How to travel by train fromLondon to Europe . . . |
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Lunch in London... Breakfast in BerlinThere's no need to fly from the UK to anywhere in Europe. It's surprisingly easy, quick and comfortable to travel overland by train from London to just about anywhere: Spain, Italy, Greece, Prague, Helsinki, Moscow... The difficult bit is finding out how to do it and where to buy tickets. That's where 'Seat 61' comes in! This website will tell you the best routes, train times & approximate fares from London to major destinations all over Europe. It will tell you what the trains are like, and the best way to buy your ticket. Left: Your carriage awaits. Eurostar links the UK not just with Paris, but with destinations all over Europe. |
Train times & fares from the UK to almost any country in Europe...Let's start with recommended routes, train times & fares from the UK to your European destination. Select your destination country in the drop-down box on the right, or pick a country from the menu on the left. Return to this page for general information about luggage, taking your bike, crossing Paris by metro, and so on. To plan a European train journey which doesn't start in the UK, see how to check train times & how to buy tickets. General information about train travel in Europe...
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You can find schedules for virtually any European train journey at www.bahn.de...
If you only remember one European train travel resource (apart from seat 61, of course), make it www.bahn.de. This features an excellent online timetable for the whole of Europe provided by the German Railways, probably the most useful resource for European train travel on the net. Try asking it for Palermo to Helsinki or Lisbon to Moscow and you'll see what I mean. These tips may help:
The Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable Buy the latest edition online What does it contain?Published since 1873, the world-famous Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable is the train traveller's bible, and a sound investment for all regular European train travellers. It has route maps and up-to-date timetables for trains, buses and ferries in all European countries, ferries to North Africa, Israel & the Mediterranean islands. If you're going to travel a lot, for example with an InterRail or Eurail pass, you should definitely buy one to plan your journey. It will save you a lot of time at stations queuing up to ask questions and puts you in control of your own journeys. Although it's published monthly, most travellers only need to buy two a year, in June and December, as European timetables only change in those months. In fact, even using a Thomas Cook Timetable that's way-out-of-date is better than travelling blind! It costs £13.99 from the bureau de change in any UK branch of Thomas Cook, or you can buy online at www.thomascooktimetables.com (with worldwide delivery). Alternatively, you can buy the Independent Travellers special edition at Amazon.co.uk, Winter/Spring 2010/11 edition (Dec 2010 to June 2011) or Summer/Autumn 2011 edition (June to Dec 2011). More information on what the Thomas Cook Timetable contains. Each country's own printed timetables...If you really think you need it, you can buy the printed national timetable book for almost any European country from the Timetable Distribution Centre, www.timetables.ch, email sales@timetables.ch. |
Although you can find most of Europe's train timetables in one place on www.bahn.de, unfortunately there isn't one website or booking agency that can sell tickets for all journeys in all countries at the best price (even if some agencies or sites like to suggest that they can!). Certain websites or booking agencies are better for some journeys than others, and sometimes it's cheapest to use two or more websites for different parts of one journey. Sounds complicated? Not really. If your train journey starts in the UK, the 'how to buy tickets' section on each country page of this website explains the best way to buy tickets for that specific journey. For other journeys within Europe, you'll find a detailed account of which websites or agencies to use for which specific journeys on the How to buy European tickets page, and if that's too complicated, here's the quick answer to get you started: How to check fares & buy tickets for train journeys wholly within one country...You can check fares & in many cases buy tickets online for journeys wholly within one country at the railway website for that country, see the links page for a complete list. For example:
How to check fares & buy tickets for international train journeys...If your journeys starts in the UK, each country page of this website explains the best way to buy tickets for that specific destination, both online and by phone. For example, the London to Italy page recommends the best way to book tickets from the UK to Italy. For a detailed account of how to check fares and availability and book tickets online for other international train journeys in Europe, see the How to buy European tickets page. But here's the quick answer for which website to use or which agency to call for which journey: Online...
By phone...
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Online rail mapsThere's a basic online map of the European railway network at www.eurail.com/sites/all/files/eurail.com/downloads/eurail-map-2011.pdf. This gives you a good idea of the extent of the European rail system, although it's intended for overseas visitors using Eurail passes so leaves out many routes in non-Eurail countries such as the UK, Serbia & Macedonia, and leaves out many smaller lines even in the countries covered by Eurail passes. You'll find more detailed country-by-country rail maps at www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps.php. For the best (and official) map of the Swiss rail system, click here. For advanced rail users, there's a detailed European Railway atlas covering the whole of Europe, www.europeanrailwayatlas.com, price £29 in hard copy or £19 as a CD-ROM, individual countries £3-6 each. The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe: Buy from Amazon UK Buy from Amazon USAFor a decent map of all European train routes you'll really have to invest in a printed version. The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is easily the best map of European train routes that there is, showing rail routes from Portugal in the west to Ukraine in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily in the south. Scenic & high-speed routes are highlighted. It costs around £8.99 from branches of Thomas Cook or you can buy online with a discount at Amazon.co.uk with worldwide delivery. Highly recommended and well worth buying, especially if you are buying an InterRail or Eurail pass and doing a lot of travelling. See an extract from the map. |
Are the trains running on time? Are there any delays, incidents or other disruptions?As with buying your ticket, there's no one website where you'll find out about delays, strikes or other problems affecting all European trains. You need to know which website to look at, so here is some guidance:
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Eurostar is the excellent high-speed passenger train from London's St Pancras station to Paris & Brussels through the Channel Tunnel. Most journeys to Europe now start with a trip on Eurostar to Paris or Brussels. All 1st class fares include complimentary drinks and a meal, and all passengers have access to a bar car serving drinks and snacks. Remember that you need to check-in for Eurostar trains at least 30 minutes before departure (10 minutes for passengers with certain types of premium 1st class ticket, 60 minutes for Eurostars to Avignon or the French Alps) to allow for an airline-style security check. Eurostar does not run on Christmas Day.
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Changing trains & stations in Paris: See the Paris metro page
Changing trains in Brussels...
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Most people now start their journey to Europe by Eurostar, but the ferry alternatives can be well worth considering.
If you prefer train+ferry travel, simply substitute the rail-sea-rail times shown on the London to Paris by train + ferry page or Netherlands page for the Eurostar times to Paris shown on the Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland pages, or use the all-Europe online timetable at www.bahn.de to find train times from the port (for example, Hoek van Holland) to your final destination. |
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2nd class is perfectly adequate for most travellers throughout Europe. Even in Southern and Eastern Europe, you don't need to pay for a 1st class ticket to travel in comfort, especially on the fast modern air-conditioned express trains. Having said that, 1st class travel can be an affordable treat. In the UK, 1st class is priced for business travellers on expense accounts, but in Europe it is normally just 50% more than second class. 1st class rail travel in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Eastern Europe is particularly good value, because their rail fares are so cheap to start with. First class gets you wider seats, more legroom, and fewer passengers per coach. On Eurostar, Spanish fast trains and a few other trains such as Thalys, 1st class fares include at-seat service of food and drink, but these still tend to be the exceptions and unless you're told otherwise, you should assume that a 1st class ticket simply gets you a wider seat with more leg room. Train seat numbering plans: For a list of train seating plans click here. On overnight trains, whether you have a 1st or 2nd class ticket is almost irrelevant, as your comfort depends on the type of sleeping accommodation you pay for: ordinary seat, couchette, or sleeping-car. A 2nd class couchette is more comfortable (and more secure) than a 1st class seat. A 2nd class sleeper is more comfortable than a 1st class couchette. The options for travelling on overnight trains are explained in the next section. |
In some countries, you'll find first class lounges at stations, usually with complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks or even beer and wine available. WiFi and an internet PC may also be available. Sometimes the lounge is for anyone with a first class ticket (including a first class railpass), but in some countries the lounges are only for holders of the most expensive business-orientated first class tickets or for holders of that particular train operator's special frequent traveller card. Opening times vary, the lounges may or may not be of use when catching a late-night sleeper. Here's a quick guide: Eurostar first class lounges in London, Paris & Brussels...Eurostar has first class business lounges at London St Pancras, Paris Nord & Brussels Midi, but they are only open to holders of full-price 'Business Premier' first class tickets, not to holders of 'Standard Premier' reduced-rate first class tickets, or first class railpasses. The Eurostar business lounges offer complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer, and snacks. Lounges open to all 1st class ticket holders, including railpass holders:The following countries have lounges for first class passengers at their major city centre stations, open to holders of any valid first class ticket or first class railpass including reduced-rate 1st class tickets and 1st class Eurail & InterRail passes: Netherlands (Amsterdam Centraal, Schiphol, Rotterdam, follow signs for 'NS HiSpeed Lounge', search www.nshispeed.nl for opening times). Germany (Berlin, Bremen, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt Main Airport, Hamburg, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig, Mannheim, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart, usually open 07:00-21:00 daily, follow signs for 'DB Lounge', search www.bahn.de for details). These German lounges are not open to railpass holders. Austria (Vienna Westbahnhof, Salzburg, Innsbruck). Spain (Madrid Atocha, Madrid Chamartin, Barcelona Sants, plus a few other stations). Open to anyone with a Club, Preferente or Gran Clase domestic or international ticket. Typically open from 06:00 to 22:00 every day. Hungary: Budapest has a business lounge near platform 9, open 06:00-21:30 daily open for anyone with a 1st class international ticket to. from or via Budapest. Not open to railpass holders. Lounges only open to holders of special 'frequent traveller' cards or full-price first class business tickets:The following countries have lounges, but only for holders of either full-price business-orientated first class tickets, or holders of their own special frequent traveller cards, so cannot be used by other travellers even with 1st class tickets or railpasses: France, Belgium, Italy, United Kingdom. Travel tip: You can use the 'Grand Voyageur' lounge at Paris Nord or the Thalys lounge at Brussels Midi if you either (1) hold a full-price fully-flexible business-orientated first class ticket on Thalys, or (2) hold any sort of first class ticket on Thalys and can show the Thalys 'TheCard' loyalty card. You can apply free for a 'TheCard' at www.thalysthecard.com. |
Many long-distance expresses run overnight, a very time-effective and romantic way to travel. Huge distances can be covered while you sleep, using up less daytime time than flying and often saving a hotel bill too. Forget the terms 'first class' & 'second class', these can actually be misleading when dealing with sleeper trains. On overnight trains, your comfort depends on whether you choose an ordinary seat, an economical couchette, or a comfortable berth in the sleeping-car. A 2nd class sleeper is more comfortable than a 1st class couchette!
Incidentally, trains don't have sterns or bows, or port or starboard. They also don't have cabins, as they are not a ship. The correct term is sleeper or couchette 'compartment'. ...in a sleeping-carA sleeping-car is the equivalent of a hotel: A cosy bedroom, with comfortable beds, washbasin, and room service. For the daytime parts of a journey, the beds fold away to reveal a sofa. Sleepers come in 1, 2, 3 and (in a few cases) 4-berth varieties, depending on the route, whether you have a 1st or 2nd class ticket, and the price you want to pay. If you are travelling alone and don't want to pay for a 1st class single room, you can normally book just one berth in a 2 or 3-berth room and share with other passengers of the same sex (though this is not possible in Spanish 'gran classe' sleepers). In addition to the normal lock, sleeper compartments have a security lock which cannot be opened from outside even with a staff key, so you'll be both safe and snug. The most modern sleepers now have CCTV in the corridor, too. A sleeper typically costs about £35-£45 in western Europe or £20-£35 in eastern Europe per person per night for a bed in a 3-berth compartment in addition to a 2nd class ticket or railpass. A berth in a 2-berth costs about £45-£65 per night in western Europe, £30-£45 in eastern Europe, plus either a 1st or 2nd class ticket or railpass depending on the route & type of sleeper. A single room costs around £70-£100 per night (£50-£70 in eastern Europe) and you must normally have a 1st class ticket or railpass. On an increasing number of routes (e.g. Paris to Madrid, Barcelona, Italy, and Brussels to Berlin), good-value inclusive fares are now charged, covering travel, sleeper & breakfast. There's more detailed information about what to expect when travelling by sleeper on the Travelling by Sleeping-car or Couchette page. For more specific information about particular types of sleeper train, see the City Night Line page if your journey involves a City Night Line sleeper train such as Paris to Berlin, Paris to Munich, Amsterdam or Cologne to Prague or Copenhagen. See the Train Travel to Spain page if your journey involves the Elipsos 'trainhotels' from Paris to Madrid or Barcelona. See the Thello sleeper train page if it involves the 'Thello' sleeper trains from Paris to Italy. If it involves the Austrian EuroNight sleeper train from Cologne to Vienna see the ÖBB EuroNight sleeper train page. ...in a couchetteA couchette is rail's answer to a youth hostel or 'pensione': Economical and comfortable, it's an ordinary seating compartment for six people by day, with fold-out padded bunks for six people by night, each with sheet, rug & pillow which you arrange yourself. Male and female passengers normally share the same compartment (although there are 'ladies only' compartments on most routes), and apart from removing shoes & jackets, passengers do not normally undress. A berth in a 6-berth couchette compartment costs around 27 euros (£23) per berth per night, in addition to a 2nd class ticket or railpass. In addition to the normal lock, couchette compartments have a security lock which cannot be opened from outside, even with a staff key, so you'll be quite safe. On most routes you can pay a higher supplement (about 37 euros or £32) to travel in a less crowded 4-berth couchette compartment, which is well worth the extra cost. 1st class couchettes, with four berths per compartment, are rare - they are basically only operated in France. There's more detailed information about what to expect when travelling by couchette on the Travelling by Couchette or Sleeping-car page. For more specific information, if your journey involves a City Night Line sleeper train see the City Night Line page. If your journey involves the 'trainhotels' from Paris to Madrid or Barcelona, see the Spain page. If it involves the 'Thello' Paris to Italy sleeper trains, see the Thello sleeper trains page. If it involves the Austrian EuroNight sleeper from Cologne to Vienna see the ÖBB EuroNight page. ...in a seatAlthough it's the cheapest option, travelling overnight in an ordinary seat is a false economy and not recommended however tight your budget, either for comfort or security. There's no lock on the compartment door, and no staff on duty. Think of it as the equivalent (almost!) of sleeping in a shop doorway. Always budget for at least the couchette supplement for a comfortable night's journey. Some trains have reclining seats (French overnight trains, some German overnight trains, and some Spanish overnight trains), but although better than a normal seat they still don't offer the flat bed and safely locked compartment of a couchette or sleeper. |
EuroCity...This is a generic brand name used for Europe's best international daytime expresses. EuroCity trains come in many different forms, but all are fast, modern and air-conditioned, and have refreshments available. In some countries (including Italy but not Switzerland, Germany or Austria), a small supplement is payable in addition to the normal fare to travel, which includes the seat reservation fee. EuroNight...This is a generic brand name used for Europe's best international overnight expresses. EuroNight trains come in many different forms, but all are modern and air-conditioned, and have comfortable sleeping accommodation. Morning coffee or tea is normally included in the sleeper or couchette supplement. TGVs, ICEs, Thalys, InterCity & Talgos...As well as EuroCity and EuroNight, you will find a whole range of train types in the timetable. Some are particular types of high-speed train, for example TGV, AVE, ICE. Some are just brand names for a particularly fast or high-quality train service for which a small supplement may be payable in addition to the normal fare. Others indicate a train service run by a special consortium of national rail operators, for example 'Thalys' is a company set up by the French, Belgian, German and Dutch national rail companies to run the Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam/Cologne high speed trains, and 'TGV-Lyria' is the consortium of the French and Swiss set up to run the Paris-Switzerland high-speed trains. Many of these branded trains have their own fare structure, and require railpass holders to pay a supplement or special passholder fare. If you particularly want to know what a TGV, AVE, Talgo, ICE or Thalys is, click here for a glossary of the main train types. |
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Kids love trains, and the journey becomes part of the holiday. A major advantage of taking the train rather than a flight or a long motorway journey is that it means quality time with your family, sitting together, talking or playing, away from doorbells and phone calls. Kids really love sleepers or couchettes, where they get to sleep in a bunk bed on a train.
Top tips for train travel with babies & kids...
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The key thing with train travel is that you keep your luggage with you throughout your journey, placing small and medium sized items on the luggage racks above your head and larger items on the racks at the end of the coach. Unlike travelling by air, you do not check your bags in, and there is usually no separate baggage car. This means you have access to your bags throughout the journey, and they are unlikely to end up at an airport a thousand miles away from your destination! Luggage limits on trains...Unlike airlines, there is no weight limit for luggage on European trains. Just remember that you will have to carry it! Eurostar theoretically limits luggage to two large items per passenger (maximum 85cm in any one dimension), plus a small item of hand luggage. There is room for luggage on Eurostar on the luggage racks above the seats and for larger items on the racks at the end of each coach. Porters are a thing of the past, but most major stations have self-help luggage trolleys. Sometimes these require a coin to release them, which is returned when you return the trolley. Eurostar website baggage information page. Prohibited items on Eurostar...It goes without saying that firearms & explosives are prohibited on Eurostar (there are special arrangements for sending licensed sporting guns by registered luggage). But annoyingly several 'normal' street-legal items are prohibited which can catch people out. These include gas canisters (admittedly a potential fire hazard in the Channel Tunnel), mountaineering ice axes (allowed on every other train in Europe but for some ridiculous reason not permitted on Eurostar) and knives with a blade longer than 3", which catches out people who buy a nice set of Sabbatier kitchen knives in Paris (but knives with a blade shorter than 3", for example small penknives, are fine). Labelling your bags..It is now compulsory to label all your bags when travelling on Eurostar or on any French train, with your first name and surname. Paper labels are normally supplied with your Eurostar tickets if you need them (look in the ticket wallet or ask at the information desk inside the Eurostar terminal), but it's better to buy proper ones and keep them attached to your travelling bags. Registered baggage...Eurostar passengers may send up to three items from London to either Paris or Brussels as registered baggage, at an extra charge (approximately £12-£20 per item). See the Eurostar website baggage information page for details. Apart from this, registered ('checked') baggage is a thing of the past, you take your bags with you. Left luggage in London...
Left luggage lockers in Paris & Lille...
Left luggage in Brussels...
Left luggage in other countries & cities...It's usually safe to assume that any major city railway station in Europe will have a 'left luggage' facility, either a staffed facility or self-service lockers or both. When changing trains with some time to spare, you can leave your luggage and explore the town. Here are some examples:
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See the Taking your bike by train page.... |
This gets asked surprisingly often, as it's difficult and expensive to send pets abroad by air. Travelling alone in the hold of a plane is also stressful for your pet. First the good news: You can easily take a dog or other pet with you free of charge on trains in the UK, and dogs and small pets are allowed on most European trains once you're across the Channel. But here's the one big problem: Eurostar refuses to carry dogs or any other animals at all, except guide dogs, end of story. So here are the options.
How to get your dog or other pet across the Channel...
Once you're across the Channel...Once safely across the Channel in Calais, Paris or Hook of Holland, you can take a dog or cat with you on almost all trains across Europe, sometimes free, sometimes for a small charge. In sleeping-cars and couchettes on overnight trains, you can generally only take a dog if your party occupies all the berths in a compartment.
To buy tickets or get more information about train travel with pets, I'd recommend calling these agencies:
For more information on the transport of accompanied dogs and other pets, search the website of the relevant national train operators. There is a list of links to each operator's website on the useful links page. Feedback from travellers who have taken their pets abroad by train would be very welcome. Traveller's reports...Dog owner Wendy Shillam reports: "We've been taking our dog abroad since the rules changed 9 years ago. Firstly I agree that its mad that Eurostar doesn't allow dogs, especially as it would be a good earner for them and they need the money! I wrote to the COE but got no reply. The most comfortable and quickest way for dogs to cross the channel (though not always the cheapest) is by car with Eurotunnel. They just stay in the car with you and there is no bother. Once, we then left our car at the Calais 'parkway' station, but on returning we saw that quite a few cars - not ours thank goodness - had been broken into. It is a very desolate spot and no security as far as I can see. But it is free parking. Once across the channel be careful which train you get from Calais - some especially on Sundays are really slow. We also have taken the motorail train from Düsseldorf, it's not too far and then you can get a car-carrying overnight train from Düsseldorf to Italy, the south of France or Austria. Dogs are accepted on these German motorail trains in the sleeper cabins and we have never had a problem. Our dog Astrid, a nine year old Mini Schnauzer, has lasted 17 hours on a train with no ill effects - overnight she just settles down to sleep, generally taking up most of my bunk! The steward will tell you if there are longer stops which allows you to give your dog a 'comfort' walk. The irony is that if we could travel on Eurostar we would never dream of taking our car with us at all! On Spanish trains dogs should be muzzled - the guard did let us get away with it, but if Astrid had been a bigger dog there might have been trouble. Also beware if you plan to travel with your dog by bus in Spain. They insist that the dog goes in a casket (which you have to bring) in the hold underneath the seats, which I suspect on a hot day is tantamount to animal cruelty! Astrid has been most comfortable and spoilt in France, Italy, Belgium and Sweden. Also remember that if you are going to the South dogs need to be protected against a nasty bug called lishmania which can cause a chronic disease with no cure - but drugs can control it. So always check with a vet who knows about foreign travel well before you go." |
Who to ask about train travel for people with special needs...
In this section, you'll find a quick summary of facilities for people with special needs on routes from the UK to major European destinations. If you can help with further information from personal experience to improve this section, please email me! To make travel enquiries and/or arrange travel assistance at stations by phone:
Travellers with disabilities on Eurostar to Paris, Lille or Brussels...It's no problem to travel by Eurostar from London to Paris, Lille or Brussels, even if you're confined to a wheelchair or have other special needs. Each Eurostar train has a wheelchair space in 1st class cars 9 & 10, adjacent to a wheelchair-accessible toilet with push-button access. There are special fares for people travelling in wheelchairs and a travelling companion, giving 1st class travel at discounted 2nd class fares. You can book wheelchair travel online at www.eurostar.com, just click 'online booking' at the top, then look for the 'wheelchair user?' link below the booking form. If you tell Eurostar in advance, either when booking your tickets with an agency like Rail Europe or Deutsche Bahn's UK office, or by calling Eurostar direct on 08432 186 186 or emailing them after buying tickets online, Eurostar can provide assistance to passengers with special needs (whether this involves a wheelchair or not) at your departure and arrival stations, and on board the train. For more information, see the www.eurostar.com (click 'travel information' then look for 'special travel needs'). Wheelchair-accessible taxi service in Paris...If you need to change trains & stations in Paris, there's a pre-bookable wheelchair-accessible taxi service run by www.taxis-g7.com (their website is only in French, but look for 'plan du site' then 'G7 Horizon'). To book, call +33 1 41 27 66 99 (English speaking line) or +33 1 47 39 00 91, making sure you ask for a wheelchair accessible taxi. There's a 5 euros booking fee, and bookings can be made from 7 days until 1 hour before you need the taxi. Gare du Nord to Gare d'Austerlitz for example costs 13-19 euros per taxi. Feedback from users of this service would be very welcome! Travellers with disabilities, beyond Lille, Paris or Brussels...Once on the Continent, many modern daytime trains have accommodation for passengers travelling in wheelchairs, and the City Night Line sleeper trains to destinations such as Munich, Berlin, Copenhagen, Vienna or Prague have wheelchair-accessible couchette compartments. Assistance at stations can be arranged through booking agencies such as Rail Europe or Deutsche Bahn's UK office. Here is a quick summary: ...to destinations in France:Take Eurostar from London to Lille and make a simple same-station connection with a high-speed TGV to destinations all over France, including Nice, Marseille, Cannes, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Avignon, Nantes, Nīmes & Montpellier. At Lille, there are both lifts & escalators to all four platforms. All TGV trains have wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets. For train times, see the London to France page. For travel information for passengers with disabilities on French Railways, see www.voyages-sncf.com. ...to destinations in Belgium & the Netherlands:Take Eurostar to Brussels, and make a simple same-station change onto a high-speed Thalys train to Rotterdam, The Hague or Amsterdam Centraal. There are lifts to/from all platforms in Brussels. Thalys trains have wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets. For train times and how to buy tickets, see the London to the Netherlands page. You could also consider travelling by ferry, see www.stenaline.co.uk (Harwich-Hoek van Holland), www.dfds.co.uk (Newcastle-IJmuiden near Amsterdam). ...to destinations in Switzerland:Take Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, where there is level access off the platforms straight onto the concourse and the street. You will need to arrange transport from Paris Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon, for example using the wheelchair-accessible taxi. All the TGV-Lyria high-speed trains from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lausanne, Geneva, Bern, Basel & Zurich have wheelchair places and wheelchair-accessible toilets. For train times and how to buy tickets, see the London to Switzerland page. ...to destinations in Italy:Take Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord. You will need to arrange transport across Paris to the Gare de Lyon, for example using the wheelchair-accessible taxi. Then take a daytime TGV train from Paris to Turin & Milan as these have wheelchair places and wheelchair-accessible toilets, for details see the Italy page. Alternatively, TGV-Lyria trains between Paris and Switzerland have wheelchair spaces and toilets, spend the night in Geneva, Lausanne, Basel or Zurich then take a EuroCity train to Milan for onward connections to Rome, Florence, Venice or Naples. For details of this scenic option via Switzerland, click here. These EuroCity trains have wheelchair spaces an accessible toilets. Note that the Thello overnight sleeper trains from Paris to Italy do not have wheelchair-accessible compartments or toilets. Once in Italy, most fast trains including Eurostar Italia AV and Eurostar City services between major Italian cities have wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-accessible toilets. For train times and how to buy tickets, see the London to Italy page. ...to destinations in Spain:The trainhotels from Paris to Barcelona and Madrid are excellent (see the London to Spain page), but they don't have wheelchair-accessible toilets or sleeping compartments, so passengers in wheelchairs need to be able to access their sleeper on foot, and fold up the wheelchair. The daytime London-Barcelona option described on the London to Spain page involves 3 trains all of which have wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-accessible toilets. There are direct ferries from the UK to Spain, with disabled/wheelchair facilities. See www.Brittany-Ferries.co.uk (Plymouth-Santander, Portsmouth-Santander & Portsmouth-Bilbao). ..to destinations in Germany & Austria:Take Eurostar to Brussels or Paris. In Brussels it's a simple same-station change with lifts to/from all platforms. In Paris, it's a 10-15 minute walk or wheelchair push from the Gare du Nord where Eurostar arrives to the Gare de l'Est where the trains to Germany depart. From Brussels, there are Thalys high-speed trains to Cologne all with wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets. From Cologne, there are wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets on almost all the InterCity (IC) and InterCityExpress (ICE) trains to destinations all over Germany. Boarding assistance can be provided at most major Germany stations. From Paris Gare de l'Est there are direct TGV trains to Stuttgart, Munich, Frankfurt all with wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-accessible toilets. The direct City Night Line overnight train from Paris to Hanover, Berlin, Stuttgart, Ulm, Augsburg & Munich also has a wheelchair-accessible 2-berth couchette compartment with adjacent wheelchair-friendly toilet, see the photo above. Onwards trains from Munich to Innsbruck, Salzburg & Vienna have wheelchair spaces, too. For train times, fares & how to buy tickets, see the London to Germany page. There is a handicap brochure with more information on the Germany Railways website, www.bahn.de. ...to Vienna, Copenhagen, Prague:Take Eurostar to Brussels, where it's a simple same-station change with lift access to/from all platforms. The Thalys and ICE high-speed trains from Brussels to Cologne all have wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets. In Cologne it's also a simple same-station change with lifts to all platforms. The City Night Line sleeper trains from Cologne to Copenhagen and Prague all have a 2-berth wheelchair-accessible couchette compartment with adjacent wheelchair-friendly toilet, see the photo above. For train times and how to buy tickets, see the London to Austria page, London to the Czech Republic page, or London to Denmark page. Traveller's report...Traveller Jill Lindenbauer travelled from London to Valencia by train with her young son who uses a wheelchair. She reports: "I feel so lucky to have Ebbsfleet International on my doorstep, and the staff which assisted William and I certainly made us feel like VIPs. It was no trouble boarding the train and as William's carer we were privileged to sit in 1st class as this is where the wheelchair seating is situated, even though we only paid 2nd class fares. Immediately we were asked if we wanted a drink, and a meal was provided, which I wasn't expecting. It certainly got the holiday off to a good start, and whilst travelling I received a call from the English-speaking G7 Taxi service in France to say that our wheelchair-accessible taxi would be waiting when we arrived in Gare Du Nord. This is a quick and easy service to use and I booked our taxi in advance from the comfort of my own living-room. When William and I reached Gare Du Nord that sunny evening there was the same buzz of activity as the ramp was prepared for the wheelchair, and a porter took my bags. I soon spotted my name on a white piece of card, but I'm guessing the taxi driver spotted my son and I as we made our way along the platform. The taxi driver took my bag and led the way to his vehicle outside. He swiftly organised the ramp and pushed William in his chair inside, where he secured William's wheelchair to the car floor with belts. The politeness and assistance of the taxi driver made our short trip effortless and at Gare D'Austerlitz he escorted us to the Information Office. The taxi cost 40-50 euros, but the meter was probably running as we are leaving the train and as we are about the last to leave as we wait for special assistance this is a small price to pay. At Gare d'Austerlitz the woman in the information desk shook her head as she saw my little boy's heavy manual wheelchair surrounded by luggage, and made hand signals to indicate how small the trenhotel to Barcelona was. Around 8pm it arrived. The guard checked my ticket, which clearly stated "disabled passenger," and showed me our Gran Clase 2-berth sleeper, which was the first one adjacent to the dining-car. Unfortunately I could see that there was no way I was going to be able to board the train or enter our cabin with the wheelchair, which was just a few centimetres too wide. So I unbelted William and sat him in the cabin propped up with some luggage and quickly dismantled the wheelchair which divides into three pieces, the main chair does not and this I placed on the second seat, the wheels disappeared into the shower area, and we soon had the cabin looking homely, as I sat William on my lap. Dinner arrived as it was evident that we wouldn't be very popular blocking the dining-car. I was quite content eating and watching the scenery, but like most children my son was not happy with his dinner, even though there was a children's menu, so one of our rucksacks carried extra food supplies just in case! Our bed was made and sleep was welcome. All our luggage was on the top berth and made the cabin nice and spacious. The rolling and rattling of the carriages made me feel like I was being rocked in a cradle. Morning arrived, breakfast was served and Barcelona appeared. William and I were sitting in Parc De La Ciutadella in Barcelona at 9am, waiting for our final connection to Valencia. At 10am we went to the Information Desk at the station, where they were expecting us. Unfortunately there was no ramp to be seen, and so I carried William on board whilst the female assistant asked a member of the public to help her place the wheelchair on the train. There was a special area for this, which is called the "H" Seat. In comparison to the Trenhotel this train looked newer and wider. The scenery along the coast was breathtaking, making us feel like peeping toms, as we would spurt through a dark tunnel to be met by bright sunlight and naked bodies on golden beaches. The journey passed quickly as the train filled and emptied at seaside stations. At one time the wheelchair was covered by a sea of other people's suitcases, which was a good thing William sat with me for most of the time. As the train pulled into Valencia I was geared up to take William off myself, but the three young men in uniforms bearing the wheelchair logo were already in the process of operating the ramp, and we became a fascinating spectacle for the Spanish public. My tearful sister was there to greet us, waiting to hear of our travels, which I found to be fun and hassle free. Unlike the madness of airports and wondering if you are going to see your bags again I found the whole experience graceful and dignified. William and I and the faithful wheelchair by our side feel like we actually travelled and saw life, rather than being catapulted into the air, looking at the sky for a couple of hours, and then being trundled onto a bus to go and search for our luggage. When we returned we knew the process so it was even easier and the same taxi driver asked how we got on. The only problem was both lifts at Gare Du Nord were out of action until 10th August, but I carried William up the escalator and my assistant at the station took the wheelchair. |
If you want a holiday to Europe by train, but want someone else to organise all the train tickets & hotels for you with no hassle, several good specialist companies do just that. Railbookers offer tailor-made individual holidays with departure on any date you like and an itinerary adjusted to suit your requirements, whereas Treyn Holidays & Great Rail Journeys offer escorted tours with specific departure dates and you travel in company with a group of like-minded travellers and a professional tour manager. Either way, you get a stress-free holiday to Italy, Switzerland, Spain, France, eastern Europe or even Morocco overland by train, with regular departures from London by Eurostar, no flying, no airport hassles and no whole days spent in cramped coach seats on motorways. Seat61 gets some commission to support the site if you book your holiday through these links or phone numbers, please quote 'seat61' when booking. Railbookers, www.railbookers.com, 020 3327 0761...
Railbookers can tailor-make a holiday or short break by train to most European countries for you, with train travel & carefully-chosen hotels, for however long you like, leaving on any date you like. If you tell them what you want, they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you. They look after their customers well and get a lot of repeat business. Treyn Holidays, www.railholidays.com, 01904 730 727...Treyn Holidays run escorted group tours to a number of European countries, with 3* or 2* hotels and overland travel from the UK by Eurostar and high-speed TGV. Popular tours include:
Great Rail Journeys, www.greatrail.com, 01904 527120...Great Rail Journeys runs five-star inclusive escorted tours from the UK to many European countries, with 1st class train travel and 5* or 4* hotels. Check the tour details online, then call 01904 527120 to book or use their online booking form. Tours include:
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Rail travel guides...
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General country guides...People sometimes think a guidebook is an unnecessary expense, but it's a tiny fraction of what you're spending on your whole trip. You will see and understand so much more if you have a decent guidebook. For the independent traveller, I think the best ones out there are either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide. Both guidebooks are excellent, and you won't regret buying one! Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk (the images link to a 'search' so you can select the latest edition)... Or buy the Lonely Planet
guides direct from the
Lonely Planet website, with shipping worldwide.
Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need
in .PDF format
from the Lonely Planet Website, from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a
chapter.
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Find hotels anywhere in Europe...
Other hotel sites worth trying...
Hotels near Paris Gare du Nord & other Paris stations:
Budget backpacker hostels...
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Get travel insurance...Never travel without insurance from a reliable travel insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover loss of cash (up to a limit) and belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself). Here are some suggested insurers. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.
Post Office Travel Insurance: You can buy cheap travel insurance from Post Office®; single trip and annual multi trip travel insurance offering you comprehensive cover with a range of additional options.
Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, but European international rail conditions of carriage (known as the 'CIV') contain consumer protection provisions that entitle you to travel forward by the next available train if you miss a connection because of a delay to the first train, irrespective of who operates which train, and even if your ticket is in theory train-specific and non-changeable. Feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.
Get an EU health card...If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS. This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006. The EHIC card is available from www.ehic.org.uk. It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though. Get a credit card for foreign travel with lower currency exchange rates & lower or no ATM fees...
Some credit cards are definitely better than others for
overseas travel.
You can save money on ATM charges and exchange rates using a
Caxton FX euro currency MasterCard, or indeed the
multi-currency 'Global Traveller' MasterCard,
find out about these cards & sign up here. Get an international SIM card...Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, but if you buy a global SIM card for your mobile phone from a company such as www.Go-Sim.com you can slash the cost by up to 85%. It cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries. It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home. It also allows cheap data access for laptops & PDAs. A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not used between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.
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Page last updated 17 January 2012