<p>You can research on Kayak.com… air fare is much higher this year and June is prime travel season to Europe. BA through London has generally cheaper fares however you must allow sufficient time between flights to get from terminal to terminal and that your luggage will also make the transition also. Several recent flights we have gone Iberia and changed planes in Madrid, and the Madrid airport, while large is outstanding and very easy to manage. Again,make sure you have sufficient time to change planes. Also flights from US to Europe in June are often delayed, especially from JFK so build that time in upfront.</p>
<p>The Continental airlines website show flights Dallas-London at $1060. They show some flights from $893 from Houston to London.</p>
<p>wow, flights are expensive this year… when I went in backpacking in 2008 I paid under $650 for DC to London.</p>
<p>I think that is too many big cities for his travel list too. London, Paris, and Rome are all 4 day destinations, IMO (though you could see a lot in 3). Haven’t been to Barcelona, but it probably requires 3. Florence and Venice you can probably do in 2 each if you need to. Of course, if you start in London, and end in Venice or Rome, somehow you have to get back to London to fly home (unless you get an open jaw ticket, which I think are more expensive).</p>
<p>When folks travel to a lot of destinations that are far apart, they spend more time getting from point to point than enjoying any particular spot, IMHO. ANY mode of transportation will take time to get between London & Paris & Rome & Barcelona. These places are not very close to one another, by train or plane, plus time waiting & getting to & from wherever you’re departing & arriving.</p>
<p>Please have your kiddo do the research and choose carefully so more is seen than everything in a blur from one place to the next.</p>
<p>I just remembered that Lufthansa will do college student tix so you might check their website.</p>
<p>
BA just built a new terminal at Heathrow (Terminal E), and many of its international flights arrive and leave from there. I’m flying to Rome via Heathrow on BA, and both my arriving and departing flights are in Terminal E. So it may be easier now to fly that route.</p>
<p>D’s British Airways flights were through the new terminal,changing planes for Basel was no problem.
SoozieVT: D found a great website that helped/is helping her with things to do,logistical problems,etc in Switzerland…its [url=<a href=“http://www.englishforum.ch%5DEnglish”>http://www.englishforum.ch]English</a> Forum Switzerland<a href=“ch%20means%20swiss”>/url</a>It’s not only expats…mostly British but local Swiss and other nationalities who want to practice their English.D has gotten wifi help,asked advice about where to shop for vegetarian ingredients, and joined a local running club (club based activities are very common in Switzerland).
Don’t know what type of atmosphere your D will be in for her research, but a basic smattering of German would be helpful.</p>
<p>Thanks, Cathymee. D has been to Switzerland a few times, including Zurich, but just hasn’t lived in Zurich. (I was even in Zurich one day with her last summer when I went to visit and travel with her as she was working for an architect in the French Alps). This summer, she is doing research at ETH Zurich (or Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich) a science and technology university, which is one of the most renown schools of architecture in the world. She is fluent in French. I think she’ll be able to get by as she has been able to manage in Switzerland before. Also, the professor she is doing the research for speaks fluent English. Did your D fly into Basel? By coincidence, my OTHER D is performing in July at the Stimmen Festival in Lorrach, Germany, not far from Basel or Zurich (my girls are sure to see one another!). She thinks she is flying into Basel. Her flights are all paid for as well, but in her case, she is not the one arranging the flights. My D working in Switzerland was given $800 toward flights but is booking on her own.</p>
<p>D flew into Basel on BA after changing in London. She’ll be done in Basel by July…her fellowship at the archive is over at the end of June ( I think things shut down entirely for a month).Her fiance is meeting her there and they will travel for a few weeks, but return to Basel on some form of transportation as their return flight is out of there. D was lucky, her home institution ,Wash U, gave her travel expense $$ for the plane ticket!
Another way to get to Basel is to fly into Zurich and take a train, or even into Paris and take a train.</p>
<p>D1 is getting plane ticket money to Zurich from MIT as well. Her summer salary is being paid for by a grant she won from a private European Foundation. D2 is getting full expenses for her trip to Germany (near Basil). She is also getting full trip expenses and large salary to perform in Abu Dhabi as well, paid for by NYU where she is no longer a student even. As I write this, she is turning down an offer for free trip to Abu Dhabi in three weeks as well, as she has too many other commitments. Also, as I write this, D1 just wrote about possible job in France for after Zurich. I can hardly keep these kids’ plans and trips straight, but luckily I, nor they, are paying for them!</p>
<p>
I’ve been to Basel several times but always flew in and out of Zurich for some reason (then rented a car and drove to Basel). I can’t remember why unless it was just that there weren’t many flights to Basel.</p>
<p>When I saw where the music festival is located, Lorrach, Germany, I assumed D2 would be flying into Zurich and ironically, her sister is working this summer in Zurich. But D2 is not making the arrangements herself. She did ask to have her return flight extended a week past the her paid performance at the festival so that she can travel and when I asked her the point of departure, she said she thought it was going to be Basel (likely based on some emails she has had). I don’t know if she knows more than that right now. She was asked to perform and everything else is being taken care of by others. That’s different than D1 who is making her own arrangements, even if they are being paid for by others.</p>
<p>Basel is smaller than Zurich, but it is closer to the festival in Lorrach, Germany.</p>
<p>Last summer, I drove across Switzerland with D1 and stopped in Zurich, but I did not go into Basel.</p>
<p>For the sake of this thread, I just checked my D’s route from Boston to Zurich around the dates she is likely to go and the lowest fare I found was $993 (though other fares were higher). This was nonstop on Swiss Air.</p>
<p>I found it through vayama.</p>
<p>Basel is known for its zoo and it has a nice old (origins in 11th century) cathedral overlooking the Rhine. Some things for your D to see if she ends up spending any time there.</p>
<p>Basel’s also known as a ‘drug capital’ - home to major drug companies - Hoffman La Roche, Ciba-Geigy, Novartis, and others.</p>
<p>Cur, your d. is smarter than mine and a year older than my d. was when she bummed all over Europe last summer. Let your d. figure it out… it’s fine. If you are helping with costs, then just give your d. a lump some as your graduation gift to her and let her figure out how to budget the travel (and if your sum comes up short, she can figure out how to fund the difference). </p>
<p>My d. generally had good experiences with hostels throughout Europe. The only place where she had a bad experience was Vienna. (Nothing dangerous, just unpleasant). </p>
<p>My d. did go way over her budget. She has a credit card. As far as know, she is still paying it down, slowly. (Again, her problem, not mine)</p>
<p>FWIW, I’d book travel no later than 6 weeks ahead – I’ve followed patterns for international travel and generally the best fares are either bookings about 5 weeks out – or bookings very close to the travel date, if you are flexible about flying time and willing to deal with the risk of waiting for last minute fare deals.</p>
<p>Whatever they do make sure they purchase Travel Insurance. If this volcano in Iceland continues for any length of time, their coming and going could be a big problem. If they can, make sure it covers the volcano, and will cover any needed hotel costs.</p>
<p>
I was just thinking about this. They said this could possibly last for weeks.</p>
<p>I just read that some experts believe disruptions could last up to six months if the volcano doesn’t stop erupting. (Do volcanos have “after-eruptions” like earthquakes have after-shocks?) I just hope it’s OK when I have to fly to Rome via London in 6 weeks! I think my travel insurance will cover volcanic interruptions, but I’d rather not find out!</p>
<p>ucsd dad
the archive D is working at is right next door to that Cathedral,overlooking the Rhine.Since the archive doesnt have outdoor space,the researchers,staff use the patio area outside the Cathedral to eat lunch at. The archive actually closes for lunch, they ring a bell and you have to leave the building!</p>
<p>Not totally off topic: Every traveller should learn how to do a bed bug check. It takes multiple treatments and costs a great deal to exterminate them if they come home with you. They are one souvenir of an otherwise great trip that you don’t want. ;)</p>
<p>[Bed</a> Bugs - About Bed Bugs and Travel and How to FInd and Kill Bed Bugs](<a href=“http://studenttravel.about.com/od/healthystudentholidays/a/bedbugs.htm]Bed”>http://studenttravel.about.com/od/healthystudentholidays/a/bedbugs.htm)</p>