Eastern Europe Guidebook
Guidebook corrections:
Please note: The following corrections were submitted by readers and have not yet been confirmed by Rick. Check updates from Rick for the latest.
The Czech and Slovak Survival Phrases in the 6th edition need to be as comprehensive as those for Polish, Hungarian, etc.
Joe Hellman in Central Point, OR USA 10/19/2011
Orbis travel in Cracow is closed so you have to buy train tickets at train station. We tried to get reservations in 1st class night train from Cracow to Prague 2 days ahead and it was full . Make reservations for night train earlier. The cz train office in downtown Prague listed in RS eastern europe book no longer sells train tickets so again need to buy at train station.
Barbara Chasnoff in Chicago , Il USA 10/07/2011
The Warsaw train station is a breeze and the information area was extremely helpful in getting us tickets throughout our trip through Poland and the Czech Republic. The Karkow train station is a nightmare with no ticket or informaiton areas. YOu are strickly on your own with poor signage. If we hadn't been traveling through Poland for two weeks and had experiences at other train stations we would have never figured out where our train was leaving from.
Judy Sepik in Forestville, CA USA 10/01/2011
No corrections! Such great information!
Carol Sullivan in Mount Vernon, WA USA 08/24/2011
Our corrections are all in Budapest and are as follows: 1. We arrived at the Keleti train station and I had your book open to the page so I could follow your instructions. We walked to track 6, where you had said there was a K&H bank. It seems to have closed - and the only thing we saw was the Interchange that you indicated had high rates. We did ask for an ATM in the tourist info area and were directed across the street. Outside the station and kind of parallel to track 6 (A right out the main doors) there is a UniCredit bank - so we were able to take out money there. You were 100% correct about the cab drivers and your tip to not hop into one of them (however tempting it was) was spot on. However, you said in your book that the real cabs have yellow license plates. That does not appear to be true as I think everyone has a yellow plate now. The goons as you call them tried to tell us that it would cost 4000 HUF to get to our hotel (The Marriott). We also tried a different trick to getting one of the real cabs. One of them pulled up to drop someone off and we asked him to call for us on his walkie talkie. This was perfect and we avoided the phone card/phone call suggestion. The 444 cab came in 3 minutes and we paid the metered rate of 2200 HUF. 2. The other change is the Gellert Baths. They no longer give out entry tickets with the 2 parts like you said in your book. Now they give you a plastic bracelet that looks like a watch. Either yellow and orange (which I think is for couples sharing a changing cabin) or blue and green (which I think is for single sex). When you enter the changing area there is an attendant who holds the watch like device up to a machine and it automatically assigns you a cabin. You then hold up the watch to the lock of the door and it automatically opens. Upon exiting it locks itself and you just use the watch to open it again. Important to note that my husband did not hold his watch up to the machine when we entered so his watch actually couldnt open our cabin door only mine could. When you exit you must drop the watch into a slot and then a turnstile allows you to leave. They have not given out refunds for time not used in 2 years. This needs to be updated in your book for sure. 3. We also went to the Holocaust Museum and took the tram there. Important to change in your book. The Ferent korut tram stop was renamed to Corvin. It must have happened recently because our hotel concierge had to handwrite it onto the map that she gave us. 4. Finally we went to the Great Synagogue and it seems that they close for a bit in the middle of the day. We were there on a Sunday and they were closed between 15 and 16:30 (3-4:30pm). Then reopened from 4:30-6pm Thats all!!
Pamela Mohr in New York, NY USA 08/17/2011
Several of the prices in the Eastern Europe have changed from the description in the book (i.e. St. Stephens-Vienna, church tours are now 4.50)
Brinson Joseph in Houston, TX USA 08/14/2011
Krakow: The Czartoryski Museum is still closed for renovations and the Rembrand and the de Vinci t is still out of town.
Larry Iversen in Bremerton, WA USA 07/03/2011
1) We rented a car three different times on our 28-day trip through Central/Eastern Europe. We always asked about toll stickers and vignettes, but were advised that we didn't need them, since the car rentals were always just for one to three days. We just paid in cash on the expressways (avtocestas) toll roads. 2) We had International Driver's Licenses, but none of the three different car rental agencies wanted them, just the State Driver's License. We got pulled over between Sarajevo and Mostar for speeding and the policeman did not ask for it either (He let us go with a verbal warning and no bribe--watch your speed in Bosnia!).
Larry Iversen in Bremerton, WA USA 07/02/2011
Mostar: Rick's recommended "Rugged-but Scenic Backcountry Route Through Serbian Herzegovia" is under construction between Gacko and Bileca. Until the construction is completed, a better alternative route between Mostar and Dubronik is through Capljina, Stolac, Krivaca, Bileca, and Trebinje. A short side trip up a pretty canyon out of Stolac is nice. People at your accommodation in Mostar or Sarajevo should know when road construction between Gacko and Krivaca is completed.
Larry Iversen in Bremerton, USA 06/27/2011
Dubrovnik: 1) The round-trip to Lokrum Island is now 50 Kn & the recommended map is now 15 Kn. 2) The cable car to Mount Syr is now operating.
Larry Iversen in Bremerton, USA 06/27/2011
The Mljet Island excursion via Atlas takes @ 3/4 of an hour. Rent bicycles at the Small Bridge, then bicycle around to the right of the Big Lake. When you see the Monastery, stop + use the concrete platform for a picnic, swim to St. Mary's Island, +/or yell "Hello" and a boat will come over to take you to the Island free if you eat at their restaurant.
Larry in Iversen, WA USA 06/18/2011
In Dubrovnik: the Sv. Ivan does not take people to Lokrum. The cost of the boats taking people to Lokum Island has gone up to 50 kn round-trip and the map is now 15 kn.
Larry Iversen in Bremerton, WA USA 06/12/2011
Nice try Rick, but Heroes' Square in Budapest does NOT have a statue commemorating the "Importance of Packing Light!" Very humorous.
Adaire Atkinson in Anahuac, TX USA 06/01/2011
We recently traveled to Krakow and used the Eastern Europe guide book. I wanted to let you know that you can now buy 72 hour transit tickets from the automated ticket machines. Also the bus driver that drives the 208 from the airport to the bus station does not or will not sell you a transit ticket. Make sure you get a ticket from a machine before you board. We arrived at the train station very early in the morning. After getting some money from the ATM we then found our bus stop and tried to buy a ticket from the machine but it wouldn't accept paper bills. We read in the guidebook that for a little more money we could buy one from the driver (& some drivers do sell them). Since it was early in the morning we thought there was no way he could be out of tickets so we waited in the cold for the bus. It finally arrived but when we got on he wouldn't sell us a ticket he pointed to the machine. We tried to explain in our badly pronounced Polish that the machine didn't accept our paper money. He could have cared less so we had to get off of the bus. Practically in tears out of frustartion and lack of sleep we took the first taxi we could find to our hotel and was charged more than double from the taxi driver. ($30 when it was suppose to be $12.) A few hours later we were unfourtunate enough to get on the same bus drivers bus and had to get off because he still wouldn't sell us tickets even for exact change! (Our bus stop in front of our hotel didn't have a ticket machine.) Finally the next bus that came buy had a nice driver that sold us 2 tickets. Later that day we found a automated machine infront of a busy tram stop a few blocks away from the St Frances church where we were able to buy a 3 day transit pass.
Francine Miller in Seminole, FL USA 05/18/2011
Rick recommends walking the wall surrounding Dubrovnik in reverse order "because it is more downhill." Even though we followed the recommendation to do the walk early in the morning, we had all of the people that we passed criticizing us for walking in the wrong direction--and there is little space for passage. It was uncomfortable. The book was great and truly a great guide to take for Croatia and Slovenia.
Susan Wong in Indianapolis, In USA 04/04/2011
Chezney Krumlov - don't get off at the 1st bus stop in town, stay on until the bus station. Then Rick's directions will make sense.
Judy Kropp in Oakdale, CA USA 12/04/2010
Jewish Museum by the Holocaust Memorial in Vienna is closed for renovations.
Debbie Dalin in Delray Beach, FL USA 10/24/2010
Page 187- the population information is incorrect. According to the guide "before World War II, 80 percent of the world's Jews lived in Poland." I think you may mean 80 percent of Europe's Jews, but don't take my word for it.
Lisa Rose in Santa Cruz, CA USA 10/21/2010
Page 187- the population information is incorrect. According to the guide "before World War II, 80 percent of the world's Jews lived in Poland." I think you may mean 80 percent of Europe's Jews, but don't take my word for it.
Lisa Rose in Santa Cruz, CA USA 10/21/2010
The Budapest City Map on Pages 476-477. Surely the scale markings measure .5 km and .5 miles, not 5 km and 5 miles! Especially as most maps show the end to end of Castle Hill as about 1 mile. I have not seen the Budapest book, so I do not know if this error is there also. It would also be nice if that map would locate the bus stations for the long distance buses.
Margaret Plotkin in Elkins Park, PA USA 10/16/2010
I'd add the Dominican Church as a must see. It is on the map but no mention of the "most beautiful chapel I've ever seen". It is a side chapel to the right of the main alter---clearly a destination of locals and perhaps easily missed unless you are looking for it.
Liz Bowermaster in Urbana, Il USA 09/18/2010
The Gellert Baths in Budapest now uses a similar plastic watch system as the Szechenyl Baths. You get the watch but it isn't connected to any particular locker. Instead you validate for the locker at an unmarked spot nearby in the single sex changing area - although an older speedo clad male stumbled into the very open changing area while we tried to figure out the system. We never found where to get the towels. Buying tickets was at least a 15 minute ordeal with impatient ticket sellers and repeated trips to all three tickets sellers before we got the requested safe ticket. A great experience never the less.
Kathleen Blanning in Fountain Valley, CA USA 09/02/2010
Pomerania - Malbork Castle now provides (iPod Touch-based!) audioguides in a variety of languages, including English, for 2 z? above the regular admission price. They include some images and video, and you can use your own headphones if you like them better than the included ones. The audioguide tour goes roughly the opposite direction from the self-guided tour in the book (you can call up audioguide entries in any order, though).
Cheryl Hammond in Seattle, WA USA 09/01/2010
Not a correction but a suggestion- remind travelers to VALIDATE their Eurail passes BEFORE getting on the train. That was something I knew but didn't do and didn't realize how important it was. They tried to scam us on the train to charge us 50 euros each to validate it there. We said we had NO money so we were able to validate them at the next stop. The issue was at the Krakow train station where the international counter is really far away from the platforms!
Carrie in St. Paul, MN United States 08/31/2010
Book Title: Rick Steve's Snapshot - Krakow, Warsaw and Gdansk
The taxi in Torun from the train station to the old town is listed in the guidebook as less than 10 Zloty. We took the taxi from the train station to the center of the old town on August 5, 2010. The cost was just over 18 Zloty.
Thanks, James
James in Ottawa, ON Canada 08/06/2010
Not corrections- an addition to Budapest. We just spent 6 days there and discovered a gem of a little restaurant I wanted to share since our copy of the book didn't have any specific restaurants to suggest.
Firkasz is located on Tatra Strasse at # 18. (Pesh) It has typical Hungarian dishes, good service with English, was full of locals both times we went as well as some local expats, and had a piano player. Very resonable by European standards with fabulous Hungarian wines. We went twice.
Tel: 450-1118. Just a few minutes walk from the Tram 2 end of the line by the Magrid bridge. There is also a tram stop for trams 4 and 6 right there too.
Robin Peabody in The Hague, Netherlands 07/04/2010
page 725 on the self guided driving tour Julian Alps second paragraph you talk about the two sets of water falls, there is a bride whee the trail goes up to the falls if you are in the road driving towards Kobarid the trail head that starts up before the bridge is a vry difficult trail that goes way over the mountain we are in excellent shape and hiked for half an hour before turning back and it was very steep and slippery the trail head you want to see the close falls is the trail head after you cross the bridge may want to mention that next edition
howard blitz in boulder, co USA 07/01/2010
In the Warsaw eating section, the address number for E Wedel's Chocolate Shop is incorrect. It's listed as number 1 when it's actually number 8.
Danielle Weiler in Houston, TX USA 06/24/2010
Auschwitz: Individuals are not allowed to enter the museum without a guide until after 3 p.m.
St. Vitus Cathedral: Tour groups have been reading Rick's recommendation to line up early before the doors open. We thought we were there early enough (the doors hadn't opened yet), but there were at least 4 tour groups already in line.
Anna in Tacoma, WA USA 06/22/2010
The process at the Szechenyi Baths has changed significantly from the 2010 edition. Instead of plastic cards, you are given a plastic watchband. Once you enter, you place the face of the watch in front of an electronic device on the wall, and it tells you which changing cabin you have been assigned to. When you find the cabin door, you place the watch face against the sensor on the door and it opens for you. No need for attendants to lock/unlock the door.
When you leave the baths, you feed your watchband into the turnstile, and when the light turns green, you can exist.
Couples can still share a cabin, but the prices have gone up significantly from the 2010 book. Also, they told us no refunds for unused time.
I think it would be helpful to provide this update to your readers since it is a difficult process to figure out. The attendants were very rude, and even sent us downstairs despite the fact that we even said cabin in Hungarian. But as Rick says, you can't let it get to you. You just have to chalk it up to experience. The baths were totally worth it!
Chris in Minneapolis, MN USA 06/10/2010
The Warsaw section of your "Eastern Europe" guidebook makes no mention of the need to make advanced reservations to visit the Chopin Museum. As soon as we approached the front desk and asked for admission (just after 10:30 in the morning), we were told the museum was "sold out." When I recovered from my astonishment, I asked "reservations?" In her very limited English, the lady responded "yes" and then mentioned "Internet." Perhaps this is a new requirement instituted after you had printed and published your guidebook. My wife was especially disappointed, as she's of Polish descent and a big fan of Chopin's.
Your book also doesn't mention Czestochowa (except for showing it on the map). That's a shame, because the Shrine of the Virgin of Czestochowa is so central to the spiritual live of the Polish people. We had the opportunity to attend mass at the Shrine. I hope the omission does not come from some misguided fear of too much overt religion. Your book does make a point to say how important Catholicism is to the Polish people. Otherwise, you might as well omit the Vatican from your Italy guidebooks.
Luis Vazquez in Houston, TX USA 05/23/2010
This is a general recommendation, but I take issue with the idea that "Prague is cheaper for travelers than most western European cities are--except for accomodations." On the contrary, I thought that many of the sights were surprisingly expensive. We even had to pay to get into most of the famous churches! Here is my proposed revision to the "Prague is cheap" sentiment: Prague is noticeably cheap for mid-range or luxury-level travelers, but budget travelers won't notice much of a difference in prices there versus in western Europe. The savings are biggest for the kinds of travelers that buy crystal goods and eat at nice restaurants.
Lori in Mannheim, Germany 04/11/2010
Add Romania.
Gary Franks in Sugar Land, TX USA 04/05/2010
A suggestion rather than a correction. It was perfectly easy reaching Memento Park in southern Buda from Hotel Peregrinus using public transportation (Bus 61) and our Budapest Cards (see below). You shouldn't deter travelers from doing so if Memento Park's own bus departing from Kossuth t้r isn't convenient for them.
Jack in Brondum, MN USA 03/29/2010
I really enjoy Rick Steves Travel sections. The only thing that still confounds me is use of the term "Eastern Europe" For someone as educated and enlightened as he is, I have no idea why he uses this incorrect phrase. Poland/Lithuania/CZ/Hungry are in fact in central Europe. In fact if anything they are in Western Europe. This is an outdated cold war idea. I would think the Mr. Steves would work to educate people about this fact
Nick Knight in Laytown, Co Meath, IE 02/12/2010
Yes. Prague and the Czech Republic 5th on page 39. The airport express (AE) bus from the airport does not go to Holesovice Station but to Hlavni Nadrazi. But what a bargain it is compared to our friends' taxi.
Ed Fischer in Spooner, WI USA 11/30/2009
Your Fifth Edition of Eastern Europe was all we needed during a recently-comcluded visit to Budapest, Vienna, Prague, and CeskyKrumlov. However, 1. The Prague "St. Bearded Woman" (page 99) is not in the last corner of a clockwise tour of the Loreta Church cloister, but is in the first corner.
2. The Budapest map of "Pest Center Sights" (page 434) shows ERZSEBET KORUT starting at the OKTOGON intersection and continuing southeast, when it actually does not start until KIRALY U. We were greatly confused when exiting the Metro at OKTOGON and could not find ERZSEBET (on which our hotel was located). TEREZ KORUT continues past OKTOGON southeast to KIRALY.
Don Wilson in Cincinnati, Oh USA 10/25/2009
The Budapest Card only offers 20 percent discount on most entries not full inclusion as mostly indicated in the Eastern Europe Guide book. Really becomes questionably worth it at that point. Better to just get the metro card and pay as you go.
Shirley Fleig in San Diego, CA USA 10/12/2009
Re Krakow and Auschwitz: Not a correction, but added emphasis to the caution that conditions could easily change and one should double check things on arrival. In this case, I'm referring to bus transportation to Auschwitz. There is a public bus line that runs a mini bus with about 15 seats from the main bus terminal by the main Krakow rail station to the town where Auschwitz is located. The ride is cheap and takes about one hour and twenty minutes.
So what's the problem? The bus fills quickly, I think I counted about 28 people crammed into about a 15 passenger bus. This is not an excursion bus to Auschwitz, even though it has a stop about two blocks from the Auschwitz parking lot. What I saw happening is that the bus filled immediately with tourists and then could not pick up locals who had been waiting maybe half an hour at their local bus stop and they did not look happy. If I were them I'd complain to the local government to eliminate the stop next to Auschwitz so that locals could again get local bus service.
I timed my arrival to be just after 3 pm when the group tours end and no one seems to care if you wander on your own and read the information signs at your own pace.
Steve in Bozeman, MT USA 10/05/2009
As per a previous poster, the Vienna trams 1 & 2 no longer make the entire circuit of the Ringstrasse. There is, however, a new bright yellow, made for tourists tram which does; it runs every 15 minutes or so and is clearly marked. There are new signs for it on the tram stop signposts as well.
Ash Morris in Tulsa, OK USA 10/03/2009
We thought the Spissky Hrad (castle) near Levoca, Slovak republic was amazing. Your guide book said it wasn't worth going in but I thought it was one of the best castle ruins I have ever seen. We highly recomend it if you are in the area.
Tim Bolinger in Plano, TX USA 07/14/2009
I am using Eastern Europe 5th edition and have found it quite helpful. One correction I found for Budapest is that the Duma Palace does not honor the 10% discount for the concert as mentioned on page 468. When I asked I was told he only discount is with the Budapest Card. Also I did not find using the public transportation to Szoborpark--Memento Park complicated as mentioned on page 456--it was rather easy only one transfer--I'm sure it took longer than the direct bus though
Ken Emery in Windsor, CA USA 07/12/2009
I'm just back from a trip to Vienna. I used Rick's Eastern Europe book, which stated check cashing at the Amex store on Karntner Strasse. I managed to find that office, which locates in a large building. However the desk assistant refused cashing my traveler's checks and stated that they no longer offer the service. Instead she referred me to Erste bank which charge only 9.50 euros for $450 check cashing. They also give the best rates.
Daniel in San Jose, CA USA 05/31/2009
Prague/Czech Republic: Getting to Kutna Hora: Fast (about an hour), inexpensive, direct train connections (no longer need to tranfer) from Prague Main Station to Kutna Hora are now available several times daily. Forget the bus from Florenc(didn't run on weekends). Kutna Hora is a delightful departure from wonderful, but a bit too pretty and touristy Prague. It feels more like real life. If you're interested in an English language tour of the medieval silver mine (highly recommended), call ahead to make a reservation. We arrived at the mine around 10am on a Saturday morning in May, but were told no English language tours were scheduled for that day. We toured St. Barbara Cathedral, came back to the mine and were delighted to find that a Croatian couple had also requested English and they had found an English-speaking guide. The mine was fascinating,if a bit claustrophobic. Gave you an idea about the life of a medieval miner. A do-it-yourself trip to Kutna Hora is a much better value and allows you to see many more sites than one of the Premiant bus tours, which only cover the Sedlec Bone Church and the St. Barbara Cathedral. After enjoying a cup of coffee at an outdoor cafe, seeing the Cathedral and the Silver Mine/Museum, we had a delightful open-air lunch in a tree-shaded courtyard at Pivnice Dacicky. Later, as we were strolling along a street in Kutna Hora on our way to the Alchemy Musuem and the Bone Church, the little Premiant van/bus packed with people drove by. We were so happy we'd decided to go on our own!
Annette in Media, PA USA 05/17/2009
In Prague, the Ebel Coffeehouse (the historic one) is closed as of 4-1-2009.
Mark McKnight in Austin, TX USA 05/06/2009
I would highly recommend changing the name of the Eastern Europe guide book to Central Europe since the countries discussed in the guide book are located in central europe. I was discussing the guidebook and these countries with a Polish gentleman and he not very happy the guidebook referred to these countries being located in Eastern Europe.
Will B. 04/18/2009
Budapest, Hungary. Top Clean Laundry is no longer located in the Batthyany Market Hall.
Lorraine Chatham in San Francisco, CA USA 01/08/2009