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It's easy to travel from London to Vienna by train, and there are several good options each of these which is explained below.

• Option 1, take a lunchtime Eurostar from London to Brussels and a connecting high-speed Thalys train to Cologne in just a few hours, then sleep your way from Cologne to Vienna aboard the excellent 'City Night Line' hotel train.  City Night Line trains have sleepers (including some with private shower and toilet), couchettes, reclining seats and a bar-restaurant.  The Rhine Valley looks wonderful in the moonlight..!  This is probably the cheapest option and the easiest to book.

• Option 2, take an early-evening Eurostar to Paris, the excellent City Night Line sleeper train from Paris to Munich, then a daytime train on to Vienna next morning.

• Option 3, take a lunchtime Eurostar to Paris, an evening  200mph TGV to Strasbourg, then the Orient Express (the real one, not the expensive restored one!) overnight to Vienna. 

...via Brussels & Cologne

Train times London ► Vienna:

• Travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 13:00 (12:57 on Fridays & Sundays), arriving in Brussels Midi at 16:03.

• Travel from Brussels to Cologne by high-speed Thalys train, leaving Brussels Midi at 17:25 and arriving in Cologne Hauptbahnhof at 19:45.

• Alternatively, if you'd prefer a safer connection in Cologne (and perhaps time to climb Cologne cathedral towers and have a meal), you can leave London earlier, at 10:00, changing in Brussels to arrive Cologne at 15:45.

• Travel from Cologne to Vienna on the excellent City Night Line hotel train 'Donau Kurier', leaving Cologne Hauptbahnhof at 20:06 and arriving in Linz at 06:44, St Pölten 07:47, and Vienna (Westbahnhof) at 08:35.  The 'Donau Kurier' has sleeping-cars, couchettes, reclining seats & a bar-restaurant car, see the photos & information below.  The train travels along the famous Rhine Valley between Koblenz and Frankfurt, so if you are in a sleeper and your compartment happens to be on the left-hand side of the train, switch off the lights and watch the Rhine pass by, mountains and castles lit by moonlight, while sipping a glass of Riesling.  Wonderful..!

Train times Vienna ▶ London     Fares     How to buy tickets     Map of Vienna showing the Westbahnhof

Introducing the City Night Line hotel train from Cologne to Vienna...

The City Night Line 'Donau Kurier' is a travelling hotel, with bar-restaurant-reception car, distinctive double-decker sleeping-cars with 1 & 2-bed deluxe sleepers with private shower & toilet, 1, 2 & 4 bed standard sleepers with washbasin, single-deck couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and reclining seats.  A wonderful way to travel..!  The sleeper berths come fully made up with sheets and duvets.  All sleeper passengers get mineral water in the evening and a light breakfast served in their compartment next morning, deluxe sleeper passengers also get a complimentary glass of wine in the evening.  Towels and toiletries are provided, including shampoo and shower gel in the deluxe sleeper.  Couchette passengers get mineral water, each couchette is provided with clean sheets, blanket and pillow.  The bar-restaurant is open to all passengers, and it's normally open to about 2am.  If you like, you can book a table for dinner in the restaurant car before you travel, by emailing service@citynightline.ch or using the online form at www.bahn.de/citynightline.

				3-D panorama, City Night Line 2-berth deluxe sleeper 3-D panorama, double-deck sleeper corridor City Night Line sleeper, couchette & seat numbering plans City Night Line website: www.bahn.de/citynightline.
One of the impressive double-deck sleeping-cars in the new City Night Line red & white livery...		A table for dinner in the train's bar-restaurant.  There's also a bar serving drinks & snacks.

Deluxe sleeper: Compact rooms, all on top deck, 1 or 2 berths, table & chairs, shower & toilet.  3-D panorama.		Standard sleeper:  Very compact 1 or 2 berth rooms with washbasin.  Most on lower deck.		4-berth couchettes:  Ideal for families.  Much more space per person than 6-berth, so worth the extra few euros.		6-berth couchettes:  Shown here with middle bunks lowered to form sofa.  Very economical, far better than a seat.		Reclining seats:  The cheapest way to travel, but a couchette is a far better option.

Train times Vienna ► London:

• Travel from Vienna to Cologne overnight on the City Night Line hotel train 'Donau Kurier', leaving Vienna (Westbahnhof) at 20:35, St Pölten 21:20 or Linz at 22:20 and arriving at Cologne at 08:42 next morning.  The Donau Kurier has sleeping-cars (1 or 2-bed deluxe with private shower & toilet, 1, 2 or 4-bed sleepers with washbasin), couchettes (4-bunk or 6-bunk), reclining seats and a bar-restaurant car, see the photos above.

• Travel from Cologne to Brussels by high speed Thalys train, leaving Cologne at 10:14 and arriving Brussels Midi 12:35.

• Travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar, leaving Brussels Midi at 14:59 arriving London St Pancras at 15:56.

Fares:

This can be a cheaper route than travelling via Paris.  Book in advance to get the special 'sparnight' fares at the City Night Line website, www.bahn.de/citynightline.  Note that couchettes are sold individually in shared 4 or 6 berth compartments, but as from 9 December 2007, only whole sleeper compartments on this route can be booked, it will no longer be possible for solo passengers to book one sleeper berth in a 2 or 3 bed compartment and share with other passengers.

1. London to Cologne  by Eurostar + Thalys:	London to Cologne by Eurostar+Thalys or Eurostar+ICE starts at £79 return.  Book in advance to get the cheapest fares, as the fare rises as cheaper seats are sold.  One-way fares are often more than a return, so if necessary buy a return and throw away the return half.
2. Cologne to Vienna  by City Night Line:	In a seat	In a couchette		In the sleeping-car
	(reclining)	6-berth	4-berth	4-berth	2-berth	single	deluxe 2-berth	deluxe single
Savings fare one-way *	£21	£36	£44	£51	£58	£103	£73	£140
Savings fare return *	£42	£72	£88	£102	£116	£206	£146	£280
Normal fare one-way:	£88	£99	£106	£114	£129	£159	£172	£201
Normal fare return:	£176	£198	£212	£228	£258	£318	£344	£402
Child 0-13 with own berth:	£44	£49	£53	£58	£60	£78	£65	£100
Child 0-5 without own berth:	Child 0-5 (inclusive) sharing berth travels free...

Savings fare = Special cheap fare, book in advance, limited availability, no refunds, no changes to travel plans. 

Normal fare = fully flexible, refundable, buy any time.

You can check City Night Line fares online (and you find special internet deals) at www.bahn.de/citynightline.  You can check London-Cologne fares at www.raileurope.co.uk.

How to buy tickets online:

The best and cheapest way to book this trip is online.  It involves two websites, so do a dry run on both sites to check prices and availability before booking for real.

• First, go to www.raileurope.co.uk and using the train times on this page as a guide, buy a combined Eurostar+Thalys ticket from London to Cologne.  On the Rail Europe home page, simply enter 'London' and 'Cologne' and your dates of travel.  The further ahead you book, the more likely you are to see the cheapest fares.  Tickets can be posted to any UK address.  Obviously, remember that your return date of travel from Cologne to London will be the day after your departure date from Vienna.  One-way fares are usually more expensive than a cheap return fare, so for one-way trips buy a return ticket and throw away the return half.  Bookings for Eurostar+Thalys open 90 days (3 months) before departure.  Note:  You can also book London-Cologne tickets at www.eurostar.com, but the fares returned by this system can be more expensive than those found by www.raileurope.co.uk.

• Then, go to www.bahn.de/citynightline, select English top right, and buy a ticket from Cologne (Köln in German) to Vienna aboard the "Donau Kurier" City Night Line sleeper train, looking for the cheap 'Savings' fares ('Sparnight' in German).  Your simply book online and print out your own ticket in .PDF format using your PC printer.  Easy!  Make sure you select the type of couchette or sleeper that you want.  Bookings for City Night Line open 180 days (6 months) before departure.

How to buy tickets by phone:

If you prefer to buy tickets by phone, call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, no booking fee), or call www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, £20 booking fee but may have more time to help).  Click here for more information on how to buy European train tickets.

...via Paris & the Orient Express

Train times London ► Vienna:

• Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 14:04, arriving at Paris Gare du Nord at 17:26.  Walk from the Gare du Nord to the nearby Gare de l'Est.

• Travel from Paris to Strasbourg by high-speed TGV, leaving Paris (Gare de l'Est) at 19:24 and arriving Strasbourg 21:43.  The TGV has 1st and 2nd class seats and a buffet-bar.

• Travel from Strasbourg to Vienna on the Orient Express (the real one, not the expensive tourist one, see the Orient Express page), leaving Strasbourg at 22:20 and arriving next morning in Linz 06:46, St Pölten 07:47 and Vienna at 08:35.  The Orient Express has reclining seats (not recommended), comfortable modern Austrian couchettes (6-berth), and two sleeping-cars, one with very narrow 1 and 2-bed compartments (described in reservation systems as 1st class 'special' and 2nd class 'T2'), and another with larger 1, 2 and 3-bed compartments (1st class 'single', 1st class 'double' and 2nd class 'T3').  There's no restaurant car, so take your own food and maybe a bottle of wine, although the sleeper and couchette attendants can sell you snacks, tea and coffee.  For sleeper passengers, a light breakfast is included in the fare.  The Orient Express used to start in Paris, but has been cut back to run Strasbourg-Vienna with the opening of the new TGV-Est High Speed Line in June 2007.

From Strasbourg to Vienna on the Orient Express...

You can choose between a bed in the sleeping-car, a couchette, or a reclining seat...

Above:  The standard sleeping-car.  Each sleeper compartment can be used as a 1 or 2-person room.  The centre picture shows a compartment with beds folded away to become a private sitting room.  The right-hand photo shows a compartment set up as a cosy 2-person bedroom.  More information about sleepers.

Left:  Couchettes.  These modern air-conditioned Austrian Railways couchette cars have padded bunks supplied with rug, sheet and pillow, in 4- or 6-bunk compartments.  The photo shows a 4-bunk compartment.  More information about couchettes. Reclining seats (not recommended)

Train times Vienna ► London:

• Travel overnight from Vienna to Strasbourg on the Orient Express, leaving Vienna (Westbahnhof) daily at 20:35, St Pölten 21:20, or Linz 22:20, and arriving Strasbourg at 06:43 next morning.  There are reclining seats (not recommended), couchettes (6-bunk compartments) and two sleeping-cars, one with very narrow 1 and 2 bed rooms (referred to as Special & T2) the other with larger 1, 2 and 3 bed rooms (referred to as Single, Double & T3).  For sleeper passengers, a light breakfast is included in the fare

• Travel from Strasbourg to Paris by high-speed TGV, leaving Strasbourg at 07:15 and arriving Paris (Gare de l'Est) at 09:34.  The TGV has 1st & 2nd class seats and a buffet-bar.  Walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.

• Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Nord at 12:13 and arriving London St Pancras at 13:28.  On Saturdays & Sundays, there's also an 11:13 Eurostar, arriving London St Pancras at 12:38.

Fares:

1. London to Paris  by Eurostar:	Return fares start at £59 2nd class,  £149 1st class.  One-way fares start at £44 2nd class.  Advice on one-way Eurostar fares.  Child, youth & senior fares
2. Paris to Strasbourg  by TGV:	Full fare £47 one-way, £94 return.  'Prems' fares from £19 one-way, £38 return (book at least 14 days ahead, limited availability, no refunds, no changes to travel plans).
3. Strasbourg to Vienna  by Orient Express:	In a seat	In a couchette	In the standard sleeping-car...			In the T2S sleeper (smaller)...
		6-berth	3-berth (T3)	2-berth (Double)	2-berth (Single)	2-berth (T2)	1-berth (Special)
Normal fare one-way	£97	£111	£132	£210	£254	£141	£226
Normal fare return	£194	£222	£264	£420	£508	£282	£452

There are slightly cheaper fares on this route if you are under 26 or over 60, but no real special deals, only full fares.

How to buy tickets online:

UK residents can book the Eurostar, the TGV and the Orient Express online at www.raileurope.co.uk:

• Go to www.raileurope.co.uk. 

• This is in English, tickets are sent to any UK address, and it's backed by a UK call centre.  Only UK credit cards are accepted.

• Bookings for this route open 60 days in advance, you can't book before reservations open.

• You must book in two stages.  First, book from Paris to Vienna and back.  Select "Vienna (AT)' if prompted. 

• When the results appear, look for the evening departure from Paris with one change at Strasbourg.  Click 'Show details' and it will show the range of seats and sleepers available.

• When you have booked from Paris to Vienna and back, click 'Continue shopping' and book a Eurostar from London to Paris and back.  Use the Eurostar times on this page as a guide, but feel free to choose an earlier Eurostar from London, or a later Eurostar returning from Paris, if these have cheaper seats available than the recommended Eurostar connection or if you want to stop off in Paris.  Just make sure you allow at least 1 hour, preferably a bit more between trains in Paris to allow for any delay, to walk between stations (15 mins) and for the 30 minute Eurostar check-in in the return direction.  Obviously, as you are travelling overnight, your date of return travel from Paris to London will be the day after your departure date from Vienna.  For a one-way trip, remember that on Eurostar it is cheaper to buy a return ticket and throw away the return half.  Advice on one-way Eurostar fares.

Alternatively, residents of any country can book the Eurostar, the TGV and the Orient Express online at the French Railways website, www.voyages-sncf.com.

• Tickets can be sent to any address in Europe including the UK.  Voyages-sncf.com shows the same fares as Rail Europe but paying in euros can be slightly cheaper.  However, it's more difficult to use and more quirky than the new Rail Europe UK booking system, so see the how to use voyages-sncf.com page for step by step instructions.

• Bookings for this route open 60 days in advance, you can't book before reservations open.

• You must book in two stages, first book from Paris to Vienna and back.  Select "Vienna (AT)' if prompted.  Then book from London to Paris and back.

How to buy tickets by phone:

You can buy tickets from a number of UK agencies, including Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 08:00-21:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, 10:00-17:00 Sundays, £6 booking fee) or Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, no booking fee),  or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 772050 .  Click here for a list of agencies and other useful information on how to book.

...via Paris & Munich

Train times London ► Vienna:

• Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London at 18:00 (17:31 on Saturdays) arriving Paris 21:20 (20:53 on Saturdays).  The Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord, from where it is a 10 minute walk to the Gare de l'Est.

• Travel from Paris to Munich overnight by the City Night Line sleeper train 'Cassiopeia', leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 22:45 and arriving in Munich at 08:58 next morning.  This excellent train has sleeping-cars, couchettes & seats, see the photos & information below.  Important:  On certain dates the Cassiopeia leaves Paris earlier, between 21:15 & 21:45, so double-check times for your date of travel using www.bahn.de/citynightline.  On these dates, you'll need to catch an earlier Eurostar from London, at 16:25 arriving Paris 19:47.  Click for more pictures and information about this train.

• Travel from Munich to Vienna by air-conditioned EuroCity train 'Bartok Bela', with restaurant car, leaving at 09:27 and arriving in Vienna at 13:38.  The sleeper from Paris normally arrives at Munich Hauptbahnhof at platform 11, the EuroCity to Budapest leaves from nearby platform 14, so it's an easy connection.

Introducing the City Night Line sleeper train from Paris to Munich...

The Paris-Munich overnight train is one of the German Railway's excellent 'City Night Line' sleeper trains.  Called the 'Cassiopeia', it has brand-new 'Comfortline' sleeping-cars (1, 2 & 3-berth deluxe rooms with private shower and toilet, 1, 2 & 3-berth standard rooms with washbasin, there's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in standard rooms), modernised air-conditioned couchettes (choose between a berth in a 4- or 6-berth compartment) and ordinary seats (not recommended).   Inclusive fares are charged covering travel plus sleeping accommodation.  The sleeper fare includes a light breakfast.  Click for more pictures and information about this train.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper: The most comfortable & civilised option, standard with washbasin or deluxe with shower & toilet.		4-berth couchettes:  Ideal for families, much more space per person than 6-berth couchettes.		6-berth couchettes:  A very economical option, far better than a seat for just a few euros more...		Above:  One of the new 'Comfortline' sleeping-cars on the Paris-Munich City Night Line sleeper train 'Cassiopeia'.  More pictures...

Train times Vienna ► London:

• Travel from Vienna to Munich by air-conditioned EuroCity train, leaving Vienna at 16:22 and arriving in Munich at 20:34.  The train has a restaurant car & bar.  Earlier connections are available if you would prefer a more leisurely connection, see http://bahn.hafas.de.  However, this train normally arrives at Munich Hauptbahnhof platform 14 and the sleeper to Paris leaves from platform 13, so it's an easy connection.

• Travel from Munich to Paris by the City Night Line sleeper train 'Cassiopeia', leaving Munich at 20:53 and arriving at Paris Gare de l'Est between 06:46 & 09:38 next morning.  Arrival times vary on different dates, so check times for your date of travel using www.bahn.de/citynightline.  Couchettes (6-bunk and 4-bunk) and sleeping-cars (1, 2 or 3-bed rooms, deluxe with shower or standard with washbasin) are available.  Click for more pictures and information about this train.  Walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.

• On dates when the Cassiopeia arrives in Paris at 06:46, a Eurostar leaves Paris Nord at 08:07 and arrives London St Pancras at 09:34.  When it arrives at 08:15, a Eurostar leaves Paris Nord at 10:13 arriving London at 11:28.  On dates when it arrives at 09:38, a Eurostar leaves Paris Nord at 11:13 on Sats & Suns (arriving London 1228) or 12:13 on Mon-Fri (arriving London 13:28).

Fares:

1. London to Paris  by Eurostar:	Return fares start at £59 2nd class,  £149 1st class.  One-way fares start at £44 2nd class.  Advice on one-way Eurostar fares.  Child, youth & senior fares
2. Paris to Munich by  sleeper train (per person)	In a seat	In a couchette		In the sleeping-car (standard room)
		6-bunk	4-bunk	3-bed	2-bed	1-bed
Savings fare, one-way *	29 euro (£21)	39 euro (£29)	49 euro (£36)	-	-	-
Savings fare, return *	58 euro (£42)	78 euro (£58)	98 euro (£72)	-	-	-
Normal fare, one-way:	110 euro (£81)	122 euro (£90)	127 euro (£94)	139 euro (£103)	156 euro (£116)	258 euro (£191)
Normal fare, return:	220 euro (£162)	244 euro (£180)	254 euro (£188)	278 euro (£206)