London, Paris, Berlin — three capitals many dream of seeing in person but assume are too expensive. In reality, you can plan the trip on a solid budget if you know a few tricks.
FLIGHT OR TRAIN BETWEEN CITIES?
A common question for anyone combining several cities in one trip.
Flying wins on time for longer distances (London-Berlin is about 1.5 hours in the air), but once you factor in getting to the airport, check-in, and waiting, the real time savings aren’t always as big as they seem.
Trains are more convenient for Paris-London (Eurostar, through the Channel Tunnel, about 2.5 hours city-center to city-center) and Paris-Berlin — no need to arrive 2-3 hours early, and stations are usually right in the city center.
A combination is often optimal: train between nearby cities, flight for longer legs.
WHEN TO BOOK FOR THE LOWEST PRICES
Flights are usually cheapest 6-8 weeks before departure for European routes.
For train tickets (especially Eurostar), booking 2-3 months ahead often gets significantly lower fares than buying a week before travel.
Tuesday and Wednesday are statistically cheaper days to fly than Friday-Sunday.
7-DAY BUDGET ACROSS THREE CITIES (excluding flights to Europe)
Inter-city transport: $80-150
Accommodation (7 nights, hostels/budget hotels): $250-400
Food: $150-250
City transport and entry tickets: $100-150
Total: $580-950
HOW TO SAVE IN EACH CITY
London: many museums (British Museum, National Gallery) are free. An Oyster card is cheaper than single tickets for the tube.
Paris: the Paris Museum Pass pays for itself after just 3-4 museums in a day. Walking along the Seine and through Montmartre is free, and among the best experiences the city has to offer.
Berlin: the Berlin Wall Memorial and East Side Gallery are free, open-air. The Berlin WelcomeCard includes transport and discounts on attractions.
PRACTICAL TIPS
Visa: many nationalities can use a single Schengen visa for Paris and Berlin (France and Germany are Schengen countries); the UK requires a separate visa.
Currency: euros in Paris and Berlin, pound sterling in London.
Best time to visit: May-June and September offer comfortable weather with slightly fewer tourists than July-August.
Planning a multi-city European route? Check flight and train options on our site — sometimes flying one way and taking the train back works out cheaper than two flight