For the travel planning (flight/train/car) ninjas out there...

[acidfast7]

I want to leave Frankfurt, Germany on April 4th and end up in Abano Terme, Italy on the 4th. I want to return on the 10th.

What's the cheapest way to get there?

So far, I can take a flight from FFH (Frankfurt/Hahn) to Treviso (TSF) and a bus on both ends for 150€/person.

Another option is to drive (2000km and roughly 18h) ... which is 256€/RT (not really any savings over 300€/2 flights).

I could find a reasonable sleeper train either

I could handle flying or taking a train from any German city south of Frankfurt to Milan/Venice/Padua/Florence etc...

or a combination of both.

As I'm not up to speed with the best travel search engines anymore, I'll offer a prize for anyone that comes up with a more reasonable option.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Kayak but I am truly surprised that you would inquire about budget travel given your responses to others when they seek out a product on a budget.

 

[miles01110]

Hitchhike?

 

[acidfast7]

Kayak

tried it; but didn't find anything cheaper. found it limiting that you could only search four airports on either end in parallel

but I am truly surprised that you would inquire about budget travel given your responses to others when they seek out a product on a budget.

i like to travel cheaply. one usually meets more interesting people that way. i don't find 1st class flights/trains worth the extra money.

budget products are OK in certain circumstances. however, if you're buying a durable good like a sofa/chair/bed, i'd rather have one nice item for 30 years than 10 not-so-nice that get replaced every 3 years.

this makes perfect rational sense but it's another discussion for a different day

----------

even the buses (RT for 2 ppl) are more expensive (350€/RT).

it's a really, really nice drive as well (through Alps and down into northern Italy).

just hoping for a ninja.

 

[acidfast7]

Hitchhike?

I met someone that hitchhiked down to Milano and bought a chair and hitchhiked back (RT from Berlin in the 60s). Ridesharing forums are an option, but if we're in a car, we might as well drive ourselves and see a few people on the way.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I certify that you're crazy. You literally quoted me 4 times (two are showing due to auto-merge) and had a complete conversation with yourself. Nicely done.

Safe travels.

 

[acidfast7]

I certify that you're crazy.

If one can't talk with oneself, whom can one talk with?

----------

Safe travels.

Thanks!

Fine espresso here I come!

 

[mobilehaathi]

Be sure to bring back 20-30 cases of fine prosecco.

 

[acidfast7]

Be sure to bring back 20-30 cases of fine prosecco.

that was actually 20 cases of Crémant d'Alsace (from France obviously). We're not going to France this time

also, that was in a VW Passat BlueMotion Wagon that gets almost 2000km per tank, but we're not taking that car because the autobahn passes of Austria and Switzerland are already on different cars (B-class Merc and our B5 A4), so we won't have the space

just cheese this time! need to leave and pick-up my Romanian sausage (that my buddies from Cluj just brought with them!)

i wish you all a great Saturday.

 

[tjcampbell]

book directly with hotels whenever possible. This helps a lost if/when you have to change or cancel and you will almost always get the same rate or less than hotels.com etc...