Start & End Dates
Each black block on the calendars represents a trip. Lodging during the time spanned by the block is included in that trip’s price.
The date at the left (front) end of the block is the date on which the trip assembles. The date at the right (back) is the date on which the trip disbands. Lodging that night is not included in the trip’s cost.
Example: the uppermost block shows a departure of “Biking Transcontinental.” To join this trip, you should be “local” by August 1 (it assembles in Laroche at midday, in time for riding). The trip disbands in Vienna, on the morning of September 3. Why don’t you just go on that one? That way you won’t have to read any more.
Flight Dates
Reaching Your Trip, Intercontinental Travellers Reaching your trip-assembly point by its start time may not be possible on the date on which your flight lands in Europe (especially if you land after noon). If you are coming from another continent, you will thus (probably) need to book your flight to depart either 1 or 2 days prior to your trip start date. Here is how to tell which.
The trip calendar lists a number of nights included in each trip’s “Access Package,” both “Pre-” and “Post-Trip.”
When a night is included in the pre-trip Access Package, plan to arrive at a European gateway close to your trip’s start point at the latest on the day before the trip’s start date.
If you are coming from another continent, remember that many flights to Europe (virtually all flights coming from North America) fly overnight. So a departure from North America should be the day before the date on which you wish to land in Europe.
When no night is included in the pre-trip “Access Package,” reaching the European gateway closest to your trip start by 11a on the start date will generally allow you to reach the trip in a timely manner.
Of course, such scheduling does not allow for travel delays, nor for much time to “settle in.” If you are arriving on the date of your trip’s start, the earlier you can schedule your flight’s arrival, the better. For example, a flight landing at 7a is preferable to one landing at 10:59a.
Example: for our “Adventures in Alsace” trip, a “0” appears in the column “Add’l Nights in ‘Access Packages’ – Pre-.” You should thus reach Paris (or one of the trip’s other closest access gateways) by 11a on the trip start date. If your flight is overnight, this means booking it to depart the day before, at the latest.
Had a “1” appeared, you would probably have needed to land the day before the trip’s start date, though in that case it is not necessary to land before 11a. If coming from another continent, you would have had to book a flight departing your home city 2 days before the trip start date, though some daylight flights from Asia or Africa could get you where you need to be in time for the trip.
Leaving Your Trip Trips generally disband too late on their end dates for same-day intercontinental flights, especially to North America. Thus you should book your flight for the next day (to do otherwise will truncate or eliminate the last biking day, often a highlight).
Exception: when no night is included in the “Post-trip Access Package,” the trip disbands at breakfast, and a same-day long-distance flight is possible. Such a flight can be booked at any hour if your trip disbands in Vienna or Lisbon. If it disbands in Mulhouse, the first morning train reaches Zurich Airport at 9a. Book your ongoing flights accordingly.
Note that reaching Zurich at 9a means departing Thann at 5:30a, after a festive (and late) supper the previous evening, and skipping a pleasant morning bike ride. If you can plan to travel later in the day, you will be glad you did!
Detailed discussion of the timing and travel options to reach and leave each trip is available from the “Access Page.”
Can’t find the trip you want on the date you need? Schedule your own! At no additional cost, a minimum of six people can schedule a Blue Marble trip for whatever week they choose, while supplies last (of coordinators, hotels, trains...).
So, if you can get five friends together (even three friends, if you do it early enough), schedule the trip! It will be added to our schedule for the benefit of the great unwashed, adding an element of anticipation and excitement to what would otherwise be too much of a known quantity.... We already know you like adventure travel :-). Follow the link for details.
Our trips are the result of considerable thought. They highlight the charms of different regions of Europe in a culturally coherent manner. But vacation times & dreams don’t always coincide. To get around this, you may design your own itinerary. If our trips don’t fit your schedule or vision, connect two of them together to create a different program.
“How Do I Do Dat?”
Vertical lines are drawn for every week throughout our biking season. Trip blocks are drawn to line up with these verticals when trips are designed to connect. Vertically line up the backs and fronts of trip blocks in this calendar to see what can be connected.
“But Short Trips are Expensive!” Not if you link them together. Combining short trips costs only slightly more than taking a longer one of the same length. Connecting trips are discounted, and include travel & hotel costs between trips.
We select the route, timing, and night stops (if any), though you may negotiate variants at a generally modest extra cost if you have particular preferences.
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