Europe Trip — September

Bookmarks

Block 1 — London & Paris Block 2 — Hungary Block 3 — Milan Block 4 — London Return Block 5 — Singapore Week by Week Getting Around Practical Notes Budget Summary

4 nights

Auckland → Singapore → London

17 Sep · AKL → SIN — departs Auckland ~10:00, arrives Singapore ~17:00 (~10h 50m)

17 Sep · SIN → LGW — departs Singapore ~23:00, arrives London Gatwick ~06:00+1 (~14h 30m)

Same-day connection in Singapore — a few hours to eat and freshen up before the overnight leg to London. Confirm exact times on singaporeair.com when booking.

17–18 Sep · travel

✈ Singapore Airlines · AKL → SIN → LGW · ~25h total travel

London

First port of call after a long-haul. Recover from jet lag here — London is familiar, English-speaking, and endlessly absorbing. Do the neighbourhood walks, galleries, and dinners you can't rush. Early Eurostar to Paris on the morning of 20 Sep.

18–20 Sep · 2 nights

🚂 Eurostar · London St Pancras → Paris Gare du Nord · departs 08:01 · arrives 11:30

Paris

In Paris by 11:30 — a full afternoon, evening, and a full second day to explore. September in Paris is hard to beat. Two nights gives you proper time for the arrondissements, markets, and evenings without rushing. Early start on Day 3: Air France CDG → Budapest, departs 09:30, arrives 11:50.

20–22 Sep · 2 nights

Block 1 key connections

Singapore → London Gatwick

✈ Singapore Airlines direct

~13h

London St Pancras → Paris Gare du Nord

🚂 Eurostar · departs 08:01 · arrives 11:30

~2h 30m

💡 Book Eurostar in advance — significantly cheaper and sells out early.

🔖 Book Block 1

Singapore Airlines Eurostar

Block 2 — Hungary

7 nights

Budapest — Arrival & First Days

Air France CDG → Budapest BUD, departs 09:30, arrives 11:50. Head straight to the countryside for family visits — no night in the city on arrival.

22 Sep · transit

🚗 Family loop — individual visits to cities outside Budapest (by car or regional rail)

Family visits — Regional Hungary

Split up here as needed to visit family in different cities. Family handles local logistics.

22–26 Sep · 4 nights

🏠 Regroup back in Budapest for final days

Budapest — Final Days

Return to Budapest for 3 nights of friend catch-ups, ruin bars, the thermal baths, and great dinners. This is intentionally social time — no tourist agenda required. September evenings on the Danube are beautiful.

26–29 Sep · 3 nights

Block 2 key connections

Paris CDG → Budapest BUD

✈ Air France · departs 09:30 · arrives 11:50

~2h 20m

Budapest → regional cities

🚂 MÁV regional rail or 🚗 rental car

1–3h each

🔖 Book Block 2

WizzAir MÁV Hungarian Rail

Block 3 — Milan & Northern Italy

6 nights

Milan as hub — day trips by Frecciarossa

Fly direct Budapest → Milan Malpensa, check in once, and don't move for 6 nights. The Frecciarossa network fans out from Milano Centrale: Bologna in 1h, Verona in 1h 10m, Genoa in 1h 30m, Florence in 1h 45m. No constant check-ins, no luggage dragging — the old way of travelling. Then a final 2 nights back in London before flying home on Singapore Airlines.

Milan — Base City

Fly direct from Budapest to Milan Malpensa. Check in once and stay. Milan itself rewards slower exploration — the Brera neighbourhood, Navigli canals, the Duomo and its rooftop, the covered Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. September evenings here are warm and unhurried.

29 Sep–5 Oct · 6 nights

🚂 Day trip option — Frecciarossa · Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale · 1h

Bologna — Day Trip

The food capital of Italy — tortellini in brodo, mortadella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Lambrusco. Compact, walkable, medieval arcades everywhere. 1h each way on the Frecciarossa. A full day of eating, wandering the porticoes, and back to Milan for dinner.

Day trip from Milan · ~1h each way

🚂 Day trip option — Frecciarossa · Milano Centrale → Verona Porta Nuova · 1h 10m

Verona — Day Trip

Compact, beautiful, and very walkable — the Roman Arena, the old centre, and some of the best aperitivo culture in northern Italy. September is ideal. An easy day out and back.

Day trip from Milan · ~1h 10m each way

🚂 Day trip option — Intercity · Milano Centrale → Genova Piazza Principe · 1h 30m

Genoa — Day Trip

One of Italy's most underrated cities — a labyrinth of medieval caruggi (alleyways), dramatic clifftop views, and a serious food culture (pesto was born here). September is ideal: warm, post-summer, and far fewer tourists than the Cinque Terre nearby. Easy day from Milan and back by evening.

Day trip from Milan · ~1h 30m each way

Block 3 key connections

Budapest BUD → Milan Malpensa MXP

✈ WizzAir or EasyJet direct

~2h

Malpensa Airport → Milano Centrale

🚂 Malpensa Express · every 30 min

51 min

Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale

🚂 Frecciarossa

Milano Centrale → Verona Porta Nuova

🚂 Frecciarossa

1h 10m

Milano Centrale → Genova Piazza Principe

🚂 Intercity

1h 30m

Milan Malpensa → London Gatwick

✈ EasyJet / British Airways direct

~2h 15m

💡 Day trips: buy Frecciarossa tickets on Trenitalia — no need to book far ahead, but earlier is cheaper. The Malpensa Express runs every 30 min, no booking needed.

🔖 Book Block 3

WizzAir (BUD→MXP) Trenitalia (day trips) Malpensa Express

Block 4 — London

2 nights

London — Return Stop

Fly Milan Malpensa → London Gatwick. 2 nights to decompress after 3 weeks before the long-haul home.

5–7 Oct · 2 nights

✈ Singapore Airlines · London Gatwick → Singapore Changi · ~13h

Block 4 key connections

Milan Malpensa → London Gatwick

✈ EasyJet / British Airways direct

~2h 15m

London Gatwick → Singapore Changi

✈ Singapore Airlines direct

~13h

🔖 Book Block 4

EasyJet (MXP→LGW) Singapore Airlines

Block 5 — Singapore

1 night

Singapore

One night to break the journey home. Drop bags at Changi (24hr storage in every terminal), grab an EZ-Link card, and the city is 30–45 min by MRT. Evening circuit: Marina Bay waterfront → Gardens by the Bay light show (nightly 7:45pm & 8:45pm) → hawker centre dinner. Morning: Tiong Bahru or Katong before heading back. Stopover guide →

7–8 Oct · 1 night

✈ Singapore Airlines · Singapore Changi → Auckland · ~10h

Block 5 key connections

Singapore Changi → Auckland

✈ Singapore Airlines direct

~10h

💡 Arrive Auckland 9 Oct — eastbound date gain + NZ daylight saving changeover adds a calendar day. Budget accordingly.

🔖 Book Block 5

Singapore Airlines (SIN→AKL)

Rough Week-by-Week

Day 1–2 · 17–18 Sep

AKL → SIN → London Gatwick

Depart Auckland 17 Sep, arrive London 18 Sep

Days 2–4 · 18–20 Sep · 2 nights

London

Jet lag recovery, city exploration. Early Eurostar morning of 20 Sep.

Days 4–6 · 20–22 Sep · 2 nights

Paris

Eurostar departs 08:01, arrives 11:30. Full afternoon + full day. Air France CDG→BUD morning of 22 Sep.

Day 6 · 22 Sep

Paris → Budapest (transit)

Air France CDG → BUD departs 09:30, arrives 11:50. Head straight to countryside.

Days 6–10 · 22–26 Sep · 4 nights

Regional Hungary

Family visits, covered by family

Days 10–13 · 26–29 Sep · 3 nights

Budapest

Friend catch-ups, thermal baths, ruin bars

Day 13 · 29 Sep

Budapest → Milan Malpensa

WizzAir or EasyJet direct BUD → MXP (~2h). Malpensa Express to city centre (51 min).

Days 13–19 · 29 Sep–5 Oct · 6 nights

Milan — Base City

Day trips by Frecciarossa: Bologna (1h), Verona (1h 10m), Genoa (1h 30m)

Days 19–21 · 5–7 Oct · 2 nights

London — Return Stop

Fly MXP → LGW. Final nights before long-haul home on Singapore Airlines.

Day 21 · 7 Oct

London → Singapore

Singapore Airlines LGW → SIN (~13h)

Days 21–22 · 7–8 Oct · 1 night

Singapore

Stopover to break the journey. Dinner, real bed, then SIN → AKL.

Days 22–23 · 8–9 Oct

Singapore → Auckland

Depart 8 Oct, arrive Auckland 9 Oct (Friday). Weekend to recover.

Getting Around Each City

Paywave guide

Paywave / contactless status by city

🇬🇧 London

✅ Full paywave — tube, bus, tram, DLR, Overground. Daily & weekly caps apply automatically. Use the same card every journey.

Just tap

🇫🇷 Paris

⚠️ No direct paywave at Metro/RER turnstiles yet. Buy a Navigo Easy card (€2) at any station and top it up with single tickets (€2.55 each). Buses now accept bank cards directly but Metro does not.

Navigo card

🇭🇺 Budapest

⚠️ Paywave (Pay&GO) works on M1 metro and 100E airport bus, expanding to all metro lines mid-April 2026 — should be broader by September. Download BudapestGO app as backup for buying tickets digitally.

Partial

🇮🇹 Milan

✅ Full paywave on ATM metro, trams and buses. Tap in at barriers with Visa/Mastercard or phone.

Just tap

🇸🇬 Singapore

✅ Full paywave on MRT and all buses via SimplyGo. Visa/Mastercard or Apple/Google Pay. Note: foreign cards attract a small 60-cent SGD admin fee per day — negligible for one night.

Just tap

💡 Always use the same card for every tap in a city — mixing cards (or switching between physical card and phone) can result in missed caps or double charges. Foreign transaction fees from your NZ bank may apply — check before you go or use a fee-free travel card like Wise or Revolut.

Practical Notes

✈️

Flights to book first

AKL→SIN→LGW and LGW→SIN→AKL on Singapore Airlines (same-city return). Then Paris→Budapest (Air France), Budapest→Milan (WizzAir/EasyJet), and Milan→London for the return leg.

🚂

Train booking priority

Book the Eurostar (London → Paris) early — it's cheaper and sells out. 
      Frecciarossa day trips from Milan (Bologna, Verona, Genoa) 
      can be booked on Trenitalia; earlier is cheaper but not critical weeks out.

🗓️

September sweet spot

Perfect timing across all three blocks. UK: warm and dry. Paris: post-summer 
      buzz. Hungary: harvest festivals. Tuscany: vendemmia (grape harvest) — the absolute best time 
      to be in the region.

📱

Connectivity

Physical SIM for UK + Europe — order before leaving Auckland: SimCorner Europe + UK SIM

🍷

Milan hub advantage

Six nights in one city means one check-in, no moving luggage, and you go to sleep knowing exactly where you are. The Frecciarossa network from Milano Centrale is extraordinary — Bologna, Verona, Genoa and Florence all within day-trip range.

Budget Summary

2 people · NZD

Accommodation

London

2 nights arrival + 2 nights return

$2,200

Paris

2 nights

$800

Budapest

3 nights (family covers rest)

$600

Milan

6 nights (hub — day trips out)

$1,800

Singapore

1 night

$300

Transport

Flights AKL ↔ Europe (x2)

Singapore Airlines same-city return

$8,000

European flights

CDG→BUD + BUD→MXP + MXP→LGW

$900

Train tickets

Eurostar + Frecciarossa day trips (x3–4)

$800

Food & Entertainment

~200 EUR/day · 17 self-funded days

excl. 4 days covered by family in Hungary

$6,500

Total Estimate

Two people · three weeks · September

excl. souvenirs & surprises

~$22,000

    Approximate total flying: AKL↔SIN (~10h each way) + SIN↔LGW (~13h) + CDG→BUD (~2.5h) + BUD→MXP (~2h) + MXP→LGW (~2h 15m) + LGW→SIN (~13h)

    Total internal flights: three (Paris → Budapest, Budapest → Milan, Milan → London). Everything else moves by train. 🌿

    Return: LGW → Singapore (1 night stopover) → AKL. Budget 3 calendar days — date line + NZ daylight saving changeover.

    ⚠️ Return journey: depart London 7 Oct, arrive Auckland 9 Oct — eastbound date gain + NZ daylight saving changeover (last Sunday of September) adds a full extra calendar day. Plan accordingly.

    Distances, train times and airline routes verified as of early 2026. Confirm schedules when booking.