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This page explains how to travel by train from Munich to other European cities and how to buy tickets the cheapest way.  Train information is current for 2018.

Tip:  With a 1st class ticket you can use the DB 1st class lounge.

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 tips for buying European train tickets.  They answer all the usual questions, "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 buy a €35 point-to-point ticket online?".  Click here to understand how far ahead you can buy train tickets.

European train travel FAQ...

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Munich to Berlin from €29.90...

• There really is no excuse for flying this route!  From 10 December 2017 when a new section of high-speed line opens, Munich Hbf to Berlin Hbf takes as little as 3h58, city centre to city centre by luxurious ICE train with zero check-in to add.  From city to city it's as fast as flying but less hassle, more comfortable and more civilised.  The ICE train have power sockets at all seats, a bistro-restaurant car and some have WiFi.
• Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class if you pre-book.  The flexpreis is around €130 if you buy on the day, 2nd class.
• Buy tickets at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket or simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.  Booking now opens up to 180 days ahead, though much less when the mid-June or mid-December timetable change is in the offing.

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Munich to Frankfurt, Cologne, 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, if you do that you'll pay the highest-priced full-flex flexpreis.  If you pre-book there are much cheaper sparpreis fares for €19.90, €29.90, €39.90 etc. for long-distance journeys, so buy in advance if you want to save money.  Booking now opens up to 180 days ahead, though much less when the mid-June or mid-December timetable change is in the offing.

• 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 print your own ticket or simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.  Alternatively, 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 €59.90...

• 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 €59.90 in 2nd class or €109.90 in 1st class, 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 €39.90, then Brussels to London at www.eurostar.com from £44, making remembering to allow for the 30 minute Eurostar check-in at Brussels.

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Munich to Paris from €39...

• By direct TGV every morning...

  An excellent direct TGV Duplex links Munich Hbf 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.

• Other services through the day... 

  Many other departures are possible with 1 easy change in Stuttgart or Mannheim, check online at www.bahn.de.  For example...

  Munich Hbf depart 08:28, change at Stuttgart, Paris Gare de l'Est arrive 14:05.

  Munich Hbf depart 10:28, change at Mannheim, Paris Gare de l'Est arrive 16:51.

  Munich Hbf depart 12:28, change at Stuttgart, Paris Gare de l'Est arrive 18:05.

  Munich Hbf depart 14:28, change at Mannheim, Paris Gare de l'Est arrive 20:05.

  Munich Hbf depart 16:28, change at Stuttgart, Paris Gare de l'Est arrive 22:05.

  All these departures use either an superb ICE with bistro-restaurant car or impressive TGV Duplex with cafe-bar from Germany to Paris.  All trains are air-conditioned and all seats have power sockets.

• Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class.  Prices are dynamic, so book ahead for the cheapest fares.

• Simply check times and buy tickets at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print your own ticket or simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.  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 Centrale 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 Ville at 15:57.  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 €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 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 onto an air-conditioned Thello train arriving Monte Carlo late afternoon and Nice Ville at 15:57.  Book this from €24.90 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 €39.90...

Option 1, by daytime trains... 

• Take a luxurious ICE train from Munich to Cologne and either another ICE or a Thalys high-speed train to Brussels.  For example:

  Leave Munich Hbf at 06:48, change at Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi at 13:35.

  Leave Munich Hbf at 10:54, change at Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi at 17:35.

  Leave Munich Hbf at 14:50, change at Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi at 21:35.

  But times vary, so go online and see.

• Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares are dynamic, so book ahead for the best prices.

• You can buy tickets for both the ICE+ICE and the ICE+Thalys options at the Belgian Railways site www.b-europe.com, which can book you through from Munich to Bruges or anywhere 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 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.  You print your own ticket or can simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

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 Hbf at 09:43 and arriving Brussels Midi at 11:35, fares from €19.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class.  Book Munich-Brussels using www.bahn.de looking for the option marked NJ, ICE.  If you have any problems, book each train separately.  You can also book the Munich-Cologne sleeper at www.trainline.eu which links to the Austrian rather than German system so can be cheaper.  In all cases, you print your own tickets.

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Munich to Amsterdam from €39.90...

Option 1, by daytime trains...

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

  Leave Munich Hbf at 06:17, change at Hannover, arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 15:01.

  Leave Munich Hbf at 07:54, change at Düsseldorf, arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 15:28.

  Leave Munich Hbf at 09:51, change at Düsseldorf, arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 17:28.

  Leave Munich Hbf at 12:20, change at Düsseldorf, arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 20:26.

  Leave Munich Hbf at 15:54, change at Düsseldorf, arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 23:26.

  But times vary, so go online and see.

• Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares are dynamic, so book ahead for the best prices.

• Buy tickets at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print your own ticket or simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.  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 €39.90...

• You can travel from Munich to Luxembourg by train in a single day from just €39.90, 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 €39.90...

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

  Departures from Munich Hbf are usually at 07:14, 12:34, 16:33 & 18:33.

• Check times & buy tickets from Munich to any Swiss town or city at www.bahn.de from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  You print your own ticket or simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

  You can book tickets from Munich to Geneva, Luzern, Bern, Interlaken, Zermatt, St Moritz or almost any station in Switzerland this way, at one inclusive cheap price if you pre-book, a lot cheaper than buying a separate onward ticket from Zurich at expensive Swiss domestic prices. 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.  The EuroCity trains appear as EC in the search results.

• Tip 2:  All of the Munich-Zurich EuroCity (EC) trains currently include a 1st class panorama car, as well as a regular open-plan 1st class car, see the photos below which show both types.  The panorama car is great, with raised floor/seats and massive wrap-around windows.  It can be used by any 1st class passenger, just find any empty unreserved seats.  Unfortunately, there's no way to get www.bahn.de to give you reserved seats in the panorama car, it normally just reserves seats in the regular car.  If in the UK, buying tickets by phone on DB's UK phone line 08718 80 80 66 might work, or just reserve seats as a back-up, then board early and nab empty unreserved seats in the panorama car.

• Tip 3:  If you're interested, you can look up the formation of these trains at www.vagonweb.cz to see car numbers, seating plans & more photos.  Simply switch it to English, click Composition, then click EC against Germany and look up your specific train.

• Tip 4:  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 5:  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 €39.90...

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

• Every couple of hours, a comfortable EuroCity train run by German & Austrian Railways links Munich and 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.  More photos & information about these EuroCity trains.

  Departures from Munich Hbf to Verona Porta Nuova are at 07:34, 09:34, 11:34, 13:34 & 15:34, journey time 5h24.

  The 07:34 from Munich runs beyond Verona to Bologna Centrale on weekdays, to Venice Santa Lucia on weekends.

  The 09:34 from Munich runs beyond Verona to Bologna Centrale every day.

  The 11:34 from Munich runs beyond Verona to Venice every day, arriving Venice Santa Lucia in central Venice at 18:10.

  Change at Verona Porta Nuova (or on the 09:34, at Bologna) for Florence SMN, Rome Termini and Naples Centrale.

• Fares from Munich to Verona or (on the direct trains) Bologna or Venice start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

• To buy tickets from Munich to anywhere in Italy as one seamless transaction, use www.loco2.com as follows:  Enter Munich to any destination you like in Italy.  Click More options, enter Verona (any station) (or if taking the 09:34 from Munich and heading for Florence, Rome Naples, enter Bologna) and set stopover duration to 45 minutes.  Then run the enquiry.  Loco2 can be used by anyone from any country, all international cards accepted, no booking fee, you can pay in £ or € and you print your own tickets or show them on your smartphone screen. 

• Alternatively, you can buy tickets in two stages as follows:

  Step 1, buy tickets for these direct trains at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print your own ticket or simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.  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, Naples 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). 

• 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.  See the Nightjet information page.

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

• Dinner before boarding your sleeper?  There's no restaurant car, so for a typically Bavarian dinner & beer or two before boarding, I recommend the www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of Munich Hbf.

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Munich to Barcelona & Spain from €79...

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

• Step 1, take a direct high-speed TGV Duplex leaving Munich Hbf at 06:23 weekdays or 06:28 weekends and arriving Paris Gare de l'Est around 12:05, from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class booked at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket or simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

• Cross Paris to the Gare de Lyon.  Have lunch in Paris, ideally 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 €39 in 2nd class or €59 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 $) or www.petrabax.com (in US$, 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.  There's an 08:30 AVE high-speed train from Barcelona Sants direct to Cordoba, Malaga & Seville.  In all cases, you print your own ticket.

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

• Step 1, travel from Munich Hbf to Zurich HB in an afternoon by EuroCity train & onward Swiss train to Geneva.  You can book from Munich to Geneva from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 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.  You print your own ticket or simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen

• 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 train.  Usually you'll find a TER regional train leaving Geneva at 11:22, change trains at Lyon Part Dieu (arrive 13:22, depart 14:24) onto a direct AVE-S100 high-speed train train arriving Barcelona Sants at 19:31.  Fares start at around €69 in 2nd class.

  Book this at www.loco2.com (can be used by anyone from any country, no booking fee, recommended), www.raileurope.com (US & Canadian residents), www.raileurope-world.com (residents of Australia, Canada, Asia, Africa, South America) or www.trainline.eu (anyone from any country, no booking fees, with seating options).  You usually print your own ticket.

• 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 Lisbon & Portugal...

• Travel from Munich to Paris Gare de l'Est by any suitable afternoon departure, from €39.90 booked at www.bahn.de.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the Gare du Nord & Gare Montparnasse.

• Travel from Paris Gare Montparnasse to Hendaye/Irun on the Spanish border by TGV then by Sud Express sleeper train to Lisbon as shown in the Paris to Lisbon section here.

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Munich to Salzburg from €19.90...

• Trains link Munich with Salzburg regularly, but there are two distinct types.  There are express trains marked RJ or EC, and there are slower more basic regional trains, marked RM for Meridian. 

• For Hallstatt, travel to Salzburg then to Attnang Puchheim then by local train to Hallstatt.  You can book from Munich to Hallstatt at www.bahn.de from €29.90, total journey time as little as 4h08.

Option 1, by express train in 1h30...

• The express trains are either smart Austrian railjet trains taking just 1h30 with restaurant car, WiFi & power sockets at all seats, or comfortable Austrian EuroCity (EC) trains with restaurant car.  These trains have dynamic pricing from €19.90 in advance (specified train only, no changes to travel plans, limited refunds) rising to €38 standard price bought on the day and valid on any train, reservation optional.

• Buy tickets & check train times at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket or simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

Option 2, by slower Meridian regional train in 1h51...

• The regional trains are called Meridian and they run every hour.  They're shown on www.bahn.de as M.  They take longer, almost 2 hours, but they're cheaper.  They have one fixed flexible price, around €32 one-way, valid on any train that day, no advance reservation is necessary or possible.  Turn up and go!  You print your own ticket or simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

• Bayern Ticket:  In practice, however, you'd only ever buy a €32 ticket for the Meridian trains if you needed to travel before 09:00 on weekdays, because at all other times it's cheaper to buy a Bayern Ticket which gives a day's unlimited travel on regional trains (including Meridians) 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 additional 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 and show it on your smartphone or laptop or you can buy at the station on the day.

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Munich to Vienna from €29.90...

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 €29.90 in 2nd class, €39.90 in 1st class or €54.90 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.  Youd print your own ticket or simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

  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 using www.trainline.eu.

• Top tip:  It's worth checking www.trainline.eu as well, as this links to the Austrian system.  Although fares also start from €29 I've often seen significantly cheaper fares on the Austrian system than bahn.de on the same date & train.

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

• The excellent fast railjet trains take just 3h55 with fares from €29.90 if you book in advance and commit to a specific train on a limited-refunds, no changes to travel plans basis.  But what if you don't want to commit to a specific departure way in advance?  What if you have left it too late to get a cheap ticket?  Full-price on the day costs around €100.  Ouch!

• The solution?  Simply use the hourly Meridian regional trains from Munich Hbf to Salzburg with a Bayern Ticket (not valid before 09:00 on weekdays) for €25 for the first passengers + €6 for each additional passenger, connecting with the twice-an-hour double-decker Westbahn trains from Salzburg to Vienna Westbahnhof (hourly) or Vienna Hbf (hourly) for €27.50 or so per person.

• The journey is slower at 4h28 overall but the cost is only around €52 in total any day, any train, even bought on the day.  Worth knowing about if you need to stay flexible but affordable!

• You can check Westbahn prices & times at www.trainline.eu or www.westbahn.at, Meridian times & prices at www.bahn.de.  The Meridians are the ones marked M in the search results.

• You can buy the Bayern Ticket at the station in Munich on the day or you can buy it online as shown here.  The Westbahn fare can be paid to the conductor on board the train, or you can save €1 by using a Westbahn ticket machine at Salzburg station or by buying online at www.trainline.eu.  All these tickets have unlimited availability at these prices - they cannot sell out!

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Munich to Innsbruck from €19.90...

Option 1, the fast mainline route in 1h44 from €19.90 booked in advance or €42.40 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 €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 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 or can simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

Option 2, the slower but much more scenic route in 2h51 for €36.60 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 €36.60 in 2nd class or €60.10 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...

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

• See the Munich to Prague by train page for details of the train service from Munich to Prague, now increased from 4 to 7 trains per day, now all air-conditioned with minibar & free WiFi in most cars.

• Buy Munich-Prague train tickets from €15 (around 386 Czech Koruna) in either direction at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz, for English change the Czech flag for the UK flag at 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 from €16.55...

Option 1, via Plzen.  Cheapest & easiest to book, but 2 hours slower than going via Linz.

• This is the cheapest route, although it's the slower one.  For example, at the time I write this, you could leave Munich Hbf at 08:43 and arrive Cesky Krumlov at 18:57 all for just €16.55, with time for a Pilsner beer at the station bar in Plzen and for a wander round Ceske Budejovice!  Earlier and later departures are also available.  The train from Munich to Plzen is a Munich-Prague Zapadni Express, see the photos & travel tips on the Prague-Munich page.  This train is air-conditioned with a refreshment trolley, power sockets and free WiFi.

• Step 1, go to the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz, switch it to English and set up an enquiry from Munich Hbf to Ceske Budejovice.

  Just for fun, first run the enquiry with no clever stuff like I'm about to tell you.  No green price buttons, right?

  Now the science bit:  Before running the enquiry, click More options then Travel via and enter Plzen Hl.n. as a via station.  I also recommend clicking Connection parameters then Transfers and reducing the maximum number of connections from 4 to 1.

  In the search results, you should now see various departures with 1 easy change at Plzen Hlavni (Hl.n. = Hlavni = main station).  Plzen - or Pilsen in English - is of course the city where Pilsner beer originates.

  Cheap First Minute fares from Munich to Ceske Budejovice start at just €15, or about 367 CZK, a bargain.  First Minute fares are limited-availability advance-purchase fares, they are only good for the specific train you book, limited or no refunds or changes to travel plans.  If you buy at the station on the day you pay significantly more for a full-flex ticket good for any train.

  Buy this and print out your ticket.  You're now booked all the way from Munich to Ceske Budejovice on one ticket for one inclusive price.  You now just need to add the local train from Cesky Krumlov to Ceske Budejovice...

• Step 2, now check train times from Ceske Budejovice to Cesky Krumlov at jizdnirady.idnes.cz/vlaky/spojeni.  10 minutes is plenty to change trains, if you miss it you can always have a coffee and catch the next one.  The little green-&-orange GWTR local trains run every hour or so, journey time 44 minutes.  It has luggage space, a toilet, power sockets and free WiFi, it's a leisurely journey on a winding single track branch line past farmland & forest.

• See more useful information about visiting Cesky Krumlov including photos & info on taxis from the station to Cesky Krumlov old town.

Option 2, via Linz.  Significantly faster, but more expensive and must be booked in 3 stages rather than 2.

• This is the fastest and most direct route, with the swisher trains.  For example, at the time I write this, you can leave Munich Hbf at 09:30 and arrive Cesky Krumlov at 16:57, all from €40, with time for a beer in Linz.  Earlier and later departures are also available.

• How to check train times...

  You can check train times from Munich to Cesky Krumlov using the German Railways all-Europe timetable at www.bahn.de.  This holds timetable data for GWTR and for Czech, Austrian & German national railways (CD & ÖBB) so it'll show times for the whole journey, although it won't show fares or sell tickets.  To buy tickets, read on...

  Tip:  I recommend at least 40 minutes between trains in Linz.  When the search results appear, choose the departure you want and click Show details.  If the interchange time is much less than 40 minutes, click Adjust the transfer time against the change of train in Linz and select Later departure from Linz, and at least 40 minutes.

• The journey...

  Step 1, travel from Munich Hbf to Linz Hbf in 2h45 by swish Austrian railjet train with restaurant car, power sockets at seats & free WiFi.

  At Linz Hbf, changing trains simply means stepping off one train, walking to another train and stepping on, but as you will be on separate tickets I'd allow at least 40 minutes between trains in case of delay.

  Step 2, travel from Linz Hbf to Ceske Budejovice in around 2h02 by comfortable air-conditioned express, with power sockets at seats.  There may be a refreshment trolley, but it's best to take you own food & drink for this bit.

  At Ceske Budejovice you simply step off one train and walk to the other train, if necessary via the underpass between platforms.  Changing trains only takes 3 minutes, if you miss one you have a beer and catch the next one.

  Incidentally, Ceske Budejovice might sound more familiar by its former Germanic name, Budweis.  That's right, where the name of the beer comes from!  The town is worth a look around in its own right.  Why not take an earlier train and have a wander into the old town?

  Step 3, travel from Ceske Budejovice to Cesky Krumlov on the little green-&-orange GWTR local train.  This runs every hour or so, journey time 44 minutes.   The GWTR local train has luggage space, a toilet, power sockets and free WiFi, it's a leisurely journey on a winding single track branch line past farmland & forest.

• How much does it cost?

  (1)  Munich to Linz:  Cheap Sparschiene fares start at €29.  The price varies, book early for cheaper prices.

  (2)  Linz to Ceske Budejovice:  Cheap advance-purchase fares called Sparschiene by ÖBB Austrian Railways or First Minute by CD Czech Railways start at just €9.

  (3)  Ceske Budejovice to Cesky Krumlov costs 40 CZK, about €1.55.

  Sparschiene & First Minute fares are limited-availability advance-purchase fares, they are only good for the specific train you book, limited or no refunds or changes to travel plans - hence the advice to allow 40 minutes between trains in Ceske Budejovice!  If you buy at the station on the day you'll pay the standard price which costs significantly more, but has unlimited availability and is good for any train that day.

• How to buy tickets...

  (1)  Munich to Linz:  Buy tickets using either www.trainline.eu (easiest, international payment cards no problem) or www.oebb.at (same prices, a bit more fiddly) and print your own ticket.

  (2)  Linz to Ceske Budejovice:  Buy tickets using www.trainline.eu, or Austrian Railways www.oebb.at or Czech Railways www.cd.cz and print your own ticket - buy from whichever is cheaper, they all sell tickets for the same trains.  Booking should open 6 months ahead on oebb.at or 90 days ahead on cd.cz, less than this when the mid-December timetable change is approaching.  But you only need to book weeks ahead to get the cheap fares, there's no need to book months ahead.

  (1)  Ceske Budejovice to Cesky Krumlov:  The local trains on this line are now run by private operator GWTR, so you need to buy this ticket separately, either at the station at Cesky Krumlov on the day or simply hop on the train and buy from the on-board ticket machines which accept cash or (reportedly) contactless Visa & MasterCard.  No reservation is necessary or possible, just turn up and go...

• See more useful information about visiting Cesky Krumlov including photos & info on taxis from the station to Cesky Krumlov old town.

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Munich to Bratislava from €40...

• This is easy once you know you have to split the booking!  First, go to German Railways www.bahn.de and book a smart Austrian railjet train from Munich to Vienna Hbf in just 3h56 from €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.  I'd also check prices at www.trainline.eu, as this links to the Austrian Railways ticketing system so can sometimes be cheaper than the German system for these trains.

• Now buy a €10.50 ticket from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna 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 & price at www.trainline.eu.

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Munich to Budapest from €39.90...

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 6h50 city centre to city centre.

  Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class, €69.90 in 1st class or €84.90 in business class (= premium first 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 are power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  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 www.trainline.eu which can easily book business class.

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

• The EuroNight 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 print your own ticket.

  If you have any problems or don't see any cheap tickets, you can also book this train at www.trainline.eu.  This links to the Austrian Railways ticketing system so can have different prices, sometimes cheaper.  Again, you 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 Brasov & Bucharest from €79...

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 €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 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 Brasov at 09:26 & Bucharest Gara de Nord at 12:05 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.  Fares start at €39 with a couchette or €59 with a bed in a sleeper.  There's no restaurant car so take a picnic and bottle of wine.  There's great scenery through the Carpathian mountains beyond Brasov, a real treat.

• 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 €29.90 booked at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

• A direct air-conditioned 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 modern & comfortable Romanian sleeping-cars (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments, including a couple of deluxe sleepers with shower & toilet) and couchettes (4-berth & 6-berth compartments).  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 which can sell cheap sparschiene fares from Vienna to Bucharest for as little as €49 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper, €89 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper or €149 with a bed in a single-berth sleeper, all to yourself.

  In the search results, look for the direct train marked D with no changes.  If it says not available you can't book it, but if a sparschiene fare is shown you can.  You collect tickets from  an ÖBB ticket machine in Vienna.

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 €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 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 or the inexpensive Baross City Hotel just across the road or the Elit Hotel two minutes walk away.  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 €39.90...

Option 1, by daytime trains via Berlin... 

• You can travel from Munich to Warsaw in a single day from just €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class using a superb high-speed ICE train from Munich to Berlin then a comfortable 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.  For example,

  Munich Hbf depart 06:55, change Berlin Hbf, arrive Warsaw Centralna at 19:00.

  Munich Hbf depart 11:56, change Berlin Hbf, arrive Warsaw Centralna at 23:00.

• You can buy a ticket from Munich to Warsaw as a single transaction at the German railways website www.bahn.de.  You print your own tickets.

  Tip:  Although you're covered for a missed connection with a through ticket, I recommend adjusting the Duration of transfer on bahn.de from standard to at least 45 minutes to ensure a robust connection in Berlin even if there's a delay.

Option 2, by daytime trains via Prague - cheaper, but takes a bit longer... 

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Prague by air-conditioned express leaving Munich Hbf at 06:43 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 12:31.  Book this from €15 in 2nd class or €35 in 1st class at www.cd.cz and print your own ticket.  Have lunch in Prague.

• Step 2, travel from Prague to Warsaw by air-conditioned EuroCity train with restaurant car, leaving Prague Hlavni at 14:22 and arriving Warsaw Centralna at 22:09.  Book this from €19 at www.cd.cz and print your own ticket.

Option 3, using the Prague-Krakow/Warsaw sleeper train - the time-effective option... 

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Prague by air-conditioned express leaving Munich Hbf at 14:43 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 20:31.  Book this from €15 in 2nd class or €35 in 1st class at www.cd.cz and print your own ticket.  Have dinner in Prague.

• Step 2, travel from Prague to Warsaw by EuroNight sleeper train leaving Prague Hlavni at 22:19 and arriving Krakow at 06:18 & Warsaw Centralna at 09:01.

  This train has a modern air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, plus two deluxe 1 or 2 bed compartments with en suite toilet & shower, see the photos below.  It also has a couchette car with economical 4 & 6 bunk compartments.

  Book this from €29 with couchette at www.cd.cz and print your own ticket.

Option 4, using the Vienna-Krakow/Warsaw sleeper train - a similar time-effective option, a bit faster but a bit more expensive...

• Step 1, take a comfortable afternoon railjet train leaving Munich Hbf at 15:30 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 19:30.  The train has a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You can also take the 17:30 from Munich, but when catching a sleeper I'd play safe and take the earlier one with time for dinner in Vienna.

  Book this train from €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket. 

• Step 2, take the EuroNight sleeper train leaving Vienna Hbf at 22:10 and arriving Krakow at 06:18 & Warsaw Centralna at 09:01.

  This train has a modern air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, plus two deluxe 1 or 2 bed compartments with en suite toilet & shower, see the photos below.  It also has a couchette car with economical 4 & 6 bunk compartments.

  Book this train at the Austrian railways website www.oebb.at.   Fares from €39 with a couchette, from €79 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper.  You collect tickets from the self-service machines at Vienna Hbf.

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Munich to Ljubljana, Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik from €39.90...

Busse? Nein Danke!

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 €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. 

  There's a train from Munich Hbf to Lesce-Bled, Ljubljana & Zagreb at 08:17 (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.

• Onwards to Split & Dubrovnik...  There are daytime trains and a sleeper between Zagreb and Split, from where buses run to Dubrovnik, for details see here.

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 08:35.  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 Croatian sleeper video here.

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

• How to buy tickets:  You can book a couchette or sleeper on this train at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.  Alternatively, you can also book using www.trainline.eu which connects to the Austrian Railways system so prices may differ from the German site.  You also 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.

• Onwards to Split & Dubrovnik...  There are daytime trains and a sleeper between Zagreb and Split, from where buses run to Dubrovnik, for details see here.

Option 2, to Split & Dubrovnik using the Budapest-Split sleeper train Adria, runs June-September...

• Step 1, take the 09:30 railjet train from Munich Hbf to Budapest Keleti from €39 booked at www.trainline.eu.  You print your own ticket.  Make sure you allow at least an hour in Budapest between trains to be on the safe side.

• Step 2, travel from Budapest to Split by direct sleeper train called the Adria.  This runs from 15 June to 7 September 2018, leaving Budapest Keleti at 18:53 every evening arriving Split at 08:56 next morning.  It has a comfortable Hungarian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments and a couchette car with 4 & 6 bunk compartments.

  The fare is around €79 with couchette or from €92 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper.

  Check to see if it is bookable online at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu.  If not, you will need to book at the station or by phone with a ticketing agency in your home country.

• For Dubrovnik, take a bus from Split.  There are buses every hour or even every half hour, run by several companies.  Journey time between 3h45 and 4h35, fare around €13-€17.  Buy a ticket at the bus station in Split.

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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 08:35.

  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, €89 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129 in a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.

  You can book this sleeper at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.  Or you can try www.trainline.eu, which links to the Austrian Railways system and also offers print your own tickets.

• Step 2, take the comfortable air-conditioned train leaving Zagreb around 11:06 and arriving Belgrade Centar station at 17:28.  Fare around around €30 if bought at the station.  It cannot be booked online from the operators, so just buy when you reach Zagreb, it's not a problem.

• Step 3, if you're heading to Sofia, spend the night in Belgrade, I recommend the historic Hotel Moskva.  From 15 June to 17 September 2018 there's a direct train called the Balkan which leaves Belgrade Topcider station at 09:06 and 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 04:00, change at Nis & Plovdiv arriving Sofia at 18:50.  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, via Budapest.  This is the cheapest option and it can all be booked online, but 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 11:57 and arriving Belgrade Centar station at 20:41.  Take your own picnic and beer along as there's no restaurant car.

• 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 at the end of Belgrade's main pedestrianised shopping street.  From 15 June to 17 September 2018 there's a direct train called the Balkan which leaves Belgrade Topcider station at 09:06 and 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 04:00, change at Nis & Plovdiv arriving Sofia at 18:50.  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.

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Munich to Moscow & Russia...

Option 1, via Warsaw 3 times per week, reduced from daily in June 2017.

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

• Travel from Warsaw to Moscow on the sleeper train Polonez leaving Warsaw Centralna at 16:25 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 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 en.oui.sncf, 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.

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

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Berlin from €29.90 in as little as 3h58.  For example, the 13:47 from Munich Hbf arrives Berlin Hbf at 18:25, but by all means take an earlier train and have dinner in Berlin.  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 20:22 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.

Option 3, via Vienna & Kiev, avoiding Belarus with daily departures...

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Vienna by comfortable railjet train, from €29.90 booked at German Railways www.bahn.de, you print your own ticket.  For example, the 11:30 from Munich Hbf arrives Vienna Hbf at 15:30, but I'd take an earlier train for more time in Vienna.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Kiev by direct Ukrainian sleeping-car. leaving Vienna Hbf at 16:42 every day and arriving next day at Kiev at 16:11.  Introduced in December 2017, this train has a Ukrainian sleeping-car with comfortable 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin.

  The best way to buy tickets for this train is via reliable agency www.polrail.com, with tickets posted or couriered to you for a small fee.  Polrail are based in Poland so charge in zlotys, but as they have access to Ukrainian ticketing system they are good for booking this train.  You cannot currently book online with ÖBB although you could try emailing or calling their telesales via their website www.oebb.at.  Feedback would be appreciated

  Booked through Polrail:

  Vienna to Kiev costs around €138 in a 3-berth sleeper €149 in a 2-berth sleeper, or €241 in a single-berth sleeper.

• Step 3, take one of the various Kiev to Moscow sleeper trains, for example one leaves at 19:33 arriving Moscow Kievskaya station at 10:01 the next morning (= day 3 from Munich).

  The fare is around €92 with a bed in 4-berth kupé or €180 with a bed in a 2-berth spalny vagon.

  You can ask www.polrail.com to book this for you too, or you can book tickets from Kiev to Moscow at the Ukrainian Railways site https://booking.uz.gov.ua/en/ booking from Kyiv to Moskva Kievskaya.  You collect tickets at the station in Kiev.  Feedback appreciated!

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Munich to Lviv, Kiev & Ukraine...

Option 1, via Vienna, the recommended and easiest option...

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Vienna by comfortable railjet train, from €29.90 booked at German Railways www.bahn.de, you print your own ticket.  For example, the 11:30 from Munich Hbf arrives Vienna Hbf at 15:30, but I'd take an earlier train and have more time in Vienna.  The railjets have a bistro-restaurant car with draught beer on tap, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Lviv or Kiev by comfortable direct Ukrainian sleeping-car. leaving Vienna Hbf at 16:42 every day and arriving next day at Lviv at 09:10 & Kiev at 16:11.  Introduced in December 2017, this train has a Ukrainian sleeping-car with comfortable 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin, see the photos below.  An air-conditioned Slovakian restaurant car operates from Vienna to Zahony, on the border with Ukraine reached around midnight.  At Chop on the other side of the border the through sleeping-car is jacked up to have its wheelsets changed from European standard gauge (4'8½") to Russian gauge used in Ukraine (5').

  Book the train from Vienna to Lviv or Kiev online at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.  This will only book one-way or round trip starting in Vienna because tickets need to be collected from an ÖBB station in Austria.  They cannot be collected in Ukraine.  Booking this way you pay no fee or mark-up, just the official fare.  The sleeper has become popular, it can sell out.

  If you have any problems or want a one-way ticket starting in Ukraine, you can also book the Vienna-Kiev train via reliable agency www.polrail.com, with tickets posted or couriered to you for a small fee.  Polrail are based in Poland so charge in zlotys, but as they have access to Ukrainian ticketing system they are good for booking this train.

  Booked through oebb.at:

  Vienna to Kiev costs €80.50 in a 3-berth sleeper, €90.50 in a 2-berth sleeper or €152.90 in a single sleeper.

  Vienna to Lviv costs €62.10 in a 3-berth sleeper, €70.10 in a 2-berth sleeper or €119.30 in a single sleeper.

  Booked through Polrail:

  Vienna to Kiev costs around €138 in a 3-berth sleeper €149 in a 2-berth sleeper, or €241 in a single-berth sleeper.

  Vienna to Lviv costs around €120 in a 3-berth sleeper €129 in a 2-berth sleeper, or €207 in a single-berth sleeper.

  Booked at the station in Ukraine, Kiev to Vienna costs around €80, Lviv to Vienna around €60, in both cases with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper.

Boarding the Vienna to Kiev sleeping-car at Vienna Hbf.  Photo courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.

The Vienna-Kiev sleeper about to leave Vienna Hbf... Courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.		The sleeper corridor.  Courtesy Helmut Uttenthaler.		1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper compartment.

The Vienna-Kiev sleeping-car at Kiev Pass.  Photos courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.

Option 2, via Warsaw...

• 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 17:50 and arrives in Kiev at 11:02 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.

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

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Munich to Copenhagen from €39.90...

Option 1, by daytime trains...

• You can travel from Munich to Copenhagen by train in a single day from as little as €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class using superb German ICE trains with 1 easy change in Hamburg onto a smart Danish IC3 EuroCity train.  For example,

  Munich Hbf depart 07:19, change at Lübeck, arrive Copenhagen at 18:26.

  Munich Hbf depart 11:20, change at Hamburg Hbf, arrive Copenhagen at 22:26.

• Book from Munich to Copenhagen as one transaction at www.bahn.de.  Total journey around 11h05, so a long day, but take a bottle of wine and a good book and put your feet up.  The trains have power sockets at all seats and the ICE trains have a bistro-restaurant car.

• The Hamburg-Copenhagen EuroCity trains get shunted onto a train ferry for a 50-minute crossing from Puttgarden 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.  See photos, tips & information for the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.

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 08:44.

  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 EuroCity train from Hamburg to Copenhagen arriving at 14:26.  Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.

  The Hamburg-Copenhagen trains get shunted onto a train ferry for a 50-minute crossing from Puttgarden 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.  see photos, tips & information for the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.

• 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.

A Danish IC3 train at Copenhagen station.  IC3s now work all the Hamburg-Copenhagen trains.

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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 08:44, then the comfortable 09:28 EuroCity train from Hamburg to Copenhagen arriving at 14:26, then an onward X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm or Öresund Link train from Copenhagen to Malmö or Gothenburg.  The 16:20 X2000 train from Copenhagen arrives Stockholm Central at 21:40.

  The Hamburg-Copenhagen EuroCity train travels via the Puttgarden-Rødby train ferry, one of the few places left in the world where trains go onto a ferry, see photos, tips & information for the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.

• 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 €39.90...

• 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 the 09:28 EuroCity train arriving Copenhagen 14:26. 

  The Hamburg to Copenhagen trains go onto a ferry between Puttgarden & 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 09:28 you'd arrive Stockholm at 21:40.

• 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 €39.90...

• 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 07:17 arriving Copenhagen at 18:26, or at 11:20 arriving Copenhagen at 22:26.  Take a bottle of wine and a good book and put your feet up!

  The Hamburg to Copenhagen trains go onto a ferry between Puttgarden & 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 08:20 arriving Stockholm Central 13:39, or have a leisurely breakfast and take the 12:20 arriving 17:39.

• 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 08:27, 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 €39.90.  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...  Hamburg-Copenhagen trains are now EuroCity trains worked by Danish IC3 units like the one above.

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 €29.90.

  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 from €39.90.

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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 €39.90 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

		◄ 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.

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