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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... |
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What's the site all about?
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 "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.
A quick tour of what's on the site...
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 £39 each way.
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How about something a bit more obscure. Ever
fancied a trip to Albania? You might be surprised!
London to Albania page.
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Or 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 $208
(£135)!
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Singapore to Bangkok:
For just $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:
Perhaps the most scenic train journey in Switzerland, or indeed Europe.
This page shows you the train and the scenery and will help you buy tickets.
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The Overlander &
The Tranz-Alpine: two great scenic trains
journeys across New Zealand, NZ's contribution to world rail travel.
And Wellington to Auckland costs as little as NZ$119 (£58) 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!
Mark Smith
The Man in Seat Sixty-One...
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