Backpacking to expensive?

Question

Well I would like to back pack across Europe for a month and am wondering how much that would cost. How expensive are hostels and are train trips killer? Keep in mind I am American so I am guessing are dollar is worth more than in some countries. Also I would like to visit family in London how expensive would it be to get frome ngland to continental Europe?

Answer 1

try this site www.backpackeurope.com/
For a cheaper stay, don't visit euro countries or the U.K. the dollar sucks on conversion.
I'm from the U.S., went to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Rep 2 moths ago.
Some hostels were equiv to $11/day. Dinner at a nice restaurant in Cezky Krumlov was equiv to $3
Estonia, Ukraine, Slovenia are awesome places as well.

Answer 2

The other answers are good, but are missing some of the points of your question.

If you travel on the bare minimum, just hostels, bus travel and buying all your food in supermarkets and cook it yourself, you can travel western Europe for less than $100 a day, if you want to eat out, go sight seeing and have a little luxury every now and again, try to bring $200 a day.
Eastern Europe will be much cheaper, but you can already safe some money by going to the smaller towns.

The hostels do differ a lot in price even within the same town, even more between countries.
The prices I have found in a quick search range from 10 to 25 Euro a night per person.
Google on hostel and the name of the country you want to go, or even the name of the town, and you get several sites with information.

If you want to travel a lot, being in the train more than outside it, take an Eurail pass:
http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/passes/eurail_index.htm
But if you just want to go from one place to the next, consider using a Eurail Flexi pass or separate tickets.
On the Eurail site you find a pretty good travel planner:
http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/fares_schedules/index.htm

London to the continent can be done by flight, if you book early it can be pretty cheap, the best I have seen was 1 pound plus taxes ($2 + taxes) which came to 25 pound for a single ticket. ($50)
But you can also have to pay more than 200 pound ($400) if you want to book just a few days ahead.
Check the cheap airlines from the day you know the date you want to travel, and remember that you also have to travel to and from the Airpost, can be an other $50 if you have the wrong airports.
I like to fly EasyJet London to Amsterdam but if you google cheap flight tickets london europe, you get several sites for the best prices.

You can travel even cheaper by going by bus:
http://www.nationalexpress.com/eurolines/save/eurolines_pass.cfm
Not the most comfortable way, but often it comes into the middle of town, so no expensive taxi rides from an airport, and the price is the best!

But for comfort, Eurostar:
http://www.eurostar.com/dynamic/_SvBoExpressBookingTerm?_TMS=1187800778486&_DLG=SvBoExpressBookingTerm&_LANG=UK&_AGENCY=ESTAR&lang=UK&country=UK&VT=EB
is the best.

Get yourself a good guidebook, I like the Lonely Planet series, and see what things cost. (They list hotels, hostels, give hints on where to eat, drink, how to travel, what you can expect in museums and so on, all with prices.)

Answer 3

dollar is horrible right now, but there are still young people traveling cheap in Europe

what you will find is that there are always cheaper ways to go, the cheapest being hitching a ride

travel itself is an expense but if you have never been to Europe at all before why not just restrict your trip to, say England Scotland and Wales? They are all beautiful and interesting with tons of sights to see.

Hostels are a great way to go especially if you are alone because you are guarenteed to meet other young people.

You can look into buying a train pass that saves money over individual ticket purchases.

London is the most expensive city in the world these days, but if you can stay with family (hint: get invited first, they're British) that might make it cheap for you

Answer 4

try rick steves books; he has some great ideas. also arthur frommers budget travel.com
have a good time.