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How to travel by train from

London to Greece . . .

How to travel by train & ferry from the UK to Athens & Greece...

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 Country information

Trains within Greece:  

OSE (Organismos Sidirodromon Ellados): www.trainose.com (previously www.ose.gr)

Map of Greek train routes    Athens-Istanbul by train    All-Europe online train times

 

 

Greek island ferries:

www.ferries.gr or www.openseas.gr for all Greek island ferries & operators.

Ferries Italy-Greece:

Superfast Ferries, Blue Star ferries, Minoan Lines, Hellenic Mediterranean Lines.  UK agent for most of these ferries: Viamare Travel

Railpasses:

Beginner's guide to European railpasses     Buy a rail pass online

Time zone:

GMT+2 (GMT+3 from last Sunday in March to last Saturday in October)

Currency:

£1 = approx 1.15 euros.   $1 = 0.8 euros    Currency converter

Tourist information:

www.gnto.gr   Athens Metro: www.ametro.gr   Recommended guidebooks

Hotels & tours:

Find hotels in Greece   Backpacker hostels   Book tours & excursions

Visas:

UK citizens do not need visas for travel via any of the routes shown here.

Page last updated:

1 September 2010.  Train times valid from 13 June to 11 December 2010.


 London to Greece without flying?

  The Akropolis, Athens.  It's easy to get to Greece by train!

Above:  The Acropolis, Athens.  You really can get there in comfort without having to fly!

No problem!  You can travel from the UK to mainland Greece in just 48 hours with great scenery on the way, by Eurostar, overnight sleeper train to Italy then overnight cruise ferry to Greece with comfortable cabin, 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.  Alternatively, you can travel overland by train all the way, a 3-day adventure by sleeping-car via Paris, Munich, Budapest & Bucharest.

On this page...

You'll find a step-by-step guide to planning, booking & making a train journey from London or Paris to Greece, one-way or return, eastbound or westbound, with schedules, fares, what the journey is like, and how to buy your tickets.

London to Greece: A guide to the different options, with route map

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

London to Athens by train all the way via Paris, Munich, Vienna, Budapest

London to Athens by train & ferry via Venice

London to Thessaloniki & Larissa

London to Meteora (Kalambaka)

London to Corfu

London to Kefalonia

London to Crete

London to Rhodes & other Greek islands

On other pages...

Athens & Thessaloniki to Istanbul by train    Greece to Turkey by ferry    Buying UK train tickets to connect with Eurostar

Taking bikes   Dogs   Luggage   Left luggage facilities in Paris   General information    European train travel help line...

Sponsored links:

 

 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 train to Italy then cruise ferry to Greece...

This is the quickest, cheapest and most comfortable way from London to Greece without flying.  It's shown in red on the route map below.  It's a wonderful trip and a great alternative to a flight, taking just 48 hours from St Pancras station to stepping ashore in Greece.  Take Eurostar from London to Paris, the overnight sleeper from Paris to Bologna, then an air-conditioned train 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 & Bucharest to Thessaloniki, Larissa & Athens.  This route is shown in dark blue on the route map below.  Alternatively, you can travel via Brussels & Cologne, and/or via Belgrade - these alternative routes are shown in light blue on the map below.  The complete journey from London to Athens takes 3 nights, with safe & comfortable sleeping-cars available for each of the overnight sections.  It's an exciting journey with some wonderful scenery on the way, via Transylvania and the mountains of Greece.   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...

Map showing train & ferry routes from London & Paris to Athens & Greece...

 London-Athens by train & ferry via Italy 

  Taking the ferry to Greece...

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, just 48 hours from London, with sleeping-cars & restaurant car on the Paris-Bologna overnight train, a journey along the Italian coast on an air-conditioned Bologna-Bari Eurostar City train, and best of all, an overnight cruise on a comfortable modern ferry across the sunny Adriatic from Italy to Greece, with the islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca passing slowly to starboard...

Train times London ► Greece

  • Day 1:  Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 14:04 and arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:26.  By all means take an earlier Eurostar if you'd like to spend some time in Paris.  Cross Paris by métro to the Gare de Bercy.
  • Day 1:  Travel from Paris to Bologna overnight on the Artesia sleeper train 'Palatino', leaving Paris Gare de Bercy at 18:52 and arriving in Bologna at 05:58 the next morning (day 2).  The Palatino has 1, 2 & 3-berth sleeping-cars, 4-berth & 6-berth couchettes (no seats).  There is a restaurant car for dinner and breakfast (the 3-course dinner menu costs 28 euros, a half bottle of wine 8 euros), or feel free to bring your own picnic and wine.  Click here for an illustrated guide to the Artesia sleeper trains from Paris to Italy.

  • Day 2:  Travel from Bologna to Bari by fast, air-conditioned Eurostar City train leaving Bologna at 09:50 and arriving Bari at 15:35.  There is a refreshment trolley, or feel free to bring your own food & wine.  The train follows the Adriatic coast for much of the way, past small towns and seaside resorts.  In Bari, you can walk (25 minutes) or take a taxi to the ferry terminal, which is next to Bari's attractive old town.

  • Day 2:  Sail from Bari to Patras in Greece on the Superfast Ferries / Blue Star Ferries ferry leaving Bari daily except Sundays at 20:00 and arriving Patras at 12:30 the next day (day 3) (On Sundays the ship sails at 12:00, too early to make connections from Bologna or anywhere else).  You can book a 'deck place' (a good and cheap option in summer if you have your own sleeping bag) or a reclining seat or a berth in various types of cabin, including luxury cabins with private shower & toilet.  The ship is modern and comfortable, with good restaurants, bars and sun decks.  You can check sailing times & dates at either the Seat61 Ferry Shop or www.superfast.com.  Strolling the decks in the morning sun as the ship cruises past the islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca is the nicest part of the trip, and it's a wonderful way to arrive in Greece.  In Patras, the ferry arrives in the town centre just five minutes walk from the railway station, which is just outside the ferry dock and along the harbour-front road to the right.

  • Day 3:  Travel from Patras to Athens.  You used to make this journey by narrow gauge train, a wonderfully scenic although not very fast ride.  The Greek railways are currently building a brand-new faster standard-gauge line from Athens to Patras, but it's not yet complete.  Until July 2010 you could still take the little narrow gauge train from Patras as far as Kiato (near Corinthos) and change onto the new standard gauge line the rest of the way to Athens.  However, I understand that the narrow gauge line has now (from 4 July 2010) been closed completely for rebuilding, so until the new fast line opens the best option is probably to use the ferry company's own connecting bus from Patras direct to Athens.   You can buy tickets for this bus on board the ferry, in fact that's the best place to buy it.  The bus leaves soon after the ferry arrives in Patras and takes 3½-4 hours so should get you to Athens by 17:00.  It arrives at the Superfast ferries office in Athens at 30, Amalias, GR-105 58.  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 euros, see here for information.  I'll update this as soon as I know that the new line from Patras to Athens has opened for business.

Train times Greece ► London

  • Day 1:  Travel from Athens to Patras.   You used to make this journey by narrow gauge train, a wonderfully scenic although not very fast ride.  The Greek railways are 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 until the new fast line opens you can either take Superfast Ferries' own connecting transfer bus from Athens to Patras, or take a train from Athens to Kiato then the Greek railways rail-replacement bus from Kiato to Patras.   The Superfast Ferries transfer bus leaves Athens at 08:45 from the Superfast ferries office in Athens at 30, Amalias, GR-105 58,  journey time 3½-4 hours.  This bus is timed for the earlier Ancona ferry, so you'll have quite a long wait until the Bari ferry departs.  Alternatively, you can take the 10:06 train from Athens main railway station to Kiato (arriving 11:27), from where Greek Railways operate a regular railway-replacement bus service from Kiato to Patras departing Kiato at 12:37 and arriving Patras at 14:44.  The fare is 5 euros for the train plus 10 euros for the bus, see here for more information.  Remember to allow for a 2-hour ferry check-in.  I'll update this as soon as I know that the new line from Patras to Athens has opened for business.

  • Day 1:  Sail from Patras to Bari with Superfast Ferries leaving from Patras daily at 18:00 and arriving in Bari the next day (day 2) at 08:30.  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.

  • Day 2:  Travel from Bari to Bologna by air-conditioned Eurostar City train leaving Bari at 13:29 and arriving in Bologna at 19:14.  There is a refreshment trolley, or feel free to bring your own food and wine.

  • Day 2:  Travel from Bologna to Paris overnight on the 'Palatino', leaving Bologna at 22:31 and arriving in Paris Gare de Bercy at 09:16.  A range of couchettes and sleeping-cars is available, plus a restaurant car.  Click here for an illustrated guide to the Paris-Italy sleeper trains.  Cross Paris by métro to the Gare du Nord.

  • Day 3:  Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar leaving Paris Nord at 11:13 and arriving at London St Pancras at 12:29.

From London to Paris by Eurostar - see the Eurostar page for photos & information...

From Paris to Bologna by sleeper train - see the Italy page for more photos & full details...

    1 2 or 3-bed sleeper, in evening mode, on the Paris-Florence/Rome overnight train...  
The Paris-Bologna sleeper train, with sleeping-cars, couchettes & restaurant car...   2-berth sleeper, for privacy & comfort...   The same sleeper, in evening 'sofa' mode.   4 or 6 berth couchette compartment...

From Bologna to Bari by Eurostar City train...

The Eurostar City train is fully air-conditioned with 1st & 2nd class.  It also has a refreshment trolley, but feel free to take your own refreshments and maybe bottle of wine along.

Eurostar City train from Bologna to Bari, seen at Bologna.   Eurostar City 1st class seats   Eurostar City 2nd class seats
From Bologna to Bari, you travel in a Eurostar City train, running along the seaside for much of the way...   This is 1st class, less crowded and more spacious.   ...and this is 2nd class.  1st class doesn't cost much more.

From Bari to Patras by 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.

Blue Star Ferries from Bari to Patras in Greece   At sea crossing by ferry from Italy to Greece

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!
Taking the ferry from Italy to Greece.  Wonderful!   A 2 or 4 berth cabin on the Italy-Greece ferry
At sea, passing Cephalonia and Ithaca   A 2- or 4-berth cabin, with private toilet and shower.

How much does it cost?

 1. London to Paris

 by Eurostar:

From £39 one-way or £69 return 2nd class.   Child, youth & senior fares

From £107 one-way or £189 return 1st class.

 

 2. Paris to Bologna

 by sleeper train:

 In a couchette

 In a sleeper

6-berth

4-berth

3-berth 2-berth 1-berth
 Special one-way fare: From £33 From £43 £117 £131 -
 Special return fare: From £66 From £86 £234 £262 -
 Normal one-way fare: £110 £119 £150 £164 £248
 Normal return fare: £182 £200 £254 £290 £496
 Normal child fare one-way: £52 £58 £94 £103 -
 Railpass fare one-way: £24 £43 £61 £71 -

Special fare = Book at least 14 days in advance for couchettes, 30 days for sleepers. Limited places available at these prices, no refunds, no changes.

Normal fare = Refundable and flexible.  There are no senior or youth reductions.

Child fare = Child 4-11 years with own berth. Return fare twice the one-way fare. Use an adult special fare if it's cheaper!  Children under 4 free, if they share a bed with an adult.

Railpass fare:  What you pay if you have railpasses (Eurail, Interrail, etc) covering both Italy & France. If your pass only covers one country, there's a higher supplement.

Prices from www.raileurope.co.uk.. Bookings open 90 days before departure.  On certain summer & other peak dates, 10-20% higher fares may be charged.

 3. Bologna to Bari

 by Eurostar City train:

 Booked online at www.trenitalia.com:

 43 euro (£37) one-way or 86 euro (£74) return 2nd class (30% discount fare)

 62 euro (£54) one-way or 124 euro (£108) return 2nd class (base fare)

 60 euro (£52) one-way or 120 euro (£104) return 1st class (30% discount fare)

 86 euro (£75) one-way or 172 euro (£150) return 1st class (base fare)

 Booked online or by phone with UK-based  www.raileurope.co.uk:

 £49 one-way or £99 return 2nd class

 £69 one-way or £138 return 1st class.

  
 4. Bari to Patras

 by Superfast Ferries /

 Blue Star Ferries:

 Booked online at www.superfast.com:

 Fares vary by season and accommodation - here's some examples:

 With a basic deck place:  53 euros (£46) one-way, 90 euros (£78) return;

 With reclining seat:  74 euros (£64) one-way, 126 euros (£109) return;

 With berth in cabin: From 110 euros (£96) one-way, 187 euros (£163) return

  
 5. Patras to Athens:  The connecting bus fare costs 20 euros per person.  Buy on board the ferry or at Superfast ferries office in Athens.

How to buy tickets online...

You can book the journey from London to Greece online, which is the easiest and cheapest way to do it.  Just follow the step-by-step instructions below.  It involves 3 websites, so do a dummy run on all three sites to check prices and availability before booking for real.  It's really not rocket science, but 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 train and ship booking before you start (the how to plan an itinerary & budget page may help).

  • Step 1:  Buy the Paris-Bologna sleeper train ticket at either www.raileurope.co.uk or www.voyages-sncf.com.  Which should you use?  Well, www.raileurope.co.uk is in English, for UK residents with tickets sent to any UK address and backed by a UK call centre, 0844 848 5 848.  It's now easier to use and more reliable than voyages-sncf.com.  www.voyages-sncf.com is for anyone from any country, it comes in several languages, the English button is at the bottom, tickets can be sent to any address in Europe including the UK, it has same fares as Rail Europe but in euros.  Voyages-sncf.com is quirky, so see this advice before using it

  • Train reservations open 90 days before departure, you can't book before reservations open.

  • There are more detailed booking instructions in the London-Florence section of the Italy page.

  • Step 2:  Still on www.raileurope.co.uk or www.voyages-sncf.com, click 'continue shopping' and book the Eurostar from London to Paris and back.  Use the Eurostar times on this page as a guide, but feel free to choose an earlier Eurostar from London, or a later Eurostar returning from Paris, if these have cheaper seats available or if you'd like to stop off in Paris.  Don't forget that on your return journey, your departure date from Paris to London will be the day after your departure date from Bologna to Paris..!  For a one-way trip, remember that on Eurostar it is usually cheaper to book a return ticket and throw away the return half.

  • Step 3, book the Bologna to Bari train.  The easiest way is to stay with www.raileurope.co.uk, click 'continue shopping' and book it there.  However,  you can save a pound or two by booking direct with Italian Railways at www.trenitalia.com, if you can get it to accept your UK-issued credit card (some it accepts, some it doesn't!).  You pay by credit card and simply quote your reservation reference to the conductor on the train.  Before using www.trenitalia.com, see the advice on using it.  The Trenitalia website has been known to struggle with some UK-issued credit cards, so if you have any difficulties, use www.raileurope.co.uk.

  • Finally, step 4:  Buy the Bari-Patras ferry ticket online either at the Seat61 Ferry Shop or at www.superfast.com, selecting the type of accommodation you want - either a deck place, a reclining seat, or various types of cabin berth.  Both the Seat61 Ferry Shop and www.superfast.com offer ticketless booking, which makes it easy.  You simply book online and quote your booking reference at the ferry check-in at the port.  Reservations open up to 12 months before departure.

  • You can buy the Patras-Athens train ticket at Patras station when you get there.  This is the easiest option, as it's difficult to buy these tickets from outside Greece.  Getting a ticket on the day of travel at the station shouldn't be a problem.

  • Buy a special add-on ticket from almost any station in Britain to London International (St Pancras)

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 09:00-21:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-18:00 Saturday) or www.simplyrail.com (call 08700 84 14 14) or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 51240Click 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.

  • The train from Patras to Athens is best booked at the station in Patras.

Traveller's report...

Traveller Nick Stone returned to London from Athens this way:  "We took the 12:06 train from Athens to Patras via Korinthos and changed there for the Blue Star ferry to Bari.  The ferry ride was relaxing and we enjoyed beers and a lovely à la carte meal for 34 euros 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 euros 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."

Using a railpass...

Using a railpass for this journey will cost you more than buying the cheapest point-to-point tickets as explained above.  It also means you can't go online and book everything yourself, quickly and simply, but will need to buy a pass and make reservations through an agency, who will almost certainly charge you booking fees.  However, an InterRail pass (assuming  you are a European resident) would give you more flexibility and allow you to make side trips on the way to explore the countries you pass through.

See the InterRail page for pass information and prices, and buy your pass online at www.raileurope.co.uk.

On top of the pass cost, add at least £69 return for the Eurostar, then there is a pass price for the Paris-Bologna train, £19 one-way in 6-bunk couchette, £33 one-way in 4-berth couchette.  You can see that compared with the special advance-purchase fares of 35 euros (£26) in 6-bunk or 60 euros (£44) one-way in 4-bunk, the pass doesn't save you much money..!

InterRail global passes give free travel on Superfast Ferries (Ancona or Bari to Corfu and Patras), Blue Ferries (Ancona & Bari to Corfu & Igoumenitsa) and Minoan Lines (Venice or Ancona to Corfu & Patras).  The InterRail gets you a 'deck place', and you will need to pay port taxes (about 6 Euros for departures from Bari), plus a supplement if you want a reclining seat or cabin berth.  Depending on the shipping operator, a reclining seat will cost £6-£12 each way, a berth in a 4-berth cabin about £19-25 each way.  You rail agency MAY be able to help you book a place on the ship in advance, but otherwise either book it when you arrive in Bari or Brindisi, or try contacting the ferry operator - for example via www.superfast.com.  The ships rarely sail completely full, and getting a place on your chosen sailing is not normally too much of a problem, even in the summer.

Alternative journeys via Brindisi or Ancona...

Superfast Ferries from Bari is recommended rather than ferries 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 09:50 train from Bologna continues to Brindisi, where it arrives at 16:37.  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.

Information on Patras-Athens trains...

Narrow gauge trains used to run between Patras & Athens Peloponnese station, a very scenic though not very fast ride.  The first stage of a new fast standard-gauge line has opened between Kiato (near Corinthos) and Athens main station, and until July 2010 you could still travel by narrow-gauge train from Patras to Kiato, changing onto a standard gauge train for the remainder of the journey to Athens.  Now the narrow gauge line has closed completely for rebuilding to standard gauge.  Greek railways are providing uses between Patras & Kiato.  One option is to use the ferry company's own bus transfer between Patras & Athens.  The other option is to use the Greek railways bus/train connecting service from Patras to Kiato to Athens.

To find Patras-Athens or Athens-Patras train+bus times, go to www.trainose.com & click 'Suburban and National Network Services' at the bottom.  This brings up a journey planner.  Typing 'Ath...' allows you to select 'Athina'.  Typing 'Pat...' allows you to select 'Patra'.  In the results, the Kiato-Patras 'trains' are now in fact buses.

Traveller Guy Aston reports:  "The Patras-Kiato narrow gauge railway is now very much closed, the tracks having been ripped up over lengthy sections, but OSE are running replacement buses between Patras & Kiato as shown in the OSE timetable (where they appear as trains!).  In August they were also running some non-stop buses which weren't in the official timetable. The Patras-Kiato buses take about 2 hours, and connect with the hourly Kiato-Piraeus standard gauge train service, which takes another 90 minutes to Athens. A Patras-Kiato ticket costs €10 including a seat reservation on the bus, Kiato-Athens/Piraeus costs €5 (second class only). The Patras booking office sold me the two tickets stapled together for €15, so I didn't have to risk missing the connection in Kiato with queuing at the ticket office there.  Coming back, however, the Piraeus booking office could only do a ticket to Kiato.  This bus-train combination seems ideal if you're heading for Piraeus and the islands, since it takes you directly to the port in Piraeus without having to change in Athens. The trains are reasonably comfortable air-conditioned diesel multiple units.  One thing you might also want to mention is the possibility of breaking the Patras-Kiato timetabled bus journey halfway at Diakopto, and taking a trip on the spectacular narrow-gauge rack railway up the gorge to Kalyvryta (4 trains a day: 70 minutes for 15 miles!).

 London to Athens by train all the way...

  The Parthenon, Athens

Above:  The Parthenon, Athens.  You appreciate world-class sights like this even more when you've made the effort to travel there overland...

   

This is an overland adventure through the Balkans, via Paris, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Transylvania and Bucharest...  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. 

Prefer to travel via Brussels & Cologne?  The journey shown below takes you via Paris, but you can travel via Brussels & Cologne if you prefer.  Simply substitute the London-Brussels-Cologne-Vienna-Budapest train times shown on the London to Hungary page for the London-Paris-Budapest train times shown below.  East of Budapest, the trains are the same.  Journey time via Brussels & Cologne is similar to the one via Paris shown here, you still leave London on day 1, arriving Athens on day 4.

Prefer to travel via Belgrade?  The recommended journey shown below takes you via Bucharest in Romania, but you can also travel on the more traditional route via Belgrade in Serbia.  Security problems there are now resolved, but the journey via Belgrade is not as comfortable or convenient as that via Bucharest.  See the London to Serbia page for train travel options between London & Belgrade, but do not rely on connections in Belgrade less than several hours, as trains often run an hour or two late (sometimes more) in this part of the world.  The Hellas Express leaves Belgrade daily at 22:00 arriving Thessaloniki next day at 12:31.  It has seats (not recommended), 6-berth couchettes & a sleeping-car with 1 2 & 3 berth compartments.  An InterCity train from Thessaloniki at 14:54 arrives Athens at 19:49.  Westbound, the Hellas Express leaves Thessaloniki at 17:05 arriving Belgrade at 05:44 next morning, sleeping-car & couchettes available.

Train times London ► Greece

  • Day 1:  Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 16:02 (15:32 at weekends), arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 19:17 (18:47 at weekends).  By all means take an earlier Eurostar from London if you'd like to spend some time in Paris, or it has cheaper seats available.  In Paris, it's a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.

  • Day 1:  Travel from Paris to Munich overnight by the excellent City Night Line sleeper train 'Cassiopeia', leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 20:20 and arriving in Munich at 07:16 next morning.  This train runs daily for most of the year, but only 4 times a week in winter.  It runs on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays until 18 March 2010, then daily for the summer until 8 November 2010, then on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays again until March 2011.  It has sleeping-cars (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments, either standard with washbasin or deluxe with private toilet & shower), 4 & 6-berth couchettes & ordinary seats.  Pictures & information about this City Night Line sleeper train.  If you need to travel on a day when this train isn't running, simply use the alternative daily services from London to Budapest via Paris, Munich & Vienna or via Brussels, Cologne & Vienna as shown on the Hungary page.

  • Day 2:  Travel from Munich to Budapest by air-conditioned 140mph 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.  If you want to stop off in Salzburg or Vienna for a day or two, no problem, this train calls at both Salzburg (arrive 10:54, depart 11:00) and Vienna Westbahnhof (arrive 13:40, depart 13:50).  There are of course plenty of other trains between Munich, Salzburg, Vienna & Budapest if you're stopping off in those cities which may suit your plans better.  You can check train times using http://bahn.hafas.de.   Look out for the crossing of the Danube and great views of Salzburg citadel & castle on the right as you approach Salzburg.  The train crosses the Danube again as it approaches Budapest.  More pictures & information about this RailJet train Map of Budapest showing Keleti station.

  • Day 2:  Travel from Budapest to Bucharest overnight on the EuroNight sleeper train 'Ister', leaving Budapest Keleti station at 19:13 and arriving at Bucharest Nord station at 10:34 next morning.  'Ister' is the ancient name for the River Danube.  The Ister has a modernised air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with safe, comfortable & carpeted 1, 2 & 3-bed rooms with washbasin, 6-berth couchettes (basic bunks) and ordinary seats.  Travel in ordinary seats is not recommended, a couchette is OK, but a bed in the sleeper is the recommended option.  Sleepers can be converted to private sitting rooms for evening/morning use, and there's even a shower at the end of the corridor (which may or may not work).  There's usually no restaurant car on the 'Ister' (the timetable says there should be, but it often doesn't appear in practice!), so take your own supplies of food, water and wine or beer.  The train crosses Transylvania by night, and soon after Brasov (reached at 07:02 next morning) it descends the pass through the Carpathian mountains, a wonderful and almost Alpine section of route.

  • Day 3:  Travel from Bucharest to Thessaloniki on the 'Romania', leaving Bucharest Nord daily at 12:24 and arriving at Thessaloniki 05:40 next morning (day 4 from London).  The sleeping-car has comfortable and safe 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, see the photos below.  The train crosses the wide River Danube on a long steel bridge from Romania into Bulgaria (2.5 km long, in fact, making it the longest steel bridge in Europe), then it meanders through pleasant green river valleys, a very enjoyable journey.  It stops in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, in the late evening.  There's no restaurant car on the 'Romania', so take your own supplies of food, water and wine or beer.

  • Day 4, travel from Thessaloniki to Athens by Greek InterCity train. A comfortable, air-conditioned InterCity train with buffet car leaves Thessaloniki at 07:13 arriving Larissa at 08:34 and Athens at 11:40.  Seat reservation is obligatory on Greek InterCity trains, but these cannot be made from outside Greece, so you will need to make a reservation at the station when you get there.  If the 07:24 InterCity is full (which it sometimes is), don't worry, there's another InterCity train leaving Thessaloniki at 10:13 arriving Larissa at 11:36 and Athens at 15:21, and other later services if you'd like to stop off for a few hours in Thessaloniki.  Soon after leaving Thessaloniki the trains pass right by towering Mount Olympus, the mythical home of the Greek gods, and once south of Larissa they snake through some spectacular mountain scenery, crossing viaducts whose predecessors were famously blown up by the British Special Operations Executive in WW2, before descending a dramatic escarpment to the plains below.  A highly recommended journey!  You can check train times for this section at www.trainose.com.

Train times Greece ► London

  • Day 1, travel from Athens to Thessaloniki by InterCity train, leaving Athens (Larissa station) at 14:53 or Larissa at 19:31 and arriving in Thessaloniki at 20:51.  Greek InterCity trains are comfortable and air-conditioned with buffet car.  It's a very scenic journey, as the train climbs a dramatic escarpment and snakes through mountain scenery south of Larissa, over the viaducts whose predecessors were famously blown up by the British Special Operations Executive in WW2.  South of Thessaloniki it passes Mt Olympus, home of the Greek gods.  You can check train times for this section at www.trainose.com.

  • Day 1 evening (or rather, day 2 as it leaves after midnight), travel from Thessaloniki to Bucharest by direct sleeping-car, leaving Thessaloniki at 00:28 daily and arriving in Bucharest at 18:30 in the early evening (day 2).  The sleeping-car has comfortable and safe 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin.  This train is the 'Romania', there's no restaurant car so take your own supplies of food, water and wine or beer.  Enjoy the slow meander through Bulgaria's green valleys and the crossing of the Danube into Romania over Europe's longest steel bridge.

  • Day 2:  If you want to travel onwards straight away, without a stopover in Bucharest, you will not make the connection with the 19:10 EuroNight 'Ister' to Budapest, so don't book this train.  Instead, travel from Bucharest to Budapest by direct sleeping-car, leaving Bucharest at 21:05 (Day 2) and arriving Budapest Keleti at 10:47 next morning (Day 3).  This 'train' is n fact one through Bulgarian sleeping-car en route from Sofia to Budapest (it was actually attached to your Thessaloniki-Bucharest train between Ruse and Bucharest, so you can walk down the train to talk to the sleeper attendant before arriving in Bucharest).  You probably won't be able to pre-book this sleeping-car from the UK or anywhere outside Bulgaria, if so just ask your booking agency for a basic travel ticket between Bucharest and Budapest routed via Craiova & Timisoara, then approach the sleeper attendant with some euros in cash and ask if there are any berths free.  There almost always are.

  • Day 3:  Travel from Budapest to Munich by air-conditioned 140mph RailJet train, leaving Budapest at 13:10 and arriving in Munich Hauptbahnhof at 20:34.  A bar-bistro car is available, so treat yourself to lunch!  The train travels via Vienna (arrive 16:08, depart 16:20) & Salzburg (arrive 18:58, depart 19:03) if you're stopping off there.  Look out for great views of Salzburg citadel & castle on the left as you cross the Danube soon after leaving Salzburg.  More pictures & information about this RailJet train.

  • Day 3:  Travel from Munich to Paris by the excellent City Night Line sleeper train 'Cassiopeia', leaving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 22:43 and arriving at Paris Gare de l'Est 09:23 next morning.  This train runs daily for most of the year, but only 4 times a week in winter.  It runs on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays until 17 March 2010, then daily until 7 November 2010, then on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays again until March 2011.  The trains has ordinary seats, couchettes (6-berth & 4-berth) and sleeping-cars (1, 2 or 3-bed rooms, deluxe with toilet & shower or standard with washbasin).  More pictures and information about this City Night Line trainWalk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.  If you want to travel on a day when this train isn't running, simply use one of the alternative daily services from Budapest to London shown on the Hungary page.

  • Day 4:  Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 11:13 and arriving London St Pancras at 12:29.

What are the trains like?  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 modern 'Comfortline' sleeping-cars (1, 2 & 3-berth deluxe rooms with private shower and toilet, 1, 2 & 3-berth standard rooms with washbasin.  There is a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in standard rooms, and all rooms have power-points for laptop computers), modern air-conditioned couchettes (choose between a berth in a 4- or 6-berth compartment), and ordinary seats (not recommended).  Inclusive fares are charged covering travel plus sleeping accommodation.  The sleeping-car fare includes a light breakfast. More pictures & information about this City Night Line trainTravel tip:  For a good meal in a classic Parisian brasserie before boarding the sleeper train in Paris, catch the earlier 14:04 Eurostar & dine at 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.
Sleeping-car compartment (1 2 or 3 berths)   4-berth couchette compartment on Paris-Munich overnight train   6-berth couchette compartment on Paris-Munich overnight train  

The sleeping-car on the Paris-Munich overnight train boarding at the Gare de l'Est

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.  It will soon also link Zurich, Innsbruck & Vienna.  Designed to run at up to 230km/h (143 mph) on sections of upgraded track, it reaches 200km/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 Premium (25 euros supplement over normal first class).  It has a bistro car providing drinks, snacks and hot dishes, which are served on proper china at your seat in first and premium 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 morning RailJet train has arrived in Vienna.   Premium class seats on the Munich-Budapest RailJet train   Economy class seats on the Munich-Budapest RailJet train
"The RailJet has landed..."  The morning RailJet train from Munich has arrived spot on time at Budapest's historic Keleti station...   Premium class costs 25 euros more than normal 1st class...   Economy class on RailJet, comfortable open saloons with large picture windows.  Some seats are arranged around tables, some are unidirectional.

Then by sleeping-car from Budapest to Bucharest & from Bucharest to Greece...

Travelling in the comfort & security of a sleeper is the recommended option.  The sleeping-cars on the Budapest-Bucharest and Bucharest-Thessaloniki trains are operated by CFR (Romanian Railways) and bought second-hand from German Railways.  Each compartment can be used for 1, 2 or 3-person occupancy, and each room converts from a bedroom with washbasin at night to a private sitting room with sofa and coffee table by day (though you might have to fold away the bunks yourself, and the seats may be a bit dusty!).  There's even a shower at the end of the corridor which may or may not be working, although temperature and water pressure could be better.  Compartments are single-sex, unless all berths in the compartment are occupied by people travelling together.  All rooms have both a normal lock on the door, and a security lock which cannot be opened from outside (even with a staff key), so you'll be both safe and snug!  More information about travelling in sleepers.  Both trains also have 6-berth couchettes, but these are far more basic and not a lot cheaper, so a proper sleeper is always recommended.

The Romanian sleeping-car, as used from Budapest to Bucharest.      Budapest-Bucharest sleeper   Bucharest-Istanbul sleeper, daytime mode with beds folded away

Above:  The EuroNight sleeper train 'Ister' about to leave Budapest.  In the foreground is one of the train's two sleeping-cars ('Vagon de dormit'), coupled behind it is the couchette car.

A sleeper, set up here as a 1-berth, the same room can be used as 2 or 3-berth.

 

The same sleeper, in evening mode with beds folded away, sofa folded out.

... and by Greek InterCity train from Thessaloniki to Athens ...

The White Tower in Thessaloniki (Salonika)   2nd class seats on an InterCity train from Thessaloniki (Salonika) to Athens   Great scenery from the train:  In the mountains between Athens and Larissa

Above:  The White Tower, one of Thessaloniki's best-known landmarks.

 

Above:  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...

More mountain scenery, and the Gorgopotamos Viaduct...   Thessaloniki to Athens InterCity train at Athens   The main Larissa railway station in Athens
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...

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 or Romania 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. 

How much does it cost?

Here are prices using point-to-point tickets.  Each train is ticketed separately, so get a calculator and add up the fare for each stage of the journey:

 1. London to Paris

 by Eurostar:

From £39 one-way or £69 return 2nd class.   Child, youth & senior fares

From £107 one-way or £189 return 1st class.

 
 2. Paris to Munich by

 sleeper train (per person):

In a

seat

In a couchette In the sleeping-car (standard room *)
6-bunk  4-bunk  3-bed  2-bed  1-bed 
 Savings fare, one way from: 49 euros  (£42) 59 euros (£51) 69 euros (£60) 79 euros (£68) 89 euros (£77) 139 euros (£120)
 Savings fare, return from: 98 euros (£84) 119 (£102) 138 euros (£120) 158 euros (£136) 178 euros (£154) 278 euros (£240)
 Normal fare, one-way: 110 euros (£79) 122 euros (£87) 127 euros (£91) 139 euros (£99) 156 euros (£111) 258 euros (£184)
 Normal fare, return: 220 euros (£158) 244 euros (£174) 254 euros (£182) 278 euros (£199) 312 euros (£222) 516 euros (£368)
 Child 0-14 with own berth: 55 euros (£39) 61 euros (£44) 64 euros (£46) 70 euros (£50) 78 euros (£56) -
 Child 0-5: Child 0-5 sharing berth travels free...

Savings fare = cheap fare, price varies, limited availability, no refunds or changes to travel plans. 

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

 3. Munich to Budapest

 by RailJet

Economy class special fares from 39 euros (£33) one-way or 78 euros (£66) return

Economy class full price 105 euros (£91) one-way, 210 euros (£182) return.

First class special fares from 69 euros (£60) one-way or 138 euros (£120) return

If you want to stop off in Vienna, you'll need to buy separate Munich-Vienna & Vienna-Budapest tickets.  Munich-Vienna special fares start at 29 euros (£25) each way, and Vienna to Budapest is around £25 each way.  So in this case a stopover does cost a bit more!

  
 4. Budapest to Bucharest

 on the Ister:

Booked in UK:

£91 each way in 6-bunk couchettes, £96 each way in 4-bunk couchettes

£101 each way in 3-bed sleeper, £118 each way in 2-bed sleeper (all per person)

Bought at the station in Budapest, Budapest-Bucharest is about 60 euros one-way, 120 euros return.  For a couchette, add 10 euros per night, or for a more comfortable and secure sleeper, add about 25 euros for a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, 36 euros for a bed in a 2-bed.

 

 5. Bucharest to Thessaloniki:

Booked in the UK:

Around £64 each way in 3-bed sleeper, £73 each way in 2-bed sleeper (all per person)

 

 6. Thessaloniki to Athens:

Around 35 euros (£30) each way by InterCity train.

How much does it cost using an InterRail pass?

Using an InterRail pass is the most flexible way to make a train journey from London or Paris to Athens.  It's usually slightly cheaper than normal tickets if you're under 26 years of age, but usually a few pounds more expensive than normal tickets if you're over 26, depending on what point-to-point prices you manage to get for your dates of travel.

  • For a one-way trip to Athens, a 5-days-in-10-days flexi InterRail pass gives a total of 5 days of unlimited 2nd class train travel in all the countries you pass through within an overall period of 10 days, which is plenty to make the journey, even with a day or two in Vienna, Budapest or Bucharest if you want.  It costs £149 if you are aged under 26, £233 if you're aged 26-59, or £210 if you're over 60.  Children 4-11 inclusive £117.

  • For a return trip to Athens, a 10-days-in-22-days pass costs £224 if you are aged under 26, £336 if you're aged 26-59, or £302 if you're over 60.  Children 4-11 inclusive £168.  This gives a total of 10 days of unlimited 2nd class train travel in all the countries you pass through within an overall period of 22 days, which is enough to make the outward and return journeys, even with a day or two in Vienna, Budapest or Bucharest if you want, with over two weeks in Greece, as long as you complete both your outward and return journeys within the 22 day period covered by the pass.  If you plan to be away for longer than 22 days, you'll need either a 1-month continuous InterRail, or you could buy one 5-days-in-ten-days flexi pass for the outward trip and another 5-days-in-ten-days flexi pass to cover your return trip, and spend however long you like in Greece.  The only limiting factor is that you can only buy InterRails a maximum of 2 months before their start date.

  • Add the cost of a Eurostar ticket:  InterRail passes do not cover Eurostar, so you need to add the cost of a Eurostar ticket.  You have two options:  Buy a normal cheap Eurostar ticket, from £69 return, £39 one-way, no refunds, no changes to travel plans allowed, or you can buy a special passholder fare, £57 one way or £100 return, refunds and change of travel plans allowed.

  • Add the cost of 3 nights sleeper or couchette supplement:  In addition to the cost of the pass, you will need to pay a supplements for each of the 3 nights each way in a couchette or sleeper berth.  For a couchette, budget for around £17 per person for the night between Paris & Munich, then £10 for each of the next two nights onwards to Greece.  For a bed in a 3-berth sleeper, budget for £30 per person per night for the night between Paris and Munich, then £22 per person per night for each of the following two nights Budapest-Bucharest and Bucharest-Thessaloniki.  For a bed in a 2-berth sleeper, allow £45 per person per night for the night between Paris & Munich, and about £35 per person per night for each of the two nights Budapest-Thessaloniki.  There's no supplement to pay for the Munich-Budapest RailJet train, and a reservation on RailJet isn't compulsory, although paying £4 for a seat reservation is a good idea for such a long journey.

  • Important note about InterRail flexi passes & overnight trains:  When using an InterRail flexi pass, overnight sleeper trains leaving after 19:00 count as the following day, as long as the overall 10- or 22-day pass validity period has started.  For example, if you left Paris at 22:44 on 1 January on the sleeper to Munich using a 5-days-in-10-days InterRail, you should ask for the pass to start its 10 day validity period on 1 January, but as the sleeper train leaves Paris well after 19:00, you would write '2nd January' in the first of the 5 'free travel day' boxes printed on your pass.  This free travel day would cover both the Paris-Munich sleeper and the Munich-Budapest train next day.  You don't need to use up a free travel day for the Eurostar, as Eurostar passholder fares don't require a pass day to be used, and you will probably end up using a normal (non-passholder) Eurostar ticket anyway as it's usually cheaper.

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.  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 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.  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.  European Rail will normally book your journey as a series of point-to-point tickets, unless you specify that you'd prefer to use an InterRail in the 'special requests' section.  Seat61 gets some commission if you buy tickets using this form.  Buy a special add-on ticket from almost any station in Britain to London International (St Pancras).

  

 

How to buy tickets, the full story...

Buy tickets online:  You can buy tickets online for the London-Paris-Munich-Budapest part of the journey (in either direction), and this is probably the cheapest way to book because you can see all the cheap deals and don't have to pay any agency booking fees.  Before you start, I recommend making a list of the specific trains and dates you want to book, as each train is effectively a separate booking.

  • See the London to Hungary page for step-by-step instructions on how to book London-Budapest train tickets online.

  • Top tip:  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:m stopover' box.  It'll then book you a 24 hour stopover in Vienna, but still let you buy a cheap 39 euros 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 euros!

  • You'll need to book the Budapest-Thessaloniki sleeper by phone as it cannot be booked online.  Call either 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) or www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays, £35 booking fee).

Buy tickets by phone or email:  Alternatively, you can buy all your London-Greece tickets together by phone.  But please don't phone up a ticketing agency, say "I want to book a train ticket from London to Greece" and expect them to know which route and trains you want and to work it all out for you.  You aren't buying a ticket from London to Athens as such tickets no longer exist, you're actually buying 4 separate tickets for 4 separate train journeys.  So use the train times on this webpage to prepare a list of the specific trains you want to book between specific cities on specific dates (you may find the technique shown on How to plan an itinerary & budget helpful).  When you're ready to book, contact one of these two agencies:

  • European Rail Ltd (www.europeanrail.com) on 020 7619 1083, lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee, but their staff are usually more experienced at booking journeys like this.

  • Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66, lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday.  They also (obviously) use the German Railways reservation system so charge the same prices as European Rail but on the plus side don't charge a booking fee, just a 2% credit card fee.  Tickets can be sent to UK or Irish addresses, or (for a fee) overseas addresses.  Just be aware that their staff aren't always familiar with complex bookings like this and may need gentle persuasion.  You will need to talk them through exactly what train bookings you want, and be polite but persistent if necessary.  For booking a journey to Istanbul, the booking fee charged by European Rail can be worth the extra few pounds.

Can all the necessary trains be reserved from the UK?  All the tickets & reservations you need for an eastbound journey from London to Athens can be bought in the UK through these agencies, except for the Thessaloniki-Athens InterCity train.  That's because the Greek Railways reservations computer isn't linked to the other railways' systems, so reservations for trains within or starting in Greece cannot be made from outside Greece.  You will therefore need to make the Thessaloniki-Athens reservation (or buy the whole ticket) at the station when you get to Thessaloniki, though this is easy to do.  All the tickets & reservations for a westbound journey from Athens to London can also be made from the UK, except for the sleeping-car from Thessaloniki to Bucharest, which starts in Greece so also needs to be booked when you get to Greece.  Again, this is unlikely to be any problem.  You can still buy the basic travel ticket from Athens or Thessaloniki to Bucharest from these agencies in the UK, it's only the sleeper reservation you need to make when you get to Greece.  You can of course buy tickets and make reservations in the UK for the remainder of your return journey (in other words, Bucharest-Budapest-Vienna-Paris-London). 

How to book a UK-Greece journey using an InterRail pass...

  • Plan your trip using the information on this page.  Decide which type of InterRail pass you need, by reading the information about InterRail passes above and on the InterRail page.

  • Decide which route you want to use, and make a list of which train reservations you want on which specific dates.   This may help you plan your trip: How to plan an itinerary & budget

  • Then buy your InterRail pass online from www.raileurope.co.uk (UK residents only).  

  • Now buy your Eurostar ticket from www.eurostar.com, as that's the cheapest way, passholder fares usually being more expensive than normal cheap fares. 

  • Then call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (no booking fee, 2% credit card fee) or Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 and make a sleeper reservation from Paris to Munich using your pass (£8 booking fee).  There's no supplement to pay for the Munich-Budapest RailJet and reservations aren't compulsory on RailJet, although paying £4 or so to reserve a seat is a good idea for such a long journey.  The remaining sleeper reservation from Budapest to Thessaloniki can either be made as you go along at the station in Budapest, there's almost always places available, or you can also boo this in advance from Deutsche Bahn.

  • Alternatively, call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, no booking fee, 2% credit card charge) or www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (£35 booking fee, but the staff can be more experienced in booking journeys like this) and buy your InterRail pass, Eurostar ticket and all the reservations you need by phone, all together.

  • Note that return reservations for the sleeping-car from Thessaloniki to Bucharest cannot be made using the normal railway reservation computer system, as this does not cover trains within or starting in Greece or Bulgaria.  You will need to make this reservation for the return leg yourself at the reservations office when you reach Greece.  You can of course buy tickets and make reservations in the UK for the remainder of your return journey (in other words, Bucharest-Budapest-Vienna-Paris-London), it's only the return reservations from Athens to Thessaloniki and the sleeper reservation from Thessaloniki to Bucharest that you need to make once you reach Greece.  You are unlikely to have any problem getting these reservations if you book a day or two in advance.

Traveller's report...

Traveller Nick Stone took the train from London to Athens:  "We booked a 2-berth sleeper from Budapest to Thessaloniki [you now need to change sleepers in Bucharest].  The two day trip was great fun, we followed your advice and bought our own supplies of bread, water, cheese and wine.  Spent happy hours popping our heads out of the open windows and soaking up the rural Romanian and Bulgarian scenery.  Although we were 2½ hours late arriving Thessaloniki, it didn't matter as we were treated to a terrific sun rise over northern Greece plus a lovely smell of Oregano in the air!  We think the delay was the endless wait at the border during the night.  The train down to Athens scenic too.  A speedy trip at first, but then train slows down for the windy and hilly route through the Delphi Mountains."

 London-Athens by train & ferry via Venice

  A Minoan Lines ship passing St Marks Square, Venice, en route to Greece...

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.

   

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!

Train & ferry times London ► Greece

  • Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 15:02 (15:32 at weekends) and arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:17 (18:47 at weekends).  Cross Paris by métro to the Gare de Bercy.

  • Travel from Paris to Venice overnight on the Artesia sleeper train 'Stendhal', leaving Paris Gare de Bercy daily at 20:33 and arriving at Venice Santa Lucia station on the banks of the Grand Canal at 09:34 next morning.  This train has 4- & 6-berth couchettes, 1, 2 & 3-berth sleepers & a restaurant car.  Click here for an illustrated guide to the Paris-Italy Artesia sleeper trains.

  • Minoan Lines and Anek Lines 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.  Visit the Seat61 Ferry Shop 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. 

  • There are regular trains between Patras and Athens, and it's a scenic ride.  See www.bahn.de (which may or may not have current Greek train timetable data loaded in it, but give it a go) or www.trainose.com for train times.  Trains run every few hours, buy a ticket at the station.  You switch from a narrow-gauge train to the new fast standard-gauge line at Kiato.  Important update:  The narrow-gauge railway line from Patras to Kiato is currently closed for 9 months from August 2009 for rebuilding to standard gauge.  During this time, buses replace trains.  The ferry company's own bus from Patras to Athens is probably the best option until the line reopens in 2010, you can buy tickets for this bus on board the ferry.

Train & ferry times Greece ► London

  • Take an early afternoon train from Athens (main Larissa station) to Patras.  This involves a standard gauge train to Kiato where you change onto the scenic narrow gauge train to Patras.  Check train times and buy a ticket at the station.  Important update:  The narrow-gauge railway line from Kiato to Patras is currently closed for 9 months from August 2009 for rebuilding to standard gauge.  During this time, buses replace trains.  The ferry company bus from Athens to Patras is probably the best option until the line reopens in 2010.

  • Minoan Lines and 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 Artesia sleeper train 'Stendhal', leaving Venice Santa Lucia station at 19:57 arriving Paris 08:19.  Couchettes, sleepers & restaurant car available, see the London to Italy page for full details.  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 12:38.

How to buy tickets...

You can book this journey from London to Greece online, which is the easiest and cheapest way to do it.  Just follow these step-by-step instructions.  This journey involves two websites, so do a dummy run on both sites 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 train and ship booking before you start (the how to plan an itinerary & budget page may help).

  • Step 1:  Buy the Paris-Venice sleeper train ticket online at either www.raileurope.co.uk or www.voyages-sncf.com.  Which should you use?  Well, www.raileurope.co.uk is in English, for UK residents with tickets sent to any UK address and backed by a UK call centre, 0844 848 5 848.  It's now easier to use and more reliable than voyages-sncf.com.  www.voyages-sncf.com is for any user from any country, it comes in several languages, the English button is at the bottom, tickets can be sent to any address in Europe including the UK, it has same fares as Rail Europe but in euros.  Voyages-sncf.com is quirky, so see this advice before using it. There are more detailed booking instructions in the London-Venice section on the Italy page.

  • Step 2:  Still on www.raileurope.co.uk or www.voyages-sncf.com, click 'continue shopping' and book the Eurostar from London to Paris and back.  Use the Eurostar times on this page as a guide, but feel free to choose an earlier Eurostar from London, or a later Eurostar returning from Paris, if these have cheaper seats available or if you'd like to stop off in Paris.  Don't forget that on your return journey, your departure date from Paris to London will be the day after your departure date from Bologna to Paris!  For a one-way trip, remember that on Eurostar it is usually cheaper to book a return ticket and throw away the return half.  Advice on one-ay Eurostar fares.

  • Step 3:  You can book all the ferries from Venice to Patras online at the Seat61 Ferry Shop, or go to the operators' own websites, www.anek.gr or www.minoan.gr.  To buy tickets by phone, contact their UK agents, Viamare Travel, on 020 8343 5810.  Minoan Lines accept Eurail & InterRail passes (no port taxes to pay, but cabins or a reclining seat are extra).

  • The train from Patras to Athens is best booked on arrival in Patras.  Similarly, book the Athens back to Patras train at the station in Athens.

 

 

 London to Salonika & Larissa

The overland route from London to Athens passes through Salonika (Thessaloniki in Greek) and Larissa.  See the London to Athens section above for details.

Alternatively, you could travel from London to Athens by train and ship 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.com 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.com and use their journey planner.


 

 London to Corfu

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 euros) 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.

  • Travel from London to Brindisi by train, using Eurostar to Paris, the overnight sleeper to Bologna and connecting train along the coast to Brindisi.  see the London to Italy page for times, fares and how to buy tickets.  In Brindisi, use a taxi to the port a few miles away.
  • Endeavor Lines operate a service from Brindisi ferry terminal to the main town of Sami on Kefalonia (Cephalonia) several times a week throughout the Summer, typically sailing at 19:00 and arriving at 07:00 next morning.  Visit www.endeavor-lines.com for dates, times, fares & online booking, or book online at the Seat61 Ferry Shop.

  • There are also ferries year-round between Patras and Kefalonia, see www.ferries.gr.


 London to Crete (Heraklion)

  • Travel from London to Athens, see the London to Athens section above.  A frequent metro runs between Athens and Piraeus, the port of Athens, taking just 25 minutes or so.
  • Ferries sail daily from Piraeus to Heraklion, the capital of Crete, usually overnight.  ANEK Lines sail daily at 20:30 arriving at 05:30 next day, Minoan Lines sail at 21:00 arriving 05:30 next day.  Basic 'deck place' fares start at 23 euros one-way, 41 Euros return, or with the cheapest berth in a 4-berth cabin, 41 euros one way, 74 euros return. 

  • You can book both Anek and Minoan ferries at the Seat61 Ferry Shop, or at the operators' own websites, www.anek.gr or www.minoan.gr.

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

Ferries from Piraeus to Crete, seen at Heraklion


 London to Rhodes & the Greek Islands



 

 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

Or buy direct from the Lonely Planet website, with shipping worldwide.

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.Lonely Planet Greece - click to buy onlineThe Man in Seat 61 book - click to buy online


 

 Thomas Cook European Timetable

Thomas Cook European Timetable -  click to buy onlineThomas Cook Rail Map of Europe - buy onlineThe Thomas Cook European timetable has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  Published since 1873, it costs £13.99.  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.thomascooktimetables.com with worldwide delivery or buy it in person from any UK branch of Thomas Cook (ask at the bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria or Kings Cross stations in London.  Or buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:  Summer 2010 edition (June to December 2010)

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.


 Hotels & accommodation

Find a hotel anywhere in Greece...

It's easy to book hotels online to go with your train tickets, but there are almost too many hotel booking websites to choose from.  So try www.hotelscombined.com (just use the search box below).  This is not a hotel booking website, but a free search tool which searches all the main hotel booking sites for you (Expedia, Travelocity, LateRooms, Opodo, Venere and many others) to find the cheapest hotel rates on the net.  Set up in 2005, it's an amazing system and probably the best place to start for booking any hotel online in any country, worldwide.

 

◄◄◄ Search all the major hotel

booking websites at once...

Hotel reservations? Find the right hotel first. Compare here.

Powered by Hotelscombined.com

Backpacker hostels...

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


 Travel insurance, health card, SIM card

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.

If you live in the UK, get quotes from Columbus Direct or Go Travel Insurance, or go to Confused.com to run a price comparison on a whole range of travel insurance providers for your dates of travel, seeing their policy's features at a glance.

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.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, see Columbus Direct Australia.

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

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 pre-paid euro currency MasterCard from Caxton FX...

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, and if you're not careful you can return home to find some huge bills waiting for you.  I've known people run up over £1,000 in data charges just by leaving their iPhone connected during a simple trip to Europe.  However, 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% and limit any damage to the amount you have pre-paid.  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.


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