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2-berth regular sleeper with washstand...		The toilet & shower in a deluxe sleeper...		A Comfortline sleeping-car, as used on the Austrian Nightjet trains from Vienna to Italy.  More pictures & information about Nightjets.

Austrian couchette car or liegewagen.  Couchettes are the economical option, flat bunks with rug & pillow.		6-berth couchettes, the cheapest option...		4-berth couchettes, ideal for families...

Option 2, by ICE train to Munich, then Nightjet sleeper train from Munich to Venice...

• Step 1, travel from Hamburg to Munich by superb ICE train leaving Hamburg Hbf around 16:01 and arriving Munich Hbf around 21:41.  Have a late dinner in Munich, for local Bavarian food and a beer or two try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf.

• Step 2, travel by Austrian Nightjet sleeper train leaving Munich Hbf at 23:20 and arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 08:24.

Fares start at €59 in 6-berth couchettes, €69 in 4-berth couchettes, €99 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139 in a single-bed sleeper.  Deluxe sleepers with en suite toilet & shower are also available.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.

• The German Railways website www.bahn.de can book tickets all the way from Hamburg to Venice.  In the search results, look for the option with 1 change marked ICE, NJ.  You simply print your own ticket.  I've set up this link to bahn.de for you with the necessary parameters

Option 3, by daytime trains via the Brenner Pass with an overnight stop in Munich...

• Day 1, travel from Hamburg to Munich in as little as 5h45 on any ICE train you like. 

• Stay overnight in Munich.  Try the Sofitel Munich Beyerpost, Eden Hotel Wolff, InterCity Hotel or (budget) the Pension Locarno, all these hotels are right next to the station with great reviews.  For dinner with local Bavarian food and a beer or two try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf.

• Day 2, travel from Munich to Venice by Austrian EuroCity train thorough the wonderful Brenner Pass, see the Brenner Pass scenery video here.  It leaves Munich Hbf at 11:34 and arrives at Venice Santa Lucia at 18:10.  The train has an elegant restaurant car so treat yourself to lunch!  Or you can take the 09:34 from Munich Hbf arriving Venice 16:40, although this involves a change at Verona.  There's also an earlier 07:34 to Verona which goes direct to Venice at weekends.  Your choice!

• Hamburg to Venice starts at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

• To buy tickets, book from Hamburg to Venice at the German railways website www.bahn.de, clicking Add intermediate stops and entering Munich in the via box and (say) 12:00 in the hh:mm stopover box.  Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits, adjusting the Munich stopover time and departure time as necessary.  I've set up this link to bahn.de for you with the necessary parameters.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

The restaurant car on a EuroCity from Munich, arrived at Verona.  You don't need to book a table, just go along and sit down.  Dining on the move as the scenery glides by is one of the pleasures of travelling on trains like this.  More photos & information about these Austrian EuroCity trains.

Second class seats, mostly in 6-seat compartments with side-corridor like this, but some cars are open-plan saloons...				First class leather seats.  On a few trains you'll find 6-seat compartments too....

Mountains on the Brenner route...

Vineyards, mountains and castles south of Brenner as the train heads for Trento & Verona...

Watch out for hilltop fortresses...  See the Brenner Pass scenery video here.

Hamburg to Florence, Rome, Milan, Verona or anywhere else Italy from €39.90...

Option 1, by luxurious ICE train to Munich then Nightjet sleeper train to Bologna, Florence & Rome - the most time-effective option...

• Step 1, travel from Hamburg to Munich by superb ICE train leaving Hamburg Hbf around 13:01 and arriving Munich Hbf around 18:42 - or by all means book an earlier train.  You've time for dinner in Munich, for local Bavarian food and a beer or two try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf.

• Step 2, travel by Austrian Nightjet sleeper train leaving Munich Hbf at 20:10 and arriving Florence SMN at 06:19 and Rome Termini at 09:22.  Another portion of this train goes to Milan, arriving Milan Centrale at 09:12.

  Fares start at €59 in 6-berth couchettes, €69 in 4-berth couchettes, €99 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139 in a single-bed sleeper.  Deluxe sleepers with en suite toilet & shower are also available.  There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.

• The German Railways website www.bahn.de can book tickets all the way from Hamburg to Florence or Rome.  In the search results, look for the option with 1 change marked ICE, NJ.  You simply print your own ticket.  I've set up this link to bahn.de for you with the necessary parameters to book as one transaction using the direct train to Florence or Rome.

• If you're heading to Naples, you may be able to book through to Naples Centrale on bahn.de.  If not, buy a separate Rome-Naples ticket at www.italiarail.com or www.trenitalia.com.

Option 2, by Nightjet sleeper train to Innsbruck then scenic ride through the Brenner Pass - a time-effective & scenic option...

• Step 1, take the excellent Hamburg to Innsbruck Nightjet sleeper train.  It leaves Hamburg Hbf at 20:29 and arrives Innsbruck at 09:14 next morning, and has a very comfortable Austrian sleeping-car and couchettes.

  Fares start at €59 with couchette in 6-berth, €69 with a couchette in 4-berth, €99 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper or €139 in a single-bed sleeper.  Deluxe sleepers are also available with shower & toilet.  A light breakfast is included in the fare in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.

  Book this train at German Railways www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

• Step 2, take a comfortable Austrian EuroCity train through the scenic Brenner Pass to Verona & Italy, leaving Innsbruck at 11:24 and arriving Verona Porta Nuova at 14:58 & Bologna at 16:20.  A restaurant car is available for lunch.  See the Brenner Pass scenery video here.  Don't risk a tight connection with the earlier 09:24 EuroCity to Verona, I'd play safe and stick with the 11:24.  If you have a sleeper ticket, or a 1st class ticket for the onward EuroCity train, you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Innsbruck with complimentary tea & coffee.

  Change at Bologna for a high-speed Frecciarossa train to Florence SMN, Rome Termini or Naples Centrale. 

  Fares from Innsbruck to Bologna start at €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Bologna to Florence or Rome starts at €19.90.

  The easy way to book from Innsbruck to Florence, Rome, Naples or anywhere in Italy is to use www.loco2.com as this connects to both the German and Italian ticketing systems so you can book this as one transaction all in one place.  You print your own ticket for the Austrian train and the Italian high-speed trains are ticketless, you just quote the reference on board.

  Important:  Before running the enquiry at Loco2 you must click More options and enter Verona Porta Nuova as a via station with a stopover duration of 45 minutes.  This ensures a robust connection and it ensure Loco2 correctly splits the booking at Verona.

Option 3, by daytime trains via the Brenner Pass, with an overnight stop in Munich...

• Day 1, travel from Hamburg to Munich in 5h40 on any ICE train you like, you can leave Hamburg Hbf as late as 18:01 arriving Munich Hbf at 23:43 but by all means take an earlier train and enjoy a pleasant evening in Munich. 

• Stay overnight in Munich.  Hotels right next to the station with good or great reviews include the Sofitel Munich Beyerpost, Eden Hotel Wolff, InterCity Hotel or (if you're on a budget) the Pension Locarno.  For dinner in Munich with local Bavarian food and a beer or two try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf.

• Day 2, travel from Munich to Verona by Austrian EuroCity train thorough the wonderful Brenner Pass, see the Brenner Pass scenery video here.  Trains leave Munich Hbf every 2 hours or so taking a leisurely 5h25, and all have an elegant restaurant car so treat yourself to lunch!  The 09:34 departure runs beyond Verona all the way to Bologna.

• Change in Verona (or, if taking the 09:34, in Bologna), for an onward Italian train to anywhere you like in Italy.  Verona to Florence takes just 2h35, Verona to Rome as little as 2h50.

• Fares:  Hamburg to Verona starts at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. 

  Verona to Florence starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class. 

  Verona to Rome or Naples at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.

• To buy tickets, first try booking from Hamburg to Verona, Florence, Rome or Naples at the German Railways website www.bahn.de, clicking Add intermediate stops and entering Munich in the via box and (say) 12:00 in the hh:mm stopover box.  Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits, adjusting the Munich stopover time as necessary.  I've set up this bahn link with the necessary parameters for you. 

• Bahn.de has until recently shown through fares from German stations to Florence, Rome or Naples, but if you see no fares available, simply split the booking like this...

  First book from Hamburg to Verona Porta Nuova with overnight stop added (or if you want to use the 09:34 from Munich, book to Bologna Centrale) at www.bahn.de.

  Then buy onward tickets from Verona Porta Nuova or Bologna Centrale to Florence, Rome, Milan or Naples or anywhere in Italy separately at www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, the small booking fee will be refunded if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your PNR) or Italian Railways own website www.trenitalia.com (more fiddly to use, requires Italian language place names, no booking fee, read this advice on using it).  If buying separate tickets, I recommend allowing at least 45 minutes to change in Verona in case of any delay.

Option 4, by daytime trains, via the Swiss Alps...  Also a scenic ride!

• First use the German Railways website www.bahn.de to book from Hamburg to Basel or Zurich with fares from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  You print your own ticket.

• Now book an onward journey from Basel or Zurich to Florence, Venice, Rome or wherever at www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, the small booking fee will be refunded if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your PNR) or Italian Railways own website www.trenitalia.com (more fiddly to use, requires Italian language place names, no booking fee, read this advice on using it). 

• I'd allow at least 45 minutes between trains in Basel or Zurich.  Hamburg to Milan via Basel or Zurich is an all-day train ride.  If you'd prefer to split it over 2 days with an overnight stop in Basel or Zurich or even Lucerne or Lugano, no problem.  Indeed, that's a good option!

ETR610 train as now used on all Switzerland-Milan EuroCity trains.  More information about ETR610 trains.		2nd class seats on the stylish ETR610 EuroCity train...

The restaurant car on an ETR610...		Dinner in the diner, northbound...

This is Lake Maggiore, seen from the restaurant car of the 11:25 Milan to Basel EuroCity train over an excellent lunch of salmon tagliatelle & excellent Swiss red wine...

Hamburg to Barcelona, Madrid & Spain from €79...

• Day 1, travel from Hamburg to Paris by comfortable daytime trains from as little as €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. 

  There are a range of possible departures, for example you can leave Hamburg Hbf as late as 14:24 by luxurious ICE train, change at Karlsruhe onto an impressive 200mph TGV Duplex arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 22:05.  But by all means take an earlier one and have a leisurely dinner in Paris.

  Check times & prices for your date of travel and buy tickets online at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

  I also recommend checking www.b-europe.com as this offers additional Hamburg-Paris departures as it can sell the Thalys trains on the more direct route via Cologne, whereas bahn.de can only sell non-Thalys options.

• Stay overnight in Paris.  Hotels near the Gare de Lyon with good reviews:  Hotel Terminus Lyon (right in front of the station, 3-star);  Mercure Paris Gare de Lyon (on the station itself, 4-star);   Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon (opposite the station, 4-star);  Mistral Hotel (800m from Gare de Lyon, 1-star);  Hotel de Reims (5 min walk from Gare de Lyon, 2-star).

• Day 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by high-speed TGV Duplex from €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 10:07 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 16:34.  In summer from early June to late August there's also a 07:15 TGV Duplex from Paris arriving Barcelona Sants at 13:34, see the Paris-Barcelona timetable here.  It's an enjoyable & scenic journey, see the photos & video here.  Book this train at www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu, you print your own ticket.  Also see this advice about getting a cheaper fare by split-ticketing at Perpignan.

• Day 2 afternoon, you can catch an onward train from Barcelona Sants to Valencia, Alicante or Madrid the same day.  If you're going to Malaga, Cordoba or Seville, the 07:15 summer-only TGV from Paris connects nicely with the 15:50 AVE from Barcelona to Malaga, Cordoba & Seville the same day, arriving in the evening, but if you take the 10:07 from Paris (all year) you'll need to stay overnight in Barcelona and catch the 08:30 AVE to Malaga, Cordoba & Seville next morning.  Check times and buy tickets using www.loco2.com (in £ or €, easy to use) or www.petrabax.com (in US$, small mark-up, easy to use) or Spanish Railways own site www.renfe.com (more fiddly to use, in €).  You'll find cheap Promo and Promo+ fares if you book in advance.  You print your own ticket.  Allow at least 45 minutes between trains in Barcelona for connections.

Hamburg to Lisbon, Porto & Portugal...

• Step 1, travel from Hamburg Hbf to Paris Gare du Nord or Paris Gare de l'Est and stay in Paris overnight.  Book a Hamburg-Paris ticket at German Railways www.bahn.de from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  How to change stations in Paris.

• Step 2, leave Paris Gare Montparnasse at 12:52 by high-speed double-decker TGV Duplex for Hendaye on the Spanish border, arriivng 17:31 with fares from €25.  A cafe-bar is available on board, there are power sockets at all seats and this train usually has free WiFi.

  Check times and buy tickets at www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu - both sites can be used by anyone from any country, no booking fee, and you print your own ticket.  If you have any problems booking Hendaye to Lisbon, book Irun to Lisbon instead.

• Step 3, take the overnight Sud Express trainhotel sleeper train leaving Hendaye at 18:35 and arriving Lisbon Oriente at 07:20 and Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 07:30 next morning.  Fares from €37 with bed in 4-bed sleeper, €132 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper, or €148 with a bed in a 2-bed gran clase sleeper with shower & toilet.

  Book this at www.loco2.com.  Booking for this train usually only opens 60 days ahead, sometimes less than this, although sometimes more, so check online but be aware that this is usually the limiting factor.

• For Porto, alight from the Sud Express at Coimbra B, Entroncamento or indeed Lisbon and take a train north to Porto, book this at the Portuguese railways website www.cp.pt, which is the only site that can book Portuguese trains.

• For the Algarve, change at Lisbon Oriente for an InterCity train to Faro, book this at the Portuguese railways website www.cp.pt.

On board the Sud Express from Hendaye to Lisbon...

The Sud Express, about to leave Irun on the Franco-Spanish frontier, bound for Lisbon...  Courtesy of Ron Baker.  See panorama photo...		Gran Clase sleeper, in evening mode with the seats folded out...		....return from the bar to find the attendant has made up the beds...		Gran Clase private toilet & shower...

The trainhotel's café-bar serves drinks & food.  Grab a barstool early, it gets crowded later on!		4-berth tourist class sleepers (Turista Cama) are cosy & inexpensive...  They convert from beds to seats as shown.  See panorama photo of 4-berth tourist class sleeper.

Hamburg to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck & Austria from €39.90...

Option 1, by daytime train...

• The German railways website, www.bahn.de can book tickets from Hamburg to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck or anywhere in Austria from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

  One ICE train runs direct from Hamburg to Vienna every day, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:03 arriving Vienna Hbf at 16:45, a leisurely ride across Germany on a very comfortable & spacious train with restaurant car and power sockets at all seat - being a book and bottle of wine and put your feet up.

  Just use www.bahn.de to find times and buy tickets!  I recommend registering when prompted, rather than booking as a guest, so you can always log in and check or re-print all your bookings.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

  Top tip:  Check Austrian Railways www.trainline.eu as well, as although fares also start from €39 I've often seen significantly cheaper fares on oebb.at than bahn.de on a given date & train.  You also get a print-your-own ticket.

An ICE-T at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf.  One of these superb ICE-T trains runs direct from Hamburg to Vienna every day...

Table for two in 1st class, my favourite configuration.  There are also tables for four in both classes.		Lunch in the restaurant.  In 1st class you can choose to be served at your seat.  I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier!

You can see into the cab at each end of the train.		Comfortable 2nd class seats on the ICE-T to Vienna...

You'll glimpse the Inn and Danube rivers from the Frankfurt-Vienna ICE...

Option 2, by Nightjet sleeper train...

• There's an excellent direct Austrian Nightjet sleeper train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:29 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 08:27.  A separate portion goes to Innsbruck, arriving 09:14.

• Fares start at €59 in 6-berth couchettes, €69 in 4-berth couchettes, €99 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139 in a single-bed sleeper.  Deluxe sleepers with en suite toilet & shower are also available.  There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.

• You can buy tickets for this train at either the German Railways website www.bahn.de or www.trainline.eu - I'd check both sites as one is sometimes cheaper than the other.  You print your own ticket.

2-berth regular sleeper with washstand...		The toilet & shower in a deluxe sleeper...		A Comfortline sleeping-car, as now used on the Austrian Nightjet train from Hamburg to Vienna & Innsbruck.  More information about Nightjets.

Austrian couchette car or liegewagen.  Couchettes are the economical option, flat bunks with rug & pillow.		6-berth couchettes, the cheapest option...		4-berth couchettes, ideal for families...

Hamburg to Copenhagen & Denmark from €29.90...

• Comfortable EuroCity trains link Hamburg with Copenhagen, with departures from Hamburg Hbf usually at 09:28, 13:28 & 17:28 every day, journey time to Copenhagen 4h58.

• Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class booked at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket or can simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

• The trains on the Hamburg-Copenhagen route are now all comfortable Danish IC3 trains classed as EuroCity (EC).  The journey involves a train ferry between Puttgarden & Rødby, where the train goes onto a ferry, one of the few places in Europe where this still happens.  It's an interesting experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the 50-minute crossing, but you can leave your luggage on the train.  See photos, tips & information for the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.

A Danish IC3 train at Copenhagen station...		1st class seats on an IC3 train...

2nd class seats on an IC3 train...		Boarding a train to Copenhagen in Hamburg.

The view from your seat as the IC3 train slowly runs onto the Puttgarden-Rødby ferry.  Courtesy of Adina Bogert-O'Brien.  Interior & Hamburg photos above courtesy of DiscoverbyRail.com.

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Hamburg to Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö & Sweden from €39.90...

• You can travel from Hamburg to Stockholm by train in a single day from €39.90 upwards with one easy change in Copenhagen.  Just go to www.bahn.de and book from Hamburg to Stockholm as one transaction.  Look for an option with just 1 change.  You print your own ticket.

• You leave Hamburg Hbf at 09:28 getting you to Stockholm at 21:40 with an hour or two in Copenhagen.

• Stopover in Copenhagen?  You can arrange a stopover in Copenhagen for up to 48 hours at the same price, simply by clicking Add intermediate stops and entering Copenhagen then the number of hours stopover you want in the hh:mm box.  Hotels in Copenhagen near the station with good reviews:  Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Bou]tique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).

• The Hamburg to Copenhagen train uses a train ferry between Puttgarden & Rødby, where the train is shunted onto a ferry, one of the few places in Europe where this still happens.  It's an interesting experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the 50-minute crossing, but you can leave your luggage on the train.  See photos, tips & information for the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.

A Danish IC3 train at Copenhagen station...		1st class seats on an IC3 train...

2nd class seats on an IC3 train...		Boarding a train to Copenhagen in Hamburg.

A Copenhagen-Stockholm X2000 train boarding at Copenhagen main station...		2nd class seats on an X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm.

X2000 bistro car...		X2000 bistro car seating area...		Bistro self-service...

Winter scenery from a train between Copenhagen & Stockholm. Courtesy of Radoslav Sharapanov

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Hamburg to Oslo & Norway...

Option 1, by train all the way...

• Day 1, travel from Hamburg to Gothenburg (Göteborg Central), booked as one transaction from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class at German Railways www.bahn.de.  The best journey involves one change in Copenhagen.  The Hamburg to Copenhagen part of the journey involves a train ferry between Puttgarden & Rødby, where the train physically goes onto a ship, one of the few places in Europe where this still happens.  It's an interesting experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing.  See photos, tips & information for the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.  Stay overnight in Gothenburg.

• Day 2, take a train from Gothenburg (Göteborg Central) to Oslo.  the cheapest way to book this is with Norwegian Railways at www.nsb.no looking for a cheap minipris fare.

• Alternatively, you can go Hamburg-Copenhagen in the afternoon or evening of day 1, then Copenhagen-Gothenburg-Oslo on day 2.  The cheapest way to book is still to use www.bahn.de to book through from Hamburg to Gothenburg, but in this case you'd click Add intermediate stops, enter Copenhagen in the via box and (say) 12:00 in the hh:mm box.  It will then give you a cheap Hamburg to Gothenburg ticket with a 12 hour stopover in Copenhagen.  Adjust the times and stopover length to get your desired train times.

Option 2, Hamburg to Oslo via the Kiel-Oslo Color Line cruise ferry - the most comfortable way to Oslo...

• Step 1, travel from Hamburg to Kiel Hbf in around 1h16 by hourly regional train, fare around €23.  Check times at the German Railways site www.bahn.de. 

  In Kiel it's just a 5-6 minute walk from Kiel Hbf to the Color Line ferry terminal, but allow several hours between trains and ferry for the ferry check-in and in case of any delay.

• Step 2, sail from Kiel to Oslo by luxurious overnight Color Line ferry, with a full range of en suite cabins, suites, bars, restaurants and lounges. 

  The m/v Magic or m/v Fantasy normally sails at 14:00 arriving Oslo at 10:00 next morning. 

  Check times & buy tickets online at the seat61 Ferry Shop or www.colorline.com.

This photo is taken from the exit of Kiel station, so you can see how close the ferry is.  It's a 5-6 minute walk across the harbour, with a street lift up to a connecting walkway which takes you to the ferry terminal. If you have reserved one of what Color Line call their "5 star suites", check in at the desk rather than the machines and you'll be directed to a special lounge to wait with free tea, coffee, juice, snacks & WiFi.  You'll also have priority boarding of the ship.  Photos courtesy of Andrew Leo.

Boarding the Color Line ferry to Oslo in Kiel...

A 5 Star Suite on the ferry...		More cruise liner than ferry!  The restaurant.

Wake up to this....

Hamburg to Helsinki & Finland...

• For Finland, you'll find ferries the best bet from Travemünde in Germany to Helsinki, see www.finnlines.com.

• Then check train times from Hamburg to Travemünde at www.bahn.de.

Hamburg to Prague from €29.90...

• There are several direct Hamburg-Prague EuroCity trains every day and additional departures with a change of train in Berlin.  South of Dresden, the trains snake along the scenic Elbe valley, make sure you grab a unreserved seat on the left hand side of the train for the best river views.  Most of these trains also have a proper waiter-service dining-car, why not have a meal while you travel?  What's the train ride to Prague like?

• Departures from Hamburg Hbf are at 06:48, 08:51, 12:51 & 14:51 every day, journey time to Prague 6h44.

• You can book from Hamburg to Prague at the German Railways site www.bahn.de from €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

• Fancy a few hours stopover in Dresden on the way to Prague?  To book a Hamburg to Prague train journey with a stopover in Dresden, go to www.bahn.de, enter Hamburg to Prague, click Add intermediate stops, enter Dresden in the via box and the number of hours you want to have in Dresden (max 48 hours) in the hh:mm box.  Then run the enquiry and buy the ticket.  There are left luggage lockers at Dresden Hbf.

So civilised!  A meal in the Czech restaurant car as the Hamburg-Prague express snakes along the beautiful Elbe river south of Dresden.  Most Hamburg-Prague trains use Czech carriages like this.  Photo courtesy of Philip Dyer-Perry.

Hamburg to Bratislava from €39.90...

Option 1, by direct daytime train.,..

• There is a daily direct EuroCity train called the Hungaria leaving Hamburg Hbf at 06:48 and arriving Bratislava Hlavna at 17:50, with waiter-service restaurant car, taking the scenic route along the Elbe river valley between Dresden and Prague.  The Hungaria uses Hungarian Railways' very latest air-conditioned cars with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

• Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

• Buy tickets at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

Option 2, by sleeper train via Vienna...

• Step 1, travel from Hamburg to Vienna by Austrian Nightjet sleeper train leaving Hamburg at 20:29 arriving Vienna Hbf at 08:27, with couchettes from €59 or a bed in a 2-bed sleeper from €99 or a bed in a single-bed sleeper from €139, see the Nightjet information page.  Book this at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

• Step 2, catch the hourly Regional Express train from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna taking 1h06.  You can buy a ticket for the Vienna-Bratislava train at the station in Vienna for €10.80, as no reservation is necessary or possible, just buy a ticket and hop on the next train.

Hamburg to Budapest from €39.90...

Option 1, Hamburg to Budapest by daytime train - the cheap & leisurely option...

• A direct EuroCity train called the Hungaria leaves Hamburg Hbf at 06:48 and arrives Budapest Nyugati at 20:20.

  The Hungaria uses Hungarian Railways' latest air-conditioned cars with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's an all-day train ride on a comfortable & spacious EuroCity train with waiter-service restaurant car and some great scenery along the way along the Elbe River between Dresden and Prague, see photos & video about the Berlin-Dresden-Prague part of this journey.

  If you like you can check the train formation & see what the carriages are like at www.vagonweb.cz - click the UK flag for English, click composition then look for Czech Republic and click EC then look for the Hungaria.

  Alternatively you can also take the 08:51 from Hamburg with one easy change at Prague Hlavni.

• Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

• Buy tickets at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

The Berlin-Budapest Hungaria with the latest air-conditioned Hungarian cars.  Photos courtesy of Siddhartha Verma.

2nd class seats on the Hungaria...		Restaurant car on the Hungaria...

Option 2, Hamburg to Budapest using the Hamburg-Vienna sleeper - the time-effective option...

• Step 1, travel from Hamburg to Vienna overnight by Nightjet sleeper train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:29 & arriving Vienna Hbf at 08:27.

  Fares start at €59 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a couchette in a 4-berth compartment, €99 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €139 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.  Deluxe sleepers are also available with en suite toilet & shower.  There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in standard sleepers.  The sleeper & couchette fare include a light breakfast, served in your compartment.

  Book this train at www.bahn.de looking for the direct NJ train with 0 changes.  You print your own ticket.  You can also book at www.trainline.eu.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Budapest by smart Austrian railjet train leaving Vienna Hbf at 09:42 and arriving Budapest Keleti at 12:19.

  Fares start at €19 in 2nd class or €29 in 1st class.  Buy tickets at www.trainline.eu.  You print your own ticket.

2-berth regular sleeper with washstand...		The toilet & shower in a deluxe sleeper...		A Comfortline sleeping-car, as now used on the Austrian Nightjet train from Hamburg to Vienna.  More information about Nightjets.

Austrian couchette car or liegewagen.  Couchettes are the economical option, flat bunks with rug & pillow.		6-berth couchettes, the cheapest option...		4-berth couchettes, ideal for families...

Option 3, using the Berlin-Budapest sleeper train Metropol...

• Step 1, travel from Hamburg Hbf to Berlin Hbf on any train you like, as long as you allow at least 1 hour between trains in Berlin.  For example, an ICE train usually leaves Hamburg Hbf at 15:37 arriivng Berlin Hbf at 17:22, but times may vary.

• Step 2, a comfortable air-conditioned EuroNight sleeper train called the Metropol leaves Berlin Hbf at 18:40 every night and arrives Budapest Keleti at 08:35 next morning.

  The train has a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, 4 & 6 berth couchettes and 2nd class seats.  A light breakfast is included in the fare in sleepers.

  Fares start at €49 with a couchette in a 6-berth, €59 with a couchette in a 4-berth, €89 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129 in a single-bed sleeper.  The sleeper fare includes a light breakfast, served in your compartment.

  Book online at either German Railways www.bahn.de or at www.trainline.eu, you print your own ticket.  If necessary, book the sleeper train at www.oebb.at then add a Hamburg-Berlin connection at www.bahn.de, allowing at least an hour between trains in Berlin.

  Although operated by Hungarian Railways (MAV), for this train MAV hire in the sleeping-car & couchette car from the Slovakians, see photos of the sleeping-car here & photos of the couchette car here.  The sleeping-car If you like, you can see the formation of this train at www.vagonweb.cz - click the UK flag top left, then click Composition then select EN against Hungary then select the Metropol.

A 2-bed double sleeper (above left) in the air-conditioned Slovakian sleeping-car on the Metropol from Berlin to Budapest.  Above right, a morning view of the Berlin-Budapest couchette car (nearest the camera) and sleeping-car in the morning light, en route to Budapest... Each sleeper compartment is fitted with 3 beds so can be sold as a single, double or triple.  Sleeper compartments convert to comfortable private sitting room for evening use.  A light breakfast is included in the fare.  See larger photo.  See more photos of this type of sleeping-car. Photos courtesy Helmut Uttenthaler.

Option 4, using the Prague-Budapest sleeper train...

• Step 1, take a EuroCity train from Hamburg to Prague with restaurant car, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 14:51 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 21:26.  By all means catch an earlier train for an evening in Prague, when it's light the line between Dresden and Prague is very scenic, all along the Elbe river valley, see the photos here.  Book this train at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

• Step 2, take the overnight sleeper train Metropol from Prague to Budapest, booked at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.  It leaves Prague Hlavni at 23:57 and arrives Budapest Keleti at 08:35 next morning.  It has couchettes and a comfortable modern sleeping-car with 1, 2 and 3 bed compartments, and deluxe sleepers with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with shower & toilet.

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Hamburg to Brasov & Bucharest from €98...

• Step 1, take the excellent Austrian Nightjet sleeper train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:29 and arriving in Vienna Hbf at 08:27.  This has a comfortable sleeping-car with 1 & 2 bed compartments, 1 & 2 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, and 4 & 6 berth couchettes.

• Step 2, take a smart Austrian railjet train from Vienna to Budapest.  There's one from Vienna Hbf around 09:42 arriving Budapest Keleti 12:19.  Enjoy an afternoon in Budapest.

• Step 3, take the EuroNight sleeper train Ister leaving Budapest Keleti at 19:10 and arriving Brasov at 09:30 & Bucharest at 12:30 next day.  This comfortable train has 4 & 6 berth couchettes and a modern air-conditioned sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, also deluxe sleepers with 1 or 2 beds and shower/toilet.

• Hamburg to Vienna starts at €59 with couchette, €99 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129 in a single-bed sleeper.  Vienna to Budapest starts at €19.  Budapest to Bucharest starts at €39 with a couchette or €59 with a bed in a sleeper.

• To buy tickets, first go to www.bahn.de and book from Hamburg to Vienna with desired departure time set to 20:00.  In the search results you'll then find an option with 0 change marked NJ leaving Hamburg around 20:29.  You print your own ticket.  You can also buy tickets at www.trainline.eu and it's worth checking as it sometimes has cheaper fares than bahn.de.

• Then book Vienna to Budapest at www.trainline.eu and print your own ticket.

• Then book the Budapest to Bucharest train at the Hungarian railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, clicking EN for English top left.  You collect your tickets from the yellow internet collection machines at Budapest Keleti station.

Hamburg to Ljubljana, Zagreb from €39.90...

Option 1, by scenic daytime train either in a single day or with overnight stop in Munich...

• The German railways website, www.bahn.de can book tickets from Hamburg to Ljubljana or Zagreb from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  You'll need to select an early departure time, set time to say 05:30 when running the enquiry, as it's an all-day train ride with 1 change in Munich.  But the scenery through the Austrian alps is superb, as is the scenery along the lovely River Sava between Ljubljana and Zagreb.  You simply print your own ticket.

• If you'd like to break up the journey with an overnight stop in Munich, simply click Add intermediate stops and type in Munich with (say) 11:00 in the hh:mm stopover box.  In Munich, Try the Sofitel Munich Beyerpost, Eden Hotel Wolff, InterCity Hotel or (budget) the Pension Locarno, all these hotels are right next to the station with great reviews.  For dinner in Munich with local Bavarian food and a beer or two try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf.

Option 2, by Hamburg-Munich sleeper train then scenic daytime train from Munich to Ljubljana & Zagreb...

• This is more time-effective, yet you still get to see that wonderful scenery through Austria & Slovenia! 

• Go to www.bahn.de and run an enquiry from Hamburg to Ljubljana or Zagreb with departure time set to around 20:00.  You should see an option in the search results marked 'NJ, EC, D' with 2 changes leaving Hamburg at 20:29.  The 10-minute connection in Villach is a simple cross-platform connection, the Slovenian and Croatian train waits for the arrival of the Austrian one from Munich.

• Fares from €59 with couchette in 6-berth, €69 with a couchette in 4-berth, €99 with bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €139 with a single-bed sleeper.

Option 3, using the Munich-Zagreb sleeper train - the safe, comfortable & most time-effective option...

• Step 1, take the 16:01 ICE from Hamburg Hbf to Munich Hbf arriving 21:43.

  Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class booked at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

  You've time for dinner in Munich, for local Bavarian food & a beer or two try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf.

• Step 2, take the comfortable Croatian sleeper train Lisinski which leaves Munich Hbf at 23:20 and arrives in Zagreb at 08:35 next morning.  It has a modern Croatian air-conditioned couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments and a modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car with comfortable 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin, see the photos below and the Croatian sleeper video here.

  Fares start at €49 with a couchette in 6-berth, €59 with a couchette in 4-berth, €89 in a 2-bed sleeper with washbasin or €129 in a single-bed sleeper with washbasin.

  Book this sleeper online at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.  Alternatively, tickets can also be booked at www.trainline.eu, also with print-at-home tickets, and as this connects to the Austrian Railways system it can sometimes be cheaper, so check both sites.

An early lunch in the Austrian restaurant car as the Alpine scenery flies by.  The first stage is on a smart Austrian EuroCity train from Munich to Villach...		Through the Austrian Alps...  Clinging to the mountainside high in the Austrian Alps, the train snakes along between snow-capped mountains, absolutely wonderful...

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

Hamburg to Belgrade & Sofia...

Option 1, using the Berlin-Budapest sleeper train...

• Step 1, take a EuroCity train from Hamburg to Prague, leaving Hamburg Hbf around 12:51 and arriving Prague Hlavni around 19:26.  By all means catch an earlier train for an afternoon in Prague.  Book this train at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

• Step 2, take the overnight sleeper train from Prague to Budapest, booked at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.  It leaves Prague Hlavni at 21:56 and arrives Budapest Keleti at 08:35 next morning.  It has couchettes and a comfortable sleeping-car with 1, 2 and 3 bed compartments, and deluxe sleepers with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with shower & toilet. 

• Step 3, travel from Budapest to Belgrade by EuroCity train Avala leaving Budapest Keleti at 11:57 and arriving Belgrade Centar station at 20:42, fare just €15 booked at www.mavcsoport.hu - see my advice on using it & how to collect your ticket.  You can also buy at the station on the day for €15, it's an unlimited special offer fare.  This train has air-con Hungarian carriages and a Hungarian restaurant car.  There's no equivalent 1st class offer, so just stick with 2nd class which is absolutely fine on this train.

  IMPORTANT UPDATE:  From 1 February 2019 until December another section of the Budapest to Belgrade route is being rebuilt for 200km/h operation which will eventually reduce journey time to 3½ hours.  Just one train  per day will link Budapest with Belgrade during this period, the Ivo Andric leaving Budapest Keleti at 11:57 arriving Belgrade Centar at 20:42, 2nd class only.  You may be asked to switch trains in Kelebia & Novi Sad.  Important:  See further details & read latest updates about this engineering work.

• Step 4 if you're heading for Sofia, spend the night in Belgrade - I recommend the historic Hotel Moskva - and take the daytime train to Sofia next day, see the Belgrade to Sofia page for full details.  From 14 June to 16 September 2019, there's a direct train called the Balkan which leaves Belgrade Topcider station at 09:12 arriving Sofia Central Station at 20:30.  2nd class only, bring your own picnic and bottle of wine as there's no catering.  At other times of year you leave Belgrade Centar station at 06:10, change at Nis & Dimitrovgrad arriving Sofia at 19:00.  Buy this ticket at the station for €20.60, there are always places available, even on the day.  It cannot be booked online, and there's no need.

Option 2, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Budapest...

• Step 1, travel from Hamburg to Budapest by EuroCity train Hungaria, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 06:48 and arriving Budapest Nyugati at 20:20.  Book this from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

• Stay overnight in Budapest.  For an inexpensive hotel with great reviews right next to Keleti Station, try the Royal Park Boutique Hotel.  More hotels in Budapest.

• Step 2, travel from Budapest to Belgrade by EuroCity train Ivo Andric leaving Budapest Keleti at 07:57 and arriving Belgrade Centar station at 16:42, fare just €15 booked at www.mavcsoport.hu - see my advice on using it & how to collect your ticket.  You can also buy at the station on the day for €15, it's an unlimited special offer fare.  There's no equivalent 1st class offer, so just stick with 2nd class which is absolutely fine on this train.  There's no catering car on this train, so bring provisions and a beer or two.  If you prefer, have a leisurely breakfast and take the later 11:57 train from Budapest to Belgrade.

  IMPORTANT UPDATE:  From 1 February 2019 until December another section of the Budapest to Belgrade route is being rebuilt for 200km/h operation which will eventually reduce journey time to 3½ hours.  Just one train  per day will link Budapest with Belgrade during this period, the Ivo Andric leaving Budapest Keleti at 11:57 arriving Belgrade Centar at 20:42, 2nd class only.  You may be asked to switch trains in Kelebia & Novi Sad.  Important:  See further details & read latest updates about this engineering work.

• Step 3 if you're heading for Sofia, spend the night in Belgrade - I recommend the historic Hotel Moskva - and take the daytime train to Sofia next day, see the Belgrade to Sofia page for full details.  From 15 June to 17 September 2018 there's a direct train called the Balkan which leaves Belgrade Topcider station at 09:06 arriving Sofia Central Station at 20:12.  2nd class only, bring your own picnic and bottle of wine as there's no catering.  At other times of year you leave Belgrade Centar station at 06:10, change at Nis & Dimitrovgrad arriving Sofia at 19:00.  Buy this ticket at the station for €20.60, there are always places available, even on the day.  It cannot be booked online, and there's no need.

Hamburg to Warsaw, Krakow & Poland from €39.90...

Option 1, by daytime trains in a single day or with an overnight stop in Berlin...

• The German Railways website, www.bahn.de can book tickets from Hamburg to Warsaw from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class, using an ICE train from Hamburg Hbf to Berlin Hbf then a EuroCity train to Warsaw Centralna.  You simply print your own ticket.  Total journey time as little as 7h59, but it varies.  A bistro car is usually available on both trains.

• You can stay overnight in Berlin to break up the trip if you like.  Just use www.bahn.de, click Add intermediate stops, enter Berlin and a stopover duration of up to 48 hours.

• For Krakow, change at Warsaw, booking a separate ticket Warsaw-Krakow at www.intercity.pl and allowing at least 45 minutes in Warsaw between trains.  Incidentally, if you try to book Hamburg to Krakow in one go at bahn.de it will offer you an 8-hour journey on a rail-replacement bus, which you don't want, and only expensive full-flex standard fares for the journey via Warsaw.  That's why you should split the journey and buy a separate Warsaw-Krakow ticket direct from PKP InterCity (Polish Railways) as above!

The Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity trains have modern air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class coaches, most with compartments and side corridor like this, others with open-plan seating.

Option 2, Hamburg to Krakow using the Berlin-Krakow sleeping-car - why not spend a few hours in Berlin?

• Step 1, travel from Hamburg to Berlin by ICE train with restaurant car.  Trains leave every hour or so, you could leave Hamburg Hbf at 15:37 and arriving Berlin Hbf 17:22, but by all means book an earlier train to have more time in Berlin, there are left luggage lockers available and Berlin Hbf is just 10-15 min walk from the Reichstag & Brandenburg Gate, so even a few hours stopover is a worthwhile experience.

  Book this train from €19.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

• Step 2, travel from Berlin to Krakow by sleeping-car, leaving Berlin Hbf at 18:40, arriving Krakow Glowny (main station) at 05:32 next morning.

  This train has two seats cars and a safe & comfortable Polish sleeping-car bound for Krakow & Przemysl.  The sleeping-car has 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower.  There are no couchettes on this train and no restaurant car, so bring a picnic & bottle of wine along, or have an early dinner in Berlin.

  Prices start at €39 with a bed in a 3-berth, €54 with a bed in a 2-berth or €79 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.

• To buy tickets, ideally book the whole journey from Hamburg to Krakow at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.  You'll see an option with 1 change appear in the search results twice, once marked ICE + EC (EuroCity = seats) and once marked  ICE + EN (EuroNight = sleeper), you must select the one marked ICE+EN.  Remember you can use bahn.de's features to give a longer connection or stopover in Berlin.

  Alternatively, you can also book the Berlin-Krakow sleeper at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at and print your own ticket, then book Hamburg-Berlin separately at www.bahn.de.

  If you have any problem with oebb.at or bahn.de, book by phone, in the UK call German Railways on 08718 80 80 66.

  Tip:  It's not currently possible to book a deluxe sleeper.  PKP have found they cannot always provide their most modern type of sleeper, sometimes operating a nicely refurbished older sleeper with all regular compartments instead, so they play safe and book all compartments as standard with washbasin.  If you end up in a deluxe it's a bonus!

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Hamburg to Kiev & Ukraine...

• Step 1, travel from Hamburg to Warsaw on day 1, from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class with one easy same-station change at Berlin Hbf, booked at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.  Stay overnight in Warsaw, and explore Warsaw next morning.  Alternatively, catch an early evening train to Berlin and stay overnight there, taking the 09:37 Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity train to Warsaw Centralna next morning, each leg booked at www.bahn.de.

• Step 2, an overnight train called the Kiev Express leaves Warsaw Centralna at 17:09 and arrives in Kiev at 11:05 next day.  This train has comfortable Ukrainian 1, 2 and 3 bed sleepers with washbasin.  There's no restaurant car, so take a picnic and perhaps some wine or beer.

  The Kiev Express cannot be booked online, so use reliable Polish agency www.polrail.com who have an online ordering system at http://booking.polrail.com.  Tickets can be collected in Warsaw or (at extra charge) shipped to any address worldwide.  Polrail are also pretty good at arranging the return reservation back from Kiev as they have close contacts with Ukrainian Railways.

  Booked via www.polrail.com, the fare is around €57 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper, €66 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €110 with a bed in a single-bed sleeper.

• Step 3, to book onward trains within Ukraine from Kiev to Odessa or the Crimea, see the Ukraine page.

Boarding in Warsaw...		A sleeper compartment...		...with washbasin.

Hamburg to Moscow, St Petersburg & Russia...

Option 1, using the Warsaw-Moscow Polonez - 3 times a week, reduced from daily in June 2017...

• Step 1, travel from Hamburg to Warsaw as shown above.  Stay overnight in Warsaw.

• Step 2, take the sleeper train Polonez leaving Warsaw Centralna at 16:05 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays and arriving Moscow Belorussky station next day at 12:11 (late March to late October) or 13:11 (late October to late March).

  The Polonez is operated by the Russians with brand-new Austrian-built sleeping-cars with 2 & 4-berth compartments introduced in December 2014, see panorama photo inside one of these modern sleepers.  Eastbound, these 4-bed sleepers only exist on the Polish reservations system as 2nd class 4-berth, so if you want dual or single occupancy you have to buy up multiple berths in one compartment.  Westbound there's no problem, as the Russian reservations system is configured book these compartments as 1st class single, 1st class double or 2nd class 4-berth.

  A Russian restaurant car is attached between Brest (on the Polish/Belarus border) & Moscow.  Next morning, as the train passes through the small station of Borodino, look out for the plaques on the station building marked '1812' and '1942'...  Map of Moscow showing Byelorusski station.

  You can arrange tickets for the Polonez through reliable Polish ticketing agency www.polrail.com - their booking system is at http://booking.polrail.com.  They can arrange train tickets for international trains starting in Poland with tickets collected in Warsaw or (at extra charge) shipped to any address worldwide.

• Don't forget to arrange both your Russian visa and Belarus transit visa as the train runs via Belarus.

These modern sleeping-cars run from Warsaw to Moscow...

Option 2, using the new Berlin-Moscow Strizh (Swift) Talgo sleeper train, twice a week...

• Step 1, travel from Hamburg to Berlin from €19.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class.  For example, the 14:36 from Hamburg Hbf arrives Berlin Hbf at 16:19, but by all means take an earlier train.  Book this at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.  Transfer by frequent S-Bahn train from Berlin Hbf to Berlin Ostbahnhof.

• Step 2, travel from Berlin to Moscow by new direct Russian sleeper train, leaving Berlin Ostbahnhof at 19:24 on Mondays & Saturdays, arriving at Moscow's Belorussky station next day at either 19:50 (late March to late October) or 20:50 (late October to late March).

  This train is an articulated Spanish-built Talgo train branded Strizh (swift).  It has ordinary seats and sleeping-cars with 2nd class 4-berth compartments, 1st class 1 or 2 berth compartments with washbasin and deluxe 1 or 2 berth compartments with en suite shower & toilet.  There's also a restaurant & bistro car.  See photo of 2-berth sleeper on this train.

  Russian track gauge is 5', but most of Europe (including the UK) is 4' 8½", so at Brest on the Belarus frontier the train runs through a gauge-changing shed and the axles automatically adjust to the new gauge.  Once in Russia, the scenery is rolling hills, birch tree forests, and villages of small wooden houses.  Approaching Moscow, you may glimpse the plaques on the station building marked '1812' and '1942' as the train passes through the small station of historic Borodino...

  You can book the Berlin-Moscow train at the Russian Railways website www.rzd.ru and print your own ticket, it's a little fiddly but works, see my advice for using rzd.ru here, or you can easily buy it online with English language after-sales service if you need it, using the Real Russia online system here.

• Don't forget to arrange both your Russian visa and Belarus transit visa as the train runs via Belarus.

Hamburg to Athens, Corfu & Greece...

Option 1, Hamburg to Athens by train & ferry via Italy - the leisurely option with an Adriatic cruise thrown in...

• The best and most comfortable option is to pick up a ferry in Bari.  The whole scenic and relaxing journey to Athens will take around 2 nights & 3 days, depending how the connections work out on your particular date.

• Day 1, travel from Hamburg Hbf to Verona Porta Nuova from €39.90 in a single chill-out day with a restaurant car for lunch & dinner.  I'd leave around 06:30, have at least an hour between trains in Munich just in case of delay, then arrive Verona around 20:55, but there are various options.  Check times, prices & buy online with German Railways at www.bahn.de - you can use the adjust transfer time feature to increase the time between trains in Munich, otherwise it just gives you the minimum.

• Stay overnight in Verona.

• Day 2, take an early morning train around 07:50 from Verona Porta Nuova to Bari Centrale from €29.90 booked at either www.italiarail.com or www.trenitalia.com.  Make sure you allow at least 3 hours between between train arrival and ferry departure in Bari.

• Day 2, then sail across the Adriatic from Bari to Corfu, Igoumenitsa or Patras in Greece aboard a luxurious cruise ferry booked at www.superfast.com.  She normally sails daily except Sundays at 19:30 arriving 13:00 next day (day 3).  The ferry has bars, restaurants, lounges, reclining seats and cabins with en suite toilet & shower.  It's a lovely crossing, see the photos below.

• Day 3, Patras is a few hours bus ride from Athens.  If you hunt for it, there's a bus/train combined timetable from Patras to Athens on www.trainose.gr but it's not always easy to find.

• The Bari to Athens part of this journey is covered in more detail on the London to Greece page, just disregard the London to Milan part of the recommended journey!

2 or 4-berth cabin with private toilet & shower.		Relaxing on deck...

Option 2, Hamburg to Athens overland by train via Munich & Belgrade - a rail adventure across the Balkans...

• You can also travel overland by train from Hamburg to Athens via Belgrade & Thessaloniki.  It'll take 3 nights, with the romance and adventure of an epic train ride through the Balkans.

• Travel from Hamburg to Budapest as shown above.

• In Budapest you pick up the London-Budapest-Belgrade-Thessaloniki-Athens route explained in detail on the London to Greece page.

Hamburg to Istanbul & Turkey...

• Take the Austrian Nightjet sleeper train from Hamburg Hbf (departing 20:29) to Vienna Hbf (arriving 08:27).  You can buy tickets for this train at either the German Railways website www.bahn.de or www.trainline.eu which is sometimes cheaper.  Prices from €59 with a couchette or €99 in a 2-bed sleeper.  You print out your own ticket.

• From Vienna you can pick up the London-Istanbul route suggested on the London to Turkey page.

Hotels in Hamburg & other cities

		◄ Favourite hotel search & price comparison: hotelscombined.com
		www.hotelscombined.com checks all the main hotel booking sites at once to find the widest choice of hotels & the cheapest seller.  It's been named as the World's Leading Hotel Comparison Site in the World Travel Awards and I recommend it to find hotels in even the smallest places and to check that another retailer isn't selling the same hotel for less. ► Favourite hotel booking site: www.booking.com www.booking.com is my favourite hotel booking site, and unless HotelsCombined throws up major price differences I prefer doing my bookings in one place here.  You can usually book with free cancellation - this allows you to confirm your accommodation at no risk before train booking opens.  It also means you can hold accommodation while you finalise your itinerary, and alter your plans as they evolve - a feature I use all the time when putting a trip together.

Other hotel sites worth trying...

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

Backpacker hostels...

• www.hostelworld.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.

Travel insurance & health card

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

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

In the UK, try Columbus Direct or use Confused.com to compare prices & policies from many different insurers.

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

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

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Get a spare credit card, designed for travel with no currency exchange loading & low or no ATM fees...

It costs nothing to take out an extra credit card.  If you keep it in a different part of your luggage so you're not left stranded if your wallet gets stolen, this is a form of extra travel insurance in itself.  In addition, some credit cards are significantly better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.  Taking this advice can save you quite a lot on each trip compared to using your normal high-street bank credit card!