New Airport Bus to Berlin Schönefeld

A new “express” bus service now links Südkreuz train station in Berlin with Schönefeld Airport.  Price:  6 euros, 4 euros with any BVG ticket, 3 euros with a weekly or monthly ticket.  For those flying into Berlin, the ticket remains valid for further transit on public transportation in Berlin ABC.
This bus represents no monetary savings [...]

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Don’t Lose your Booze! What You Need to Know When Making Airport Connections

Some friends of mine made an unhappy discovery when departing the Czech Republic with a long-sought bottle of wine (or two):  their duty-free purchase was confiscated when making a connection in another EU airport.
As much as I complain about the security theater Americans abbreviate TSA, there is one upside to the system:  once you’re in (and don’t connect [...]

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2009 Travel News No One is Talking About

With the focus on staycations and naycations, there’s little reporting on important nuts-and-bolts issues affecting thousands still on the road.  Expect to hear about these only when they start causing major snarls for casual tourists unaware of the changes.

Flying to the United States this year?  As of January 12, 2009, all travelers to the U.S. [...]

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Fly Smarter: Know Alternative Connections

Holiday flights on the mind? 

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5 Ways You Can Still Help Barack Obama — Even from Overseas

We are 24 hours away from this election being over — but we still have not won this thing yet! 
If you are an overseas American who cast your vote weeks ago, you may feel somewhat disconnected from what is going on tomorrow in the U.S.  There are nevertheless a number of ways we can still [...]

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Replay: Daylight Savings Time Ends in Europe

We over on the right side of the Atlantic end daylight savings time (DST) on Sunday, meaning that the time difference between London and New York is currently only 4 hours, between London and Los Angeles 7 hours. The party ends Sunday, when American clocks fall back and the differences increase an hour to standard [...]

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Cheap Calling on the Go: Germany

When you need to keep in touch with hosts or friends, verify plans or make reservations while traveling, cheap and accessible telephony is essential. Options for travelers have improved dramatically in the last few years, leaving you beholden neither to the kindness of strangers (or friends) nor to your home mobile carrier charging you [...]

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Save Money and Travel Freely with a Japan Rail Pass

Today’s post comes courtesy of long time reader, first time guest blogger Dana, currently of North Carolina. Dana blogs regularly at From My Wandering Mind and is head chef at Geek Buffet. You’ll find more descriptions of her recent trip to Japan and China starting here.

Last month, I took a 3-week trip to Asia, [...]

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Free Event: Barack Obama Speech, Berlin

Senator Barack Obama wraps up his multi-country tour public appearances with Senators Reed and Hagel today in Berlin, where he will be giving an evening speech open to the public following meetings with German government officials.
I’ve been leafletting for three days, getting out the word to Germans and Americans alike. If you’re in the [...]

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Additional Travel Time and Cost to Low-Cost Carrier Airports, Part I

I recently discovered a post by the folks over at SkyScanner entitled Satellite Airports – do you know where you’re going?  While I know that Schoenefeld Airport lies 17 rather than 71 km from Berlin, I did think the *idea* was a good one; nevertheless, the chart needed more information:  HOW do you get to and from [...]

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