Travel Budget Calculator
Springfield β London β Prague β Essen
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Model flights, rail, lodging, and food in one place.
Adjust route costs, trip length, hotel rates, and meal budgets. The calculator updates the total trip budget, a per-day average, and a transit comparison table instantly.
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DB rail
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Checklist
Segment Mode Typical time Typical cost Notes
Springfield β London Flight 11β15h with connection $700β$1,200 Usually routes via a major US hub before London.
London β Prague Train 14β17h $165β$255+ Typically Eurostar to Brussels, then onward rail or sleeper to Prague.
London β Prague Flight 2β3h airborne, longer door-to-door $80β$220+ Faster, but less aligned with a train-first itinerary.
Prague β Essen Train 8β9h $40β$140+ Commonly DB / ICE / EC with one or more changes.
Prague β Essen Flight 4β6h total with airport overhead $120β$280+ May involve DΓΌsseldorf or another nearby airport for the Ruhr area.
Essen β Springfield Flight 12β17h with train or airport transfer $750β$1,300 Essen usually departs via DΓΌsseldorf or Frankfurt rather than a local long-haul airport.
Passport validity Carry a valid US passport. For Schengen travel, it should be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen Area.
UK ETA For 2026 travel, US citizens need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation before travel to or transit through the UK when border control applies.
Schengen 90/180 rule Czech Republic and Germany count toward the shared Schengen allowance of up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period for short visits.
Separate UK and Schengen entry checks The UK is outside Schengen, so London entry is separate from your Schengen entry when you continue to Prague.
Rail booking details Book Eurostar, any sleeper reservation, and DB long-distance tickets early, and keep station transfer details handy for Brussels or Germany connections.
Transit and hotel buffer Set aside extra budget for airport rail transfers, baggage fees, seat reservations, city transit, and travel insurance.