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It is a big dream of every Indian tourist to see the beautiful valleys of Europe, the Eiffel Tower of Paris, the snowy mountains of Switzerland and the historical buildings of Italy. People often have this notion that traveling to Europe is very expensive and going there without a package from a travel agency can be out of the budget. However, a young traveler couple from Delhi planned their own travel (DIY Itinerary) and traveled to 8 European countries (France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium) for 30 days. After returning to India, he made public the detailed financial details of his trip, saying that the entire one-month adventure for two people cost a total of ₹9,50,000 (approximately ₹4.75 lakh per person).
The largest initial expenses for the trip were related to flights and official documents:
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Round-trip flight tickets: The couple had booked an open-jaw (multi-city) flight from New Delhi to Paris and back to New Delhi from Amsterdam 4 months before the date of travel. Total cost of both round trip tickets ₹1,60,000 Came.
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Schengen Visa Fees and Travel Insurance: The total cost of the Schengen visa appointment, VFS service charge and Mandatory International Travel Insurance of 50,000 Euro for two people is approx. ₹26,000 Fell.
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Intra-Europe short flights: To save time, traveled by budget airlines (Ryanair/EasyJet) between two distant cities, which cost approx. including luggage charges. ₹24,000 Spent.
The couple preferred 3-star boutique hotels and private Airbnb apartments located in the city center and near metro stations over 5-star luxury hotels:
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In an expensive country like Switzerland, they opted for studio apartments with kitchens, while in Italy and Prague, they opted for traditional heritage stays.
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Average cost for a 29 night stay is approx. ₹9,600 per night Whose total bill was around ₹2,80,000 Made.
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The biggest advantage of apartments with kitchens was that they could prepare breakfast themselves, which kept the budget under control.
Europe has a network of high-speed trains for intercity connectivity:
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Eurail Global Pass: The couple purchased a ‘Eurail Flexi Pass’ with 10 travel days within a month. Mandatory seat reservation charges on both passes and Italy-France high-speed trains (TGV/Frecciarossa) total ₹1,35,000 It cost Rs.
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Local Metro, Tram and Bus Passes: The total cost of a Navigo pass in Paris, a 72-hour transit pass in Rome, and rented bicycles and cabs in Amsterdam is approx. ₹55,000 Remained.
In Europe, eating out in restaurants every day is the biggest drain on wallets. Couple adopted ‘hybrid model’ for eating habits:
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For breakfast bought milk, bread, eggs, croissants and fruits from local supermarkets (Lidl, Carrefour).
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Lunch consists of authentic Italian pizza, pasta, French bakery products and Dutch street food to experience the local culture.
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Dinner is occasionally a simple meal cooked in an Indian restaurant or in the apartment.
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The total expenditure on food and cafe culture of both in 30 days is approximately ₹1,50,000 (average ₹5,000 per day) Came.
Tickets to Europe’s major attractions are expensive and have long queues:
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The couple got advance ‘skip-the-line’ tickets for the Eiffel Tower Top Floor, Louvre Museum, Vatican Museum and the Colosseum.
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The cable car and cogwheel train tickets to Mount Titlis and Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe) in Interlaken, Switzerland were the most expensive, costing around ₹50,000 alone.
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Total activities and museum passes including a canal cruise in Amsterdam and a castle tour in Prague ₹1,20,000 Spent.
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Choose off-season or shoulder season: Go in April-May or September-October (shoulder season) instead of the peak season of May-June or December. During this period the weather is also wonderful and hotel prices are reduced by 30% to 40%.
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Maximum utilization of supermarkets: Supermarkets in Europe offer ready-to-eat meals, sandwiches and fruits at very affordable prices. Bottled water costs 3 to 4 euros (₹350) outside at restaurants, so carry your own reusable water bottle and fill up with free drinking water from public fountains.
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Free City Walking Tours: Every major European city organizes ‘free walking tours’ in which a local guide walks you through the history of the city and at the end you can leave a small tip if you wish.