A double-deck 186 mph TGV Duplex about to leave Paris for Nice. Far better than flying...

I want to go from Nice to...

Click here for journeys starting in another city

Train information is current for 2021.

Travelling from Cannes or Antibes? This page shows departure times from Nice, but all trains heading west towards Marseille, Lyon or Paris call at Antibes 14-25 minutes after leaving Nice and Cannes 25-35 minutes after leaving Nice so you can pick up the train there. Going east towards Italy, simply catch a local train from Cannes or Antibes to Nice and pick up the train there.

Travelling from Monaco or Menton? Trains heading east from Nice to Italy all call at Monte Carlo 15-20 minutes after leaving Nice and Menton 35-40 minutes after leaving Nice. If you're going west towards Marseille, Lyon or Paris, catch a local train every 30 minutes from Monte Carlo to Nice, allowing plenty of time for connections. Although there's usually at least one through train between Monte Carlo & Paris each day.

Before you buy your tickets...

Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets. It answers all the usual questions, "Must I 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...

An introduction to European train travel	Senior fares (over 60)	Guide to Eurail passes (overseas visitors)
Important tips for buying European train tickets	Youth fares (under 26)	Guide to Interrail passes (for Europeans)
How to check European train times	Child fares & child age limits	Couchettes & sleepers on night trains
Do I need to book in advance?	Luggage on European trains	Train seat numbering plans
How far ahead can I book?	Luggage storage at stations	Wheelchairs & special needs
Can I stop off on the way?	Taking a bike by train	Real-time service updates
Should I travel 1st or 2nd class?	Taking a car by train	Hotels & accommodation
How long to allow for connections?	Taking dogs & pets by train	Changing stations in Paris by metro or taxi
How early to arrive at the station?	Maps of the European rail network	What to do when things go wrong...

Nice to Paris by TGV from €25...

Every day, high-speed double-deck TGV Duplex trains link Nice with Paris in as little as 5h41, city centre to city centre. That's little more than it takes by plane, and a lot less hassle. It's a lovely journey, initially at low speed snaking along the coast past rocky headlands, yacht-filled harbours and millionaires' villas, then past Marseille with the Château d'If visible in the bay, then at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) along the high-speed line up the Rhone Valley past picturesque French villages with pretty churches.
See the Paris to Nice by train page for train times, fares, how to buy tickets, tips and advice.

Nice to Paris by sleeper train from €19...

The Nice to Paris sleeper train is back! Discontinued in 2017, the Nice-Paris Intercité de Nuit is restored from 19 April 2021. It leaves Nice 19:16 every day, Antibes 19:41, Cannes 19:52, arriving Paris Austerlitz 06:55.

It has 1st class 4-berth couchettes from €59, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes from €29 & reclining seats from €19. More information about Intercités de Nuit.

Book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).

Nice to Cannes, Juan les Pins, Monte Carlo, Menton by local train...

Frequent TER (Train Exprès Regional) local trains link all the towns along the Cote d'Azur.
No reservation is necessary or even possible, just turn up, buy a ticket at the station from the ticket office of self-service machines and hop on the next train. Remember to composte (validate) your ticket before you board in the little machines at the entrance to the platforms.
You can check times and prices at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, no fee).

Nice to Marseille, Avignon, Lyon, Perpignan, Toulouse & other destinations in France

See the Train Travel in France page for a beginner's guide to domestic train travel wholly within France.

The view from the train...

Trains from Nice to Paris skirt the Cote d'Azur between Nice & St Raphael, past rocky headlands, yacht-filled bays and millionaires' villas. This is the way to arrive! Photo courtesy of Mike Sloan.

Nice to London by TGV & Eurostar...

See the London to France page, this has times, fares & how to buy tickets between London and Nice, in either direction.
The easiest way is the daily direct TGV from Nice to Lille then Eurostar from Lille to London, saves crossing Paris.

Nice to Brussels or Bruges...

Option 1, Nice to Brussels using the Nice-Paris overnight train - the most time-effective option...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Paris by Intercité de Nuit overnight train, leaving Nice Ville at 19:16, Antibes 19:41, Cannes 19:53, St Raphael 20:18 & Toulon 21:14, arriving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 06:55 next morning.

The Intercité de Nuit overnight train has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes & reclining seats. You can book a 1st class 4-berth compartment for sole occupancy by 1, 2 or 3 people if you like. See more information about Intercités de Nuit overnight trains.

Cross Paris from the Gare d'Austerlitz to the Gare du Nord by taxi or metro.
Step 2, travel from Paris to Brussels by high-speed Thalys train, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 08:25 arriving Brussels Midi at 09:47.

Thalys has 3 classes, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more information about Thalys.

How much does it cost?

Nice to Paris starts at €19 in a reclining seat, €29 in a 2nd class couchette or €59 in a 1st class couchette.
Paris to Brussels starts at €29 in 2nd class or €55 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

How to buy tickets...

Book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.

Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your smartphone.

Tip: To book a whole 4-berth couchette compartment for 1, 2 or 3 people, see the instructions on the Intercités de Nuit page.

You can also book at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly).

Option 2, Nice to Brussels using a direct Marseille-Brussels TGV train - the easiest option, avoids changing trains & stations in Paris...

This is the easiest option, a chill-out day crossing France and Belgium with great scenery along the Cote d'Azur between Nice and Toulon, over the Rhone at Avignon with the Palais des Papes visible in the distance to your right, and up the Rhone Valley. Times vary, but for example:
Nice Ville depart 08:23 by TER, change at Marseille St Charles onto the 12:13 direct TGV to Brussels Midi, arriving 17:43.
Nice Ville depart 11:53 by TER, change at Marseille St Charles onto the 15:10 direct TGV to Brussels Midi, arriving 20:43.
Nice Ville depart 13:23 by TER, change at Marseille St Charles onto the 17:10 direct TGV to Brussels Midi, arriving 22:51.
These journeys use direct TGV high-speed trains from Marseille St Charles to Brussels Mid which by-pass Paris on the high-speed avoiding line through Marne la Vallée & CDG. They all have a cafe-bar. Change at Brussels Midi for a Belgian domestic train to Bruges.
How much does it cost?
Nice to Marseille by TER is a fixed-price €36 in 2nd class or €54 in 1st class.

Marseille to Brussels by TGV starts at €76 in 2nd class or €110 in 1st class.
TGV fares work like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
How to buy tickets...
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, no fee).
Tip: If necessary, book Marseille to Brussels looking for the direct train, add to basket, then add a connecting Nice-Marseille ticket allowing say half an hour between trains in Marseille.

Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own tickets or can show mobile tickets on your smartphone.

Option 3, Nice to Brussels via Paris - with a wider choice of departures and often cheaper fares, if you don't mind crossing Paris...

Step 1, travel from Nice Ville to Paris Gare de Lyon by TGV Duplex in as little as 5h40, see the timetable here.
The impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a lovely journey, initially at low speed snaking along the coast past rocky headlands, yacht-filled harbours and millionaires' villas, then past Marseille with the Château d'If visible in the bay, then at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) along the high-speed line up the Rhone Valley past picturesque French villages with pretty churches.
Cross Paris by metro or taxi from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare du Nord. How about lunch between trains at the fabulous Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon?
Step 2, travel from Paris Gare du Nord to Brussels Midi by high-speed Thalys train. Trains leave every hour or so, taking 1h25.
The 300 km/h Thalys trains have 3 classes, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more information about Thalys.

How much does it cost?
Nice to Paris starts at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.
Paris to Brussels starts at €29 in 2nd class or €55 in 1st class.
Fares work like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

How to buy tickets...
Book from Nice or Cannes to Paris at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee, or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can select a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.

Tip: Use www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Paris (any station) as a via station with a stopover duration of at least 1 hour. That gets you a robust connection across Paris. By default, the French Railways system allows cross-Paris connections as short as 40 minutes, which I consider too tight. Increase the stopover time if you'd like lunch in Paris. Or just book Nice-Paris, add to basket, book Paris to Brussels, add to basket and check out.

Option 4, with overnight stop in Paris...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Nice Ville at 16:53 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 22:51.

The TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Earlier departures are possible, see the timetable here.

Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own tickets or can show mobile tickets on your smartphone.

Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the Gare de Lyon or Gare du Nord.
Step 2, travel from Paris to Brussels by high-speed Thalys train, for example leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 07:25 arriving Brussels Midi at 08:47, but earlier or later departures are available as trains leave every hour or better.

Thalys has 3 classes, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys guide.

Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own tickets or can show mobile tickets on your smartphone.

Nice to Amsterdam...

Option 1, Nice to Amsterdam using the Nice-Paris overnight train - the most time-effective option...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Paris by Intercité de Nuit overnight train, leaving Nice Ville at 19:16, Antibes 19:41, Cannes 19:53, St Raphael 20:18 & Toulon 21:14, arriving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 06:55 next morning.

The Intercité de Nuit overnight train has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes & reclining seats. You can book a 1st class 4-berth compartment for sole occupancy by 1, 2 or 3 people if you like. See more information about Intercités de Nuit overnight trains.

Cross Paris from the Gare d'Austerlitz to the Gare du Nord by taxi or metro.
Step 2, travel from Paris to Amsterdam by high-speed Thalys train, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 08:25 & arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 11:44.

Thalys has 3 classes, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more information about Thalys.

How much does it cost?

Nice to Paris starts at €19 in a reclining seat, €29 in a 2nd class couchette or €59 in a 1st class couchette.
Paris to Amsterdam starts at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

How to buy tickets...

Book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.

Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your smartphone.

Tip: To book a whole 4-berth couchette compartment for 1, 2 or 3 people, see the instructions on the Intercités de Nuit page.

You can also book at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly).

Option 2, Nice to Amsterdam in a single day - a chill-out day, this route avoids having to change trains & stations in Paris.

Step 1, travel from Nice to Marseille by double-deck TER regional train, leaving Nice at 08:23 and arriving Marseille St Charles at 11:02.
This is a lovely run along the scenic Cote d'Azur, past rocky headlands, millionaires' villas and yacht-filled harbours. At Marseille St Charles, walk out of the station and have a look over the city and harbour.

Step 2, travel from Marseille to Brussels by TGV high-speed train leaving Marseille St Charles at 12:13 and arriving Brussels Mid 17:43.
The TGV has a cafe-bar and power sockets at all seats. It by-passes Paris on the high-speed avoiding line through Marne la Vallée & CDG. Tip: At Brussels Midi, the Pullman Hotel bar makes an ideal VIP waiting room.

Step 3, travel from Brussels to Amsterdam by high-speed Thalys train leaving Brussels Midi at 18:52 and arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 20:44.
Thalys trains have 3 classes, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys guide.
How much does it cost?

Nice to Marseille is a fixed-price €36 in 2nd class or €54 in 1st class.

Marseille to Brussels starts at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.

Brussels to Amsterdam starts at €29 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.
TGV & Thalys fares work like air fares, so book ahead.

How to buy tickets.,.,.
Buy tickets from Nice or Cannes to Amsterdam at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your smartphone.
Tip: If necessary, book from Marseille to Amsterdam first and add to basket, then add the connecting train from Nice or Cannes to Marseille as a separate ticket, add to basket and check out. See suggested hotels in Amsterdam.

Option 3, Nice to Amsterdam via Paris - offers a wider range of departures and is often cheaper, if you don't mind changing trains & stations in Paris...

Step 1, take a TGV Duplex from Nice Ville to Paris Gare de Lyon in as little as 5h40, see the timetable here.
The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a lovely scenic run, initially at low speed along the Cote d'Azur, past rocky headlands, millionaires' villas and yacht-filled harbours, then at high-speed up the Rhône Valley.
Cross Paris by metro or taxi from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare du Nord. How about lunch between trains at the fabulous Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon?
Step 2, take a Thalys train from Paris Gare du Nord to Amsterdam Centraal. They leave every hour or two, taking 3h20.
Thalys trains have 3 classes, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys guide.

How to buy tickets.,.,.
Buy tickets from Nice or Cannes to Amsterdam at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your smartphone.
Tip: Using www.raileurope.com, click More options, enter Paris (any station) as a via station with a stopover duration of at least 1 hour. That gets you a robust connection, by default the system allows cross-Paris connections as tight as 40 minutes. Increase the stopover duration to 2 or 3 hours if you want lunch in Paris. See suggested hotels in Amsterdam.

Option 4, with overnight stop in Paris - the time-effective option with minimal impact on the working day...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Nice Ville at 16:53 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 22:51.

The TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Earlier departures are possible, see the timetable here.

Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can select a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.

Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the Gare de Lyon or Gare du Nord.
Step 2, travel from Paris to Amsterdam by high-speed Thalys train, for example leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 07:25 arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 10:44, but earlier or later departures are available as trains leave every hour or two.

Thalys has 3 classes, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys guide.

Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can select a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.

Nice to Luxembourg...

Option 1, using a direct Marseille to Luxembourg TGV - easiest, avoids the need to change trains & stations in Paris...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Marseille by double-deck TER regional train, leaving Nice at 11:23 and arriving Marseille St Charles at 14:02.
This is a lovely run along the scenic Cote d'Azur, past rocky headlands, millionaires' villas and yacht-filled harbours. At Marseille St Charles, walk out of the station and have a look over the city and harbour. Have a late lunch in Marseille.

Step 2, travel from Marseille to Luxembourg by TGV high-speed train leaving Marseille St Charles at 16:02 and arriving Luxembourg 23:49.
The TGV has a cafe-bar and power sockets at all seats. It by-passes Paris on the high-speed avoiding line through Marne la Vallée & CDG.

How much does it cost?

Nice to Marseille is a fixed-price €36 in 2nd class or €54 in 1st class.

Marseille to Luxembourg starts at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

How to buy tickets.,.,.
Buy tickets from Nice or Cannes to Luxembourg at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can select a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.
Tip: If necessary, book from Marseille to Luxembourg first, looking for the direct train. Add that to your basket, then add the connecting train from Nice or Cannes to Marseille as a separate ticket, add to basket and check out. See suggested hotels in Amsterdam.

Option 2, via Paris...

This involves crossing Paris, but it can be faster & cheaper this way, with a wider choice of departures. How about lunch between trains at the fabulous Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon?
Step 1, take a TGV Duplex from Nice Ville or Cannes to Paris Gare de Lyon in as little as 5h40, see the timetable here.
The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a lovely scenic run, initially at low speed along the Cote d'Azur, past rocky headlands, millionaires' villas and yacht-filled harbours, then at high speed up the Rhône Valley.
Cross Paris by metro or taxi from the Gare de Lyon to Gare de l'Est Nord.
Step 2, travel from Paris Gare de l'Est to Luxembourg in 2h15, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
How much does it cost?

Nice to Paris starts at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.

Paris to Luxembourg starts at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.
How to buy find trans & buy tickets.,.,.
Buy tickets from Nice or Cannes to Luxembourg at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can select a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.
Tip: Using www.raileurope.com, click More options, enter Paris (any station) as a via station with a stopover duration of at least 1 hour. That gets you a robust connection, by default the system allows cross-Paris connections as tight as 40 minutes. Increase the stopover duration to 2 or 3 hours if you want lunch in Paris.


A Paris-Luxembourg TGV at Luxembourg. There's no check-in, you just walk up to it & get on.		The cafe-bar, serving tea, coffee, beer, wine, cold snacks & microwaved hot dishes. Larger photo.


2nd class are arranged 2+2 across the car width. See 360 degree photo.		1st class seats are arranged 2+1 across the car width. See 360 degree photo.

Nice to Geneva, Zurich & Switzerland from €44...

Option 1, via France - usually the best route if you're heading for Geneva, Lausanne or Montreux...

Travel from Nice to Lyon by high-speed TGV, then Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train. For example:
Leave Nice Ville at 06:53 by TGV, change at Lyon Part Dieu onto the 12:38 TER regional train arriving Geneva at 14:35.
Leave Nice Ville at 14:53 by TGV, change at Lyon Part Dieu onto the 20:38 TER regional train arriving Geneva at 22:34.
The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It runs along the scenic Côte d'Azur past rocky headlands, yacht-filled harbours and millionaires' villas to Marseille, then up the Rhône Valley, a very enjoyable ride. The Lyon-Geneva regional train takes you through mountains and along Rhône for much of the way.
How much does it cost?

Nice to Lyon starts at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Lyon to Geneva costs a fixed-price €29.60, 2nd class only.
How to buy tickets...
Buy tickets from Nice or Cannes to Geneva at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).

Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can select a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.
If you are going beyond Geneva to anywhere else in Switzerland, buy a separate ticket from Geneva to your Swiss destination at either www.thetrainline.com or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch. Swiss trains open for booking 60 days ahead. Regular Swiss fares are good for any train from Geneva to your Swiss destination that day, no reservation is necessary or possible, but if you book ahead you may find Supersaver fares saving up to 70% off the normal full-flex fare.

Option 2, via Milan - usually the best route if you're heading for Lugano, Lucerne, Brig, Interlaken, Zermatt or Zurich...

Travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train with great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa. Then take a fast EuroCity train from Milan to Switzerland with great views of mountains & lakes, see the photos & video here. There are normally 3 Thello trains from Nice every day, for example:
Leave Nice Ville 07:57 by Thello train arriving Milan Centrale 12:55. Leave Milan Centrale at 14:10 by EuroCity train arriving Zurich HB at 17:50.

Leave Nice Ville 14:09 by Thello train arriving Milan Centrale 18:55. Leave Milan Centrale at 20:10 by EuroCity train arriving Zurich HB at 23:50.

Leave Nice Ville 18:06 by Thello train arriving Milan Centrale 22:55, stay overnight in Milan, then take a train to Switzerland next morning.

How much does it cost?

Nice to Milan starts at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class.
Milan to Zurich starts at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
How to buy tickets...
Book from Nice to Switzerland as one transaction at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board the trains.
Tip: Using www.raileurope.com it can help to click More options and specify Milan Centrale as a via station. Using www.thetrainline.com look for the via field and enter Milan Centrale.
For Zermatt, book from Nice to Brig at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com then add a Brig-Zermatt local ticket either at www.thetrainline.com or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch.
For Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Grindelwald, book Nice to Spiez at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com then add a local ticket from Spiez to your final Swiss destination either at www.thetrainline.com or at the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch.
For St Moritz, book Nice to Tirano at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com then buy a Tirano-St Moritz ticket at the station or buy it at www.rhb.ch.

Lake Lugano, seen from a Milan to Zurich train

Lake Lugano, seen from a Milan to Zurich EuroCity train on the Gotthard route.

Nice to Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome & Italy from €15...

Option 1, using the direct Thello trains from Nice & Monte Carlo to Genoa & Milan - recommended option...

Thello trains leave Nice Ville at 07:57, 14:09 & 18:06 every day for Monaco-Monte Carlo, San Remo, Savona, Genoa Piazza Principe & Milan Centrale, see the timetable here. Change in Genoa for La Spezia, Monterosso (Cinque Terre), Pisa. Change in Milan for a Frecciarossa high-speed train to Florence, Rome, Naples, Verona, Venice. For example...

Leave Nice at 07:57 by Thello, change at Milan Centrale, arrive Florence SMN 14:59, Rome Termini 16:29 or Venice Santa Lucia 16:10.

Leave Nice at 14:09 by Thello, change at Milan Centrale, arrive Florence SMN 20:59, Rome Termini 22:40 or Venice Santa Lucia 21:40.

Times vary, so check online. There's lovely scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa, sit back with a coffee or glass of prosecco and enjoy. Thello trains have a cafe counter and power sockets at all seats, although no WiFi. The onward Frecciarossa trains from Milan to Venice, Florence, Rome & Naples have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Evening departure with overnight stop in Genoa or Milan...

Take the 18:06 Thello train from Nice to Genoa or Milan Centrale, stop overnight, then head for Florence, Venice, Rome or from Genoa to Cinque Terre, La Spezia or Pisa next morning.

If you left Nice at 18:06 arriving Milan 22:55, stopped overnight, then left Milan at 07:15 you could be in Florence at 08:59 and Rome at 10:40. But by all means have a leisurely breakfast and book a later train. A time-effective option that beats flying!

Hotels near Milan Centrale with good reviews include the Made to Measure Business, 43 Station Hotel, Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson.

How much does it cost?

Nice to Milan starts at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class.

Milan to Florence or Venice starts at €19.90 in 2nd class (standard) or €29.90 in 1st class (business).

Milan to Rome or Naples starts at €29.90 in 2nd class (standard) or €39.90 in 1st class (business).

Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
How to buy tickets...

Book from Nice Ville or Monte Carlo to anywhere in Italy at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.

Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. Thello & Italian high-speed trains are ticketless, you simply quote the booking reference on the train.

If you want to start in Cannes or Antibes, use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com to add a ticket from Cannes or Antibes to Nice, allowing at least 40 minutes between trains at Nice Ville. These websites also connect to the French Railways (SNCF) ticketing system.

You can also buy tickets from Nice to Italy at www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, their small booking fee will be refunded if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your booking reference) or at Italian Railways own website www.trenitalia.com (can be more fiddly to use, requires Italian language place names, read this advice on using it).

Incidentally, the Thello trains are run by Thello, a subsidiary of Trenitalia, in competition with SNCF (French Railways) rather than in co-operation with them. So you won't find these trains on the French Railways website and you cannot buy tickets at French stations, unless you use the special Thello-branded ticket machines.

Thello train from Nice to Milan, at Milan Centrale

Step 1, Nice to Genoa & Milan by Thello, seen here at Milan Centrale. More photos & information about Thello trains.


2nd class seats on the Thello train. All seats have power sockets, with plenty of luggage space on racks and between seat backs.		1st class seats on Thello. All seats have power sockets. Plenty of luggage room on racks & between seat backs...

Coastal scenery from the Thello train from Nice to Italy

Views from the train, along the Ligurian coast between Nice and Genoa. Photos courtesy of Lucas Martin.


More scenery along the coast from Nice to Genoa...

Step 2, Milan to Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples by Frecciarossa. This is a Frecciarossa 1000 at Milan Centrale. More information about Frecciarossas & explanation of the 4 classes.


Standard class, 2+2 across width. Larger photo.		Executive class, 1+1 across width. Larger photo


Business class seats 1+2 across car width, with tables for 2 and tables for 4 and complimentary prosecco. Larger photo.		In business class you can order a meal at your seat, around €18. More information about Frecciarossas.

Option 2, if none of the 3 daily Thello trains suit you, you can combine a French local train to Ventimiglia with an Italian train onwards...

Step 1, hop on the frequent TER local train from Nice to Ventimiglia, just across the Italian border. These double-deck TER trains link Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo & Ventimiglia every 30 minutes throughout the day, Nice to Ventimiglia takes around 48 minutes. I'd allow at least 40 minutes in Ventimiglia for connections in case of delay.
Step 2, take an Italian InterCity train from Ventimiglia to Genoa & Milan, changing in Milan for Venice or Naples, changing in Genoa for Pisa & Rome, changing at both Genoa & Pisa for Florence. Take a good book, picnic and perhaps a bottle of red and enjoy the scenic ride along the coastline of the Italian Riviera through San Remo and Savona...

There are various possible departures. Obviously, taking one of the direct Thello trains would be easiest, but if you really want to travel in the gaps between the three daily Thello departures, just run your enquiry through www.raileurope.com to find train times. This will book both the Thello trains and the French local train/Italian IC train combos.

How much does it cost?
Nice to Ventimiglia by local train costs a fixed-price €8, even bought at the station on the day.
Ventimiglia to Genoa or Milan starts at €9.90 in 2nd class or €19.90 in 1st class. These fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Milan to Florence or Venice starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class. These fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

How to buy tickets...
The French Railways website can't sell Trenitalia tickets, whilst Trenitalia.com can't sell SNCF tickets. So much for international co-operation! So there are two ways to buy tickets:
(1) Buy tickets the easy way, all in one place at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com...

These sites can sell train tickets from Nice Ville to anywhere in Italy even if the journey involves a change at Ventimiglia, because they connect to both the French (SNCF) and Italian (Trenitalia) ticketing systems and can sell both tickets.

You can book in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem. You print out the ticket for the Nice-Ventimiglia TER train or can show it on your smartphone. Italian InterCity & high-speed trains are ticketless, you simply quote your booking reference on board the train. Tickets for Italian regional trains must be printed out. There's a small booking fee.

Tip: I recommend specifying Nice Ville as departure point, for some reason using Nice (any station) tends to bring up Nice Riquier which is a secondary station you don't want. Take time to browse the many departures which come up in the search results, journeys using the direct Thello trains from Nice to Genoa & Milan tend to be faster and cheaper as well as more reliable, although there's only 3 per day.

(2) Buy tickets by splitting the booking at Ventimiglia...
You can book a cheap advance-purchase ticket from Ventimiglia to anywhere we like in Italy using the Italian system, then add a French ticket from Nice to Ventimiglia bought at the station or online using a French system, like this:

Step 1, book from Ventimiglia to Milan, Venice, Rome or anywhere in Italy at www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, small booking fee will be refunded if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com afterwards) or at the Italian Railways website www.trenitalia.com (a little more fiddly, requires Italian language place names, read this advice on using it first).

Step 2, add a local ticket from Cannes, Nice or Monte Carlo to Ventimiglia at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf. You print it out or can show it on your smartphone. Or simply buy at the station on the day, the price is fixed, there are no seat reservations, it can't sell out. Juts make sure you allow at least 40 minutes between trains in Ventimiglia in case of delay.

Nice to Sicily...

There are many ways to travel from Nice to Sicily with various possible stopovers on the way. But the simplest is as follows:
Day 1, travel from Nice to Genoa by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09 and arriving Genoa Piazza Principe at 17:05.

There's a later Thello train leaving Nice at 18:06 and arriving Genoa at 21:05, but personally I'd take the earlier train for a more robust connection and have dinner in Genoa.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com. Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote the booking reference on the train.

Day 1, travel from Genoa to Sicily by direct sleeper train leaving Genoa Piazza Principe at 21:56 every night and arriving next day (day 2) at Catania 14:32, Siracuse 15:48 with another portion to Palermo arriving 16:56.

This train has 4-berth Comfort couchettes and a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments. It is ferried across the Straits of Messina to Sicily on a train ferry, a unique experience and one of the few places in the world where trains go onto ships. See the Trains to Sicily page for more information, photos & travel tips.

Fares start at €39.90 in a 4-berth comfort couchette, €49.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €59.90 in a 2-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per bed.

Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com. Booking opens up to 4 months ahead, you print your own ticket out or show it on your smartphone.

Sleeper train to Sicily on board the ferry

Dawn as the sleeper train from Rome approaches Sicily on board the train ferry. Courtesy of Richard Simcox.

Nice to Barcelona, Madrid & Spain...

Option 1, Nice to Barcelona in a single day...

Step 1, travel from Nice or Cannes to Barcelona. For example...
Leave Nice at 08:23, change at Marseille St Charles & Nimes onto a TGV Duplex, arriving Barcelona Sants at 16:53.

Leave Nice at 09:53, change at Marseille St Charles & Nimes onto a AVE-S100 high-speed train, arrive Barcelona Sants at 19:33.

Leave Nice at 11:53, change at Marseille St Charles & Nimes onto a TGV Duplex, arriving Barcelona Sants at 21:46.

It's a great trip: The train takes you along the Provencal coastline past rocky headlands, yacht-filled harbours and millionaires' villas, then through Marseille with the Château d'If (France's Alcatraz) visible in the bay and the distinctive Eglise Notre Dame visible on its hill. Look out for flamingos in the étangs (lakes) beyond Montpellier. The TGVs to Barcelona also call at Figueres (for the amazing Salvador Dali museum) and Girona.
Fares start at around €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).

Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your smartphone.

Step 2 for Madrid, Zaragoza, Valencia, Alicante...
A same-day connection is possible, if you take an early train from Nice. Book a suitable connecting train from Barcelona at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.petrabax.com (in US$, with a small mark-up) or the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas cards, see advice on using it). Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.

Step 2 for Seville, Cordoba, Malaga, Granada...

Stay overnight in Barcelona, see suggested hotels near Barcelona Sants station.

For Granada: A direct AVE S112 high-speed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 08:30 arriving Granada at 14:52.

For Cordoba & Seville: Take the direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:30 arriving Cordoba 13:12 & Seville Santa Justa at 14:02. Fares start at €53.

For Malaga: Take the 09:00 AVE high-speed train to Madrid Atocha arriving 11:45, then the 13:00 AVE high-speed train to Malaga Maria Zambrano, arriving 16:05.

Alternatively, or why not spend a morning in Barcelona and take the afternoon 15:50 AVE S112 high-speed train to Cordoba, Seville & Malaga arriving in the evening? Fares for all these trains start at €45.

For Santiago de Compostela, A Coruna & Vigo, there's a morning Alvia train to Galicia, see details here.

Book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.petrabax.com (in US$, with a small mark-up) or the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas cards, see advice on using it). Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.

Option 2, Nice to Barcelona & Madrid with overnight stop in Marseille...

Day 1, travel from Nice Ville to Marseille St Charles on any train you like, taking around 2h35.

You can leave as late as 18:11, but ideally take an earlier train and see a bit of Marseille as it's a great place for a stopover. This train runs along the Cote d'Azur, past rocky headlands, yacht-filled harbours and millionaires' villas.

Fares start at €15 if you use a TGV and book ahead. The fixed-price fare is €36 if you use a TER regional train.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, same fares). You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone.

Stay overnight in Marseille. Inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.
Day 2, travel from Marseille to Spain by AVE, leaving Marseille St Charles at 08:02 and arriving Barcelona Sants 12:34 & Madrid Atocha 15:41.

The AVE-S100 high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. You'll pass Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Montpelier & Perpignan, the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, and get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, see the photos & information here.

Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, same fares). You print your own ticket or can choose a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.

Change in Madrid for Seville, Cordoba, Malaga. Change in Barcelona for Valencia and Alicante.

You can book from Marseille to any Spanish destination as one booking at www.raileurope.com with print-at-home tickets. Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies.

To Barcelona by AVE... An AVE-S100 at Barcelona Sants.


1st class seats on an AVE S100. 360º photo of 1st class.		Cafe-bar...


These S100 AVE trains operate the TGV/AVE services from Marseille to Madrid, Lyon to Barcelona. This is an AVE-S100 at Barcelona Sants.		2nd class seats on the S100 AVE, all with power sockets. Luggage goes on the racks at the car ends or above the seats. 360º photo of 2nd class More photos & info about AVE S100.

Mt Canigou & the Pyrenees... One of the highest peaks in the mighty Pyrenees, the 2,784m (9,137 feet) high Mt Canigou dominates the skyline on the right all the way from Perpignan to Girona, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canigou.

Nice to San Sebastian...

Option 1, via Barcelona...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Barcelona as explained above.
Step 2, there are two daily direct trains from Barcelona to San Sebastian, morning & late afternoon, bookable at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com. Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies. You print your own ticket.
If you leave Nice in the morning and travel to Barcelona in one day, you can stay overnight in Barcelona then take the morning train to San Sebastian, see suggested hotels with good reviews near Barcelona Sants station. If you leave Nice in the evening and stop overnight in Marseille, you can make the afternoon train from Barcelona to San Sebastian arriving in the evening. See suggested hotels in San Sebastian.

Option 2, via Hendaye on the Spanish border...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Hendaye, leaving Nice Ville at 08:23, changing at Marseille St Charles & Bordeaux St Jean, arriving Hendaye 20:28.
You'll travel along the scenic Cote d'Azur past rocky headlands, millionaires' villas and yacht-filled harbours, later you'll pass Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Montpelier & Perpignan, the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks and the walled city of Carcassone.

Times may vary, so check trains for your date of travel and buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, a little more fiddly).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your smartphone.

Step 2, travel from Hendaye to San Sebastian by Euskotren metro.
At Hendaye, walk out of the mainline station, the little Euskotren platform is outside to your right in the corner of the forecourt. Metro trains leave every 30 minutes to San Sebastian-Donostia Amara station, journey time 37 minutes, fare €2.74, buy a ticket at the station from the staffed counter or the ticket machines. See photos and help with this Hendaye-San Sebastian transfer here. See suggested hotels in San Sebastian.

Nice to Ibiza & Mallorca...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Barcelona as shown above, arriving Barcelona Sants at 19:33 or earlier.
In Barcelona, it's a 3.8km 46-minute walk from Barcelona Sants to the Acciona and Balearia ferry terminal at the foot of La Rambla, near the Columbus monument, see walking map. Or use a taxi or the metro, nearest metro station Drassanes.

Step 2, sail overnight from Barcelona to Ibiza or Palma de Mallorca by ferry.

Ibiza: Acciona Trasmediterranea operate an overnight ferry from Barcelona to Ibiza on most nights of the week sailing at or around 22:00, arriving 07:00. Times and dates vary, check times and buy tickets at the Direct Ferries website or www.trasmediterranea.es. Check-in for the ferry closes 30 minutes before sailing time. You can pre-print your boarding pass to save time at the terminal.

Mallorca: There are two overnight ferries from Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca, both with restaurants, bars & cosy en suite cabins, both usually sailing from Barcelona around around 22:00 and arriving in Palma around 07:00. One ferry is run by Acciona Trasmediterranea (www.trasmediterranea.es, the other run by Balearia (www.balearia.com). You can check times & buy tickets at the Direct Ferries website.

Back to top

Nice to Lisbon, Porto, Faro & Portugal...

Day 1, travel from Nice to Marseille St Charles on any evening train you like, stay overnight, then take the 08:02 AVE-S100 high-speed train from Marseille St Charles to Madrid Atocha next day, as shown in option 2 of the Nice to Madrid section above.
You now have an evening in Madrid, a left luggage office is available. How to transfer from Madrid Atocha to Madrid Chamartin.

Day 2, take the excellent overnight sleeper train Trainhotel Lusitania overnight from Madrid Chamartin to Lisbon Santa Apolonia as shown in the Madrid to Lisbon by trainhotel page, arriving at 07:30 on day 3.
Change at Lisbon Oriente for fast trains to Porto & Faro, as shown in the Madrid to Lisbon section.


Gran Clase sleeper, in evening mode with the seats folded out...		...return from dinner to find the attendant has made up the beds...		Gran Clase sleepers have toilet & shower...		The trainhotel Lusitania from Madrid to Lisbon is an articulated Spanish Talgo train. Seen here at Madrid Chamartin station.


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

Nice to Andorra...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Toulouse, leaving Nice Ville at 11:53, changing at Marseille St Charles and arriving Toulouse Matabiau at 19:14.

Fares start at €56 in 2nd class or €74 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book from Nice or Cannes to Toulouse at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can select a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.

Step 2, travel from Toulouse Matabiau station to Andorra la Vella by bus, leaving Toulouse Matabiau station (bus stand 15) at 20:00 arriving Andorra at midnight, fare €33. The bus is run by Andbus, check times & buy a ticket at www.andorrabybus.com.

An earlier departure may also be possible most days, leaving Nice Ville at 06:23, changing at Marseille St Charles for Toulouse Matabiau and connecting with a late afternoon bus from Toulouse to Andorra. Check train times from Nice to Toulouse at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, then check the bus times at www.andorrabybus.com.

Nice to Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin & Germany...

Option 1, Nice to Munich or Berlin using the Milan-Munich sleeper - the time-effective option...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:55.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com. Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.

Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or try the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com, see map showing walking route.

Transfer from Milan Centrale to Porta Garibaldi by taxi, metro or local train, as shown here.

Step 2, travel from Milan to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 21:10 and arriving Munich Hbf at 09:21.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Step 3, travel from Munich to Berlin, Leipzig, Frankfurt or anywhere in Germany. You can reach Berlin Hbf by 15:30, Hamburg Hbf by 16:00.

I'd allow at least an hour between the scheduled arrival of the nightjet and an onward departure. Check times and book this at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Step 1, Nice to Milan by Thello, seen here arrived at Milan Centrale. More photos & information about Thello trains.


2nd class seats on the Thello train. All seats have power sockets, with plenty of luggage space on racks and between seat backs.		1st class seats on Thello. All seats have power sockets. Plenty of luggage room on racks & between seat backs...

View from the train along the Ligurian coast between Nice & Genoa. Courtesy of Lucas Martin.

Step 2, Milan to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train... More information about Nightjet trains.


Deluxe sleeper. Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room. Larger photo. Video of deluxe room		The same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out. Larger photo.		Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided. Larger photo.		Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open. It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth. Larger photo.


6-berth couchettes...		4-berth couchettes...		Couchette car on the Nightjet train...

Option 2, Nice to Cologne, Dusseldorf or Frankfurt in a day, via Paris...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Paris Gare de Lyon by TGV Duplex in as little as 5h41, see the timetable here.

The 300 km/h double-deck TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Cross Paris by taxi or metro, allowing at least an hour between trains in Paris.

Step 2, travel from Paris Gare du Nord to Cologne Hbf by Thalys in 3h25, or from Paris Gare de l'Est to Frankfurt by ICE train in 3h50.

Thalys trains have a cafe-bar, ICE trains have a restaurant car, both types have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Change at Mannheim or Cologne for destinations all over Germany.

You can check times and buy tickets from Nice or Cannes to anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

Tip: Using www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Paris (any station) as a via station with stopover duration of at least 1 hour. That forces the system to find journeys via Paris, and gives you a robust connection. By default, the system allows cross-Paris connections as tight as 40 minutes. If necessary, book Nice-Paris and Paris-Germany separately, adding each to your basket and checking out at the end.

Option 3, Nice to Munich in a day, via Verona...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Verona, leaving Nice Ville at 07:57, changing at Milan Centrale and arriving Verona Porta Nuova at 14:58.

The Thello train from Nice to Milan has a cafe counter, and there's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa. The high-speed Frecciarossa from Milan to Verona has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Fares start at €34.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board the train.
Step 2, travel from Verona to Munich, leaving Verona Porta Nuova at 17:01 arriving Munich Hbf at 22:27.

This is a lovely journey on a Austrian EuroCity train with restaurant car through the wonderful Brenner Pass, see the Brenner Pass video here.

Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Buy a ticket at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Option 4, Nice to Frankfurt, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Berlin with overnight stop in Marseille...

Day 1, travel from Nice Ville to Marseille St Charles on any train you like, taking around 2h35.

You can leave as late as 18:11, but ideally take an earlier train and see a bit of Marseille as it's a great place for a stopover. This train runs along the Cote d'Azur, past rocky headlands, yacht-filled harbours and millionaires' villas.

Fares start at €15 if you use a TGV and book ahead. The fixed-price fare is €36 if you use a TER regional train.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, same fares). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone.
Stay overnight in Marseille, inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.
Day 2, travel from Marseille to Frankfurt by TGV Duplex leaving Marseille St Charles at 08:10 and arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 15:58.

Change in Frankfurt for Cologne, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Berlin or anywhere in Germany. You can reach Berlin Hbf at 20:29.

Fares from Marseille to German cities start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book from Marseille to anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the German Railways website www.bahn.de (in €, no fee) looking for the 08:10 departure. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone.

The direct TGV Duplex from Marseille to Frankfurt, arrived at Frankfurt am Main Hbf...


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


1st class seats on the upper deck, a club duo on the left, a club quatre on the right. 360º photo.		The TGV to Marseille, boarding at Frankfurt am Main Hbf. You enter on the lower deck, with 9 stairs up to top deck.

Option 5, Nice to Munich or Berlin with overnight stop in Verona - a scenic option with coastline and mountains...

Day 1, travel from Nice to Verona, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09, changing at Milan Centrale and arriving Verona Porta Nuova at 20:54.

The Thello train from Nice to Milan has a cafe counter, and there's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa. The high-speed Frecciarossa from Milan to Verona has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Fares start at €34.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it).

Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board the train.
Stay overnight in Verona. By all means catch the morning train from Nice to Verona, or a later train from Verona to Germany, to spend some time here. Hotels & B&Bs 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 great reviews) the Relais Empire.
Day 2, travel from Verona to Munich, leaving Verona Porta Nuova at 09:01 and arriving Munich Hbf at 14:21.

This is a lovely journey on a Austrian EuroCity train with restaurant car through the wonderful Brenner Pass, see the Brenner Pass photos & video here. Change in Munich for ICE and IC trains to destinations all over Germany.

Fares from Verona to Germany start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book from Verona to anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

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


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

Hilltop fortresses seen from the Brenner Pass train

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


Vineyards, mountains and castles south of Brenner as the train heads from Verona to Innsbruck...

Mountains on the Brenner route...

Nice to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck & Austria...

Option 1, using the nightjet sleeper train from Milan to Salzburg or Vienna - the time-effective option...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:55.

The Thello train has a cafe counter and there's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.

Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or try the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com, see map showing walking route.

Transfer from Milan Centrale to Porta Garibaldi by taxi, metro or local train, as shown here.
Step 2, travel from Milan to Austria by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 21:10 arriving Salzburg 06:49 & Vienna Hbf 08:52.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

Step 1, Nice to Milan by Thello, seen here arrived at Milan Centrale. More photos & information about Thello trains.


2nd class seats on the Thello train. All seats have power sockets, with plenty of luggage space on racks and between seat backs.		1st class seats on Thello. All seats have power sockets. Plenty of luggage room on racks & between seat backs...

View from the train along the Ligurian coast between Nice & Genoa. Courtesy of Lucas Martin.

Step 2, Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train... More information about Nightjet trains.


Deluxe sleeper. Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room. Larger photo. Video of deluxe room		The same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out. Larger photo.		Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided. Larger photo.		Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open. It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth. Larger photo.


6-berth couchettes...		4-berth couchettes...		Couchette car on the Nightjet train...

Option 2, by Russian sleeper train, every Sunday morning - a direct high-quality sleeper train from Nice to Vienna...

You can book a ticket from Nice to Vienna on the weekly Russian sleeper train on its way to Moscow, leaving Nice around 09:30 every Sunday morning and arriving at Vienna Hbf next day around 06:02 next morning with excellent modern sleeping-cars and a restaurant car. It's identical to the equally-excellent Paris-Moscow train illustrated here. However, the Russians have yet to discover cheap advance-purchase pricing - you're looking at around €160 with a bed in a 4-berth, €263 with a bed in a 2-berth.
Book at the Russian Railways website www.rzd.ru and print your own ticket. You should use the German name Wien as Vienna.

Option 3, by day trains with overnight stop in Venice - a scenic option to Vienna or Salzburg...

Day 1, travel from Nice to Venice, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09 by Thello train, changing at the magnificent Milan Centrale onto a Frecciarossa train with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 21:42.
An earlier 07:57 departure from Nice arriving Venice Santa Lucia 16:12 is also available if you'd like some time in Venice. The station is just 15 minutes walk from the Rialto Bridge, 25 minutes walk from San Marco.
Fares start at €34.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on the train.
Stay overnight in Venice - for a hotel that won't break the bank, but is 2 minutes walk from the station with good reviews, try the Hotel Maggior Consiglio or for a little more, the Hotel Abbazia.

Day 2, travel from Venice to Vienna by smart Austrian railjet train, leaving Venice Santa Lucia at 09:56 and arriving Vienna Hbf 17:35.
The railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the railjet information here. It takes the beautiful UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains, you might see something of this at least in summer when it's light until ten.
Change in Villach for Salzburg.
Fares start at €29 in 2nd class, €44 in 1st class or €59 in business class (= premium 1st). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Venice to Vienna or Salzburg at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (same prices, in €, more fiddly). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.

Scenery from the train on the Semmering Railway

Scenery between Venice & Vienna. More photos & information about the Venice to Vienna journey.

Option 4, by day trains with overnight stop in Verona - a scenic option to Innsbruck, Salzburg or Vienna...

Day 1, travel from Nice to Verona, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09, changing at Milan's magnificent Centrale station and arriving Verona Porta Nuova at 20:54. Enjoy the great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.

Fares start at €34.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on the train.
Stay overnight in Verona. By all means catch the morning train from Nice to Verona, or a later train from Verona to Germany, to spend some time here. Hotels near the station with good or great reviews include the Sole Hotel Verona, Corte Merighi Rooms & Breakfast, Guesthouse Verona or (a little closer to the centre but with fab reviews) the Relais Empire.
Day 2, travel from Verona to Innsbruck, leaving Verona Porta Nuova at 09:04 and arriving Innsbruck Hbf at 12:32.

This is a lovely journey on an Austrian EuroCity train with restaurant car through the wonderful Brenner Pass, see the Brenner Pass video here.

Change in Innsbruck for a modern Austrian Railjet train to Salzburg & Vienna, taking just a few hours more.

Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €34.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book from Verona to Innsbruck, Salzburg, Vienna or anywhere in Austria at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly, same fares, in €). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.


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

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


Vineyards, mountains and castles south of Brenner as the train heads from Verona to Innsbruck...

Mountains on the Brenner route...

Nice to Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Oslo & Stockholm...

Option 1, using the Zurich-Hamburg sleeper...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 07:57 and arriving Milan Centrale at 12:55.

The Thello train has a cafe counter and power sockets at all seats. It's a scenic ride along the coast between Nice and Genoa.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.
Step 2, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 14:10 and arriving Zurich HB at 17:50.

The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a lovely run through the Alps, past Italian and Swiss lakes and passing through the world's longest railway tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Have dinner in Zurich, I can recommend the steak-frites and a beer at the Brasserie Federal on the main concourse at Zurich HB.

Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.
Step 3, travel from Zurich to Hamburg by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 19:59 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 07:53.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two air-conditioned double-deck sleeping-cars (1 & 2 bed compartments with washbasin, 1 & 2 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, plus a few 3-berth compartments with washbasin), couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments & ordinary seats. The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee in the morning, see the Nightjet information page.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

Step 4, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:55 & arriving Copenhagen at 13:33.
Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
Book from Hamburg to Copenhagen at the German Railways website www.bahn.de or www.raileurope.com

Step 5, travel from Copenhagen to Norway & Sweden...
For Stockholm, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000 train, leaving Copenhagen at 14:19 and arriving Stockholm at 19:36. You should book from Hamburg to Stockholm as one transaction from €56.90 at www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone.

For Malmo or Gothenburg, Öresund Link trains run hourly from Copenhagen to Gothenburg in 3h53 and every half hour or better from Copenhagen to Malmo in 39 minutes. You should book from Hamburg to Malmo or Gothenburg (= Goteborg Central) as one transaction from €56.90 at www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone.

For Oslo & Norway, take the overnight cruise ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo 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.

Zurich to Hamburg by Nightjet... This is a double-deck sleeping-car at Zurich HB. Courtesy of DiscoverbyRail.com.

2-berth sleeper on lower deck...

Stairs down to pair of lower compartments...

1 or 2-bed sleeper on lower deck with washbasin, viewed through window. Set up as 1-bed. Note how compact the compartment is...

Austrian couchette car or liegewagen...

6-berth couchettes...

4-berth couchettes...

Hamburg to Copenhagen by Intercity train. This is the late afternoon Hamburg-Copenhagen IC3 leaving platform 5 at Hamburg Hbf on a busy summer day. The yellow stripe above the windows indicates first class, located at one end of both 3-car units. More information about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.


2nd class seats on a IC3 train. Larger photo.		An IC3 train to Copenhagen at Hamburg.

Option 2, using the Milan-Munich sleeper...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:55.

There's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.

Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or try the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com, see map showing walking route.

Transfer from Milan Centrale to Porta Garibaldi by taxi, metro or local train, as shown here
Step 2, travel from Milan to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 21:10 and arriving Munich Hbf at 09:21.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

Step 3, travel from Munich to Copenhagen, leaving Munich Hbf at 10:22, changing at Hamburg Hbf and arriving Copenhagen 21:33.

You travel from Munich to Hamburg by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Then from Hamburg to Copenhagen by comfortable Danish IC3 intercity train.

Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Buy this ticket at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone. Tip: I recommend changing Duration of transfer from standard to at least 45 minutes. Make sure you allow at least 60 minutes between the sleeper and the onward train in Munich, just in case of any delay.

For Stockholm, stay overnight in Copenhagen and take a fast X2000 train to Stockholm next day. You can book this at www.sj.se but it's usually cheaper to book from Munich to Stockholm all in one go at www.bahn.de, clicking Add intermediate stops, entering Copenhagen and say 09:00 in the hh:mm stopover duration box. You can then get a Munich-Stockholm ticket from €56.90 upwards with an overnight stop pre-programmed in.
For Malmo or Gothenburg, stay overnight in Copenhagen and take an Öresund train to Malmö or Gothenburg next day. You can book this at www.sj.se or buy at the station, no reservation required, but it's usually cheaper to book from Munich to Malmö or Gothenburg all in one go at www.bahn.de, clicking Add intermediate stops, entering Copenhagen and say 09:00 in the hh:mm stopover duration box. You can then get a Munich-Malmö or Munich-Gothenburg ticket from €56.90 with an overnight stop pre-programmed in. Note that Gothenburg is listed on bahn.de as Goteborg Central.
For Oslo & Norway, stay overnight in Copenhagen and take an Öresund train to Gothenburg next day with connecting train to Oslo Sentral, see the Copenhagen-Oslo section on the Copenhagen page.

Milan to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train... More information about Nightjet trains.

Deluxe sleeper. Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room. Larger photo. Video of deluxe room

The same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out. Larger photo.

Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided. Larger photo.

Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open. It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth. Larger photo.

6-berth couchettes...

4-berth couchettes...

Couchette car on the Nightjet train...

Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stops in Marseille & Hamburg - if you prefer day trains & hotels to sleepers...

Day 1, travel from Nice Ville to Marseille St Charles on any train you like, taking around 2h35.

You can leave as late as 18:11, but ideally take an earlier train and see a bit of Marseille as it's a great place for a stopover. This train runs along the Cote d'Azur, past rocky headlands, yacht-filled harbours and millionaires' villas.

Fares start at €15 if you use a TGV and book ahead. The fixed-price fare is €36 if you use a TER regional train.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, same fares). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone.
Stay overnight in Marseille, inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.
Day 2, travel from Marseille to Frankfurt by TGV Duplex leaving Marseille St Charles at 08:10 and arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 15:58. Then take an onward ICE train to Hamburg Hbf, arriving 20:29.

The TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, the ICE has a restaurant car, both trains have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book from Marseille to Hamburg at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the German Railways website www.bahn.de (in €, no fee) looking for the 08:10 departure.

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone.
Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshoff Hamburg is just 200m from the station, features art deco-based design and gets great reviews. Other hotels next to Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf start at around £33 for one person or £49 for two people booked at www.hostelworld.com.

Day 3, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:55 & arriving Copenhagen at 13:33.
Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Hamburg to Copenhagen at the German Railways website www.bahn.de or www.raileurope.com. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone.

Day 3, travel from Copenhagen to Norway & Sweden...
For Stockholm, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by 125mph X2000 train, leaving Copenhagen at 14:19 and arriving Stockholm at 19:36. You should book from Hamburg to Stockholm as one transaction from €56.90 at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

For Malmo or Gothenburg, Öresund Link trains run hourly from Copenhagen to Gothenburg in 3h53 and every half hour or better from Copenhagen to Malmo in 39 minutes. You should book from Hamburg to Malmo or Gothenburg (= Goteborg Central) as one transaction from €56.90 at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

For Oslo & Norway, take the overnight cruise ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo 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.

Nice to Helsinki & Finland...

Option 1, using a Finnlines ferry from Germany to Helsinki - the easiest option...

Day 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:55.

There's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it).

Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.

Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or try the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com, see map showing walking route.

Transfer from Milan Centrale to Porta Garibaldi by taxi, metro or local train, as shown here

Day 1, travel from Milan to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 21:10 and arriving Munich Hbf at 09:21.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (same prices, more fiddly, in €). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Tip: If you like, you can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using the excellent www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.

Day 2, travel from Munich to Hamburg by ICE4 train, leaving Munich Hbf at 10:22 and arriving Hamburg Hbf 15:54.

Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €56.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
Book this train at the German Railways site www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Day 2, transfer from Hamburg Hbf to the Travemünde ferry terminal by local train+bus and sail from Travemünde to Helsinki with Finnlines, as shown in detail on the Trains from Hamburg page. Finnlines sail from Travemünde in northern Germany to Helsinki every day, boarding from 22:30 to 24:00 and arriving Helsinki Vuosaari ferry terminal at 09:00 2 nights later (Day 4 from Nice). Check sailing dates, times & book the ferry at www.finnlines.com.

Book onward trains within Finland at the Finnish Railways website www.vr.fi.

One of Finnlines 3 star class ferries to Helsinki. Courtesy of Finnlines.

Cabin on the ferry...

Option 2, by train to Stockholm, then ferry to Helsinki...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Stockholm as shown above.

Step 2, travel from Stockholm to Helsinki either by direct overnight cruise ferry, or by daytime or overnight ferry to Turku and connecting train to Helsinki as shown on the Trains & ferries from Stockholm page.

Back to top

Nice to Prague & the Czech Republic...

Option 1, Nice to Prague using the Zurich-Prague sleeping-car - a time-effective option...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 07:57 and arriving Milan Centrale at 12:55.

The Thello train has a cafe counter and power sockets at all seats. It's a scenic ride along the coast between Nice and Genoa.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you simply quote your booking reference on board.
Step 2, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 14:10 and arriving Zurich HB at 17:50.

The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a lovely run through the Alps, past Italian and Swiss lakes and passing through the world's longest railway tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Have dinner in Zurich, see suggested restaurants on the Zurich HB station page, I can recommend the steak-frites and a beer at the Brasserie Federal on the main concourse at Zurich HB.

Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.

Step 3, travel from Zurich to Prague by direct sleeping-car, leaving Zurich HB at 21:40, arriving Ceske Budejovice 08:52 & Prague Hlavni 11:02.
If you're going to Ceske Krumlov, get off the sleeper at Ceske Budejovice (its former name is Budweis, that's right, where the name of the beer comes from) and take the 10:13 express train to Ceske Krumlov arriving 10:50.
This train has an excellent air-conditioned Czech sleeping-car with 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite shower & toilet and 1, 2 or 3 bed standard compartments with washbasin - there are no couchettes on this train, just a sleeping-car. The sleeper fare includes morning tea or coffee. The beds convert to seats for the daytime part of the journey, and there's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the standard sleepers. See more photos, tips & information about the Zurich to Prague sleeper. See suggested hotels in Prague.

Fares start at €45 including a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €59 including a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper, or €112 with a bed in a single-bed sleeper.

Book this sleeper at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz, booking usually opens 92 days ahead and you print your own ticket. This is the only website where this sleeper can be booked online. Change the Czech flag to the UK flag for English, see my advice & tips for using cd.cz. Tip: Leave 2nd class selected, as all sleeper accommodation is technically 2nd class, even deluxe sleepers.

Step 1, Nice to Genoa & Milan by Thello, seen here at Milan Centrale. More photos & information about Thello trains.

2nd class seats on the Thello train. All seats have power sockets, with plenty of luggage space on racks and between seat backs.

1st class seats on Thello. All seats have power sockets. Plenty of luggage room on racks & between seat backs...

Views from the train, along the Ligurian coast between Nice and Genoa. Photos courtesy of Lucas Martin.

Step 2, Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train. Photos courtesy of Andreas Wiedenhof.

Giruno, 1st class. Larger photo.

Cafe-bar counter. Larger photo

Lake Lugano, seen from a Milan to Zurich train on the Gotthard route.

Step 3, Zurich to Prague by sleeping-car, seen here ready to leave Zurich HB. More photos & information about the Zurich to Prague sleeper. Photo courtesy of Shaiq Ali Khan

Standard sleeper set up as a 2-berth, with blind down & washstand open. Each room can be used with 1, 2 or 3 beds. Larger photo.

The same sleeper with berths folded away & seats folded out, washstand closed. Very similar to a deluxe, but without the shower & toilet. Larger photo.

Deluxe sleepers are almost identical to regular ones, a bit more floorspace & compact shower & toilet instead of washstand. Larger photo.

Just like a hotel, the corridor in a Comfortline sleeping-car. There's a shower at end of the corridor for standard sleeper passengers.

Option 2, Nice to Prague using the Milan-Vienna sleeper - another time-effective option...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:55.

The Thello train has a cafe counter, and there's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.

Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or try the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com, see map showing walking route.

Transfer from Milan Centrale to Porta Garibaldi by taxi, metro or local train, as shown here.

Step 2, travel from Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 21:10 arriving Vienna Hbf at 08:52.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Tip: If you have a sleeper ticket, and/or a 1st or business class ticket for the onward train, you can use the ÖBB 1st class lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with free WiFi and complimentary tea & coffee.

Step 3, travel from Vienna to Prague by Czech railjet train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 11:10 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 15:13.

The railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Fares start at €14 in 2nd class, €29 in 1st class or €34 in business class (= premium 1st class).

Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, small booking fee) or the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz (in koruna, booking opens 92 days ahead), whichever is cheaper. You print your own ticket.

Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train... More information about Nightjet trains.

Deluxe sleeper. Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room. Larger photo. Video of deluxe room

The same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out. Larger photo.

Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided. Larger photo.

Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open. It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth. Larger photo.

6-berth couchettes...

4-berth couchettes...

Couchette car on the Nightjet train...

Option 3, Nice to Prague with an overnight stop in Venice - the scenic option, if you prefer day trains & hotels to sleepers...

Day 1, travel from Nice to Venice, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09, changing at Milan Centrale, arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 21:42.
You travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, with cafe counter, past great scenery along the coast as far as Genoa. You then travel from Milan to Venice by high-speed Frecciarossa train with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
An earlier 07:57 departure from Nice arriving Venice Santa Lucia 16:12 is also available if you'd like some time in Venice. The station is just 15 minutes walk from the Rialto Bridge, 25 minutes walk from San Marco.
Fares start at €34.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on the train.

Stay overnight in Venice - for a hotel that won't break the bank, but is 2 minutes walk from the station with good reviews, try the Hotel Maggior Consiglio or for a little more, the Hotel Abbazia.

Day 2, travel from Venice to Vienna by railjet train, leaving Venice Santa Lucia at 09:56 and arriving Vienna Hbf 17:35.
The smart Austrian railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more information about railjet. It takes the beautiful UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains, you might see something of this at least in summer when it's light until ten.
Fares start at €29 in 2nd class, €44 in 1st class or €59 in business class (= premium 1st). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Venice to Vienna or Salzburg at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (same prices, in €, more fiddly). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Tip: If you have a 1st or business class ticket you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.

Step 3, travel from Vienna to Prague by Czech railjet train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:10 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 23:15.

The railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Fares start at €14.90 in 2nd class, €29.90 in 1st class or €44.90 in business class (= premium 1st). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee, Booking opens up to 6 months ahead) or the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz (in koruna, booking normally opens 92 days ahead), whichever is cheaper. You print your own ticket.

Scenery between Venice & Vienna. More photos & information about the Venice to Vienna journey.

Back to top

Nice to Bratislava & Slovakia...

Option 1, Nice to Bratislava using the Milan-Vienna sleeper - the time-effective option...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:55.

The Thello train has a cafe counter, and there's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.

Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or try the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com, see map showing walking route.

Transfer from Milan Centrale to Porta Garibaldi by taxi, metro or local train, as shown here.

Step 2, travel from Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 21:10 arriving Vienna Hbf at 08:52.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Tip: If you have a sleeper ticket, you can use the ÖBB 1st class lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.

Step 3, travel from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna on the hourly regional express train, no reservation necessary or possible, just buy a ticket at the station for €11.20 and hop on the next train, journey time 1h07, see the timetable here. You can check times (and buy a ticket if you like, just to save time) at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.

Step 1, Nice to Milan by Thello, seen here at Milan Centrale. More photos & information about Thello trains.

2nd class seats on the Thello train. All seats have power sockets, with plenty of luggage space on racks and between seat backs.

1st class seats on Thello. All seats have power sockets. Plenty of luggage room on racks & between seat backs...

Views from the train, along the Ligurian coast between Nice and Genoa. Photos courtesy of Lucas Martin.

Step 2, Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train... More information about Nightjet trains.

Deluxe sleeper. Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room. Larger photo. Video of deluxe room

The same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out. Larger photo.

Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided. Larger photo.

Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open. It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth. Larger photo.

6-berth couchettes...

4-berth couchettes...

Couchette car on the Nightjet train...

Step 3, Vienna to Bratislava by hourly regional express train. More about these Vienna-Bratislava trains.

Option 2, Nice to Bratislava with an overnight stop in Venice - the scenic option...

Day 1, travel from Nice to Venice, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09 by Thello train, changing at the magnificent Milan Centrale onto a Frecciarossa train with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 21:42.
An earlier 07:57 departure from Nice arriving Venice Santa Lucia 16:12 is also available if you'd like some time in Venice. The station is just 15 minutes walk from the Rialto Bridge, 25 minutes walk from San Marco.
Fares start at €34.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on the train.

Stay overnight in Venice - for a hotel that won't break the bank, but is 2 minutes walk from the station with good reviews, try the Hotel Maggior Consiglio or for a little more, the Hotel Abbazia.

Day 2, travel from Venice to Vienna by railjet train, leaving Venice Santa Lucia at 09:56 and arriving Vienna Hbf 17:35.
The smart Austrian railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more information about railjet. It takes the beautiful UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains, you might see something of this at least in summer when it's light until ten.
Fares start at €29 in 2nd class, €44 in 1st class or €59 in business class (= premium 1st). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Venice to Vienna or Salzburg at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (same prices, in €, more fiddly). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Tip: If you've a 1st or business class ticket you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.

Step 3, travel from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna on the hourly regional express train, no reservation necessary or possible, just buy a ticket at the station for €11.20 and hop on the next train, journey time 1h07. See the timetable here. You can check times (and buy a ticket if you like, just to save time) at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.

Scenery between Venice & Vienna. More photos & information about the Venice to Vienna journey.

Back to top

Nice to Budapest & Hungary...

Option 1, Nice to Budapest using the Zurich-Budapest sleeper train - a time-effective option...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 07:57 and arriving Milan Centrale at 12:55.

The Thello train has a cafe counter and power sockets at all seats. It's a lovely scenic ride along the coast between Nice & Genoa.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you simply quote your booking reference on the train.

Step 2, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 14:10 and arriving Zurich HB at 17:50.

The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a lovely run through the Alps, past Italian & Swiss lakes and passing through the world's longest railway tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Have dinner in Zurich, I can recommend the steak-frites and a beer at the Brasserie Federal on the main concourse at Zurich HB.

Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.

Step 2, travel from Zurich to Budapest by EuroNight sleeper train Kalman Imre leaving Zurich HB at 21:40 and arriving Budapest Keleti at 09:19.
The Kalman Imre has a comfortable air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin, an air-conditioned Hungarian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats, see more information, photos & tips about this train.
Fares start at €59 with a couchette in 6-berth, €69 with a couchette in 4-berth, €99 in a 2-bed sleeper with washbasin or €129 in a single-bed sleeper with washbasin, all fares are per person, per berth.

Book the sleeper at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares, more fiddly). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. Look for the direct EuroNight (EN) train with 0 changes. You print your own ticket.
Tip: If you like, you can check the consist for this train, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Switzerland & click nj. Look for NJ 467.

Step 1, Nice to Genoa & Milan by Thello, seen here at Milan Centrale. More photos & information about Thello trains.

2nd class seats on the Thello train. All seats have power sockets, with plenty of luggage space on racks and between seat backs.

1st class seats on Thello. All seats have power sockets. Plenty of luggage room on racks & between seat backs...

Views from the train, along the Ligurian coast between Nice and Genoa. Photos courtesy of Lucas Martin.

Step 2, Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train. Photos courtesy of Andreas Wiedenhof.

Giruno, 1st class. Larger photo.

Cafe-bar counter. Larger photo

Lake Lugano, seen from a Milan to Zurich train on the Gotthard route.

Step 3, Zurich to Budapest by EuroNight sleeper...

4-berth couchettes

6-berth couchettes...

2-bed sleeper. Larger photo

The Zurich-Budapest sleeper at Budapest Keleti. More information about this sleeper train. Courtesy of Matthew Williams.

Option 2, Nice to Budapest using the Milan-Vienna sleeper - another time-effective option...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:55.

The Thello train has a cafe counter, and there's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on board.

Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or try the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com, see map showing walking route.

Transfer from Milan Centrale to Porta Garibaldi by taxi, metro or local train, as shown here.

Step 2, travel from Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 21:10 arriving Vienna Hbf at 08:52.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Tip: If you have a sleeper ticket and/or an onward 1st or business class ticket, you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with free WiFi and complimentary tea & coffee.

Step 3, travel from Vienna to Budapest by railjet train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 09:42 & arriving Budapest Keleti at 12:19.

Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class, €29.90 in 1st class or €44 in business class (= premium 1st). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

These swish Austrian railjet trains have a restaurant car with draught beer on tap, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more information about railjet. Why not book book a later train & spend some time in Vienna? Trains to Budapest leave every hour, left luggage lockers are available.

Buy a ticket from Vienna to Budapest as a second transaction at www.thetrainline.com (or www.oebb.at). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket. Easy!

Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train. More information about Nightjet trains.

Deluxe sleeper. Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room. Larger photo. Video of deluxe room

The same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out. Larger photo.

Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided. Larger photo.

Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open. It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth. Larger photo.

6-berth couchettes...

4-berth couchettes...

Couchette car on the Nightjet train...

Option 3, Nice to Budapest with an overnight stop in Venice - the scenic option, if you prefer day trains & hotels to sleepers...

Day 1, travel from Nice to Venice, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09, changing at Milan Centrale, arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 21:42.
You travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, a lovely journey along the coast between Nice & Genoa, then from Milan to Venice by high-speed Frecciarossa with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
An earlier 07:57 departure from Nice arriving Venice Santa Lucia 16:12 is also available if you'd like some time in Venice. The station is just 15 minutes walk from the Rialto Bridge, 25 minutes walk from San Marco.
Fares start at €34.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote your booking reference on the train.

Stay overnight in Venice - for a hotel that won't break the bank, but is 2 minutes walk from the station with good reviews, try the Hotel Maggior Consiglio or for a little more, the Hotel Abbazia.

Day 2, travel from Venice to Vienna by smart Austrian railjet train, leaving Venice Santa Lucia at 09:56 and arriving Vienna Hbf 17:35.
The railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the railjet information here. It takes the beautiful UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains, you might see something of this at least in summer when it's light until ten.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or €59.90 in business class (= premium 1st). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Venice to Vienna or Salzburg at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (same prices, in €, more fiddly). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Tip: If you have a 1st or business class ticket you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee, WiFi.

Step 3, travel from Vienna to Budapest by EuroCity train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 18:42 & arriving Budapest Keleti at 21:19.

Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class, €29.90 in 1st class or €44 in business class (= premium 1st class). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Buy a ticket from Vienna to Budapest as a second transaction at www.thetrainline.com (or www.oebb.at). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.

Scenery between Venice & Vienna. More photos & information about the Venice to Vienna journey.

Back to top

Nice to Brasov, Bucharest & Romania...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Budapest via the Milan-Vienna Nightjet sleeper train, as shown in the Nice to Budapest section above.

Step 2, travel from Budapest to Romania by sleeper train Ister leaving Budapest Keleti at 19:10, arriving Brasov 09:54 & Bucharest Gara de Nord 12:33 next day.

This comfortable sleeper train has an air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. There's no restaurant car (although a bar-bistro is usually attached within Romania) so take a picnic and bottle of wine. There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest, a real treat...

Fares start at €39 with a couchette, €59 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper or €89 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper.

Book the Budapest to Bucharest train at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it. Booking opens 60 days ahead. You show the ticket in the MAV app on your smartphone.

1, 2 or 3-bed sleeper with washbasin. Larger photo.

The sleeping-car (vagon de dormit) of the Ister at Budapest Keleti. Sleepers convert from beds to private sitting rooms for day use.

The vagon cuseta (couchette car) on the Ister, at Budapest. Always book a couchette, not just a seat. Couchettes convert from bunks at night to seats for day use.

4 or 6-berth couchettes. Larger photo.

Back to top

Nice to Ljubljana & Zagreb...

Day 1, travel from Nice to Venice Santa Lucia, leaving Nice Ville at 07:57 or 14:09 and changing at Milan Centrale, as explained above.
It's a lovely scenic ride along the coast between Nice and Genoa.
Fares start at €34.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you simply quote the booking reference on board.

Stay overnight in Venice. For a hotel that won't break the bank, but is 2 minutes walk from the station with good reviews, try the Hotel Maggior Consiglio or for a little more, the Hotel Abbazia.

Day 2, travel from Venice to Ljubljana or Zagreb by train as explained on the Venice to Ljubljana page.
The fixed-price fare is around €24.
No reservations are necessary for any of this journey, just turn up, buy a ticket and go. There are two departures every day.

Inside the ETR563. Larger photo.

The train to Ljubljana about to leave Trieste. Courtesy of Marc Williams.

Back to top

Nice to Belgrade, Sofia & Montenegro...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Zagreb as explained in the Nice to Zagreb section above.

Step 2, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade as explained on the Trains from Zagreb page.

if you're going to Sofia...

Stay overnight in Belgrade. I recommend the historic Hotel Moskva at the start of the main pedestrianised street through the old centre.

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

If you're going to Montenegro...

A daytime and overnight train link Belgrade Topcider station with Podgorica and Bar over one of the most scenic lines in Europe, fare around €22 paid at the station on the day. For train times, fares & photos see the Belgrade to Montenegro page. Change at Podgorica for buses to Budva or Kotor.

Back to top

Nice to Warsaw, Krakow & Poland...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train, leaving Nice Ville at 14:09 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:55.

The Thello train has a cafe counter, and there's great scenery along the coast between Nice and Genoa.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote the booking reference on board.

Have dinner in Milan - the station bistro is good (www.autogrill.com/it/marchi/bistrot-milano-centrale), or try the excellent Italian restaurant Noblesse Oblige just 5 minutes walk outside the station, book a table at www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com, see map showing walking route.

Transfer from Milan Centrale to Porta Garibaldi by taxi, metro or local train, as shown here.

Step 2, travel from Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 21:10 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 08:52.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

Step 3, travel from Vienna to Warsaw by EuroCity train Polonia with restaurant car, leaving Vienna Hbf 14:10 arriving Warsaw Centralna 21:22.
For Krakow, change at Katowice, arriving Krakow Glowny at 21:10.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking to Warsaw opens up to 6 months ahead. Booking to Krakow with a change of train in Poland opens 60 days ahead, but you can buy the Vienna-Katowice ticket up to 6 months ahead and add the connecting ticket later at the Polish Railways website www.intercity.pl. You print your own ticket.

Step 1, Nice to Milan by Thello, seen here arrived at Milan Centrale. More photos & information about Thello trains.

2nd class seats on the Thello train. All seats have power sockets, with plenty of luggage space on racks and between seat backs.

1st class seats on Thello. All seats have power sockets. Plenty of luggage room on racks & between seat backs...

Views from the train, along the Ligurian coast between Nice and Genoa. Photos courtesy of Lucas Martin.

Step 2, Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train... More information about Nightjet trains.

Deluxe sleeper. Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room. Larger photo. Video of deluxe room

The same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out. Larger photo.

Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided. Larger photo.

Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open. It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth. Larger photo.

6-berth couchettes...

4-berth couchettes...

Couchette car on the Nightjet train...

Step 3, Vienna to Warsaw by EuroCity train. On these PKP Polish Railways cars, the green stripe above the windows indicates 2nd class. Yellow indicates first class. Red indicates the restaurant car. Courtesy of Jennifer Delaney.

Polish restaurant car on the EuroCity train from Vienna to Warsaw. Courtesy www.discoverbyrail.com.

A meal in the Polish restaurant car between Vienna and Warsaw. Courtesy www.discoverbyrail.com.

Back to top

Nice to Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn...

Day 1 & 2, travel from Nice to Warsaw as shown in the Nice to Warsaw section above...

Day 3, travel from Warsaw to Kaunas & Vilnius, leaving Warsaw at lunchtime, changing at Bialystok and arriving Kaunas in Lithuania in the evening, with connections to Vilnius, see the Warsaw to Vilnius page for details. Warsaw-Vilnius costs around €24, buy a ticket at the station in Warsaw.

Day 4, for onward travel from Vilnius to Riga, see here.

Day 5, for onward travel from Riga to Tallinn, see here.

Back to top

Nice to Kiev, Lviv & Ukraine...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Vienna as explained above (option 1). You arrive at Vienna Hbf by sleeper at 08:52.

Step 2, travel on the direct train from Vienna to Lviv and Kiev leaving Vienna Hbf at 16:42 and arriving at Lviv 10:14 & Kiev at 17:21, as explained on the trains from Vienna page.

The Vienna-Kiev sleeping-car at Kiev Pass. Photos 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.

Back to top

Nice to Moscow, St Petersburg & Russia...

Option 1, using the direct Nice to Moscow Express - once a week, runs via Belarus...

A weekly direct Russian Railways sleeper runs from Nice to Moscow, leaving every Sunday morning at 09:30, arriving Moscow around 11:45 on Tuesday morning. See pass.rzd.ru/static/public/en? STRUCTURE_ID=5125&layer_id=3290&.

The train has comfortable air-conditioned sleepers, 4-berth in 2nd class, 2-berth in 1st class and some VIP deluxe sleepers with en suite toilet and shower. It's identical to the Paris-Moscow Express shown with photos & video here.

You can check fares and buy print-at-home tickets at www.rzd.ru.

Note that this train passes through Belarus, so you'll need a Belarus transit visa. See important advice on that here.

If you want to avoid Belarus and the need for an extra visa, travel from Nice to Kiev as explained above. Then catch a sleeper train overnight from Kiev to Moscow, for example train 6 leaving Kiev at 19:36 arriving Moscow Kievskaya around 10:09 next morning.

Option 2, Nice to Moscow via Kiev - avoids Belarus...

Step 1, travel to Kiev as shown in the Nice to Kiev section above. It takes 2 nights.

Step 2, take one of the Kiev to Moscow sleeper trains, for example train 6 leaves at 19:36 arriving Moscow Kievskaya station at 10:09

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 booking.uz.gov.ua/en/ booking from Kyiv to Moskva Kievskaya. You collect tickets at the station in Kiev. Feedback appreciated!

Back to top

Nice to Athens & Greece

Nice to Athens takes less than 48 hours this way, an epic adventure, and a great journey. Recommended!

Day 1, travel from Nice to Milan by Thello train laving Nice at 14:09 and arriving Milan Centrale at 18:55.
Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €30 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote the booking reference on board.

Stay overnight in Milan. Hotels near Milan Centrale with good reviews include the Made to Measure Business, 43 Station Hotel, Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson.

Day 2, travel from Milan to Bari by Frecciabianca train, leaving Milan Centrale at 07:35 and running along the scenic Adriatic coast to Bari.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you just quote the booking reference on board.

In Bari, it's a short taxi ride or 25 minute walk to the ferry terminal. Allow at least 3 hours to connect between train and ship as there's a 2-hour ferry check-in.

Day 2, sail from Bari to Patras with Superfast Ferries. The ferry normally sails at 19:30 daily except Sundays, arriving Patras at 13:00 the next day (day 3). On Sundays the ship sails at 13:30, too early to make connections from Milan.
Check ferry times, dates, prices & buy tickets using the Direct Ferries website or at www.superfast.com or www.ferriesingreece.com.

The ship is modern and comfortable, with restaurants, bars, lounges and sun decks. You can book a deck place (a nice cheap option in summer if you have your own sleeping bag) or a reclining seat or a berth in various types of cabin, including luxury cabins with private shower & toilet. Strolling the decks in the morning sun as the ship cruises past the islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca is the nicest part of the trip, and it's a wonderful way to arrive in Greece.

In Patras, the ferry arrives at the new South ferry terminal a few km from the town centre. Bus number 18 links the port with the town bus station every hour on the hour, fare €1.20 or you can hop in a taxi for around €7, journey time 15-20 minutes.

Day 3, from Patras it's 3 hours to Athens by bus/train combo. There's a bus/train combined timetable from Patras to Athens on www.trainose.gr but it takes a bit of finding. Buy the bus ticket when you reach Patras, it costs around €18.

The Milan to Athens part of this journey is explained in detail on the London to Greece page, just ignore the London-Milan part of the 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!

Nice to Istanbul...

Step 1, travel from Nice to Budapest as explained above, and spend the night in Budapest.
Step 2, in Budapest, pick up the journey to Istanbul described in detail on the London to Istanbul page.

Hotels in Nice & other cities

My favourite hotel search site: www.booking.com

www.booking.com is my favourite hotel booking site and I generally prefer booking my hotels all 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. I never book hotels non-refundably. I have also come to trust their review scores - you won't be disappointed with anything over 8.0.

Tip: It can pay to compare prices across multiple hotel sites: HotelsCombined.com is a price comparison site which compares hotel prices on Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, Accor, Agoda and many others. Though if there's not much in it, I prefer keeping all my bookings together in one place at www.booking.com.

Other hotel sites worth trying...

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

Backpacker hostels...

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

Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance...

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

In the UK, reliable insurers include Columbus Direct.

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

You can use Confused.com to compare prices & policies from many different insurers.

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

If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

A Curve card saves on foreign transaction fees...

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then charge you a currency conversion fee. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing. The balance goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works: 1. Download the app for iPhone or Android. 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to most European addresses including the UK. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, just like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto whichever of your debit or credit cards you choose. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself - I get some commission if you sign up to Curve, but I'm recommending it here because it's great. See details, download the app and get a Curve card - they'll give you £5 cashback through that link, too.

Get a VPN for safe browsing. VPNs & why you need one explained...

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure. A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi. In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions. And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN. VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use it myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription, and I get a small commission to help support this site.

Back to home page

	Armenia
	Azerbaijan
	Bangladesh
	Burma (Myanmar)
	Cambodia
	China
	Georgia
	Hong Kong
	India
	Indonesia
	Iran
	Iraq
	Israel
	Japan
	Jordan
	Kazakhstan
	Laos
	Malaysia
	Nepal
	North Korea
	Pakistan
	Philippines
	Saudi Arabia
	Singapore
	South Korea
	Sri Lanka
	Syria
	Taiwan
	Thailand
	Turkey
	Uzbekistan
	Vietnam

	Algeria
	Botswana
	Cameroon
	Egypt
	Ethiopia
	Gabon
	Kenya
	Mali
	Morocco
	Mozambique
	Namibia
	Senegal
	South Africa
	Sudan
	Tanzania
	Tunisia
	Zambia
	Zimbabwe

	Canada
	Cuba
	Peru
	South America
	United States

Europe by train introduction
How to buy European train tickets...
London to Paris or Brussels by Eurostar...
	Albania
	Andorra
	Austria
	Belgium
	Belarus
	Bosnia
	Bulgaria
	Croatia
	Cyprus
	Czech Rep.
	Denmark
	Estonia
	Finland
	France
	Germany
	Gibraltar
	Greece
	Hungary
	Iceland
	Italy
	Latvia
	Lithuania
	Luxembourg
	Macedonia
	Malta
	Moldova
	Montenegro
	Netherlands
	Norway
	Poland
	Portugal
	Romania
	Russia
	Serbia
	Slovakia
	Slovenia
	Spain
	Sweden
	Switzerland
	Turkey
	Ukraine


2-berth sleeper on lower deck...		Stairs down to pair of lower compartments...		1 or 2-bed sleeper on lower deck with washbasin, viewed through window. Set up as 1-bed. Note how compact the compartment is...


Austrian couchette car or liegewagen...		6-berth couchettes...		4-berth couchettes...


One of Finnlines 3 star class ferries to Helsinki. Courtesy of Finnlines.		Cabin on the ferry...


Giruno, 1st class. Larger photo.		Cafe-bar counter. Larger photo


Standard sleeper set up as a 2-berth, with blind down & washstand open. Each room can be used with 1, 2 or 3 beds. Larger photo.		The same sleeper with berths folded away & seats folded out, washstand closed. Very similar to a deluxe, but without the shower & toilet. Larger photo.		Deluxe sleepers are almost identical to regular ones, a bit more floorspace & compact shower & toilet instead of washstand. Larger photo.		Just like a hotel, the corridor in a Comfortline sleeping-car. There's a shower at end of the corridor for standard sleeper passengers.


Step 3, Vienna to Bratislava by hourly regional express train. More about these Vienna-Bratislava trains.


Step 3, Zurich to Budapest by EuroNight sleeper...		4-berth couchettes		6-berth couchettes...


2-bed sleeper. Larger photo		The Zurich-Budapest sleeper at Budapest Keleti. More information about this sleeper train. Courtesy of Matthew Williams.


1, 2 or 3-bed sleeper with washbasin. Larger photo.		The sleeping-car (vagon de dormit) of the Ister at Budapest Keleti. Sleepers convert from beds to private sitting rooms for day use.


The vagon cuseta (couchette car) on the Ister, at Budapest. Always book a couchette, not just a seat. Couchettes convert from bunks at night to seats for day use.		4 or 6-berth couchettes. Larger photo.


Inside the ETR563. Larger photo.		The train to Ljubljana about to leave Trieste. Courtesy of Marc Williams.


Polish restaurant car on the EuroCity train from Vienna to Warsaw. Courtesy www.discoverbyrail.com.		A meal in the Polish restaurant car between Vienna and Warsaw. Courtesy www.discoverbyrail.com.


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.


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

Trains between European cities

Trains from Nice or Cannes

Train travel UK & Ireland...

Train travel in Europe...

Train travel in Asia...

Train travel in Africa...

Train travel in America...

Train travel in Australasia

I want to go from Nice to...

Before you buy your tickets...

European train travel FAQ...

Nice to Paris by TGV from €25...

Nice to Paris by sleeper train from €19...

Nice to Cannes, Juan les Pins, Monte Carlo, Menton by local train...

Nice to Marseille, Avignon, Lyon, Perpignan, Toulouse & other destinations in France

The view from the train...

Nice to London by TGV & Eurostar...

Nice to Brussels or Bruges...

Nice to Amsterdam...

Nice to Luxembourg...

Nice to Geneva, Zurich & Switzerland from €44...

Nice to Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome & Italy from €15...

Nice to Sicily...

Nice to Barcelona, Madrid & Spain...

Nice to San Sebastian...

Nice to Ibiza & Mallorca...

Nice to Lisbon, Porto, Faro & Portugal...

Nice to Andorra...

Nice to Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin & Germany...

Nice to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck & Austria...

Nice to Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Oslo & Stockholm...

Nice to Helsinki & Finland...

Nice to Prague & the Czech Republic...

Nice to Bratislava & Slovakia...

Nice to Budapest & Hungary...

Nice to Brasov, Bucharest & Romania...

Nice to Ljubljana & Zagreb...

Nice to Belgrade, Sofia & Montenegro...

Nice to Warsaw, Krakow & Poland...

Nice to Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn...

Nice to Kiev, Lviv & Ukraine...

Nice to Moscow, St Petersburg & Russia...

Nice to Athens & Greece

Nice to Istanbul...

Hotels in Nice & other cities

My favourite hotel search site: www.booking.com

Other hotel sites worth trying...

Backpacker hostels...

Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance...

A Curve card saves on foreign transaction fees...

Get a VPN for safe browsing. VPNs & why you need one explained...

Train travel
UK & Ireland...

Train travel
in Europe...

Train travel
in Asia...

Train travel
in Africa...

Train travel
in America...

Train travel
in Australasia