The Parthenon in Athens, without flying...  You really can get there in comfort without having to fly! Click for larger map Guide to the route options

London to Greece in 48 hours without flying!

No problem!  Take Eurostar to Paris and a high-speed TGV to Italy through the Alps, then an overnight cruise ferry to Greece across the Adriatic in a comfortable en suite cabin, with restaurants & bars on board.  Sailing across blue seas under even bluer skies past the islands of Ithaca and Kefalonia is perhaps the nicest way of all to reach Greece, a far more rewarding experience than 3 hours strapped to a seat on a plane, and it's practical & affordable, too.  On this page you'll find a step-by-step guide to planning, booking & making a memorable train journey from London or Paris to Greece, with schedules, fares and how to buy your tickets.

Train times, fares & tickets...

London to Greece without flying: A guide to the options, with route map

London to Athens by train & ferry via Paris & Italy (quickest & cheapest)

London to Athens by train via Paris, Munich, Budapest, Sofia (overland)

London to Athens by train & ferry via Venice, with an Adriatic cruise

London to Thessaloniki & Larissa

London to Meteora (Kalambaka)

London to Corfu

London to Kefalonia

London to Crete

London to Rhodes & other Greek islands

Other travel information...

Hotels & accommodation in Greece  

Buying UK train tickets to connect with Eurostar

Send your luggage in advance

Greece to Turkey by ferry   

Taking bikes   Taking a dog   Luggage   Left luggage facilities in Paris  

General information on train travel Europe

Sponsored links...

Useful country information

London to Greece:  What are the options?

You can reach Greece from London either by train to Italy then a cruise ferry to Greece, or by train all the way to Athens across eastern Europe via Munich, Vienna & Budapest.  Here are the best options:

Option 1, by Eurostar & TGV train to Italy then cruise ferry to Greece...

This is the route I'd recommend, it's the quickest, cheapest and most comfortable way from London to Greece without flying, shown in red on the route map below.  It's a wonderful trip and a great alternative to a flight, taking little over 48 hours from St Pancras station to stepping ashore in Greece.  Take a morning Eurostar from London to Paris and an afternoon high-speed TGV from Paris to Milan.  Stay overnight, then take an air-conditioned 'Frecciabianca' train all along the Adriatic coast to Bari in southern Italy.  Modern cruise ferries sail overnight from Bari to Patras in Greece, for the train to Athens.  Why not stop off to see a little of Italy on the way?  Times, fares & information for this route are shown below.

Option 2, by train all the way to Athens...

The overland route from London to Greece takes you via Paris, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade & Sofia to Thessaloniki, Larissa & Athens, although sadly it now involves a long bus ride between Sofia and Thessaloniki as there are now no trains.  Due to its dire economic situation, Greece cancelled all its international trains from 13 February 2011 until further notice, cutting itself off from the rest of Europe.  It seems mainland Greece is now just another 'Greek island'!  The complete journey from London to Athens now takes 4 nights (it used to take 3 by train all the way!), with safe & comfortable sleeping-cars available for each of the overnight sections and one night in a hotel in Sofia.  Even with the long bus ride, it's an exciting journey with some wonderful scenery on the way.  Feel free to stop off if you like, too.  Train times, fares & information for this option are shown below.

Option 3, by train to Venice then cruise ferry to Greece...

This is a simpler but slightly longer version of option 1.  You take Eurostar to Paris, catch the overnight sleeper to Venice, then take a 2-night cruise ferry from Venice to Patras in Greece for the train to Athens.  This lets you see Venice on the way, and it's a simpler journey to book.  Ferries from Venice to Greece sail either daily or several times each week, depending on the season.  Train times, fares & information for this route are shown below.

Route map...

London to Athens by train & ferry via Italy 

	Don't fly to Greece, cruise there!  Take the train to Italy, then sail by cruise ferry from Italy to Greece across the sunny Adriatic, perhaps the nicest part of the trip.

This is the most wonderful way to reach Greece, in just 48 hours or so from London.  Travel from London to Milan in one day by Eurostar and high-speed TGV through the French and Italian Alps.  Next day, travel all along Italy's Adriatic coast to Bari, and now for the best bit, board a comfortable modern ferry for an overnight cruise across the Adriatic from Italy to Greece, waking up next morning to see the islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca passing slowly to starboard in the bright Mediterranean sun...

London ► Athens

Athens ► London

• Day 1:  Travel from Athens to Patras.  You used to make this journey by delightful narrow gauge train, a wonderfully scenic though not superfast ride.  The Greek railways are or were building a faster standard-gauge line from Athens to Patras, and until summer 2010 you could take the new train from Athens as far as Kiato (near Corinthos) and change onto the little narrow gauge train the rest of the way to Patras.  However, the narrow gauge line to Patras closed completely for rebuilding in July 2010, so now you must either take a regular bus from Athens to Patras taking 3½-4 hours, or take a train from Athens to Kiato then the Greek railways rail-replacement bus from Kiato to Patras.  You could take the 07:50 train from Athens main railway station to Kiato (arriving 09:19), from where Greek Railways operate a connecting railway-replacement bus departing Kiato at 09:30 and arriving Patras at 12:00.  How've time for lunch and an explore in Patras.  There's also a later 11:50 train from Athens, Kiato arrive 13:19, depart 13:30 by bus, Patras arrive 15:20, but this leaves relatively little room for any major delay.  Check times locally, as they may change - you can find these train+bus times on www.trainose.gr but it takes some finding! The fare is €5 for the train plus €10 for the bus, see here for more information.  Remember to allow for a 2-hour ferry check-in.  The ferry sails from a new terminal a few km outside Patras town centre.

• Day 1:  Sail from Patras to Bari with Superfast Ferries leaving from Patras daily at 18:00 and arriving in Bari at 08:30 the next day (day 2).  Walk (25 minutes) or take a taxi to the station.  You can check sailing times and fares at either the Seat61 Ferry Shop or www.superfast.com or www.ferriesingreece.com.  Incidentally, it's reported that the ship is being slowed to save fuel, arrival in Bari may be closer to 10:30 than 08:30 (feedback would be appreciated).

• Day 2:  Travel from Bari to Milan by air-conditioned Frecciabianca train leaving Bari at 11:38 and arriving in Milan Centrale at 19:25.  There is a refreshment trolley, or feel free to bring your own food and wine.  If you'd prefer a safer connection, there's another direct Frecciabianca leaving Bari Centrale at 13:38 and arriving Milan Centrale at 21:25.

• Spend the night in a hotel in Milan, a beautiful city that's well worth an extra day for a stopover.  Hotels in Milan.

• Day 3 morning:  Travel from Milan to Paris by high-speed Paris-Italy TGV, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi station at 06:00 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 13:23.  There is a bar car serving drinks, snacks and light meals. If you'd prefer a more leisurely breakfast and later departure from Milan, there's another TGV leaving Milan Porto Garibaldi daily at 08:50, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:11.  What's the journey like?  See the Paris-Milan TGV video guide.

• Cross Paris by metro or taxi to the Gare du Nord (2 stops on RER line D). 

• Day 3 afternoon:  Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar.  If you took the 06:00 TGV from Milan, you can leave Paris Gare du Nord at 15:13 arriving London St Pancras at 16:39.  If you chose the later 08:50 TGV from Milan, you'll need the 18:13 Eurostar from Paris Nord (19:13 on Saturdays), arriving London 19:39 (20:39 on Saturdays).

How much does it cost?

• London to Paris by Eurostar from £39.

• Paris to Milan by TGV train from €29.

• Milan to Bari by Frecciabianca train from €39.

• Bari to Patras by ferry varies, but might cost €56 with a basic deck place, €78 with reclining seat, €118 with a bed in an en suite cabin.

• Patras to Athens by bus costs around €20.

• Full details of fares are shown further down this page. 

• How to buy tickets online or by phone.

From London to Paris by train, see the Eurostar page

From Paris to Milan by high-speed TGV.    Watch the Paris-Milan video guide

The TGV to Milan at Paris Gare de Lyon...		2nd class seats...  See panorama photo.

Cafe-bar serving drinks, snacks & hot dishes...		1st class seats...  See panorama photo.
Designer interiors... The Paris-Turin-Milan TGV trains now feature chic interiors by designer Christian Lacroix.  All seats have power sockets for laptops & mobiles.  In first class, you'll be offered a 3-course tray meal with wine served at your seat, although this is extra, not included in the fare.  The bar car sells Paris metro tickets, which can save time on your return.

The TGV crosses rural France at up to 186 mph...		...then slows right down through the Alpine foothills.

The TGV crosses the Alps via Chambéry and Modane, passing through the 13.6 km (8.5 mile) long Fréjus Rail Tunnel, also known less accurately as the Mont Cénis tunnel.  The tunnel transit takes just 7 minutes, during which the train enters Italy.  Opened in 1871, this the oldest of the large tunnels through the Alps, and was the longest tunnel in the world from 1871 until 1882 when the Gotthard tunnel opened on the Zurich-Milan route.

More mountains...		Now we're in Italy, leaving the Alps behind...

From Milan to Bari by Frecciabianca train...

Frecciabianca trains are fully air-conditioned with 1st & 2nd class.  There's a refreshment trolley, or you can take your own food and a bottle of wine along.

A Frecciabianca train at Milan Centrale...  Frecciabiancas link Milan with Verona & Venice every hour or so, at up to 125 mph...		2nd class seating.  Most seats have a power socket for laptops or mobiles.  There's a small bar car and a refreshment trolley...

This is 1st class, more spacious and less crowded.  All seats have power sockets for laptops or mobiles, and there's a complimentary coffee from the trolley...		A Frecciabianca to Venice, about to leave Milan.  A strange train - two modern power cars sandwich former intercity carriages.  This shows the new colour scheme.

From Bari to Patras by Superfast Lines / Blue Star Ferries cruise ferry...

Several ferry companies sail from Bari or Brindisi in Italy to Patras in Greece.  Probably the best one is the joint Superfast / Blue Star Ferries service as this uses modern ships, sails daily, and can easily be booked online.  If you book a 'deck place' you can use your own sleeping bag and set up camp in a covered area on deck near the stern.  For a few more pounds you can book a reclining seat.  Or you can book a berth in various types of cabin, including luxury cabins.  Most cabins have private shower and toilet.  The ferry crossing is the best part of the journey, over deep blue waters and past many islands.

The best ferry service from Bari to Patras is jointly run by Blue Star Ferries and Superfast Ferries.  This is the Blue Star 1 at Patras.		On deck next morning!

2 or 4-berth cabin with private toilet & shower.		Relaxing on deck...

Steady as she goes...		At sea, passing Cephalonia and Ithaca

How much does it cost?  Full details...

Each part of the journey is ticketed separately, so add up the fares for each stage for the class or accommodation type you want.  If you want to stop off in  Paris or Milan, this doesn't cost any more.  Incidentally, the cheapest way to make this journey is with low-cost advance-purchase tickets as shown here, not with an expensive railpass, as passes don't cover Eurostar and incur some hefty additional fees, such as a €55 passholder fee for the Paris-Milan TGV, when regular fares for this train start at €29 without a pass.

How to buy tickets online...

The easiest and cheapest way to book a journey from the UK to Greece is online, just follow the step-by-step instructions below.  As it involves 3 or 4 websites, do a dummy run on all sites to check prices and availability before booking for real.  It's pretty easy, but make sure you get your dates right for each leg of the journey.  It can help to jot down the date and departure time for each individual booking before you start, the how to plan an itinerary & budget page may help.  Hotel accommodation in Milan or in Greece can be booked before booking your trains risk-free if you use a site like www.booking.com with free cancellation.

• Step 1, book your ferry ticket from Bari to Patras online either at the Seat61 Ferry Shop or at www.superfast.com, selecting the type of accommodation you want, either a deck place, reclining seat or various types of cabin berth.  Both the Seat61 Ferry Shop and www.superfast.com are ticketless, you simply pay online and quote your booking reference at check-in.  Booking for the ferry opens up to 12 months in advance.

• Step 2, book the Frecciabianca train from Milan to Bari at either www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in plain English, they'll refund seat61 users the €3.50 booking fee if you email seat61@italiarail.com with your PNR) or Italian Railways own website www.trenitalia.com (requires Italian-language place names and has a few quirks, but no booking fee, see this advice on how to use it), looking for a cheap Economy or Super-Economy fare.  Booking for Italian trains usually opens 120 days ahead.  You pay online and quote your reservation reference to the conductor on the train.  Easy!

• Step 3, book the TGV from Paris to Milan and back at either www.raileurope.co.uk (for UK residents, backed by a UK call centre) or at the French Railways website www.voyages-sncf.com (for residents of any country), looking for a cheap Prems fare.  You'll usually get a print-at-home ticket.  Make sure you double-check the TGV's departure and arrival times before booking the Eurostar connection.  Booking for this train usually opens 92 days ahead.

• Step 4, now book the Eurostar from London to Paris & back.  Booking for Eurostar opens 120 days ahead, but don't book a non-refundable non-changeable Eurostar ticket before you can confirm the times & availability for the Paris-Milan TGV.  If you use www.raileurope.co.uk to book Paris to Milan you can simply click 'continue shopping' and add the London to Paris journey as a second ticket, paying for both journeys together as one transaction.  If you use www.voyages-sncf.com to book Paris to Milan you should use www.eurostar.com to book the Eurostar from London to Paris, with print-at-home tickets. 

  Use the suggested Eurostar times on this page as a guide, but feel free to choose an earlier Eurostar from London southbound, or a later Eurostar returning from Paris northbound, if these have cheaper seats available or if you'd like to stop off in Paris.

  If you book at www.eurostar.com you can choose your exact Eurostar seat, look for the 'choose exact seat' link towards the end of the process, and see these tips on which Eurostar seats to pick. 

  The other advantage of booking at www.eurostar.com is that you can buy a through ticket to Paris from 130 UK towns & cities, not just London.  However, if you use www.raileurope.co.uk to book your London-Paris-Milan tickets, no problem, you can add a special UK domestic ticket to London separately, see the advice here.

• Buy your Patras-Athens bus ticket at Patras bus station when you get there, this is easy.

How to buy tickets by phone...

• All the trains between London and Bari can be booked through any UK European rail agency, such as www.raileurope.co.uk on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 09:00-19:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-18:00 Saturday) or www.internationalrail.com  (call 08700 84 14 14) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 51240.  Click here for a list of agencies.

• You can book Superfast Ferries from Italy to Greece with their UK agents, Viamare Travel, on 020 8343 5810.

• Buy your Patras-Athens bus ticket at Patras bus station.

Tailor-made train travel + hotel arrangements...

If you want a compete tailor-made trip from the UK to Greece with all your rail travel and ferries expertly booked for you and good quality hotels arranged, UK residents can call www.railbookers.com on 020 3327 0761.  US & Canadian residents can call them toll-free on 1-800-408-3280 or see website.  Australian residents can call their Sydney office toll-free on 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au.  New Zealand residents call toll-free on 0800 002 034 or see website.  Just tell them what you want, and they'll advise you on the best trains, ferry routes & hotels and sort it all out for you, hassle-free.  They get very positive reviews and take good care of their guests.

Traveller's report...

Traveller Nick Stone returned to London from Athens this way:  "We travelled from Athens to London.  The ferry ride was relaxing and we enjoyed beers and a lovely à la carte meal for €34 including drinks.  We were both impressed with quality of the meal and service.  We arrived 2 hours late in Bari, but made the 11:03 train to Bologna with 5 minutes to spare, and celebrated by having the set €26 menu lunch on the train and a bottle of wine.  Spent a 5 hours in Bologna which a great place for a short break before taking the sleeper overnight to Paris and the Eurostar home.  It was great trip and we thoroughly enjoyed it."

Alternative ferries from Brindisi or Ancona...

Superfast Ferries from Bari is recommended rather than ferries from Brindisi for several reasons.  Superfast Ferries and their partners Blue Star Ferries use modern ships and sail daily to a convenient schedule with good connections possible from Paris, London, and most Italian cities.  Superfast Ferries sail from a terminal next to Bari's pleasant old town, and you can walk there from the station.  In Brindisi, most ships now use a new terminal a couple of miles out of town, reached by taxi or courtesy minibus from the shipping company offices in town.  Since 2004, there are few scheduled sailings from Brindisi, most go from Bari.

• If you prefer travelling via Brindisi, the 07:35 train from Milan continues to Brindisi, where it arrives at 16:11.  Most ships serving Brindisi now use a modern terminal a couple of miles out of town, reached by taxi or courtesy minibus from the shipping company offices in town.

• Endeavor Lines (www.endeavor-lines.com) sail regularly from Brindisi to Patras, though dates & times vary.

• Superfast Ferries have an (almost) daily ship from Ancona to Patras, which is also free for InterRail passholders, see www.superfast.com for sailing dates & times.  Train times from London to Ancona are shown on the London to Italy page.

London to Athens by train all the way...

London to Greece overland, by train and the odd bus...

This is an overland adventure through the Balkans, via Paris, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Transylvania, Bucharest and Sofia (if you'd prefer the route via Belgrade, see the Bulgaria page).  Once past Budapest, don't expect western standards such as air-conditioning on the trains, and bring you own supplies of food, water, wine or beer.  But if you book a sleeper you'll have a safe and comfortable journey, rediscovering some of the mystery, intrigue and romance of long-distance sleeping-car travel across Europe.  You'll also see some great Balkan scenery with your feet up and a beer or glass of red in your hand.  Sadly, the withdrawal of all international trains to and from Greece means that the trains end in Sofia, and you'll now need a bus for the Sofia to Thessaloniki section, picking up a train again from Thessaloniki to Athens.

London ► Greece

• Day 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 15:31, arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:47.  In Paris, it's a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.  By all means take an earlier Eurostar if you'd like to spend some time in Paris, or if it has cheaper seats available.

• Day 1, travel from Paris to Munich overnight by the City Night Line sleeper train Cassiopeia, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est daily at 20:05 (20:25 at weekends) and arriving in Munich at 07:10 next morning.  It has sleeping-cars (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments, economy with washbasin or deluxe with shower), 4 & 6-berth couchettes & ordinary seats, see the photos & information below or click for more pictures & information about this City Night Line train.

• Day 2, travel from Munich to Budapest by air-conditioned Austrian RailJet train, leaving Munich at 09:27 and arriving in Budapest Keleti station at 16:49.  A bar-bistro car is available, so treat yourself to lunch!  More pictures & information about this RailJet train.  Map of Budapest showing Keleti station.  Budapest Keleti station facilities.

• Day 2, travel from Budapest to Bucharest overnight on the EuroNight sleeper train Ister, leaving Budapest Keleti at 19:10 and arriving in Bucharest at 12:10 next morning (day 3).  The Ister has a modern air-conditioned sleeping car (1, 2 or 3-bed standard sleepers with washbasin, 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe sleepers with toilet & shower) and 4 & 6-berth couchettes.  A bed in the sleeper is the recommended option, see the photos below.  The Ister should have a restaurant car for dinner & breakfast (euros, lei & forints accepted), but the restaurant isn't always attached, so take some provisions yourself.  Enjoy the descent through the wonderful Alpine scenery of the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest.  'Ister' is the ancient name for the River Danube.

• Day 3, spend the night in Bucharest.  A same-day connection is possible on paper, but likely to be missed in reality, so a day exploring Bucharest is recommended.

• Day 4, travel from Bucharest to Sofia by daytime train, leaving Bucharest at 12:30 and arriving in Sofia at 21:30.  There is no catering on this fairly basic train, in fact it's just one solitary Romanian railways through carriage, so bring your own supplies of food, water, and beer or wine, but it's a scenic and interesting trip, so enjoy the ride.

• Day 4, stay overnight in Sofia.  Find hotels.

• Day 5, travel by bus from Sofia to Thessaloniki.  A bus leaves Sofia bus station daily except Tuesdays at 10:00, arriving Thessaloniki railway station at 16:00.  The bus is operated by OSE (Greek Railways) in partnership with a Bulgarian bus company.  The bus is sadly required because of the withdrawal of all international trains to and from Greece in February 2011.  There are in fact other bus companies running several daily buses on this route, but times are not known.  Feedback would be appreciated if you use a bus on this route!

• Day 5 or 6, take a train from Thessaloniki to Larissa & Athens.  Trains run regularly throughout the day, journey time 5½ hours, and it's a very scenic ride.  There's an air-conditioned InterCity train at 18:04 arriving Larissa at 19:26 and Athens at 23:24.

Can I stop off on the way?

Of course!  Each train is ticketed separately, so feel free to book each leg of the journey on whatever dates you like, spending time in Paris, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Budapest, Brasov, Bucharest or Sofia on the way.  It makes little or no difference to the cost.  If you plan to stop off, you can arrange all your reservations in advance from the UK, or you can buy tickets as you go, it's up to you. 

Greece ► London

• Day 1:  Travel from Athens or Larissa to Thessaloniki by train.  There are a whole range of departures to choose from, journey time 5½ hours, and it's a very scenic ride.  For example, there's an air-conditioned InterCity train leaving Athens daily at 14:18 or Larissa at 18:24 arriving Thessaloniki at 19:46, but there are also earlier or later trains. Stay overnight in Thessaloniki.

• Day 2:  Travel from Thessaloniki to Sofia by bus, leaving Thessaloniki railway station at 08:00 daily except Tuesdays and arriving Sofia bus station at 14:00 the same day.  The bus is operated by OSE (Greek Railways) in partnership with a Bulgarian bus company.  The bus is sadly required because of the withdrawal of all international trains to and from Greece in February 2011.   There are in fact other bus companies running several daily buses on this route, but times are not known.  Feedback would be appreciated if you use a bus on this route!

• Day 2:  Travel from Sofia to Bucharest by overnight train with sleeping-cars, departing Sofia at 20:30 (day 1) and arriving Bucharest Nord at 06:25 (day 3).  Enjoy a day exploring Bucharest.

• Day 3, travel from Bucharest to Budapest overnight on the EuroNight sleeper train Ister, leaving Bucharest Nord station at 17:40 and arriving Budapest Keleti station at 08:50 next morning.  The Ister has a modern air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car  (1, 2 or 3-bed standard sleepers with washbasin, 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe sleepers with toilet & shower) and couchettes (4 & 6-berth).  A bed in the sleeper is the recommended option, see the photos below.  The Ister should have a restaurant car for dinner & breakfast (euros, lei & forints accepted), but the restaurant isn't always attached, so take some provisions yourself.  Spend the morning in Budapest.

• Day 4, travel from Budapest to Munich by air-conditioned RailJet train, leaving Budapest Keleti station at 13:10 and arriving in Munich Hauptbahnhof at 20:34.  A bar-bistro car is available, so treat yourself to lunch!  More pictures & information about this RailJet train.

• Day 4, travel from Munich to Paris overnight by the City Night Line sleeper train Cassiopeia, leaving Munich Hauptbahnhof daily at 22:50 and arriving at Paris Gare de l'Est 09:24 next morning (day 5).  The train has ordinary seats, couchettes (6-berth & 4-berth) and sleeping-cars (1, 2 or 3-bed compartments, deluxe with shower or economy with washbasin).  More pictures & information about this City Night Line train.  Walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.

• Day 5, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Nord at 11:13 and arriving London St Pancras at 12:30.

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 a modern Comfortline sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3-berth deluxe compartments with private shower and toilet and 1, 2 & 3-berth economy compartments with washbasin), modern air-conditioned couchettes (choose between a berth in a 4 or 6-berth compartment), and ordinary seats (not recommended).  In the sleeping-car, there is a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in economy sleepers, and all sleepers have power-points for laptop computers.  The sleeping-car fare includes a light breakfast. More pictures & information about this train.  

Dinner before boarding?  For a good meal in a classic Parisian brasserie before boarding the sleeper train in Paris, catch the earlier 14:01 Eurostar & try the Brasserie Terminus Nord directly across the road from the Gare du Nord.  For a cooked breakfast in Munich (or evening meal before boarding the Paris-bound sleeper on your return) try the Mongdratzerl restaurant, located in the hauptbahnhof itself.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper: The most comfortable & civilised option, with proper beds & washbasin.		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...		"Night train to Munich":  The Comfortline sleeping-car of the Paris to Munich sleeper train boarding at Paris Gare de l'Est... More pictures & information about this train...

Introducing the Munich - Budapest RailJet...

RailJet is Austria's brand-new high-speed train, linking Munich, Vienna & Budapest, now also linking Zurich, Innsbruck & Vienna.  Designed to run at up to 230 km/h (143 mph) on sections of upgraded track, it currently reaches 200 km/h on part of the route, but in other parts snakes around beautiful scenery at a more sedate pace.  Look out for great views of Salzburg citadel & castle on the right as you cross the river Salzach approaching Salzburg.  RailJet has three classes, Economy (2nd class), First (1st class), and Business (€15 supplement over normal first class, welcome drink included).  It has a bistro-restaurant car providing drinks, snacks and hot dishes, which are served on proper china at your seat in first and business classes.  TV screens in each car tell you the train's speed & location, with a list of next station stops and times.  A great way to travel.  More pictures & information about this RailJet train.

"The RailJet has landed..."  The morning RailJet train from Munich has arrived in Budapest Keleti spot on time...		Business class costs €15 more than normal 1st class...		Economy class on RailJet, comfortable open saloons with large picture windows.  Some seats are around tables, some are unidirectional.

From Budapest to Bucharest on the EuroNight sleeper train Ister...

The Ister from Budapest to Bucharest has a smart modern air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with carpeted 1, 2 or 3-berth compartments with proper beds & washbasin, plus several 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with private toilet & shower, see the photos below.  Travelling in the sleeping-car is safe, comfortable & civilised.  The Ister also has a Romanian couchette car with 6-berth & 4-berth compartments, providing seats by day which convert to bunks for night time use with rug, sheet & pillow.  Couchettes are fairly basic, and a proper bed in the sleeper is much more comfortable and secure yet costs very little extra, so is the recommended option.  The Ister also has several air-conditioned seats cars, but an ordinary seat is not recommended.  There's a modern Romanian restaurant car on most departures, serving dinner and a cooked breakfast, but taking some supplies of your own is always a good idea.

Deluxe sleeper...  The en suite toilet & shower in a deluxe sleeper from Budapest to Bucharest.  Photo courtesy of Andy Brabin.		A sleeper set up as a  single-berth compartment with the middle & top berths folded away against the wall.  Photo courtesy of Andy Brabin.		The Budapest-Bucharest 'Ister':  This is the train's modern air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car.  The letters above the windows say 'Voiture-Lits - Sleeping-car - Carrozza Letti - Vagon de Dormit'...  Welcome to your hotel on rails:  Some compartments have an en suite toilet & shower!  Photo courtesy of Andy Brabin.

... by sleeper train Bucharest-Sofia, bus Sofia-Thessaloniki, then InterCity train from Thessaloniki to Athens...

The White Tower, one of Thessaloniki's best-known landmarks.		The journey from Thessaloniki to Athens by modern air-conditioned Greek InterCity train.  These trains link Thessaloniki (Salonika) to Athens in as little as 4½ hours, with superb scenery through the mountains between Larissa & Athens.  But hurry, as in a few years time a new 125mph section of line will by-pass these scenic mountain sections, cutting the Athens-Salonika journey time to little over 3 hours...

This is the famous Gorgopotamos viaduct in the mountains between Larissa & Athens, one of those blown up by the British S.O.E. during world war 2.		After a great journey, the Greek InterCity train arrives in Athens...		Journey's end:  The main (Larissa) station in Athens, over 2,000 miles from London St Pancras...

How much does it cost?

Each train is ticketed separately, so just add up the price for each leg of the journey...

How to buy tickets, the easy way...

Click the button (or click here) and a booking form will appear which lists all the specific trains you need to book, at least as far as Sofia.  Fill in the form & email it to sales@europeanrail.com.  European Rail will make the reservations and call you back to confirm the cost, which you can then accept or decline.  If you accept, you can give them your credit card details over the phone and they will send you the tickets.  European Rail is an experienced agency whose staff are used to making more exotic bookings like this.  They are equipped with the German Railways reservation & ticketing system, so have access to all the cheap fares for travel via Germany & Austria.  They charge a £35 booking fee which includes postage to any UK address, or they can send to any address worldwide if you pay the courier fee.  Seat61 gets some commission if you buy tickets using this form.

Bus tickets from Sofia to Thessaloniki can be bought at Sofia's main bus station desk 3, open 08:00-18:00 Monday-Friday, 08:00-16:00 weekends.  They cannot be booked online.  Bus tickets from Thessaloniki to Sofia can be booked at Thessaloniki station special international OSE bus booking window, open 06:00-24:00 daily except Tues & Sat when it opens 06:00-14:00.  Buy train tickets from Thessaloniki to Athens when you reach Thessaloniki, at the station.  This section cannot be booked online or by UK agencies.

How to buy tickets online...

Anyone from any country can buy tickets online this way direct from the train operators at the cheapest prices, at least as far as Bucharest.

• When does booking open?  Booking usually opens 92 days ahead for City Night Line, 120 days ahead for Eurostar.  However, I strongly recommend waiting until 92 days so you can buy all tickets together, doing a dry run on all websites first to check times and prices before booking for real.

• Step 1, book the Paris-Munich sleeper train.  Go to www.bahn.de, the German Railways website, and book from Paris to Munich and back on the direct overnight sleeper train.  Availability of cheap 'savings' fares and fully-flexible fares will be shown, for each type of seat, couchette & sleeper.  You pay by credit card and print out your own tickets in .pdf format.  Easy!  Note that the prices shown on www.bahn.de are in euro, and are the total cost for all passengers selected, not per person.  Always book the sleeper first and check its actual arrival & departure before booking the Eurostar connection, as times occasionally vary.  I recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily make the next booking and retrieve any bookings later.

• Step 2, book the Munich to Budapest Railjet train:  Still on www.bahn.de, now use the journey planner to bring up the connecting Munich-Budapest Railjet train shown in the train times above, and buy the ticket.  It will show if any cheap special fares are available.  You simply print out your own Online Ticket.

• If you want to stop off in Vienna for (say) a day, when booking the Munich to Budapest train at bahn.de simply look for the 'Via (1)' box and enter 'Vienna', then enter '24:00' in the 'hh:mm stopover' box.  It'll then book you a 24 hour stopover in Vienna, but still let you buy a cheap 39 euro fare from Munich to Budapest (if it's available, obviously).  You can even spend a few hours in Salzburg on the way as well, by entering 'Salzburg' in the via box and (say) '04:00' in the stopover box, then clicking 'add another stopover' and entering 'Vienna' & '24:00'.  All still for €39!

• Step 3, book the Eurostar:  Go to www.eurostar.com to book your connecting Eurostar tickets between London and Paris, using the Eurostar times above as a guide.  By all means book an earlier Eurostar outwards, or a later Eurostar on the way back, if this has cheaper seats available of if you'd like to stop off in Paris for a while.  Eurostar tickets can be sent to any UK address, self-printed, or collected at the station.

• Step 4, book the Budapest to Bucharest sleeper train:  Go to www.mav-start.hu (Hungarian Railways).  I strongly recommend using the Google Chrome browser, as the MAV site sometimes switches back to Hungarian half way through the process, but Chrome's built-in translation facility means this shouldn't be a problem.  Click 'EN' top left for English and enter 'Budapest' to 'Bucuresti' in the journey planner.  When the results appear, ignore them, select 'couchette' or 'sleeping' car, enter your date of birth in format 'YYYY.MM.DD' and click 'Tickets and prices'.  On the next page, click for 'Further information' then click 'Open'.  Now select and book the train.  You can book couchettes or sleepers on the Ister online using this system, with various types of reduced-rate book-ahead ticket such as 'Fortuna', just pick the cheapest ticket.  The MAV website is a little fiddly, just persevere, it will indeed book this train!  You pay online and collect tickets from the internet ticket collection point at Budapest Keleti station with the reference number and original credit card.

• If you have any problems using MAV-start.hu, UK residents can also book the Budapest to Bucharest train online at www.raileurope.co.uk.  However it only seems to offer 6-berth couchettes or 2-bed sleepers eastbound, 3-berth & 2 berth sleepers westbound, not the full range of accommodation.  In 6-berth couchettes or 3-berth sleepers, Rail Europe's prices are similar to or slightly lower than those charged by German Railways' UK office, making online booking a good option.  However, for 2-bed sleepers the French system still assumes you need a 1st class ticket even though that's no longer the case on this route, so it charges £142 instead of the correct £118.  So the best way to book this train if you want a sleeper is to book by phone by calling Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 Sat & Sun).

• Step 5, book a Bucharest to Sofia ticket.  This cannot be done online, so call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 Sat & Sun).  Or buy when you reach Bucharest.

• Bus tickets from Sofia to Thessaloniki can be bought at Sofia's main bus station desk 3, open 08:00-18:00 Monday-Friday, 08:00-16:00 weekends.  They cannot be booked online.  Bus tickets from Thessaloniki to Sofia can be booked at Thessaloniki station special international OSE bus booking window, open 06:00-24:00 daily except Tues & Sat when it opens 06:00-14:00.

• Buy train tickets from Thessaloniki to Athens when you reach Thessaloniki, at the station.  This section cannot be booked online or by UK agencies.  Alternatively, if you like a challenge (and would also like a really cheap fare) you can try booking a cheap advance-purchase ticket from Thessaloniki to Athens from just €9 at www.trainose.gr in Greek, using the Google Chrome browser to translate into English.  You pay online and print your own ticket.

How to buy tickets by phone...

If you'd prefer to book by phone, just call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday, no booking fee, 2% credit card charge, no charge for debit cards), or a booking agency such as European Rail on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays, £35 booking fee).

Bus tickets from Sofia to Thessaloniki can't be bought outside Bulgaria, so just buy this at Sofia's main bus station desk 3, open 08:00-18:00 Monday-Friday, 08:00-16:00 weekends.  They cannot be booked online.  Bus tickets from Thessaloniki to Sofia can be booked at Thessaloniki station special international OSE bus booking window, open 06:00-24:00 daily except Tues & Sat when it opens 06:00-14:00.  Then buy train tickets from Thessaloniki to Athens at the station when you reach Thessaloniki, as this section cannot be booked by UK agencies.

London-Athens by train & cruise ferry via Venice

	The civilised way to reach Greece...  A Minoan Lines cruise ferry sails past the gondolas in St Mark's Square in Venice, heading for Greece.  You can buy Italy-Greece ferry ticket online at the Seat61 Ferry Shop.  Photo courtesy of Andy Brabin of www.railbookers.com

Taking a ferry to Greece from Venice rather than Bari means the London-Athens journey will take 3 nights rather than 2, but the simplicity of taking Eurostar to Paris, an overnight sleeper to Venice, then a direct cruise ferry along the Adriatic to Greece makes it a wonderful and leisurely option.  With a free day in Venice (stop off for longer if you like), a two-night Adriatic cruise on a modern ferry with cruise ship facilities, less train travel necessary through Italy and a simpler booking process involving just two websites not three, it's an alternative that's well worth considering.  You could do the journey over a weekend!

London ► Greece

• Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 14:31 (14:01 on Saturdays) arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:47 (17:17 on Saturdays).  Cross Paris by métro to the Gare de Lyon.

• Travel from Paris to Venice overnight by Thello sleeper train, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon daily at 19:59 and arriving at Venice Santa Lucia station on the banks of the Grand Canal at 09:30 next morning.  This train has 4- & 6-berth couchettes, 1, 2 & 3-berth sleepers & a restaurant car.  Illustrated guide to the Thello sleeper train from Paris to Venice.

• For other train options between London and Venice including scenic daytime options with an overnight stop via Milan, Zurich or Munich, see the London to Italy page.

• Anek Lines (www.anek.gr) cruise ferries sail from Venice to Patras in about 36 hours, daily at certain times of year, several times each week at off-peak times, usually leaving Venice (Maritime station, walking distance from Santa Lucia station) either at lunchtime, late afternoon or early evening.  Minoan Lines (www.minoan.gr) also operated until recently, but seem to have dropped this route.  Visit the Seat61 Ferry Shop or www.ferriesingreece.com or the Anek Lines or Minoan Lines websites for sailing dates & times and to book online.  Allow plenty of time for connections in Venice, including a possible hour or two delay for the train arriving in Venice, reaching the ferry terminal and checking in for the ferry.  Booking a 14:00 sailing should be fine, but personally I think 12:00 sailings don't leave much leeway if the train is very late.

• Travel from Patras to Athens by bus.  You used to make this journey by delightful narrow gauge train, a wonderfully scenic although not very fast ride.  The Greek railways were supposedly building a brand-new standard-gauge rail line from Athens to Patras, but it's not yet complete and given the state of Greece's national finances, it may take years.  Until July 2010 you could still take the little narrow gauge train from Patras as far as Kiato (near Korinthos) and change onto the new standard gauge line the rest of the way to Athens.  However, since July 2010 the narrow gauge line has been closed completely for rebuilding, so until the new line opens the best option is to use a bus from Patras direct to Athens.   Buses leave regularly from Patras's main bus station (a short distance from the ferry terminal) taking 3½-4 hours.  Alternatively, Greek Railways are currently operating a regular railway-replacement bus service from Patras to Kiato, connecting with their standard gauge trains onwards to Athens & Piraeus, fares €15, see here for information.

Greece ► London

• Travel from Athens to Patras by bus.  You used to make this journey by delightful narrow gauge train, a wonderfully scenic though not superfast ride.  The Greek railways are or were building a faster standard-gauge line from Athens to Patras, and until summer 2010 you could take the new train from Athens as far as Kiato (near Korinthos) and change onto the little narrow gauge train the rest of the way to Patras.  However, the narrow gauge line to Patras closed completely for rebuilding in July 2010, so now you must either take a regular bus from Athens to Patras taking 3½-4 hours, or take a regular train from Athens main railway station to Kiato, from where Greek Railways operate a railway-replacement bus service from Kiato to Patras.  The fare is €5 for the train plus €10 for the bus, see here for more information.  Remember to allow for a 2-hour ferry check-in.

• Anek Lines sail from Patras to Venice in around 36 hours, daily in summer, several times a week in winter, usually leaving Patras late at night and arriving Venice in the morning 2 nights later.  See the Seat61 Ferry Shop or the Anek Lines or Minoan Lines websites for sailing dates and times and to book online.  On arrival, put your bags in the left luggage at the station and spend the day exploring Venice.

• Travel from Venice to Paris by Thello sleeper train, leaving Venice Santa Lucia station at 20:01 arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 09:30.  Couchettes, sleepers & restaurant car are available, see the guide to the Thello sleeper train from Paris to Venice.  Cross Paris by metro to the Gare du Nord.

• Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 11:13 and arriving London St Pancras at 12:30.

• For other train options between Venice and London including scenic daytime options with an overnight stop via Milan, Zurich or Munich, see the London to Italy page.

How much does it cost?

• London to Paris starts at £39 one-way.

• Paris to Venice by Thello sleeper train starts at €35 in 6-berth couchettes, €55 in 4-berth couchettes, €145 in a 2-bed sleeper.

• Venice to Patras by Anek Lines ferry varies by departure date, but a typical March sailing costs €86 with a reclining seat, €140 with a bed in a 4-berth cabin, €180 with a bed in a 2-bed cabin (all per person).  Remember this includes 2 nights accommodation!

• Patras to Athens by bus costs around €20, bought locally.

How to buy tickets...

The easiest & cheapest way to book this journey is online, just follow these step-by-step instructions.  This journey involves three websites, so do a dummy run on each site to check prices and availability before booking for real.  Make sure you get your departure dates right for each leg of the journey outward and back.  It can help to jot down the date and departure time for each separate booking before you start, the how to plan an itinerary & budget page may help.

• Step 1:  Book the Paris-Venice sleeper train online at www.thello.com.  You book online and simply quote your booking reference when you board the sleeper train.  Easy!

• Step 2:  Now buy a London-Paris Eurostar ticket at www.eurostar.com.  You print your own ticket, and can buy tickets not just from London but from 130 UK towns & cities.  You can also choose your exact seat - see tips for choosing a Eurostar seat.  By all means choose an earlier Eurostar outwards than the one suggested above, or a later one on the return, if it has cheaper fares available or you'd like to stop off in Paris.

• Step 3:  Book the ferry.  You can check and book all the Venice-Patras ferry companies in one go online at the Seat61 Ferry Shop.  Alternatively, you can book at the relevant operator's own website, www.anek.gr or www.minoan.gr.  Note that the operators' sites will allow booking of individual berths in shared cabins, the seat61 ferry shop will only allow complete cabins to be booked.  You receive a confirmation email which you present at check-in.  To buy tickets by phone, contact their UK agents, Viamare Travel, on 020 8343 5810.

• Buy your bus ticket from Patras to Athens locally, when you reach Patras, this is easy.

London to Salonika & Larissa

The overland route from London to Athens passes through Salonika (Thessaloniki in Greek) and Larissa.  However, it's currently blocked by the Greek government.  See the London to Athens section above for details.

Alternatively, you could travel from London to Athens by train and ferry via Italy, then take a train from Athens north to Larissa and Athens. See the London to Athens section above, then use the Greek Railways website, You can check train times for this section at www.trainose.gr for train times between Athens, Larissa and Salonika.

London to Meteora (Kalambaka)

Meteora is a spectacular monastery perched on a huge rock, near the town of Kalambaka.  Kalambaka is at the end of a railway branch line from Paleofarsolas on the main Thessaloniki-Larissa-Athens rail line.  There are two direct trains from Athens to Kalambaka every day (about 4 hours 45 minutes), plus regular trains throughout the day from Athens, Larissa and Thessaloniki with a change of train at Paleofarsolas.  For train times from Athens or Thessaloniki to Kalambaka, see You can check train times for this section at www.trainose.gr and use their journey planner.

By train & ferry via Bari or Brindisi...

• Travel by train from London to Bari or Brindisi.  For train times, fares and how to book see the Italy page.

• Superfast Ferries sail from Bari to Corfu every second day from early June until early September, sailing from Bari at 20:00 and arriving Corfu at 05:00 next morning.  Visit the Seat61 Ferry Shop or the operator's own website, www.superfast.com to check sailing dates, times, fares and to book online.

• Endeavor Lines (www.endeavor-lines.com) sail from Brindisi to Corfu at 20:30 several times each week year-round, daily in July & August, arriving in Corfu town at around 08:45 next day (day 3 from London).  Visit their website to check sailing dates and times.  In the UK, this ferry can be booked online at the Seat61 Ferry Shop or by phone through Viamare Travel on 020 8343 5810.

• If you have an InterRail pass valid for Italy and Greece, it will include a 'deck passage' on the HML or Superfast ferry, although port tax (about €6) and a cabin berth or reclining seat will be extra.

By train & ferry via Venice...

You might prefer to catch the ferry from Venice.

• Travel by train from London to Venice, using Eurostar to Paris and the direct Paris-Venice sleeper train.  For train times, fares and how to buy tickets, see the London to Italy page. 

• Allow a minimum of 3 hours for any connection with a ferry in Venice, to allow for transfer times, check-in and any delay to the train.

• Minoan Lines and Anek Lines sail from Venice to Corfu, daily at certain times of year, several times a week at off-peak times, usually leaving Venice (Maritime station, walking distance from Santa Lucia station) either at lunchtime, late afternoon or early evening.  To check  sailing dates, times, fares and for online booking, visit the Seat61 Ferry Shop or the Anek Lines or Minoan Lines websites.  From the UK, these ferries can also be booked by phone through Viamare Travel, call 020 7431 4560.

London to Kefalonia (Cephalonia)

Made famous by the book and film 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin', it's easy to reach Kefalonia all the way from London in less than 48 hours, without flying.

London to Crete (Heraklion & Chania)

	Pictured below:  Ships of rival ferry operators Minoan Lines and Anek Lines in Heraklion harbour.  Photo courtesy of Walter Smith.

London to Rhodes & the Greek Islands

	Anek ferry at Samos. Courtesy of Sue Smith.

Send your luggage in advance

Enjoy your journey without heavy luggage... 

Let www.carrymyluggage.com deliver your bags door to door.

If you'd like to enjoy your train journey free of heavy luggage, making it easy to get on and off trains with nothing more than a lightweight daypack or handbag, www.carrymyluggage.com will collect your luggage at your home address a few days before you leave, and will deliver it to addresses all over the EU, so it will be waiting at your hotel when you arrive.  It's not cheap, you can reckon on around £78 per case each way, but this is door to door, covering collection from your home in the UK or other EU country and delivery to an address in another EU country.  I've also arranged a 10% discount if you use the Promo code 'seat61' when booking your bags online.  www.carrymyluggage.com are a reliable company, they also work with companies such as Great Rail Journeys, Virgin Trains, First Great Western, Hull Trains, and South West Trains.

The Thomas Cook European Timetable

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  Published since 1873, it costs £14.99.  It's essential for any serious traveller and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Still not convinced you need one?  More information on what the Thomas Cook Timetable contains.  You can buy the latest monthly edition online at www.thomascookpublishing.com with worldwide delivery or buy it in person from selected UK branches of Thomas Cook (ask at the bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria station in London.  Or buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:  Summer/Autumn 2013 edition (June to Dec 2013) or (when published) Winter/Spring 2013/14 edition (Dec 2013 to June 2014). 

The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is the best and most comprehensive map of train routes right across Europe, from Portugal in the west to Istanbul, Moscow & Ukraine in the east, from Finland in the north to Sicily & Crete in the south.  High speed & scenic routes are highlighted.  Highly recommended!  Buy online at www.amazon.co.uk (worldwide delivery).  See an extract from the map.

Guidebooks

Paying for a guidebook may seem an unnecessary expense, but it's probably only a tiny fraction of what you're spending on your whole trip.  You will see so much more, and know so much more about what you're looking at, if you have a decent guidebook.  For independent travel, I recommend either the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide.  Both have plenty of background historical and cultural information, with all the practical information you need.

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

My own book, an essential handbook for train travel to Europe based on this website called "The Man in Seat 61", was published in June 2008, and is available from Amazon with shipping worldwide.

Find hotels in Athens or anywhere in Greece

Other hotel sites worth trying...

• www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

• www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system).  It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).

Backpacker hostels...

• www.hostelbookers.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelbookers offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.

Travel insurance & health card...

Get travel insurance, it's essential...

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) & belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, though, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

   If you live in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card, it's free...

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 spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low/no ATM fees

Taking out an extra credit card costs nothing, but if you keep it in a different part of your luggage you won't be left stranded if your wallet gets stolen.  In addition, some credit cards are better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.

You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.

Get an international SIM card to save on mobile data and phone calls...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find a huge bill.  Consider buying a global pre-paid SIM card for your mobile phone from www.Go-Sim.com, which can slash costs by up to 85%.  Go-Sim 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.