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Welcome to the twinkling city of Salzburg, and the beginning of your Northern Stomp Rail Trail adventure! We start by connecting with your guide and the other members of your group before heading into Salzburg for an evening walking tour.
Salzburg’s UESCO world heritage architecture is framed by the breathtaking beauty of the Austrian Alps. The city’s skyline is dominated by the imposing Hohensalzburg Fortress and boasts Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as it’s son! It’s simply a stunning place to launch this adventure from! We won’t have a huge night out as we have an early morning call tomorrow on the first leg of this trip!
Included activities: guided Salzburg walking tour
Accommodation: Triple share central hostel
Enjoy the flavours and ambiance of this elegant city, where history and cuisine come together in perfect harmony.
We have an earlyish departure today, so I hope last night wasn’t too outrageous! It’s a short trip (approx. 3 hours) to Vienna, the magnificent capital of Austria, and a city that seamlessly blends architectural grandeur and culture together. Stay close to the window, the views are going to be spectacular!
Whether you’re a history buff, a music lover, or just a foodie, Vienna’s is a great stop full of immersive experiences. We arrive around lunch, so we’ll head to our accommodation, stow our luggage and optimise our time here with an amazing walking tour amongst Vienna’s historical streets, and as the day transitions into the evening, we recommend your local culinary adventure begins with a classic and iconic Austrian dish – Wiener Schnitzel!
Included activities: Guided Vienna walking tour
Accommodation: Quad and triple share central hotel
Good afternoon! Yes, today you have the whole morning to continue strolling through Vienna. Gotta say, it’s a perfect opportunity to try a local Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel) in the old city. Our train to Prague departs after midday, arriving into Prague in the early evening. It’s a scenic journey so relax and enjoy the comfort of train travel!
Prague, the Czech Republic’s capital, is a fairy tale come to life. Imagine charming cobblestone streets, epic castles, and history seeping from every building. The Old Town Square is electric, and Charles Bridge is a masterpiece, a truly magical European city!
You can join our guide on his/her wanderings to find a local eatery, or have some space to explore on your own. Prague at night is a fairytale come to life, a magical atmosphere with charming streets, historic architecture, and vibrant nightlife. You’re in for a memorable evening in this beautiful city, with no rush to see it all as we have a full day to explore tomorrow too!
Accommodation: Deluxe apartment or hotel
Ok, let’s get local! We kick off with a comprehensive local walking tour, delving into the city’s hugely entertaining history and culture.
Prague has always attracted iconic names and travellers wanting a more authentic European experience. From film locations to hilarious anecdotes, we’ll beat the feet and take a journey to uncover stories, rumours and folklore about visiting musicians such as the Rolling Stones, great political scandals, Russian invasion blunders, and why the Czech have a crazy love for beer. There may even be a ghost story or two!
So we join many other explorers, travellers, musicians, artists, and Hollywood stars, who have experienced the city’s culture and architectural beauty. Your U.Guide will take you to loads of seriously great Insta locations for the best photo opportunities from castles to clock towers! And because we like beer, and because the locals like beer, we’ll find a beer house to experience a medieval tavern show to finish the day!
Included activities: Guided local Prague walking tour, Medieval Tavern dinner
Accommodation: Central apartment or Hotel
It had to happen eventually… we’ll spend much of the day today transitioning between Prague and Krakow. So grab a seat that you know you’re going to be comfortable in and settle in for a super relaxing scenic day as we take in picturesque landscapes along the way.
We arrive early into Krakow in the early evening and we’ll make our way directly to our accommodation. We have a full day to explore Krakow tomorrow, so tonight we’ll head out as a group to find a local spot to try Bigos Stew – a hearty ‘Hunters’ dish nearly always containing sauerkraut, polish sausage and fresh cabbage.
Krakow has a vibrant nightlife, renowned for its bustling and diverse entertainment scene, so you have the freedom to explore and enjoy the night in your own way. Save some energy for tomorrow, you have a big day ahead of you!
Accommodation: quad share central hostel
Krakow lies on the banks of the Vistula River, in a valley at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, and dates back to the 7th century. Often voted one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, UNESCO declared Karków’s Old Town with Wawel Royal Castle a World Heritage Site in 1978. The first UNESCO Heritage Site in the world!
But here is where we pause to learn and understand a small part of human history that has had a profound effect on our world today – WW2. Today you have the option to take a journey to Auschwitz, or stay local and explore the historical township.
Option 1: Take a U.Impact Experience tour that explores the historical significance of Auschwitz & Birkenau, followed by a trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mines. We encourage you to be brave and take this trip to the most famous Nazi concentration camp of WW2, where you’ll gain profound insights into the history and the horrors that mark this important site. We believe that from being courageous and open minded, we can learn from experiencing these past horrors first hand. On the way home, we’ll take a breath, reset and celebrate the creativity of the awe-inspiring Wieliczka Salt Mines, where local artists have carved incredible chambers and sculptures from salt.
Option 2: For those wanting to stay local, we’ll head out on a Krakow Bike Tour. This 3-hour adventure takes you to a remarkable 25 sites around Krakow. It’s a perfect way to discover the city’s history while enjoying the freedom of cycling. Stops along the way include the former ghetto and the historic Old Town, each offering a unique window into Krakow’s rich past.
Whether you choose to delve into history’s darker chapters or prefer to explore the city by bike, your day in Krakow promises to be both educational and memorable! Tonight let’s reconnect as a group and share the stories of the day over a shred meal. We suggest trying sernik krakowski – a typical cheesecake, or torcik piszyngier – a Polish dessert made of crispy wafer with a splash of liquor.
Included activities: U! Impact Experience Auschwitz & Birkenau
Accommodation: Quad share central hostel
It’s up and at ‘em as we leave relatively early for the Polish capital, Warsaw. It’s another beautiful journey through rolling landscapes before arriving late morning, giving us the whole day to explore the trendy vibes of another UNESCO historical old city! Rich heritage merges with a lively art and emerging cuisine culture which makes for a fun city adventure. Your U.Guide will again take to the streets and lead you through the old city to explore the very best historical and cultural locations. We spend the most part of the day meandering the streets and investigating the sites.
Warsaw is known for its diverse entertainment options, from trendy bars to lively clubs, and offers a unique blend of traditional and contemporary Polish culture. We only have one night here, so we suggest hitting a few of the more lively bars in the old city!
Included activities: Guided Warsaw walking tour
Accommodation: Twin and triple central city hotel
Taking into account a few of us may have ‘post night out’ sore heads this morning, we’ll catch a slightly later midday train to the vibrant capital of Germany. It is, after all, all about balance of having fun and experiences! We arrive in Berlin in the early evening in time to embrace the city’s eclectic nightlife and vibrant atmosphere – from energetic underground clubs to historic pubs and trendy bars.
If you are into EDM and clubbing then stay out and enjoy yourself (but please be safe!). Berlin is a surprisingly funky city with many of the clubs honouring the “authenticity, openness and acceptance as the core values of Berlin’s club culture”.
We love inclusivity in all its forms so tonight is yours to be exactly whoever or whatever you want to be!
Accommodation: Twin and triple in awesome East Berlin hostel
Berlin is so much more than the history of ‘West vs East’. Yes, there are monumentally significant sites to behold, from the remains of the Berlin Wall, to Hitlers Bunker and Checkpoint Charlie. But Berlin is also a hive of modern art with super cool galleries and street art everywhere. Our immersive discovery tour this morning promises a unique and unapologetic perspective on the city’s history, complete with raw humour and candid storytelling. It’s a big day, and we’ll stop along the way to refuel.
In the late afternoon, you have the freedom to explore Berlin on your own. The city offers a wide array of attractions, from its iconic landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate to its numerous museums, parks, and cultural venues.
Included activities: Berlin guided walking tour and local street art scene
Accommodation: Twin and triple in awesome East Berlin hostel
After a relaxed start, we hop on the direct mid morning train to Amsterdam. Arriving late afternoon, we have time to wander many of the 165 canals and enjoy our last meal together, reflecting on the incredible experiences we’ve shared throughout our Northern Stomp Rail Trail adventure.
As a group, your guide will walk you through De Wallen, the medieval city centre, bustling with narrow alleys, old school bars and surrounded by canals and the neon lights of the red-light district. It’s up to you how the night progresses from there and we give you space to enjoy the delights and embrace the local culture.
Included activities: Guided Amsterdam walking tour
Accommodation: Quad and triple rooms in central hostel
Auf wiedersehen, lebewohl und gute reise…
Do widzenia, żegnamy i bezpiecznej podróży…
Tot ziens, tot ziens en veilige reis…
Sbohem, sbohem a bezpečné cestování…
It’s departure day, and we wish you all the best on your onward journeys. We hope your time with us on the Northern Stomp has been fun, adventurous, insightful and full of happy meaningful travel memories.
You’ve toured iconic cities, and breathed in the magical atmosphere of many of Europes UNESCO sites. You’ve experienced the incredible sadness and bone deep loss of war, but balanced it with an insightful peek into a world of creativity where strength and inclusion have grown from adversity. You’ve enjoyed many traditional and authentic meals and drunk in local taverns and bars.
You have, over 11 days, experienced new and fabulous cultures and we bet you’ve grown as a person. And you have done and experienced all of this while travelling responsibly and as sustainably as you could. Congratulations!
In all cases you must have a valid travel document. We cannot advise on a visa as it depends on your citizenship and passport and the relationship with each of the countries. A great place to start is here: https://schengenvisum.info/
Yes, we cross borders in and out of the EU on this trip. Liechtenstein, and Switzerland are not EU member states, but they are in the Schengen. This means that depending on your passport, which even EU citizens must carry with them, you may need a visa. The only way to tell is to check with the local embassies.
We love to help, but we are not visa consultants and cannot take the legal liability for giving Visa advice. Sorry, but we suggest you either engage with a visa consulting company or we strongly recommend that you contact the embassies directly and check your passport status. A good place to start though is with the Schengen Visa site: https://schengenvisum.info/
You’ll need Euro for Italy, Germany and Austria, and Swiss Francs (CHF) for Switzerland and Liechtenstein
You can, absolutely, but it is probably easier to draw down from the ATM along the way so you don’t draw down too much – just what you need. You can also use your credit card via paywave quite extensively within all EU/Schengen states
We have purchased just the right amount of days to see you around the circuit. There may be the opportunity to upgrade your pass to more days at an added cost. Please contact our Community Care team to discuss
All countries visited on this tour use Euro.
It’s super hard to change money while ‘on the go’. It’s possible – there will be opportunities at the different train stations, but it’s much easier to just draw money out of the ATM’s which will be accessible every day of the trip.
The trip is created around sharing rooms at the different hostels along the way. The maximum will be a 4-bed dorm room, but you may find yourself in a twin or triple share at times too
Backpacks! While we all appreciate the ease of rolly suitcases, there are many cobblestones roads to traverse which make it a challenging piece of luggage. So, bring a 65lt or similar backpack and a lightweight day bag.
We do, we’ll send you one as part of our ICU (Intensive Care Unit). You can also head to our website for more information
We are on our feet quite a bit, with walking tours in most locations. This is so you can best explore the ‘off the beaten track’ places with your guide. So pack a really decent pair of sneakers as your primary shoe!
In most hostels we stay at there will be washing and drying facilities. The problem is, we’d rather you be out enjoying your new surroundings than stuck in the basement doing laundry! So, we recommend that you bring 10 x base layers of socks and underwear, and then clothes that can be aired easily at night and reworn a second time! That’ll keep your backpack light and your wanderlust high!
$1,579
A fun train trip around Europe offers a unique blend of convenience, cultural exploration, and scenic beauty. It’s a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the diverse tapestry of Europe while enjoying the journey as much as the destinations. Over the next 11 days, we’ll explore the crossroads of the Slavic & Germanic worlds on this epic train trip which starts in the musical capital Vienna, Austria, and journeys through the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany, before finishing in Amsterdam, Holland.
We’ll explore UNESCO World Heritage sites, do food tours that’ll knock your socks off and beat the streets of 6 of the most iconic Northern European states. Exploring by train takes you away from the monotony and business of main arterial routes and allows you to enjoy routes that take you through the countryside, amongst alpine mountains and along valley floors. It allows you to explore the rich scenic diversity, in comfort, without check in’s, airport queues and waiting lounges.
Enjoy larger seats, with more leg room and the freedom to stroll. You can move around, enjoy a meal in the dining car, and even take a nap if the drinks the night before slowing you down today!
Board your train at the centre of your city, and embark centrally at the other end. On some routes we have the flexibility to jump off the train and explore townships along the way, saving you time and hassle. The convenience and accessibility is second to none!
Train travel is not just about reaching your destination; it’s about the journey itself!
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