are closed, i.e., before sunset (often 10pm or later in Europe summer)
  • Try to stay in main cities as basis to visit nearby towns - it is not so convenient to move with your luggage
  • Use regional tickets in Germany and special-price tickets instead of country or Europass
  • This trip does not use any pre-booking of train tickets (e.g., special summer price in Germany/Austria)
  • Avoid the Mediterranean area in mid summer (mid June - early Sept) because it is very hot.
    　
• Around one month of German and French language preparation
  • Online:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages
  • Mainland books / AV materials: http://www.country-wind.com/
  • Hotel booking: http://www.bookings.org, http://www.nethotels.com/, http://www.zuji.com.hk
  • People say Grüß Gott instead of Guten Tag in Austria and Munich.

• Mon 11 Jul 2005 11:45 PM British Airways (BA) - 32 HKG -> Heathrow (LHR) London Terminal 1 5:35 AM+1day
• Tue 12 Jul 2005 7:25 AM
  British Airways (BA) - 696 Heathrow (LHR) Terminal 4 -> Vienna Intl Arpt (VIE) 10:40 AM (Picture)
  　
• Hotel Kolbeck Laxenburgerstrasse 19, 1100 Vienna, 10th District, 1100 Austria (Picture)
  Phone: +43 (0) 1 604 17 73 Fax: 4316029486 E-mail: office@hotel-kolbeck.at
  http://www.bookings.org/at/hotels/kolbeck?aid=303846 (3 x 42Euro Booking ID: 82972436 / 2224 +31(0)20 712 5600)
  Arrival:Tue 12-Jul-2005, check-in 12:00 - 18:00  Departure:Fri 15-Jul-2005, check-out 07:00 - 11:00
  • Good: cheap, free wireless LAN, 5 minute walk from South Station (take tram "0").
  • To reach West Station, take tram "0" then "18" (note this and many tram stations are at level 1 underground!) - better switch tram in front of South Station.
    　
• Vienna Card (travel card + discount) buy at airport information office - but from airport still have to buy a ticket from "airport to city boundary" (5Euro), cheaper "slow" train every 30 minutes (xx:09, xx:39) but no need for fast train as it only takes around 25 minutes.
• Austria railway: http://www.oebb.at/
• Famous dishes: Wiener Schnitzel (similar to "Gut Lit" pork chop in Hong Kong...)
• Major activities and sites
  • http://info.wien.at/
  • Guided visit at the OperaHaus: http://www.wiener-staatsoper.at (Picture)(Picture)(Picture)
  • Concert in the KonzertHaus: musicians and singers dressed in 18th Century costumes
  • Schönbrunn Palace (Entrance) (Garden) (Garden)
  • Imperial Palace - Hofburg (Picture) (Picture)
    • Museum of Ancient Instruments (Pict) (Pict) (Pict) (Pict) and Amours (Pict)(Pict)(Pict)
  • St. Stephen's Cathedral - excellent city view at the top of the tower (Picture)

• 13 Jul Day Trip Excursion Vienna Suedbahnhof<-> Bratislava (8:14, 8:48, 10:14, 10:50),
  • Slovakia (ret: 18:32, 58, 19:32F, 20:04P,32hS; 22:32h
  • http://www.slovakia.org/tourism/bratislava.htm
  • Ask for return ticket 13Euro (but single ticket 11.5 Euro) - consider also boat trip down the Danube
  • HK Passport OK, passport check on train
  • Much cheap than Vienna
  • Walk in the old town and Castle: http://www.slovakheritage.org/Castles/bratislava.htm
  • The Danube is not so beautiful actually...
    　
• => Salzburg (17:34, 18:30, 19:34, 20:34, 21:18,28) around 40Euro fast train
  15.Jul.2005 for 2 nights 2x 53 EUR   
  Hotel Brunauer - Zentrum **** Elisabethstraße 45a 5020 Salzburg, Austria
  Tel: 0662 454265 0 Fax: 066245426513
  EMail: office@brunauerzentrum.at  #52005
  HomePage: http://salzburg.nethotels.com/english/brunauerzentrum
  (NetHotels Salzburg Schrannengasse 2/2, 5020 Salzburg Tel: +43 676 83710485, Fax: +43 662 883211 30)
  • OK, very quiet, 4 star, 5 minute walk from station

• Salzburg card - travel card + free admission to major attractions
  • http://www.salzburg.info/
  • http://www.salzburg.com/tourismus_e/118_1855.htm
  • Suggestion: Start catching Bus 25(?) from train station to the Hellbrunn palace and trick fountains. Be prepared to get wet - so go in some summer :-)
  • Walk up the hill to the Volkskundemuseum (Folklore museum)
  • Skip the Zoo if you don't have time
  • Return to the old town, but need not rush to the Festung Hohensalzburg (Fortress) or Mozart's houses because they close at 7pm in summer.
  • Festival Halls (for Salzburg festival) need guided tour - observe the time slots
  • Residenz (of the medieval prince archbishops)
    　
• => Munich (München) (17:18, 18:12, 19:03EC, 19:18, 19:58IC, 20:13RB, 21:03EC, 21:22RE, 23:57)
  • Salzburg to Munich - ask for Bayern-ticket  (19 Euro buy at counter) at the DB counter in Salzburg HBF. There are more slow trains than fast trains, so no need to buy the fast one (25 Euro) unless you are sure to that the exact fast train.
  • Those staying in Munich can consider a day excursion to Salzburg and return on the same day - just buy Bayern-ticket  (2-5 people for 21Euro only) or Bayern-ticket single (17 Euro) at ticket machine. 
    　
• July 17, 2005 (Sunday) 6 nights x 55EUR ID#83758449 / 7335
  Hotel Condor Zweigstr. 6, Munich http://www.bookings.org/de/hotels/condormuenchen?aid=303846
  Tel: +49 (0) 89 5525850 Fax: 4989553069
  https://secure.bookings.net/mybooking.html (de@bookings.net Phone: +31(0)20 712 5600)
  • Very close to Hbf - but (wireless) Internet very expensive.
  • Ask for a room with air-conditioning if you think you need it.
    　
• July 18: Füssen (=> xx:51) (<= XX:05, 20:03, 22:22) Bayern-ticket (17 Euro buy at ticket machine)
  • DB ticket machine do not take 50Euro notes. Some credit card with smart card may not work. Good: DB ticket has English.
  • Did not go to Ulm (7:50, 8:52, 9:51 RE 8:40EC) and Augsburg - next time.
  • Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein Castles: http://www.stadt-fuessen.de/105.0.html
  • Connect from train station with bus to Hohenschwangau ticket office to buy tickets for both castles.
  • Guided tours only, no photo inside :-(
  • Go up by bus from  the ticket office to Marienbruck (Mary's bridge) to view the castle upward 
  • Go down by horse carriage (cheaper therefore affordable)
  • Dinner at Allgaeuer Stueberl.

• July 19-22 CEC Conference: http://cec05.in.tum.de/index.htm
  • July 19: Reception with Beer and Finger Food Exhibition WI@TUM
  • July 20: 3pm HK Colleague Rm3  (Ulm and Augsburg or City Tour??)
  • July 20: 7-10pm CEC Banquet at Ratskeller München (Marienplatz 8, 80331)
  • July 21: 4.30-6.00pm Short Paper Session Chair - Decision Support and Recommender Systems I
  • July 21: 7pm PC Dinner at Seahaus
  • July 22 (half day): 11:30am Room 2 Presentation
    　
• Munich card - travel card and admission discount
  • http://www.muenchen.de/ City of Lion (Picture) (Picture) 

  • Nymphenburg palace (Picture) (Picture)

    • remember to visit the park which is very beautiful
    • buy a full ticket to visit the tiny palaces in the park
    • Palaces in Bavaria: http://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/palace/index.htm
    • The science museum there is quite interesting
  • Residenzmuseum  (Bavarian King's palace - Munich is the capital of Bavaria, now a province of Germany) (Picture) (Picture)
  • Buga flower festival in Munich this year - evening ticket half price (after 5 pm).
  • Deutsches Jagd- und Fischereimuseum (German hunting and fishery museum) (Picture)
  • Frauenkirche (Catherderal to our lady) (Picture)
    • Metropolitan Church of the Archbishopric of Munich-Freising
    • symbol of the old city and Munich
    • excellent city view at the top of the tower
  • Peterskirche ... many other beautiful churches Grüß Gott
  • Food: Hofbräuhaus, Wildmoser Donsl.
  • Missed the Deutsches museum, Freising, and many others ... next time
    　
• Use Bayern-ticket Single for July 18, 23, 24, 25 @17 Euro (English)
• July 23: => Regensburg (xx:44) => Nürnberg (RE: 11,13,15,17:18; 19:10,18,50; 21:25,29; 22:56) (stay 2 nights)
  • InterCityHotel Nürnberg InterCityHotel Nürnberg, Eilgutstrasse 8,Nürnberg,90443,Germany  €57x2=114 bn=81027404 / 0004
  • http://www.bookings.org/de/hotels/intercitynuernberggut?aid=100006
  • Telephone: +49(0)911 24780 Fax: +499112478999 Email: christian.wala@nuernberg.intercityhotel.de
  • 4 star hotel, air-conditioned, just beside the Hbf, city transport pass for free, but the price does not include breakfast
    　
• Regensburg
  • by the Danube (Picture)
  • the castle required guide tours but very few time slots in English
  • beautiful cathedral (Picture inside)
  • just walked around city

• Nürnberg
  • Walled city
  • beautiful churches and river
  • next time: visit the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle)...
    　
• July 24: => Rothenburg ob der Tauber (=> 7,9,:41 IC, 8,10:35 RE) (17,18,19,20:05) (stay Nürnberg)
  • Change 2 times train (at Augsbach and Steinbach) :-(
  • UNSECO walled old city (City Wall)
  • Must go up to tower and the entrance of the city wall to have the excellent view of the city.
  • The castle / city park overviews the valley and also sees the side of the old city.
  • Christmas Museum (Many toys inside)
  • Medieval Crime Museum: http://www.kriminalmuseum.rothenburg.de/ (Picture)
  • Historical Vaults at town hall (Picture) (Picture)
  • Imperial City Museum (not visited): http://www.reichsstadtmuseum.rothenburg.de/

• July 24 pm => Würzburg
  • From Nürnberg => (13,15,17:03, 14,16,18:24)
  • Good connection from Rothenburg or Bamberg
  • Walk round the old town
  • Dinner by the river facing the castle (but the cafe is quite cheap)
  • Have to visit the Residenz (Picture) and the Fortress next time...
  • Visit Bamberg next time...
    　
• July 25: => (7:50, 54, 8:37, 54; 9:50 - 8:33ICE)  => Heidelberg (not stay pension spehnkuch) (14:38, 16:38 via Osterburken)

• Hotel Goldener Hecht: Steingasse 2,69117 Heidelberg Telefon: 0 62 21 / 16 60 25
  Telefax: 0 62 21 / 53 68 99 (CVX9PWN) 66.50 EUR
• Reservations Department Tel: +49 (0)62-2116-6025 Fax: +49 (0)62-2153-6899
• http://www.hotel-goldener-hecht.de/index3.htm
• Hotel is by the Alte Brücke (old main) bridge (Picture) and my room is facing it (Picture)!!!
• 5-7 min walk from the small train station Heidelberg Karlstor (so do not go the Hbf)
• slow train change at Würzburg and then Osterburken (S2) - around 33Euro
• you may consider use regional train ticket (Bayern / Baden pass) etc.
• you may visit Mosbach if you have time

• Heidelberg
  • free wireless Internet from a cafe in the Hauptstrasse (main street) near the University
  • go up by tram to the Heidelberg Castle and Castle Garden (Picture)(Picture) (Picture)
  • beautiful river, old bridge, and squares
  • could have spent more time ...

• Routing from Heidelberg to Trier
  • slow train: continue with S2 to Ludwigshaven and buy regional ticket (Rheinland-Pfalz ticket, 21 Euro, good for Saarland too)
  • Route through Kaiserslautern to Saarbrücken for a short walk in this capital city of the Saarland province
  • You may also route through Mainz and Koblenz (and Cochem) but probably they worth more time to visit
  • Many of these railways are by river (Mosel, Rhein, Saar, etc.) and are very beautiful
    　
• Saarbrücken
  • small old town by the beautiful river Saar
  • Schloss oversee the town
    　
• July 26: => Trier (stay)
  • ZUJI Trip ID: 451870245405 Confirmation code: 5356FGP500 (64 Eur)
  • Dorint Mercure Trier PORTA NIGRA PLATZ 1, Trier DE
  • 800 938 911 for questions about this reservation
  • 49-651-27010   for questions about this hotel
  • 4 star hotel, air-conditioned, quiet, but price exclude breakfast, 7 min walk from Hbf
  • The restaurant on the ground floor of the hotel is surprisingly cheap and good
    　
• Trier
  • The oldest city in German dated back to the Roman period.
  • Old Roman Porta Nigra at the entrance of the old town
  • By the beautiful Mosel river
  • Unesco heritage: Catherdral
    　
• Koblenz
  • use regional ticket from Trier (Rheinland-Pfalz ticket, 21 Euro, good for up to people but I travel alone...)
  • at the junction of Rhine and Mosel "German corner" (Deutsches Eck)
  • boat cruise at Koblenz (Picture)(Picture)
  • walk around the old town
  • should spent more time here next time...

• Cochem
  • Walk around the small old town
  • by the beautiful Mosel river (Picture) between Koblenz and Trier
    　
• July 27-29: => Luxembourg (stay 2 nights) (7:52, 8:47, 9:52, 10:56IC, 11:52, 12:57, 13:52, 14:56, 15:52, ...)
  • HOTEL EMPIRE: 34 PLACE DE LA GARE, LUXEMBOURG, LU 1023 Tél: 485252    Fax: 491937
  • Itinerary Number: 12325074 Confirm #: 028440584
  • http://hk.hotels.com/index.jsp?pageName=viewOrCancelReservation&cid=83786&locale=en_HK
  • http://www.empire.lu/main.asp?lang=en&page=start
  • just opposite the main train station, no refrigerator, no air-condition... but still OK
    　
• Luxembourg Card - travel card of the whole country+ free admission to major attractions
  • People speaks many languages: French, English, German, and Dutch
  • The Luxembourg flag is horizontal 3 strips "Red, White, Light-blue" similar to that of the Netherlands (deep-blue last strip instead)
  • Visit all the major museums in the city center
  • The natural museum is down the quite valley accessible from a lift (Picture)
  • Walk around the small and beautiful old city, overseeing the valley, city walls (Unesco heritage), and natural components
  • Bock Casemates (inside the city walls)
  • If your card is still valid, buying train tickets to Brussel, Paris, Trier, etc. are cheaper because the inland segment is free. Ask the ticket office.

• Ardennes Region, Luxembourg (covered also by the Luxembourg card)
  • Viaden Castle (official web site)
  • The medieval city of Viaden
    • From Luxembourg city, take train to Ettelbruck then transfer to bus (via Diekirch)
    • Dolls and Toys Museum (Picture)
    • Victor Hugo Museum (Picture) (Picture)
  • National Museum of Military History in Diekirch (Pict)(Pict)(Pict)(Pict)
    • Church (Pict)

• July 30 morning - Aug 04: Paris
  • Lux => Paris 8:02, (8:24, 9:24, 10:06, 11:24, 13:24 via Bruxell 4:41) 12:32,15:04, 16:34, 17:15,18:43 (3:42) fast train, 42 Euro, arrive at Gare de l'Est
  • Hôtel Metropol: 98 rue de Maubeuge,Paris 75010,France (60 x3+5.6Euro)
    Phone : +33 (0)1 45 26 83 90 Fax : +33 (0)1 48 78 18 81
    Reference: 2DB7RS (GMT : 7/7/2005 11:59:37 AM)
    bank statement as 'SIRIONA SA'
    Web site : www.paris-hotel-metropol.com
    Email : paris.hotel.metropol@wanadoo.fr
  • 8 minute walk from Gare de l'Est, 3 minutes from Gare du Nord
  • My room was on the top floor, seeing a church - but the church bell chimes in the morning...
  • No air-condition (but that's not necessary - good ventilation), no refrigerator, no Internet...
  • Price exclude breakfast (7 Euro but poor...)
    　
• Expensive city with many many people
  • There's no need to list the attractions here as you know much better than I do...

• Mon 04 Aug 2005 7:20 PM
  British Airways (BA) - 319 Charles De Gaulle Intl Arpt (CDG) Terminal 2B -> Heathrow (LHR) T4 7:45 PM
• Aug 1 - Aug 4: London - cancelled
• Thu 04 Aug 2005 9:15 PM
  British Airways (BA) - 31 Heathrow (LHR) Terminal 1 -> Hong Kong Intl (HKG) 3:55 PM+1 day
  　
• Concluding remarks
  • There are so many Korean visitors in the part of Europe that I have visited - I think more than 60%+ of the Asian people (even more in Germany and Austria).
  • Impression of price level: Paris > Luxembourg > Salzburg > Vienna > Munich and small cities in S. Germany > Bratislava
  • English is generally fine - don't worry
  • Photo albums under construction