The Haghia Sofia, Istanbul

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

Istanbul's famous Blue Mosque

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.

Important update 2023 The Zagreb-Belgrade & Belgrade-Sofia trains remain suspended, so you should use the route via Budapest & Bucharest until further notice.

Train times, fares & tickets

small bullet point  Which route to choose?

small bullet point  London to Istanbul via Paris, Budapest, Bucharest

small bullet point  London to Istanbul via Paris, Zagreb, Belgrade

small bullet point  Variations via Amsterdam, Brussels or Zurich

small bullet point  Video guide, London to Istanbul by train

small bullet point  London to Southern Turkey via the Greek islands

small bullet point  London to Southern Turkey via ferry from Italy

small bullet point  Useful country information: dial code, currency...

small bullet point  Travel insurance, mobile data, VPN & other tips

small bullet point  Venice-Simplon-Orient Express to Istanbul

small bullet point  Hotels in Istanbul & the famous Pera Palas

On other pages

small bullet point  Starting from other UK towns & cities

small bullet point  About the train from Bucharest & Sofia to Istanbul

small bullet point  Train travel in Turkey, beyond Istanbul...

small bullet point  Trains from other European cities to Istanbul

small bullet point  Trains from Istanbul to other European cities

 

small bullet point  General information for train travel in Europe

small bullet point  Luggage on trains & luggage lockers at stations

small bullet point  Taking your bike & Taking dogs

small bullet point  Eurail pass guide & Interrail pass guide

small bullet point  The Orient Express, the truth behind the legend

small bullet point  Istanbul-Aleppo-Damascus-Jordan & on to Cairo

small bullet point  Istanbul-Tehran by Trans-Asia Express train

small bullet point  Istanbul-Thessaloniki-Athens by train

small bullet point  Istanbul-Cyprus by train+ferry

small bullet point  Istanbul-Odessa (Ukraine) by ferry

Route map:  London to Istanbul by train

London to Istanbul train routes


Useful country information

Train operator

in Turkey:

TCDD (Türkiye Cumhuryeti Devlet Demiryollan) www.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr

Train travel within Turkey     Istanbul-Athens     Istanbul-Sofia/Belgrade 

All-Europe online train times      Istanbul-Iran     Istanbul-Syria/Jordan

 

Railpasses:

Beginner's guide to European railpasses    Buy a rail pass online

Time zone:

GMT+3. No longer any daylight saving time, as of 2016.

Dialling code:

 

+90

Currency:

£1 = 19 Turkish Lira  €1 = 16 TL.  Currency converter

Tourist information: 

www.turizm.gov.tr     www.turkeytravelplanner.com    

Recommended guidebooks    Map of Istanbul

Hotels:

Hotels in Istanbul including the famous Pera Palas Hotel.   Tripadvisor

Visas:

As from March 2020, UK & EU citizens no longer need a visa for Turkey for stays of up to 90 days.

Page last updated:

25 September 2023.  Train times valid 11 Dec 2022 to 9 Dec 2023.


Which route to choose?

Via Budapest & Bucharest or via Zagreb, Belgrade & Sofia?  At the moment the choice of route is a no-brainer, as trains are operating normally on the route via Bucharest, but on the route via Belgrade the Zagreb-Belgrade & Belgrade-Sofia trains have still not resumed after the pandemic.  Serbia is becoming a rail travel black hole!

Istanbul Sirkeci closed to mainline trains

Sadly, Istanbul's historic Sirkeci station closed to mainline trains in March 2013.  The 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.

Sirkeci station's long-term future is not clear.  It may become a museum, it's just possible that a single-track connection to one or two platforms will be restored and the international train will once again reach the shores of the Bosphorus at Sirkeci.  Or they 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.  For the route via Belgrade & Sofia, click here.  If you'd prefer to travel via Brussels & Cologne rather than Paris & Stuttgart, or would prefer to take a ferry via Harwich-Hoek van Holland instead of Eurostar, no problem, see here for details.

small bullet point  London to Istanbul train times, eastbound 

small bullet point  Istanbul to London train times, westbound

small bullet point  Can I stop off on the way?

small bullet point  How much does it cost?

 

small bullet point  How to buy tickets

small bullet point  What's the journey like?

small bullet point  How to book using an Interrail pass

 

London ► Istanbul

Istanbul ► London

Can I stop off on the way?

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:

 Rough total cost...

 Very approximate total cost from

 London to Istanbul by train, including

 a couchette Stuttgart-Budapest,

 Budapest-Bucharest

 & Bucharest-Istanbul...

 Point-to-point tickets - all ages...

 assuming cheapest possible fare, bought online from cheapest source...

 £230 one-way

 £430 return

 Using an Interrail pass - Adult...

 5-travel-days-in-1-month Interrail for one-way,

 10-travel-days-in-2-months Interrail for a return,

 plus couchette & sleeper supplements:

 £355 one-way

 £540 return

 Using an Interrail pass - Youth under 28...

 5-travel-days-in-1-month Interrail for one-way,

 10-travel-days-in-2-months Interrail for a return,

 plus couchette & sleeper supplements:

 £290 one-way

 £460 return

 Using an Interrail pass - Senior over 60...

 5-travel-days-in-1-month Interrail for one-way,

 10-travel-days-in-2-months Interrail for a return,

 plus couchette & sleeper supplements:

 £330 one-way

 £520 return

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.

 1. London to Paris

 by Eurostar...

 From £52 one-way, £78 return 2nd class.

 From £115 one-way, £199 return 1st class.  Child fares 

 

 2. Paris to Stuttgart

     by TGV...

 From €39.90 each way in 2nd class

 From €69.90 each way in 1st class.

 The price varies like air fares, so book ahead.

 If you book at int.bahn.de, accompanied children under 15 go free.

 

 3. Stuttgart to Budapest

 on the Kalman Imre

In a  

seat:

In a couchette

In the sleeping-car

6-berth

4-berth

3-berth

2-berth

single

 Fares start at (each way):

€29

€49

€59

€69

€79

€139

 

 4. Budapest to Bucharest

 on the Ister...

 Bought online at MAV or CFR website...

 From €39 with a bed in a 6-bunk couchette;

 From €46 with a bed in a 6-bunk couchette;

 From €69 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper;

 From €84 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper;

 From €162 with a single-bed sleeper

 All per person, berths sold individually, you don't need to fill the whole compartment.

 Booked in the UK...

 £87 each way in 6-berth couchettes.

 £95 each way in 4-berth couchettes.

 £99 each way in 3-bed sleeper

 £112 in 2-bed sleeper

 £198 in single sleeper.

 £162 each way in 2-bed deluxe sleeper with shower, £209 in single-bed deluxe.

 All per person, berths sold individually, you don't need to fill the whole compartment.

 

 5. Bucharest to Istanbul...

 Bought at the station in Bucharest or Istanbul or

 (in summer when the direct car runs) online from Romanian Railways

 €37.20 for a ticket + €14 supplement for a couchette in 4-berth compartment.

 The train is priced in euros, but you will be charged in Turkish Lira or Bulgarian Lei.

 Booked in the UK...

 £76 each way in 4-berth couchettes.

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 information about Interrail passes & how they work.  Here's the breakdown:

How to book using an Interrail pass

How to book using point-to-point tickets

  Tailor Made Rail

Or let Tailor Made Rail arrange it for you...

Or buy tickets by phone

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

What's the journey like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar

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

A Eurostar e320 train at London St Pancras   Eurostar e320 first class seats

Eurostar e320 at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.

 

1st class:  Standard Premier or Business Premier.

Eurostar e320 2nd class seats   Eurostar e320 cafe-bar

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 Gare de l'Est

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.

TGV Duplex cafe-bar   TGV Duplex upper deck 2nd class seats

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.

First class on board a TGV Duplex   An TGV Duplex to Munich at Paris Est.

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 See more information about the sleeper train Kalman Imre.

The sleeper train Kalman Imre from Munich to  Budapest

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

The sleeper train from Zurich to Budapest   4-berth couchettes on train to Budapest   6-berth couchettes on train to Budapest

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper, set up as a 2-bed.

 

4-berth couchettes.

 

6-berth couchettes.

City of Budapest & the Danube

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..."

2-berth sleeper on the Ister   The Ister at Bucharest Nord

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.

Couchette car on the Ister EuroNight train from Budapest to Bucharest   Romanian couchette car from Vienna to Bucharest

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, Romania   Scenery approaching the Carpathian mountains

Brasov station in Transylvania.

 

After Brasov, the train climbs into the Carpathian mountains...

More Transylvanian scenery Predeal station, Romania

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 information about this journey, see the Bucharest to Istanbul page.

The Sofia-Istanbul train at Sofia   Fridge & table in a Turkish sleeper on the Sofia-Istanbul train

Boarding the train.

 

4-berth couchette compartment with berths folded away.

Scenery in the Shipka Pass, Bulgaria

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

Veliko Tarnovo station, Bulgaria   Craggy scenery in Bulgaria

Veliko Tarnovo station.

 

Crags near Veliko Tarnovo.

The Turkish border at Kapikule   Passport office, Kapikule

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.

Sunrise over Turkey

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

The train at Halkali

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

The transfer bus from Halkali outside Istanbul Sirkeci station.

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.

Bosphorus ferry   View over Istanbul from the Galata Tower

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.

Back to top


London to Istanbul via Belgrade & Sofia

The traditional route from London or Paris to Istanbul is via Belgrade & Sofia rather than Bucharest, that's the way the Orient Express would have gone in the 1920s and 1930s.  It's a fascinating & scenic ride, see video of the Belgrade-Sofia-Istanbul train journey.  If you use the journey suggested below (which more or less follows the route of the Arlberg-Orient Express) you'll find decent quality air-conditioned trains from London as far as Belgrade, and indeed an excellent Turkish air-conditioned sleeper train between Sofia and Istanbul, the weak point in this route is the Belgrade-Sofia section, as you can see from the journey details below.

Update 2023:  This route remains out of action until the Serbians reinstate the Zagreb-Belgrade train post-pandemic.

London ► Istanbul

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

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

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

    This train is still suspended due to Covid-19.

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

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

  • Stay overnight in Belgrade.  I recommend the famous Hotel Moskva at the start of Belgrade's main pedestrianised street.  You have an evening to explore Belgrade & have dinner - see map of Belgrade showing station.  Make sure you wander through Belgrade to the fortress at sunset, overlooking the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers.

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

  • Stay overnight in Sofia.  For an inexpensive hotel with great reviews just outside Sofia Central station, I recommend the Best Western Hotel Terminus, or 10 minutes walk away, the excellent Hotel Favorit which I've used myself.  Spend the next day exploring Sofia.

  • Day 5, travel from Sofia to Istanbul on the overnight Sofia-Istanbul Express.

    The Sofia-Istanbul Express leaves Sofia central station at 18:30 & arrives Istanbul Halkali around 06:00 (day 6 from London).

    The Sofia-Istanbul Express has two safe & comfortable Turkish air-conditioned sleeping-cars and one Turkish air-conditioned 4-berth couchette car.  Be prepared to get off the train 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 exact timings, photos & tips, see the Sofia 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, evening, transfer from Istanbul Sirkeci to Halkali by frequent Marmaray suburban train.

    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.

  • Day 1, evening, travel from Istanbul Halkali to Sofia on the daily Istanbul-Sofia Express.

    The Istanbul-Sofia Express leaves Istanbul Halkali station at 20:45 and arrives at Sofia central station at 09:35 (day 2).

    The Istanbul-Sofia Express has two safe & comfortable Turkish air-conditioned sleeping-cars and one Turkish air-conditioned 4-berth couchette car.  Be prepared to get off the train at the Turkish border at Kapikule late at night to have your passport stamped.

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

  • Spend day 2 in Sofia & stay overnight.  For an inexpensive hotel with great reviews just outside Sofia Central station, I recommend the Best Western Hotel Terminus, or 10 minutes walk away, the excellent Hotel Favorit which I've used myself.  Spend the next day exploring Sofia.

  • Day 3, travel from Sofia to Belgrade by train, see the Sofia to Belgrade page for full details, photos, tips & information.

  • Stay overnight in Belgrade.  I recommend the Hotel Moskva at the start of Belgrade's pedestrianised main street, great for an evening wander.

  • Day 4, travel from Belgrade to Zagreb on the daily train, leaving Belgrade Centar station at 10:05 & Novi Beograd at 10:19 arriving Zagreb 18:13.

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

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

  • Day 4, travel from Zagreb to Zurich by Croatian sleeper train, leaving Zagreb at 19:38 and arriving in Zurich HB at 09:20 next morning.

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

Can you stop off?

Of course.  Each train is ticketed separately, so it makes no difference to the cost if you want to spend some time in Paris, Zurich, Zagreb, Belgrade or Sofia - although even travelling non-stop in 4 nights as shown above you get an evening in Belgrade and a whole day to explore Sofia.  Just book each train for whatever dates you like.

Point-to-point tickets or Interrail pass?

There are two completely different ways to ticket a London to Istanbul journey, (a) buy normal point-to-point tickets, or (b) use an Interrail pass.  If you are under 28 years old, the cheapest option is to use an Interrail pass as shown here.  If you are over 28, point-to-point tickets are a fraction cheaper for a one-way trip, assuming you get the cheapest deals for each train, but even so, the extra flexibility of an Interrail pass can make the pass option worthwhile as you can make side trips or change your itinerary or route on the hoof.  For a return journey, an Interrail pass is definitely the cheapest option assuming you will be spending less than 22 days away from home (giving you up to two weeks in Turkey), but if you plan to be away for more than 22 days, so cannot use a 10-days-in-22-days Interrail pass, point-to-point tickets are likely to be cheaper than two 5-day or one 1-month Interrail passes.  If you live outside Europe, overseas visitors don't qualify for Interrail, they must buy the more expensive Eurail pass range instead, which makes point-to-point tickets the cheaper option.

Cost using point-to-point tickets

Each train is ticketed separately, so add up the price for each leg of the journey.  At the western end, fares work like air fares, varying depending on how popular that date and train is, and how far ahead you book.  From Zagreb onwards, prices are fixed, and the price shown below is what you pay whenever you book, even if you bought at the station on the day.

 1. London to Paris

     by Eurostar...

 From £52 one-way, £78 return 2nd class.

 From £115 one-way, £199 return 1st class.  Child fares 

 

 2. Paris to Zurich

     by TGV-Lyria...

 From €29 each way in 2nd class

 From €79 each way in 1st class.

 Fares work like air fares, cheap in advance, expensive on the day.

 

 3. Zurich to Zagreb

 by sleeper train...

In a

seat:

In a couchette

In the sleeping-car

6-berth

4-berth

3-berth

2-berth

single

 One-way per person from:

€29

€49

€59

€69

€79

€139

Berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed.  The other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers.  For sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a 1-berth sleeper or 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper or 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette & so on.

 4. Zagreb to Belgrade

     by day train...

 £43 each way if bought in the UK.

 €30 or so if bought at the station in Zagreb (recommended).

 

 5. Belgrade to Sofia

     by day train...

 £44 each way bought by phone in the UK.

 €20.60 bought at the station in Belgrade (recommended).

 

 6. Sofia to Istanbul

     by overnight train...

 Bought locally at the ticket office at Sofia or Istanbul stations:

 €18.48 for a 2nd class ticket + €10 for a couchette, or

 €18.48 for a 2nd class ticket + €15 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or 

 €27.72 for a 1st class ticket + €35 supplement for a single-bed sleeper.

The train is priced in euros, but you will be charged in Turkish lira or Bulgarian Lei

Cost using an Interrail pass

Using an Interrail pass is the most flexible way to make a train journey from London to Istanbul, and often the cheapest.  But after buying the pass, you still need to pay for a Eurostar ticket and various sleeper or couchette supplements, so here's the breakdown:

  • 1)  The Interrail pass itself... 

    For a one-way trip to Istanbul, a 5-days-in-1 month flexi Interrail pass gives a 5 days of unlimited 2nd class train travel in all the countries you pass through within an overall period of 1 month starting any date you like, which is plenty to make the journey, even with a day or two in Vienna and Budapest and Bucharest.  It costs £185 if you are under 28 years old, £246 if you're 28-59, or £221 if you're over 60.  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 £262 if you are aged under 28, £350 if you're aged 28-59, or £315 if you're over 60.  Children 4-11 inclusive get a free pass if accompanied by an adult.  This gives a total of 10 days of unlimited 2nd class train travel in all the countries you pass through within an overall period of 2 months, which is enough to make the outward and return journeys, even with a day or two in Zurich and Budapest or Bucharest if you want, as long as you complete both your outward and return journeys within the 2 month period covered by the pass.

    It's not usually worth bothering with a 1st class pass, as only a 2nd class pass is needed for most sleepers & couchettes on the Zurich-Zagreb train, and the Balkan trains are often 2nd class only, so a 1st class pass would cost a lot more but only make any difference on the London-Paris-Zurich sectors.

  • 2)  A Eurostar passholder fare from London to Paris:  Interrail passes now cover Eurostar as from 2017, but you still need to pay the 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)  The Paris-Zurich TGV-Lyria reservation:  With an Interrail pass, the passholder supplement for the Paris-Zurich TGV-Lyria is €35.

  • 4)  The Zurich-Zagreb sleeper or couchette reservation:  Expect a couchette in 6-berth to cost around €13, couchette in 4-berth €20, bed in 3-bed sleeper €22, bed in 2-bed sleeper €33.  Bed in single-bed sleeper (1st class ticket or pass required) around €77.

  • On the Zagreb-Belgrade & Belgrade-Sofia daytime trains, a seat reservation is optional.  No fee to pay for passholders, just show your pass.

  • 5)  The Sofia to Istanbul couchette reservation:  A couchette in a 6-berth compartment costs around €10.

  • 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.

  • More information about Interrail passes & how they work.

How to book, using an Interrail pass

  • Step 1, plan your trip using the times above.  Decide which type of Interrail pass you need, by reading the information above and on the Interrail page.  Decide which route you want to use, and make a list of which train reservations you want on which specific dates.  This may help: How to plan an itinerary & budget.

  • Step 2, buy the Interrail pass online at www.interrail.eu or (if you live in the UK) www.myinterrail.co.uk,

    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.com 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 to find each train you want to book.

    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.  See more information about Eurostar passholder tickets here.

    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.  Tips on choosing Eurostar seats.

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

    Now make the Zurich to Zagreb sleeper reservation.  You can use the Interrail reservations service again for this if you like, but hard copy tickets have to be posted to you at extra cost with the risk of tickets going astray, so I recommend booking this at the Austrian Railways website, following the same instructions for booking Nightjet sleepers.  If you do it this way, you can simply print the reservation out.

    You may also be able to make a Zagreb-Belgrade seat reservation this way, or just make it when you get to Zagreb, there are always places.  Or just board the train and find an empty seat.

  • Step 4, you cannot book the Sofia-Istanbul train online anywhere, or even book it by phone outside Bulgaria, so simply book this train at the international ticket window at Sofia station when you reach Sofia.  There are always places available, so don't worry.  When I last travelled there were just 8 of us in a 60-berth couchette car.

How to book, using point-to-point tickets

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Step 5, the Sofia-Istanbul night train cannot be booked online, so buy the ticket at the international ticket windows at Sofia station when you get there, there are usually spaces available.  Alternatively, you can book this train in advance by contacting Andy at tickets@discoverbyrail.com (the same rail expert that runs www.discoverbyrail.com).  He can arrange sleeper or couchette tickets on this train tickets will be posted to you, or possibly delivered in Sofia.

How to buy tickets by phone

  • Alternatively, you can buy all your London-Istanbul tickets in one go by phone or email.  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 work it all out for you.  You aren't buying a ticket from London to Istanbul, such tickets no longer exist, you're buying 6 separate tickets for 6 separate train journeys.  So use the train times on this page to prepare a list of the specific trains you want to book between specific cities on specific dates (you may find the technique shown on How to plan an itinerary & budget helpful). When you're ready to book, contact 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. They (obviously) use the German Railways reservation system.  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.

  Tailor Made Rail

Let Tailor Made Rail arrange it for you

  • If you'd rather someone took care of all the train and hotel bookings for you, creating a tour package with stopovers to your exact specification, contact Tailor-Made Rail.  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 via Bucharest at www.tailormaderail.com/itinerary/london-to-istanbul-epic-journey, but they can just as easily arrange a journey via Belgrade & Sofia, with any stopovers you want. Or a round trip, one way via Bucharest, the other via Sofia  They specialise in complex itineraries!

  • 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.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar

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

A Eurostar e320 train at London St Pancras   Eurostar e320 first class seats

Eurostar e320 at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.

 

1st class:  Standard Premier or Business Premier.

Eurostar e320 2nd class seats   Eurostar e320 cafe-bar

Standard class.  Larger photo.

 

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

2. Paris to Zurich by TGV-Lyria

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

TGV-Lyria train from Paris to Switzerland, at Paris Gare de Lyon

TGV-Lyria TGV Duplex train at Paris Gare de LyonMore information about TGV-Lyria

TGV Duplex cafe-bar   TGV Duplex 2nd class seats, upper deck

Cafe-bar on upper deck car 4, serving tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.

 

2nd class seats on the upper deck.  There's a mix or tables for 4 and unidirectional seating.  360º photo.

TGV Lyria first class, upper deck   A TGV-Lyria train from Paris to Switzerland

1st class on the upper deck, with a club duo on the left, a club quatre on the right. Larger photo.

 

TGV-Lyria boarding at Paris Gare de Lyon.  You enter on the lower deck, with 9 stairs up to top deck.

3. Zurich to Zagreb by sleeper train  Watch the video

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

The Zurich to Zagreb sleeper train boarding at Zurich HB

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

Sleeper compartment in the Croatian sleeping-car from Munich to Zagreb   Sleeper compartment in the Croatian sleeping-car from Munich to Zagreb   4 or 6-berth couchettes on train from Munich to Zagreb

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper.

 

Set up as a single-berth.

 

4 or 6-berth couchettes. 360º photo.

Scenery between Ljubljana & Zagreb

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

Scenery between Ljubljana, Zagreb & Belgrade

More scenery along the river Sava.

4. Zagreb to Belgrade by train

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

2nd class seats in a Serbian air-conditioned train   The train from Belgrade to Zagreb & Zurich, about to leave Belgrade

5. Belgrade to Sofia by Balkan Express More photos & information

This train has only two carriages, it's old and graffitied but comfortable enough.  Power sockets, WiFi, even catering?  Forget those!  Bring your own picnic and bottles of beer, and buckle up for an old-school ride through the Balkans on the route of the Orient Express.  If you get any more photos of this particular train or especially the scenery please let me know!  In summer this train runs direct, in winter it's a series of connecting trains, one even has air-con(!).

The Belgrade to Sofia train

The Belgrade-Sofia train, currently summer-only, at Topcider station in Belgrade.  Just two coaches, one Bulgarian, one Serbian, but comfy enough in spite of the graffiti.  Bring your own food & drink and enjoy a scenic run across the Balkans.   Photo courtesy of Matthew Woodward - see more photos & an account of this journey on his blog.

2nd class seats on day train from Belgrade to Sofia   Scenery from the Belgrade to Sofia train

2nd class seats in the Serbian car.  Photos courtesy of Remco van der Kort.

 

The train snakes through a gorge east of Nis.  Courtesy of Matthew Woodward.

6. Sofia to Istanbul by Sofia-Istanbul Express...

This is now a decent train, with smart air-conditioned Turkish TVS2000 sleeping-cars with cosy 1 & 2 bed compartments plus an air-conditioned Turkish TVS2000 couchette car with 4-berth compartments.  The sleepers have a washbasin in each compartment and even a small fridge to keep your been cold!  But bring your own picnic and beer, as there's no catering.  You have to get off the train at the Turkish border to have your passport stamped, but you will still get some sleep.  For more information about this journey, see the Sofia to Istanbul page.

The Sofia to Istanbul train

The Sofia-Istanbul Express.  Photos in this section courtesy of @AndyBTravels & DiscoverByRail.com.

Turkish sleeper on the Sofia-Istanbul train   Turkish sleeper on the Sofia-Istanbul train

1 or 2 bed sleeper on the Sofia-Istanbul train, looking towards the window.  Larger photo.

 

1 or 2 bed sleeper on the Sofia-Istanbul train, looking towards the corridor side.  Larger photo.

Fridge & table in a Turkish sleeper on the Sofia-Istanbul train   Turkish sleeper on the Sofia-Istanbul train

The sleepers even have a fridge!

 

Lower berth made up for night time.  Larger photo.

The Sofia-Istanbul train at Sofia   Fridge & table in a Turkish sleeper on the Sofia-Istanbul train

Boarding at Sofia.

 

4-berth couchette compartment with berths folded away.

Dusk in Bulgaria

Good night Bulgaria!  Dusk falls on a summer evening, soon after leaving Sofia.

Sunrise in Turkey, approcahing Cerkezkoy

Good morning Turkey!  Dawn breaks as journey's end approaches.

The train at Halkali

Halkali  The Sofia-Istanbul Express at Halkali.  From here, you take a Marmaray suburban train to Istanbul Sirkeci station in central Istanbul.  Courtesy of John Mcnamara.


Video guideLondon to Istanbul

This video takes you from London to Istanbul by train via Zurich, Zagreb, Belgrade & Sofia.  Filmed in 2013, at a time when the train temporarily only ran from Sofia to Cerkezköy for a bus transfer to Istanbul.  It also features the now-discontinued Belgrade-Sofia overnight couchette train - you now do this run by day.  So a lot has changed, but it'll get you in the mood...

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Possible alternatives

Variation via ferry from Harwich

  • 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, 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 book daytime trains from Utrecht or Amsterdam to Munich from €37.90 using int.bahn.de

  • In Munich you can pick up the route via Bucharest or the route via Zagreb, Belgrade & Sofia as shown above.

Variation via Brussels & Cologne

  • If you prefer, you can travel London-Brussels-Cologne-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 the 12:58 Eurostar from London to Brussels, a connecting high-speed Thalys train to Cologne, the Austrian Nightjet sleeper train from Cologne to Vienna and a connecting railjet train to Budapest.  From Budapest onwards you join the route via Bucharest shown above.

Variation via Zurich

  • You can travel from London to Zurich by Eurostar & TGV via Paris.  There's then a direct Croatian sleeping-car leaving Zurich HB at 20:40 and arriving Zagreb at 10:39 next morning, picking up the same late morning train to Belgrade shown in the route via Belgrade & Sofia above

  • The disadvantage is that (a) it takes an hour longer, as you need to leave Paris at 14:22 to Zurich instead of 15:54 to Munich, you arrive Zagreb two hours later so don't get a chance to have breakfast there, and (b) it may cost more.  However, you get into your cosy sleeper at Zurich at 20:40 instead of having to stay up till 23:20 at Munich and you see great scenery in Austria which you pass through at night on the Munich-Zagreb run.

Variation via Budapest - Belgrade

  • If you want to see Vienna & Budapest, then go onwards via Belgrade & Sofia, this would normally be no problem.  However, the Budapest-Belgrade line is blocked due to line upgrading until 2025.

Map showing train routes from London & Paris to Istanbul & Turkey

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London to Turkey via Greece

If you're heading for Izmir or southern Turkey (for example, Bodrum or Marmaris), this can be a better route than heading to Istanbul overland by train.  By all means take one route out and the other back.

  • Days 1-3, travel from London to Athens by train & ferry via Bari in Italy, see the London to Greece page for details.  The journey takes 2 nights, leaving London on day 1 and arriving in Athens on day 3.  I'd recommend spending at least 1 night in Athens.

You now have a choice. 

  • Option 1, by train to Thessaloniki then overnight ferry to Izmir 3 times per week, the easiest option...

    Day 4, take a morning train from Athens to Thessaloniki in as little as 4 hours.  Book this at www.hellenictrain.gr.  Allow plenty of time for connection with the ferry, allowing for check-in time.

    Day 4, sail from Thessaloniki to Izmir by overnight ferry several times a week from Spring until November.  It's run by Levante Ferries, www.levanteferries.com.  The crossing takes 14 hours with a range of comfortable cabins available.  Book it at the Direct Ferries website or www.levanteferries.com.  Remember that Izmir is also known as Smyrna or Smyrni.

  • Option 2, by ferry from Piraeus to Kos, Lesvos, Samos or Rhodes, then another ferry to Marmaris, Bodrum or Kusadasi ...

    Day 4, take a ferry from Piraeus (the port of Athens, 25 minutes from central Athens by metro) to either Kos, Lesvos (the port on Lesvos is Mytilini), Samos (the port is Vathi) or Rhodes (Rodos in Greek).  For Piraeus-Lesvos (Mytilini) see www.hellenicseaways.gr to check sailing dates, times, fares and to book online.  The voyage takes 9.5 hours.  For Piraeus-Kos or Piraeus-Rhodes see www.bluestarferries.gr to check sailing dates, times, fares and to book online.  Ferries normally sail Piraeus-Rhodes overnight, often calling at Kos very early, with cabins available.  For Piraeus-Samos see www.kallistiferries.gr.

    Day 5 or 6, take an onward ferry to southern Turkey.  Ferries from Rhodes to Marmaris sail several times a week, see www.marmarisferry.com or rhodes.marmarisinfo.com for details.  Journey time 1 hour by catamaran, 2 hours by car ferry.  Ferries sail from Lesvos (Mytilini) to Ayvalik in Turkey daily Monday-Saturday, crossing 1 hour 10 minutes, fare €30.  Ayvalik is a few hours by bus north of Izmir.  A hydrofoil sails around 15:30 every afternoon from Kos to Bodrum, fare €28, crossing 1 hour, see www.bodrumexpresslines.com.  Ferries sail from Samos to Kusadasi at 08:30 & 17:00 from April to October, 1 hour 15 minute crossing, fare €30 (€50 open return), see www.meandertravel.com/ferrytosamos to check times, dates & fares.

  • I recommend using this technique to plan out your itinerary to make sure everything works, and you book the right trains and ferries for the right dates!

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  • 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

Thomas Cook European Timetable -  click to buy onlineTraveller's Railway Map of Europe - buy onlineThe 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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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

Lonely Planet Turkey - click to buy online   Lonely Planet Middle East - click to buy online

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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.  For a good cheap hotel in the Sultanahmet travellers' area, try the Park Hotel.

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 Attaturk 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 Ataturk, 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..."

Pera Palas hotel main entrance   The Pera Palas Hotel, Istanbul

The Pera Palas hotel, main entrance...

 

The Pera Palas hotel, after its recent refurbishment.

Pera Palace Hotel, lobby   Pera Palas Hotel, main lounge   Pera Palace hotel lift

Pera Palace Hotel, lobby...

 

The main lounge...

 

The old lift...

Pera Palas Hotel, Istanbul:  Typical bedroom.   Agatha Christie's room 411 at the Pera Palas Hotel

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)

Find hotels at Booking.comMy 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!

Tip:  It's sometimes worth comparing prices across multiple hotel booking sites:  HotelsCombined.com compares hotel prices on Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, Agoda & many others.  If there's not much in it, I prefer to keep all my bookings together at www.booking.com, but it's sometimes worth checking!

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Travel insurance & other tips

 

Staysure travel insurance

 

Columbus Direct logo

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.

UK flag  www.staysure.co.uk offers enhanced Covid-19 protection and gets 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot.

UK flag  www.columbusdirect.com is also a well-know brand.

US flag  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

 

Maya.net logo

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.

 

Curve card

Curve card

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.

 

Express VPN

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 explainedExpressVPN 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.

 

Anker Powerrbank

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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