The incredible Haghia Sofia (above) & beautiful Blue Mosque (below), both just 10 minutes walk from Istanbul's Sirkeci station.

London to Istanbul in 4 days by train

Istanbul is Europe's most exotic city, at the very edge of Europe where east meets west.  Can you still travel from London to Istanbul by train?  Of course!  The journey is pretty straightforward, safe & comfortable, see the video guide.  Yet it's also an epic 2,000 mile 4-night adventure, rediscovering some of the mystery, intrigue and romance of long-distance train travel through the Balkans.

On this page you'll find an easy step-by-step guide to planning, booking & making a train journey between London or Paris and Istanbul, one-way or return, eastbound or westbound, using an Interrail pass or normal tickets, with schedules, fares, what the journey is like, suggested stopovers and how to book.

Train times, fares & tickets

  Which route to choose?

  London to Istanbul via Paris, Munich, Budapest & Bucharest

  Variations via Harwich-Hoek ferry, via Brussels or via Sofia

  Useful country information: dial code, currency...

  Travel insurance, mobile data, VPN & other tips

  Venice-Simplon-Orient Express to Istanbul

  Hotels in Istanbul & the famous Pera Palas

On other pages

  Starting from other UK towns & cities

  About the train from Bucharest & Sofia to Istanbul

  Train travel in Turkey, beyond Istanbul

  Trains from other European cities to Istanbul

  Trains from Istanbul to other European cities

  General information for train travel in Europe

  Luggage on trains & luggage lockers at stations

  Taking your bike & Taking dogs

  Eurail pass guide & Interrail pass guide

  The Orient Express, the truth behind the legend

  Istanbul-Aleppo-Damascus-Jordan & on to Cairo

  Istanbul-Tehran by Trans-Asia Express train

  Istanbul-Thessaloniki-Athens by train

  Istanbul-Cyprus by train+ferry

  Istanbul-Odessa (Ukraine) by ferry

Route map:  London to Istanbul by train

Useful country information

Which route to choose?

There are two basic route strategies:  Through Budapest & Bucharest, and through Zagreb, Belgrade & Sofia.

Unfortunately, the Zagreb-Belgrade train was suspended during the pandemic and is still suspended due to general Balkan incompetence.  Belgrade's other link with western Europe, the Budapest-Belgrade line, is closed for reconstruction and won't reopen until at least 2025.  Meanwhile, a combination of track reconstruction and similar incompetence has buggered the Belgrade-Sofia line.  So Zagreb-Belgrade-Sofia is currently a dead loss.  Serbia is becoming a travel black hole.

So at the moment it's a no-brainer, you should travel from London or Paris to Istanbul via Budapest and Bucharest as shown below.  On this page I show arguably the most obvious combination of trains via this route, but there are endless permutations, I show a few possible variations here.

Istanbul Sirkeci closed to mainline trains

Sadly, Istanbul's historic Sirkeci station closed to mainline trains in March 2013.  Most suburban trains now call at Sirkeci's new underground platforms before passing through the Marmaray tunnel under the Bosphorus to the Asian side of Istanbul.  The one daily international train now terminates at Halkali, a suburban station some 25km west of Sirkeci station from where you can take a Marmaray suburban train to Sirkeci in the city centre.

However, in 2024 a single-track connection has been restored into Sirkeci and some suburban trains now terminate there using two restored platforms.  It's possible the international train will once again go to Sirkeci at some point, but not yet.  Or it may continue to use Halkali permanently.  We shall see.

Back to top

London to Istanbul via Bucharest

This section explains the train times, the cost, what the trains and the journey are like, and how to arrange tickets.  If you'd prefer to travel via Brussels rather than Paris & Stuttgart, or would prefer to take a ferry via Harwich-Hoek van Holland instead of Eurostar, no problem, see the suggested variations heres.

London ► Istanbul

• Day 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar

  You leave London St Pancras at 10:24 on Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:50.  On Saturdays, leave London St Pancras at 09:31 arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 12:50.

  By all means take an earlier Eurostar if you'd like more time in Paris or if it has cheaper seats available.

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

• Day 1, travel from Paris to Stuttgart by TGV Duplex

  Travel from Paris to Stuttgart by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:55 Monday-Friday & Sunday arriving Stuttgart Hbf 19:04.  Or on any day of the week you can leave Paris Gare de l'Est at 13:51 arriving Stuttgart Hbf 17:04.

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

• Day 1, travel from Stuttgart to Budapest by sleeper train

  Travel from Stuttgart to Budapest by sleeper train Kalman Imre, leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 20:29 and arriving Budapest Keleti at 09:19.

  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 ordinary seats (not recommended). 

  You now have a day to explore Budapest.  Luggage lockers are available.  Map of Budapest showing Keleti station.

• Day 2, travel from Budapest to Bucharest by sleeper train Ister, leaving Budapest Keleti at 19:10, arriving Bucharest Nord 11:30.

  Ister is the ancient name for the River Danube.  The Ister has a modern air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with safe, comfortable & carpeted 1, 2 & 3-bed compartments with washbasin, plus several deluxe compartments with 1, 2 or 3 beds and private shower and toilet.  It also has Romanian couchette car with 4-berth & 6-berth compartments (basic flat bunks with rug & pillow) and ordinary seats.  Travel in ordinary seats is not recommended.  Sleepers can be converted to private sitting rooms for evening/morning use, and there's a shower at the end of the corridor which may or may not work.  Take your own picnic and bottle of wine along as there's no catering car.  The train crosses Transylvania by night, calling at Brasov (for Dracula's castle) at 09:54 next morning, well worth a stopover, before ascending the pass through the Carpathian mountains, a wonderfully scenic and almost Alpine section of route.

• Day 3, stay overnight in Bucharest.  A same-day connection is too tight, so stay overnight in Bucharest and continue to Istanbul on day 4, as shown below.  In Bucharest, the Hotel MyContinental Bucuresti Gara de Nord is walking distance from the station, inexpensive and gets great reviews.  Search for other hotels in Bucharest.

• Day 4, travel overnight from Bucharest to Istanbul

  In summer from 10 June to 9 October 2023 (similar dates expected in 2024), travel from Bucharest to Istanbul by direct couchette car.

  The Bosfor leaves Bucharest Gara de Nord at 10:47 and arrives Halkali (Istanbul) at 06:34 next morning.

  The through car is an air-conditioned Turkish TVS2000 couchette car with comfortable 4 berth compartments.  It's a lovely scenic journey across Romania & Bulgaria via the Shipka Pass, then overnight to Istanbul. Bring your own supplies of food and beer as there's no catering car.  Be prepared to get off the train with your bags at the Turkish border at Kapikule late at night to put your luggage through an X-ray machine and get your passport stamped.

  Tip:  The train calls at Veliko Tarnovo in late afternoon, the ancient Bulgarian capital.  It's well worth a 24 hour stopover!

  For full details of this journey with timings, photos & tips, see the Bucharest to Istanbul page.

  You arrive at Halkali, a suburban station 25 km west of Istanbul, early morning on day 5, probably an hour or so late.  The international train now terminates here, since 2013 it no longer continues to the historic Istanbul Sirkeci station.  You transfer from Halkali to Sirkeci station in central Istanbul by frequent Marmaray suburban train, see advice on how to transfer here.  These Marmaray suburban trains continue beyond Sirkeci through the Bosphorus rail tunnel to Söğütlüçeşme, starting station for the high-speed YHT trains to Ankara & Konya

  When the direct couchette car isn't running, travel from Bucharest to Istanbul as follows:

  Travel from Bucharest to Dimitrovgrad on a series of connecting trains, leaving Bucharest Nord at 10:47 & arriving Dimitrovgrad at 22:12.

  Times may vary, but it should all go like clockwork, it's a lovely scenic journey across Romania & Bulgaria via the Shipka Pass.  Bring your own supplies of food and beer as there's no catering car.  Tip:  The train calls at Veliko Tarnovo in late afternoon, the ancient Bulgarian capital.  It's well worth a 24 hour stopover.

  Then travel from Dimitrovgrad to Istanbul by Sofia-Istanbul Express, leaving Dimitrovgrad at 23:03 arriving Istanbul Halkali at 06:34.

  This train has comfortable Turkish TVS2000 air-conditioned sleeping-cars with 1 & 2 bed compartments and a Turkish TVS2000 air-conditioned couchette car with 4-berth compartments, see the photos below.

  Be prepared to get off the train with your bags at the Turkish border at Kapikule late at night to put your luggage through an X-ray machine and get your passport stamped.

  For full details of this journey with timings, photos & tips, see the Bucharest to Istanbul page

  You arrive at Halkali, a suburban station 25 km west of Istanbul, early morning on day 5, probably an hour or so late.  The international train now terminates here, since 2013 it no longer continues to the historic Istanbul Sirkeci station.  You transfer from Halkali to Sirkeci station in central Istanbul by frequent Marmaray suburban train, see advice on how to transfer here.  These Marmaray suburban trains continue beyond Sirkeci through the Bosphorus rail tunnel to Söğütlüçeşme, starting station for the high-speed YHT trains to Ankara & Konya

Istanbul ► London

• Day 1, travel overnight from Istanbul to Bucharest

  In summer from 8 June to 7 October 2023 (similar dates expected in 2024), travel from Istanbul to Bucharest by direct couchette car.

  First transfer from Istanbul Sirkeci to Halkali by frequent Marmaray suburban train, see advice on how to transfer here.  Halkali is a suburban station about 25km west of central Istanbul, the international train now starts here.  At Halkali, there's a brief baggage X-ray check when accessing the platform for the train to Bucharest.

  Then travel from Halkali to Bucharest by direct couchette car, leaving Halkali at 20:00 & arriving Bucharest Nord 17:17 next day.

  The through car to Bucharest is an air-conditioned Turkish TVS2000 couchette car with 4 berth compartments.  Be prepared to get off the train at the Turkish border at Kapikule late at night to get your passport stamped.  Next day it's a lovely journey across Bulgaria, up the Shipka Pass and across the world's longest steel girder bridge over the Danube into Romania.  If you want to stop off at the ancient Bulgarian capital, Veliko Tarnovo for 24 hours, it's well worth a stop, the train calls there at 10:11.  Bring your own supplies of food and beer as there's no catering car.

  For full details of this journey with timings, photos & tips, see the Istanbul-Bucharest page.

  In the off-season whenever the direct couchette car isn't running, travel from Istanbul to Bucharest as follows

  First transfer from Istanbul Sirkeci to Halkali by frequent Marmaray suburban train, see advice on how to transfer here.  Halkali is a suburban station about 25km west of central Istanbul, the international train now starts here.  At Halkali, there's a brief baggage X-ray check when accessing the platform for the train to Bucharest.

  Then travel from Istanbul to Dimitrovgrad in Bulgaria on the Istanbul-Sofia Express, leaving Istanbul Halkali station every night at 20:00 arriving Dimitrovgrad in Bulgaria at 04:17.  This train has comfortable Turkish TVS2000 air-conditioned sleeping-cars with 1 & 2 bed compartments and a Turkish TVS2000 air-conditioned couchette car with 4-berth compartments, see the photos below.

  Be prepared to get off the train at the Turkish border at Kapikule late at night to get your passport stamped.

  Then, travel from Dimitrovgrad to Bucharest on a series of connecting trains, leaving Dimitrovgrad at 06:00 & arriving Bucharest Nord 17:17.

  It's a lovely journey meandering through the lush green valleys of Bulgaria, including an ascent of the Shipka Pass. You crosses the Danube from Ruse in Bulgaria to Giurgiu in Romania over the world's longest steel girder bridge, 2.5km long.  Bring your own supplies of food and beer as there's no catering car.

  For full details of this journey with timings, photos & tips, see the Istanbul-Bucharest page

• Day 2, spend the night in Bucharest.  Spend day 3 exploring Bucharest

  The Hotel MyContinental Bucuresti Gara de Nord is walking distance from the station, inexpensive and gets great reviews.  Search for other hotels in Bucharest.  Changes to train times over the last few years mean that a same-day connection is no longer possible, even if the Bosfor arrives on time, which it won't.  The traditional 3-night journey has become 4 nights, but this does give you a stopover in the interesting city of Bucharest.

• Day 3, travel from Bucharest to Budapest on the sleeper train Ister

  You leave Bucharest Gara de Nord at 18:15 & arrive Budapest Keleti at 08:50 next day (day 4).

  The Ister has a modern Romanian air-conditioned sleeping-car with safe, comfortable & carpeted 1, 2 & 3-bed compartments with washbasin, plus several deluxe compartments with 1, 2 or 3 beds and private shower & toilet.  Compartments convert to private sitting rooms by day and there's even a shower at the end of the corridor which might work if you're lucky.  There are also ordinary seats (not recommended) and 4-berth & 6-berth couchettes (basic bunks with rug & pillow).  The Ister also has a bar-bistro car attached within Romania for dinner.

  You now have a day to explore Budapest.  Luggage lockers are available.  Map of Budapest showing Keleti station.

• Day 4, travel from Budapest to Stuttgart by sleeper

  Travel from Budapest to Stuttgart by EuroNight sleeper train Kalman Imre leaving Budapest Keleti at 20:40 & arriving Stuttgart Hbf 08:38.

  The Kalman Imre has a modern air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, an air-conditioned Hungarian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A restaurant car is available from departure until after midnight.  More about this sleeper train.

  If you have a sleeping-car berth, you can use the business lounge in Budapest on platform 9, see here for opening hours.

• Day 5, travel from Stuttgart to Paris by high-speed train

  Travel from Stuttgart to Paris by ICE train, leaving Stuttgart at 10:52 & arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 14:13. 

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

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

• Day 5, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:12, arriving London St Pancras at 18:32.

Can I stop off on the way?

• Of course.  As each train is ticketed separately and runs daily, you can book each train for whatever date you want.  So feel free to spend time in Paris, Stuttgart, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Sighisoara or Brasov (for Dracula's castle) in Transylvania, Bucharest or Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria's ancient capital) on the way, it makes no difference to the cost.  Just remember that most of these trains are reservation compulsory, so you need to have made a seat, couchette or sleeper reservation before you board each train, you can't just hop on without a reservation.

• You make all the reservations in advance in the UK, or you can stay flexible and make reservations at stations as you go, it's up to you.  If you choose to make reservations as you go, you'll hardly ever find these trains fully booked, places are normally available even on the day of travel.

• There is only one daily train from Bucharest to Istanbul, but on most of the other stages (for example, London-Paris, Paris-Stuttgart-Munich-Vienna-Budapest & Budapest-Bucharest) there are other trains as well as the ones suggested above.  You can check train times for each stage using int.bahn.de, although the timetable data is not always 100% reliable for trains east of Bucharest.

How much does it cost?

There are two different ways to ticket a London to Istanbul train journey: (a) Normal point-to-point tickets for each train or (b) an Interrail pass.

Point-to-point tickets are cheapest, if you buy cheap advance-purchase tickets for each train several months ahead at the cheapest prices.

But advance-purchase tickets commit you to a specific train with limited or no refunds or changes allowed.  I recommend using an Interrail pass because of the extra flexibility it offers.  With a pass you can simply reschedule or re-route if fire, flood, or missed connections affect your journey.  If you live outside Europe, you qualify for a Eurail pass rather than Interrail, but pricing & reservations are exactly the same as for an Interrail.  Here is a rough summary of the total costs:

Cost if you use point-to-point tickets

Calculating the cost of a London to Istanbul train journey is a black art.  You're not buying a London to Istanbul ticket, there's no such thing.  You're buying a separate ticket for each train, and the price varies depending how far ahead you book.  So get a calculator and add up the fare for your chosen class or sleeper or couchette for each leg of the journey.  Fares for Eurostar, TGV, Kalman Imre & Railjet are dynamic like air fares, varying depending on how popular that date & train is and how far ahead you book.  Budapest to Bucharest also has some limited-availability offers if you book online direct with Hungarian Railways.  From Bucharest to Istanbul, the price shown below is fixed and is what you pay even at the station on the day.

Cost if you use an Interrail pass

Using an Interrail pass is the most flexible way to travel from London or Paris to Istanbul.  It costs almost the same as point-to-point tickets if you're under 28 years old, it costs a bit more than point-to-point tickets if you're over 28, but the extra flexibility is worth it, especially for a round trip.  After buying the pass, you still need to pay for a Eurostar passholder fare & sleeper or couchette reservations.  More about Interrail passes & how they work.  Here's the breakdown:

• 1)  The Interrail pass itself

  For a one-way trip to Istanbul, a 5-days-in-1-month pass costs £195 if you're under 28, £260 if you're 28-59, or £234 if you're over 60.

  A 5-days-in-1-month flexi Interrail pass gives 5 days of unlimited train travel in all the countries you pass through on any 5 dates you choose within an overall period of 1 month, plenty for an eastbound journey even with a day or two in Vienna, Budapest & Bucharest if you want (eastbound, you could get away with a 4-days-in-1-month pass).  Children 4-11 inclusive get a free £0 Interrail pass if accompanied by an adult.

  For a return trip to Istanbul, a 10-days-in-2-months pass costs £277 if you're under 28, £369 if you're 28-59, £332 if you're over 60.

  This gives 10 days of unlimited train travel in all the countries you pass through on any dates you choose within an overall period of 2 months, enough to make the outward & return journeys, even with a day or two in Vienna and Budapest or Bucharest, as long as you complete both outward & return journeys within 2 months.  Children 4-11 inclusive get a free pass if accompanied by an adult.

  It's not usually worth buying a 1st class pass as only a 2nd class pass is needed for most sleepers & couchettes on the Stuttgart-Budapest & Budapest-Bucharest trains, and the Balkan trains are often 2nd class only, so a 1st class pass only makes any difference on the London-Paris-Stuttgart sectors.

• 2)  Eurostar passholder fare from London to Paris

  Interrail passes now cover Eurostar, but you still need to pay a Eurostar passholder fare of €30 in standard class if you have a 2nd class pass or €38 in standard premier if you have a 1st class pass.  See the Eurostar page for full details of this passholder fare and how to buy it.

• 3)  Paris-Stuttgart TGV reservation fee

  This costs around €18 one-way in 2nd class.

• 4)  Stuttgart to Budapest sleeper reservation

  Passholders pay the following supplements for the Stuttgart-Budapest sleeper train, per person per bed:  Couchette in  6-berth compartment €20, couchette in a 4-berth compartment €25, bed in a 2-berth sleeper €50, bed in a single-berth sleeper €100.  Information from int.bahn.de.

• 5)  Budapest to Bucharest couchette reservation

  Couchette in 6-berth €15, couchette in 4-berth €22, bed in 3-bed sleeper €28, bed in 2-bed sleeper €42.  Bed in single-bed sleeper (1st class ticket or pass required) €98.  Information from www.cfrcalatori.ro.

• 6)  Bucharest to Istanbul couchette reservation

  Couchette in 4-berth €14.  Information from www.cfrcalatori.ro.

• Remember the new rule for using Interrail flexi passes on overnight trains:  As from 2019, overnight trains only require one day of a flexi pass to be dated, the date it leaves, as long as you don't change trains after midnight.  See the more detailed explanation here.

How to book using an Interrail pass

• I recommend using an Interrail pass for a London to Istanbul journey because of the extra flexibility this offers, even though it's a bit more expensive than buying the cheapest possible no-refunds no-changes-to-travel-plans point-to-point advance-purchase tickets for each train. 

• You'll need a pass, Eurostar passholder tickets, and TGV & sleeper passholder reservations.

• Step 1, plan your trip using the times above and decide what trains you want to take on what days.  This may help: How to plan an itinerary & budget.  Then work out what type of Interrail pass you need to cover these plans, see pass durations & prices on the Interrail page.

  A 4-days-in-1-month pass is enough to make an eastbound journey as described on this page, but if you want stopovers in (say) Vienna or Budapest (thus spreading your travel over an extra day), you'll need a 5-days-in-1-month pass.  Westbound one-way you'll need a 5-days-in-1-month pass because of the way the overnight sleeper rule works.  For a round trip, a 10-days-in-2-months pass covers it.

• Step 2, buy the Interrail pass online at www.interrail.eu or www.raileurope.com (click Rail passes and select Europe).

  There's now a mobile pass which sits in the Railplanner app on your phone.  When you buy the pass you get a pass number.  Download the Railplanner app and follow the instructions, entering your pass number to load the pass into the app.

• Step 3, make the necessary reservations, most can be made online.

  Start by setting up an account at www.interrail.eu so you can use their reservations service.  You will need your pass number for this, so you need to have bought the pass first.  Once you have an account, click BOOK RESERVATIONS at the top and use the journey planner for each train.

  First book a Eurostar passholder ticket from London to Paris.  It's automated, the Eurostar passholder ticket will be emailed to you immediately after booking, you can either print it out or load it into the Eurostar app.  More about Eurostar passholder tickets & how to check availability before you buy your pass.

  Tip:  After booking a Eurostar passholder ticket you can go to www.eurostar.com, click Manage booking, enter your booking reference and change your seat(s) to whatever seats you prefer.

  Now make the Paris to Stuttgart TGV reservation, again using the Interrail reservations service at www.interrail.eu.  It's automated, the reservation will be emailed to you immediately after booking.

  Now make the Stuttgart to Budapest sleeper reservation.  Don't use the Interrail reservations service for this as they have to post hard copy tickets to you at extra cost with the risk of tickets going astray, you should book this at the Austrian Railways website, following the same instructions for booking Nightjet sleepers.  Then you can simply print the reservation out or even show it on your phone.

  Now make the Budapest to Bucharest reservation, again using the Interrail reservations service at www.interrail.eu.  This time it's not automated, and a hard copy ticket has to be sent to you, so you have to allow time (maybe 2 weeks) for this to happen reliably.

  Tip:  You could consider buying a normal advance-purchase sleeper ticket from Budapest to Bucharest online at bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro and printing it out.  If you book a month or so in advance and get a cheap deal, the difference between this cost and reservation-only booking to go with a pass isn't that great.

  The final reservation, Bucharest to Istanbul by summer-only direct couchette car, can be made at the station or by emailing Andy as shown here.  If going when the direct couchette car doesn't run, book from Bucharest to Ruse at the station in Bucharest, and book the sleeper from Dimitrovgrad to Istanbul when you change trains at Gorna Orjahovitsa, there's no way to book from outside Bulgaria.

  Tip:  There's a minor irritation when using your Interrail pass from Bucharest or Dimitrovgrad to Istanbul.  You are of course using a direct overnight train so the Interrail night train rule applies and only one pass day (the date of departure) is used.  However, the Railplanner app incorrectly thinks it's a separate train from Kapikule to Istanbul, therefore if you add it to your pass directly from the Railplanner timetable it will trigger the use of a second pass day to cover what it thinks is a second train leaving after midnight.  The solution is to add the Bucharest or Dimitrovgrad to Istanbul train to your pass manually.

• If you have any problems making reservations online you can make them by phone.  Call DB'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.  You can also try International Rail on 0844 248 248 3, lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, overseas callers +44 844 2482483.  You have to allow time for these reservations to be posted as hard copy.

How to book using point-to-point tickets

• You can buy tickets online for the London-Bucharest part of the journey in either direction, it's the cheapest way to book because you can see all the cheap deals direct from the train operators and don't pay any booking fees.  However, you'll still need to book the Bucharest-Istanbul train by phone or at the station as this can't be booked online.

• When does booking open?

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead for Eurostar, for the Paris-Stuttgart TGV and the Stuttgart-Budapest sleeper.  It only opens 60 days ahead for Budapest-Bucharest.  Hotels can be booked before booking your trains risk-free if you use www.booking.com with free cancellation.  Before you start, make a list of the specific trains & dates you need to book as each train is effectively a separate booking.

• Step 1, book the Eurostar

  Go to www.eurostar.com & buy Eurostar tickets between London & Paris.  Use the times above as a guide, by all means book an earlier Eurostar outwards or a later Eurostar on the way back if this has cheaper fares available or if you want to stop off in Paris.  You print your own ticket.  See tips on choosing the best seats on Eurostar.

  If you don't live in London, see the advice on buying connecting tickets from other UK towns & cities here.

• Step 2, book the Paris to Stuttgart TGV

  Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

• Step 3, book the Stuttgart to Budapest sleeper train

  Book this at www.thetrainline.com.  Use the journey planner to bring up the Stuttgart-Budapest sleeper train marked EN with 0 changes. You print your own ticket.  You can also book at Austrian Railways www.oebb.at.

• Step 4, book the Budapest to Bucharest sleeper train

  Book at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro.  Click EN top right for English.  Bucharest is listed as Bucuresti (Romania).  Booking opens 60 days ahead.  For Hungary to Romania journeys you print your own ticket.

  You can also book at the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu.  Read my tips & advice for using mav-start.hu and how your tickets are collected.  For Bucharest type Bucuresti.

• Step 5, now book the Bucharest to Istanbul journey

  ...from early June until September when the direct couchette car operates:

  You can normally buy tickets for the direct Bucharest to Istanbul couchette car at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro.  Click EN top right for English.  Booking usually opens 60 days ahead, but much less than this at the start of the season.  For Bucharest enter Bucuresti (Romania) and for Istanbul enter Halkali (Turkey).  Tickets must be collected from a CFR station ticket office in Romania such as Bucharest Nord, so only use this site for one-ways or round trips starting in Romania.  Feedback would be appreciated.

  Or email Andy at tickets@discoverbyrail.com (the same rail expert that runs www.discoverbyrail.com).  He can arrange couchette tickets on this train in either direction with tickets sent to your hotel in Bucharest or he may be able to arrange a handover in Bucharest.

  Or book at the station in Bucharest, the direct couchette car usually has sleeping berths available even on the day, although not always.  For international tickets go to ticket window 1 in a room marked Case de Bilete with a large blue sign, not far from the information kiosk in the centre of the station, see photos of this ticket office so you know what to look for.

  In the westbound direction, you can buy tickets for this direct couchette car at the international ticket window at Istanbul Sirkeci station, or try contacting Amber Travel, www.ambertravel.com, a reliable and experienced agency who can arrange tickets if you email them.

  ...In the off-season when there's no direct couchette car:

  Step 1, book the train from Bucharest to Ruse (in winter) or to Gorna Orjahovitsa (in the spring/autumn shoulder periods, see the timetable above for dates) using at the Romanian Railways international website, bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro.

  You need to collect hard-copy tickets from the ticket office at Bucharest Gara de Nord (or other main station in Romania), so only use this site for one-way or round trip journeys starting in Romania.  Booking usually opens 60 days before departure.

  Step 2, now book the Bulgarian train from Ruse or Gorna to Dimitrovgrad at the Bulgarian Railways website www.bdz.bg.  You need to register, tickets can be printed out.  Booking usually opens 60 days before departure.  If you don't manage to book this sector online, don't worry, you can buy a ticket at the station when you get to Ruse (or Gorna) or (if necessary) buy one on the train.

  Step 3, book a sleeper or couchette from Dimitrovgrad to Istanbul at Gorna Orjahovitsa station, you have enough time between trains to do so, and Gorna ticket office is (obviously) equipped with the Bulgarian Railways ticketing system so can do this.  However, the international ticket window may not be open weekends and holidays.  The train is busy, berths are often available on the day but not always.  There is no easy way round this.

  Tip:  if there are no berths tonight, but berths are available tomorrow, book tomorrow and stop off at Veliko Tarnovo, it's well worth the stop!)

  Or you can buy in person at Bucharest Nord, from the international ticket window in the booking hall, see the Bucharest Nord station page.  In the off-season they can only sell you a ticket as far as Ruse (or at times, Gorna Orjahovitsa), don't worry, buy that, then buy an onward ticket from Ruse or Gorna to Dimitrovgrad at the station when you get to Ruse or Gorna or (if necessary) buy one on the train.  When you change trains at Gorna, book the Dimitrovgrad to Istanbul sleeper train at the ticket office there, you have time between trains.

  In the westbound direction, you can buy tickets from Istanbul to Dimitrovgrad at the international ticket window at Istanbul Sirkeci station.  You'll then need to buy a ticket from Dimitrovgrad to Ruse at the station when you get to Dimitrovgrad, or if necessary just pay on the train.  Then buy a ticket from Ruse to Bucharest at the station when you get to Ruse.  This is no problem, there are almost always places available.

Let Tailor Made Rail arrange it for you

• The easiest, most hassle-free and secure option is to let a professional organise all your train & hotel bookings.  Tailor Made Rail can create a London to Istanbul tour package to your exact specification, complete with stopovers.  As it's then a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens on one part of the trip (for example, a national strike) and they're TTA-protected (like ATOL, but not only for agencies that sell air travel).

• They have a suggested 9-night London to Istanbul package with stopovers, see www.tailormaderail.com/itinerary/london-to-istanbul-epic-journey, but of course they can arrange a journey with any stopovers you want, one-way or round trip, via Bucharest or via Sofia, or out one way back the other.

• Call their dedicated seat61 phone line 020 3778 1461 and quote seat 61 when booking.  From outside the UK call +44 20 3778 1461.  Lines open 09:00-17:30 Monday-Friday.

Let Byway.travel arrange it for you

• Byway (Byway.travel) is a UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating. 

  They offer several packages from London to Istanbul one-way or round trip, with trains and overnight hotels booked for you as a package.  Go to Byway.travel, click Destinations and then Turkey.

  Or they can build a trip to your requirements, call 0300 131 7173 (open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, from outside the UK call +44 300 131 7173) or email them or use this contact form.  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

  Byway includes package protection, 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and WhatsApp support while you're away.

Or buy tickets by phone

• You can buy all your London-Istanbul tickets by phone, but please don't phone up a ticketing agency, say "I want to book a train ticket from London to Istanbul" and expect them to know which route and trains you want and to work it all out for you.  You aren't buying a ticket from London to Istanbul as such tickets no longer exist, you're buying 5 separate tickets for 5 different trains.  So use the train times on this webpage to list the specific trains you want to book between specific cities on specific dates (you may find How to plan an itinerary & budget helpful).  When you're ready to book, call one of these agencies:

• International Rail on 0844 248 248 3, lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday.  Overseas callers call +44 844 2482483.  Unlike some other agencies, International Rail are equipped with the French, German & Italian rail ticketing systems, so can sell the cheapest fares for all these trains from the UK to Italy and within Italy.  They charge a £10 booking fee for bookings under £100, £20 for £100-£300, £30 above £300. 

• Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking 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.  Tickets can be sent to  any address worldwide for a small fee.  Just be aware that their staff aren't always familiar with complex bookings like this and may need gentle persuasion.  You will need to talk them through exactly what train bookings you want, and be polite but persistent if necessary.

If you're in Istanbul, how to buy tickets to western Europe

• There are occasions when you might want to buy train tickets from Istanbul to western Europe, including Amsterdam, Paris or London, when you're already in Istanbul (perhaps just arrived from Iran, say).

• Go to Istanbul's Sirkeci station, ticket window 4, open 10:00-12:30 & 13:30-19:00 every day.  Credit cards are now accepted.

• They can sell tickets to Bucharest or Sofia.  You can find the cost of tickets from Istanbul to these cities at www.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr (click English top right, click PASSENGER then Trains then International trains).  However, they can't sell tickets or make reservations beyond Bucharest or Sofia because they have no reservation computer linked to the reservation system for the rest of Europe.

  Note that in the off-season when there's no direct couchette car from Istanbul to Bucharest, you'll need to by a couchette or sleeper ticket from Istanbul to Dimitrovgrad and rebook there (or pay on the train if there isn't time) to Ruse, then rebook again in Ruse for the train to Bucharest.

• So buy a ticket from Istanbul to Sofia or Bucharest, you can buy a Sofia-Belgrade-Budapest or Bucharest-Budapest ticket when you get there.

• Then go to an internet cafe, check they have a printer, and book the sleeper train from Budapest to Munich and the TGV from Munich to Paris online at int.bahn.de, with cheap fares available if you book in advance.  You can buy a Eurostar ticket from Paris or Brussels to London online at www.eurostar.com.  If you simply turn up in Budapest or Munich, you can of course book these trains on the day if there are spaces available (and there usually will be), but you'll pay the full fare, no cheap deals available at the station on the day of travel.  Eurostar can also be booked on the day at the station in Paris or Brussels if all else fails, but you'll pay a much more expensive price than if you-pre book in advance online.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar

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

Eurostar e320 at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.		1st class:  Standard Premier or Business Premier.

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

2. Paris to Stuttgart by TGV Duplex   See the video guide

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

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

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

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

3. Stuttgart to Budapest by sleeper train Kalman Imre

Cosy & inviting, the photo below shows the modern air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car of the Kalman Imre at Munich.  The sleeping-car has 11 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.  More about the sleeper train Kalman Imre.

Sleeper train Kalman Imre at Munich Hbf.  More about this sleeper train.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper, set up as a 2-bed.		4-berth couchettes.		6-berth couchettes.

Good morning Budapest!

4. Budapest to Bucharest by sleeper train Ister

The Ister from Budapest to Bucharest has a modern air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with carpeted 1, 2 or 3-berth compartments with proper beds & washbasin, plus several deluxe 1, 2 or 3 bed compartments with private toilet & shower, see the photos below.  Travelling in the sleeping-car is safe, comfortable & civilised.  The Ister also has a Romanian couchette car with 6-berth & 4-berth compartments, each berth with rug, sheet & pillow, berths converting to seats by day.  Couchettes are fairly basic, and a proper bed in the sleeper is much more comfortable and secure yet costs very little extra, so is the recommended option.  There's a Romanian bar-bistro car attached in Romania serving a cooked breakfast eastbound and dinner westbound, but taking some supplies of your own is always a good idea.  The Ister also has air-conditioned seats cars, but a mere seat is not recommended.

Traveller Philip Dyer-Perry reports:  "Budapest to Bucharest on the Ister is an absolute pleasure. I booked online with MAV and travelled in the new sleeping car, which was comfortable, smooth, and clean. There is a shower, but obviously not intended for use as most of the hose assembly was missing.  There was a dining car, and if you ask you can get a menu, but it's better to ask the man what he's got and negotiate a price.  If you have hard (non-Romanian) currency there is a certain amount of flexibility.  In the evening it was chicken & potatoes, next morning it was a rather tasty omelette.  Just be aware that the main purpose of the dining car is as a place for the traincrew to smoke!  It's good though, and a world away from Western Europe.  The Ister was around 20 minutes late on arrival in Bucharest, but the sleeping car attendant assured a fellow traveller that he would make the connection to Istanbul. In fact he even phoned his colleague on that train.  Once we pulled in we both ran, he to the Istanbul car, me to the Sofia portion, and we made it..."

A 1, 2 or 3-bed sleeper with washbasin.  Larger photo.		The sleeping-car (vagon de dormit) on the westbound Ister at Bucharest.  Sleepers convert from beds to private sitting rooms for day use.  Courtesy of @AndyBTravels, DiscoverByRail.com.

The vagon cuseta (couchette car) on the westbound Ister, boarding at Bucharest.  Couchettes convert from bunks at night to seats by day.  Courtesy of @AndyBTravels, DiscoverByRail.com.		4 or 6-berth couchettes.  Larger photo.

Brasov station in Transylvania.		After Brasov, the train climbs into the Carpathian mountains.

Scenery between Brasov & Predeal.		Predeal station, with Carpathian crags visible behind.

5. Bucharest to Istanbul

In summer between June & early October, an air-conditioned Turkish couchette car with 4-berth compartments operates direct from Bucharest to Istanbul Halkali.  In winter between October & June you travel in seats cars on a series of connecting trains from Bucharest to Dimitrovgrad, then in the sleeping-cars or couchettes of the Sofia-Istanbul Express to Istanbul.  The route and scenery are the same.

A few hours after leaving Bucharest the train reaches the Romanian border point, Giurgiu.  It then crosses the Danube into Bulgaria on a 2.5 km long steel bridge, the longest steel bridge in Europe, built in 1954 and now fitted with a road deck above the railway.  The Bosfor then spends a lazy afternoon meandering along pleasant river valleys across rural Bulgaria.  Pour yourself a beer or glass of wine (remember to bring your own food & drink as there's no catering), read away the hours & enjoy the trip.

After a late-night passport check at the Bulgarian border at Svilengrad, the train reaches the Turkish frontier at Kapikule well after midnight.  Here you will need to leave the train briefly to get your bags X-rayed then your passport stamped.

The train used to make a dramatic entry into Istanbul, passing through the Byzantine Walls of Theodosius and skirting the Sea of Marmara underneath the very walls of the Topkapi Palace, but now it terminates at Halkali and you take a Marmaray suburban train for the last bit into Istanbul.  However, you still arrive at Istanbul's historic Sirkeci station built in 1888 in the heart of the city, albeit at the new Marmaray platforms which are underground.  Sirkeci station is walking distance from all the sights, or you can hop into a taxi to the famous Pera Palas Hotel.  Expect an arrival an hour or two late, so allow for this and enjoy the ride.  Map of Istanbul showing Sirkeci station.  For more about this journey, see the Bucharest to Istanbul page.

Boarding the train.		4-berth couchette compartment with berths folded away.

Across Bulgaria.  Lush green scenery as the train descends the Shipka Pass.

Veliko Tarnovo station.		Crags near Veliko Tarnovo.

At Kapikule after midnight you must get off to have your bags X-rayed.  Courtesy of Frédéric Pardé.		...and then get your passport stamped in the passport office.

Good morning Turkey!  Dawn breaks as the train speeds east towards Istanbul.

Halkali  The Sofia-Istanbul Express with through car to/from Bucharest, at Halkali.  Courtesy of John Mcnamara.

Istanbul Sirkeci station.  You travel from Halkali to Sirkeci by frequent Marmaray suburban train, arriving at the new underground platforms beneath this historic station.  Courtesy of Philip Dyer-Perry.

Ferries sail frequently across the Bosphorus from Europe side to Asia.  They also run occasional cruises through the Bosphorus to the edge of the Black Sea, well worth taking.		The Haghia Sofia (left) & Blue Mosque (right) seen from the top of the Galata Tower.  The equally famous Topkapi Palace is just out of shot to the left.

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Possible variations

Variation via the Harwich-Hoek ferry

• This is worth knowing about if you need to travel at short notice when Eurostar is expensive, or if there are any problems affecting the Channel Tunnel or Eurostar, if you want to avoid the Tunnel, if you live in East Anglia, or simply want to travel via Amsterdam.

• Simply book an overnight journey from London (or any Greater Anglia station such as Norwich or Cambridge) to Hoek van Holland by Stena Line Rail & Sail service as shown on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page and continue to either Amsterdam or Utrecht as shown.  Then take trains to Munich, or the sleeper to Vienna. 

• In Munich or Vienna you can pick up the route via Bucharest shown above.

Variation via Paris/Brussels & Vienna

• You can travel London-Paris/Brussels-Vienna-Budapest instead of London-Paris-Munich-Budapest, it makes relatively little difference to the time or cost, see the London to Hungary page for details of train times, fares & how to buy tickets. 

• You take Eurostar from London to Brussels or Paris then the excellent Nightjet sleeper train from Paris or Brussels to Vienna for a connecting railjet train to Budapest.  From Budapest onwards you join the route via Bucharest shown above.

Variation via Sofia

• This adds an extra day and night, but you may want to stop off in the Bulgarian capital with the advantage that there's a direct Sofia-Istanbul sleeper train with proper sleeping-cars all year round, not just a summer-only couchette car and off-season multi-train combo as from Bucharest to Istanbul.

• You take the daily train from Bucharest to Sofia as shown here, it's direct in summer, change at Ruse off-season, and spend a night and next day in Sofia.  You then take the Sofia-Istanbul sleeper, as shown here.

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London to Istanbul by Orient Express cruise train

• The Venice Simplon Orient Express runs from Paris to Istanbul once a year, usually in August, with vintage 1920s Wagons-Lits sleeping-cars, restaurant cars and lounge.  The journey costs around £5,000 per person, but it's very popular and normally leaves fully-booked, so buy tickets as soon as you can.  To find out more about this train, see the Seat 61 Venice Simplon Orient Express page.  To check prices & to book online, go to www.belmond.com/venice-simplon-orient-express.

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Train travel within Turkey

• There are some excellent train services in Turkey.  For train travel within Turkey, including onwards express trains from Istanbul to Ankara, Konya, Izmir, Cappadocia and Pamukkale, see the Train travel in Turkey page.

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European Rail Timetable & maps

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

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

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Guidebooks

To get the most out of your trip, definitely take a good guidebook - I'd recommend the Lonely Planets guides as about the best out there for independent travellers.  The Middle East guide is less detailed, but covers Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iran, Israel and other countries as well as Turkey.

Click the images to buy online at Amazon.co.uk

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Hotels in Istanbul & Turkey

Without a doubt, the historic Pera Palas Hotel is the most interesting place to stay, see the section below.  It wasn't that expensive, by grand hotel standards, although prices have risen after refurbishment.  The nearby Grand Hotel de Londres offers similar affordable grandeur, www.londrahotel.net, it's apparently a favourite with archaeologists working in Turkey!  Alternatively, the Yasmak Sultan is a good choice.

Pera Palas Hotel, Istanbul.  Check prices

Easily the most famous and historic hotel in Istanbul is the Pera Palas, built in 1892 by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits to accommodate the passengers arriving by train on the Orient Express from London and Paris.  Agatha Christie, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and even King George V have stayed here.  It was completely refurbished in 2010 with its delightfully faded grandeur fully restored.  If your budget will stretch, it's a wonderful and historic place to stay.  One of it's rooms has been kept as a museum to Turkish leader Atatürk, another room (411) was regularly used by Agatha Christie, and can actually be booked by guests.  Check prices & book the Pera Palace.

The Man in Seat 61 says:  "Istanbul's famous Pera Palas hotel is a classic, one of my favourite hotels anywhere - admittedly much pricier after its refurbishment, but now a true 5 star hotel with helpful & friendly staff.  It's a special place for my wife and I, it just happens to be where I told my wife she was pregnant with our first child, after the hotel's duty manager translated a certain Turkish word..."

The Pera Palas hotel, main entrance.		The Pera Palas hotel, after its recent refurbishment.

Pera Palace Hotel, lobby.		Main lounge.		The old lift.

Bedrooms have been elegantly refurbished.  This is a corner suite, with sitting room next door.		Room 411, where Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express (before refurbishment)

My favourite hotel search: www.booking.com Booking.com is my favourite hotel booking site and I generally use it to book all my hotels in one place.  I've come to trust booking.com's review scores, you won't be disappointed with any hotel that scores 8.0 or more.  Crucially, booking.com usually lets you book with free cancellation, which means you can confirm accommodation risk-free before train booking opens and/or you can hold accommodation while you finalise your itinerary and alter your plans as they evolve - a feature I use all the time when planning a trip.  I never book hotels non-refundably!

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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!

 

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