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[mstrlitamacwolf]

i am thinking very hard and going to try even harder to make it to EF for my very first time. with that said. what can anyone tell me about going to EF from the US? what are somethings i should know? what is the best way to go to EF and have a blast?

[Cheetah]

i am thinking very hard and going to try even harder to make it to EF for my very first time. with that said. what can anyone tell me about going to EF from the US? what are somethings i should know? what is the best way to go to EF and have a blast?

A few hints:

- Make sure to apply for your passport in time! It's a requirement.
- Plane ticket prices go up and down like a rollercoaster. Book as early as you can. Prices often go down last minute, but it's a gamble that can go wrong
- Make sure you have enough on you cash - a lot of payments at EF must be made in cash. (Credit Card acceptance is rather low over here because of financial liability laws.)
- If you can afford it, book the extra early day. Jetlag will hit you, and the more time you have to sleep it off, the better.

[o'wolf]

i am thinking very hard and going to try even harder to make it to EF for my very first time. with that said. what can anyone tell me about going to EF from the US? what are somethings i should know? what is the best way to go to EF and have a blast?

As Cheetah already wrote: apply for a passport as soon as possible. We've had several cases of guests not being able to attend because their passport initially being denied and time was too short to resolve the issue. American citizens generally don't need a visa to visit Europe as a tourist, but they do need a valid passport.

Don't fly to Berlin unless you want to visit the city or have business to do there before or after the convention. Fly to Hannover or Halle-Leipzig (probably with a layover in Frankfurt, but avoid Paris CDG and London Heathrow) and take the train to Magdeburg. Both airports have a train station, in case of Hannover you just need to change trains at Hannover central station. The convention hotel is just one block away from Magdeburg central station. German rail is fast, reliable and affordable (at least on this line.)

If you have health insurance, ask them if they are offering a travel health insurance (or whatever it is called) for a small fee, as you are not subject to European health insurance. Some credit cards come with such an insurance, too.

In case you want to go sightseeing: while Germany may look relatively small on the map, it takes a lot of time to get from one attraction to another. You can't visit the cathedral of Cologne on one day and Neuschwanstein Castle the next even though the distance isn't that great compared to American distances. (Well, technically, maybe it is possible. I'd say it's like hiking Arches National Park and then visiting Las Vegas the very next day. Been there, done that, got plenty of T-shirts, but will not do that again. Ever.) Ask Americans who've been at Eurofurence before what's interesting to see from an American point of view.

[mstrlitamacwolf]

i have to ask. what is the cost in US dollars? and how long does the con last?

i am hopping i can meet with some furs going to MFF 2012 so that i can room up with them. i am pretty sure the cost for the room well kill me.

the only health problem i have is i like to drink. sadly but true i am a drinker but only when i am with someone that knows me very well to tell when i have had to much. that and i love sweets.

i have a passport book and card. what about phones and laptops? well they work in there and do i need to learn german?

i do need to buy a drink that i been tolled i can buy in german and bring back home. a friend wants it. but for the life of me i cant spell the name of it or remember what he calls it.

also i am from Indiana and i am starting to look for an airport that well take me to german. anyone know of what airport well take me right there off the back?

o"wolf: you list 2 airports. what is the best one of the two? what one well get me to the train and o the con fast but save and cheap?

[Ragear]

EF is usually 4 full days, with the option of booking early arrival/ late departure at extra fee. As o'wolf said: do it, beat jetlag, have more fun. Is this your VERY first con? not being impolite, but need to know in order to convey the right amount of information...

if you enter "100 dollar to euro" in google you'll get a pretty accurate exchange rate. If I could foresee the exchange rate till then I'd just invite you all to EF for free till then :-)

Take this advice: Do a Travel health insurance. Period. /discussion. Though doctors bills are not that skyrocking as they are in the US due to liability issues just falling down the staircase drunk will cost you dearly. And forget about suing the hotel for such an incident, it'd be your own pleasure.

check you power supply. If it reads somthing like "110-240V/ 50-60Hz" you're fine, you'll only need an adaptor so you plug fits into a german socket (who snickered?)

Have your friend put the name of the drink on a piece of paper. Put paper into pocket. bring along. Show to a helpful fur, there's a mall across the street. Check customs regulations concerning import, wrap it very soft in old socks and put it into your checked luggage.

Maybe you consult a travel agent. Very helpful people and may save more money than booking on the internet. Otherwise (for I don't know where you live, and Indiana is big.) go for the bfor the biggest town next to you with a commercial airport, check travel sites, usually you have an option to choose for the next airports around your place.

Ask for atravel companion or hitch hike here, maybe s.o. can take you along.

Sightseeing in Magdeburg mostly is some historic buildings next to EF, and the Zoo. A bit of shopping. Consider Berlin for some days.

rgds

Ragear

[mstrlitamacwolf]

ok seems pretty easy. i well try to get there early.

now all i will need is to see about rooming with some other furs.

[Zefiro]

EF is usually 4 full days, with the option of booking early arrival/ late departure at extra fee.

Actually we extended to 5 days (WED-SUN) a few years ago due to popular demand, so with the early arrival (TUE) and late departure (MON) options you've got a full week of party :)

Since more than half of the participants take both extra days I'd really recommend it if you want to get the most out of Eurofurence.

Regarding rooming, please note that in Germany each person sleeping in the hotel needs to pay for their stay individually. Since the rooms are shared you still need to choose one (or more, if you share beds) room mate(s), but you can't just rent "a room" and split the costs internally, or crash somewhere on the floor. For the rooms in the Maritim hotel which are organized by Eurofurence, you choose your room category during EF registration - which secures you "one bed slot" - and have up to until about a month to the convention to choose which other fur(s) you want to share your rooms with. They would also need to have chosen (and paid for) their own bed slot, though. The option "no room" is used for those furs which gets accomodation in other hotels/youth hostel/etc in the local area, which you book&pay directly. It is used for those trying to get it a bit cheaper, or who were too late to register when all the Maritim rooms were already reserved.

*purrrr*

[mstrlitamacwolf]

Zeflro: i fall of the cliff when you started about the room.

the hole weekend sounds like a great idea. gives me tons of time to take pics of all the fursuits and try the food.sadly i cant have any drink unless i am with a friend i know and trust very well.

so in all that time. what all is there to do? that to me seems like a lot of time to been in a hotel.

and no EF well not be my first but it well be my first out side of the USA. and as of right now alone.

[Ragear]

well, good news: most speak english, which is the general language there. some hints on doing stuff found here: http://www.magdeburg-tourist.de/Start/Tourism-Leisure/Information-for-Tourists/Excursions-to-the-surroundings?La=2 There are some medieval buildings and an appartment building designed by Hundertwasser in close vicinity. Also Magdeburg sports a small zoo, well reachable by streetcar and cruiseships navigate the Elbe river.
Besides: if you're rather new to the fandom, don't miss out various panels being held all day. 2 shopping malls are right next to the hotel, too, with additional shops in the pedestrian zone. The hotel itself has a small spa with pool and Sauna. Dances and puppet show. so: don't panic, you're not due to die of boredom ...

Ragear

[mstrlitamacwolf]

Ragear: i may have to see about having you as my tour guide.

[Gero]

*Sorry for late replay*

I am from sweden and used english during the whole con EF 18 and it worked perfectly well, both in the con hotol and sourounding Magdeburg are as well as travelling to and from, Magdeburg.

As for me I would recomend a stopover and Jet lag fight in Berlin, its a two hour train ride (every hour or so during daytime) from Berlin HBF to Magdeburg HBF and the city is bristling with shopping and historic sightings such as World/cold war era relics and museums. If you have any interests in shopping and historical sights Berlins is a great place to get a feel for europe, and youll be fine with English, for most parts at leasts. Setback is that it isnt THAT many intercontinental flights that I know about from Berlin to USA, Lufthansa for example uses Frankfurt and, uh, is it Hannover? as its main hub.

Another city well worth a visit is London, Ive been there severel times and its a great shoping and theathre city, well up to New Yorks standards. From there you can take a short flight to good rail connection cities such as Amsterdam and Hannover, or might even take the eurotunnel to Paris and connect to europes fast train systems from there.

Magdeburg and EF was great fun, and well worth a visit, even thou it might be an idea to start with visiting any of youre US cons if youre totaly newbie to the whole con system, just to get a feel of how a big con works.

[Zefiro]

Setback is that it isnt THAT many intercontinental flights that I know about from Berlin to USA, Lufthansa for example uses Frankfurt and, uh, is it Hannover? as its main hub.

If you plan on flying to/from Berlin, please note that the airport situation there is planned to change (a new airport, BER, is currently being build, which is intended to replace the existing ones), though due to continous issues the official opening dates keeps getting shifted back. Your airline should be able to provide you with more information, though we'd advise you to check with them for the most current information shortly before your flight if you decide to book to/from Berlin.

*purrrr*

[Mooie]

Seems there's yet another delay. Who'd thunk it. http://news.yahoo.com/berlin-airport-further-delayed-2014-source-000837320--finance.html

[Sinea]

Heya,

if you have any Probs about German-Shopping feel free to poke me.

I was the Shopping guide for some norway, sweden and finnland furrys
It was fun!!!