A German ICE train...

I want to go from Munich to...

      Select your destination... ----------- Most popular ----------- Amsterdam Barcelona Berlin, Cologne, Germany Brussels, Bruges Bucharest & Romania Budapest Copenhagen Eagle's Nest Neuschwanstein Castle Paris Prague Salzburg Venice, Florence, Rome, Italy Vienna Zurich & Switzerland ---------- All destinations --------- Somewhere else in Germany... Alicante Amsterdam Athens & Greece Avignon Barcelona Basel (Basle) Belgrade Berlin Bern (Berne) Brasov Bratislava Brussels Bruges (Brugge) Bucharest Budapest Cannes Český Krumlov Cologne Copenhagen Dusseldorf Florence Frankfurt Geneva Gothenburg Hamburg Helsinki Innsbruck Interlaken Istanbul Kiev & Ukraine Krakow Lausanne Linz Lisbon Ljubljana London & UK Luxembourg Luzern (Lucerne) Lviv (Lvov) Madrid Malaga Malmo Marseille Milan Monaco - Monte Carlo Montreux Moscow Naples Nice Oslo Paris Prague Rome St Moritz St Petersburg Salzburg Seville Sofia Stockholm Valencia Venice Verona Vienna Warsaw Zagreb Zurich Zermatt

       Click here for journeys starting in another city.

       Train information is current for 2017.

This page explains how to travel by train from Munich to other European cities and how to buy the cheapest tickets, usually online direct from the operators with print-at-home or collect-at-station tickets & no booking fees.  It doesn't matter where you live, in Europe, Asia, the USA or Australia, you can buy train tickets as shown below and save money over expensive railpasses or travel agent mark-ups.

Tip:  1st class passengers can use the DB 1st class lounge at Munich Hbf

Tip:  For a beer or local Bavarian food before your train try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, on the north side of Munich Hbf.

Before you buy your tickets...

Take a moment to read these important tips for buying European train tickets.  They answer all the usual questions, such as "Do I need to book in advance or can I just buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or just go online & buy a €35 point-to-point ticket?".  And most important, click here to understand how far ahead you can buy train tickets.

European train travel FAQ...

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Munich to Frankfurt, Cologne, Berlin, Hamburg & other German destinations...

• Munich Hauptbahnhof is the main station right in the city centre, and all mainline trains leave from there.

• With only one or two exceptions, German trains are never 'reservation compulsory' so you can always just turn up, buy a ticket and get on the next train without a reservation.  However, there are heavily discounted sparpreis fares for €19, €29, €39 etc. for long-distance journeys if you pre-book, so buy in advance if you want to save money.  Booking usually opens 92 days ahead.

• www.bahn.de will book all German long-distance daytime trains and the Nightjet sleeper trains from Munich to Hamburg, Cologne & Dusseldorf.  A seat reservation is usually optional, for a small extra charge.  You usually print your own tickets, but for trains or routes where this is not possible, tickets can be sent to any address worldwide for a small additional fee.  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.

• Bahn.de is easy to use, and should have no problem accepting overseas credit cards.  I recommend registering when prompted, as you can then log into your account at at any time and check bookings or re-print tickets.  If you do encounter any problems with bahn.de you can also buy German train tickets at exactly the same prices with the same print-at-home tickets and the same lack of any booking fee at either www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu both of which have implemented a direct connection to DB's ticketing system - although neither site can do sleeper trains.

• See the train travel in Germany page for a beginner's guide to train travel in Germany, including how to buy tickets online or by phone and an explanation of the Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket and Lander tickets. 

Munich to Neuschwanstein, Bavaria's fairytale castle:  See details here...

Munich to Berchtesgaden for Eagles Nest:  See details here...

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Munich to London from €59...

• See the London to Germany page for full details of the recommended routes, trains, fares & how to buy tickets.

• The German railways website www.bahn.de can sell Sparpreis London tickets from Munich to London from €59, you simply print out your own ticket.  Availability is limited as DB only has a small quota on Eurostar.  If you don't see any attractive prices, split the journey and book Munich to Brussels at www.bahn.de from €39, then Brussels to London at www.eurostar.com from £39, making remembering to allow for the 30 minute Eurostar check-in at Brussels.

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Munich to Paris from €39...

• An excellent direct TGV Duplex links Munich with Paris Gare de l'Est once a day leaving at 06:23 on weekdays or 06:28 at weekends and arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 12:05. 

  The train has a cafe-bar and all seats have power sockets.  It uses the TGV-Est high-speed line across France at up to 200 mph.  I recommend an upstairs seat for the best views, any seat number above 60 is upper deck.

• Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class.

• Many other departures are possible at various times of day with 1 easy change in Stuttgart or Mannheim, check online at www.bahn.de.

• Simply check times and buy tickets at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print out your own ticket.  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.

• The Munich-Paris City Night Line sleeper train was sadly discontinued in December 2014.

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Munich to Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Marseille, Avignon..

Option 1, by sleeper from Munich to Milan then a scenic coastal ride...

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Milan by Nightjet sleeper train leaving Munich Hbf every day at 20:10 and arriving Milan Central at 09:10.

  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.

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

• Step 2, travel from Milan to Monte Carlo & Nice by comfortable Thello train from just €15, leaving Milan Centrale at 11:10 arriving Nice 16:00.  Buy tickets for this train at either www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com.  It's ticketless, you just quite the booking reference on board.  Note that on Trenitalia, Monte Carlo is listed as Monaco-Monte Carlo.  Plain Monaco is Italian for Munich!  It's a lovely scenic ride along the Italian Riviera between Genoa and Nice.

• Step 3, change in Nice for frequent trains to Cannes and Marseille.  Check times and buy tickets at www.trainline.eu.

Option 2, by day trains with overnight stop in Verona - a scenic trip with mountains and coastline...

• Day 1, travel from Munich to Verona from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class booked at either www.loco2.com or www.bahn.de.  You can leave around 15:34 by comfortable EuroCity train through the wonderful Brenner Pass, arriving Verona Porta Nuova around 20:56, see the Brenner Pass scenery video here.  All these trains have an elegant waiter-service restaurant car, so treat yourself to lunch or dinner as the mountains roll by!  By all means take an earlier train for an afternoon or evening in Verona, for example the 09:34 or 11:34.

• Stay overnight in Verona.  Hotels near the station with good or great reviews include the Corte Merighi Rooms & Breakfast, Novo Hotel Rossi, Guesthouse Verona or (a little closer to the centre but with fab reviews) the Relais Empire.

• Day 2, travel from Verona to Monte Carlo & Nice leaving Verona Porta Nuova around 09:32, one easy change in Milan's magnificent Centrale station, arriving Monte Carlo late afternoon and Nice Ville around 16:00.  Book this from €24 at either www.loco2.com or www.trenitalia.com.  It's ticketless, you just quote the reference on board.  It's a lovely scenic ride along the Italian Riviera between Genoa and Nice, through Savona and San Remo.

• Change in Nice for Antibes or Cannes.  Local trains link Nice with Antibes & Cannes every 30 minutes or so, just buy at the station in Nice and hop on the next train.

• Change in Nice for Marseille, Avignon, Montpellier, Perpignan.  Allowing at least 45 minutes between trains in Nice book an onward ticket at either www.loco2.com or www.trainline.eu.

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Munich to Brussels or Bruges from €29...

Option 1, by daytime trains... 

• Take a luxurious ICE train from Munich to Cologne, then either another ICE or a Thalys high-speed train from Cologne to Brussels. 

• For example, you can leave Munich Hbf around 06:52 and reach Brussels Midi around 13:35.  Or you can leave Munich around 10:55 and reach Brussels Midi around 17:35.  Or leave Munich around 14:54 and arrive Brussels Midi around 21:35.  But times vary, so go online and see.

• You can buy tickets for both the ICE+ICE and the ICE+Thalys options at the Belgian Railways site www.b-europe.com, which will also book you through from Munich to Bruges or anywhere else in Belgium.  Anyone from any country can use www.b-europe.com, you print your own ticket.

• You can also book from Munich to Brussels, Bruges or elsewhere in Belgium from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class at the German Railways website www.bahn.de, although this site cannot sell tickets for Thalys so will only show fares and sell tickets for Munich-Belgium journeys involving their own ICE trains between Cologne and Brussels.  Whichever site you use, you simply print your own ticket.

Option 2, by time-effective Nightjet sleeper...

• Take the 22:52 Nightjet sleeper train from Munich Hbf to Cologne Hbf, arriving 08:15.

  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 for passengers in regular sleepers at the end of the corridor,  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.

  There's a lovely run along the Rhine Valley in the morning between Mainz & Koblenz (06:04-07:05), past mountains, vineyards, castles, river boats and the legendary Lorelei Rock.

• Then take an ICE a high-speed ICE train leaving Cologne at 09:43 and arriving Brussels Midi at 11:35, fares from €19 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Book Munich-Brussels using www.bahn.de looking for the option marked EN, ICE.  If you have any problems, book each train separately.  You can also book the Munich-Cologne sleeper at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.  In all cases, you print your own tickets.

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Munich to Amsterdam from €39...

Option 1, by daytime trains...

• Superb German ICE trains with bistro car and power sockets at all seats link Munich with Amsterdam Centraal several times a day with one easy change of train, usually in Hanover onto an InterCity train, sometimes at Frankfurt or Cologne onto another ICE.  Total journey time around 8h15, a relaxed chill-out journey with a good book and a restaurant car available for meals.

• Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class.

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

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Munich to Luxembourg from €39...

• You can travel from Munich to Luxembourg by train in a single day from just €49, booked at the German railways website www.bahn.de.  In the search results, look for journeys involving just one change at Koblenz.  Avoid journeys involving two changes and a bus.

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Munich to Zurich, Basel, Geneva & anywhere in Switzerland from €39...

• Regular air-conditioned EuroCity trains with comfortable Swiss carriages and an elegant Swiss restaurant car link Munich with Zurich in around 4 hours 11 minutes centre to centre, with onward train connections to all other Swiss cities.

• You can buy tickets from Munich to almost any Swiss town or city at www.bahn.de from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class and print your own ticket.

  You can book tickets from Munich to Geneva, Luzern, Bern, Interlaken, Zermatt or St Moritz this way, at one inclusive cheap price if you pre-book.  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.

• Tip 1:  In the search results, avoid any departures shown as 'BUS' as this is a long-distance bus not a proper train.  When booking Munich to Zurich, click Add intermediate stops  and enter 'Lindau Hbf' in the via box, then it's easy to see the trains without having to weed out departures involving a downmarket bus.

• Tip 2:  Lindau on the banks of Lake Konstanz is a lovely town for a stopover, even of a few hours.  You can add a stopover at no extra charge when you buy a cheap ticket at www.bahn.de simply by clicking Add intermediate stops, entering Lindau and the number of hours you want.

• Tip 3:  I get a lot of people saying they want to use their Swiss pass 'to save money' between the border and their final Swiss destination, let's say Lucerne.  But if www.bahn.de will sell you a cheap advance-purchase ticket from Munich to Lucerne from €39, exactly the same price as Munich to Zurich or Munich to the border also from €39, where's the saving?  Check prices before wasting a day of an expensive pass!

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Munich to Venice, Milan, Florence, Rome & Italy from €39...

Option 1, by daytime EuroCity train via the scenic Brenner Pass...

• Every couple of hours, a German/Austrian-run EuroCity train runs from Munich to Verona via the scenic Brenner Pass, see the Brenner Pass scenery video here.  All these trains have an elegant Austrian waiter-service restaurant car, so treat yourself to lunch or dinner with a beer or some wine as the mountains roll by...

• One train a day runs direct from Munich to Venice, leaving Munich Hbf at 11:34 and arriving Venice Santa Lucia on the banks of the Grand Canal at 18:10.  In fact, at weekends the 07:34 Munich-Verona also runs through to Venice.  One or two trains - the 07:34 on weekdays and the 09:34 every day - run beyond Verona to Bologna, change in Bologna for high-speed trains to Florence, Rome & Naples.

• Fares from Munich to Verona or (on the direct trains) Bologna or Venice start at €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class.

• Step 1, buy tickets for these direct trains at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.  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.

  Tip:  It's worth checking the whole journey from Munich to Florence, Rome or Venice on www.bahn.de, as occasionally you'll see an inexpensive through fare allowing you to buy one ticket in one place for the whole trip, but this doesn't always appear so you'll need to move on to step 2 below.  Though always worth checking!

• Step 2, then buy an onward Italian ticket from Verona Porta Nuova or Bologna Centrale to Florence SMN, Rome Termini, Milan Centrale or Naples Centrale at either 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 first).  I recommend allowing at least 45 minutes to change in Verona Porta Nuova in case of any delay.

Option 2, by direct Nightjet sleeper train from Munich to Milan, Florence, Rome, Venice...

• There are two excellent Austrian Nightjet sleeper trains from  Munich to Italy, one leaving Munich at 20:10 for Milan Centrale (arriving 09:10), Florence SMN (arriving 06:19) and Rome Termini (arriving 09:22), and another leaving Munich at 23:35 for Venice Santa Lucia (arriving 08:24). 

  These trains are Austrian sleeper trains under the new Nightjet brand.

• 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.

• Buy tickets using the German Railways website www.bahn.de, just look for the EN  train with 0 changes in the search results. You print your own ticket.  You can also book at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.

• For a Bavarian dinner and a beer before boarding your sleeper, try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf.

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Munich to Barcelona & Spain...

Option 1:  Munich to Barcelona in one day, by high-speed trains...

• Step 1, take a direct high-speed TGV Duplex leaving Munich at 06:23 weekdays or 06:28 weekends and arriving Paris Gare de l'Est around 12:05, from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class booked at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

• Cross Paris to the Gare de Lyon.  Have lunch in Paris, perhaps at the celebrated & historic Train Bleu restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by high-speed TGV Duplex from €59 in 2nd class or €99 in 1st class, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:07 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:34.  Book this at www.loco2.com (can be used by anyone from any country, no booking fee, print-at-home tickets) or www.trainline.eu (can be used by anyone from any country, no booking fee, choice of upper or lower deck, print-at-home tickets).

  What's the journey like?  See the photos & video on the Paris to Barcelona page.  You'll pass the Chateau de Montfaucon on the river Rhone, Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Montpelier and Perpignan, the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, with great views of the massive Mt Canigou in the Pyrenees, visible all the way from Perpignan to Girona.

• Step 3, stay overnight in Barcelona (see suggested hotels near Barcelona Sants station) and book onward high-speed trains next morning from Barcelona to Madrid, Seville, Malaga, Alicante etc, using either www.loco2.com (easy to use, in € or £) or www.petrabax.com/renfe (in $, also easy to use, small mark-up) or the Spanish railways website www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly to use).   You'll find cheap Promo and Promo+ fares if you book in advance.  In all cases, you print your own ticket.

Option 2:  Munich to Barcelona with overnight stop in Geneva...

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Zurich in an afternoon by EuroCity train & onward Swiss train to Geneva.  You can book from Munich to Geneva from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  Tip:  In the search results, look for trains marked EC, avoid anything marked 'BUS'. 

• Stay the night in Geneva and enjoy a morning there.  Hotels with good reviews near the station include Hotel Cornavin Geneve, Hotel Les Arcades, ibis Styles Geneva Gare.

• Step 2, travel from Geneva to Barcelona by TGV.  There's usually a 200mph double-decker TGV Duplex leaving Geneva at 12:41, change trains at Valence (arrive 15:10, depart 16:21) onto another TGV Duplex arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:34.  Book this TGV at www.loco2.com (anyone from any country, no booking fee, in € or £) or www.trainline.eu (can be used by anyone, no booking fee, in €). 

• What's the journey like?  Between Valence & Barcelona you'll follow the same route taken by the Paris-Barcelona TGVs, see the photos & video on the Paris to Barcelona page.  You'll pass the Chateau de Montfaucon on the river Rhone, Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Montpelier and Perpignan, the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, with great views of the massive Mt Canigou in the Pyrenees, visible all the way from Perpignan to Girona.

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Munich to Salzburg from €19...

• Regular trains link Munich with Salzburg, of two distinct types.  There are express mainline trains marked RJ or EC, and there are slower more basic regional trains, marked R, REX or M for Meridian.

Option 1, by fast Railjet or EuroCity train in 1h30...

• These are often smart Austrian Railjet trains taking just 1h30 with restaurant car and power sockets at all seats, or occasionally a EuroCity (EC) train with similar timings and pricing.  These trains have variable pricing from €19 in advance (specific train only) rising to €36 standard price bought on the day and valid on any train, reservation optional.

Option 2, by hourly regional train in 1h51...

• The regional trains are shown as M for Meridian on this route on www.bahn.de and take longer at almost 2 hours, but they're cheaper.  They have one fixed flexible price, around €31 one-way, valid on any train that day, no advance reservation is necessary or possible.  Turn up and go!

• Bayern Ticket:  In fact, you'd never buy a €31 ticket unless you need to travel before 09:00 on weekdays, because it's cheaper to buy a Bayern Ticket which gives a day's unlimited travel on regional trains across the whole of Bavaria including Salzburg, after 09:00 weekdays or any time at weekends.  This costs just €25 for the first traveller + €6 for each other traveller in your party up to maximum 5 people.  For details & online sales see www.bahn.com/i/view/GBR/en/prices/germany/laender-ticket.shtml.  This would even allow you to make a same-day round trip from Munich to Salzburg!  You can buy a Bayern Ticket online or buy at the station on the day.

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Munich to Vienna from €29...

Option 1, by fast direct Railjet train...

• Smart Austrian Railjet trains link Munich Hbf with Linz & Vienna Hbf every two hours from 07:25 to 17:30.  Munich to Vienna takes only 4 hours, with a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.

• Fares start at €29 in 2nd class, €59 in 1st class or €74 in deluxe Business class if you pre-book.  A reserved seat is optional and costs an extra €3-€4 - in business class seat reservation is compulsory but included in the fare.

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

  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.

• To book Business class tickets at bahn.de, book 1st class then use the Show seats seat selection feature to select a seat in the low-density Business class car, usually seats 13-55 in car 27 - although they don't label it as Business class so you have to engage brain!  It should then add the €15 Business class upgrade to the first class fare when you pay.  You can also buy from the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.

• Top tip:  Check Austrian Railways www.oebb.at as well, as although fares also start from €29 I've often seen significantly cheaper fares on oebb.at than bahn.de on the same date & train.  You also get a print-at-home ticket.

Option 2, Meridian+Westbahn, slower but more flexible / cheaper at short notice...

• The excellent fast Railjet trains take just 3h55 with fares from €29 if you book in advance.  But what if you have left it too late to get a cheap ticket?  Full-price on the day costs over €90.  No problem!  Simply use the hourly Meridian regional trains from Munich Hbf to Salzburg connecting with the hourly double-decker Westbahn trains from Salzburg to Vienna Westbahnhof.

• The journey is slower at 4h28 in total but the total cost is only around €35 (or €26 if you are aged over 60) any day, any train, even bought on the day - just hop on any train and pay the conductor on board, easy!  In Salzburg it's usually an easy same-platform or cross-platform interchange. 

• For details & timetable see www.westbahn.at.

 

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Munich to Innsbruck from €19...

Option 1, the fast mainline route in 1h44 from €19 booked in advance or €42 bought on the day...

• Every couple of hours, comfortable EuroCity trains link Munich with Innsbruck in just 1h44 Most of these trains have a restaurant car and are on their way to Italy.  This is the fast comfortable option via Kufstein, and it's scenic enough. 

• Fares start at just €19 in 2nd class or €29 in 1st class if booked in advance, or around €42 full-flex in 2nd class bought on the day.

• You can check times and buy tickets at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

Option 2, the slower but much more scenic route in 2h51 for €35.50 bought on the day, no prior reservation necessary...

• If you feel like something different there's another slower but very scenic route using regional trains every hour or two.  Several services per day are now direct with 0 changes, others involve one simple change at either Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Mittenwald or Seefeld in Tirol.

• The fare is a fixed-price €35.50 in 2nd class or €58.30 in 1st class, unlimited availability, it cannot sell out.

• You can check train times & buy tickets for this route using www.bahn.de if you click Add intermediate stops and put Mittenwald in the via box, or simply use this link to Bahn.de which I've set up for you.  You print your own ticket.  No reservation or advance-purchase is necessary, so alternatively you can buy tickets at the station if you like, for the same price.

• You might like to read up on the Mittenwald Railway here:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mittenwald_Railway.  Going south, you'll find the best views on the right hand side of the train.

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Busse? Nein Danke! Train tickets from €15 www.cd.cz/eshop...

Munich to Prague from €15 - or €35 in 1st class!

• See the Munich to Prague by train page for details of the four daily direct trains from Munich to Prague.

• Buy Munich-Prague train tickets from €15 (around 386 Czech Koruna) in either direction at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz/eshop, clicking 'en' for English top right.  You print out your own ticket.  Or go 1st class from just €35....

• Do not use the German Railways website www.bahn.de on this route, as it cannot sell the cheap €19 fares for these trains, only the expensive full-price fares, and it tries to put you on the DB-run motorway railway-replacement bus, which of course you don't want, you want a train.

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Munich to Český Krumlov for €32 round trip...

• Munich to Český Krumlov is a long old trip on rambling Czech local trains taking around 9h54, but you can buy a very cheap train ticket from just €25 (around 640 Czech Koruna) online at the Czech railways website www.cd.cz/eshop.  You print your own ticket.  Bring some beer and a good book and enjoy the ride!

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Munich to Bratislava from €39...

• This is easy once you know you have to split the booking!  First, go to www.bahn.de and book a smart Austrian Railjet train from Munich to Vienna Hbf in just 3h56 from €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.

• Now buy a €15 ticket from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava at the station in Vienna, no reservation necessary or even possible, and simply hop on the next hourly train to Bratislava Hlavna, journey time 1h06.  You can check Vienna-Bratislava train times at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.

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Munich to Budapest from €39...

Option 1, by daytime RailJet train: 

• Smart Austrian Railjet trains leave Munich Hbf for Budapest Keleti at 07:25, 09:30, 11:30 & 13:30 taking just 6h50 centre to centre.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class, €69 in 1st class or €84 in deluxe Business Class if you pre-book.  A reserved seat is optional and costs an extra €3-€4 (in Business class it's compulsory and included in the fare).

  The trains have a bistro-restaurant car, and in 1st & Business class orders are taken and food served at your seat, so treat yourself to lunch or dinner.  There's free WiFi and power sockets at all seats.  Look out for a great view of Salzburg citadel on the right as the train crosses the Rover Salzach approaching Salzburg station.  See more information about Railjet trains.

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

• To book Business class tickets at bahn.de, book 1st class and use the Show seats seat selection feature to select a seat in the low-density Business class car, usually seats 13-55 in car 27 - although they don't label it as Business class so you have to engage brain!  It should add the €15 Business class upgrade to the first class fare when you pay.  You can also book at Austrian Railways www.oebb.at.

Option 2, using the Munich-Budapest sleeper train Kalman Imre: 

• The excellent sleeper train Kalman Imre leaves Munich Hbf at 23:35 and arrives at Budapest Keleti at 09:24.

  It has a comfortable air-conditioned Hungarian couchette car & sleeping-car, see the Hungarian sleeping-car video.  The sleeper fare includes morning tea or coffee.

• Fares start at €49 in a 6-berth couchette, €59 in a 4-berth couchette, €79 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €139 in a single-bed sleeper.

• Buy tickets online at www.bahn.de, in the search results just look for the option with 0 changes marked 'EN'.  You now just print your own ticket.

• Tip:  For a Bavarian dinner & beer or two before boarding, try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf.

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Munich to Sighisoara, Brasov & Bucharest from €78...

Option 1, by Railjet to Budapest and daily sleeper train Ister to Brasov & Bucharest...  Easily booked online with cheap advance-purchase fares.

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Budapest by smart Austrian Railjet train, leaving Munich Hbf at 09:30 and arriving Budapest Keleti at 16:19.  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class.  To check train times & fares and buy tickets online use www.bahn.de

• Step 2, take the EuroNight sleeper train Ister leaving Budapest Keleti at 19:10 and arriving Sighisoara at 06:56, Brasov at 09:32 & Bucharest Nord at 12:10 next day.  This comfortable train has a restaurant car, 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.  Fares start at €39 with a couchette or €59 with a bed in a sleeper.

• To book the Budapest to Bucharest train, use the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, clicking 'EN' for English top left.  You collect your tickets from the yellow self-service ticket machines at Budapest Keleti station.

Option 2, by Railjet to Vienna and daily sleeper train Dacia Express to Brasov & Bucharest.

• Take the 13:30 Railjet train from Munich arriving at Vienna Hbf at 17:30, from €29 booked at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

• A direct train called the Dacia Express leaves Vienna Hbf every day at 19:39 and arriving in Brasov around 13:16 and Bucharest around 16:00.  It has comfortable Romanian sleeping-cars and couchettes.  There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest, a real treat...

• You can book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at - although cheap advance-purchase fares may or may not show up, as the test bookings I've done recently only show €100+ undiscounted full-price.  You could try and contact ÖBB telesales by phone or email via their website to see if there's a cheap fare available if none show up online.  Option 1 above is usually cheaper.

Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Budapest...

• Day 1, take any Railjet train you like from Munich to Budapest Keleti in 6h46 from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class, booked at www.bahn.de.

• 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

• Day 2, take a comfortable air-conditioned Intercity train from Budapest Keleti to Cluj, Timisoara, Sibiu, Sinaia, Brasov or Bucharest, check times & buy tickets from €29 at Hungarian Railways www.mavcsoport.hu, see advice on using mavcsoport.hu & how you collect tickets.  It's an all-day daytime run right across Transylvania, see the Trains from Budapest page for full details.

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Munich to Warsaw & Krakow from €39...

Option 1, by daytime trains... 

• You can travel from Munich to Warsaw in a single day from just €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class using a superb high-speed ICE train from Munich to Berlin then the excellent Berlin-Warszawa Express EuroCity train from Berlin to Warsaw.  Total journey is around 11h50, a long day but take a good book, a bottle of wine and put your  feet up.

• You can buy a ticket from Munich to Warsaw as a single transaction at the German railways website www.bahn.de with departure time set to 07:00 or 10:00. 

  Tip:  Although you're covered for a missed connection with a through ticket, I recommend using the 'adjust transfer time' feature of bahn.de to allow at least a 45 minute connection in Berlin rather than the minimum default connectional time, to ensure a robust connection even if there's a delay.

Option 2, using the Vienna-Krakow & Vienna-Warsaw sleeper train...

• This is a more time-effective option, involving a comfortable afternoon Railjet train from Munich to Vienna, then the direct overnight sleeper train leaving Vienna Hbf at 22:50 for Krakow (07:08) and Warsaw Centralna (07:05).

• To book this, first, go to the Austrian railways website www.oebb.at and book the direct sleeper train from Vienna to either Krakow or Warsaw.   Fares from €39 with a couchette, from €79 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper, and you print out your own ticket.

  I recommend booking a bed in a 1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper on this route, the Vienna-Krakow sleeping-car looks like this:  www.vagonweb.cz/fotogalerie/PL/PKP_WLABouz.php.  The Vienna-Warsaw sleeping-car is modern & air-conditioned, featuring a couple of deluxe compartments with shower & toilet as well as regular sleeper compartments with washbasin.

• Now simply add a connection from Munich to Vienna from €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.  I'd allow at least an hour between trains in Vienna.  Easy when you know how!

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Munich to Ljubljana & Zagreb from €39...

Option 1, by daytime trains, the wonderful scenic option... 

• Use the German railways website www.bahn.de to buy tickets for the two or three daily EuroCity trains from Munich to Lesce-Bled for Lake Bled, Ljubljana and Zagreb from just €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class. 

  There's a train from Munich Hbf to Lesce-Bled, Ljubljana & Zagreb at 08:18 (with an easy cross-platform 10-minute change at Villach) and another train at 12:18 which is direct.  There's a third departure to Lesce-Bled & Ljubljana leaving Munich at 14:18.

  The journey is wonderful, a chance to relax as you cross through the mountains of Austria, then between Ljubljana and Zagreb the train wends its way through the hills along the lovely River Sava.  Highly recommended!

• Warning, avoid the bus!  When booking at bahn.de, avoid departures marked 'BUS' as these are long-distance buses which German Railways (DB) has unfortunately started running in competition with its own partners' trains.  Make sure the departure you choose is a train, marked 'EC' (= EuroCity).  In the link above I have added 'Kranj' to the 'via' box which eliminates these buses from the search results.

• Booking tip:  If you don't see any cheap fares from Munich to Zagreb using bahn.de (for example, if it says No special fares available), try going to the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at and booking from Salzburg to Zagreb on the same train (it will leave Salzburg about 1h55 after leaving Munich), then using www.oebb.at again to add a ticket from Munich to Salzburg on the same train.

Option 2, by direct Munich-Zagreb sleeper train, the time-effective option...

• An excellent Croatian sleeper train called the Lisinski leaves Munich at 23:35 and arrives in Zagreb at 08:36.  It has a smart air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car with 1, 2 and 3 bed compartments, and an air-conditioned Croatian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, see the Croatian sleeper video here.

• Fares start at €49 with couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €59 with a couchette in a 4-berth compartment, €79 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper, €129 with a bed in a single-bed sleeper.

• How to buy tickets:  You can now book a couchette or sleeper on this train at the German Railways website www.bahn.de (tickets sent to any address worldwide) or using the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at, which allows you to print your own ticket.

  If neither site works for you, you'll need to book by phone.  If you live in the UK call German Railways UK number, 08718 80 80 66.

• Tip:  For a Bavarian dinner & a beer or two before boarding the sleeper, try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf.

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Munich to Belgrade & Sofia...

Option 1, via Zagreb.  This is is the fastest option, although the Zagreb-Belgrade sector cannot be booked online...

• Step 1, take the excellent overnight Croatian sleeper train leaving Munich Hbf at 23:35 and arriving Zagreb at 08:36.

  It has a smart air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments, and an air-conditioned Croatian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, see the photos & sleeper video here.

  Fares start at €49 with couchette, €79 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129 in a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.

  You can now book this at the German Railways website www.bahn.de with tickets sent to any address worldwide (they take a week or two to turn up) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at which allows you to print your own ticket.

• Step 2, take the comfortable air-conditioned train leaving Zagreb around 11:07 and arriving Belgrade main station at 17:37.  Fare around £40 bought at www.raileurope.co.uk (UK residents only) or around €30 if bought at the station.  It cannot be booked online from the operators.

• Step 3, if you're heading to Sofia, spend the night in Belgrade - I recommend the historic Hotel Moskva 10-15 minutes walk from the station - and take the daytime train called the Balkan to Sofia next day, leaving Belgrade station at 09:25 and arriving Sofia Central Station at 20:10.  Buy this ticket at the station for around €22, there are always places available, even on the day.  It cannot be booked online, and there's no need.  2nd class seats only.  There's no catering car so bring your own picnic and wine or beer.  Important, please click here to check for updates about this Belgrade-Sofia train.

Option 2, via Budapest.  This is the cheapest option and it can all be booked online, though it takes slightly longer...

• Step 1, take the excellent Hungarian sleeper train Kalman Imre leaving Munich at 23:35 and arriving at Budapest Keleti around 09:24.  You'll find photos showing what the Kalman Imre's Hungarian couchettes and sleeping-cars are like on the London to Budapest page, also watch the Hungarian sleeping-car video here.  Spend a morning exploring Budapest.

  Munich to Budapest starts at €49 with a couchette in 6-berth, €59 with a couchette in 4-berth, €79 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €139 in a single bed sleeper. 

  You can book this train online at www.bahn.de, in the search results just look for the option with 0 changes marked 'EN'.  Tickets are sent to any address worldwide, but you need to allow a week or two for the tickets to arrive.

• Step 2, take the Budapest to Belgrade EuroCity train Avala, leaving Budapest Keleti at 12:05 and arriving Belgrade station at 20:15.  This train has a Hungarian restaurant car, or take your own picnic and beer.

• The fare from Budapest to Belgrade is just €15 if you book at the Hungarian railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, clicking 'EN' for English top left.  This is a permanently-available special offer.  You collect your tickets from the yellow internet ticket machines at Budapest Keleti station.  There is no equivalent 1st class offer, so just stick with 2nd class on this train, all 1st class gets you is 2" more legroom in any case.  2nd class is absolutely fine.

• Step 3, if you're heading to Sofia, spend the night in Belgrade - I recommend the historic Hotel Moskva, 10-15 minutes walk from the station - and take the daytime train called the Balkan to Sofia next day, leaving Belgrade station at 09:25 and arriving Sofia Central Station at 20:10.  Buy this ticket at Belgrade station for around €22, there are always places available, even on the day.  It cannot be booked online, and there's no need.  2nd class seats only.  There's no catering car so bring your own picnic and wine or beer.  Important, please click here to check for updates about this Belgrade-Sofia train.

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Munich to Moscow & Russia...

Option 1, via Vienna.  Runs 3 times a week.

• Step 1, take a late morning Railjet train from Munich Hbf to Vienna Hbf from €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class booked at www.bahn.de.

• Step 2, take a direct Russian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin from Vienna to Moscow, leaving Vienna Hbf at 18:09 on Wed, Thur & Sat, arriving Moscow Byelorusski at around 23:00 next day.  This can be booked at the Russian Railways website www.rzd.ru, see my advice for using it or if you have any problems use the Real Russia train booking system here.

• For St Petersburg, change in Moscow and take either a Sapsan daytime train in 3h50 or an overnight train, see the train travel in Russia page.

Option 2, via Warsaw -3 times per week, reduced from daily in June 2017.

• Travel from Munich to Warsaw on day 1, and stay overnight.  Spend the next day exploring Warsaw.

• Travel from Warsaw to Moscow on the sleeper train Polonez leaving Warsaw Centralna at 15:50 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays and arriving Moscow Belorussky station next day at 11:45 (late March to late October) or 12:45 (late October to late March).

  The Polonez uses Russian air-conditioned sleeping-cars, pictured below, with compartments which can be used as 1st class 2-berth or 2nd class 4-berth, there are a shower & toilets at the end of the corridor.  See panorama photo inside one of the new Russian sleepers..  This train passes through Belarus, so you'll need a Belarus transit visa.  Fare around €111 in a 2-berth sleeper.  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 try booking the Polonez online at www.voyages-sncf.com, this may or may not work for this train, it has in the past.  Alternatively, anyone can contact highly-recommended Polish train ticketing agency www.polrail.com (their booking system is at http://booking.polrail.com), who can arrange train tickets for international trains starting in Poland with tickets collected in Warsaw or (at extra charge) shipped to any address worldwide.

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Munich to Kiev & Ukraine...

Option 1, via Prague - the cheapest option, all bookable online...

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Prague by comfortable EuroCity train Karel Capek with bistro car, leaving Munich Hbf at 12:44 arriving Prague Hlavni at 18:41.  You've time for dinner and an evening wander around Prague.  By all means take an earlier train and have more time there.

  Book this from €15 in 2nd class or €35 in 1st class at www.cd.cz/eshop and print your own ticket.  See photos & video guide to the Munich-Prague train ride here.

• Step 2, travel from Prague to Kiev by direct Ukrainian sleeping-car. leaving Prague Hlavni at 23:09 every day, arriving Lviv at 22:24 next day and Kiev at 07:43 the day after that (in other words, 2 nights from Prague).

  The sleeper has cosy 3-bed compartments with washbasin which can be used as 2-berth (1st class) or 3-berth (2nd class), see the photos below.  This is an epic and adventurous journey across eastern Europe - the sleeping-car is jacked up at the border to have its bogies changed from standard gauge (4' 8.5") to Russian 5' gauge.

  A bed in a 3-bed sleeper from Prague to Kiev costs from €65 (around 1689 CZK) if you book in advance online.  Prague to Lviv costs from €51 (around 1340 CZK) including a bed in a 3-bed sleeper if you book in advance online.

  You can now usually book this sleeper online at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz - select English then eshop and book from Prague to Lviv or Kiev.  You print your own ticket.

  The Czech Railways website only sells 2nd class tickets for 3-bed sleepers, it can't currently sell 1st class tickets for beds in a 2-bed sleeper, but you can book 3 x 2nd class 3-berth tickets and have a whole compartment for single or dual occupancy.  Also note that it only sells cheap First Minute advance-purchase fares, it cannot sell regular full-price fares, so if the advance-purchase ticket have sold out you'll have to either book at the station at full price (places usually available) or via local Czech travel agency http://czech-transport.com at full price with a fee added - Lviv & Kiev are now listed on their online ordering system, so you can order from them online and deliver to your hotel.  Feedback would be appreciated.

  Tips:  The sleeping-car to Kiev leaves Prague attached to a sleeper train to Humenné in Slovakia, so look for the destination Humenné on the departure boards at Prague Hlavni.  Take your own picnic and bottle of wine or beer as there may not be a catering car.

Option 2, via Warsaw, potentially a faster option...

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Warsaw as shown above, either by daytime trains and staying overnight or by Railjet and sleeper train.  Either way, you then have a day to explore Warsaw.

• Step 2, an overnight train called the Kiev Express leaves Warsaw Centralna at 16:50 and arrives in Kiev at 09:22 next day.  This train has comfortable Ukrainian 1, 2 & 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. 

• To book onward trains from Kiev to Odessa & other places in Ukraine, see the Ukraine page.

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Munich to Copenhagen...

Option 1, by daytime trains...

• You can travel from Munich to Copenhagen by train in a single day from as little as €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class using superb German ICE trains with 1 easy change in Hamburg. 

• Book from Munich to Copenhagen as one transaction at www.bahn.de, with departure time set to 06:00 - you'll see several departures between 06:30 and 11:00.  However, it's not a bad idea to use the 'adjust transfer time' feature of bahn.de to allow at least a 45 minute connection in Hamburg rather than the minimum default connectional time, just in case of a delay.  Total journey around 11h20, so a long day, but take a bottle of wine and a good book and put your feet up.

• The Hamburg-Copenhagen trains get shunted onto a train ferry for a 50-minute crossing from Puttgarten to Rødby, one of the few places in the world that trains go onto ferries and a fascinating experience in its own right.  You need to leave the train and go up into the ferry's passenger accommodation (and perhaps get some sea air on deck) while the ferry is at sea, returning to the train before it's shunted off the ferry at the other end.  You can leave your luggage on the train.

Option 2, by sleeper train via Hamburg...

• Step 1, take the overnight Nightjet sleeper train from Munich to Hamburg leaving at 22:52 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 08:36.

  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.

• Step 2, take the 09:28 ICE-TD train from Hamburg to Copenhagen arriving around 14:22.  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.

  The Hamburg-Copenhagen trains get shunted onto a train ferry for a 50-minute crossing from Puttgarten to Rødby, a fascinating experience in its own right.  You need to leave the train and go up into the ferry's passenger accommodation (and perhaps get some sea air on deck) while the ferry is at sea, returning to the train before it's shunted off the ferry at the other end.  You can leave your luggage on the train.

• You can book this as one transaction at www.bahn.de, simply run an enquiry from Munich to Copenhagen with departure time set to 22:00, and look for the option with 1 change marked 'EN, ICE' in the search results.  You print your own ticket.  If you have any problems, book each train separately.

ICE 2nd class.  All seats in both classes have power sockets for laptops & mobiles...		ICE 1st class, with real leather seats.  Staff provide at-seat service of drinks & food.		A Hamburg-Copenhagen ICE on board the Puttgarden-Rødby ferry.  More info on ICE.

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Munich to Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö or Oslo...

Option 1, by Munich-Hamburg sleeper train...

• Take the overnight Nightjet sleeper train from Munich to Hamburg leaving at 22:52 and arriving 08:36, then the comfortable 09:28 ICE train from Hamburg to Copenhagen arriving at 14:22, then an onward X2000 train to Stockholm or Öresund Link train from Copenhagen to Malmö or Gothenburg.

• Fares for the sleeper 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.  Hamburg to Sweden starts at €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class.

• You can book this as one transaction at www.bahn.de, simply run an enquiry from Munich to Stockholm, Malmö or Goteborg Central with departure time set to 22:00, and look for the option with 2 change marked 'EN, ICE, X2' or 'EN, ICE, R' in the search results.  If you have any problems, split the booking into Munich-Hamburg and Hamburg-Sweden.

Option 2, by daytime trains with an overnight stop in Hamburg:  Munich to Stockholm, Malmö or Gothenburg from just €39...

• Day 1, travel from Munich to Hamburg by luxurious direct ICE train in as little as 5h49.  There are regular departures right up until early evening.

• Stay overnight in Hamburg.  Suggested hotels in Hamburg next to the Hauptbahnhof with good reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski.

• Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen on either the 07:25 EuroCity train (mid-March to late October only) arriving Copenhagen 12:22 or the 09:28 ICE-TD train (all-year) arriving Copenhagen 14:22. 

  The Hamburg to Copenhagen trains go onto a ferry between Puttgarten & Rødby, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ferries.  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.

• For Stockholm, now take a 125mph X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm.  If you left Hamburg at 07:25 you'd arrive Stockholm at 17:39, if you left Hamburg at 09:28 you'd arrive Stockholm at 19:39.

• For Malmö or Gothenburg, Öresund Link trains run hourly from Copenhagen to Gothenburg in 3h48 and every half hour or better from Copenhagen to Malmö in 34 minutes.

• For Oslo & Norway, travel as far as Copenhagen, then take the overnight cruise ferry with bars, restaurants and en suite cabins to Oslo, she sails from Copenhagen daily around 16:30, arriving in Oslo around 09:45, see www.dfds.co.uk for times, prices & online tickets.

• How to check times, prices & buy tickets...

  If you want to keep things simple, you can book the straightforward way.  Go to www.bahn.de and book from Munich to Hamburg on day 1.  Then use www.bahn.de again to book from Hamburg to Malmö, Gothenburg or Stockholm on day 2.

  However, this means buying two separate sparpreis tickets and it is usually cheaper to buy just one sparpreis ticket from Munich to Stockholm, Malmö or Gothenburg from €39, which you can easily do if you pre-programme the overnight stop in Hamburg like this:

  Go to www.bahn.de and enter Munich to Stockholm (or Malmo or Goteborg Central).  Select a mid-afternoon departure time, click Add intermediate stops, enter Hamburg in the via box and a time of say 12:00 in the hh:mm stopover box.  This will give you a 12-hour stopover in Hamburg.  Click here for a link to bahn.de which I've set up for you.  Adjust the overnight stopover time as necessary to get the trains you want. 

  If you're going to Norway, add a connecting Gothenburg to Oslo S ticket using either www.nsb.no or www.sj.se.

Option 3, by daytime trains with an overnight stop in Copenhagen:  Munich to Stockholm, Malmö or Gothenburg from €39...

• Day 1, travel from Munich to Copenhagen by luxurious ICE & EuroCity train with one easy change in Hamburg.

  You'll usually find departures from Munich at 06:17 arriving Copenhagen at 18:22, at 09:05 arriving Copenhagen at 20:22, or at 10:48 arriving Copenhagen at 22:22.  Take a bottle of wine and a good book and put your feet up!

  The Hamburg to Copenhagen trains go onto a ferry between Puttgarten & Rødby, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  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 can leave you luggage on the train.

• Stay overnight in Copenhagen...  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).

• Day 2, if travelling to Stockholm:  Travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by 125mph X2000 train in around 5h11, there are regular departures.  For example there's usually one around 08:24 arriving Stockholm Central 13:39, or have a leisurely breakfast and take the 11:24 arriving 16:39.

• Day 2, if travelling to Gothenburg or Oslo:  Travel from Copenhagen to Gothenburg (= Goteborg Central) on any of the hourly Öresund trains, journey time 3h48.  For Oslo, take the 08:32, change at Gothenburg and arrive Oslo Sentral (= Oslo S) at 16:52.

• How much does it cost?  You can buy German Railways' sparpreis tickets from Munich to Malmö, Gothenburg or Stockholm for as little as €39.  The fare varies, so book early for the best prices.

• How to check times & buy tickets...

  If travelling to Stockholm or Gothenburg, go to www.bahn.de and book from Munich to Stockholm or Goteborg Central with a morning departure selected, but to see these cheap fares you must click Add intermediate stops, enter Copenhagen in the via box and a time of (say) 12:00 in the hh:mm stopover box.  This will give you a 12-hour stopover in Copenhagen.  Click here for a link to bahn.de which I've set up for you.  Adjust the overnight stopover time as necessary to get the trains you want.

  If travelling to Oslo, go to www.bahn.de and book from Munich to Gothenburg with a morning departure selected, but to see the cheap fares you must click Add intermediate stops enter Copenhagen in the via box and a time of say 12:00 in the hh:mm stopover box.  Click here for a link to bahn.de which I've set up for you.  Adjust the overnight stopover time as necessary to get the trains you want.  Now add a connecting Gothenburg to Oslo S ticket using either www.nsb.no or www.sj.se.

A Danish IC3 train at Copenhagen station...  Most Hamburg-Copenhagen trains are now EuroCity trains worked by Danish IC3 units like the one above, although the 09:28 from Hamburg and the 17:37 from Copenhagen are worked by Danish-owned ICE-TD trains like the one shown below.

ICE 2nd class.  All seats in both classes have power sockets for laptops & mobiles...		ICE 1st class, with real leather seats.  Staff provide at-seat service of drinks & food.		A Hamburg-Copenhagen ICE on board the Puttgarden-Rødby ferry.  More info on ICE.

A 125 mph X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm.		2nd class seating on the X2000.  All seats have power sockets for laptops & mobiles...		Self-service buffet car on the X2000 to Stockholm. More info on X2000 trains

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Munich to Oslo & Norway...

Option 1, via Hamburg & Copenhagen - by train all the way...

• See above.

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

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Kiel on any suitable train from €29.

  Check times & buy tickets at the German Railways site www.bahn.de. 

• Stay overnight in Kiel.

• Step 2, sail from Kiel to Oslo by luxurious overnight Color Line ferry, check times & buy tickets 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....

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Munich to Helsinki & Finland...

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

• Then use www.bahn.de to find connecting trains from Munich to Travemünde.

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Munich to Athens, Corfu & Greece...

Option 1, Munich 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 from Munich to Athens will take around 2 nights & 3 days, depending how the connections work out on your particular date.

• Day 1, travel from Munich Hbf to Verona Porta Nuova from €39 through the scenic Brenner Pass with a restaurant car for lunch & dinner. There are various departures, journey time 5h18, you can leave in the afternoon.

  Check times, prices & buy online with German Railways at www.bahn.de.

• 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, sun decks, lunges, reclining seats and cabins, some with en suite shower & toilet.  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 pretty hard 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...

At sea, passing Cephalonia & Ithaca.  This is what travel to Greece should be like!

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

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

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

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Munich to Istanbul & Turkey...

• You can pick up the London-Istanbul route suggested on the London to Turkey page in Munich.

• See the London to Turkey page for details of how to book as far as Bucharest online.  The last leg needs to be booked by phone at when you get to Bucharest.

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Find hotels in Munich & other cities

		◄◄ Hotel search & price comparison.
		www.hotelscombined.com checks all the main hotel booking sites at once to find the widest choice of hotels & the cheapest seller.  It has been named as the World's Leading Hotel Comparison Site in the World Travel Awards and I highly recommend it, both to find hotels in even the smallest places and to check that another retailer isn't selling the same hotel at a cheaper rate. ►► My recommended 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 great 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.

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