TravelGuides

(TGA) - Is it safe for 3 older woman to travel by vehicle in these areas? I would like to see Poland, Prague and Budapest in summer 2010.
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What do you mean by safe? It is best to know the pitfalls before you go:

Poland has the worst road safety record in Europe after Lithuania - unfortunately drinking and driving there has not become as much of a social taboo as it has elsewhere and the infrastructure/general driving standards leave something to be desired. I quite enjoy it myself - it is quite a white-knuckle ride at times and you need to be on the ball always as people like to overtake trucks on treacherous corners in the face of oncoming traffic. As with Prague and Budapest, do not try to enter cities such as Krakow or Warsaw without knowing exactly where you are going, and/or without knowledge of the local language, and do not park on the street (if you can find a parking space) unless you know exactly what it says on the roadsign, otherwise you might find that your car has either been clamped or towed away. Parking costs €20-€30 per day in a secure car park in Prague and Budapest - I don't know about Krakow or Warsaw, but it is probably about the same. Remember that these cities were not built with cars in mind.

Also for the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Hungary (you will be passing through all of these countries at some point) you will need a highway tax sticker- the fines are heavy and on the spot.

Advantages - you can get to some of those more obscure places.

The train is a very good, cheap and safe option - you can get to most international places for €19 - take a look at these sites for a rough price guide:

https://eshop.cd.cz/international/info.aspx…

oebb.at/pv/…

When travelling within these countries you just buy the ticket on the day as you normally would - no need to reserve on 99% of trains. There is also a dense network of buses that take you to most places - very cheap and efficient, although sometimes a bit slow. Let someone else do the driving!
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I really appreciate your response. I have driven in most of Western Europe without problem but i am conversant with most of the languages there. So this is a bit more of a challenge. I appreciate all of the infomration that you have provided. I will check out all of your suggestions.
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