h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm worried, though, that it might end up being a B'Elana/Gnomon minimeet in Frankfurt, with everyone else going to München.

Car hire is fine, but public transport is so good that, should we decide on Mannheim, for example, the connection to Mannheim is short and frequent, and once you're in Mannheim, as in most large towns, a car's no good to you anyway.

Have you looked into flights to Hannover? I've never been to Hannover and would be quite happy to travel there for a meet. The train connections (once I'm in Mannheim) are also very good to Hannover.

King Bomba, the Sistabarista, and I recently had a minimeet in Hannover. It really is a very walkable town, and everything you can't reach on foot is easy by public transportation.

We also found several hotels quite near the main train station. The one we stayed at only cost 20€ per person per night in a three-bed room; that's cheaper than a private room at the youth hostel...

Ok, it was only two stars and a bit strange, but not bad for those on a budget

Hannover can also be reached from most other large cities via ICE - but that's true for the other large cities, too

Hamburg might be nice as well.

hamburg is fine with me. as is hangover. wesenberg (rakvere/estonia) is even better, but so far only hapi and i have voted for that, so i guess that is out of the question?

thanks for the offer, toybox, i may get back to you on that

OK; let's see: we have:

Mannheim

Hannover

Hamburg

Heidelberg

I'll just start and vote for Mannheim

I vote for Mannheim too.

I am happy to find out accommodation (if necessary) and prepare a tour of the town if Mannheim turns out to be the place of our choice.

Hannover is as far North as I would go for a weekend. Unless I flew - but I wouldn't mind doing the London meet as well, as B'El says - it seems to be materialising in May.

I prefer Hannover too - or even better Hamburg (I'd go for Estonia but it's a bit of a bugger to get to, I think)

Estonia? ah .. if I can get there anyone can

I have never been to any of these places - but I do have a slight favour for Hannover (because I would hope to see an old friend of mine who lives there now)

If I know early enough to get a cheap train ticket and if there is no other meet at the same time or someone calling urgently for my appearance in the UK I'll be there....

If I know early enough, I can stay with my cousin in Hannover, too, come to think of it!

getting to estonia is a piece of . understanding why a return-ticket is cheaper than a one-way is more of a problem

oh well, i'll just wait for you guys to decide as i'm not even sure i can participate

i would prefer something a bit more to the south than hamburg or hangover, though. weather in the north is a bit treacherous this time of year (24.4.)

I'd not mind going to Estonia, either, if I knew where I'd be booking tickets from.

I thought we were talking the German meet here.

Hannover is OK as a town from what I've seen so far, but it would take me as long to get there as it takes me to fly to London, and it would cost as much.

Bel, there's an ICE that goes directly from Frankfurt to Hannover without making you change (takes about two hours) - and if you book early, it costs 29€; less than you pay in taxes and fees alone for the airports...

as hapi pointed out rakvere used to be german

but that's okay, don't let it stop you chose (another) german place to meet

Mala, I go to Hannover at least twice a year, and no matter how much in advance I booked train tickets, I *never* got those for €29. They're a myth German Rail advertises but doesn't actually sell.

Odd, I use them all the time, albeit for other routes. Maybe it's just a very popular connection for business travellers.

I'd be happy with any suggestion really

I can also offer accomodation in Kiel, and transportation by car. Obviously this is more interesting if the meet takes place in Hamburg or Hannover, but even for Mannheim or Heidelberg I'm available.

How far is from Frankfurt to Hannover?

and from Frankfurt to Mannheim?