America’s Europe travel maven, Rick Steves, writes in his syndicated column that Europe in the off-season is cheaper and largely empty of tourists. Well, it’s certainly less expensive getting there. Today Orbitz is quoting a fare of $487 (including nearly $200 in taxes and fees) for a February, Chicago-Frankfurt roundtrip. Steves is also right about the tourists. On a 24-day, November-December itinerary that included Brussels, Regensburg, Lindau, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Munich, Augsburg, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, and the Polish cities of Breslau and Poznan, we heard few American voices and encountered no lines or waiting to visit tourist attractions. Even in touristy Prague we made same-day reservations at one of the city’s hottest restaurants. For a time at the Smetana Museum we were the only visitors. Despite it being Sunday, Vienna’s, Leopold Museum was nearly deserted. Eurostar first-class cars between Brussels and London were about 60% full and, in 10 rail trips on the Continent, our first-class cars were never more than half-full. At one point during our lunch between Prague and Berlin we had the Bord restaurant car to ourselves.
When it comes to cost, however, Rick is putting a happy face on an unhappy situation. Yes, airfares to Europe are hundreds of dollars less during the off-season, but once you get there, there’s not a lot of difference between July and January when it comes to prices. Many hotels have discounted off-season rates but winter for some is high-season. Hotels in major cities such as Vienna and Munich don’t offer seasonal rates. In addition, some hotels have raised prices for 2008. One of our favorite Vienna hotels, Kaiserin Elisabeth, for example, raised its standard double room rate from 208 euros to 216 euros, effective January 1.
So what will it cost to travel in Europe in 2008? Below are some of the costs we encountered in December of 2007. I converted them to U.S. dollars at the prevailing rate at the time (1.47).
- Gallon of unleaded gas: $8.08
- Gallon of bio diesel: $6.06
- Wireless Internet: $6 for 30 minutes, $32 for 24 hours
- Vienna public transport, 24-hours: $8.40
- Berlin public transport, 24-hours: $8.97
- Seat reservation, Brussels-Frankfurt train: $4.41
- Overnight parking, Hotel Helvetia, Lindau, Germany: $14.40
- Leopold Museum, Vienna: $10.30
- Fuggerei Museum, Augsburg: $2.94
- Double room, 3-star hotels German countryside: $103-$191
- Double room, 3-star hotels Munich: $147-$331
- Double room, 3-star hotels Berlin (hotwire.com): $99-$119
- English-language paperback novels: $12 -$32
- Breakfast, 4-star hotels: $22-$49
- Breakfast, Vienna café: $8.50
- Breakfast, Brussels café: $15
- Pommes Frites, Prösselbräu, Aldersberg, Germany: $2.65
- Small salad, Prösselbräu, Aldersberg, Germany: $2.65
- Schnitzel, Gasthaus Ubl, Vienna: $14
- Calf’s liver, Joseph-Naus-Stub’n, Garmisch-Partenkirchen: $27
- Hot lunch on Germany train: $18
- Small Bowl Peanuts, Mercure Hotel, Poznan, Poland: $7
- Bowl of Soup, Donsil, Munich: $4.85
- Beer (see photo), half-liter, Donsil, Munich: $5.30
- Budvar beer, four-tenths liter, Ka De We, Berlin: $5.30
- Pilsner Urquell, Restaurant Smutny, Vienna: $4.85
- Lindemans Framboise (beer), Brussels: $4.60
- Latte Macchiato, Regensburg: $3.80
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