First Steps

The first step is to figure out where you want to fly out of and where you want to start out in Europe. For Americans, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Boston, and New York, either JFK or Newark, will usually be cheapest, especially JFK/Newark. It may be worth bumming a ride to one of these places, even from a good distance. Those arriving from other countries don’t have as much of a choice. Montreal, Toronto, Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, and Johannesburg are by far the largest gateways. The major, and probably the cheapest, points of entry to Europe are London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt. Those wishing to fly to Rome will probably have to go through Milan.

A word of advice on where to arrive. On a first trip, the first day overseas can be overwhelming, especially if you are alone. Flying into a country where you speak the language will make things less stressful. Despite the long lines and despotic immigration officers, London might not be a bad place to start. London is also a good place to start for the cheap flights available to Greece or points beyond the European continent. Also, since Eurail passes are not valid in Britain, many people go to London first or last to avoid wasting valuable pass time during their time spent there. But if your dream of going to Europe has always included getting on a plane and then getting off in Paris or Rome, then by all means fly to those airports and show ‘em who’s boss. It’s your trip.