We have a dilemma. We have plans to travel to Prague and Budapest in June 2008, but have seen that the value of the dollar is going down. We want to avoid a trip where we are constantly reluctant to do things because of the high cost. We are considering postponing this trip for a year or two in hopes of a stronger dollar. Any thoughts or suggestions? Do people seem to think this is a deepening problem?
|||
There is really no telling whether if the US dollars will stop its free fall. Given that there may be more rate cuts by the Fed, I am not hopeful for a quick rebound of the USD.
With that being said, I don%26#39;t believe the Hungarian Forints have become that much more expensive since I last visited Hungary (October 07). The Czech crown has risen quite a bit for the last few years. In early %26#39;07, it was 1 USD to 20 Czech Koruna, now it is about 1:16.
With that being said, I still find travelling to non-Euro zone Central European countries to be relatively affordable, provided that you can avoid the tourist traps and find reasonable accomodation.
|||
We Canadians had a very weak dollar for years until recently so I understand what you are saying. We have been in Europe when the dollar is worse than it is right now for Americans. I truly believe that it should not prevent you from experiencing life through travel. Travel is incomparable and no amount of money can buy what you experience and live. The memories are priceless. I believe you would regret not going.
Regardless of what the dollar does absolutely nothing (except maybe for health) would prevent me from following my passion (obsession). I literally live to travel.
By the way, outside Prague the Czech Republic is very inexpensive. It is a wonderful country just begging to be explored!
|||
Hotels and transportation are your big money drains in major cities.
If you are content just to go to one place for now, excluding day trips, you%26#39;ll save a lot of money on airfare. Trains and buses are other options but a rather painful way of visiting far-off places.
Instead of a hotel, stay in an apartment. Your cost will be half to a third of what it would be at a typical Western hotel. Safety, at least in Prague, isn%26#39;t an issue.
On food, eat cheap during the week and splurge on the weekends. Skip the wine during dinner and really it%26#39;s no different than going to a nice restaurant in a major American city.
Finally, try traveling in the off-season. Hotel/apt. prices will be lower and the city will be less crowded. Yes, it won%26#39;t quite be as beautiful. But Prague in March is still darn nice!
|||
Flying into Vienna is cheaper than flying into Prague. That may be an alternative.
--
Hostels are not necessarily considered %26quot;youth%26quot; hostels any longer. For ex, in Prague there is
Czech Inn, Ms. Sophie%26#39;s.
Or, possibly stay in a smaller area outside of Prague and take the train into the city.
--
If you skip on the big souvenirs and eating out every meal than you%26#39;re saving alot already.
--
There are plenty of free things to see in Prague the architecture, city views, cemetaries etc.
-----
As previously mentioned, I would not let the weak
dollar prevent you from visiting.
|||
I agree that postponing would probably not be the best idea. The dollar could go up, who knows.
I found meals and drinks were very reasonable in Prague, not even that bad in the main tourist areas if you compare to US cities.
I thought Budapest was expensive and maybe you should consider skipping going there and going to some of the nearby towns in Czeck unless BP is included as part of a package deal for your flight and hotel. Hard for any of us to say not knowing your budget.
Could you prepay your hotel now? If you can get the big budget things paid now it might help you afford more when you arrive. Good Luck :)
|||
Like most of the other posters, I believe that Prague/Budapest needn%26#39;t be expensive (even with the currency fluctuations). I suggest economizing a little on hotels and channeling those funds to worthwhile activities like walking tours, visiting castles, etc, and avoiding expensive meals (and beer!) at touristy restaurants.
And possibly other things (if applicable) like taking public transport - for ex. from Prague airport instead of taking a taxi you can take bus #119 and connect to the metro...or consider doing daytrips outside the cities on your own instead of joining a tour group.
|||
As is mentioned above there is so much more outside Prague to see, and the prices are much lower. Go and see places like Brno or Olomouc, or the smaller towns like Litomysl or Telc - the list is endless. Public transport is very cheap to get to these places, too.
You have to realise that the average wage is about 15- 20000 Crowns a month (c. 900 - 1200 USD) - outside Prague it is considerably less than that, so you have to imagine how the %26#39;locals%26#39; get by. You can easily get by on $100/day, which includes your hotel, food, transport, getting into places, etc.
Prague is an entity unto itself - being a capital city and a tourist trap prices are bound to be much higher than elsewhere, and will remain so until people decide not to go there any more. This happened to a certain extent in the early 1990s when the city%26#39;s business community decided that it could make a quick buck and started charging ridiculous prices - I remember beer being advertised at 250 Crowns on Staromestke namesti, for example. Matters weren%26#39;t helped, though, by the taxi wars and dual pricing for foreigners and it all came down to earth with a bump when the following year far fewer tourists came.
The same process is under way now, but it has been slower. Saying that, though, it is still generaly much cheaper to eat out in Prague than it is in the UK (but then again, rip-off Britain is not the cheapest place in the world anyway!).
|||
...and as for getting there, consider flying to the UK (Manchester or Gatwick) and then a budget airline to Prague. Avoid Heathrow, as budget airlines don%26#39;t tend to fly there.
From the US and Canada Zoom Airlines has good cheap connections to both Manchester and Gatwick - no frills, but it does the trick!
These budget airlines provide the onward flights:
www.bmibaby.com Manchester - Prague
www.easyjet.com Gatwick - Prague
www.jet2.com Manchester - Prague
|||
well, the prices in Czech rep went quickly up after new tax reform and it is obvious that the prices will change also during 2008 and 2009. your questions should thou be: will possible strenghtening of dollar be equal to price raise in 2009? I don%26#39;t think so. In your place, I would go now. BUT June is the top month, the busier month in Prague, be in your place I would go in July or August instead, which is shoulder season, no as crowded as June or September when Prague is packed with school tours and people flying cheap low cost flights. Prague is typical long weekend destination. So in summer, when europeans get several weeks of holidays, they skip weekend destinations and rather spend few weeks in Thailand or Greece.
|||
GCEK, average wage in Prague is approx. 25000CZK/cca 1600USD per month brutto, average in Czech republic is 22000CZK/cca 1400USD per month brutto. Today exchange rate of USD is 1USD=15,5CZK.
No comments:
Post a Comment