Trains to Belgrade from other European cities

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Option 1:  London to Belgrade via Paris, Munich & Budapest

This is usually the best option.  It's comfortable and time-effective with good quality trains throughout, and it can all be booked online as shown below.

London ► Belgrade

• Day 1:  Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:24 on Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:47, or at 09:24 on Saturdays arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 12:47.  It's a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.

• Day 1:  Travel from Paris to Munich by 200mph double-decker TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:55 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Munich Hbf at 21:36.  On Saturdays you leave Paris Gare de l'Est at 13:55, change at Stuttgart and arrive Munich Hbf at 19:27.

  Travel tip:  In Munich, there's time for dinner while waiting for the sleeper to Budapest, for local Bavarian food and a beer or two try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf.

• Day 1:  Travel from Munich to Budapest overnight on the EuroNight sleeper train Kalman Imre, leaving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 23:35 and arriving Budapest Keleti station at 09:24 next morning.  The Kalman Imre has a modern air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and seats (seats not recommended).

• Day 2:  Travel from Budapest to Novi Sad & Belgrade (Beograd in Serbian) on the air-conditioned EuroCity train Avala, leaving Budapest Keleti station at 12:05, crossing the border at Subotica and arriving Novi Sad at 18:32 and Belgrade at 20:15.  The Avala is a modern air-conditioned EuroCity train with comfortable Hungarian coaches and a Hungarian restaurant car.

Belgrade ► London

• Day 1:  Travel from Belgrade or Novi sad to Budapest by air-conditioned EuroCity train.  There are two to choose from. The Ivo Andric leaves Belgrade at 11:35 or Novi Sad around 12:55, arriving Budapest Keleti station at 19:54.  This train has Serbian cars, and although refreshments should be available on board I recommend taking your own provisions and perhaps some beer or wine.  A better option - and safer connection in case of any delay - is the earlier EuroCity train Avala, leaving Belgrade at 07:36 and Novi Sad at 09:04 with smart air-conditioned Hungarian coaches and a Hungarian restaurant car arriving Budapest at 15:54, with time for dinner before catching the sleeper to Munich.

• Day 1:  Travel from Budapest to Munich overnight on the EuroNight sleeper train Kalman Imre, leaving Budapest Keleti station at 20:40 and arriving in Munich at 06:10 next morning.  The Kalman Imre has a modern air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern Hungarian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and seats (the seats are not recommended).

• Day 2:  Travel from Munich to Stuttgart, leaving Munich Hbf at 07:46 on Mondays-Saturdays by InterCity train arriving Stuttgart at 09:59, or at 07:27 on Sundays by ICE train arriving Stuttgart at 09:45.

• Day 2:  Travel from Stuttgart to Paris by 200 mph double-decker TGV Duplex, leaving Stuttgart at 10:54 and arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 14:05.   In Paris, it's a 10-minute walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.

• Day 2:  Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 16:13, arriving London St Pancras at 17:39.

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 online...

	You can now book trains from Budapest to Belgrade online at the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu.  To collect tickets, look for these blue e-ticket collection machines at Budapest Keleti station.  Location of internet ticket collection machines at Budapest Keleti station

• This method can be used by anyone from any country.  First note down what trains on what dates you want to book, using the train time information above.  Bookings open 90 days before departure (just 60 days for the Budapest-Belgrade train), you can't buy tickets before reservations open.  Hotel accommodation can be booked before booking your trains risk-free if you use a site such as www.booking.com with free cancellation.

• Step 1, go to the German Railways website www.bahn.de and using the train times on this page as your guide, book the TGV train from Paris to Munich & back.  You may get a self-print ticket, or they will send tickets to any country.

• Step 2, still on www.bahn.de, now book a sleeper or couchette from Munich to Budapest on the direct overnight sleeper train with 0 changes, looking for the cheap saver fares.  Your simply book online and print out your own ticket in .PDF format using your PC printer.  Easy!  Make sure you select the type of couchette or sleeper that you want.  I recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily retrieve any bookings.

• Step 3, book the Eurostar from London to Paris & back at www.eurostar.com.  By all means take an earlier Eurostar outward or a later one returning if it has cheaper seats available.

• Step 4, now book a ticket from Budapest to Belgrade.  Go to the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu as this is the only site which can book the €15 special offer fare on this route.  There are no cheap 1st class fares, so going 2nd class is the recommended option.  Before starting to book, read my tips & advice for using mav-start.hu and how your tickets are collected in Budapest.  As tickets are collected in Budapest you can only buy one-way or return tickets starting in Budapest, not in Belgrade.  However, as availability of this special offer fare is unlimited, you can always buy this at the station in Budapest on the day if you prefer, and westbound tickets can be bought at Belgrade station on the day.  It cannot sell out!

• Alternatively, although you'll then pay full-price international rates not MAV's cheap fare, UK residents can try booking the train from Budapest to Belgrade & back at www.loco2.com (or the relevant Rail Europe website in your own country if you're not in the UK).  If an error message appears when trying to add this ticket to your basket, just forget online booking and book this part of the journey by phone with German Railways' UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 sat & Sun).  If they have any problem booking the westbound Belgrade to Budapest train, either just buy it at the station when you reach Belgrade or try arranging it through the Wasteels office at Belgrade by emailing wasteels@eunet.yu as explained in the section below.

How to buy tickets by phone...

• If you prefer to buy tickets by phone, call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday, no booking fee, 2% credit card fee), or www.traintours4u.co.uk on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-17:30 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee, but their staff can be more familiar with booking journeys like this). Click here for a list of agencies and other useful information on how to buy European train tickets.

• If you have any difficulty making the return train reservation out of Belgrade, you can enlist the help of the Wasteels agency in Belgrade station, see the 'booking trains in Serbia' section below.

Custom-made train travel + hotel arrangements...

• 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 020 3327 0761, 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's the journey like?

London to Paris by Eurostar:  See the Eurostar page.

Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex...      Watch the video guide

Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views.  The train has 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 and farmland at up to 200mph, past picturesque French villages of the Champagne region.  After an hour or two, 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 and Munich.

TGV Duplex at Paris Est. These impressive 200 mph double-deck trains link Paris & Munich, a relaxing journey with reading book & glass of wine.  Book an upstairs seat for the best views...		2nd class seats on TGV Duplex upper deck.  There's a mix of unidirectional seating and tables for 4 like this...

1st class seats on the upper deck, with a 'club duo' on the left, a 'club quatre' on the right.		A TGV Duplex.  The red near the door indicates 1st class, pale green indicates 2nd class.

Munich to Budapest by sleeper train Kalman Imre...  Watch the video

Cosy & inviting, this is the modern air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car of the Kalman Imre at Munich Hauptbahnhof...  The sleeping-car has 10 compartments with washbasin, each of which can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth room, with toilets at the end of the corridor.  The fare includes a light breakfast of coffee, juice & croissant.  Watch the Hungarian sleeping-car video.  There's time for dinner in Munich before boarding.

The Kalman Imre, about to leave Munich...		2-berth sleeper...

6-berth couchettes...		4-berth couchettes		Hungarian couchette car at Munich

Budapest to Belgrade by air-conditioned EuroCity train...

The Ivo Andric to Belgrade uses air-conditioned Serbian coaches like those pictured below, the later Avala uses smart Hungarian carriages.  The Avala has a Hungarian restaurant car, though the Ivo Andric doesn't so take your own supplies.  The train travels sedately across the Great Hungarian Plain to the border at Kelebia where passports are checked.  Shortly afterwards it arrives at the Serbian border point, Subotica, where where it's the Serbians' turn.  Subotica is the location for much of the action in Graham Greene's novel Stamboul Train.  If you thought the train was slow in Hungary, wait till you get into Serbia!  Again, you're crossing the great Pannonian Plain, past an occasional pheasant or deer, although wooded hills appear (and the train speeds up a bit) as you approach the Serbian capital.  You enter Belgrade over a long steel girder bridge spanning the river Sava, with two modern illuminated road suspension bridges to your right.  The rail bridge opened in 1883, and originally linked two countries, the Austro-Hungarian empire on one bank, and Belgrade in Serbia on the other.  Below left, a Budapest-Belgrade train with Serbian cars is pictured about to leave Budapest.  Below right, 2nd class seats.

Option 2:  London to Belgrade via Paris, Munich & Zagreb...

This is also a good option, very similar to option 1 but instead of catching the Hungarian Munich-Budapest sleeper then a train to Belgrade you take the Croatian Munich-Zagreb sleeper then a train to Belgrade, which in fact gets you to Belgrade half an hour earlier.  However, this route usually works out a little more expensive than option 1, if only by €20 or so, and the Munich-Zagreb & Zagreb-Munich trains have to be booked by phone, they cannot usually be booked online.

London ► Belgrade

• Day 1:  Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:24 on Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:47, or at 09:24 on Saturdays arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 12:47.  It's a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.

• Day 1:  Travel from Paris to Munich by 200mph double-decker TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:55 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Munich Hbf at 21:36.  On Saturdays you leave Paris Gare de l'Est at 13:55, change at Stuttgart and arrive Munich Hbf at 19:27.

• Travel tip:  In Munich, there's time for dinner while waiting for the sleeper to Zagreb, for local Bavarian food and a beer or two try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf.

• Day 1:  Travel from Munich to Zagreb overnight on the sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 23:35 and arriving at Zagreb at 08:36 next morning (day 2).  The Lisinski has a smart modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended).  Watch the Croatian sleeper video.  In Zagreb, you have time for a late breakfast or a quick wander around the old town.

• Day 2:  Travel from Zagreb to Belgrade by air-conditioned EuroCity train, leaving Zagreb at 11:07 and arriving Belgrade (Beograd in Serbian) at 17:37.  This train has modern 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.

Belgrade ► London

• Day 1, travel from Belgrade to Zagreb by air-conditioned EuroCity train, leaving Belgrade at 10:55 and arriving Zagreb at 18:13.  This train has modern 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.  You've time for dinner in Zagreb.

• Day 1:  Travel from Zagreb to Munich overnight on the sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Zagreb at 21:20 and arriving in Munich at 06:10 next morning.  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.

• Day 2:  Travel from Munich to Stuttgart, leaving Munich Hbf at 07:46 on Mondays-Saturdays by InterCity train arriving Stuttgart at 09:59, or at 07:27 on Sundays by ICE train arriving Stuttgart at 09:45.

• Day 2:  Travel from Stuttgart to Paris by 200 mph double-decker TGV Duplex, leaving Stuttgart at 10:54 and arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 14:19.   In Paris, it's a 10-minute walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.

• Day 2:  Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 16:13, arriving London St Pancras at 17:39.

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 online...

• If you live in the UK, the first part of the journey can be booked online, but the rest will need to be booked by phone:

  (1)  You can book the London-Paris Eurostar online at www.eurostar.com.  You can book direct from 130 UK towns and cities this way, not just from London.

  (2)  You can book the Paris-Munich TGV at www.bahn.de.

  (3)  The Munich-Zagreb & Zagreb-Belgrade trains cannot be booked online, so book them by phone, calling International Rail on 0844 248 248 3, lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, small booking fee.  Alternatively, you can call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 Sat & Sun, no booking fee) or www.traintours4u.co.uk on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays, £35 booking fee).

• If you don't live in the UK:

  (1)  Book the Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.

  (2)  Book the Paris-Munich TGV at www.bahn.de.

  (3)  You may be able to buy the Munich-Zagreb sleeper at www.raileurope-world.com (Tip: click 'fare details' to see if the price they show is for a seat, couchette or sleeper).

  (4)  You may also be able to book the Zagreb-Belgrade daytime train at www.raileurope-world.com.

How to buy tickets by phone:  UK call 0844 248 248 3...

• 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, small booking fee. 

• Alternatively, you can call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday, no booking fee, 2% credit card charge, no charge for debit cards), or Traintours4u on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays, £35 overall booking fee).

• If you have any difficulty making the return train reservation out of Belgrade, you can enlist the help of the Wasteels agency in Belgrade station, see the 'booking trains in Serbia' section below.

Custom-made train travel + hotel arrangements...

• 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.  Also, as you're then effectively buying a package, they'll look after you if anything disrupts your journey.

    UK call 020 3327 0761, 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 are the trains & journey like?

London to Paris by Eurostar:  See the Eurostar page.

Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex...      Watch the video guide

Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views.  The train has power sockets for laptops & mobiles at all seats in both classes, and a cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.  First class passengers on this route are given a simple but tasty meal box with a small bottle of beer or wine served at their seat, included in the fare.  The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods and farmland at up to 200mph, past picturesque French villages of the Champagne region.  After an hour or two, 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 and Munich.

TGV Duplex at Paris Est. These impressive 200 mph double-deck trains link Paris & Munich, a relaxing journey with reading book & glass of wine.  Book an upstairs seat for the best views...		2nd class seats on TGV Duplex upper deck.  There's a mix of unidirectional seating and tables for 4 like this...

1st class seats on the upper deck, with a 'club duo' on the left, a 'club quatre' on the right.		A TGV Duplex.  The red near the door indicates 1st class, pale green indicates 2nd class.

Munich 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.  There's time for dinner in Munich before boarding.

The sleeping-car on the Lisinski:  The modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car of the Lisinski from Munich to Zagreb has 10 compartments with washbasin, each of which can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth room, with toilets at the end of the corridor.  Above left, the sleeper arrived at Zagreb.

The couchette car on the Lisinski has modern air-conditioned 6-berth and 4-berth compartments.  Above right, the westbound train is seen boarding at Zagreb. See panorama photo.

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

Zagreb to Belgrade by air-conditioned train...

This is a 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.  Above right, the Belgrade to Zagreb train about to leave Belgrade.  Above left, 2nd class seats.

Video:  London to Belgrade by train...

The video shows what a train ride from London to Belgrade is like.  There's a slight variation from the journey shown above, the video shows a journey by TGV from the Gare de Lyon to Zurich, then Croatian sleeping-car to Zagreb, instead of a TGV from the Gare de l'Est to Munich, then Croatian sleeping-car to Zagreb, but the sleeping-car is identical to the Munich-Zagreb one and you see the same wonderful scenery between Ljubljana & Zagreb.

Option 3:  London to Belgrade by daytime trains with hotel stops...

This takes longer than using a time-effective sleeper train, 3 days & 2 nights instead of 2 days & 1 night, but if you prefer daytime scenery and hotels to sleeper trains this is the route for you, with overnight stops in Munich and Zagreb.

London ► Belgrade

• Day 1:  Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:24 (12:24 on Saturdays) arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:47 (15:47 on Saturdays). It's a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.

• Day 1:  Travel from Paris to Munich by 200mph double-decker TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:55 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 21:36.  On Saturdays, it leaves Paris at 17:55 arriving Munich at 23:29.  There's a cafe-bar on board, and I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views.

  On Saturdays if you'd prefer an earlier arrival in Munich you can also leave London at 09:24 to connect with a TGV leaving Paris at 13:55 for Stuttgart, change there for Munich arriving 19:27.

• Alternatively, you can travel from London to Munich by Eurostar & ICE train via Brussels & Cologne, see the London to Germany page.

• Spend the night in a hotel in Munich.  Try the Sofitel Munich Beyerpost or Eden Hotel Wolff, or (budget) the Pension Locarno, all right next to the station with great reviews.

• Day 2:  Travel from Munich to Villach by modern, air-conditioned Austrian railjet train, leaving Munich at 08:17 and arriving in Villach, near the Austrian-Slovenian border, at 12:43.  A restaurant car is available for breakfast, or in 1st & business class food and drink orders are taken at your seat.  At Villach it's a simple cross-platform change onto the waiting Slovenian/Croatian/Serbian EuroCity train to Zagreb.

• Day 2:  Travel from Villach to Zagreb on a modern, air-conditioned EuroCity train, the Sava, leaving Villach at 12:53 and arriving Zagreb at 17:10.

• Spend the night in a hotel in Zagreb.  I suggest the Esplanade Hotel, Palace Hotel or Central Hotel, all near the station with good reviews.

• Day 3:  Travel from Zagreb to Belgrade by daytime train, leaving Zagreb at 11:07 and arriving Belgrade at 17:37.

Belgrade  ► London

• Day 1:  Travel from Belgrade to Zagreb by daytime train, leaving Belgrade at 10:55 and arriving Zagreb at 18:13.

• Spend the night in a hotel in Zagreb. I suggest the Esplanade Hotel, Palace Hotel or Central Hotel, all near the station with good reviews.

• Day 2:  Travel from Zagreb to Munich by air-conditioned EuroCity train Sava, leaving Zagreb at 12:35, you need to make a simple cross-platform change of train at Villach (arrive 17:07, depart 17:16) onto a smart Austrian railjet train and you arrive in Munich at 21:42.  Enjoy the excellent scenery along the Sava River.

  Alternatively, you can take the earlier direct EuroCity train leaving Zagreb at 06:55 and arriving Munich at 15:41, with no need to switch trains in Villach.  This is an Austrian train with 6-seater compartments in both 1st & 2nd class, take your own provisions as there's no restaurant or buffet car until the train leaves Villach at 10:47.  Indeed, this is a better option as on occasion the afternoon Sava has been known to miss its connection in Villach.

• Spend the night in a hotel in Munich.  Try the Sofitel Munich Beyerpost or Eden Hotel Wolff, or (budget) the Pension Locarno, all right next to the station with great reviews.

• Day 2:  Travel from Munich to Paris by 200 mph double-decker TGV Duplex, leaving Munich Hbf at 06:23 on weekdays or 06:28 at weekends, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 12:05.   In Paris, it's a 10-minute walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.

• Day 2:  Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:13 (14:13 on Sundays), arriving London St Pancras at 14:39 (15:30 on Sundays).

  If you'd prefer a leisurely breakfast and later departure from Munich, there are later options via either Paris or Brussels, see the London to Germany page.

How much does it cost?

• London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £44 one-way or £58 return in 2nd class, £112 one-way or £168 return in 1st class.  Like air fares, the price rises as cheaper seats are sold, so book early for the best price.

• Paris to Munich by TGV starts at €39 each way 2nd class or €69 each way in 1st class.

• Munich to Zagreb starts at €39 each way.

• Zagreb to Belgrade is approximately €44 each way.

• The Zagreb to Belgrade fare is fixed-price.  The other fares vary like air fares, going up as departure date approaches, so book early for the cheapest prices.

How to buy tickets online...

The easiest and cheapest way to book this journey is online, as there's no booking fees and all the cheap deals are there for you to see.  Booking opens 92 days ahead, you cannot book before booking opens.

• Step 1, book the TGV from Paris to Munich at the German railways website www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.  I strongly recommend registering when prompted, as you can then log in from any computer and check or re-print your tickets.

• Step 2, still on www.bahn.de, book your Munich to Zagreb train, looking for a cheap sparpreis fare and print your own ticket.

• Step 3, now book the London-Paris Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.  You book online and print your own ticket.  I recommend confirming the timings of the Paris-Munich train before booking a suitable Eurostar connection, which is this is step 3 not step 1.  Make sure you allow at least 60 minutes in Paris between trains.

• Step 4, the Zagreb to Belgrade train cannot be booked online, but is easy to book at the station in Zagreb, which is the cheapest way to do it.  There are always places available, it cannot sell out.

How to buy tickets by phone...

If you prefer to book by phone, just call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday, no booking fee, 2% credit card charge but no charge for debit cards), or a booking agency such as Traintours4u on 020 7619 1080 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee).

What's the journey like?

From London to Paris by Eurostar: See the Eurostar page for photos & information about Eurostar.

From Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex...         Click for video guide

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.  First class passengers on this route are given a simple but tasty meal box with a small bottle of beer or wine served at their seat, included in the fare.  The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods & farmland at up to 200mph, 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 & Munich.

TGV Duplex at Paris Est. These impressive 200 mph double-deck trains link Paris with Nice, Marseille, Munich, Barcelona & Switzerland...		2nd class table for 4 on TGV Duplex upper deck...

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

1st class seats on the upper deck, with a club duo on the left, a club quatre on the right.		A TGV Duplex.  The red near the door indicates 1st class, pale green indicates 2nd class.

Munich to Zagreb by air-conditioned train...

Now for a real treat.  Sit back with a glass of red, catch up on your reading and enjoy the views...  This is actually two trains, a smart modern Austrian Railjet train with restaurant car from Munich to Villach on the Austrian/Slovenian border, then a comfortable air-conditioned Slovenian & Croatian train from Villach to Ljubljana and Zagreb.  After leaving the Munich suburbs the train snakes through pretty Bavarian scenery to Salzburg, past churches and picturesque villages.  Just before arriving at Salzburg, look to your right as you cross the River Salzach for great views of Salzburg citadel.  Soon after Salzburg, the train enters the Austrian Alps proper, climbing through vast mountains.  Look out for the magnificent fortress at Werfen (although the train doesn't call here), perched on its hilltop on the right hand side, guarding the approaches to Salzburg along the Salzachtal valley.  You make a quick & easy change of train across the platform at Villach, the Croatian train will be waiting for this connection.  After entering Slovenia, the scenery flattens out, and the train snakes along the pretty river Sava all the way into Ljubljana.  Beyond Ljubljana, the train continues to follow the river Sava, passing through a beautiful river gorge between mountains, a real treat.  Beyond Zidani Most the valley widens into a plain, and you cross the border into Croatia at Dobova and soon arrive in Zagreb's impressive central station, a palace of a building, right in the centre of the city. There's more lush green scenery on the remainder of the journey to Belgrade. ...

1st class seats on the Austrian Railjet from Munich through great scenery to Villach on the Slovenian border.  More railjet information...		Through the Austrian Alps...  Clinging to the mountainside high in the Austrian Alps, the train snakes along between snow-capped mountains, absolutely wonderful...

...and along the Sava river in Slovenia.  Now across the border in Slovenia, the EuroCity train runs along the pretty River Sava all the way to Ljubljana and Zagreb...		Comfortable seats:  The 2nd class seats in the Slovenian cars are arranged 2+1 abreast, the same as 1st class!

The EuroCity train Sava, arrived at Zagreb.		More scenery along the Sava between Ljubljana & Zagreb.

Zagreb to Belgrade by air-conditioned train...

This is a 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.  Above right, the Belgrade to Zagreb train about to leave Belgrade.  Above left, 2nd class seats.

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Option 4:  London to Belgrade via the Budapest-Belgrade sleeper...

This involves 2 nights in a sleeper rather than 1, but if you'd prefer a later departure from London and an arrival in Belgrade in the morning it may be better for you:

London ► Belgrade

• Travel from London to Budapest via any of the options shown on the London to Hungary page.  For example, you can leave London in the morning by Eurostar and TGV to Munich, stay overnight in Munich, then take a morning Railjet to Budapest, arriving 16:19.  Or you can leave London in the morning by Eurostar and TGV to Munich, and catch the Hungarian sleeper train Kalman Imre to Budapest, arriving 09:24, and have a whole day free in Budapest.

• Travel from Budapest to Belgrade on the overnight sleeper train Beograd, leaving Budapest Keleti station daily at 22:25 and arriving in Belgrade at 06:13 next day.  This train has an elderly Serbian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats (not recommended).

Belgrade ► London

• Travel from Belgrade to Budapest on the overnight sleeper train Beograd, leaving Belgrade daily at 21:50 and arriving in Budapest Keleti station at 05:46 next day.  This train has an elderly Serbian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats (not recommended).

• Travel from Budapest to London via any of the options shown on the London to Hungary page.  For example, you can leave Budapest at 11:40 by Railjet to Munich, stay overnight in Munich, then travel from Munich to Paris by TGV and London by Eurostar next day.  Or you can have a day free in Budapest, catch the Hungarian sleeper train Kalman Imre from Budapest to Munich, then take TGV & Eurostar to Paris and London next day.

Fares & how to buy tickets...

• See the London to Hungary page for fares & how to buy tickets between London & Budapest.

• Tickets from Budapest to Belgrade can then be booked online at the Hungarian Railways website, www.mav-start.hu from just €24 including a couchette.  Before starting to book, read my tips & advice for using mav-start.hu and how your tickets are collected in Budapest.

• Alternatively, to book by phone call German Railways' UK office on 08718 80 80 66, lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday.  But they can't sell MAV's cheap fares for this route, only full-price international tariff.

By overnight train from Budapest to Belgrade...   Watch the video

This has a basic and very elderly Serbian sleeping-car & couchette car dating from the communist era, but comfortable enough with clean sheets. However, recently this train has only been running with couchettes, as Serbian Railways is short of serviceable sleeping-cars.

The Belgrade to Budapest sleeper, arrived at Budapest Keleti...		Serbian 2-bed sleeper...		6-berth couchettes...

London ► Skopje & Pristina

• Travel from London to Belgrade using any of the options shown in the London to Belgrade section above.  The route via Zagreb will get you to Belgrade in time to catch the evening train to Niš & Skopje.

• An overnight train leaves Belgrade at 18:35, calling at Niš at 23:02 and arriving in Skopje at 04:20 next morning.  A Macedonian 6-berth couchette car is available, bedding provided, see the photos below.  The final destination of this train is Thessaloniki in Greece.  Runs 1 June to 9 September, Belgrade-Skopje service outside these dates is uncertain due to engineering work, check locally.

  Alternatively, stay overnight in Belgrade (perhaps at the excellent Moskva Hotel) and take the daytime train, which leaves Belgrade at 07:35 arriving Niš at 11:44 & Skopje at 17:20. 

  You can check train times at http://bahn.hafas.de although this doesn't always take into account every recent change.

• There is one train a day between Skopje & Pristina in Kosovo, departing Skopje at 16:20 and arriving Pristina 19:20.  Expect this train to be one ancient ex-Norwegian diesel and two elderly carriages!  The times are on www.trainkos.com but only in the shqip language version - Skopje = Shkup.

Pristina & Skopje ► London

• There is one train a day between Pristina & Skopje, leaving Pristina at 07:10 and arriving Skopje at 09:52.  Expect this train to be one ancient ex-Norwegian diesel and two elderly carriages!  Spend the day in Skopje and take the night train to Belgrade, as shown below.  The times are on www.trainkos.com but only in the shqip language version - Skopje = Shkup.

• By day train, leave Skopje at 08:20 or Niš at 13:30, arriving Belgrade at 18:22.  There's also a 15:30 from Niš arriving Belgrade at 19:42.  You'd then spend the night in a hotel in Belgrade.  You can check train times at http://bahn.hafas.de although this doesn't take into account every or any change to services made locally.

• By overnight train, leave Skopje at 22:19 calling at Nis at 03:29 and arriving Belgrade at 07:46 next morning.  The overnight train has a Macedonian 6-berth couchette car, bedding is provided, see the photos below.  Expect an arrival an hour or so late.  Runs 3 June to 11 September 2017, Skopje-Belgrade service outside these dates uncertain as it may be affected by engineering work, so please check locally.

• Travel from Belgrade to London as shown above.  You can leave Belgrade in the morning and arrive London in the evening of the following day.

Fares...

• See above for fares from the UK to Belgrade.

• Belgrade to Skopje costs around £29 one way, £58 return 2nd class if bought in the UK.  Bought locally, it costs around 2,700 dinars (€24 or £21).

• Skopje to Pristina bought locally costs about €4.25 one-way.

Belgrade to Skopje by daytime train...

The morning train from Belgrade to Skopje...		Old but comfortable 1st class compartment.

Belgrade to Skopje by overnight train...

The Belgrade-Thessaloniki overnight train has a Macedonian couchette car, though no sleeper.  But it's comfortable enough and seldom full, see the photos below, courtesy of traveller Tom Whitehead.  Clean sheets, pillow and blanket are provided.  You'll probably find fellow travellers from Germany, the Netherlands, Australia or Britain on board.

Skopje to Pristina by train...

Traveller Jeroen van Marle reports:  "I took the train from Priština in Kosovo to Skopje. Absolutely freezing cold as there was no heating, but the ride was lovely, very scenic compared to the highway blight that the buses pass."

The morning train waits to leave Pristina.  Photo courtesy of Jeroen van Marle		At the border, where locomotives are changed.  Photo courtesy of Jeroen van Marle

The train uses old Norwegian coaches.  Photo courtesy of Jeroen van Marle		The train from Pristina, arrived at Skopje station.  Photo courtesy of Jeroen van Marle

Belgrade station

A classic building from 1884.  Click for city map

Belgrade has a classic Balkan station, built in 1884.  Unlike most main stations in Europe, there is no overall roof - the concourse is open-air, although canopies cover the actual platforms.  The station is just a 10 minute walk from the main pedestrianised street in central Belgrade, although it's uphill so you may want to take one of the taxis waiting outside.  See Wikipedia entry.  See map of Belgrade showing station.

Buying tickets...

The ticket office is in the main building on the east (platform 1) side of the station.  It has a couple of separate windows for booking international  trains, to the left of the main ones.  However, I'd recommend using the Wasteels office in the north side building to book trains, there's seldom any queue and Mr Popovic speaks excellent English, see the section below.

Left luggage & ATMs...

There was a 24 hour left luggage office, see here for prices, in a small yard just off the extreme left-hand corner of the open-air concourse as you stand with your back to the trains looking at the north side building pictured right.  However, reports say this has now closed - although there's left luggage in the bus station across the road, open 07:00-22:00.  There is an ATM inside the north building exit hall.

A meal or beer between trains...

There is a Zelturist cafe-restaurant in the far right corner of the open-air concourse as you stand with your back to the trains.  It's basic, but has unbelievably cheap set menus and cheap beer.  There are a couple of other cafes on the open-air concourse too, and several kiosks selling drinks and snacks for your journey.  There are more kiosks immediately outside the exit from the North building.

Belgrade station main entrance, on the east (platform 1) side of the station.  The ticket office is in here.		The building on the north side of the concourse.  The ATM is in here.  The trains are behind the camera.

Belgrade station's open-air concourse.  The Zelturist restaurant is in the far right corner...		Dinner for £2.92 at the Zelturist restaurant at Belgrade station.  And yes, that includes the beer!

Wasteels agency, Belgrade...  Recommended!

	Belgrade station main ticket office...

The Serbian Railways reservation system is linked to the western European railway computer reservation systems, so seat, couchette or sleeper reservations can be made on domestic or international trains starting in Belgrade from most reservation offices or train booking agencies across Europe, including UK European rail booking agencies.  In practice however, the computer link sometimes goes down, and in any case agencies outside Serbia can usually only sell full-price 'TCV' tariff tickets, not the various cheap special offer fares that are available locally. 

So to pre-book international tickets starting in Belgrade at the cheapest prices, email or call the highly-recommended Mr Popovic at Belgrade station.  You can pick up and pay for the reservations/tickets when you get to Belgrade (although you may now be asked for pre-payment).  Mr Popovic can also arrange tickets starting in Sofia, if given sufficient notice, for collection in Belgrade.  Wasteels contact details are:

Agency representative Mr Popovic speaks excellent English and comes highly recommended.  He will be glad to make train reservations for you and book tickets, and even give you advice on visiting Belgrade.  Payment must be made in cash in Serbian Dinars which is no problem as there is a bureau de change and an ATM at the station.  If you email him in advance he can also make bookings for trains from Sofia.  Although the Wasteels office at Belgrade station has closed, Mr Popovic can still be contacted and you can still buy tickets through him, he'll meet you at the station to deliver your tickets.

Visiting Belgrade

Click for map of Belgrade showing station

Belgrade is not a typical tourist hotspot, but it's a very pleasant city with lots to interest the visitor.  Click for map of Belgrade.

Victor Plaza in Belgrade fortress, with a great view of the confluence of the Danube & Sava rivers.		Belgrade's parliament building...

Knez Mihailova is Belgrade's main pedestrianised shopping street, leading from the Moskva Hotel to the fortress.		In 2013, the Serbian Ministry of Defence still hadn't been repaired after NATO bombing in the 1990s conflict.

Marshall Tito's mausoleum is a little way south of central Belgrade.  Tito was Serbia's head of state between 1945 & 1980.  There's also a museum with many of the gifts which Tito received during his lifetime.

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 have set up a private venture and published the first edition of a reborn European Rail Timetable in March 2014.  You can buy it online with worldwide shipping at either www.stanfords.co.uk or www.europeanrailtimetable.eu.  More information on what the European Rail Timetable contains.

A Traveller's Railway Map of Europe covers the whole of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  On the back are detailed maps of Switzerland, Benelux & Germany, plus city plans showing stations in major cities.  Scenic & high-speed routes highlighted.  Buy it online for £14.50 + postage worldwide (UK addresses £2.80) at www.stanfords.co.uk/Continents/Europe-A-Travellers-Railway-Map_9789077899090.htm or (in the Netherlands) for €13 + €5.50 postage from www.treinreiswinkel.nl.

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 a guide covering all the countries in Eastern Europe.  Lonely Planet Eastern Europe.

Click to buy online at Amazon...

Hotels in Belgrade & the Balkans

Recommended hotel in Belgrade:  Book the Hotel Moskva...

Look no further for a hotel in Belgrade than the historic Hotel Moskva.  Opened in 1906, anyone who is anyone who has visited Belgrade has stayed here, from British author Graham Green to Ethiopian emperor Haile Salassie.  It served as Gestapo Headquarters in 1941-44, although fortunately no trace of these former occupants remains.  It's ideally located 10 minutes walk from the station (uphill, so you're better taking a taxi if you have luggage), right in the centre of Belgrade at the end of the pedestrianised main street that leads to Belgrade fortress.  Immaculate rooms, friendly staff and a good cooked breakfast.  Book the Hotel Moskva.

Other hotel sites worth trying...

• www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

• www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system).  It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).

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 & health card

Take out decent travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel without proper travel insurance from a reliable insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash & belongings (up to a limit), and trip cancellation.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year - I have an annual policy myself.  However, 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, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com - 10% discount with code seat61.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card, it's free...

If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS.  This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available from ww.nhs.uk.  It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.

Carry a spare credit card, designed for travel with no currency exchange loading & low/no ATM fees

Taking out an extra credit card costs nothing, but if you keep it in a different part of your luggage you won't be left stranded if your wallet gets stolen.  In addition, some credit cards are better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.

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