UK to Croatia by train in 24 hours...

Take a mid-afternoon Eurostar to Paris, the excellent City Night Line sleeper train to Munich, and an air-conditioned EuroCity train from Munich to Zagreb through great scenery.  Or a mid-morning Eurostar to Paris, a 200 mph double-deck TGV Duplex to Munich, and the overnight sleeper to Zagreb.  It's safe, civilised, comfortable & affordable and unlike a flight, a truly memorable travel experience.  This page tells you how...

Train times, fares & tickets

On this page you'll find a beginner's guide to arranging train travel to Croatia, with train times, fares & how to buy tickets:

London to Zagreb

London to Rijeka

London to Istria:  Porec, Rovinj, Pula

London to Split or Zadar

London to Korcula, Hvar, Vis, Brac by train+ferry

London to Dubrovnik by train+bus or train+ferry

Magnolia blossom in Zagreb.  Croatia is fabulous to visit, from the Adriatic islands to the gracious city of Zagreb to the wineries & olive groves of Istria.  No flights required!

London to Ploce (Bosnia page)

Visiting the city of Zagreb

Useful country information - currency, tourist information, time zones

Hotels in Zagreb, Split & Croatia

Holidays to Slovenia & Croatia by train not plane

On other pages...

General information about European train travel

Taking your bike    Taking your dog    Luggage

Buying tickets from UK towns & cities to connect with Eurostar

Sponsored links...

Useful country information

London to Zagreb

Which route to choose?

Croatia's capital city, Zagreb, is a wonderful city to visit, and it's the hub for trains to Split or Zadar for onward ferries to Adriatic islands such as Hvar or buses to Dubrovnik.  It's straightforward, safe & comfortable to reach Zagreb by train from the UK.  I show three good options, all of them with a similar range of prices:

• Option 1, Afternoon Eurostar to Paris, Paris-Munich by sleeper, EuroCity train to Zagreb:  Take an afternoon Eurostar to Paris, the excellent City Night Line sleeper overnight to Munich, then a scenic EuroCity train ride through the Austrian Alps and wonderful Slovenian and Croatian countryside to Zagreb.  This option can easily be booked online, offers superb scenery and has a convenient afternoon departure from the UK, handy if you're travelling from north of London.  The deluxe sleepers even have a private shower & toilet.

• Option 2, Morning Eurostar to Paris, Paris-Munich by TGV, Munich-Zagreb by sleeper:  Take a mid-morning Eurostar to Paris, afternoon high-speed double-decker TGV Duplex to Munich, then the modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeper train Lisinski overnight to Zagreb arriving next morning.  This option isn't as scenic, and it must be booked by phone as it can't be booked online, but it's quicker, very time-effective, and offers a convenient morning arrival in Zagreb, handy for connections to Split or to Sarajevo in Bosnia.

• Option 3, Morning Eurostar to Paris, TGV to Munich, overnight stop, EuroCity train to Zagreb:  For all-daytime train travel, take a mid-morning Eurostar to Paris and the afternoon high-speed double-decker TGV Duplex to Munich.  Stay the night in Munich and continue next day through superb Austrian, Slovenian and Croatian scenery.  This option is longer then the others, but it uses daytime trains throughout, with a hotel stop in Munich.

Option 1:  Afternoon Eurostar to Paris, sleeper to Munich, EuroCity train to Zagreb...

This is arguably the easiest to travel from the UK to Croatia by train, with the best scenery.

London ► Zagreb

• Day 1:  Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 15:31 (14:01 on Saturdays), arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:47 (17:17 on Saturdays).  On Fridays, there's also a 16:01 Eurostar arriving 19:17.  In Paris, it's a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.  By all means take an earlier Eurostar if you'd like to spend some time in Paris, or if it has cheaper seats available.

• Day 1:  Travel from Paris to Munich overnight by the City Night Line sleeper train Cassiopeia, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est daily at 20:05 and arriving in Munich at 07:10 next morning.  It has a sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments, economy with washbasin or deluxe with shower), 4 & 6-berth couchettes & ordinary seats, see the photos & information below.  More pictures & information about this City Night Line train.

• Day 2:  Travel from Munich to Villach by modern, air-conditioned Austrian EuroCity train, leaving Munich at 08:27 and arriving in Villach, near the Austrian-Slovenian border, at 12:43.  A restaurant car is available for breakfast.  At Villach it's a simple cross-platform change onto the waiting Slovenian/Croatian/Serbian EuroCity train to Zagreb.

• Day 2:  Travel from Villach to Zagreb on a modern, air-conditioned EuroCity train, the Sava, leaving Villach at 12:52 and arriving in Ljubljana at 14:31 and Zagreb at 17:10.

Zagreb ► London

• Day 1:  Travel from Zagreb or Ljubljana to Munich by air-conditioned EuroCity train Sava, leaving Zagreb at 12:30, Ljubljana at 15:05, you need to make a simple cross-platform change of train at Villach (arrive 17:03, depart 17:16) and you arrive in Munich at 21:33.  Enjoy the excellent scenery.  This train usually gets delayed a bit at the various frontiers, so expect a 10-40 minute late arrival in Munich.

• Alternatively, you could take the earlier EuroCity train and spend the afternoon in Munich, leaving Zagreb at 06:50 and Ljubljana at 09:12, arriving Munich at 15:33 (with no need to switch trains in Villach, this train is direct).  This is an Austrian train with 6-seater compartments in both 1st & 2nd class.  Take your own provisions as there's no restaurant or buffet car until the train leaves Villach at 10:47.  This is a safer connection into the sleeper from Munich to Paris, as the afternoon "Sava" has been known to miss its connection in Villach.  Left luggage lockers are available in Munich.

• Day 1:  Travel from Munich to Paris by the City Night Line sleeper train Cassiopeia, leaving Munich daily at 22:50 and arriving at Paris Gare de l'Est 09:24 next morning.  The train has ordinary seats, couchettes (4 & 6-bunk) and a sleeping-car (1, 2 or 3-bed compartments, deluxe with shower or economy with washbasin).  More pictures & information about this City Night Line sleeper train.  Travel tip:  This train runs combined with the Munich-Amsterdam sleeper for part of its journey, and is usually shown on the departure boards at Munich as going to Amsterdam.

• Walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.

• Day 2:  Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Nord at 11:13 and arriving London St Pancras at 12:30.

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets online...

The cheapest way to book this journey is online, as there's no booking fees and all the cheap deals are there for you to see.  There are two ways to book it, and I'd suggest trying both as prices vary between the two:

How to buy tickets using www.eurostar.com + www.bahn.de...

• This is the cheapest way to buy tickets, online direct from the train operators. 

• Booking usually opens 92 days ahead for City Night Line & the EuroCity train, 120 days ahead for Eurostar.  However, I strongly recommend waiting until 92 days so you can buy both tickets together, doing a dry run on both sites first to check times and prices.  This way, you can confirm the sleeper train's departure time from Paris before booking a non-refundable, non-changeable Eurostar ticket, as it's not unknown for engineering work to mean an earlier departure from Paris!  Hotel accommodation can be booked before booking your trains risk-free if you use a site such as www.booking.com with free cancellation.

• Step 1, go to www.bahn.de, the German Railways website, and book from Paris to Munich and back, looking for the direct CNL train with 0 changes.  Availability of cheap Savings fares ('sparnight' in German, limited refunds, no changes) and fully-flexible normal fares will be shown, for each type of seat, couchette & sleeper.  You pay by credit card and print out your own tickets in .pdf format.  Easy!  The prices shown on www.bahn.de are the total cost in euros for all passengers selected, not per person.   I strongly recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily make the next booking and retrieve and re-print any tickets later, from any PC anywhere.

• Step 2, still on www.bahn.de, enter Munich to Zagreb in the journey planner, looking for the trains shown in the train times above.  Zagreb Glavni Kolod is the station you want.  It will show if any cheap Spezial fares are available.  Tickets can be sent to any address or often printed out yourself.

• Step 3, finally go to www.eurostar.com to book your connecting Eurostar tickets between London and Paris.  Use the Eurostar times above as a guide, but by all means book an earlier Eurostar outwards, or a later Eurostar on the way back, if this has cheaper seats available of if you'd like to stop off in Paris for a while.  The easiest option is simply to print out your own ticket.

• If you don't live in London, www.eurostar.com can book cheap through tickets from 130 other UK towns and cities to Paris.  If your town isn't listed, you can buy a separate ticket up to London to connect with Eurostar, see the advice on buying connecting tickets from other UK towns & cities here.

• Want to choose your exact seat on Eurostar?  www.eurostar.com allows you to choose an exact seat this towards the end of the process, look closely for the 'choose exact seat' link.  See tips on choosing the best seats on Eurostar.

How to buy tickets using www.raileurope.co.uk + www.bahn.de...

This involves two websites, so first do a dry run on both sites to check prices and availability before booking for real.

• Go to www.raileurope.co.uk.

• It's best to book London-Munich in two stages.  Step 1, book the sleeper from Paris to Munich.  Enter 'Paris' to 'Munich' and your dates of travel.

• Step 2, after booking the Paris-Munich train, stay on www.raileurope.co.uk and click 'continue shopping'.  Now book a Eurostar ticket from London to Paris and back to connect with the sleeper.  Use the recommended Eurostar times above as a guide, but by all means book an earlier Eurostar outward or a later Eurostar on the way back if these have cheaper seats available or if you'd like to stop off in Paris.  If you have children aged 4-5 or 12-14, please read this note before booking the City Night Line sleeper train with Rail Europe.

• Step 3, now go to the German Railways website www.bahn.de, use the journey planner to bring up the connecting trains from Munich to Ljubljana or Zagreb (Zagreb Glavni Kolod) shown in the train times above, and buy the ticket.  It will show if any cheap special fares are available.  Tickets can be sent to any address, or in some cases printed out yourself.   I recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily retrieve any bookings.

How to buy tickets by email...

If you'd prefer to have someone book it all for you, just click here and a booking form will appear which lists all the trains you need to book.  Fill it in & email it to sales@europeanrail.com.  European Rail will make the reservations and call you back to confirm the cost.  If you're okay with the price you can give them your credit card details and they'll send you the tickets.  European Rail is an experienced agency equipped with the German Railways reservation & ticketing system, so they have access to all the cheap fares for travel via Germany.  They charge a £35 booking fee which includes postage to any UK address, or they can send to any address worldwide if you pay the courier fee.  Seat61 gets some commission if you buy tickets using this form.

How to buy tickets by phone...

If you prefer to book by phone, just call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday, no booking fee, 2% credit card charge but no charge for debit cards), or a booking agency such as European Rail on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee).

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

If you want a compete tailor-made travel service with all your rail travel booked for you and hotels arranged, contact www.railbookers.com, 020 3327 0761.  US & Canadian residents can call them toll-free on 1-800-408-3280 or see website.  Australian residents can call their Sydney office toll-free on 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au.  New Zealand residents call toll-free on 0800 002 034 or see website.  Just tell them what you want, and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you.  They get very positive reviews, and look after their customers very well.  Browse suggested holiday itineraries & prices.

What are the trains & scenery like?

By Eurostar from London to Paris:  See the Eurostar page for photos & information.

By City Night Line sleeper train from Paris to Munich...

The Paris-Munich overnight train is one of the German Railway's excellent City Night Line sleeper trains.  Called the Cassiopeia, it has a modern Comfortline sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3-berth deluxe compartments with private shower & toilet, 1, 2 & 3-berth economy compartments with washbasin).  There is a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in economy sleepers, and all sleepers have powerpoints for laptop computers.  There are also modern air-conditioned couchettes, choose between a berth in a 4 or 6-berth compartment, and ordinary seats (not recommended).  Inclusive fares are charged covering travel plus sleeping accommodation.  The sleeping-car fare includes a light breakfast. Click for more pictures & information about this train. 

Dinner before you board?  For a good meal in a classic Parisian brasserie before boarding the sleeper train in Paris, why not catch the earlier 14:01 Eurostar from London & dine at the Brasserie Terminus Nord directly across the road from the Gare du Nord.  Alternatively, you can have a meal or beer at the Brasserie Flo at the Gare de l'Est whilst waiting for your sleeper, it's just inside the entrance in what was once the left luggage office.  For a cooked breakfast in Munich or evening meal before boarding the Paris-bound sleeper on your return, try the typically Bavarian Mongdratzerl restaurant, located in the hauptbahnhof itself.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper: The comfort option, economy with washbasin or deluxe with shower & toilet.		4-berth couchettes:  Ideal for families, much more space per person than 6-berth couchettes.		6-berth couchettes:  A very economical option, far better than a seat for just a few euros more...		"Night train to Munich..."  The Comfortline sleeping-car of the Paris to Munich sleeper train boarding at Paris Gare de l'Est... More pictures & information about this train...

By EuroCity train from Munich to Zagreb... Now for a real treat.  Sit back with a glass of red, catch up on your reading and enjoy the views...  This is actually two trains, a smart modern Austrian EuroCity train with restaurant car from Munich to Villach on the Austrian/Slovenian border, then an equally smart air-conditioned Slovenian, Croatian and Serbian EuroCity train from Villach to Ljubljana and Zagreb.  After leaving the Munich suburbs the train snakes through pretty Bavarian scenery to Salzburg, past churches and picturesque villages.  Just before arriving at Salzburg, look to your right as you cross the River Salzach for great views of Salzburg citadel.  Soon after Salzburg, the train enters the Austrian Alps proper, climbing through vast mountains.  Look out for the magnificent fortress at Werfen (although the train doesn't call here), perched on its hilltop on the right hand side, guarding the approaches to Salzburg along the Salzachtal valley.  You make a quick change of train across the platform at Villach.  After entering Slovenia, the scenery flattens out, and the train snakes along the pretty river Sava all the way into Ljubljana.  Beyond Ljubljana, the train continues to follow the river Sava, passing through a beautiful river gorge between mountains, a real treat.  Beyond Zidani Most the valley widens into a plain, and you cross the border into Croatia at Dobova and soon arrive in Zagreb's impressive central station, a palace of a building, right in the centre of the city.
An early lunch in the Austrian restaurant car as the Alpine scenery flies by.  The first stage is on a smart Austrian EuroCity train from Munich to Villach...		Through the Austrian Alps...  Clinging to the mountainside high in the Austrian Alps, the train snakes along between snow-capped mountains, absolutely wonderful...

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

The EuroCity train Sava, arrived at Zagreb.		More scenery along the Sava between Ljubljana & Zagreb.

Option 2:  Morning Eurostar to Paris, TGV to Munich, sleeper train to Zagreb...

London ► Zagreb

• Day 1:  Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:25 (11:01 on Saturdays) arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:47 (14:17 on Saturdays). It's a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.

• Day 1:  Travel from Paris to Munich by 200 mph double-decker TGV Duplex on the new TGV-Est high-speed line, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:19 and arriving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 21:36.  Cafe-bar available.  In Munich, you can have a late dinner or a beer at the typically Bavarian Mongdratzerl restaurant located inside the Hauptbahnhof while waiting for the sleeper to Zagreb, it's open until late.

• Day 1:  Travel from Munich to Zagreb overnight on the sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 23:40 and arriving at Zagreb at 08:53 next morning (day 2).  The Lisinski has a modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), and ordinary seats (not recommended).  From early April until late summer, it also has a modern Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments).

Zagreb ► London

• Day 1:  Travel from Zagreb to Munich overnight on the sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Zagreb at 21:20 and arriving in Munich at 06:15 next morning.  The Lisinski has a modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), and seats (not recommended).  From early April until late summer, it also has a modern Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments).  In Munich, you can have breakfast at the Mongdratzerl restaurant inside the Hauptbahnhof.

• Day 2:  Travel from Munich to Stuttgart by high-speed ICE, leaving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 09:45 and arriving Stuttgart at 12:01.

• Day 2:  Travel from Stuttgart to Paris by high-speed double-decker TGV Duplex, leaving Stuttgart at 12:55 and arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 16:35.

• It's a 10-minute walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.

• Day 2:  Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:13 (19:13 on Saturdays), arriving London St Pancras at 19:39 (20:39 on Saturdays).

How much does it cost?

Each train is ticketed separately, so add up the price for each leg of the journey.

How to buy tickets online...

• If you live in the UK, you can easily book the Eurostar, the Paris-Munich TGV & the Munich-Zagreb Lisinski all in one place, at www.raileurope.co.uk.  However, I recommend booking London-Paris, Paris-Munich and Munich-Zagreb as three separate one-way or return bookings, identifying and booking each of the trains mentioned above, adding each in turn to your basket and paying for all four tickets at the end as one transaction.

• Before booking the Paris-Munich TGV with Rail Europe, I recommend checking the price on the German Railways website www.bahn.de as I have often known this to be cheaper than the French Railways system used by Rail Europe.  However, unusually, the Munich-Zagreb Lisinski cannot be booked at bahn.de even though it starts in Germany, the only place it can be booked online is with Rail Europe.

• If you don't live in the UK, (1) book the Eurostar at www.eurostar.com, then (2) book the Paris-Munich TGV at www.bahn.de and finally (3) book the Munich-Zagreb sleeper at www.raileurope-world.com (Tip: click 'fare details' to see if the price is for a seat, couchette or sleeper).

How to buy tickets by phone...

Paris to Munich by double-decker TGV Duplex...  Click for TGV Duplex video guide

Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views.  The train is equipped with power sockets for laptops & mobiles at all seats in both classes, and a cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.  First class passengers on this route are given a simple but tasty meal box with a small bottle of beer or wine served at their seat, included in the fare.  The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods and farmland at up to 200mph, past picturesque French villages of the Champagne region.  An hour or two later, the train leaves the high-speed line and slowly meanders through pretty wooded hills, the countryside eventually flattening out towards Strasbourg.  On leaving Strasbourg, look out for Strasbourg cathedral on the left with its famously missing second tower.  Minutes afterwards you rumble across the river Rhine into Germany, before heading on to Stuttgart and Munich.

TGV Duplex to Munich at Paris Est...  These impressive 200 mph double-deck trains link Paris & Munich, a relaxing journey catching up on your reading over a glass of wine.  And it isn't expensive if you follow the advice on this page!  Watch the TGV Duplex video		The upstairs landing on a TGV Duplex showing the stairs down to the entrance door...

2nd class seats on TGV Duplex upper deck.  There's a mix of unidirectional seating and some tables for four like this...		The cafe-bar in a TGV Duplex upper deck in car 4, serving tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer, snacks and microwave-style hot dishes....

1st class seats on the upper deck, with a 'club duo' on the left, a 'club quatre' on the right.		A TGV Duplex.  The red near the door indicates 1st class, pale green indicates 2nd class.

Munich to Zagreb on the sleeper train Lisinski...

This modern sleeper train is a pleasure to travel on, whether in the privacy of your own sleeper or in economical couchettes.  There's time for dinner in Munich before boarding, I recommend the typically Bavarian Mongdratzerl restaurant located inside the Hauptbahnhof, open until late.
The sleeping-car on the Lisinski:  The modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car of the Lisinski from Munich to Zagreb has 10 compartments with washbasin, each of which can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth room, with toilets at the end of the corridor.  Above left, the sleeper arrived at Zagreb.

The couchette car on the Lisinski has modern air-conditioned 6-berth and 4-berth compartments.  Above right, the train is seen boarding at Munich. See panorama photo.
Wake up to scenery like this between Ljubljana & Zagreb, along the river Sava...

Option 3:  By daytime trains, with overnight stop in Munich...

This option takes longer than the others, but is useful if you prefer daytime travel rather than using a sleeper.

London ► Zagreb

• Day 1, travel from London to Munich by daytime trains either via Paris or via Brussels & Cologne.  There are several options available, so see the London to Germany page for train times, fares & how to buy tickets.

• Spend the night in Munich.

• Day 2, travel from Munich to Zagreb on modern, air-conditioned EuroCity train, leaving Munich at 08:27 by smart Austrian EuroCity train.  You need to make a simple cross-platform change of train at Villach on the Austrian/Slovenian border (arrive 12:43, depart 12:52) and you arrive in Ljubljana at 14:31 and Zagreb at 17:10.  A restaurant car is available on the Austrian train serving drinks, snacks and affordable full meals (treat yourself to an early lunch!), and there's usually a Serbian restaurant car with more limited food on the Villach-Zagreb part of the journey.  The scenery through southeast Germany & Slovenia is stunning, with views of snow capped mountains, lush meadows & winding rivers, see the photos above.

Zagreb ► London

• Day 1, travel from Zagreb to Munich by air-conditioned EuroCity train, leaving Zagreb at 12:30 and Ljubljana at 15:05 and arriving in Munich at 21:33.  You need to make a simple cross-platform change of train at Villach on the Austrian/Slovenian border, arrive 17:03, depart 17:16.  Enjoy the excellent scenery over lunch in the restaurant car.

• Spend the night in Munich.

• Day 2, travel from Munich to London by daytime trains, either via Paris or via Cologne & Brussels.  There are several options available, so see the London to Germany page for train times, fares & how to buy tickets.

Fares & how to buy tickets...

• See the London to Germany page for train times, fares & how to buy tickets between London & Munich.

• Then use the journey planner at the German Railways website www.bahn.de to bring up the Munich-Ljubljana-Zagreb train shown above, and buy the ticket.  It will show if any cheap special fares are available, from €39 each way 2nd class, €69 in 1st class.  Tickets can be sent to any address, or in some cases printed out yourself.

Visiting the city of Zagreb...

Zagreb is a wonderful and much under-rated city.  Small enough to walk around, but with more of a big-city feel than Ljubljana in neighbouring Slovenia.  The station is an impressive landmark in its own right, a palatial building which opens onto a succession of grand park squares, with the main town square (Ban Josip Jelačić) 5-10 minutes walk from the station and the old town two minutes walk behind that.  You'll find tourist information online at www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr, or there's a tourist office on the near right-hand corner of the main city square.  Hotels in Zagreb.  Map of Zagreb.

Zagreb main station:  A palace?  Just Zagreb's main station (Glavni Kolodvor) where you arrive from London.  It opens onto spacious green squares leading to the old town, a 10 min walk.		Stroll or sit in a cafe along the pedestrianised Ivana Tkalčićeva in the old town.		The noon-day gun tower, which you can climb for great views over the city.

Market day in Zagreb's busy main square, Ban Josip Jelačić.		Old town churches, from the gun tower.		Magnolia blossom in the square facing the station.  The best way to arrive in this city really is by train!.

London ► Rijeka

• Travel from London to Ljubljana as shown on the Slovenia page, by Eurostar to Paris, overnight sleeper to Munich, and EuroCity train to Ljubljana.

• Travel from Ljubljana to Rijeka by train.  Even if the EuroCity from Munich is up to half an hour late, you should make the 15:10 train to Rijeka, arriving 17:55.  Indeed, I've known it wait a few minutes for the late-running Sava to arrive from Munich.  Trains only run from Ljubljana to Rijeka twice a day, at 06:35 (arriving Rijeka at 09:20) daily, and 15:10 (arriving 17:55).  You can check train times at www.bahn.de.

Rijeka ► London

• Trains leave Rijeka at 11:55 (arriving Ljubljana at 14:50) and at  20:40 (arriving Ljubljana at 23:27).  Allow plenty of time (an hour or two) to make connections in Ljubljana, and/or stay overnight if necessary.

• Travel from Ljubljana to London as shown on the Slovenia page.

Fares & how to buy tickets

• See the fares in the London-Zagreb section, and buy tickets from London to Ljubljana as shown.

• Bought at the station in Ljubljana, the Ljubljana-Rijeka fare is around €16 one-way, €26 return.  Advance reservation isn't necessary for Ljubljana-Rijeka trains, so you can buy a ticket at Ljubljana on the day & hop on, this will be much cheaper than buying a ticket from outside Slovenia.  The ticket office at Ljubljana is easy to find and English is widely spoken.

The train to Rijeka...  This is the 15:10 to Rijeka, about to leave Ljubljana.  At the front is a modern air-conditioned EuroCity car, the other two cars are older.  On this occasion, it's waited a few minutes for the late-running EuroCity Sava to arrive from Munich, with connections from Paris, Amsterdam & London...

London to Porec, Rovinj, Pula

Istria, land of olive oil, wineries and truffles, was once part of the Venetian empire, and after a spell with the Austro-Hungarians it was again part of Italy between the wars.  Even today, the dual-language place names and road signs reveal it's Italian heritage.  For Istrian tourist information, see www.istra.hr.  Now part of Croatia, Istria can be reached overland from the UK in a couple of ways.

Option 1:  By train from London to Rijeka, then bus to Porec, Rovinj, Buje, Motovun, Pula... 

This is arguably the most reliable all-year-round way to reach Istria, as daily mainline trains run to Rijeka and Rijeka is a hub for regular buses serving destinations all over Istria.  First, travel from London to Rijeka as shown above.  On arrival in Rijeka, walk out of the station and turn right.  The bus station is 2 minutes walk straight down this main road, you can't miss it.  Every couple of hours, buses link Rijeka with the historic coastal town of Porec, delightful picturesque Rovinj, and the wonderful roman remains in Pula.  The main bus company is www.autotrans.hr, you can easily buy bus tickets when you get to Rijeka.

Option 2:  By train to Venice, then SeaCat fast ferry to Porec, Rovinj or Pula... 

This option operates from April to October, and is a great option as it combines Venice with Istria.  First, travel from London to Venice as shown on the London to Italy page.  You can take an afternoon Eurostar to Paris and the overnight Thello sleeper train to Venice, arriving around 09:34.  Or travel by Eurostar & TGV to Switzerland, stay the night there, then travel through the Alps to Milan and Venice next day.  The choice is yours.  From Venice, two ferry companies, Venezia Lines (www.venezialines.com) & Commodore Travel (www.commodore-travel.hr) operate ferries April-October on various days of the week from Venice to Porec, Rovinj (Rovigno in Italian) Umag and Pula (Pola in Italian).  The Venice-Porec ferry crossing only takes 2.5 hours.  Start by checking the days the ferries operate, at www.venezialines.com & www.commodore-travel.hr.  On days when a 17:00 ferry sails from Venice you can leave London in the afternoon on day 1, spend most of day 2 in Venice, and arrive in Porec or Rovinj in the evening of day 2!

Rovinj:  The picturesque seaside town of Rovinj.  The church tower looks very like St Marks in Venice, showing Istria's Venetian history...		Porec:  You can climb the UNESCO-listed church tower in Porec...		Pula:  The Roman arch, Pula.  The famous Irish writer James Joyce taught English in the building on the left 1904-5.

www.venezialines.com link Venice & Istria, April-October.  Why not combine a visit to Venice with Istria?		Buses link Rijeka with most destinations in Istria, www.autotrans.hr.

London ► Split or Zadar

• First, travel from London to Zagreb as shown in the London to Zagreb section above, using whichever option suits you best.

• An overnight train (train 825) leaves Zagreb daily at 23:20, arriving at Split next morning at 06:36.  It has one nicely refurbished sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3-berth compartments (see the photos below), although no couchettes, just the sleeper and seats.

• Alternatively, one or two daily ICN tilting trains link Zagreb with Split.  There's a daily 12:45 ICN departure from Zagreb arriving Split at 19:06.  On Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays there's also an 06:30 ICN from Zagreb arriving Split at 12:55.  You can check train times using www.bahn.de (if the data is loaded) or at the Croatian Railways website www.hznet.hr.  Taking the daytime ICN train is a good option, as Zagreb to Split is a very scenic train ride, with mountains, lakes, rivers, and even vineyards.  The ICN trains are modern and air-conditioned, and the fare includes a complimentary coffee & sandwich, see the photos below.  ICN trains tilt round the bends on this mountainous route, cutting the journey time to 5½ hours from a previous best of around 8 hours.  For Zadar, change trains at Knin.  Seat reservation is compulsory on ICN trains.

Split or Zadar ► London

• The overnight train leaves Split at 21:17 as train number 824, arriving Zagreb at 06:27 next morning.  It has one nicely refurbished sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3-berth compartments (see the photos below), but no couchettes, just the sleeping-car and seats.

• Alternatively, travel from Split to Zagreb by fast air-conditioned ICN daytime train through great scenery.  The daily 09:13 ICN from Split arrives in Zagreb at 15:33;  On Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays there's also an ICN leaving Split at 13:47 arriving Zagreb at 20:14.  Simply use www.bahn.de to check train times.  Seat reservation is compulsory on ICN trains.  The fare includes a complimentary coffee & sandwich.  See the photos below. 

• Travel from Zagreb to London using any of the options shown in the London to Zagreb section above.  The afternoon ICN from Split connects nicely with the Lisinski sleeper train to Munich for onward TGV to Paris and London, see above.

Fares & how to buy tickets

• For fares from London to Zagreb, see the section above.

• Bought at the station in Zagreb, Zagreb to Split by the daytime ICN costs 188 kuna (£23) in 2nd class, 271 kuna (£34) in 1st class, one-way.  Travelling in a 2-berth sleeper on the night train costs around the same as a first class daytime ticket.

• To buy train tickets from the UK to Split, either:

  (a) use this booking form, fill it in and send it to sales@europeanrail.com.  They will call you back with a cost and take your credit card details if you're okay with the price.

  (b) buy tickets online from London to Zagreb as shown above.  www.raileurope.co.uk may be able to book a ticket from Zagreb to Split and back on the overnight train with either a berth in a 2-berth or berth in a 3-berth sleeper, although you will find it much cheaper to book this ticket when you reach Zagreb. 

  (c) buy tickets by phone as shown above.

From Zagreb to Split by air-conditioned ICN train...

Traveller Francis Meylan reports:  "The journey to Split was fascinating and very scenic.  It was a modern diesel train with a free cup of coffee (though no food).  Single track but recently re-engineered and was very smooth despite climbing and very many bends, tunnels, and so forth.  The track went across high embankments and on ledges on valley sides.  It wasn't particularly fast and I can see why.  Every country station had a uniformed station master standing to attention as the train went past!  Many of the country stations were in ruins and there were obvious signs of war damage, walls pock marked with bullet holes.  We could see several minefields marked off.  In Knin the front of the large Austro-Hungarian-style town hall was riddled with bullet holes. Towards Split the landscape is very dry, limestone I think, and very rocky.  If you took the Sleeper would miss all this!

From Zagreb to Split by overnight sleeper...

The overnight train to Split:  The overnight train from Zagreb to Split has a smartly refurbished sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3-bed compartments with washbasin.  Here, the night train to Split waits to leave Zagreb...

London to to Ancona in Italy by train, then ferry to Split...

• Travel from London to Ancona by train, taking Eurostar to Paris, the overnight sleeper to Bologna and a fast train on to Ancona.  For train times and fares between London and Ancona, see the London to Italy page.

• Sail from Ancona to Split or Zadar by ferry.  Allow plenty of time for the connection & check-in at Ancona.  Several shipping lines run overnight ferries on various days of the week between Ancona & Split, including www.jadrolinija.hr & www.blueline-ferries.com.  Between June & September, there's also a daily fast ferry, taking 4 hours, leaving Ancona at around 11:00 and returning from Split at 17:00, see www.snav.it.   To book Jadrolinija ships from the UK, contact their UK agents, Viamare Travel on 020 8343 5810.  There are also some sailings to Zadar.

London to Hvar, Korčula, Vis, Brac

London to Split overland by train, then ferry to Hvar, Korcula, Vis, Brac...

This is the fastest & most frequent option.  Runs daily, all year round.

• Travel from London to Zagreb as shown above. You take Eurostar to Paris, the City Night Line sleeper train to Munich and a EuroCity train to Zagreb.

• Then travel onward by overnight sleeper train to Split, or spend the night in Zagreb then take a scenic train ride to Split next morning, see the London to Split section above.

• Take a ferry from Split to the islands.  Ferries sail from Split to Hvar, Vis, Korcula and other nearby islands regularly, see www.jadrolinija.hr for ferry times & information.

London to Rijeka overland by train, then coastal ferry to Hvar or Korcula...

This is a very pleasant way to reach Hvar or Korcula.  Runs once or twice a week.

• First, travel from London to Ljubljana, taking Eurostar to Paris, the City Night Line sleeper train to Munich and a EuroCity train to Ljubljana.  See the London to Ljubljana section above for full details, including train times, fares & how to buy tickets.

• Then travel onward by train to Rijeka, see the London to Rijeka section above.  Allow plenty of time for connections both in Ljubljana & Rijeka.  It's recommended to leave London on Saturdays to make the Monday ferry from Rijeka, or Wednesdays to make the Friday sailing, spending one night in Ljubljana.

• Then sail along the coast to Hvar or Korcula on the twice-weekly Jadrolinija ferry linking Rijeka, Split, Hvar, Korcula & Dubrovnik - see the ferry timetable in the section below, and visit www.jadrolinija.hr for sailing days, times and fares .  To book Jadrolinija ships from the UK, contact their UK agents Viamare Travel on 020 8343 5810.

London to Ancona in Italy by train, then ferry to Hvar...

This is perhaps the most civilised option, although not the most frequent.  Runs once or twice a week.

• First travel from London to Ancona in Italy, see the London to Italy page for full details, including train times, fares and how to buy tickets.

• Then sail by ferry from Ancona to Hvar with Blue Line ferries, see www.blueline-ferries.com.

There is no rail link to Dubrovnik, so you will need to reach it either by bus or ferry.  There are 3 options:

London to Split overland by train, then bus to Dubrovnik...

This is the fastest & most frequent option. It runs daily, all year round.

• Travel from London to Zagreb as shown above. You take Eurostar to Paris, the City Night Line sleeper train to Munich and a EuroCity train to Zagreb.

• Then travel onward by overnight sleeper train to Split, or spend the night in Zagreb then take a scenic train ride to Split next morning, see the London to Split section above.

• Then take a bus from Split to Dubrovnik.  Buses run every hour or two, taking about 4-5 hours.  Bus information can be found at www.ak-split.hr (Split bus station arrivals & departures), www.dubrovnik-online.com or www.libertasdubrovnik.hr (Dubrovnik bus station departures).

London to Bari in Italy by train, then ferry to Dubrovnik...

This is arguably the most civilised option, but runs only once or twice a week. 

• First travel from London to Bari in Italy, see the London to Italy page for full details, including train times, fares and how to buy tickets.

• Then sail from Bari to Dubrovnik by ferry.  Ferries sail several times a week, Jadrolinija sailing up to 6 times a week in summer, once or twice a week in winter, usually overnight outward, by day on the return.  See www.jadrolinija.hr for sailing days, times & fares.

	Adriatic ferry:  The Jadrolinija Ferry Marko Polo links Rijeka, Split & Dubrovnik.  Photo courtesy of John Allen.

London to Rijeka overland by train, then coastal ferry to Dubrovnik...

This is a very pleasant way to reach Hvar, Korcula or Dubrovnik.  Runs once or twice a week.

• First, travel from London to Ljubljana, taking Eurostar to Paris, the City Night Line sleeper train to Munich and a EuroCity train to Ljubljana.  See the London to Ljubljana page for full details, including train times, fares & how to buy tickets.

• Then travel onward by train to Rijeka, see the London to Rijeka section above.  Allow plenty of time for connections both in Ljubljana & Rijeka.  It's recommended to leave London on Saturdays to make the Monday ferry from Rijeka, or Wednesdays to make the Friday sailing, spending one night in Ljubljana.

• Then sail along the coast on to Dubrovnik on the twice-weekly Jadrolinija ferry linking Rijeka, Split, Hvar, Korcula & Dubrovnik - visit www.jadrolinija.hr for sailing days, times and fares.  To book Jadrolinija ships from the UK, contact their UK agents Viamare Travel on 020 8343 5810.

• You could also travel by train to Split & board the ferry there, see above for trains to Split.

Italy - Dubrovnik - Croatian coast ferry service...

Previously operating all year round, this ferry service only ran from 1 June to 30 September in 2012.  Timetables are usually released late, and it's not yet clear when (or indeed, if) this ferry will run in 2013.

See www.jadrolinija.hr to confirm sailing dates & times, although they are only published close to the start of the service.

Traveller John Allen reports on the coastal ferry (2008):  "The “Marko Polo” runs up and down the Adriatic coast from Rijeka down to Dubrovnik and then across to Bari and back [the coastal service and Bari-Dubrovnik service are now separate, as of 2012]. It is a tried and trusted ship with a whiff of the “seventies” aboard. Cabins are clean and habitable. The atmosphere on board is good, many families travelling from a variety of countries, Italians, Germans, many Eastern Europeans and a smattering of Brits. The young and Interrailers tend to sleep on deck without cabins. The overnight portion of the journey is from Rijeka to Split (ignoring the Italian leg) and we would recommend getting a cabin for this. During the day leg (Split, Stari Grad, Korcula and Dubrovnik) we would recommend a basic ticket without any cabin. This allows for sunbathing/sightseeing on deck and there is enough space in the restaurant (very good food) or bar for breaks. If sleeping on deck beware that as the ship approaches Split from the South there is a battle to acquire space for the night ahead."

Railbookers tailor-made holidays & tours to Slovenia & Croatia by train...

Railbookers can tailor-make a flight-free holiday to Ljubljana & Zagreb, with train travel, transfers & hotels all arranged for you, for however long you like, leaving on any date you like.  If you tell them what you want, they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you.  They get a lot of repeat business and a lot of recommendation by word of mouth!

  UK call 020 3327 0761, www.railbookers.com. 

Call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or www.us.railbookers.com.

Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au. 

  New Zealand call toll-free 0800 002 034 or see website.

The Thomas Cook European Timetable

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  Published since 1873, it costs £14.99.  It's essential for any serious traveller and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Still not convinced you need one?  More information on what the Thomas Cook Timetable contains.  You can buy the latest monthly edition online at www.thomascookpublishing.com with worldwide delivery or buy it in person from selected UK branches of Thomas Cook (ask at the bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria station in London.  Or buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:  Winter/Spring 2012/13 edition (Dec 2012 to June 2013) or (when available) Summer/Autumn 2013 edition (June to Dec 2013)

The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is the best and most comprehensive map of train routes right across Europe, from Portugal in the west to Istanbul, Moscow & Ukraine in the east, from Finland in the north to Sicily & Crete in the south.  High speed & scenic routes are highlighted.  Highly recommended!  Buy online at www.amazon.co.uk (worldwide delivery).  See an extract from the map.

Recommended guidebooks

You should take a good guidebook.  I think that the Lonely Planets and the Rough Guides are easily the best for the independent traveller.  Both guides have plenty of background historical and cultural information, plus lots of practical information.  You won't regret buying one of these guides..!

Click the images to buy at Amazon...

My own book, an essential handbook for train travel to Europe based on this website called "The Man in Seat 61", was published in June 2008, and is available from Amazon.co.uk with shipping worldwide.

Find hotels in Zagreb, Split & Croatia...

Other hotel sites worth trying...

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

• www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system).  It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).

Backpacker hostels...

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

Travel insurance & health card...

Get travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel without insurance from a reliable travel insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash (up to a limit) & belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, though, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.

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

   If you live in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card, it's free...

If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS.  This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available from www.ehic.org.uk.  It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.

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

Taking out an extra credit card costs nothing, but if you keep it in a different part of your luggage you won't be left stranded if your wallet gets stolen.  In addition, some credit cards are better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.

You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.

Get an international SIM card to save on mobile data and phone calls...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find a huge bill.  Consider buying a global pre-paid SIM card for your mobile phone from www.Go-Sim.com, which can slash costs by up to 85%.  Go-Sim cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also allows cheap data access for laptops & PDAs.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not used between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.