Exploring Europe Self-Launched: Dublin to Zurich in 13 Days
13 days · Ireland, Wales, England, France & Switzerland
Europamundo charges £2,250
No-markup version: ~£1,580 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Europamundo's 13-day coach circuit from Dublin to Zurich, covering Dublin, north Wales, Liverpool, the Cotswolds edge at Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford, London, Amiens, Paris, Beaune, Lyon, Geneva, Neuchâtel, Zurich and the Bernese Oberland. Instead of a 2–72 person coach with a bilingual guide, you book your own hostel or budget hotel beds, hop budget flights, ferries and trains, and join local walking tours and cable cars directly. Expect roughly £1,500–£1,700 per person for a solo traveller on mixed dorms and budget rooms (figures are approximate and exclude flights to Dublin / home from Zurich).
Day-by-day
Arrive Dublin — Liberties & Temple Bar wander
Dublin, Ireland
Land at Dublin Airport and take the Dublin Express or Aircoach into the city centre (~£8, 30–40 min) rather than a taxi. Check into a hostel in the Liberties or Temple Bar area. Spend the afternoon orienting yourself on foot: Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Dame Street and the River Liffey's Ha'penny Bridge. Grab a cheap pub dinner (a bowl of coddle or fish and chips, £10–13) and settle in.
🚌Aircoach/Dublin Express airport bus ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, city centre (e.g. Barnacles Temple Bar or Generator Dublin), £18–28
- →Self-guided Liberties walk
- →Ha'penny Bridge & River Liffey
- →Dublin Castle exterior
Dublin: Trinity College, St Patrick's & a local walking tour
Dublin, Ireland
Do the classic Dublin circuit on foot: Trinity College's front square and the Book of Kells if you want to pay in (~£16), St Patrick's Cathedral (£8), the Chester Beatty Library (free), George's Street Arcade and Powerscourt Townhouse. In the afternoon join a pay-what-you-want city walking tour (Free Walking Tour Dublin / Sandemans, tip £5–10) which covers the same ground as the coach panoramic tour. Evening in Temple Bar — pricey, so consider a trad session in a pub slightly off the strip.
🚌All on foot
🛏Same hostel, £18–28
- →Book of Kells & Trinity College
- →St Patrick's Cathedral
- →Chester Beatty Library (free)
- →Free walking tour of Dublin (tip-based)
Dublin to Liverpool via Holyhead ferry and Caernarfon
Holyhead / Caernarfon / Liverpool, UK
Book the Irish Ferries or Stena Line foot passenger crossing from Dublin Port to Holyhead (~£35–45, 3h15). From Holyhead take the Arriva Wales train to Bangor (~£8) then a bus to Caernarfon (~£5) to see the castle (£9.50) and the walled seaside town — the same stop the coach makes, done independently. Continue by bus/train to Liverpool (via Bangor or Chester, ~£20, 3–4h). Check into a hostel near Ropewalks or the Albert Dock. Evening stroll on the waterfront.
🚌Ferry Dublin–Holyhead ~£40, train + bus to Caernarfon ~£13, onward to Liverpool ~£20
🛏Hostel or budget hotel near Albert Dock (e.g. YHA Liverpool or Ibis Liverpool Centre), £22–35
- →Caernarfon Castle
- →Liverpool waterfront & Albert Dock
- →Ropewalks evening walk
Liverpool to London via Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford
Stratford-upon-Avon / Oxford / London
Take an early Avanti West Coast or West Midlands train Liverpool–Birmingham (~£12 advance), then a Chiltern/London Midland service to Stratford-upon-Avon (~£8). Wander Shakespeare's birthplace, Anne Hathaway's Cottage exterior and the riverside gardens (self-guided, free unless you go into a house). Continue by train Stratford–Oxford (~£15, via Banbury or Leamington), giving yourself 2 hours to see the Radcliffe Camera, Bodleian exterior and Covered Market before a fast train to London Marylebone (~£10–20 advance). Check into a hostel in King's Cross or Earls Court.
🚌Advance-booked trains Liverpool–Birmingham–Stratford–Oxford–London, total ~£40–50
🛏Hostel dorm, King's Cross / Earls Court / Clink78 style, £25–40
- →Shakespeare's Birthplace exterior & riverside
- →Oxford Radcliffe Camera & Covered Market
London: Westminster, the City and Soho by night
London, UK
Swap the coach panoramic tour for a free/tipped walking tour (e.g. Strawberry Tours Westminster, tip £5–10) covering Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Big Ben and Horse Guards. Afternoon: walk the South Bank or take a Thames Clipper commuter boat from Westminster to Tower Bridge (~£8 — far cheaper than the tourist cruises) for the City and Tower of London views. Evening walk Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Chinatown and Soho, with a cheap Chinatown dinner (£10–15).
🚌Tube/Thames Clipper ~£10
🛏Same London hostel, £25–40
- →Westminster free walking tour (tip)
- →Thames Clipper to Tower Bridge
- →Piccadilly, Leicester Square, Chinatown & Soho evening walk
London free day: museums or Windsor
London, UK
A free day as in the original. National Gallery, British Museum, Tate Modern and the Natural History Museum are all free — pick two. If you want Windsor Castle, take a GWR train from Paddington or Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Central (~£12 return, 30–50 min) and buy a castle ticket directly from the Royal Collection (~£30) rather than a £35 coach add-on. Evening: cheap eats in Borough Market or a £6 pub quiz.
🚌Tube ~£8, optional Windsor train ~£12
🛏Same London hostel, £25–40
- →British Museum (free)
- →Tate Modern (free)
- →Optional Windsor Castle & town
London to Paris via Calais ferry and Amiens
Calais / Amiens / Paris, France
Cheapest and most scenic: National Express or FlixBus London–Dover (~£12), P&O foot passenger ferry Dover–Calais (~£20–30, 1h30) — alternatively a direct Flixbus London–Calais with the coach staying on the ferry (~£25). From Calais take a TER train to Amiens (~£15, 1h30). Spend 3 hours at Amiens Cathedral (free entry), the hortillonnages floating gardens (walk the free towpaths, or a small boat ~£8) and Jules Verne's house if it's open (£7). Evening TER train Amiens–Paris Gare du Nord (~£12, 1h10). Check into a hostel in the 10th/11th or Montmartre.
🚌Bus + ferry London–Calais ~£40, TER Calais–Amiens ~£15, Amiens–Paris ~£12
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Paris 10e/18e (e.g. St Christopher's Gare du Nord, Generator Paris), £28–42
- →Amiens Cathedral
- →Hortillonnages floating gardens walk
- →Jules Verne House (optional)
Paris: Montmartre and central highlights
Paris, France
Join a free/tipped walking tour of central Paris (£5–10 tip) covering Notre-Dame, the Louvre exterior, Pont Neuf and the Seine, then climb to Montmartre — Sacré-Cœur, Place du Tertre and the vineyard — using a metro ticket (£2.15/ride or a Navigo Easy card). Skip the €40 coach night tour: instead take the RER C to Bir-Hakeim or Trocadéro at dusk for the Eiffel Tower sparkle (free, on the hour after dark) and walk the Champs-Élysées yourself. Moulin Rouge at €160 isn't worth it on a budget — a €15 cabaret-bar show in the Marais or a jazz bar in the 5th is a better value night.
🚌Metro/RER carnet ~£6
🛏Same Paris hostel, £28–42
- →Free walking tour of central Paris (tip)
- →Montmartre & Sacré-Cœur
- →Eiffel Tower sparkle at Trocadéro (free)
Paris: Eiffel Tower second floor and Seine cruise
Paris, France
Book Eiffel Tower second-floor stairs/lift tickets directly on toureiffel.paris about 60 days out (~£18–24 depending on lift/stairs). Afterwards take a Seine river cruise — Bateaux-Mouches or Vedettes du Pont-Neuf from about £13 rather than a packaged cruise. Afternoon: explore the Latin Quarter, Rue Mouffetard market street and the Jardin du Luxembourg with a picnic lunch (£8). If Versailles appeals, RER C return is ~£8 and a passport ticket ~£20 — book direct on chateauversailles.fr.
🚌Metro/RER ~£6
🛏Same Paris hostel, £28–42
- →Eiffel Tower 2nd floor (direct booking)
- →Seine river cruise (Bateaux-Mouches)
- →Latin Quarter & Jardin du Luxembourg
- →Optional Versailles
Paris to Lyon via Beaune and Fourvière
Beaune / Lyon, France
Take a TGV Paris Gare de Lyon–Dijon (~£25–40 advance) and a TER onto Beaune (~£8) — or a direct TGV to Beaune via Dijon. Spend the late morning in Beaune's old town: the Hospices de Beaune (£10) and the ramparts. Continue TER Beaune–Lyon Part-Dieu (~£20, 1h45). In Lyon, use the funicular from Vieux Lyon metro (a normal TCL ticket, ~£1.80) up to Notre-Dame de Fourvière for the free basilica and city views, then walk down through the traboules. Dinner in a bouchon is £18–25 — or a cheaper Croix-Rousse market picnic.
🚌TGV + TER Paris–Dijon–Beaune–Lyon ~£55–70
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Presqu'île / Croix-Rousse (e.g. Ho36 Lyon or Alter'Hostel), £25–38
- →Hospices de Beaune
- →Beaune old town & ramparts
- →Fourvière funicular & basilica
- →Vieux Lyon traboules
Lyon to Zurich via Geneva and Neuchâtel
Geneva / Neuchâtel / Zurich, Switzerland
Take the TER Lyon–Genève (~£25, 2h). Walk or tram to the Palace of Nations and the Broken Chair, then the English Garden flower clock and Jet d'Eau on the lakefront (all free). Continue by IC train Geneva–Neuchâtel (~£25 with a Swiss Half Fare Card if you buy one for the Swiss days), stroll the lake and the old town's castle and collegiate church, then IC Neuchâtel–Zurich (~£25–30, 1h40). Check into a hostel or budget hotel near Zurich HB. Switzerland is expensive: cook in the hostel kitchen and use supermarket picnics (Coop/Migros) to keep food under £20/day.
🚌TER Lyon–Geneva ~£25, Swiss IC trains ~£50 (Swiss Half Fare Card ~£100 for a month is worth it if doing Day 13 too)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel near Zurich HB (e.g. Zurich Youth Hostel, City Backpacker), £30–45
- →Palace of Nations & Broken Chair
- →Jet d'Eau & English Garden
- →Neuchâtel lakefront & old town
Zurich city and Lake Zurich to Rapperswil
Zurich / Rapperswil, Switzerland
Do a self-guided old town walk: Bahnhofstrasse, Lindenhof, Grossmünster towers (£5), Niederdorf lanes and the Kunsthaus if it's raining. Then take a ZSG lake steamer from Bürkliplatz to Rapperswil (~£15 with half-fare, 1h40 — or the S7 train in 35 min, ~£8) to see the castle, rose gardens and wooden bridge. Return by S-Bahn (covered by the same ticket). Evening: cheap dinner from a Zurich food truck or Migros takeaway (£10).
🚌Boat + S-Bahn ~£15–20
🛏Same Zurich hostel, £30–45
- →Zurich old town self-guided walk
- →Lake Zurich boat to Rapperswil
- →Rapperswil Castle & wooden bridge
Grindelwald, Lucerne and back to Zurich
Interlaken / Grindelwald / Lucerne / Zurich
Buy a Saver Day Pass (~£45–55) or use the Half Fare Card for a big Swiss rail day. Early IC Zurich–Interlaken Ost (~2h), then the Bernese Oberland train to Grindelwald. Take the Firstbahn gondola (~£30 half-fare) up to Grindelwald First and walk the easy 50-minute Cliff Walk to the suspension bridge with Eiger glacier views — the same experience the tour includes. Cheap mountain lunch from a Coop picnic. Afternoon train to Lucerne (~2h), walk the Chapel Bridge and lakefront, optional Mount Titlis or Rigi if time and budget allow, then return to Zurich for your final night (or onward flight).
🚌Saver Day Pass / Half Fare Card rail day ~£50 plus gondola ~£30
🛏Same Zurich hostel, £30–45
- →Grindelwald First gondola & Cliff Walk suspension bridge
- →Lucerne Chapel Bridge & lakefront
- →Optional Mount Titlis
Self-launched vs. Europamundo
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Europamundo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,580 | £2,250 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £670 per person (30%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Europamundo-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,580
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Exploring Europe Self-Launched: Dublin to Zurich in 13 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,580 per person for 13 days in Ireland, Wales, England, France & Switzerland. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Europamundo?+
Yes — Europamundo charges around £2,250 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,580 — a saving of roughly £670 (30%) per person.
How long is the Ireland, Wales, England, France & Switzerland trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through Ireland, Wales, England, France & Switzerland.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, budget trip through Ireland, Wales, England, France & Switzerland, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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