UK
citizens do not need a visa to visit Croatia or Slovenia.
Check travel advice at
www.fco.gov.uk
before going to Bosnia.
Page last updated:
15 August 2010. Train times valid from 13 June to 11 December 2010.
UK to Croatia by train?
Why not? It's very easy and affordable to travel
from the UK to Zagreb, Rijeka, Istria, Split or Dubrovnik by
train. It's safe and comfortable, too. This page
will explain the options, train times, fares and how to buy
tickets for a flight-free trip to Croatia.
Above: Magnolia blossom in Zagreb.
Croatia is a fabulous country to
visit, from the Adriatic islands to the gracious city of
Zagreb to the wineries & olive groves of Istria.
But flights aren't required!
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.
Option 1: By Paris - Munich
City Night Line sleeper train...
This is the easiest, cheapest & most time-effective
way to travel from the UK to Croatia by train. If you prefer daytime trains, or need to
travel on the few off-season days when the Paris-Munich
sleeper isn't running, see option 2
below, which uses daytime trains all the way with an
overnight stop in Munich.
London ► Zagreb
Travel from
London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving
London St Pancras at 16:02 (15:32 at weekends), arriving Paris Gare du Nord at
19:17 (18:47 at weekends).
It's then 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.
Travel from Paris to Munich
overnight by the City Night Line sleeper train
'Cassiopeia', leaving
Paris Gare de l'Est at 20:20 and arriving in Munich at
07:16 next morning. This
excellent train runs daily for most of the year, but only
4 times a week in winter. It runs on Mondays,
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays until 18 March 2010, then daily for the summer until
8 November 2010, then on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays &
Sundays again until March 2011.
It has sleeping-cars (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments,
standard 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.
Travel from Munich to Zagreb on a modern,
air-conditioned EuroCity train, the "Sava", leaving Munich at 08:27
and arriving in Ljubljana at 14:31 and Zagreb at 17:10.
An Austrian restaurant car is available from Munich to
Villach (reached at 12:43), and a Serbian restaurant car
is usually available between Villach and Zagreb.
However, don't expect the Serbian restaurant to sell any
hot food, just sandwiches, cheap beer and coffee.
If you want a hot lunch, eat early in the Austrian
restaurant. Note that although on paper there are
through coaches Munich-Zagreb, in reality you may have
to make a simple cross-platform change of train at
Villach.
About the journey: 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. 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.
Zagreb ► London
Travel
from Zagreb or Ljubljana to Munich by air-conditioned EuroCity train
"Sava",
leaving Zagreb at 13:00, Ljubljana at 15:25 and arriving in
Munich at 21:33. Enjoy the excellent scenery, a
Serbian restaurant car
is (usually) available until Villach on the Austrian frontier, reached about
16:29. This train usually gets delayed a bit at
the various frontiers, so expect a 10-40 minute late arrival in
Munich. Note that although on paper there are
through coaches Zagreb-Munich, in reality you may have
to make a simple cross-platform change of train at
Villach.
Alternatively, you could take
the earlier EuroCity train
and spend the afternoon in Munich,
leaving Zagreb at 07:00 and Ljubljana at 09:27, arriving Munich at 15:33.
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 Austrian
frontier. This is a safer connection, as the
afternoon "Sava" has been known to miss the connection
with the sleeper in Munich.
Left luggage lockers are available in Munich.
Travel from Munich to Paris by
the City Night Line sleeper train 'Cassiopeia', leaving
Munich at 22:43 and arriving at Paris Gare de l'Est
09:23 next morning. This
excellent train runs daily for most of the year, but only
4 times a week in winter. It runs on Thursdays,
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays until 17 March 2010, then
daily until 7 November 2010, then on Thursdays, Fridays,
Saturdays & Sundays again until March 2011. The trains has ordinary seats, couchettes
(4 & 6-bunk) and
sleeping-cars (1, 2 or 3-bed rooms, deluxe with shower or standard
with washbasin).
More pictures
& information about this
City Night Line sleeper train.
Walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.
Travel
from Paris to London by
Eurostar, leaving Paris Nord at
11:13 and arriving London St Pancras at 12:29.
Introducing
the City Night Line sleeper 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 modern 'Comfortline' sleeping-cars
(1, 2 & 3-berth deluxe rooms with private shower &
toilet, 1, 2 &
3-berth standard rooms with washbasin). There is a shower at
the end of the corridor for passengers in standard rooms,
and all rooms 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.
1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper:
The most comfortable & civilised option, standard 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...
Above: The
'Comfortline' sleeping-car of the Paris to Munich
sleeper train boarding at Paris Gare de l'Est...
On board the
EuroCity train from Munich to Zagreb...
This is a
smart modern EuroCity train, with air-conditioned
Slovenian & Serbian coaches. An Austrian restaurant
car is attached between Munich & Villach, and
(usually, but not always) a Serbian restaurant car is
attached between Villach &
Zagreb. The
scenery along this route is superb, taking you from
the Bavaria through the Austrian Alps, into Slovenia
and along the Sava river to Croatia. Sit back with a
glass of red, catch up on your reading and enjoy the views...
Above: This is
the EuroCity train "Sava" from Munich to Ljubljana
& Zagreb, arrived at Zagreb station. This is the
Slovenian air-conditioned coach, the one to aim for if
you can! The Serbian coaches are grey.
Above: Scenery
along the Sava river gorge between Ljubljana and
Zagreb...
Above: More
scenery along the Sava river between Ljubljana and
Zagreb...
Above: Half
the seats in the Slovenian coach are 1st class, the rest
2nd class (seen here), but as the 2nd class seats are
also arranged 2+1 abreast, they're as good as 1st class!
Special
fare just 29 euros (£25) one-way, 58 euros (£50) return 2nd class
if you book
in advance (limited
availability).
3. Munich
to Zagreb
£64
one-way 2nd class, £92 one-way 1st class.
£128
return 2nd class, £184 return 1st class.
Special
fare just 29 euros (£25) one-way, 58 euros (£50) return 2nd class
if you book
in advance (limited
availability).
* If you have children aged 4- 5 or 12-14,
please read this note
before booking the City Night Line sleeper train..
** Savings fares =
Special cheap fares, book in advance, limited availability,
no refunds, no changes to travel plans.
Normal fare =
fully flexible, refundable, buy any time.
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:
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.
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.
If you have any problems with
www.raileurope.co.uk,
try this option instead. It involves 3 websites, so do
a 'dry run' first on all 3 sites to check prices &
availability before booking for real.
Step 1, go to
www.bahn.de, the German Railways website.
Book from Paris to
Munich and back on the overnight sleeper train.
Availability of cheap 'Savings' fares ('sparnight' in
German) 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! Note that
the prices shown on
www.bahn.de are in euros, and are the total cost for
all passengers selected, not per person. I
recommend registering when it asks you before completing the
purchase, so you can easily make the next booking and
retrieve any bookings later.
Step 2, go to
www.eurostar.com to book your connecting Eurostar
tickets between London and Paris, using the Eurostar times
above as a guide. 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. Eurostar tickets can be sent to any UK
address, self-printed, or collected at the station.
Step 3, now go
back to
www.bahn.de and use the journey planner to bring
up the connecting trains from Munich to Ljubljana or
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.
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).
Option 2:
By daytime trains, with overnight stop in Munich...
This option is useful on days when the Paris-Munich sleeper
isn't running, or if you prefer daytime travel.
London ► Zagreb
Day 1, travel from
London to Munich by daytime trains either via Paris or via Brussels & Cologne.
See the London to Germany page
for train times, fares & how to buy tickets.
Day 2, travel from Munich to
Zagreb on modern, air-conditioned EuroCity train, leaving Munich at
08:27
and arriving in Ljubljana at 14:30 & Zagreb at 17:10.
A restaurant car is available from about 13:30, serving drinks, snacks and
affordable full meals (treat yourself to lunch!).
The scenery through southeast Germany & Slovenia is
stunning, with views of snow capped mountains, lush
meadows & winding rivers.
Zagreb ► London
Day 1, travel from Zagreb
to Munich by air-conditioned EuroCity
train, leaving Zagreb at 13:00 and Ljubljana at 15:25
and arriving in Munich at 21:33. Enjoy the
excellent scenery over lunch in the restaurant car.
Day 2, travel
from Munich to London by daytime trains, either via Paris or via Cologne &
Brussels. See the London to
Germany page for train times, fares & how to buy
tickets.
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. 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.
Above: 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, 10 minutes walk
away.
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!.
Above:
This is the 14:53 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...
Travel from
Ljubljana to Rijeka by train. Even if the EuroCity
from Munich is up to half an hour late, you should make the
14:53 train to Rijeka, arriving 17:25. Indeed, I've
known it wait a few minutes for the late-running 'Sava' to
arrive from Munich. Trains run from Ljubljana to
Rijeka two or three times a day, at 06:20
(arriving Rijeka at 08:51) daily, 14:53 daily, and on
Mondays-Fridays at 16:53, change at Pivka & Sapjane,
arriving Rijeka 19:45. You can check train times at
www.bahn.de, although this doesn't always find the late
afternoon service with the two changes!
Rijeka
► London
Trains leave Rijeka at 12:57
(arriving 15:25) and at 20:45 (arriving 23:22).
Allow plenty of time (an hour or two) to make connections in
Ljubljana, and/or stay overnight if necessary.
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 13 euros one-way, 20 euros 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.
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
several 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
Ljubljana, then local train to Pula.
This option
gets you to Pula in Istria by train all the way, with no
buses and no ferries. However, the cross-border train
service from Ljubljana in Slovenia to Pula in Croatia is
both slow and infrequent, albeit highly scenic. First,
travel from London to Ljubljana
as shown above.
Spend the afternoon & night in Ljubljana. In summer
(late June to late August, also a few dates in late
April/early May) there's a daily direct train next morning
leaving Ljubljana at 06:33 and arriving Pula at 10:47.
Alternatively, on Mondays-Fridays all year round, leave
Ljubljana by local train at 12:10, change at Divaca & Buzet,
arriving Pula at 17:52. It's a slow all-stations
journey, but through great Istrian scenery. Take your
own provisions for the journey. Northbound, leave Pula
on Mondays-Fridays all year round at 13:20, change at the
frontier at Buzet also at Divaca, arriving Ljubljana at
18:43. In summer (late June to late August, also a few
dates in late April/early May) there's a direct train daily,
leaving Pula at 18:18 and arriving Ljubljana at 22:40.
Spend the night in Ljubljana,
then travel back to London
as shown above.
Option 3: 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 Artesia sleeper, arriving Venice around 09:30.
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!
Above: The
picturesque seaside town of Rovinj. The
church tower looks very like St Marks in Venice, showing Istria's Venetian
history...
Above: You can climb the UNESCO-listed
church tower in Porec...
Above: The Roman arch, Pula.
Writer James Joyce taught English in the building on the
left 1904-5.
www.venezialines.comlink Venice & Istria,
April-October. Why not combine a visit to Venice
with Istria?
Buses link
Rijeka with most destinations in Istria,
www.autotrans.hr.
An overnight
train (train 825) leaves Zagreb daily at 22:50, arriving at Split next
morning at 06:56. It has one nicely refurbished
sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3-berth compartments (see photos
below), but no couchettes.
Alternatively,
you can stay the night in Zagreb and continue to Split or
Zadar by daytime train next morning. This
is a good option, as Zagreb to Split is a very scenic
train ride: Mountains, lakes, rivers, and even
vineyards.
There are two fast modern 'ICN' air-conditioned
daytime trains from Zagreb
to Split every day. For Zadar, change trains at Knin.
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. Check train times using
www.bahn.de (English button top right).
Seat reservation is compulsory on ICN trains. The fare includes a complimentary coffee &
sandwich. See the photos below.
Split or Zadar
► London
The
overnight train leaves Split at
22:07 as train number 824, arriving Zagreb at 06:31 next
morning. It has one nicely refurbished sleeping-car
with 1, 2 & 3-berth compartments (see photos below), but no
couchettes.
Alternatively,
travel by fast 'ICN' daytime train through great scenery and spend
the night in Zagreb, use
www.bahn.de to find train times from Split or
Zadar to Zagreb.
Seat reservation is compulsory on ICN trains. The
fare includes a complimentary coffee & sandwich. See the
photos below.
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, each 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.ukmay 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.
From Zagreb to Split
by air-conditioned ICN train...
The daytime option:
These fast, tilting, air-conditioned ICN trains link
Zagreb & Split twice a day through great scenery.
This is second class. First class has slightly
more legroom, but is broadly similar.
From Zagreb to
Split by overnight sleeper...
The
overnight option: The overnight train between
Zagreb & Split has
a refurbished sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3-bed
compartments with washbasin. Here, the train 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.bli-ferry.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.
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
Bari in Italy by train, then ferry to Hvar or Korcula...
This is
perhaps the most civilised option, although not the most
frequent.
Runs once or twice a week.
First travel
from London to Bari in Italy, taking Eurostar to Paris,
the overnight sleeper train to Bologna and a fast train
on to Bari. See the London
to Italy page for full details, including train times, fares
and how to buy tickets.
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, taking Eurostar to Paris,
the overnight sleeper train to Bologna and a fast train
on to Bari. 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 twice a week in summer (Tues & Sat),
once a week
in winter
(Tuesdays),
see the ferry timetable in the
section below
, Azzurraline sailing once or twice a week in
summer only. See www.jadrolinija.hr
(all year round) &
www.azzurraline.com (summer only)
for sailing days, times & fares.
Above: 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 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 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.
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. 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."
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 £13.99.
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.thomascooktimetables.com with worldwide delivery or
buy it in person from any UK branch of Thomas Cook (ask at the
bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria or Kings
Cross stations in London.
Or
buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with
laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:
Summer 2010 edition (June to December 2010)
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.
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..!
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.
It's
easy to book hotels online to go with your train tickets.
Just use the search box below. This links to
www.hotelscombined.com, a free search tool
which checks all the main hotel booking sites (Expedia, Travelocity, LateRooms, Opodo, Venere,
Asiarooms and many
others) to find just about the widest range of hotels with the cheapest rates on the net. Set
up in 2005, it's an amazing system and probably the best place
to start for booking any hotel online in any country,
worldwide.
In Zagreb, the most famous hotel is the
Regent Esplanade, an impressive building right next to the
station. Another grand old hotel is the
Palace Hotel, also just a few minutes walk from the
station towards the old town and also getting good reviews.
For something more modern, try the excellent
Arcotel Allegra, also only 5-10 minutes walk from the station.
If you're on a tight budget,
don't forget the hostels. For a dorm bed or an
ultra-cheap private room in backpacker hostels in most
European cities use
www.hostelbookers.com.
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!
See the
Railbookers website for suggested itineraries and
prices.
Travel insurance & health card...
Get travel insurance..
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) and belongings, and cancellation. 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.
If you live in the UK, get quotes from
Columbus Direct or
Go Travel Insurance, or go to
Confused.com to run a price comparison on a whole range of
travel insurance providers for your dates of travel, seeing
their policy's features at a glance.
Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed
connection, but European international rail conditions of
carriage (known as the 'CIV') contain consumer protection
provisions that entitle you to travel forward by the next
available train if you miss a connection because of a delay to
the first train, irrespective of who operates which train, and
even if your ticket is in theory train-specific and
non-changeable.
Feedback from using
insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.
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 pre-paid euro currency MasterCard from Caxton FX...
You can save money on ATM charges and exchange rates using a
Caxton FX euro currency MasterCard, or indeed the
multi-currency 'Global Traveller' MasterCard.
Find out about these cards & sign up here.
Get an international SIM card...
Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're
not careful you can return home to find some huge bills
waiting for you. I've known people run up over £1,000 in
data charges just by leaving their iPhone connected during a
simple trip to Europe. However, if you
buy a global SIM card for your mobile phone from a company
such as
www.Go-Sim.com you can slash the cost by up to 85% and
limit any damage to the amount you have pre-paid. 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.
If you're on a tight budget,
don't forget the hostels. For a dorm bed or an
ultra-cheap private room in backpacker hostels in most
European cities use
If you live in the UK, get quotes from
If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the
EU, see
If you live in the USA or Canada, see
