The Bratislava skyline, with castle and cathedral |
From the UK to Slovakia by train
It's easy to reach Bratislava by train from the UK. Take a mid-afternoon Eurostar to Brussels or Paris, the excellent Nightjet sleeper overnight to Vienna and the hourly regional express to Bratislava. Change in Bratislava for an express to Poprad Tatry or Košice. This page explains how to book train travel to Slovakia.
London to Bratislava using the Brussels-Vienna sleeper
London to Bratislava using the Paris-Vienna sleeper
London to Bratislava by daytime trains with overnight stop
London to Bratislava using the Harwich-Hoek ferry
UK to Bratislava using a ferry from Newcastle or Hull
Trains from other European cities to Bratislava
Trains from Bratislava to other European cities
Useful country information: currency, dial code...
Vienna to Bratislava by Danube river boat
Hotels & accommodation in Slovakia
General European train travel information
Luggage Taking bikes Taking dogs
Route map
Useful country information
Option 1, London to Bratislava using the Brussels-Vienna sleeper
This is the easiest, most comfortable & most time-effective way from the UK to Bratislava. Take Eurostar to Brussels, the excellent 3-times-a-week Nightjet sleeper from Brussels to Vienna, then the hourly regional express to Bratislava. The sleeper is expected to become daily from autumn 2024. Incidentally, option 2 is almost identical in all respects, but via Paris rather than Brussels, so check that out too.
London ► Bratislava
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Day 1, travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 13:01, arriving Brussels Midi at 16:06.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Standard Premier & Business Premier fares include lunch with wine.
A later 15:04 departure is possible, but the 13:01 is a safer connection as the sleeper is occasionally retimed earlier.
Tip: At Brussels Midi, the Pullman Hotel bar makes an excellent VIP waiting room.
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Step 2, travel from Brussels to Vienna by Nightjet, leaving Brussels Midi at 19:07 on Tuesdays & Thursdays, 19:03 on Saturdays, arriving Vienna Hbf 10:13. This train is expected to become daily from autumn 2024.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
The train travels along the Rhine Valley between Koblenz (23:46) and Mainz (00:39), so if you're still awake and your compartment happens to be on the left-hand side of the train, switch off the lights and watch the Rhine pass by, mountains, vineyards, castles & the legendary Lorelei Rock lit by moonlight. Wonderful!
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Step 3, travel from Vienna to Bratislava by regional train, one leaves Vienna Hbf at 11:17 arriving Bratislava Hlavna 12:26.
These run every hour, no reservation is necessary or possible, tickets are good for any train that day. There are always plenty of seats and they cannot sell out. Important: If travelling between 4 March & 14 December 2024, see the update here.
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Step 4 for eastern Slovakia: Leave Bratislava Hlavna at 13:27 arriving Poprad-Tatry 17:30 & Košice 18:53.
This is a smart air-conditioned Slovakian express train with restaurant car.
Bratislava ► London
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Step 0 from eastern Slovakia: Leave Košice at 11:34 or Poprad-Tatry at 12:52, arriving Bratislava Hlavna 16:26.
This is a smart air-conditioned Slovakian Intercity train with restaurant car.
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Step 1, travel from Bratislava to Vienna by regional train, leaving Bratislava Hlavna at 17:35 and arriving Vienna Hbf 18:44.
These trains run every hour, by all means take an earlier one and have dinner in Vienna, but don't risk any tighter connections when catching a sleeper you can't afford to miss. No reservation is necessary or possible on these trains, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on.
Important: If travelling between 4 March & 14 December 2024, see the update here.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Brussels by Nightjet, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:38 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, arriving Brussels Midi 09:56. This train is expected to become daily from autumn 2024.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
Tip: If you have a ticket for a sleeper, you can use the ÖBB lounge at Vienna Hbf with complimentary refreshments & free WiFi.
Tip: On arrival at Brussels Midi, the Pullman Hotel bar makes an excellent VIP waiting room.
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Step 3, travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar, leaving Brussels Midi at 12:52 arriving London St Pancras at 13:57.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Standard Premier & Business Premier fares include lunch with wine.
How much does it cost?
On the sleeper train, berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed, the other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers. For sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a 1-berth sleeper, 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper, 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette & so on.
How to buy tickets
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If you buy your tickets at www.thetrainline.com you can buy all your tickets together in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee. Anyone from any country can use www.thetrainline.com. Who are Thetrainline.com?
Do a dry run first to check prices and availability for each stage before booking for real.
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Step 1, go to www.thetrainline.com and book from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) using the train times on this page as a guide. Add this to your basket. Never allow less than an hour in Brussels when connecting with a sleeper train.
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Step 2, now book the Nightjet sleeper train from Brussels to Vienna & back at www.thetrainline.com, looking for the direct train with 0 changes.
Booking for this Nightjet typically opens 3-4 months ahead, but it can vary. More about when bookings open. Child under 6? See here.
Add to basket and check out.
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Step 3, now book from Vienna to Bratislava and back at www.thetrainline.com, add to basket & check out. If you prefer, you can just buy the Vienna-Bratislava ticket at the station in Vienna, it's just a regional train, fixed price, no reservation needed, tickets always available.
Fares are dynamic like air fares, so book early for the cheapest prices and avoid busy days such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.
You print your own tickets. After booking you can use the Eurostar Manage Booking system to select an exact seat on Eurostar.
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Step 4, if you need tickets from Bratislava to Poprad-Tatry or Košice, book these at the Slovakian Railways website www.zssk.sk.
Booking for these Slovakian tickets only opens 60 days ahead. Switch it to English by clicking EN top right. It's a little fiddly, but it works. You print your own ticket.
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If you're travelling from a UK town or city north of London, see advice about buying domestic tickets to London to connect with Eurostar.
Another way to buy tickets
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You can of course book direct with the relevant train operator without any booking fees, but this means more work on multiple websites and it can be more fiddly. In all cases you print your own ticket, or can in some cases show it on your phone.
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Step 1, book the London-Brussels Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.
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Step 2, book the Nightjet sleeper and Vienna-Bratislava train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
How to buy tickets by phone
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It's better to book online. But if you want to book by phone, you can book with a number of UK agencies, including Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (lines open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings). Other agencies selling European tickets by phone.
Or use an Interrail pass
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Pass or point to point?
Let's be clear, a pass will not save money over the cheapest point-to-point advance-purchase fares you might see if you book a few months ahead. But when point-to-point fares are expensive (for example, at short notice) OR you want flexibility, for example the ability to change your mind, re-route or reschedule as necessary, a pass might be what you need.
If flexibility is what you want, buy the pass. If it's about saving money, you'll have to check point-to-point prices and do the maths.
It's worth doing the maths if you are under 28, if you have kids (kids get a free pass when accompanying an adult but still need to pay reservation fees) or if you live a long way from London (as a pass covers you from your home station to London). Passes are available in 1st & 2nd class, a 2nd class pass is all you need to book any type of sleeper on the Nightjet, even a deluxe.
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How to use a pass for a trip to Slovakia
Step 1, buy a 4-days in 1-month Interrail pass from www.raileurope.com (click Rail passes and select Europe) or www.interrail.eu, see pass prices on the Interrail page. You load the pass into the Railplanner app on your phone.
A 4-day pass is enough to get from most regions of Britain to anywhere in Slovakia & back again.
A 4-day pass gives you unlimited train travel on any 4 dates you choose in an overall 1 month period. The first travel day can be any date you select in the 11 months after buying the pass, the overall 1 month period starts from that date. Learn about how Interrail passes work here.
Step 2, make a Eurostar passholder reservation from London to Brussels & back. See prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations online. Tip: Eurostar passholder availability is limited, so check availability before buying a pass.
Step 3, make a couchette or sleeper reservation on the Nightjet sleeper at www.oebb.at following the instructions here, method 1. Prices can be found on the Interrail reservations page.
By all means go out one way, back another, with an Interrail pass you can use almost any of the trains & routes to/from Slovakia shown on this page, find out how to reserve the relevant trains using the Interrail reservations guide.
No reservation is necessary between Vienna & Bratislava.
Let Railbookers arrange it for you
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Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a tour or holiday for you as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers. On their website you'll find a range of suggested tours & holidays which can be varied or customised to your requirements. As you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay.
UK 0207 864 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk
US 1-888-829-4775, see website
Canada 1-855-882-2910, see website
Australia 1300 971 526, see website
New Zealand 0800 000 554, see website
What's the journey like?
1. London to Brussels by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar including check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Brussels Midi station guide. In Brussels, I recommend using the Pullman Hotel bar as your VIP waiting room.
2. Brussels to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper
This is an Austrian Railways (ÖBB) Nightjet train, with sleeping-car, couchettes & seats. The sleeping-car has 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, plus three deluxe compartments with 1, 2 or 3 beds with private shower & toilet. The sleeper berths come fully made up with sheets and duvets, all sleeper passengers get mineral water in the evening and a light breakfast served in their compartment next morning. Towels & toiletries are provided, including shampoo and shower gel in the deluxe sleepers. In the more economical couchettes, you can book a couchette in a cheaper 6-berth compartment or a less-crowded 4-berth compartment, each provided with sheet, blanket, pillow & small bottle of water, and couchette passengers get a tea or coffee in the morning. When waiting for the northbound sleeper train in Vienna, if you have booked a sleeper you can use the ÖBB lounge with complimentary refreshments. More about Nightjet trains.
3. Vienna to Bratislava by Regional Express train
The hourly regional express train from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna, seen below about to leave Vienna. Behind the locomotive is a smart Slovakian air-conditioned intercity coach, whilst the rest of the train consists of more basic non-air-con Austrian City Shuttle carriages, with interiors as shown in the photo above right. Find a seat in the more comfortable Slovakian car if you can! More about Vienna-Bratislava regional express trains.
Option 2: London to Bratislava using the Paris-Vienna sleeper
Almost identical to option 1, but via Paris instead of Brussels. Option 1 involves an easy same-station change in Brussels from Eurostar to Nightjet, this involves an easy 7 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est, that's the only real difference. The Paris-Vienna & Brussels-Vienna Nightjets run on the same 3 days of the week (both due to become daily from autumn 2024), in fact they run coupled together as a single train between Mannheim and Vienna.
London ► Bratislava
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Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 14:31 and arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:48.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Standard Premier & Business Premier fares include lunch with wine.
In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.
Tip: I'd take the earlier 12:31 Eurostar from London and have an early dinner in Paris, see recommended restaurants near the Gare du Nord, see recommended restaurants in or near the Gare de l'Est.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to Vienna by Nightjet, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 19:12 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays, arriving Vienna Hbf 10:13. This train is expected to become daily from autumn 2024.
Important update 2024: ÖBB have given up trying to run this train from 12 August to 25 October 2024, due to the amount of trackwork.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-cars each with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The train has a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and an ordinary seats car. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment. The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee, served in your compartment.
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Step 3, travel from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna by hourly regional train leaving Vienna Hbf at 11:17 arriving Bratislava Hlavna 12:26.
No reservation is necessary or possible on these regional trains, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on. There are always plenty of seats and they cannot sell out. Important: If travelling between 4 March & 14 December 2024, see the update here.
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Step 4 if going to eastern Slovakia, leave Bratislava Hlavna at 13:27 arriving Poprad-Tatry 17:30 & Košice 18:53.
This is a smart air-conditioned Slovakian express train with restaurant car.
Bratislava ► London
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Step 0 if coming from eastern Slovakia, leave Košice at 11:34 or Poprad-Tatry at 12:52, arriving Bratislava Hlavna 16:26.
This is a smart air-conditioned Slovakian Intercity train with restaurant car.
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Step 1, travel from Bratislava to Vienna by regional train, leaving Bratislava Hlavna at 17:35 and arriving Vienna Hbf 18:44.
These trains run every hour, by all means take an earlier one and have dinner in Vienna, but don't risk any tighter connections when catching a sleeper you can't afford to miss. No reservation is necessary or possible on these trains, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on. Important: If travelling between 4 March & 14 December 2024, see the update here.
Tip: If you have a sleeper ticket, you can use the ÖBB lounge at Vienna Hbf before boarding the sleeper, with complimentary refreshments & free WiFi.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Paris by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:38 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 10:24 next morning. This train is expected to become daily from autumn 2024.
Important update 2024: ÖBB have given up trying to run this train from 12 August to 25 October 2024, due to the amount of trackwork.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-cars each with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The train has a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and an ordinary seats car. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment. The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee.
In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord, but I'd allow 2-3 hours between trains in case of delay.
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Step 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:12 daily arriving London St Pancras at 14:39.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Standard Premier & Business Premier fares include lunch with wine.
How much does it cost?
Fares vary like air fares, book early for the cheapest prices.
On the sleeper train, berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed, the other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers. For sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a 1-berth sleeper or 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper or 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette and so on.
Return fares are twice the one-way fare.
How to buy tickets
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If you buy your tickets at www.thetrainline.com you can buy all your tickets together in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee. Anyone from any country can use www.thetrainline.com. Who are Thetrainline.com?
Do a dry run first to check prices and availability for each stage before booking for real.
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Step 1, go to www.thetrainline.com, book the nightjet sleeper train from Paris to Vienna and add to basket.
Booking for this Nightjet typically opens 2-4 months ahead, it varies. More about when bookings open. Child under 6? See here.
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Step 2, now use www.thetrainline.com again to book the London-Paris Eurostar connection, and add to basket.
Tip: After booking you can use the Manage booking facility at www.eurostar.com to choose an exact seat from a seating plan, see tips on choosing a seat on Eurostar.
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Step 3, now use www.thetrainline.com again to book the Vienna-Bratislava connection, add to basket & check out.
You print your own tickets.
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Step 4, if you need tickets from Bratislava to Poprad-Tatry or Košice, book these at the Slovakian Railways website www.zssk.sk.
Booking for these Slovakian tickets opens 60 days ahead. Switch it to English by clicking EN top right. It's a little fiddly, but it works. You print your own ticket.
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If you're travelling from a town or city north of London, see advice about buying domestic tickets to London to connect with Eurostar.
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Alternatively, you can book the Nightjet sleeper train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly, in €, has been known to reject some international cards, but no booking fee) and then the Eurostar at www.eurostar.com. This means more work on multiple websites, prices should be exactly the same, but no booking fee.
How to buy tickets by phone
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It's cheaper and easier to buy tickets online as you can see for yourself which departures are cheapest for each stage of the journey and you avoid phone booking fees. Online booking is possible 24/7, but most telephone booking agencies only work office hours on weekdays. However, if you'd rather call someone, here is a list if UK ticketing agencies with phone numbers & opening hours. For a journey between the UK & Austria I'd call Deutsche Bahn's UK phone line, or Ffestiniog Travel, International Rail or Trainseurope.
Or use an Interrail pass
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Pass or point to point?
Let's be clear, a pass will not save money over the cheapest point-to-point advance-purchase fares you might see if you book a few months ahead. But when point-to-point fares are expensive (for example, at short notice) OR you want flexibility, for example the ability to change your mind, re-route or reschedule as necessary, a pass might be what you need.
If flexibility is what you want, buy the pass. If it's about saving money, you'll have to check point-to-point prices and do the maths.
It's worth doing the maths if you are under 28, if you have kids (kids get a free pass when accompanying an adult but still need to pay reservation fees) or if you live a long way from London (as a pass covers you from your home station to London). Passes are available in 1st & 2nd class, a 2nd class pass is all you need to book any type of sleeper on the Nightjet, even a deluxe.
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How to use a pass for a trip to Hungary
Step 1, buy a 4-days in 1-month Interrail pass from www.raileurope.com (click Rail passes and select Europe) or www.interrail.eu, see pass prices on the Interrail page. You load the pass into the Railplanner app on your phone.
A 4-day pass is enough to get from most regions of Britain to anywhere in Slovakia & back again.
A 4-day pass gives you unlimited train travel on any 4 dates you choose in an overall 1 month period. The first travel day can be any date you select in the 11 months after buying the pass, the overall 1 month period starts from that date. Learn about how Interrail passes work here.
Step 2, make a Eurostar passholder reservation from London to Paris & back, see prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations online. Tip: Eurostar passholder availability is limited, so check availability before buying a pass.
Step 3, make a couchette or sleeper reservation on the Nightjet sleeper at www.oebb.at following the instructions here, method 1. Prices can be found on the Interrail reservations page.
By all means go out one way, back another, with an Interrail pass you can use almost any of the trains & routes to/from Slovakia shown on this page, find out how to reserve the relevant trains using the Interrail reservations guide.
No reservation is necessary between Vienna & Bratislava.
What's the journey like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in just 2 hours 20 minutes, 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 about Eurostar including check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Gare du Nord station guide.
2. Paris to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper
This is an Austrian Railways (ÖBB) Nightjet train, with sleeping-car, couchettes & seats. The two sleeping-cars each have nine 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with private shower & toilet. The sleeper berths come fully made up with sheets and duvets, all sleeper passengers get mineral water in the evening and a light breakfast served in their compartment next morning. Towels & toiletries are provided, including shampoo and shower gel in the deluxe sleepers. In the more economical couchettes, you can book a couchette in a cheaper 6-berth compartment or a less-crowded 4-berth compartment, each provided with sheet, blanket, pillow & small bottle of water, and couchette passengers get a tea or coffee in the morning. When waiting for the northbound sleeper train in Vienna, if you have booked a sleeper you can use the ÖBB lounge with complimentary refreshments. More about Nightjets. Paris Gare de l'Est station guide. Vienna Hbf station guide.
3. Vienna to Bratislava by Regional Express train
The hourly regional express train from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna, seen below about to leave Vienna. Behind the locomotive is a smart Slovakian air-conditioned intercity coach, whilst the rest of the train consists of more basic non-air-con Austrian City Shuttle carriages, with interiors as shown in the photo above right. Find a seat in the more comfortable Slovakian car if you can! More about Vienna-Bratislava regional express trains.
Option 3, London to Bratislava by daytime trains
If you prefer daytime trains and a hotel to sleepers, this is the option for you. London to Bratislava is too far to go in a day, so an overnight stop is needed either in Brussels or Frankfurt. Those are the obvious choices on the direct route with fewest changes.
London ► Bratislava with overnight stop in Brussels
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Day 1, travel from London to Brussels on any evening Eurostar you like, check times at www.eurostar.com.
The last Eurostar usually leaves London St Pancras at 19:34 arriving Brussels Midi 22:38, by all means travel earlier and spend a pleasant evening in Brussels.
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Stay overnight in Brussels. I recommend the excellent Pullman Hotel Brussels Midi which is an integral part of Brussels Midi station itself, or the inexpensive Ibis Brussels Midi just across the road.
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Day 2, travel from Brussels to Bratislava, leaving Brussels Midi 08:23 (08:25 weekends), change at Frankfurt (M) Flughafen & Vienna Hbf, arriving Bratislava Hlavna at 20:26.
You travel from Brussels to Frankfurt on a superb German ICE3 high-speed train, Frankfurt to Vienna by equally comfortable ICE-T and Vienna to Bratislava by regional express. Both ICE trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. You can check times for your date of travel using the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
London ► Bratislava with overnight stop in Frankfurt
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Day 1, travel from London to Frankfurt by Eurostar & ICE, see the London to Frankfurt timetable here.
You can travel from London to Frankfurt with 1 easy same-station change at Brussels Midi, or you can travel via Paris with an easy 7-minute walk between the Gare du Nord and nearby Gare de l'Est.
For example, you can leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 15:04, change at Brussels Midi onto a superb ICE3 with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 21:31.
But by all means take the earlier 13:01 for more of an evening in Frankfurt, see the London to Frankfurt timetable here.
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Stay overnight in Frankfurt. Hotels next to the station with good or great reviews include the Flemings Express Hotel & Hotel Hamburger Hof, both of which I have used myself and can recommend. There's also The Frankfurt and the inexpensive Hotel Topas.
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Day 2, travel from Frankfurt to Bratislava, leaving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 08:21, change at Vienna Hbf, arriving Bratislava Hlavna at 16:26.
You travel from Frankfurt to Vienna by ICE-T with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then Vienna to Bratislava by regional express. You can check times for your date of travel using the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Bratislava ► London with overnight stop in Brussels
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Day 1, travel from Bratislava to Brussels, leaving Bratislava Hlavna at 07:35, change Vienna Hbf & Frankfurt Flughafen arriving Brussels Midi 19:35.
You travel from Bratislava to Vienna by regional express, from Vienna to Frankfurt by ICE-T and from Frankfurt to Brussels by ICE3. Both ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. You can check times at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
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Stay overnight in Brussels. I recommend the excellent Pullman Hotel Brussels Midi which is an integral part of Brussels Midi station itself, or the inexpensive Ibis Brussels Midi just across the road.
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Day 2, travel from Brussels to London to Brussels on any morning Eurostar you like, check times at www.eurostar.com.
The first train leaves Brussels Midi at 07:56 weekdays arriving London St Pancras 08:59, or 08:52 weekends arriving London St Pancras 09:57.
Bratislava ► London with overnight stop in Frankfurt
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Day 1, travel from Bratislava to Frankfurt, leaving Bratislava Hlavna at 15:35, change at Vienna Hbf, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf 21:36.
You travel from Bratislava to Vienna by regional express then Vienna to Frankfurt by superb high-speed ICE-T with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. You can check times at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
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Stay overnight in Frankfurt. Hotels next to the station with good or great reviews include the Flemings Express Hotel & Hotel Hamburger Hof, both of which I have used myself and can recommend. There's also The Frankfurt and the inexpensive Hotel Topas.
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Day 2, travel from Frankfurt to London. You can travel from Frankfurt to London with 1 easy same-station change at Brussels Midi, or you can travel via Paris with an easy 7-minute walk between the Gare du Nord and nearby Gare de l'Est.
For example, you can leave Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 08:16, change at Brussels Midi and arrive London St Pancras at 13:57.
By all means have a leisurely breakfast and take a later train, see the Frankfurt to London timetable here. The ICE has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
How much does it cost?
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London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £97 one-way, £140 return standard premier (1st class).
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Brussels to Bratislava starts at €59.90 each way in 2nd class, €71.90 each way in 1st class.
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Fares vary like air fares. For the cheapest prices book early and avoid busy times such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.
How to buy tickets
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When does booking open?
Booking for Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes up to 11 months.
Onward trains from Brussels open for booking up to 6 months ahead, but significantly less than this when the mid-December timetable change intervenes. I recommend waiting until all trains are open for booking before committing to a non-refundable Eurostar ticket. More about when booking opens.
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If you're overnighting in Brussels:
Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels & back at www.eurostar.com.
If you're returning, make sure you book this as a round trip as Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways. Beyond Brussels fares are all priced as one-way so it makes no difference. You print your ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone.
Step 2, book from Brussels to Bratislava using the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.
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If you're overnighting in Frankfurt:
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com. This way, you can book all your tickets together in one place.
Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com, in plain English, overseas credit cards accepted and fares shown in multiple currencies. There's a small booking fee. Who are Raileurope.com?
First book your ticket from London to Frankfurt. If you're returning, book London to Frankfurt as a round trip because Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways. Add this to your basket.
Then book from Frankfurt to Bratislava one-way for the following day, add to basket, and (if returning) book from Bratislava to Frankfurt one way for the day prior to your Frankfurt-London journey, add this to your basket and check out.
You print your own tickets, or after booking you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app and show the DB ticket on your phone.
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If you're overnighting in different cities out and back, book like this:
First use www.raileurope.com to run some dummy enquiries to find the combination of trains you want. Then book London to Brussels & back and add to basket, to benefit from Eurostar's cheaper return fares. Then book one-way tickets from Brussels to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Bratislava, Bratislava to Brussels (or whatever) on the trains you want, adding each ticket to your basket, then check out.
You print your own tickets, or after booking you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app and show the DB ticket on your phone.
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Booking tips
Fares are dynamic like air fares, so book early for the cheapest prices and avoid busy days such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.
After booking you can use the Eurostar Manage Booking system to select an exact seat on Eurostar.
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Is it a through ticket?
No, as there are no through tickets from London to anywhere beyond Paris or Brussels any more, DB's Sparpreis London fares were discontinued in March 2020. But www.raileurope.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward German Railways ticket from Brussels to Frankfurt, then it'll sell you a separate German Railways ticket from Frankfurt to Bratislava for the following day.
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Seat reservations
A seat reservation is automatically included with every ticket on Eurostar. No seat reservation is necessary or even possible on the regional express between Vienna & Bratislava. However, seat reservations are usually optional on German ICE trains, if you want a reserved seat it can be added during the booking process for fee of €5.20 each way in 2nd class, €6.50 in 1st class. I strongly recommend reserving a seat.
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About the 20-minute connections (sometimes less) between Eurostar & ICEs at Brussels Midi
The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an onward ICE, sometimes less than this, is usually a recognised connection which lots of people make. It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms.
Even though the system sells you separate tickets either side of Brussels, you are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT so if there's a delay and you miss the connection you will be allowed to travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.
Tip: Nothing stops you booking an earlier Eurostar than the one which directly connects with your chosen onward ICE, if it has cheaper fares or if you want a more robust connection. To do this using www.raileurope.com, click More options, then enter Brussels (any station) as a via station with a stopover duration of (say) 1 or 2 hours. There are plenty of places for a meal, coffee or beer between trains in Brussels!
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How to buy a connecting ticket from other UK towns & cities: See the advice on special add-on tickets here.
A cheaper way to buy tickets
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If you're overnighting in Brussels one way or round trip, ignore this section as I've already told you to use eurostar.com then int.bahn.de. But if you're overnighting in Cologne or Berlin, or in different cities outward and return, read on.
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This is more work as it means using two websites, but there are 3 advantages: First, you don't pay any booking fee. Second, you can use the Stopover feature at int.bahn.de to book a Brussels to Bratislava through ticket with an overnight stop in Frankfurt which is cheaper than buying two separate tickets. And third, int.bahn.de lets you select your seat from a seat map on ICE trains. This is the way I'd book myself.
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Before booking for real, do a dry run on both sites to check availability & prices and to find a combination of trains that works for you. I'd also check that your outward Eurostar and ICE are a recognised connection by checking that they appear together when you run a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de - read the paragraph about the 20-minute connection in Brussels in the previous section.
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Step 1, go to www.eurostar.com and book your Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning). You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone. Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, make sure you book this as a round trip. After booking you can use the Eurostar Manage Booking system to select an exact seat on Eurostar.
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Step 2, book from Brussels to Bratislava at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Fares are all priced as one-way, so if you're returning you'll find it easier to book one way at a time, in fact you'll need to book one way at a time if you're overnighting in different cities on the way out and the way back.
To get an overnight stop in Frankfurt, click Stopovers and enter Frankfurt (Main) Hbf with a suitable length of stay for an overnight stop, say 10 hours. Adjust the departure time & length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Frankfurt. This will get you a Brussels to Bratislava through ticket with an overnight stop in Frankfurt included.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
How to buy tickets by phone
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It's better to book online to avoid additional phone booking fees and so you can see for yourself which departures are cheapest for each stage of the journey. Most ticketing agencies only work office hours on weekdays, but online booking is possible 24/7. However, if you want to book by phone, see my list of UK ticketing agencies with phone numbers & opening hours.
What's the journey like?
1. London to Brussels by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.
2. Brussels to Frankfurt by ICE3
Germany's superb ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, restaurant orders are taken at your seat. 50 minutes after leaving Brussels the ICE calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava. As you approach Cologne Hbf you'll see the twin towers of Cologne Cathedral on the right, next to the station. Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, the train crosses the long Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine before joining the 300km/h high-speed line to Frankfurt. More about ICE3 trains. Brussels Midi station guide. Cologne Hbf station guide.
An ICE3neo at Brussels Midi with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about ICE trains. Photo above courtesy of Christian Hunt.
3. Frankfurt to Vienna by ICE-T
The ICE-T has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat. Between Frankfurt and Vienna you'll pass rolling countryside and run along the Danube in several places. More about ICE-T trains. Brussels Midi station guide. Frankfurt (Main) Hbf station guide. Vienna Hbf station guide.
4. Vienna to Bratislava by Regional Express train
The hourly regional express train from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna, seen below about to leave Vienna. Behind the locomotive is a smart Slovakian air-conditioned intercity coach, whilst the rest of the train consists of more basic non-air-con Austrian City Shuttle carriages, with interiors as shown in the photo above right. Find a seat in the more comfortable Slovakian car if you can! More about Vienna-Bratislava regional express trains.
Option 4, London to Bratislava by ferry from Harwich
The ferry alternative! This is a great option if you live in East Anglia, if you prefer a ferry to the Channel Tunnel, or if problems are affecting Eurostar. Indeed, if you need to travel at short notice when there are no cheap Eurostar tickets, the rail & sail option is often still affordable. I don't recommend the Dover-Calais route because of poor train/ferry connections, the Stena Line rail & sail service via Harwich & Hoek van Holland is the one to use as it has co-ordinated timetables and integrated ticketing, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page & watch the video.
London, Cambridge & Harwich ► Bratislava
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Day 1, travel from London to Amsterdam overnight by Stena Line Rail & Sail.
You leave London Liverpool Street at 19:36 Mondays-Fridays, 19:04 Saturdays or 20:00 Sundays by direct train to Harwich International.
You leave Cambridge at 19:47 Mondays-Saturdays or 19:45 on Sundays by direct train to Harwich International.
At Harwich, the station is right next to the ferry terminal and you walk off the train into the terminal, check in at the Stena Line desk and walk straight onto Stena Line's luxurious overnight superferry Stena Hollandica to Hoek van Holland.
The ferry sails at 23:00 and arrives at Hoek van Holland at 08:00 next morning, Dutch time.
All passengers travel in cosy private cabins with en suite toilet & shower & satellite TV. Deluxe Comfort class & Captains class cabins are also available, and there's free WiFi in the lounges, restaurants & bars on 9 deck. You can get on board the ferry around 9pm, have a late dinner in the restaurant and settle into your cabin.
This is an integrated train & ferry service, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details, photos & travel tips. The special fare from London is valid from any Greater Anglia station, for example Norwich, Cambridge, Romford, Ilford, Ipswich.
On arrival at Hoek van Holland, take the frequent metro train from Hoek van Holland Haven to Schiedam Centrum and an Intercity train from Schiedam Centrum to Amsterdam Centraal arriving 10:25. See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details.
Spend the day in Amsterdam, left luggage lockers are available at Amsterdam Centraal.
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Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 19:00 every day arriving Vienna Hbf 09:17.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The train has several couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment. The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee.
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Day 3, travel from Vienna to Bratislava by regional express train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 10:17 and arriving Bratislava Hlavna at 11:26.
These trains run every hour, no reservation is necessary or possible on these trains, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on. There are always plenty of seats and they cannot sell out. Important: If travelling between 4 March & 14 December 2024, see the update here.
Bratislava ► Harwich, Cambridge & London
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Day 1, travel from Bratislava to Vienna by regional express train, leaving Bratislava Hlavna at 17:35 and arriving Vienna Hbf 18:44.
Trains run every hour, by all means take an earlier one and have dinner in Vienna, but don't risk any tighter connections when catching a sleeper you don't want to miss. No reservation is necessary or possible on these trains, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on. Important: If travelling between 4 March & 14 December 2024, see the update here.
Tip: At Vienna Hbf, if you have a 1st class ticket or a ticket for any sort of sleeper (not couchette or seat) you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & free WiFi.
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Day 1, travel from Vienna to Amsterdam by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 20:10 & arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 09:59.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The train has several couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment. The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee.
Spend most of day 2 in Amsterdam.
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Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to London overnight by Stena Line Rail & Sail.
You take the 18:35 Dutch intercity train from Amsterdam Centraal to Schiedam Centrum and change onto the frequent metro to Hoek van Holland Haven. The metro station is right next to the ferry terminal.
Check in at the Stena Line desk at least 45 minutes before sailing time, then walk up the gangway onto the luxurious Stena Line superferry Stena Britannica and sail overnight to Harwich in a snug private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV. There's free WiFi in the public areas on 9 deck.
The ferry sails from Hoek van Holland at 22:00 and arrives at Harwich International at 06:30 next morning, UK time. Day 3, Take a train from Harwich to London Liverpool Street arriving around 08:56, or from Harwich to Cambridge arriving 09:41 (10:39 on Sundays). See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details, photos & travel tips.
How much does it cost?
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London or any Greater Anglia station to Hoek van Holland starts at £62 per person each way, plus cabin.
Cabins start at £34 for a single berth cabin or £45 per cabin for a 2-berth, and are compulsory on the night sailing. For full details of fares and cabin types and costs, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.
Hoek to Schiedam by metro costs around €4. Schiedam to Amsterdam by train costs €17.20.
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Amsterdam to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train starts at €59.90 with a couchette in 6-berth, €69.90 with a couchette in 4-berth, €109.90 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 with a bed in a single-bed sleeper all to yourself. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Vienna to Bratislava by regional train costs €11.60, fixed-price, the ticket is good for any train that day.
How to buy tickets
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Step 1, buy a Stena Line Rail & Sail ticket from London to Hoek van Holland online as shown on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.
Buy the onward metro & train tickets to Amsterdam as shown on that page.
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Step 2, book the Nightjet sleeper train from Amsterdam to Vienna at either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a little more fiddly, no booking fee). You print your own ticket.
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Step 3, now book from Vienna to Bratislava and back at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at, or just buy a Vienna-Bratislava ticket at the station in Vienna, it's just a regional train, fixed price, no reservation needed, tickets always available.
What's the journey like?
Step 1, London to Amsterdam by train & ferry
A train takes you from London's Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich. You walk off the train, into the terminal, get your boarding card & cabin key at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the overnight ferry to Hoek van Holland. The superferry Stena Britannica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world. All passengers travel in private cabins with shower, toilet & satellite TV. The journey from London to Amsterdam is explained in detail on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page. See the video.
The Stena Hollandica boarding at Harwich, a floating hotel with private cabins, restaurant, bar, lounges, shop & kennels.
Above left, a standard outside cabin. Larger photo. 360º photo. Above right, the Stena Plus lounge with complimentary red & white wine, tea, coffee & snacks.
Above left, the bar on 9 deck. Above right, a Captain's Class cabin with complimentary minibar, toilet & shower.
2. Amsterdam to Vienna by Nightjet See the Nightjet guide
This is an Austrian Railways (ÖBB) Nightjet train, with sleeping-car, couchettes & seats. The sleeping-car has nine 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, plus three deluxe compartments with 1, 2 or 3 beds with private shower & toilet. The sleeper berths come fully made up with sheets and duvets, all sleeper passengers get mineral water in the evening and a light breakfast served in their compartment next morning. Towels & toiletries are provided, including shampoo and shower gel in the deluxe sleepers. In the more economical couchettes, you can book a couchette in a cheaper 6-berth compartment or a less-crowded 4-berth compartment, each provided with sheet, blanket, pillow & small bottle of water, and couchette passengers get a tea or coffee in the morning. When waiting for the northbound sleeper train in Vienna, if you have booked a sleeper you can use the ÖBB lounge with complimentary refreshments. More pictures & information about Nightjet trains.
3. Vienna to Bratislava by Regional Express train
The hourly regional express train from Vienna to Bratislava Hlavna, seen below about to leave from Vienna Hauptbahnhof. Behind the locomotive is a smart Slovakian air-conditioned intercity coach, whilst the rest of the train consists of more basic non-air-con Austrian City Shuttle carriages, with interiors as shown in the photo above right. Find a seat in the more comfortable Slovakian car if you can! More photos, tips & information about Vienna-Bratislava trains.
If you live in the North of England or Scotland, you can of course take a train up to London and travel to Slovakia as described above. You can buy special connecting train tickets from most UK stations to London International, see advice on buying connecting train tickets to London. But DFDS Seaways (www.dfds.com) run an excellent daily cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam overnight, and P&O Ferries (www.poferries.com) sail overnight from Hull to Rotterdam. So why not by-pass London, with lunch in Amsterdam into the bargain?
Scotland & the North ► Bratislava
Day 1, take a train to either Hull or Newcastle, whichever is most convenient
for where you live.
In Hull, transfer to P&O ferry terminal and sail overnight from Hull
to Rotterdam by P&O cruise ferry, with bus/train connection to Amsterdam
Centraal. The ferry has bars, restaurants & cosy en suite cabins.
For
details of schedule, fares & tickets, see the Hull-Rotterdam page.
In Newcastle, transfer to the DFDS ferry terminal at North Shields and sail
overnight from Newcastle
to Amsterdam by DFDS Seaways cruise ferry. The ferry has bars, restaurants
& cosy en suite cabins.
For
details of schedule, fares & tickets see the Newcastle-Amsterdam page. Day 2, spend the rest of the day
in Amsterdam, all the sights are an easy walk from
Amsterdam Centraal.
Left luggage lockers
are available.
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Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 19:00 & arriving Vienna Hbf 09:17.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats cars. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
If you have a sleeper ticket (meaning sleeper not couchette or seat, or a 1st class ticket for the onward train to Budapest, you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & free WiFi.
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Day 3, travel from Vienna to Bratislava by regional express train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 10:17 and arriving Bratislava Hlavna at 11:26.
These trains run every hour, no reservation is necessary or possible on these trains, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on. There are always plenty of seats and they cannot sell out. Important: If travelling between 4 March & 14 December 2024, see the update here.
Bratislava ► Scotland & the North
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Day 1, travel from Bratislava to Vienna by regional express train, leaving Bratislava Hlavna at 17:35 and arriving Vienna Hbf 18:44.
Trains run every hour, by all means take an earlier one and have dinner in Vienna, but don't risk any tighter connections when catching a sleeper you don't want to miss. No reservation is necessary or possible on these trains, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on. Important: If travelling between 4 March & 14 December 2024, see the update here.
Tip: At Vienna Hbf, if you have a 1st class ticket or a ticket for any sort of sleeper (not couchette or seat) you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & free WiFi.
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Day 1, travel from Vienna to Amsterdam by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 20:10 & arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 09:59.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats cars. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
You've now the best part of the day to explore Amsterdam, left luggage lockers are available.
In the afternoon, if you're heading for Hull take a frequent Dutch train to Rotterdam Centraal and the P&O transfer bus from Rotterdam Centraal to Rotterdam Europoort ferry terminal. If you're heading for Newcastle, a DFDS transfer bus runs from Amsterdam Centraal to IJmuiden ferry terminal.
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Day 2, sail from Holland to Hull or Newcastle by overnight cruise ferry, whichever is most convenient for where you live, arriving next morning (day 3). Transfer to the station and take a train home.
For details of timetables, fares & how to buy tickets from Amsterdam to the UK via these ferry routes, see the Hull-Rotterdam page or the Newcastle-Amsterdam page.
How much does it cost?
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To check train fares to Hull or Newcastle, see any train operator website such as www.lner.co.uk.
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To check ferry fares, go to www.dfds.com (Newcastle-Amsterdam), www.poferries.com (Hull-Rotterdam). There's more info on the Hull-Rotterdam page & Newcastle-Amsterdam page.
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Amsterdam to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train starts at €59.90 with a couchette in 6-berth, €69.90 with a couchette in 4-berth, €109.90 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 with a bed in a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.
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Vienna to Bratislava by regional train costs €11.60, the ticket is good for any train that day.
How to buy tickets
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Step 1, book your ferry at www.dfds.com (Newcastle-Amsterdam) or www.poferries.com (Hull-Rotterdam). There's more info on the Hull-Rotterdam page & Newcastle-Amsterdam page.
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Step 2, book the nightjet sleeper train from Amsterdam to Vienna at www.thetrainline.com, which links to the Austrian Railways system. You print your own ticket.
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Step 3, now book from Vienna to Bratislava and back at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at, or just buy a Vienna-Bratislava ticket at the station in Vienna, it's just a regional train, fixed price, no reservation needed, tickets always available.
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Step 4, add any UK trains you need to Hull or Newcastle at any train operator website such as www.lner.co.uk.
What's the journey like?
Step 1, take the overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam with DFDS or Hull to Rotterdam with P&O, with private en suite cabins, restaurants, bars, cinema. If travelling with DFDS from Newcastle, a transfer bus takes you from IJmuiden ferry terminal to Amsterdam Centraal station next morning. If travelling with P&O from Hull, a transfer bus takes you from Rotterdam Europoort ferry terminal to Rotterdam Centraal, from where frequent Dutch trains run to Utrecht.
Step 2, take the daily Nightjet sleeper train from Amsterdam to Linz, Vienna or Innsbruck.
3. Travel from Vienna to Bratislava by Regional Express train
The hourly regional express train from Vienna to Bratislava Hlavna, seen below about to leave from Vienna Hauptbahnhof. Behind the locomotive is a smart Slovakian air-conditioned intercity coach, whilst the rest of the train consists of more basic non-air-con Austrian City Shuttle carriages, with interiors as shown in the photo above right. Find a seat in the more comfortable Slovakian car if you can! More photos, tips & information about Vienna-Bratislava trains.
Vienna to Bratislava by fast ferry
As well as the hourly Vienna-Bratislava train service, you can travel between Vienna and Bratislava by fast Twin City Liner river boat, city centre to city centre along the scenic Danube.
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Operates all year, once a day each way per day in winter, multiple departures from March to October with up to 5 sailings a day in peak season.
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Journey time 70-80 minutes, travelling at up to 32 knots (60 km/h).
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Fare around €31
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Hand luggage is carried up to 8Kg and 55 x 40 x 23 cm - larger bags such as backpacks or suitcases attract an extra fee.
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For times, fares and online booking, see www.twincityliner.com.
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Another company also offers Vienna-Bratislava trips by hydrofoil, see www.lod.sk.
Traveller Andrew Clayton reports: "We chose the Danube fast ferry option rather than the train and paid €30 each one-way for unreserved seats on a weekday midday Vienna-Bratislava sailing with TwinCity Liner. We bought the tickets in person the day before travelling at the booking office at the quayside at Schwedenplatz. It's a leisurely 10 minute walk with wheelie bag from Stephansplatz. Only the front five rows in the main cabin can be reserved. Seats upstairs outside are only bookable on the day and if the weather is fine. It's worth remembering that the boat travels at up to 70km/h so it can get a bit breezy on the upper deck! There is generous space to stow luggage at the rear of the main cabin on the starboard side. On the first part of the trip on the Danube canal, you must remain seated. Once on the Danube itself, you can walk about freely, either to the bar or to the stern deck and upper stern deck. On our trip, almost all seats were taken at the start but for most of the voyage, the main cabin was nearly empty. The scenery along the way is pleasant rather than spectacular. At Bratislava, the boat docks about five minutes walk from the southern edge of the old town; nearer to many of the amenities than the railway station which is some way to the north."
Guidebooks
You should take a good guidebook. I think that the Lonely Planets and the Rough Guides are about the best out there for the independent traveller. Both guides have everything you need - plenty of background historical and cultural information, and lots of practical information. You won't regret buying one of these guides..!
Click the images to buy at Amazon
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).
Hotels in Bratislava
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!