 The Parthenon in Athens, without flying. You really can get there in comfort without having to fly!
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London to Greece in 48 hours
No airports, no flights, just civilised trains and a cosy en suite cabin on a comfortable ferry. Take Eurostar to Paris and a high-speed train through the Alps to Italy, then an overnight ferry across the Adriatic to Greece. Sailing across blue seas under even bluer skies past Ithaca & Kefalonia is perhaps the nicest way to reach Greece, far more rewarding than 3 hours strapped to a plane seat. It's practical & affordable too. On this page is a step-by-step guide to booking & making a memorable journey from the UK to Greece, with schedules, fares & how to buy tickets.
In previous years you could also travel overland all the way by train via Paris, Munich, Belgrade & Thessaloniki, but post-pandemic the trains beyond Zagreb & Belgrade aren't running.
Train times, fares & tickets
UK to Greece, the options
explained
London to Athens by train & ferry via Bari
London to Athens by train via Belgrade
London to Athens by train & ferry
via Venice
London to Thessaloniki & Larissa
London to Rhodes & other Greek islands
Trains from
Athens to other European cities
Trains to Athens from other
European cities
How to buy Greek train
tickets online from 9!
Other travel information
Starting from other UK towns & cities
Hotels & accommodation in Greece
Luggage
Taking bikes
Taking a dog
General information on train travel Europe
Insurance, mobile data packages & other
tips
Useful country information
UK to Greece, the options explained
You can easily reach Greece from London by train to Italy then a ferry to Greece. You used to be able to reach Greece overland by train, but issues in the Balkans mean this is currently not a viable route:
Option 1, by train to Bari then ferry to Greece
This is the route I'd recommend, it's the quickest, cheapest and most comfortable way from London to Greece without flying, shown in red on the route map below.
It's a wonderful trip and a great alternative to a flight, taking little over 48 hours from St Pancras station to stepping ashore in Greece. Take a morning Eurostar from London to Paris and an afternoon high-speed Frecciarossa 1000 train from Paris to Milan. Stay overnight, then take an air-conditioned Frecciarossa train all along the Adriatic coast to Bari in southern Italy. A daily ferry sails overnight from Bari to Patras in Greece, with a connection to Athens by bus & train. Why not stop off to see something of Italy on the way? Times, fares & information for this route are shown below.
Option 2, by train to Venice then ferry to Greece
This is a simpler but slightly longer version of option 1, which lets you see Venice on the way. You take Eurostar to Paris, TGV or Frecciarossa to Milan or Turin and onward Italian train to Venice. A ferry sails several times a week from the mainland near Venice to Patras in Greece, for bus & train to Athens. Train times, fares & information for this route are shown below.
Option 3, overland by train to Athens
The overland route from London to Greece went via Paris, Munich, Zagreb & Belgrade to Thessaloniki & Athens taking 3 nights, although there are - or were - many permutations. However, the Zagreb-Belgrade train was suspended during the pandemic and has not resumed. The Budapest-Belgrade line has been closed for some years for rebuilding. The Belgrade-Thessaloniki train was downgraded from all year to summer-only in 2020, ceased running completely during the pandemic, and has not run since. Meanwhile, even Belgrade-Sofia has ceased and Sofia-Thessaloniki train no longer runs on the part in Greece, Basically, stick with option 1!
If you still want to go overland, travel from London to Sofia as shown here, then find a bus from Sofia to Thessaloniki, then take a train from Thessaloniki to Athens.
Or travel by train from London to Zagreb as shown here, find buses Zagreb-Belgrade and Belgrade-Thessaloniki, then take a train from Thessaloniki to Athens.
Interactive map: Click a route for details
Option 1, London to Athens via Bari
 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. |
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This is the most wonderful way to reach Greece, in little over 48 hours or so from London. Travel from London to Milan in one day by Eurostar and high-speed Frecciarossa through the French and Italian Alps. Next day, travel all along Italy's Adriatic coast to Bari, and now for the best bit, board a comfortable modern ferry for an overnight cruise across the Adriatic from Italy to Greece, waking up next morning to see the islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca passing slowly to starboard in the bright Mediterranean sun.
Outward journey: London to Athens
Inward journey: Athens to London
London ► Athens
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Day 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 09:31 arriving Paris Nord at 12:50.
Cross Paris by metro or taxi to the Gare de Lyon, 2 stops on RER line D.
Tip: I'd book an earlier Eurostar and have lunch at the Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon.
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Important update August 2023 until summer 2024: The direct Paris-Milan line via Modane is blocked following a major landslide on 27 August 2023 and it's likely to remain blocked until summer 2024. So the Paris-Milan train shown below is cancelled until further notice. Until the line is reopened, you should travel from London to Milan via Switzerland instead, with an earlier departure from London, see the alternative timetable here, more information here.
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Day 1, travel from Paris to Milan by Frecciarossa, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 15:12 and arriving Milan Centrale at 22:07.
The Frecciarossa has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a scenic & relaxing journey, see for yourself on the Paris-Milan by train page. After the initial dash from Paris to Lyon on the high-speed line at up to 300 km/h (186 mph), the train slows right down and snakes through mountain scenery into Italy.
By all means take the competing French TGV if it has cheaper prices, this leaves Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:45 and arrives Milan Porta Garibaldi 21:49, see the Paris-Milan timetable here. Just remember that the TGV arrives at Milan Porta Garibaldi so you need to transfer to Milan Centrale by train, taxi or on foot.
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Stay overnight in Milan: Affordable hotels with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol, Hotel Bernina, 43 Station Hotel, B&B Hotel Milano Central Station, Guesthouse Teodora. Pricier more upmarket hotels include HD8 Hotel, Glam Hotel, Made to Measure Business, Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson.
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Day 2, travel from Milan to Bari by Frecciarossa, leaving Milan Centrale at 08:05 and arriving Bari Centrale at 15:27.
The train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It follows the scenic Adriatic coastline, past small towns and seaside resorts.
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On arrival in Bari, you can walk the 1.9 km from the station to the port entrance in 25 minutes, a stroll through Bari's pleasant old town past the cathedral and castle, see correct walking map from the station to the port entrance gate (If Google tells you any different, trust me, not Google!). Alternatively, a taxi will take 10 minutes. Bus 50 runs from Bari Centrale station to the road outside the port gate roughly every 40 minutes. Map of Bari showing station, port entrance, check-in building & Superfast Ferries berth.
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Day 2, sail overnight from Bari to Patras with Superfast Ferries.
The ferry sails from Bari at 19:30 on Mondays-Saturdays, arriving Patras in Greece at 13:00 next day (Day 3).
On Sundays the ship sails at 13:30, too early to make connections from Milan.
You can check sailing times & dates at using the Direct Ferries website or at www.superfast.com or www.ferriesingreece.com.
You should check in at the Superfast desk on the ground floor of the cruise terminal (Terminal Crociere) at Bari port with passport & booking number to get your boarding pass, ideally 3 hours before departure in summer, although in practice 2 hours or even 1½ hours is normally fine.
You then walk 500m from check-in to the ferry, board the ferry via the foot passenger gangway at the stern and head up the escalator to the main lounge and reception desk to get your cabin key.
This comfortable ferry has a self-service restaurant, bar, lounge and sun deck. You can book a deck place (a good & cheap option in summer if you have your own sleeping bag), a reclining seat or various types of cabin, all with private shower & toilet. 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.
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On arrival in Patras, the ferry arrives at the new South ferry terminal a few km from the town centre. Bus 18 links the port with the Patras bus station every hour on the hour, fare 1.20 or you can hop in a taxi for around 9, journey time 15-20 minutes.
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Day 3, travel from Patras to Athens by Greek Railways bus/train combo.
Hellenic Train (Greek Railways) operate an integrated bus/train service from Patras to Athens every hour or two, total journey time 3h02, fare around 18. No prior reservation is necessary, just buy a ticket to Athens at Patras railway station ticket office.
For example, at the time I write this, buses leave from outside Patras railway station at 14:15, 15:15, 16:00, 17:15 & 18:15, taking 90 minutes to reach Kiato railway station near Corinthos. At Kiato they connect with a modern air-conditioned regional train taking 78 minutes to Athens Larissa Station in downtown Athens. You can check Patra to Athens bus/train times using the journey planner at www.hellenictrain.gr.
Only a few years ago, you'd travelled from Patras to Athens by delightful narrow gauge train, a wonderfully scenic ride. Until July 2010 you could still take this narrow gauge train as far as Kiato (near Korinthos) and change onto the newly-built standard gauge line the rest of the way to Athens. However, since July 2010 the narrow gauge line has been closed completely for rebuilding, with the aim of creating a new standard-gauge rail line all the way from Patras to Athens. The new line has still only been built as far as Aigio, 40km from Patras. There are bus connections from Patras to Aigio, but the most convenient way to Athens is to use the non-stop substitution bus to Kiato and train on from there.
Athens ► London
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Day 1, travel from Athens to Patras by train/bus combo.
There are departures every hour or two from Athens main Larissa railway station, you can easily check Athens to Patra train/bus times using the journey planner in English at www.hellenictrain.gr.
For example, an air-conditioned train leaves from Athens main Larissa railway station at 10:36 arriving at Kiato at 11:55, connecting into a Greek Railways (OSE) bus departing Kiato at 12:05 and arriving Patras at 13:35.
You've time for lunch and a look around Patras. There's a later 12:36 train from Athens arriving Kiato at 13:55, connecting with the 14:05 bus arriving Patras at 15:35, but this leaves little room for delay.
Buy a train/bus combo ticket for 18 at the station in Athens. Alternatively, hourly direct buses run from Athens KTEL Kifissos bus station to Patras, fare around 21, but this means 3 or 4 hours in a bus.
You used to make this journey by delightful narrow gauge train, a wonderfully scenic though not superfast 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 now you must either take a direct bus from Athens or a train from Athens to Kiato then the Greek railways rail-replacement bus from Kiato to Patras.
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On arrival in Patras, take bus number 18 (leaving every hour at xx:30, fare 1.20) or taxi (around 9) to Patras' new South ferry terminal a few km outside Patras town centre. Remember to allow for a 2-hour ferry check-in.
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Day 1, sail from Patras to Bari with Superfast Ferries.
The ferry sails from Patras daily at 18:00 and arriving in Bari at 09:30 the next day (day 2).
This comfortable ferry has a self-service restaurant, bar, lounge and sun deck. You can book a deck place (a good & cheap option in summer if you have your own sleeping bag), a reclining seat or various types of cabin, all with private shower & toilet.
You can check sailing times & fares at the Direct Ferries website or at www.superfast.com or www.ferriesingreece.com.
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On arrival in Bari, transfer from the port to Bari Centrale station. You can walk the 1.9 km from the station to the port entrance in 25 minutes, a stroll through Bari's pleasant old town past the cathedral and castle, see correct walking map from the station to the port entrance gate - if Google tells you any different, trust me, not Google! Or take a taxi. Alternatively, bus 50 runs roughly every 40 minutes from the road outside the port exit gate to the station. See map of Bari showing the Superfast ferries berth, port exit and station.
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Day 2, travel from Bari to Milan by Frecciarossa, leaving Bari Centrale at 13:30, changing to a local train at Milan Rogoredo to arrive in Milan Centrale at 20:41.
There's a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. The train runs along the coast for much of the way, a lovely journey.
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Stay overnight in Milan: Affordable hotels with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol, Hotel Bernina, 43 Station Hotel, B&B Hotel Milano Central Station, Guesthouse Teodora. Pricier more upmarket hotels include HD8 Hotel, Glam Hotel, Made to Measure Business, Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson.
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Day 3, travel from Milan to Paris by Frecciarossa, leaving Milan Centrale at 06:25 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 13:22.
The Frecciarossa has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a scenic & relaxing journey, see for yourself on the Paris-Milan by train page. The train takes the high-speed line from Milan to Turin at up to 300 km/h (186 mph), then slows right down and snakes through mountain scenery into France via Modane. After calling at Lyon, the train joins the French high-speed line for a final dash to Paris.
By all means take the competing French TGV if it has cheaper prices, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 06:00 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 13:16. The TGVs leave from Milan Porta Garibaldi, the 13:30 Frecciarossa from Bari goes direct to Milan Porta Garibaldi arriving 20:47.
Cross Paris by metro or taxi to the Gare du Nord, 2 stops on RER line D.
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Important update August 2023 until summer 2024: The direct Milan-Paris line via Modane is blocked after a major landslide on 27 August 2023, and will remain blocked probably until summer 2024. The train above is cancelled until further notice. Until the direct line is reopened. you should travel from Milan to Paris via Switzerland instead, see the alternative timetable here, more information here.
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Day 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:12 arriving London St Pancras at 18:32.
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £97 one-way, £168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Milan by Frecciarossa starts at 29 in Standard, 36 in Business or 165 in Executive. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Milan to Bari by Frecciarossa starts at 29.90 each way in Standard or 39.90 in Business. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Bari to Patras by ferry varies by season and seat/berth/cabin type, but might cost 63 with a basic deck place, 76 with a reclining seat, 127 with a bed in an inside 4-berth en suite cabin, 179 in a 3-bed outside en suite cabin. Other cabin types & suites also available.
Round trip fares are cheaper than two one-ways. Youth fares for anyone under 26 are up to 20% cheaper than this. Senior fares for anyone over 60 are up to 10% cheaper than this.
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Patras to Athens by bus costs around 20.60 each way.
How to buy tickets
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The best way to book a journey from the UK to Greece is online following the step-by-step instructions below. It involves two websites, so do a test run on both sites to check prices & availability before booking for real.
Tip 1: Make sure you get your dates right for each stage of the journey by jotting down the date & departure time for each individual train & ferry beforehand, see the how to plan an itinerary & budget page.
Tip 2: You can book hotels in Milan or in Greece risk-free before booking your trains if you use www.booking.com with free cancellation.
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Step 1, book the ferry from Bari to Patras using the Direct Ferries website or www.superfast.com.
You select the type of accommodation you want, either a deck place, reclining seat or various types of cabin berth. It's ticketless, you simply pay online and quote your booking reference at check-in. Booking for the ferry opens up to 12 months in advance.
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Step 2, book the trains from London to Bari at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com.
www.thetrainline.com & www.raileurope.com connect to the British, French & Italian train booking systems so you can buy all your tickets together in one place, easily in plain English, in , £ or $, with print-your-own or show-on-phone tickets. There's a small booking fee.
Booking for Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, booking for the Frecciarossa & Italian trains opens up to 4 months ahead. British domestic trains usually only open around 90 days ahead. I strongly recommend waiting until at least the Paris-Milan train is open for sale, if not the Milan-Bari train too, so you can confirm times for your specific date before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.
I suggest booking in stages like this, first doing a dry run to check times & prices. Read the detailed booking tips here.
First book from London to Paris and add to your basket. If returning, you should book London to Paris as a round trip, because Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways. All the other trains are one-way ticketed where a round trip is simply two one ways, so it doesn't matter, and it can be easier to book one way at a time.
Then book Paris to Milan and add to basket. Make sure you allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris southbound, 90 minutes northbound (as you have to include the 30 minute Eurostar check-in when going northbound). In fact, when heading south all the way to Greece I'd play safe and allow at 2 hours between trains - time for lunch in Paris! By default, the system allows as little as 42 minutes between trains, which is why it's best to book the Eurostar & Frecciarossa separately. If you find it easier, you could book from London to Milan in one go, but first clicking More options and entering Paris as a via station, with a stopover duration of at least 60 minutes.
Then book Milan to Bari for the following day, add to basket and check out.
Now book from Milan to Bari for the following day, add this to your basket and check out, paying for all your tickets as one transaction.
You'll get print-at-home or show-on-phone tickets for the Eurostar, the Paris-Milan & Milan-Bari Frecciarossa trains are ticketless, you simply print out the booking reference or show it on your phone.
Tip: After booking you can use the Manage booking feature at www.eurostar.com to select an exact Eurostar seat from a seating plan, see tips on choosing a Eurostar seat.
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Another way to buy train tickets
Alternatively, you can buy tickets direct from the relevant train operator, which is more work using multiple websites, but there's no booking fee. Book your London-Paris train at www.eurostar.com, then book the Paris-Milan Frecciarossa and Milan-Bari train at the Italian Railways website www.trenitalia.com, this requires Italian-language place names and has a few quirks, see this advice on how to use it. Trenitalia is ticketless, you simply print out the booking reference or show it on your phone. If you choose to use a French TGV from Paris to Milan, book this at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com.
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Step 3, buy your Patras-Athens bus ticket at Patras bus station when you get there, this is no problem.
How to buy tickets by phone
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It's best to book online, to avoid phone booking fees, and it allows you to see for yourself which departures have the cheapest prices. However, all the trains between London and Bari can be booked through any UK European rail agency, such as International Rail on 0844 248 248 3, lines open 09:00-17:00 Mondays-Fridays. Click here for a list of agencies.
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You can book Superfast Ferries from Italy to Greece with their UK agents, Viamare Travel, on 020 8343 5810.
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Buy your Patras-Athens bus/train ticket at Patras railway station.
What's 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 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.
Lunch in Paris at the Train Bleu restaurant?
The trains to Italy leave from the magnificent Gare de Lyon in central Paris. Why not have lunch (or at least a drink in the bar) at the fabulous Train Bleu Restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon (pictured above right) before catching the train to Turin or Milan? Paris Gare de Lyon station guide.
2. Paris to Milan by Frecciarossa 1000
Trenitalia (Italian Railways) operates two daily 300 km/h (186 mph) Frecciarossa 1000 trains from Paris to Milan. The Frecciarossa has 3 classes, Standard, Business and Executive. In Italy, Frecciarossas have 4 classes, but on the Paris-Milan route the Premium class seats (identical to Standard class but leather instead of cloth) are sold as Standard. There's a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Business class includes complimentary coffee, juice and snacks such as a morning croissant. Executive class includes a more comprehensive food & drink service.
3. Milan to Bari by Frecciarossa
This is the previous incarnation of Trenitalia's Frecciarossa, the Frecciarossa 500. It has 4 classes, Standard, Premium, Business and Executive. There's a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Business class includes complimentary coffee, juice or prosecco and snacks. Executive class includes a more comprehensive food & drink service.
Walk, bus or taxi from Bari Centrale to Bari port
You can walk the 1.9 km from station to port entrance in 25 minutes, a pleasant stroll through Bari's old town past cathedral and castle, see walking map to the port. Or a taxi from station to port will take 10 minutes. Alternatively, bus 50 runs from the station to the road outside the pedestrian gate into the port roughly every 40 minutes. See map of Bari showing station, port entrance, the check-in building and the Superfast ferries berth.
Check in for the ferry
The Superfast Ferries check-in desks are on the ground floor of the cruise terminal (Terminal Crociere), the arrow in the photo below left indicates the entrance. You should check in with passport & booking number to get your boarding pass, ideally 3h before departure especially in summer - although 2 hours or even 1½ hours is normally fine. You then walk 500m from the check-in desk to the ferry, board via the foot passenger gangway at the stern, up the escalator to the main passenger lounge and reception desk to get your cabin key. See location map.
4. Bari to Patras by overnight ferry
Superfast Ferries sail from Bari to Patras daily all year round, although Sunday sailings leave too early for same-day train connections from Milan. 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, all with private shower & toilet. The ferry crossing is the best part of the journey, over deep blue waters and past many islands.
5. Travel from Patras to Athens by bus/train combo
On arrival in Patras, take a taxi or local bus from the port to the town centre. Every hour, a bus run by Hellenic Train links Patras railway station with Kiato, connecting with an air-conditioned electric train along the Aegean to Athens. Look out for the Corinth Canal as the train passes from the Peloponnese peninsula to the rest of Greece, blink and you'll miss it.
Traveller's reports
Traveller Nick Stone returned to London from Athens this way: "We travelled from Athens to London. The ferry ride was relaxing and we enjoyed beers and a lovely ΰ la carte meal for 34 including drinks. We were both impressed with quality of the meal and service. We arrived 2 hours late in Bari, but made the 11:03 train to Bologna with 5 minutes to spare, and celebrated by having the set 26 menu lunch on the train and a bottle of wine. Spent a 5 hours in Bologna which a great place for a short break before taking the sleeper overnight to Paris and the Eurostar home. It was great trip and we thoroughly enjoyed it."
Alternative ferries from Brindisi or Ancona
Superfast Ferries from Bari is recommended rather than ferries from Brindisi for several reasons. Superfast Ferries and their partners Blue Star Ferries use modern ships and sail daily to a convenient schedule with good connections possible from Paris, London, and most Italian cities. Superfast Ferries sail from a terminal next to Bari's pleasant old town, and you can walk there from the station. In Brindisi, most ships now use a new terminal a couple of miles out of town, reached by taxi or courtesy minibus from the shipping company offices in town. Since 2004, there are few scheduled sailings from Brindisi, most go from Bari.
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If you prefer travelling via Brindisi, the 07:35 train from Milan continues to Brindisi, where it arrives at 16:11. Most ships serving Brindisi now use a modern terminal a couple of miles out of town, reached by taxi or courtesy minibus from the shipping company offices in town.
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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. In Ancona, it's a short taxi ride or 30-minute 2.3km walk from Ancona station to the port.
Let Railbookers arrange it for you
If you want someone to sort out your whole trip to Greece with all your rail & ferry travel expertly booked for you and good quality hotels arranged, call Railbookers. Tell them what you want, and they'll sort it all out for you, hassle-free. They get very positive reviews and take good care of their guests.
UK call 0207 864 4600,
www.railbookers.co.uk
US call free 1-888-829-4775,
see
website
Canada call 1-855-882-2910,
see website
Australia call 1300 971 526,
see website
New Zealand call 0800 000 554 or
see
website
Option 2, London to Athens by ferry from Venice
Taking a ferry to Greece from Venice rather than Bari means the London-Athens journey will take 3 or more nights rather than 2, but taking a cruise ferry all along the Adriatic is a wonderful and leisurely option. With some time in Venice (stop off for longer if you like), an Adriatic cruise, it's an alternative worth considering.
London ► Greece
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Day 1, travel from London to Paris on any evening Eurostar you like.
The last one leaves London St Pancras at 20:01 daily arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 23:18, but by all means book an earlier one.
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Stay overnight in Paris. The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the Gare de Lyon station complex, ideal for catching an early train next morning and great reviews for staff, cleanliness & comfort. Other recommended hotels near the Gare de Lyon include the Citizen M Hotel (a 2-minute 160m walk from the station, great reviews, 4-star); Hotel Terminus Lyon (in front of the station, 3-star); Mercure Paris Gare de Lyon (on the station itself, 4-star); Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon (opposite the station, 4-star); Hotel 26 Faubourg (5 min walk from Gare de Lyon, 2-star).
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Day 2, travel from Paris to Milan by Frecciarossa, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon 07:25 and arriving Milan Centrale 14:07.
The Frecciarossa has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a relaxing and comfortable journey, passing directly from France into Italy via Modane and the Mont Cιnis tunnel through the Alps, see the scenery photos here.
Tip: On a few dates the morning Frecciarossa is retimed to run a little earlier, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon 06:35, arriving Turin P. Susa 12:45 & Milan Centrale 13:50. Just something to be aware of!
Important update August 2023 until summer 2024: The direct Paris-Milan line via Modane is blocked following a major landslide on 27 August 2023 and it's likely to remain blocked until summer 2024. So the Paris-Milan train shown above is cancelled until further notice. See alternative trains between Paris and Milan via Switzerland.
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Day 2, travel from Milan Centrale to Venice by Frecciarossa train, leaving Milan Centrale at 14:45 and arriving Venice Santa Lucia 17:12.
You could stay in Mestre rather than Venice if you liked as this is closer to the ferry terminal. But a shame not to see Venice.
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Stay overnight in Venice. Remember there's a 2 or 3-hour minimum check-in for the ferry, and check where the ferry sails from - usually an area on the mainland called Fusina, near Venice Mestre which might take time to reach. Do not plan any tight connections.
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Day 3, sail from Venice to Patras in Greece by ferry.
Superfast Ferries (www.superfast.com) sail from Venice to Patras 2 or 3 times a week all year round. They sail from a terminal located in Fusina, an industrial area 20km from Venice. Times vary, but you typically sail in the morning or early afternoon arriving in the evening 1 night later (day 4 from London).
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Stay overnight in Patras. The way this ferry is timed, you have to stay overnight before going on to Athens.
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Day 5, travel from Patras to Athens by bus/train combo.
OSE (Greek Railways) buses run from outside Patras railway station to Kiato station near Corinthos every hour or two, journey time 90 minutes. At Kiato you board a modern air-conditioned regional train to Athens, journey time 78 minutes, arriving at the mainline Athens Larissa Station. No reservation is necessary, just buy a bus/train combo ticket to Athens at Patras station ticket office for around 18 (tickets for the bus-train combo are sold at Patras railway station, not the bus station!). Total bus/train journey time to Athens is 3h02. You can check Patra to Athens bus/train times in English using the journey planner at www.hellenictrain.gr.
Alternatively, there are hourly buses from Patras bus station to Athens KTEL Kifissos bus station, fare 21, but this means 3-4 hours on a bus.
All this is a great shame. Patras station now has no trains, but only a few years ago, you'd travelled from Patras to Athens by delightful narrow gauge train, a wonderfully scenic ride. Until July 2010 you could still take this narrow gauge train as far as Kiato (near Korinthos) and change onto the newly-built standard gauge line the rest of the way to Athens. However, since July 2010 the narrow gauge line has been closed completely for rebuilding, with the aim of creating a new standard-gauge rail line all the way from Patras to Athens, but work was stopped due to the state of Greece's national finances. Until the new line opens you'll have to use a bus, or at least the Greek railways bus/train combo.
Greece ► London
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Day 1, travel from Athens to Patras by train/bus combo.
There are departures every hour or two from Athens main Larissa railway station, you can easily check Athens to Patra train/bus times using the journey planner in English at www.hellenictrain.gr. Buy a train/bus combo ticket for 18 at the station in Athens. Remember to allow for a 2 or 3-hour ferry check-in.
Alternatively, hourly direct buses run from Athens KTEL Kifissos bus station to Patras, fare around 21, but this means 3 or 4 hours in a bus.
You used to make this journey by delightful narrow gauge train, a wonderfully scenic though not superfast 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 now you must either take a direct bus from Athens or a train from Athens to Kiato then the Greek railways rail-replacement bus from Kiato to Patras.
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Day 1, sail from Patras to Venice by ferry.
Superfast Ferries (www.superfast.com) sail from Patras to Venice 2 or 3 times a week all year round. Departure & arrival times vary, but they typically sail from Patras in late evening and arrive in Fusina (a mainland industrial area 20km from Venice) at around 10:00 2 nights later (Day3).
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Day 3, travel from Venice Santa Lucia to Milan Centrale. Frecciarossa trains Venice and Milan every hour taking 2h35, reservation required. In Milan, transfer from Milan Centrale to Milan Porta Garibaldi, a 25 minute walk or 8-minute 8 taxi ride.
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Stay overnight in Milan: Affordable hotels with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol, Hotel Bernina, 43 Station Hotel, B&B Hotel Milano Central Station, Guesthouse Teodora. Pricier more upmarket hotels include HD8 Hotel, Glam Hotel, Made to Measure Business, Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson.
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Day 4, travel from Milan to Paris by Frecciarossa, leaving Milan Centrale at 06:25 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 13:22.
The Frecciarossa has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a scenic & relaxing journey, see for yourself on the Paris-Milan by train page. The train takes the high-speed line from Milan to Turin at up to 300 km/h (186 mph), then slows right down and snakes through mountain scenery into France via Modane. After calling at Lyon, the train joins the French high-speed line for a final dash to Paris.
By all means take the competing French TGV if it has cheaper prices, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 06:00 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 13:16. The TGVs leave from Milan Porta Garibaldi, the 13:30 Frecciarossa from Bari goes direct to Milan Porta Garibaldi arriving 20:47.
Cross Paris by metro or taxi to the Gare du Nord, 2 stops on RER line D.
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Day 4, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:12 arriving London St Pancras at 18:32.
Important update August 2023 until summer 2024: The direct Milan-Paris line via Modane is blocked following a major landslide on 27 August 2023 and it's likely to remain blocked until summer 2024. So the Milan-Paris train shown above is cancelled until further notice. See alternative trains between Milan, Paris and London via Switzerland.
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £97 one-way, £168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Milan by Frecciarossa starts at 29 in Standard, 36 in Business or 165 in Executive. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Milan to Venice starts at 19.90 2nd class, 29.90 in 1st class. Book early for the cheapest fares.
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Venice to Patras by ferry costs around 126 one-way, plus berth or cabin cost.
A berth in a shared cabin might cost 200, a private cabin for 1or 2 people 500.
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Patras to Athens by bus/train combo costs around 18, bought locally.
How to buy tickets
The easiest & cheapest way to book this journey is online. It involves three websites, so do a dummy run on each site to check availability before booking for real. Make sure you get your departure dates right for each leg of the journey outward and back. It can help to jot down the date and departure time for each separate booking before you start.
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Step 1, book the Venice-Patras ferry. You can check sailing dates & book using the Direct Ferries website or www.superfast.com.
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Step 2, book the trains from London to Milan at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com. Make sure you allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris, when going to Greece I'd allow 2 hours or so in case of delay. See more detailed instructions on the London to Italy page.
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Step 3, now add the train from Milan to Venice also at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
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Buy your bus/train combo ticket from Patras to Athens at Patras railway station, this is no problem.
London to Salonika & Larissa
The traditional overland route from London to Athens passes through Salonika (Thessaloniki in Greek) and Larissa, although this is now problematical, see the London to Athens section above.
The best way is to travel from London to Athens by train & ferry via Italy, then take a train from Athens north to Larissa and Athens. See the London to Athens section above, then use the Greek Railways website, You can check train times for this section at www.hellenictrain.gr for train times between Athens, Larissa and Salonika.
London to Meteora (Kalambaka)
Meteora is a spectacular monastery perched on a huge rock, near the town of Kalambaka. Kalambaka is at the end of a railway branch line from Paleofarsolas on the main Thessaloniki-Larissa-Athens rail line. There are two direct trains from Athens to Kalambaka every day (about 4 hours 45 minutes), plus regular trains throughout the day from Athens, Larissa and Thessaloniki with a change of train at Paleofarsolas. For train times from Athens or Thessaloniki to Kalambaka, see You can check train times for this section at www.hellenictrain.gr and use their journey planner.
London to Corfu
Option 1, by train & ferry via Bari or Brindisi
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Travel by train from London to Bari or Brindisi. For train times, fares & how to book, see the Italy page.
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Superfast Ferries sail from Bari to Corfu every second day from early June until early September, sailing from Bari at 19:30 and arriving Corfu at 05:00 next morning. Use the Direct Ferries website or the operator's own website www.superfast.com to check sailing dates, times, fares and to book online.
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If you have a global Interrail pass, this includes a deck place on the Superfast ferry, although port tax (about 6) and a cabin berth or reclining seat are extra.
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If you can't find a direct ferry from Bari to Corfu, book the ferry from Bari to Igoumenitsa on mainland Greece.
Then take a local ferry from Igoumenitsa to Corfu with either Kerkyra Lines (kerkyralines.com) or Kerkyra Seaways (www.kerkyraseaways.gr). These sail a dozen times a day, crossing time 60-90 minutes, fare around 5-10. Buy a ticket at kerkyralines.com or www.kerkyraseaways.gr or simply buy a ticket when you get to Igoumenitsa.
On arrival in Igoumenitsa from Bari, the ferry company's free transfer bus shuttles you from the ferry to the international terminal building. The local terminal for the ferries to Corfu is at the opposite end of Igoumenitsa harbourfront, 15 minutes walk away, see walking map.
Option 2, by train & ferry via Venice or Trieste
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You might prefer to catch the ferry from Venice or Trieste, see the London to Athens section above. The Minoan Lines & Anek Lines ferries from Venice or Trieste to Patras usually also call at Corfu.
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If you can't find a direct ferry from Venice or Trieste to Corfu, book a ferry to Igoumenitsa on mainland Greece.
Then take a local ferry from Igoumenitsa to Corfu with either Kerkyra Lines (kerkyralines.com) or Kerkyra Seaways (www.kerkyraseaways.gr). These sail a dozen times a day, crossing time 60-90 minutes, fare around 5-10. Buy a ticket at kerkyralines.com or www.kerkyraseaways.gr or when you get to Igoumenitsa.
On arrival in Igoumenitsa, the terminal for the local ferries to Corfu is at the opposite end of the harbourfront from the international ferry terminal, 15 minutes walk away, see walking map.
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.
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Travel from London to Bari by train, using Eurostar to Paris and TGV or Frecciarossa to Milan, overnight stop, then take a train along the Adriatic coast to Bari. See the London to Italy page for times, fares and how to buy tickets. In Bari, the port is a 25 minute walk, or take a taxi.
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Ventouris Ferries sails from Bari to Sami, the main town on Kefalonia (Cephalonia) once a week in July & August. The crossing takes 14h, usually overnight with a range of comfortable cabins available. Check sailing dates & times and buy tickets at the Direct Ferries website.or try ventourisferries.com.
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When this weekly summer-only ferry isn't operating, you'll need to travel to Patras in mainland Greece as shown above, then take one of the various daily ferries from Patras back to Kefalonia, see www.ferriesingreece.com or www.ferries.gr.
London to Heraklion & Crete
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Ships of rival ferry operators Minoan Lines and Anek Lines in Heraklion harbour. Photo courtesy of Walter Smith. |
To reach Crete, you first travel to Athens, then use one of the overnight ferries from Piraeus (the port of Athens) to Crete.
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Step 1, travel from London to Athens by train & ferry as shown in the London to Athens section above.
A metro links Athens & Piraeus frequently through the day, taking just 25 minutes or so.
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Step 2, ferries sail overnight from Piraeus to Heraklion, the capital of Crete, every day.
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 36 one-way, 65 return, or with the cheapest bed in a 4-berth cabin 59 one way, 106 return. You can book both Anek and Minoan ferries at the Direct Ferries website, or at the operators' own websites www.anek.gr & www.minoan.gr.
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Anek Ferries also sail direct from Piraeus to Chania in western Crete, departing Piraeus daily at 21:00 arriving Chania 05:30. In the other direction the ferry also sails from Chania at 21:00 arriving Piraeus 05:30. See www.anek.gr. Arrival is at Souda ferry terminal, 5km from Chania city centre.
London to other Greek islands
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Anek ferry at Samos. Courtesy of Sue Smith. |
Ferries to Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini and most Aegean islands leave from Piraeus, the port of Athens.
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Step 1, travel from London to Athens, see the London to Athens section above.
A metro links Athens & Piraeus frequently through the day, taking just 25 minutes or so.
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Step 2, various ferry companies sail from Piraeus to Rhodes, usually overnight. You can check them all at www.ferriesingreece.com. Ferry operators include www.bluestarferries.com (Blue Star Ferries), www.lane.gr (Lane Ferries), www.ferries.gr/gaferries/ (GA Ferries).
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The best way to find which ferry company sails to which Greek island (and to find timetables) is to use either www.ferriesingreece.com or www.ferries.gr (click domestic).
How to book Greek trains online
Greek Railways (Hellenic Train, rebranded from TrainOSE in 2022) offer online booking for their domestic trains at www.hellenictrain.gr, in English. This is the only way to book Greek domestic trains, the Greek Railways ticketing system isn't connected to anyone or anything outside Greece, so European train ticketing agencies such as Rail Europe can only issue expensive international-tariff unreserved tickets - which is pointless, as all mainline Greek trains require reservation. You should therefore always buy Greek domestic tickets online at www.hellenictrain.gr as explained here, with the necessary reservation automatically included or simply buy tickets at the station when you get to Greece. Here's how to buy online:
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Go to www.hellenictrain.gr. Select EN top right for English.
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Use the journey planner to find trains. In the results, 'seats' means the number of seats available, 'Full cost' is the price in euros.
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A means 1st class, B means 2nd class.
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Select a journey and click Seat selection and passengers.
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When you select seats, carriages beginning with A are first class (for example, A1), those beginning with B are second class (for example B2, B3). Select a seat in the class you want!
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Now click Terms of Service top right, tick the box accept these and click Payment top right.
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The arrow at the top of the carriages above the train number shows the direction of travel, useful if you want a forward-facing seat.
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 at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).
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
Hotels in Athens & Greece
Backpacker
hostels
www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel insurance & other tips
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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 have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk 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 and gets 4.7 out of 5 on
Trustpilot.
www.columbusdirect.com is also a well-know brand.
If you live in the USA try
Travel Guard USA.
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Get an eSIM with mobile data package
Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a European mobile data package and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list. There's no need to buy a physical SIM card! Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.
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Get a Curve card for foreign travel
Most banks give you a poor exchange rate then add a foreign transaction fee on top. 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 money you spend on your Curve card 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 Curve app for iPhone or Android. 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.
I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader. The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than getting a card out). I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend 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.
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Get a VPN for safe browsing. Why you need a VPN
When travelling you may use free public WiFi which is often insecure. A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi. It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply. See VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using this link you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I also get some commission to help support this site.
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Carry an Anker powerbank
Tickets, reservations, hotel bookings and Interrail or Eurail passes are often now held on your mobile phone. You daren't let it run out of power, and you can't always rely on the phone's internal battery or on being near a power outlet. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or Buy from Amazon.com.
Touring cities? Use hill walking shoes!
One of the best things I've done is swap my normal shoes for hill-walking shoes, in my case from Scarpa. They're intended for hiking across the Pennines not wandering around Florence, but the support and cushioning for hiking works equally well when you're on your feet all day exploring foreign cities. My feet used to give out first and limit my day, now the rest of me gives up before they do!