Logistics

How we're getting from A to B, hire car details, and everything you need to know before you go.

All Transport Legs

Leg	Mode	Depart	Arrive	Notes
Brisbane → Munich	Fly	TBC	16 Sep, 13:15 MUC	Long-haul international. Likely via Asia or Middle East hub.
Munich Airport → City	S-Bahn	~13:15 (on arrival)	City centre ~14:00	S1 or S8, ~40 min, ~€13.60. No hire car yet — car picked up 22 Sep.
Munich → Salzburg (day trip)	Drive	22 Sep, ~8:00am	~9:30am	A8 autobahn. Hire car picked up same morning. Check vignette for Austria. Return ~5pm.
Munich → Prague	Drive	23 Sep, 5:00am	~9:30am	~4.5h via autobahn. Hire car one-way drop in Prague. Confirm AT/CZ cross-border.
Prague → London	Fly	25 Sep, 07:00 PRG	~09:00 LHR or LGW	~2h flight. Check airport (Heathrow vs Gatwick). Book early.
London → Amsterdam	Eurostar	28 Sep, 06:15 St Pancras	~10:15am Amsterdam Centraal	~4h including 1h time zone gain (UK is UTC+1, Netherlands UTC+2). Passport control required. Arrive St Pancras by 05:30.
Amsterdam → Brussels	Thalys	30 Sep, ~8:00am	~10:00am Brussels Midi	~2h. Thalys direct train. Book tickets in advance through SNCB/Eurostar.
Brussels → Villers-Bretonneux (day trip)	Hire car	1 Oct, ~8:00am	~10:00am	Second hire car for 1 day. ~2h each way. Belgium to France — no cross-border issue.
Brussels → Brisbane	Fly	3 Oct, afternoon	TBC (Brisbane)	Long-haul home from BRU. Airport Express train from central Brussels: 17 min, ~€12.70.

Hire Car Details

PickupMunich (city), 22 Sep
Drop-offPrague, 23 Sep
Duration2 days
TypeOne-way
One-way fee~€150
OperatorsSixt, Hertz, Europcar

Action Required

Confirm AT (Austria) and CZ (Czechia) cross-border driving permission with the rental operator before departure. Some rental companies charge extra or restrict certain countries. Salzburg day trip = Austria, Prague drive = Czechia — both need to be allowed.

PickupBrussels, 1 Oct
Drop-offBrussels, 1 Oct (same day)
Duration1 day
PurposeVillers-Bretonneux day trip
BorderBelgium → France (no issue)
OperatorsAny major in Brussels

No Cross-Border Issues

Belgium and France are both Schengen/EU. Standard hire car insurance covers the trip with no special permission needed. Book the day hire in Brussels before the trip.

Book These Before You Leave

Oktoberfest Tent Reservations

Reserved table in a major tent (Hofbräuzelt, Augustiner, etc.) — book through official tent websites months ahead. Without a reservation on weekends you risk not getting a seat. This is the top priority booking for the whole trip.

Priority #1Book months ahead

Sir John Monash Centre (Villers-Bretonneux)

Free timed entry but must be booked in advance at sjmc.gov.au. Entry slots fill up. Non-negotiable — book this before departure.

Priority #1sjmc.gov.auFree

Anne Frank House (Amsterdam)

Timed entry, books out weeks in advance. annefrank.org — do this the moment you have confirmed dates. ~€16 per person.

annefrank.org~€16

Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam)

Timed entry, also books out. vangoghmuseum.nl — book alongside the Anne Frank House. ~€22 per person.

vangoghmuseum.nl~€22

Eurostar — London to Amsterdam

Book the 06:15 departure from St Pancras to Amsterdam on 28 Sep. Prices increase closer to travel. Eurostar.com. Book 4 tickets in advance.

eurostar.com28 Sep, 06:15

Thalys — Amsterdam to Brussels

Book the ~8am Thalys (now Eurostar) from Amsterdam Centraal to Brussels Midi on 30 Sep. Book through SNCB or eurostar.com.

eurostar.com or sncb.be30 Sep, ~8am

Prague to London Flight

07:00 flight from PRG on 25 Sep. Book the 4 seats together — check Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet, or Czech Airlines for routes. Remember it's a 07:00 departure — you need to be at the airport by ~05:00.

Book well in advance25 Sep, 07:00 PRG

Hire Cars (both)

Car #1: Munich city pickup 22 Sep, Prague drop 23 Sep (2 days). Used for Salzburg day trip on 22 Sep then 5am Prague drive on 23 Sep. Confirm AT/CZ cross-border permission. Car #2: Brussels, 1 day, 1 Oct. Book Sixt, Hertz, or Europcar directly.

Car #1: AT/CZ permission neededCar #2: 1 day Brussels

Useful Apps & Tips

Navigation

Google Maps — works everywhere, download offline maps for each country.

Waze — better for driving, real-time traffic and speed cameras.

Citymapper — excellent for city public transport (London, Amsterdam, Brussels).

Transport Booking

Eurostar.com — London to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Brussels.

Google Flights — compare Prague to London options.

DB Navigator — German rail app, also useful for Munich S-Bahn.

Money

Use a Wise or Revolut card for best exchange rates. Avoid airport currency exchange (terrible rates). Contactless cards work everywhere in Western Europe. Czech Republic uses CZK — get some cash there.

Communication

Check with your carrier for international roaming plans — most Australian carriers offer daily or weekly EU/UK packs. Alternatively, pick up a European SIM at Munich Airport on arrival. WhatsApp/iMessage for group comms.

Power & Adapters

Europe uses Type C/F plugs (2-pin round) at 230V/50Hz. UK uses Type G (3-pin square). Bring a multi-country travel adapter — you'll need both EU and UK types on this trip.

Driving in Europe

Drive on the right side of the road in all countries on this trip (yes, including Czech Republic). Speed limits: Germany autobahn has no general limit (advisory 130 km/h); Czech, Austrian, Belgian, French motorways typically 130 km/h. Carry your licence and keep the hire car docs handy.