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Just a side comment. I've always packed my Swiss Army Knife in my checked luggage after having some problems in Australia, so that would be my vote. But my comment is that I've had more problems (almost every time that I take the fast trains where they check your luggage through a scanner) with...
Don't forget, that the Olmpics are in Paris this year. So, if you're trying to get in/out of Paris from mid-July to mid-August it may be a bit more difficult.
No one has mentioned this, but if you are on the same airline for the entire passage (or one of their partners) and you miss the flight but there are one or more later flights, that adds to the confidence. 75 minutes should be enough but the luck of the draw always comes into play. It's just an...
Just for clarification for the asker, is "outside the bus station" on the bus station side of the central transportation center or on the train station side outside by the main road (meaning you walk from the bus station turn right and go through the train station area to the main road? If...
My experiences with Renfe are that they usually put up the schedules 30 days in advance but that this varies by a week or so. I haven't found any good pattern. Their website also has the problem of often refusing to talk to Visa so I end up using an American Express card account or Paypal. Be...
This may seem stupid, but I always print out the ticket as a fall back in case my phone loses power or some other anomaly. Belt and suspenders when traveling.... :)
In the light of full disclosure, over 5 Caminos, my phone and Internet have never failed me. I use the ALSA app if appropriate and...
I've had to take a taxi a couple of times early in the morning. In one case, I asked the hotel to book one the night before. In the second case, they just called one when I got down to checkout. No problems either way and it is a fixed rate. I'd first ask the hotel to book one the night before...
You didn't indicate where you were going to stay. Obvioiusly, if you are staying in a hotel, they can arrange it for you. It might vary by albergue, but taxis can generally be arranged in advance in Santiago.
I have had some problems with getting anything to an AirBnb. The issue (as expressed above) is that usually there is a requirement that someone is there to receive it. Most AirBnb are going more and more to an electronic or unattended checkin. I ended up not doing it in most cases. You can check...
I'll second that. Airtags are a really great invention. Once, while I was walking, I checked to see where my luggage was. The app told me that it found my bags about 200 yards from where I was. :) Apparently, the timing was just right and the bags were passing me as I walked to my next destination.
Oddly, I have traveled from Brussels as well as Paris depending on the fare. Check out TGV trains direct from Brussels if you can get a better airfare there.
End of April
Chicago - Frankfurt - Madrid -> Zero problems United and Lufthansa
Beginning of June
Santiago -> Brussels No problem on Vueling at all - arrived early
Brussels to Chicago - Getting through passport control in Brussels was about an hour other than that - zero problems.
As long as I used paypal I had not problems. Since Paypal was linked to the same credit card, it's kind of silly but it works. Also, if you do buy tickets on renfe and become a registered user, it is much easier to get refunds. They hold a record of the reservation on their site. Never had a...
I would definitely put a zero value on air miles. I believe this has gone to court in a couple of cases where air miles were deemed to have zero value. Otherwise, we would have to pay income taxes on the value of tickets (in the US). Putting a higher than zero value on the air miles tickets is...
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