 Taking the train from the UK to anywhere in Europe... With help from the Man in Seat Sixty-One, you can leave London on Eurostar, bound not just for Paris but for Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Morocco, Tunisia, Ukraine, Turkey, Syria, even Russia, China and Japan... No flying necessary..! |
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 ...And beyond. Seat61 explains how to travel safely, comfortably and affordably by train and (where appropriate) buses or ferries, in Asia, Africa, Australasia & the Americas, avoiding unnecessary flights to see and experience far more than you would otherwise... |
A practical guide to classic travel, without the pain of the plane...
More and more people are looking for a more environmentally-sound, less stressful and more rewarding way to travel than simply flying everywhere. Taking a train or ferry from the UK to anywhere in Europe is easy and affordable, in many cases a far more practical alternative than most people imagine. The problem is finding out about it, as most travel agents and 'big business' in general simply don't want to know. They'd rather sell you flights, flights, car hire and more flights. The same can often be said for overland travel by regular train, ferry or bus services around the world. The Man in Seat Sixty-One sets out to address this problem and explain in simple terms, how you can put the romance and interest back into travel without breaking the bank.
Why is it called "The Man in Seat Sixty-One"?
Eurostar connects the UK into Europe, and my own overland journeys from London to Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Syria, Russia, Jordan, Greece, the Crimea and even Japan have all started on Eurostar. I always try to book seat 61 (in cars 7, 8 or 11) when I treat myself to Eurostar first class. Before you ask, it's one of a pair of seats facing across a table, with an unobstructed view from a picture window. There's more about who I am on the about me page.
UK to Europe (and beyond) by train or ferry...
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Seat61 explains how to travel by train or ferry from London to almost every country in Europe, telling you the recommended routes, train times, approximate fares, information about what the trains or ferries are like (with pictures where possible) and advice on the best way to buy tickets. Simply select your destination country from the menu on the left.
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The three most popular European pages are London to France, London to Spain & London to Italy. Just hop on an afternoon Eurostar to Paris then take the direct sleeper trains from Paris to Venice, Barcelona or Madrid. It's amazing some people still think you need to fly...
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Naturally, even journeys like London to Istanbul or London to Moscow are covered. Funnily enough, those two are surprisingly popular.
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The site explains how to find some great prices by train+ferry, too. London to Dublin only £38 each way, and London to Amsterdam from £45 each way.
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How about something more obscure? How about a trip to the Crimea, and maybe visit the site of the Charge of the Light Brigade or 1945 Yalta Conference where Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin were photographed side by side? Ukraine no longer requires UK or EU citizens to get a visa, and it's easy to reach Kiev, Odessa or even the Crimea overland by train, see the London to Ukraine page.
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Finally, The train travel to Europe page has all the general information you'll need for train travel to Europe, about luggage, child fares, taking your bicycle, checking train times and so on. It's also a resource centre for links to rail route maps and online timetables. You'll find a separate motorail page about taking your car by trains and a rail pass page to help you tour with a rail pass. Even if you're from overseas and not starting your journey in London or the UK, you'll find these pages useful.
Train travel worldwide, with key bus & ferry
connections...
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Need to travel from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur? Cairo to Luxor or Aswan? New York to Boston? Cape Town to Johannesburg? Delhi to Varanasi? Sydney to Melbourne? The train is the civilised and comfortable option for all these journeys and more. Seat61 will help you find out train routes, times, fares, what the trains are like, and how to buy tickets. Just select the country you're interested in from the menu on the left. Many international journeys are covered, too, such as Delhi to Kathmandu, Beijing to Hanoi, Bangkok to Singapore, just select the starting country.
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The most popular pages include Malaysia, Thailand, India, China, Canada, New Zealand & Egypt.
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For something a bit different, try the Syria, Burma (Myanmar) (two of my personal favourites) or Zimbabwe...
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Ferries and buses are covered too, where key destinations are not on the rail network such as Ko Samui or Phuket in Thailand, or where ferries or buses link countries, for example China to Japan or Bangkok to Phnom Penh and Saigon.
Epic journeys...
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You'll find a number of epic overland journeys explained on the site...
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Trans-Siberian Railway: Using the Trans-Siberian Railway, you can travel overland from London to Beijing or Tokyo or even Singapore. Seat61 will help you plan and book it the inexpensive independent way, with route guide, timetable, fares, photos and how to arrange tickets and visas.
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Coast to coast USA or coast to coast Canada: An epic, scenic and surprisingly affordable journey, a mind-blowing alternative to a mind-numbing flight. Seat61 will recommend the routes, times, and how to buy tickets the cheapest way. 3,000 miles of scenery from New York to Los Angeles for as little as $218 (£140)!
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Singapore to Bangkok: For around $60 (£40) you can travel 1,233 miles from Singapore to Bangkok, on comfortable modern trains with your own sleeping-berth with fresh clean bedding for both overnight sections. It's not surprising this page is one of the most popular pages on the site...
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London to Marrakech: You can do this over the weekend, in just 48 hours, and it doesn't cost a fortune, either. Probably the most exotic location most easily reached from the UK by rail. Ideal for a plane-free holiday to Africa...
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The train to Tibet: The new railway to Lhasa, featured on the China page.
Scenic journeys...
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The Glacier Express & Bernina Express: The two most scenic train journeys in Switzerland, or indeed Europe. And no, I can't tell you which has the edge, I can't decide myself, you'll just have to try both. These pages show you the train and the scenery and will help you buy tickets.
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The Northern Explorer & The Tranz-Alpine: two great scenic trains journeys across New Zealand, NZ's contribution to world rail travel. And Wellington to Auckland costs from NZ$158 (£83) for an all-day experience, a bargain and one of my own favourite trips...
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Venice Simplon Orient Express: Luxury as well as scenery, on this classic train from London & Paris to Venice. You'll find a run-down on the real Orient Express on the Orient Express page.
Rail Shop, Ferry shop, Hotels
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There are relevant links or phone numbers to buy tickets on each page, with the best and cheapest websites or agencies recommended for each journey. Seat61 now also has its own Rail Shop where you can order railpasses for Europe, Japan, USA, Canada or Australia, a Ferry Shop where you can book ferry tickets for routes all over Europe, all in one place, and a Hotel booking page. Give them a try next time you need a ferry ticket, rail pass or hotel.
These are just a taster of what's on the site. I hope you enjoy it, and get to try out some of the journeys!