The real deal: Round-trip international airfare (arriving in Prague and returning from Amsterdam), one-way rail transportation in second class between Prague and Berlin and Berlin and Amsterdam, daily buffet-style breakfasts, hotel taxes, service charges and fuel surcharges, from $1,999 per person — plus estimated airport taxes and fees of $155.
When: April 1–May 31; Aug. 31–Oct. 25, 2009; add $300 for June 1–Aug. 30. Note that April 10–13 and May 20–23 are closed-out dates for Hotel Victoria in Prague (prices will be higher if available); April 9–14 are closed-out dates for Express by Holiday Inn Berlin City Centre (prices will be higher if available).
Gateways: D.C., New York City; add $235 for Miami; $315 for Chicago; $355 for Houston; $365 for Denver; $385 for L.A.; $499 for Seattle; additional gateways are available.
The fine print: Taxes are estimated at an additional $155 per person. You'll receive open-ended rail tickets that are valid for travel on any scheduled passenger train traveling between the stations listed on the ticket; you can look up possible train schedules here. Seat reservations are optional and are not required on most of the trains.
Airport-hotel transfers are not included but can be purchased for an additional $69 per car each way in Prague; $231 per car each way in Berlin; and $155 per car each way in Amsterdam (limit three passengers per car). Based on double occupancy; single supplement is $549. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.
Book by: No deadline; based on availability. All bookings must be made at least 14 days prior to departure date.
Contact: Austrian Airlines Vacation Center, 800/790-4682, austrianair-vacations.com.
Why it’s a deal: According to a recent search on Kayak, multicity flights from New York City — arriving in Prague and returning from Amsterdam — start at $627 with taxes for travel in early April (Northwest) and $825 in early September (multiple carriers).
For an additional $1,329 or $1,527, depending on the time of year you go, the Train Trio package covers international airfare as well as two one-way rail tickets; nine nights' accommodations divided between Prague, Berlin, and Amsterdam; daily breakfast; hotel taxes; service fees; fuel surcharges; and airport taxes. You also get the convenience of booking all these elements at once through Austrian Airlines Vacation Center.
Itinerary: Begin with three nights at the 42-room Hotel Victoria in Prague, only three stops by tram (or a 15-minute walk) from Wenceslas Square or Republic Square. A train ride brings you to Berlin, where you'll check into the 251-room Express by Holiday Inn Berlin City Centre, a short walk from Potsdamer Platz, for a three-night stay. Then catch the train to Amsterdam, for three nights at the 50-room Hotel Avenue or the 75-room Hotel Bellevue.
More: No sightseeing tours are included; choose from a variety of optional activities, such as a three-hour walking tour of Prague from $26 per person or a two-hour bus tour of Berlin with 15 stops throughout the city for $40 per person. Choices in Holland range from a $30-per-person half-day historical tour on a bicycle to a half-day tour of The Hague and Delft from $57 per person.
If you'd like to extend your stay, additional nights start at $70 per person for a double and $122 for a single room at Hotel Victoria in Prague, $90 per person for a double or $175 for a single room at Express by Holiday Inn City Centre in Berlin, and $122 per person for a double and $189 for a single room at Hotel Avenue or Hotel Bellevue in Amsterdam.
Before you go: For up-to-date travel information, visit the official tourism Web sites of the Czech Republic, Germany and the Netherlands.