How much does it cost?

What's the journey like?

1. London to Paris or Brussels by Eurostar...

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras (45-minute minimum in Paris, Brussels & Amsterdam) as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More information about Eurostar including check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide.  In Brussels, I recommend using the Pullman Hotel bar as your VIP waiting room.

A Eurostar e320 at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.		Standard Premier/Business Premier.  Larger photo.

Standard class seats.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, in cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2. Paris or Brussels to Vienna by Nightjet:  See the Nightjet guide... 

This is an Austrian Railways (ÖBB) Nightjet train, with sleeping-car, couchettes & seats.  The sleeping-car has 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, plus three deluxe compartments with 1, 2 or 3 beds with private shower & toilet.  The sleeper berths come fully made up with sheets and duvets, all sleeper passengers get mineral water in the evening and a light breakfast served in their compartment next morning.  Towels & toiletries are provided, including shampoo and shower gel in the deluxe sleepers.  In the more economical couchettes, you can book a couchette in a cheaper 6-berth compartment or a less-crowded 4-berth compartment, each provided with sheet, blanket, pillow & small bottle of water, and couchette passengers get a tea or coffee in the morning.  When waiting for the northbound sleeper train in Vienna, if you have booked a sleeper you can use the ÖBB lounge with complimentary refreshments.  More pictures & information about Nightjet trains.

On 20 January 2020, the inaugural Nightjet left Brussels for Vienna, the first scheduled sleeper train to leave Brussels in 16 years.  Above, that inaugural train is seen ready to leave Brussels Midi on 20 January - naturally, the Man in Seat 61 was on board!

Deluxe sleeper.  Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room.  Larger photo.  Video of deluxe room		The same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out.  Larger photo.		Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided.  Larger photo.		Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open.  It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth.  Larger photo.

6-berth couchettes...		4-berth couchettes...		Couchette car on the Brussels-Vienna Nightjet...

3. Vienna to Budapest by Railjet...

Railjets are ÖBB's (Austrian Railways) premier trains, with economy & 1st class, plus a premium 1st class called business class.  There's a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st & business class, restaurant car orders are taken and served at your seat.  More information about railjets.  Budapest Keleti station guide.

A railjet about to leave Vienna.  More information about railjets...

Business class.  About.		Restaurant car.

First class.		Economy class.

The railjet has landed...  A railjet has arrived spot on time in Budapest's historic Keleti station, built 1881-1884

4. Budapest to Bucharest on the sleeper train Muntenia...

The train has a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6-bunk compartments, these convert from seats to bunks at night will sheet, pillow and blanket provided.  There are toilets & washrooms at the end of the corridor.  A classic wood-panelled sleeping-car is attached from Timisoara to Bucharest, of a type bought second-hand from DB (German Railways) with cosy 1, 2 & 3-bed compartments with washbasin.

A Romanian couchette car of the sort used between Budapest & Bucharest on the Muntenia.  Courtesy of @AndyBTravels, DiscoverByRail.com .		4 or 6-berth couchettes.  Larger photo.

A Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 or 3-bed compartments is attached between Timisoara & Bucharest. Courtesy of @AndyBTravels, DiscoverByRail.com.  Larger photo.

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Option 2, London to Sofia via Paris, Stuttgart, Zagreb & Belgrade...

This is the fastest option, London to Bulgaria overland by train, taking 3 days, 2 nights.  It involves comfortable good-quality air-conditioned trains as far as Belgrade, but a more basic series of trains between Belgrade and Sofia.

Incidentally, the line between Budapest & Belgrade is currently affected by work to upgrade the line, and that route will be out of action throughout 2020.  This means that the route via Zagreb shown below is the one to use, until further notice.  Or would be, when if it weren't also suspended!

London ► Sofia

• Day 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:22 on Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:47.  On Saturdays, leave London St Pancras at 09:24 arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 12:57.

  In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.

• Day 1, travel from Paris to Stuttgart by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:55 Monday-Friday & Sunday arriving Stuttgart Hbf 19:04.  On Saturdays, leave Paris Gare de l'Est at 13:55 arriving Stuttgart Hbf 17:04.

  The 320 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.  Times may vary, so check your date at www.bahn.de.

• Day 1, travel from Stuttgart to Zagreb by sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 20:29 and arriving Zagreb 10:39. 

  The Lisinski has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended).  Watch the Croatian sleeper video.

• Day 2, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade on the daily train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04 arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar at 18:12.

  This train is still currently suspended due to Covid-19.

  This train has two air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats (no 1st class).  There's no dining-car, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.

  Tip:  Although Belgrade Centar is slightly closer to the city centre, you have to rely on a single bus line.  Trams 7 & 9 link Novi Beograd station with the site of the now-defunct old Belgrade station on the edge of the old city every 5-10 minutes so you may prefer to get off at Novi Beograd and take a tram, see the Belgrade station page for more information.

• Stay overnight in Belgrade.  I recommend the famous Hotel Moskva, located at the end of Belgrade's main pedestrianised shopping street- see map of Belgrade showing station.

• Day 3, travel from Belgrade to Sofia, see the Belgrade to Sofia page for timetable, photos, tips & information.

  This route is still currently suspended due to Covid-19.

  From mid-June to late September there should be a direct train from Belgrade to Sofia called the Balkan, but it didn't run in 2021 and may not run in 2022.  If running, it leaves Belgrade Topcider station at 09:15 and arrives Sofia central station at 20:37.  The Balkan is 2nd class only and has no catering car so bring your own picnic and supplies of wine or beer.

  When the direct train isn't running (which could well be all of 2022), you travel from Belgrade to Sofia like this: 

  Day 3, travel from Belgrade to Nis by modern air-conditioned Serbian electric train, leaving Belgrade Centar at 17:30 & arriving Nis at 22:13.  An earlier 13:05 train is available if you'd like more of an evening in Nis.

  Stay overnight in Nis, the inexpensive Vila Nova Hotel is 14 minutes walk from the station with great reviews, with a 24h front desk & free WiFi.

  Day 4, travel from Nis to Dimitrovgrad by air-conditioned Serbian diesel train, leaving Nis at 07:10 and arriving Dimitrovgrad at 10:22.

  Day 4, travel from Dimitrovgrad to Sofia by Bulgarian train, leaving Dimitrovgrad at 15:15 and arriving Sofia central station at 18:36.

Sofia ► London

• Day 1, travel from Sofia to Belgrade by train, see the Sofia to Belgrade page for full details, photos, tips & information.

  This train is still currently suspended due to Covid-19.

  From mid-June to late September there should be a direct train from Sofia to Belgrade, but this didn't run in 2021 and may not run in 2022.  It leaves Sofia central station at 09:15 and arrives Belgrade Topcider station at 18:29.  It's 2nd class only and has no catering, so bring your own picnic and wine or beer.

  If & when this direct train isn't running (which may well be all of 2022), you travel from Sofia to Belgrade by 3-train combo like this:  Leave Sofia central at 09:00, change at Dimitrovgrad (arrive 10:20, depart 11:25) & Nis (arrive 14:44 depart 15:50), arriving Belgrade Centar 20:59.

• Stay overnight in Belgrade.  I recommend the famous Hotel Moskva at the end of Belgrade's main pedestrianised shopping street- see map of Belgrade showing station.

• Day 2, travel from Belgrade to Zagreb on the daily train, leaving Belgrade Centar station at 10:05 & Novi Beograd at 10:19 arriving Zagreb 18:13.

  This train is still currently suspended due to Covid-19.

  This train has two air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats.  There's no 1st class or catering car, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.  You've now time for dinner in Zagreb.

• Day 2, travel from Zagreb to Stuttgart by sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Zagreb at 19:38 & arriving Stuttgart Hbf 08:37.

  The Lisinski has a modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and seats (not recommended).  Watch the Croatian sleeper video.  In summer when it's light there is wonderful scenery along the river Sava between Zagreb & Ljubljana.

• Day 3, travel from Stuttgart to Paris by high-speed ICE train, leaving Stuttgart at 10:52 & arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 14:05. 

  The high-speed ICE train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Do not risk earlier connections.

  In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.

• Day 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:03 & arriving London St Pancras at 18:32.

How much does it cost?

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

How to buy tickets...

• Step 1, book from London to Stuttgart at www.thetrainline.com.  Who are Thetrainline.com?

  Using www.thetrainline.com allows you to book all your tickets in one place, in €, £ or $, international cards no problem, small booking fee.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead for Eurostar, up to 4 months ahead for Paris-Stuttgart, and usually 90 days ahead for Stuttgart-Zagreb, see more information about when bookings open.  I recommend waiting until onward trains have opened for booking and times are confirmed before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket, unless you're prepared to take a calculated risk.

  Tip:  Click via/avoid and enter Paris as a via station to limit the search to routes via Paris. 

  Tip:  You can book from London to Stuttgart all in one go if you like, but for more control over the connection in Paris, I'd book London-Paris first, add to basket, then book Paris-Stuttgart and add to basket, ensuring at least an hour between trains.  That way you can allow a more robust connection than the system would give you, and you can see if earlier Eurostars have cheaper prices.

  Tip:  If you are making a round trip, London-Paris return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so it's cheaper to book this as a return journey.  All other trains are one-way ticketed so it makes no difference how you book, and it can be easier to book one way at a time!

  Tip:  After booking you can use the Manage booking facility at www.eurostar.com to choose an exact seat from a seating plan, see tips on choosing a seat on Eurostar.

• Step 2, book the sleeper train from Stuttgart to Zagreb at www.thetrainline.com.

  Use the journey planner to bring up the direct Stuttgart-Zagreb sleeper train marked EN with 0 changes. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 3, Zagreb to Belgrade cannot be booked online, just buy at the station in Zagreb or on the train, this won't be a problem.

• Step 4, the Belgrade-Sofia train cannot be booked online, so buy it at the station in Belgrade when you get there, always  places available.

• Alternatively, you can book London to Paris at www.eurostar.com, then Paris to Stuttgart at the German Railways website www.bahn.de, then Stuttgart to Zagreb at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.  This is more work on multiple websites, sometimes more fiddly, the prices should be the same, but no booking fees.

How to buy tickets by phone...

• If you'd prefer to book all your tickets together by phone, just call International Rail on 0844 248 248 3, lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday. 

• Alternatively, you can call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (lines open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).

Have your trip professionally arranged...

• If you want a custom-made trip with train travel, hotels & transfers all arranged for you, contact Railbookers.  Tell them what you want and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out.  They get positive reviews and look after their customers very well.

    UK call 0207 864 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk. 

    US call free 1-888-829-4775, see website.

    Canada call free 1-855-882-2910, see website.

    Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526, see website. 

    New Zealand call toll-free 0800 000 554 or see website.

What is the journey like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar...

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras (45-minute minimum in Paris, Brussels & Amsterdam) as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More information about Eurostar including check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Paris Gare du Nord station guide.

A Eurostar e320 train.  More about Eurostar.		Standard Premier/Business Premier.  Larger photo.

Standard class seats.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, in cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2. Paris to Stuttgart by TGV Duplex...  Click for video guide

In Paris it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est for the TGV to Germany.  Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views.  The train is equipped with power sockets for laptops & mobiles at all seats in both classes, and a cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.  The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods & farmland at up to 320 km/h (199 mph), past picturesque French villages of the Champagne region.  An hour or two later, the train leaves the high-speed line and slowly meanders through pretty wooded hills, the countryside eventually flattening out towards Strasbourg.  On leaving Strasbourg, look out for Strasbourg cathedral on the left with its famously missing second tower.  Minutes afterwards you rumble across the river Rhine into Germany, before heading on to Stuttgart.  Paris Gare de l'Est station guide.

TGV Duplex at Paris Est. These impressive 320 km/h double-deck trains link Paris & Stuttgart, a relaxing journey with reading book & glass of wine.  Book an upstairs seat for the best views...

Cafe-bar on upper deck in car 4, serving tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.		2nd class seats on the upper deck.  There's a mix or tables for 4 and unidirectional seating.  360º photo.

1st class on upper deck, a club duo on the left, a club quatre on the right.  360º photo.		A TGV Duplex.  The 1 near the door indicates 1st class, a 2 indicates 2nd class.

3. Stuttgart to Zagreb by sleeper train Lisinski... Watch the video

This modern sleeper train is a pleasure to travel on, whether in the privacy of your own sleeper or in economical couchettes.

Above, the air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car to Zagreb at Munich Hbf.  It has 10 compartments with washbasin, each of which can be used as 1, 2 or 3 berth, with toilets at the end of the corridor.  Compartments convert to a private sitting room for evening or morning use.  A light breakfast is included in the sleeper fare. The Croatian couchette car is the next vehicle to the right, also modern & air-conditioned with 4 & 6 bunk compartments, ideal for families.  Couchettes convert from bunks to seats for evening or morning use.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper.		Set up as a single-berth.		4 or 6-berth couchettes. 360º photo.

Wake up to scenery like this between Ljubljana & Zagreb, along the river Sava...

4. Zagreb to Belgrade by train...

This is a spacious and comfortable air-conditioned Serbian train, with modern 2nd class seats - there's no 1st class.  There's no restaurant car, so take a picnic and some beer or wine with you.  On arrival in Belgrade, you have time to go into town, perhaps visit the fortress overlooking the confluence of Danube and Sava.

5. Belgrade to Sofia:  See the Belgrade to Sofia page...

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Option 3, London to Sofia via Paris, Zurich, Zagreb & Belgrade...

This is similar to option 1, but instead of TGV to Stuttgart and Croatian sleeper train from Stuttgart to Zagreb, you taka a TGV-Lyria to Zurich and Croatian sleeper train from Zurich to Zagreb.  It's the same as option 1 east of Zagreb.  There are two minor disadvantages compared to option 2:  First, departure from London is a little earlier in the morning with an identical arrival in Sofia.  Second, you need to cross Paris by taxi or metro from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon, whereas in option 1 it's just a 7 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est next door.  This option also has lovely scenery in the morning on the way to Zagreb along the Sava river.

London ► Sofia

• Day 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 07:01 Mondays-Fridays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 10:17, at 06:31 on Saturdays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 09:47, or at 08:01 on Sundays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 11:20.

  There's also an 07:55 Eurostar on Mondays-Saturdays, but I'd play safe and book an earlier Eurostar when available.

  Cross Paris by metro or taxi to the Gare de Lyon, 2 stops on RER line D.

• Day 1, travel from Paris to Zurich by 320 km/h double-deck TGV-Lyria, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 12:22 arriving Zurich HB at 16:26.

  The 320 km/h double-deck TGV-Lyria has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more about TGV-Lyria.

  In Zurich, there's time for dinner while waiting for the sleeper, I recommend steak-frites and a beer at the Brasserie Federal inside Zurich HB, see other restaurant suggestions.

• Day 1, travel from Zurich to Zagreb by Croatian sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 20:40 and arriving in Zagreb at 10:39 next morning (day 2).

  The train has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended).  Watch the Croatian sleeper video.

• Day 2, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade on the daily train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04 arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar at 18:12.

  This train is still currently suspended due to Covid-19.

  This train has two air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats (no 1st class).  There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.

  Tip:  Although Belgrade Centar is slightly closer to the city centre, you have to rely on a single bus line.  Trams 7 & 9 link Novi Beograd station with the site of the now-defunct old Belgrade station on the edge of the old city every 5-10 minutes so you may prefer to get off at Novi Beograd and take a tram, see the Belgrade station page for more information.

• Stay overnight in Belgrade.  I recommend the famous Hotel Moskva, located at the end of Belgrade's main pedestrianised shopping street- see map of Belgrade showing station.

• Day 3, travel from Belgrade to Sofia, see the Belgrade to Sofia page for timetable, photos, tips & information.

  This train is still currently suspended due to Covid-19.

  From mid-June to late September there should be a direct train from Belgrade to Sofia called the Balkan, but this didn't run in 2021 and may not run in 2022.  If running, it leaves Belgrade Topcider station at 09:15 and arrives Sofia central station at 20:37.  The Balkan is 2nd class only and has no catering car so bring your own picnic and supplies of wine or beer.

  When the direct train isn't running (which could well be all of 2022), you travel from Belgrade to Sofia like this: 

  Day 3, travel from Belgrade to Nis by modern air-conditioned Serbian electric train, leaving Belgrade Centar at 17:30 & arriving Nis at 22:13.  An earlier 13:05 train is available if you'd like more of an evening in Nis.

  Stay overnight in Nis, the inexpensive Vila Nova Hotel is 14 minutes walk from the station with great reviews, with a 24h front desk & free WiFi.

  Day 4, travel from Nis to Dimitrovgrad by air-conditioned Serbian diesel train, leaving Nis at 07:10 and arriving Dimitrovgrad at 10:22.

  Day 4, travel from Dimitrovgrad to Sofia by Bulgarian train, leaving Dimitrovgrad at 15:15 and arriving Sofia central station at 18:36.

Sofia ► London

• Day 1, travel from Sofia to Belgrade by train, see the Sofia to Belgrade page for full details, photos, tips & information.

  This train is still currently suspended due to Covid-19.

  From mid-June to late September there should be a direct train from Sofia to Belgrade, but this didn't run in 2021 and may not run in 2022.  It leaves Sofia central station at 09:15 and arrives Belgrade Topcider station at 18:29.  It's 2nd class only and has no catering, so bring your own picnic and wine or beer.

  If & when this direct train isn't running (which may well be all of 2022), you travel from Sofia to Belgrade by 3-train combo like this:  Leave Sofia central at 09:00, change at Dimitrovgrad (arrive 10:20, depart 11:25) & Nis (arrive 14:44 depart 15:50), arriving Belgrade Centar 20:59.

• Stay overnight in Belgrade.  I recommend the famous Hotel Moskva at the end of Belgrade's main pedestrianised shopping street- see map of Belgrade showing station.

• Day 2, travel from Belgrade to Zagreb on the daily train, leaving Belgrade Centar station at 10:05 & Novi Beograd at 10:19 arriving Zagreb 18:13.

  This train is still currently suspended due to Covid-19.

  This train has air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 1st & 2nd class seats.  There's no catering car, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.

• Day 2, travel from Zagreb to Zurich by Croatian sleeper train, leaving Zagreb at 19:38 and arriving in Zurich HB at 09:20 next morning.

  The train has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended).  Watch the Croatian sleeper video.

• Day 3, travel from Zurich to Paris by TGV-Lyria, leaving Zurich HB at 11:34 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 15:38.

  The 320 km/h double-deck TGV-Lyria has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more about TGV-Lyria.

• Day 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:03, arriving London St Pancras at 18:32.

How much does it cost?

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

1. London to Paris      by Eurostar...	From £52 one-way, £78 return 2nd class.  From £115 one-way, £199 return 1st class.  Child fares
2. Paris to Zurich       by TGV Lyria...	From €29 each way in 2nd class  From €79 each way in 1st class.  Limited availability, book in advance to get these fares.
3. Zurich to Zagreb  by sleeper train...	In a seat:	In a couchette		In the sleeping-car
		6-berth	4-berth	3-berth	2-berth	single
Saver fare one-way, from:	€29	€49	€59	€69	€89	€129
Saver fare = Advance-purchase fare, price varies, no refunds, no changes to travel plans. Berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed.  The other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers.  For sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a 1-berth sleeper or 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper or 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette & so on.
3. Zagreb to Belgrade       by day train...	Around €30 each way in 2nd class, bought at the station.  Around £43 each way in 2nd class, bought by phone in the UK.
4. Belgrade to Sofia       by day train...	Around €21 bought at the station in Belgrade (recommended).  Around 45 lev (€22) in other direction, bought at Sofia station.  Around £44 each way bought by phone in the UK.

How to buy tickets...

• Step 1, book from London to Zurich at www.thetrainline.com.  Who are Thetrainline.com?

  Using www.thetrainline.com allows you to book all your tickets in one place, in €, £ or $, international cards no problem, small booking fee.

  Booking opens up to 180 days ahead for Eurostar, up to 120 days ahead for Paris-Zurich, and usually 90 days ahead for Zurich-Zagreb, see more information about when bookings open.  I recommend waiting until onward trains have opened for booking and times are confirmed before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket, unless you're prepared to take a calculated risk.

  Tip:  Click via/avoid and enter Paris as a via station to limit the search to routes via Paris.

  Tip:  You can book from London to Zurich all in one go if you like, but for more control over the connection in Paris, I'd book London-Paris first, add to basket, then book Paris-Zurich and add to basket, ensuring at least an hour between trains.  That way you can allow a more robust connection than the system would give you, and you can see if earlier Eurostars have cheaper prices.

  Tip:  If you are making a round trip, London-Paris return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so it's cheaper to book this as a return journey.  All other trains are one-way ticketed so it makes no difference how you book, and it can be easier to book one way at a time!

  Tip:  After booking you can use the Manage booking facility at www.eurostar.com to choose an exact seat from a seating plan, see tips on choosing a seat on Eurostar.

  Tip:  If you're travelling from a town or city north of London, see advice about buying domestic tickets to London to connect with Eurostar.

• Step 2, book the sleeper train from Zurich to Zagreb at www.thetrainline.com.

  Use the journey planner to bring up the direct Zurich-Zagreb sleeper train marked EN with 0 changes.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 3, Zagreb to Belgrade cannot be booked online, just buy at the station in Zagreb, this won't be a problem.

• Step 4, the Belgrade-Sofia train cannot be booked online, so buy it at the station in Belgrade when you get there, always  places available.

• Alternatively, you can book London to Paris at www.eurostar.com, then Paris to Zurich at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com, then Zurich to Zagreb at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.  This is more work on multiple websites and sometimes more fiddly, prices should be the same, but no booking fees.

How to buy tickets by phone...

• It's better to book online, but if you want to book by phone, just call International Rail on 0844 248 248 3, lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, a phone booking fee applies.

• Alternatively, you can call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (lines open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).

What are the trains like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar...

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Standard Premier & Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras (45-minute minimum in Paris, Brussels & Amsterdam) as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More information about Eurostar including check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Paris Gare du Nord station guide.  How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.

A Eurostar e320 train at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.		Standard Premier/Business Premier.  Larger photo.

Standard class seats.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, in cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2. Paris to Zurich by TGV-Lyria...

All TGV-Lyria trains are now 320km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex like the one shown below.  TGV-Lyria trains have 3 classes:  Standard class (2nd), standard premiere (1st class) and business premiere (1st class with hot meal & drinks included in the fare).  There's a cafe-bar car selling drinks & snacks.  There are power points for mobiles & laptops at all seats in all classes.  Lyria is a consortium of the French and Swiss national railways.  More information about TGV-Lyria.

TGV-Lyria TGV Duplex train at Paris Gare de Lyon. More information about TGV-Lyria

Cafe-bar on upper deck car 4, serving tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer, snacks & microwaved hot dishes...		2nd class seats on the upper deck.  There's a mix or tables for 4 and unidirectional seating.  360º photo.

1st class on the upper deck, with a club duo on the left, a club quatre on the right. Larger photo.		A TGV-Lyria boarding at Paris Gare de Lyon.  You enter on the lower deck, with 9 stairs up to top deck.

3. Zurich to Zagreb by sleeper train...  Watch the video

This modern sleeper train is a pleasure to travel on, whether in the privacy of your own sleeper or in economical couchettes.  There's time for dinner in Zurich before boarding at a local restaurant, try the Brasserie Federal inside Zurich HB.

The Zurich-Zagreb sleeper train boards at Zurich HB as the sun sets on a summer day.  That's the Croatian couchette car on the right, the Croatian sleeping-car on the left.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper.		Set up as a single-berth.		4 or 6-berth couchettes. 360º photo.

Wake up to scenery like this between Ljubljana & Zagreb, along the river Sava...

4. Zagreb to Belgrade by train...

This is a spacious and comfortable air-conditioned Serbian train, with modern 2nd class seats - there's no 1st class.  There's no restaurant car, so take a picnic and some beer or wine with you.  On arrival in Belgrade, you have time to go into town, perhaps visit the fortress overlooking the confluence of Danube and Sava.

5. Belgrade to Sofia:  See the Belgrade to Sofia page...

Option 4, London to Sofia via Hoek van Holland & Bucharest...

This is the ferry alternative, a version of option 3 that substitutes rail & sail for Eurostar.  If you live in East Anglia or prefer a ferry to Eurostar and the Channel Tunnel for some reason, this is a useful alternative.  It's often cheaper than Eurostar at short notice.

London ► Sofia

• Day 1,  travel from London to Amsterdam overnight by Stena Line Rail & Sail explained in detail here.

  You leave London Liverpool Street at 18:45 Mondays-Fridays, 19:36 Saturdays or 20:00 Sundays by direct train to Harwich International.

  You leave Cambridge at 19:47 Mondays-Saturdays or 19:45 on Sundays by direct train to Harwich International.

  You sleep in a cosy private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV on board Stena Line's Harwich-Hoek superferry 21:00-08:00, and arrive Amsterdam around 10:30 next morning.

  Fares start at £55 + cabin cost.

  Book this as shown on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.

  Enjoy a day in Amsterdam.

• Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 19:30 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 09:14.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways own site www.oebb.at (same prices, in €, more fiddly).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

  Tip:  If you have a sleeper ticket and/or 1st class ticket for the onward train to Budapest, you can use the ÖBB lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & free WiFi.

• Day 3, now continue from Vienna to Sofia as shown in option 1 above.

Sofia ► London

• Days 1 & 2, travel from Sofia to Vienna as shown in option 1 above.

• Day 2, travel from Vienna to Amsterdam by Nightjet sleeper train leaving Vienna Hbf 20:11 & arriving Amsterdam Centraal 09:59 next morning.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways own site www.oebb.at (same prices, in €, a little more fiddly).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

  Enjoy a day in Amsterdam.

• Day 3, travel from Amsterdam to London overnight by Stena Line Rail & Sail explained in detail here.

  You leave Amsterdam Centraal around 18:35, sleep in a cosy private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV on board Stena Line's Hoek van Holland to Harwich superferry 21:00-06:30, and arrive London Liverpool Street station around 08:54 next morning (day 4). 

  Fares start at £55 + cabin cost.

  Book this as shown on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.

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London to Veliko Tarnovo

Click for map of Veliko Tarnovo showing station

Bulgaria's ancient capital, Veliko Tarnovo is well worth a visit.  Below left, the main gate to the Royal hill and old cathedral.  Below right, the old town.  The station is at the foot of the hills on which the city is built, it's a longish walk up to the town, you may want to take a taxi.

To reach Veliko Tarnovo from London or Paris,  you have two main options:

• Option 1, travel from London to Sofia using one of the options shown above, then take a Bulgarian domestic train from Sofia.  You can check train Sofia to Veliko Tarnovo train times at www.bdz.bg.

• Option 2, you can travel from London to Bucharest and use the train from Bucharest to Istanbul which calls at Veliko Tarnovo, see the London to Istanbul page for details.

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European Rail Timetable & maps

The European Rail Timetable (formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable) has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  It is essential for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.  You can buy it online at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses) or www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide).  More information on what the European Rail Timetable contains.

Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted.  See an extract from the map.  Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or for £9.67 at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).

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To get the most from your visit, you should take a good guidebook.  For the independent traveller, I think this means one of two guidebooks, either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  Both series are excellent.  You can buy an in-depth guide for Bulgaria or a guide covering all the countries in Eastern Europe.  Lonely Planet Eastern Europe - Rough Guide Bulgaria.

Click the images to buy online...

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Hotels in Sofia & Bulgaria

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Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance...

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer.  It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit.  These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I use an annual policy myself.  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

www.staysure.co.uk offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & covers you even if the FCDO advises against non-essential travel.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com.

You can use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

A Curve card saves foreign transaction fees...

Banks often give a poor exchange rate, then charge a currency conversion fee as well.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The balance goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:  1. Download the app for iPhone or Android.  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to most European addresses including the UK.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, just like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto whichever of your debit or credit cards you choose.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I use a Curve Blue card myself - I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I'm recommending it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card - they'll give you £5 cashback through that link, too.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  VPNs & why you need one explained...

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi.  In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions.  And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN.  VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use it myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription, and I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank...

With tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes now often held digitally on your mobile phone, it's vital to keep it charged.  I recommend carrying an Anker powerbank which can recharge your phone several times over if you can't get to a power outlet when you're on the move.  I never travel without one.

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