Expanding the geography of flights of the budget airlines of Ukraine opens new opportunities for independent travel. Residents Zaporozhye Tatiana Gonchenko and Edward Andryushchenko has shared with “Today” experience of budget travel in the “free Hanseatic city” of Hamburg in Northern Germany. Of the 4 days of the trip most of the time they spent in Hamburg, but managed to catch up with Hanover. On the journey they spent slightly more than 220 euros for two.
Our heroes are traveling themselves
GET VISA
Our heroes before the trip to Germany was a multiple entry visa affixed in the passport. However, they talked about some of the nuances of the procedure that it is useful to know for beginners.
“Beginners should remember that visa fee of EUR 35 is not all the money they spend on this phase of the trip. The biggest item of expenses — service fee for the visa service center — 615 UAH. There are spending on the little things: photos of the documents — about 30 UAH, insurance policy, without which you will not accept a package of documents — 50 UAH. If because of laziness or life circumstances have to use the delivery of passport with visa by courier — prepare another 100 UAH. Residents of the regions will also have to add the cost of travel, as when submitting the document package to the service center requires the personal presence of the applicant. Finally, this observation: the German Embassy is not that picky, but strict in terms of issuing visas. If you have a net passport for the first solo trip is to choose other countries.”
FEATURES OF AIR TRAVEL LOW-COST AIRLINES
The logistics of traveling to Germany for the last couple of years was very much simplified due to the expansion of geography of flights low cost airline Wizz Air. This airline flies from Kiev to five cities of this country — Hanover, lübeck (near Hamburg), Memmingen (near Munich), Dortmund and Cologne. In August, the list will replenish Nuremberg. If you just look at the prices on the website, the coveted cheap tickets almost certainly will not find in an average you get something 3500 UAH in the two sides with the passenger. However, these rates can be much lower if you start looking for many months, and be ready to pay them instantly as soon as I saw the appropriate number. In our case the tickets to Hanover in March 2017 were bought last summer, as soon as this route. The flights cost 2336 USD for two round trip. And another important point: be sure to check in for the flight via the Internet. For check and print the boarding pass at the airport, the airline will charge a decent fee — 30 euros. In addition, get used to travelling with minimal Luggage. Ideally with a small backpack. The fact that WizzAir baggage a small hand Luggage (42x32x25 cm) free, and a large object (56x45x25 cm) will cost 10-20 euros when paying for services via the website. The same thing, but at the airport for 35 euros.
TRAVEL BETWEEN CITIES IN THE NORTH OF GERMANY
From Hanover airport I took the train (3,4 euros one way per person). Initially the plan was to stop here to make excursions, but on the site it became obvious that she needs to go on to Hamburg — and there is more interesting. The bus ticket costs 8 euros, but we did anyway. The road between the cities (160 km) travelled for free. This method of movement we are in their journeys use all the time.
Specificity. The Windows of the old buildings of Hamburg look at the channels
THE USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Travel through the cities in Germany are expensive. Short, 20 min., the journey on a comfortable high-speed tram in Hannover costs 1.5 euros. The townspeople, of course, save at the expense of long-term tickets. In Hamburg we had the foresight to find a place near the centre, so could afford to move on foot. Note that if you don’t count the driveways to the airport we used public transport twice — to get into position for hitching. Paid for it in the amount of 11.6 euros.
View of Hannover from the height
HOW TO FIND BUDGET ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD
The first overnight was in Hanover. We stopped at the student, who rented a big apartment together with her boyfriend and friends. We found in advance through the website Couchsurfing is a social network for travelers. On the website you can find free settlement on a night or two at the local almost everywhere on the planet. In return, you must be willing to accept some of the same stranger at home.
Hannover have stayed in the hostel. Bed in six-bed room these days cost 11-12 euros. But we were lucky: we “caught” a very successful share — a discount of 10 euros per day. On the spot paid 3.5 euros for bed linen for all the days. In the end 3 days cost us a little more than 23 euros. I want to note that this situation is nothing more than luck. Even in our own Zaporozhye will not see this. But, again, we are very lucky. In principle, a more budget-friendly than Germany, the countries (Poland) on such shares can even find a free place to stay. Do not be confused by the fact that the room six: not always all seats are occupied. In Hamburg we met some neighbors only once and only for half a day.
FOOD, OR A COUPLE OF WORDS ABOUT THE BREAD
Main dish budget food service establishments in Hamburg costs about 5-10 euros. Fish dish in the restaurant — from 10 euros, Shawarma, falafel on the street — 3-5 Euro. A hamburger at McDonald’s 1 Euro, big burgers — 3-7 euros. Coffee — 1 to 3 euros. A glass of beer at the bar — 3-5 Euro. By the way, Hannover was a little cheaper.
A couple of price tags from the supermarket: 400 g of cheese (good quality) — from 2 Euro, chocolate — 0,5—1,5 Euro. A loaf of bread — about 1€. Beer (0,5 l) — 0,5—1 Euro. We alternated visits to cafes and buy food in supermarkets — and in the end met 100 Euro.
FOR WHAT TO GO TO HAMBURG
And finally, we saw the result of a blitz of travel. In Hamburg it is worthy of attention (it has survived not so much) and modern (this was more) urban architecture, beautiful embankments of the Elbe and canals, a huge port and the infamous “red light district”. In Hannover most of all remember the cute pedestrian street in the city centre.
Attraction. This masterpiece is city Philharmonic
