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Weekend city break in Europe: good airport links in to destinatiom

57 replies

boatyardblues · 28/04/2022 17:42

We are thinking of a short city break and are agnostic on destination so long as the flights and dates work. We want to keep costs down so want easy links from airport to the named city location. Which European airports are well-located or have good public transport into their city/named destination? Are there any we should avoid because they’re only tenuously located near their city or have awful links?

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Macuisle · 09/05/2022 10:52

Not Dublin as you asked for good transport links.
We waited for an hour for a taxi last week at Dublin airport. Our flight came in after midnight, baggage was on the carousel. before we got to the carousel - well done Ryanair. Then it got tough.
Went straight to the taxi rank and oh my ! The length of the queue. Sad
For an hour approximately.
I felt so sorry for people with small children and the elderly. Only plus was it didn't rain.
There were posters up from Transport Ireland stating they were doing so much ....blah blah blah.
There are no train / tube links from Dublin airport. There are buses going to different areas.
Rant over.

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Libertynan · 09/05/2022 09:43

HolyHiVisOfStEvenEdge · 30/04/2022 06:04

Lapad is fine, fairly quiet, mostly hotels (many beachside) with a few small shops. There is a frequent, reliable bus service which takes about 10 minutes into Dubrovnik. IIRC you can buy booklets of tickets for not too many kuna to cover a few bus journeys. Be aware that the return bus can be pretty busy depending on the time of day, standing room only for the first part of the journey. Dubrovnik is lovely, would happily go back.

I spent a week in the Lapad area with a friend a few years ago. We really enjoyed it as a relaxed girls week away. There were a few bars in the area - which we enjoyed, plus our hotel had a little entertainment. We did tend to spend a lot of time reading though and going to bed early. We wanted a restful break. The bus to Dubrovnik centre is cheap and frequent. We went in most days to wander around the shops, catch a boat to a small island (can't remember the name of it right now) , had dinner a couple of evenings.

Was a first time visit for me and I keep promising to take DH but we haven't yet got round to it.

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APurpleSquirrel · 08/05/2022 14:05

Venice - you can catch a local bus, or splash out on a water taxi.

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RubyFox · 08/05/2022 13:57

Pleased you're all sorted OP 🙂

We're just back from Nice. It's only 15 minutes from the airport to the city centre. Gorgeous sea views, great food and lovely trips out into the Provence countryside.

I'd highly recommend for a future trip

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GoldenEclipse · 08/05/2022 13:53

Munich
Berlin
Paris
Naples

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Frazzled2207 · 08/05/2022 13:52

We had a lovely weekend in Nuremberg. Transport was amazing. Within 15 mins of landing we were on the ubahn which took another 15 minutes or so to get into the centre of town.
nice place. We flew on ryanair for pennies.

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VintageGibbon · 08/05/2022 13:45

Budapest airport is a short, cheap taxi ride from the centre of town.

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midsomermurderess · 08/05/2022 13:42

People offer their suggestions, PAFMO, no one owes anyone anything. No need to get sweary and foot stampy. It’s daft.

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boatyardblues · 08/05/2022 11:40

We’re all set thanks Oblomov.

And to answer PAFMO’s unnecessary snark, it’s a more unusual destination, not Paris, Oslo etc.

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Oblomov22 · 08/05/2022 11:22

I have found most are easy these days. Lisbon, Berlin, Krakow, Dubrovnik, Ljubljana, to be honest everywhere we've been had cheaper options, if you investigate and book ahead - you book a minibus ahead of time for 15 euros instead of 50. Are you sure this should be a major factor in your decision making?

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boatyardblues · 08/05/2022 11:16

There are great deals for Madrid at the moment but the flight times weren’t any good for us.

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PAFMO · 08/05/2022 10:50

boatyardblues · 08/05/2022 10:48

Yes, we did but posting our agreed destination could be outing. Your suggestions helped us narrow down a shortlist & then the budget and the convenience of the flights decided it. I’ve kept a note of your other destinations for next year. 😄

Wtaf?
You ask people for suggestions and then think somewhere like Paris or Oslo will out you?
Jesus Christ.

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boatyardblues · 08/05/2022 10:48

Yes, we did but posting our agreed destination could be outing. Your suggestions helped us narrow down a shortlist & then the budget and the convenience of the flights decided it. I’ve kept a note of your other destinations for next year. 😄

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hermana · 08/05/2022 07:34

Did you make a final decision op?

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jubileeee · 01/05/2022 09:15

boatyardblues · 28/04/2022 17:42

We are thinking of a short city break and are agnostic on destination so long as the flights and dates work. We want to keep costs down so want easy links from airport to the named city location. Which European airports are well-located or have good public transport into their city/named destination? Are there any we should avoid because they’re only tenuously located near their city or have awful links?

Malaga. You fly into Malaga airport.

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itrytomakemyway · 01/05/2022 09:14

Prague - very easy bus ride into the city.
Amsterdam was quick and painless.
I actually found it a bit of a pin to get into Florence - a mix of bus and train via Pisa
Valetta is easy to get too - but the buses can be jam packed.

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RoofFlower · 01/05/2022 09:10

Verona. Absolutely gorgeous and very close to airport.

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SoggyPaper · 30/04/2022 08:28

Monty27 · 30/04/2022 06:22

Great ideas here. I'll add Brussels by train right into the centre.

budget airlines will fly to Charleroi though. And that’s a pain.

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ImplementingTheDennisSystem · 30/04/2022 06:31

Rome Airport has its own train station that takes you into the city in 20 minutes.

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Monty27 · 30/04/2022 06:22

Great ideas here. I'll add Brussels by train right into the centre.

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HolyHiVisOfStEvenEdge · 30/04/2022 06:04

boatyardblues · 29/04/2022 07:34

Dubrovnik is looking promising for our budget and dates. There are some nice beach hotels in Lapad coming up on the search. Does anyone know how easy it is to get into Dubrovnik old town from Lapad and whether Lapad is a nice place to be in its own right?

Madrid also looks like it would fall within our budget. What are prices like once you are there? Is there a capital city premium, like London?

Lapad is fine, fairly quiet, mostly hotels (many beachside) with a few small shops. There is a frequent, reliable bus service which takes about 10 minutes into Dubrovnik. IIRC you can buy booklets of tickets for not too many kuna to cover a few bus journeys. Be aware that the return bus can be pretty busy depending on the time of day, standing room only for the first part of the journey. Dubrovnik is lovely, would happily go back.

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PAFMO · 30/04/2022 05:41

I've been to Brussels, Madrid, Lisbon, Pisa, Verona, Rome and Florence over the last few years for city breaks and all are easy train rides from the airport.

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boatyardblues · 29/04/2022 20:38

Thanks all. Some of these destinations are not available from the regional airport my friends want to fly from, but lots of them are. I’m busy making notes. The tips on costs once there are also handy.

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midsomermurderess · 29/04/2022 13:50

Lyon. They have city beaches, or a beach certainly, on the banks of one of the rivers in summer. Easy train journey into the city from the airport and the city is a very attractive place with seriously good food. You might even take in an opera. I’d also recommend Copenhagen, but it’s quite pricey.

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SoggyPaper · 29/04/2022 13:39

Riga. Zurich. Helsinki.

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