Subject: Re: Travel to MPI Date: Tue, 09 Apr 2002 13:07:23 -0400 From: "Vince Scheib" To: Dinesh Manocha Traveling by train is what I did, and it is easy. If you are not going on a big trip, then it is still probably cheaper to just buy tickets in Europe -- verses buying a prepaid "EuroRail" or "EuroExpress" ticket (which allows you to get on and off any train). Germany has a very nice schedule finder -- which also does local and long distance busses et cetera.. It is the thing to use to find out how to go by public transportation. For trains -- it covers all countries. Remember that "bahn" means "road", and that germany is .de, the site is bahn.de -- click on what would be "submit" for the request on the left, and once in scheduling mode it has a link to make it English: http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en In Germany, often one ticket covers up to 5 people -- so if others are there it is a bargin. Traveling out of Frankfurt airport by train is easy -- the train station is connected to the terminal. Speaking english with ticket attendants is usually no problem -- sometimes a little pointing to written notes/pamphlets, patience, and double checking is all that's needed. Trains board and exit quickly and without much hassle. To know when to get off a train, it helps to have a full stop schedule for that train, with each stop listed. Then, if the train get's a little behind schedule you know where you are still and know when to look for your stop. If you use the online scheduler, you can print this by listing the "Itinerary-Plus". ICE trains are the fastest. Some trains are newer than others. Some newer ones even provide power for laptops. Bring extra batteries if you plan to work on the trains. Cars: My Uncle enjoys them. He has generally had more time & people to show him where to go. My family did some driving in Europe when I was younger: It requires more work than the trains -- figuring out where you're going et cetera. Hassle of actually driving and dealing with traffic, trains offer more freedom. They are much better for exploring the land & getting to small cities. Locals always prefer the cars. I don't know where to find good driving maps. Traveling outside of Germany is no problem, you can buy a train ticket to do so from any station. The bahn.de will still show you the schedules. In the proximity of Saarbruecken is: Trier: (~2 hr) Oldest city in Germany (A roman city, with ruins) Cochen: (~1 hr past Trier) Small, quaint, town in wine country with very authentic old castle And several other small, nearer, cities with very nice rolling wine country hills. Metz (France): Larger city, very large cathedral. A little further (need to stay a night there): Luxembourg City: UNEXSO world heritage city walls, nice to walk around the old city, unique city. Castle Neuschwanstein (Near Munich): A "new" castle, really a palace -- the one Cinderella's was designed after. Beautifully environs as it is on the edge of the Alps. Things I don't know much about: The Rhine Valley: not far, just to the east The Black Forest: Definitely want to drive to see scenery. If you are able to take a few days, look into a tour -- it will likely be well worth it. http://www.english.saarland.de/index.html Dinesh Manocha wrote: > > How easy is to travel to MPI from Frankfurt (in terms of train or car)? Or > how easy is to drive around in Europe for a typical American driver :) > > Do you know of a WWW site that gives information about traveling between > different cities in Europe by road (e.g. MapQuest) or by train? > Dinesh > > Dinesh Manocha > Personal WWW: http://www.cs.unc.edu/~dm > Project WWW: http://gamma.cs.unc.edu > dm@cs.unc.edu -- Vincent Scheib <<><>> http://www.scheib.net/