The restored Reichstag, Berlin...

London to any city in Germany from €59 each way...

It's so easy to travel from London to Germany by train, and far more relaxing than a stressful flight.  Take Eurostar from London to Brussels in 1 hour 55 minutes, switch to a high-speed Thalys or ICE high-speed train from Brussels to Cologne in 1 hour 57 minutes, then take a superb ICE high-speed train from Cologne to almost anywhere in Germany.  And it's affordable, too, with fares from €59 (£49) from London to any city in Germany at www.bahn.de with print-at-home tickets.  Or take a mid-afternoon Eurostar from London to Paris then the overnight City Night Line sleeper train to Munich, Berlin or Hamburg, city centre to city centre, arriving in time for breakfast.  Some private sleepers even have their own toilet & shower.  Or head for Paris and board a high-speed train to Frankfurt, Stuttgart & Munich taking just a few hours.  This page will help you find the best option and buy the cheapest tickets.  It's centre to centre, with no baggage fees, no airport taxes, no expensive journeys to and from airports, children under 4 go free, and you can bring your own bottle of wine for the journey if you like (try doing that on Ryanair).

Train times, fares & tickets...

London to Hanover & Berlin by sleeper train

London to Bielefeld, Hanover & Berlin by daytime trains

London to Cologne (Köln), Düsseldorf & Dortmund

London to Bonn, Koblenz, Mainz

London to Frankfurt

London to Nuremberg

London to Bremen & Hamburg by sleeper train

London to Osnabrück, Bremen & Hamburg by daytime trains

London to Stuttgart, Ulm, Augsburg & Munich by sleeper train

London to Mannheim, Stuttgart, Ulm, Augsburg & Munich by daytime trains

London to Leipzig & Dresden

Other destinations in Germany

London, East Anglia & Harwich to Germany by ferry - an alternative to Eurostar

Scotland & the north of England to Germany by ferry - bypassing London

Hotels & accommodation in Germany

Tailor-made holidays & escorted tours to Germany by train

Buy train tickets for travel within Germany

On other pages...

Buying add-on train tickets from other UK towns & cities

Train travel from other European cities to Germany

Train travel from Germany to other European cities

Taking your bike     Taking your dog

Luggage on trains    Left luggage facilities    Send your luggage in advance

Train seat numbering plans    General European train travel information

Route map:  UK to Germany by train...

Sponsored links...

Useful country information

London to Hanover & Berlin by sleeper train

Take an afternoon Eurostar to Paris then the overnight City Night Line sleeper train to Berlin, an excellent time-effective option.  The deluxe sleeper compartments even have en suite toilet & shower, with breakfast included.  If you'd prefer a morning Eurostar from London and daytime trains to Berlin, see here.  If you'd rather use the overnight Harwich-Hoek van Holland with a comfortable en suite cabin, then daytime trains on to Berlin next day, see here.

London ► Berlin

• 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.

• Travel from Paris to Berlin by the City Night Line sleeper train Perseus, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est daily all year round at 20:05 and arriving Hanover at 06:30 and Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 08:28 next morning.  The Perseus has sleepers, couchettes, and ordinary seats, see the photos & information below. 

• Map of Berlin showing Hauptbahnhof.  More pictures & information about this City Night Line train.

Berlin ► London

See the London to Paris page for photos & information about Eurostar

Introducing the City Night Line sleeper train Perseus from Paris to Berlin...

The Paris-Berlin overnight train is one of the German Railway's excellent City Night Line sleeper trains.  Called the Perseus, it has modern Comfortline sleeping-cars (1, 2 & 3-berth deluxe compartments with private shower & toilet, 1, 2 & 3-berth economy compartments with washbasin, shower at the end of the corridor, all sleepers with power-points for mobiles & laptop computers), modern air-conditioned couchettes (choose between a berth in a 4 or 6-berth compartment), and ordinary seats (not recommended, as a couchette is far better).  Inclusive fares are charged covering travel plus sleeping accommodation.  The sleeping-car fare includes a light breakfast served in your compartment.  More pictures & information about this City Night Line train.

Dinner before you board?  There's no restaurant or bar car on the City Night Line sleeper, but 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.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper: The most comfortable 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...		The Night train to Berlin...  The Comfortline sleeping-car of City Night Line sleeper train Perseus boarding at Paris Gare de l'Est... More pictures & information about this train...

How much does it cost?

Berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed.  The other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers.

If you want sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a single sleeper, 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper, 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette & so on.

* This is the supplement you pay if you have a railpass, a 1st class pass is required for deluxe sleepers.

** Children under 15 travel free if accompanied by a fare-paying adult, but must pay the berth supplement shown here.

Savings fare = advance-purchase fare, price varies, limited availability, no refunds, no changes to travel plans.

Full price = fully flexible, refundable, buy any time.

Youth fares: 25% discount on full price using www.raileurope.co.uk if you're under 26 years old, but Savings fares usually cheaper!

Senior fares: 20% discount on full price using www.raileurope.co.uk if you're over 60 years old, but Savings fares usually cheaper!

How to buy tickets online:  www.eurostar.com & www.bahn.de

The cheapest way to buy tickets is online direct from the operators, at www.eurostar.com for Eurostar and www.bahn.de for the sleeper train.  Anyone from any country can buy tickets in this way.  But read this first!

• Booking usually opens 92 days ahead for City Night Line, 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!  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, buy your Paris to Berlin sleeper tickets from www.bahn.de - I've set this link up for you with the necessary times, origin and destination, all you have to do is select your date of travel.  Always book the sleeper first and check its actual arrival & departure times for your dates of travel before booking the Eurostar connection, as times can vary.

• Tips for booking with bahn.de:  Look for the direct CNL train with 0 changes in the search results.  The results will show cheap Savings fares (no changes, limited refunds) and regular fully-flexible fares for each type of seat, couchette & sleeper.  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 you pay, so you can easily retrieve and re-print any tickets later from any PC.  You pay by credit card and print out your own ticket.  Easy!

• Step 2, now book a connecting Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.  Remember that your return date will be the day after leaving Berlin!  Use the recommended 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.

• You don't live in London?  At www.eurostar.com, you can not only book tickets starting in London, you can buy a cheap through ticket 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 from a numbered seating plan, look closely for the 'choose exact seat' link towards the end of the process.  See tips on choosing the best seats on Eurostar.

UK residents can also book the Eurostar & City Night Line online at www.raileurope.co.uk, with the advantage that you can book both tickets together in one place.  Indeed, if you're nervous about co-ordinating a connecting Eurostar booking with an onward City Night Line booking, you can book from London to Berlin all in one go.  However, it won't mix and match 2nd class on Eurostar with 1st class on the onward train if you book London to Berlin, so if you want (say) a 2nd class seat on Eurostar but a 2-bed sleeper on City Night Line, you'll need to book London-Paris as one ticket, add it to your basket, then book Paris-Berlin as a separate ticket, but you can still pay for both tickets as one transaction on one website.  If you have children, be warned that Rail Europe applies French age limits to anything it books, incorrectly pricing any child over 12 as an adult an any infant over 4 as a child as in fact more generous German age limits apply to City Night Line so see this important advice.  Also note that for some reason, Rail Europe cannot book 4-berth couchettes on City Night Line, if you want these you'll have to use www.bahn.de.

How to buy tickets by phone...

To book both the Eurostar and the sleeper train by phone, 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, no charge for debit cards), or a booking agency such as European Rail on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee per transaction).

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

A hassle-free option is to get a reliable specialist agency such as Railbookers to arrange your whole trip, with train bookings, hotels and transfers all sorted with one phone call.  Just tell them when and where you want to go, and they'll create the best rail holiday for you.

In the UK, call  020 3327 0761 or see www.railbookers.com.

In the USA & Canada, call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or see railbookers.com.

In Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au

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

It's easy to travel by train from London to Berlin all in one day from just €59 (£49), using a morning Eurostar to Brussels, a high-speed Thalys or ICE train to Cologne, then Germany's luxurious high-speed InterCity Express (ICE) onwards to Berlin.  The ICE is the pride of the German Railways, travelling at up to 280km/h (175 mph).  This route is served by second-generation ICE2s, with a cafe-bar and restaurant serving proper sit-down meals.  Breakfast in the ICE restaurant car costs about £8, a three-course meal with a couple of glasses of beer about £25.  Treat yourself!

ICE2 1st class.		ICE2 2nd class.		ICE2 at Berlin.  More info about ICE

Treat yourself to lunch!		ICE2's elegant restaurant car...		ICE2's convivial bistro-bar car...

How to read these timetables...  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

Note A:  By sleeper train via Paris, see above for details.  Departs London 14:01 Saturdays.  Runs daily.

c = by high-speed ICE train with London Spezial fares from €59 available from London to Berlin or anywhere in Germany. 

t = by high-speed Thalys train.

* = On Thursdays & Fridays there's also a 15:56 Eurostar from Brussels to London, arriving17:03.

** = departs 19:46 on Fridays.

Travel tip:  Short cut for changing trains in Brussels    Map of Berlin showing Hauptbahnhof   Hbf = Hauptbahnhof = main station.

What are Eurostar trains like?   What are Thalys trains like?   What are ICE trains like?   3D tour ICE 2nd class   3D tour ICE restaurant car 

Always check these train times using www.bahn.de, as they can vary on certain dates.   If you have a 1st class ticket you can use the DB Lounges at Cologne, Berlin Hauptbahnhof & Hanover.

Or buy a London Spezial ticket, London to Berlin or Hanover from €59 (£49) each way...

Before you do anything else, check the German Railways website for cheap London Spezial fares between London and anywhere in Germany, including Berlin, using the special links below.  All you need to do is enter your date of travel.  I recommend buying a round trip as two one-ways, as it's easier to see where the availability is.  Booking normally opens 90 days before departure.

Check for cheap print-at-home tickets from London to Berlin:

Departing London at 06:50 Mondays-Fridays

Departing London at 08:58 Sundays

Departing London at 10:58 Mondays-Saturdays

Check for cheap print-at-home tickets from Berlin to London:

Departing Berlin at 06:49 any day

Departing Berlin at 10:49 on weekdays

Departing Berlin at 10:49 on Saturdays

Departing Berlin at 10:49 on Sundays

About these London Spezial tickets:  These excellent London Spezial tickets start at €59 each way 2nd class or €109 1st class from London to anywhere in Germany.  That price includes Eurostar to Brussels, a superb German ICE train to Cologne and onward trains to your final destination, all on one ticket.  You'll only find these London Spezial fares on services which use the German ICE train between Brussels & Cologne (marked with a 'c' in the timetable above), they aren't available on Thalys trains.  Availability is limited, and the German site can't sell normal tickets for this route, only these London Spezial fares which can sell out.  And it can't sell tickets of any sort for Eurostar+Thalys.  Incidentally, note that when using www.bahn.de, you often need to put Brussels South Stn in the 'via' box and either 01:00 or 02:00 in the 'stopover' box to force the journey planner to find the ICE connection (and so offer the cheap London Spezial fares) rather than a more immediate Thalys connection.  I've set up the 'check for cheap tickets' links above to include the necessary fiddle factor for each specific departure, so you don't need to worry about it, as long as you use the right link for the right departure.  If you find a cheap ticket using the links above then great, if not (or if you want a Eurostar+Thalys service), move swiftly on to the normal 'How to buy tickets' section below...

How to buy tickets online...

If your chosen journey includes an ICE train between Brussels and Cologne (marked with a 'c' in the timetable above):

• Step 1, buy a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels at www.eurostar.com using the train times on this page as a guide.  The further ahead you book, the more likely you are to see the cheapest fares.  Tickets can be self-printed, collected at London St Pancras or posted to any UK address.

• Step 2, now buy a ticket from Brussels to Berlin using the journey planner at the German Railways website www.bahn.de, again using the train times on this page as a guide.  They have Belgium Spezial tickets between Brussels and anywhere in Germany from just €39 each way, and you simply print out your own ticket.  I recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily retrieve any bookings.

If your chosen journey includes a Thalys between Brussels and Cologne:

• Step 1, go to www.eurostar.com and book a ticket between London and Cologne, as it will book through tickets by Eurostar+Thalys (but not Eurostar+ICE).  If you see reasonable prices great, if not, book London-Brussels at www.eurostar.com then Brussels to Cologne at www.thalys.com.  UK residents can also try booking London to Cologne at www.raileurope.co.uk.

• Step 2, buy a Cologne-Berlin ticket online at the German Railways website, www.bahn.de.  You simply print out your own ticket.  Make sure the train you book connects with the Eurostar+Thalys you have booked, using the train times on this page as a guide.  I recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily retrieve any bookings.

How to buy tickets by phone...

To book by phone, call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sundays, no booking fee, 2% credit card charge) or call www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee per transaction).  Click here for a list of agencies and more information on how to buy tickets.

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

A hassle-free option is to get a reliable specialist agency such as Railbookers to arrange your whole trip, with train bookings, hotels and transfers all sorted with one phone call.  Just tell them when and where you want to go, and they'll create the best rail holiday for you.

In the UK, call  020 3327 0761 or see www.railbookers.com.

In the USA & Canada, call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or see railbookers.com.

In Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au

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

Berlin's new Hauptbahnhof...

Berlin's new Hauptbahnhof (main station) is a symbol of the new revitalised Berlin.  It's a modern glass and steel structure that will warm the hearts of window-cleaning firms everywhere, just 3 minutes' walk from the Reichstag, 10 minutes from the Brandenburg Gate and Unter den Linden, or 25 minutes from the site of Checkpoint Charlie.  It's in fact two stations in one, with platforms 6 to 11 on the east-west elevated tracks well above ground level, and platforms 1 to 5 serving the north-south tracks on a below-ground level.  Trains from Cologne & Paris arrive at platforms 6 to 11.  The ticket office, 1st class lounge and the left luggage office are one level up from the ground (entrance) level, one level below platforms 6 to 11.

Map of Berlin showing the Hauptbahnhof    Berlin tourist information    Berlin S-bahn info    Berlin U-bahn info    Panorama photos of Berlin Hbf

Berlin Hauptbahnhof, where you arrive from London, Paris or Brussels...		Inside Berlin Hauptbahnhof...		The Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin is only 10 minutes walk from the Hauptbahnhof.

Cologne, or 'Köln' in German from its Roman name, Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, was once the largest city in Germany.  Its magnificent cathedral stands right next to Cologne's main station - the cathedral was consecrated in 1322, but its distinctive 512 feet high towers were only completed in 1880.  You can climb them for a magnificent view over the city and the River Rhine.  Getting to Cologne from London is really easy by train:  Hop on a high-speed Eurostar train from London to Brussels in just 1 hour 55 minutes, then travel from Brussels to Cologne by high-speed Thalys train or German high-speed ICE train in just 1 hour 57 minutes more.  Frequent regional trains then link Cologne with Düsseldorf, Essen, Bochum & Dortmund.  Thalys is a consortium of the French, Belgian, Dutch and German railways formed to run the high-speed trains between Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam & Cologne.

Take Eurostar to Brussels in 1 hour 55 minutes, then either a Thalys high-speed train...

2nd class (Confort 2) seats on Thalys...		1st class (Confort 1) seats on Thalys...		A Thalys at Brussels.  Thalys info.

...or a German ICE high-speed train onwards to Cologne in 1 hour 57 minutes more.

ICE3 2nd class.  ICEs are perhaps the most comfortable daytime trains in Europe...		ICE3 1st class, with real leather seats.  All seats in both classes have power sockets.		An ICE to Cologne & Frankfurt waiting to leave Brussels Midi.  More ICE info.

How to read these timetables...  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

Duisburg, Essen & Bochum are also stops on the Cologne-Düsseldorf-Dortmund regional trains shown here, simply use www.bahn.de to check calling times.

Travel tip:  Short cut for changing trains in Brussels    Cologne station information    Hbf = Hauptbahnhof = main station.  If you have a first class ticket you can use the DB Lounges at Cologne or Düsseldorf.

If your Thalys or ICE arrives promptly, you may find an earlier onward train to Düsseldorf or Dortmund in addition to the ones shown here.

c = by high-speed ICE train with London Spezial fares from €59 available from London to Berlin or anywhere in Germany. 

d = The 19:28 Thalys from Brussels to Cologne in fact runs direct to Dusseldorf (arriving 21:42), Duisburg (22:00) and Essen (22:16), so no need to change in Cologne!

h = The 06:45 Thalys from Cologne to Brussels in fact runs direct from Essen (05:40), Duisburg (05:54), Dusseldorf (06:13), with no need to change in Cologne.

t = by high-speed Thalys train.

First, check for cheap London Spezial tickets from €59 (£49) each way...

Before you do anything else, check the German Railways website for cheap London Spezial fares between London and anywhere in Germany, including Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen or Dortmund, using the special links below.  All you need to do is enter your date of travel.  I recommend buying a round trip as two one-ways, as it's easier to see where the availability is.  Booking normally opens 90 days before departure.

Check for cheap print-at-home tickets outward from London to Cologne (click a link, enter date of travel, if necessary change 'Cologne' to 'Düsseldorf' or 'Dortmund'):

Departing London at 06:50 Mondays-Fridays

Departing London at 08:58 Sundays

Departing London at 10:58 Mondays-Saturdays

Departing London at 12:58 Saturdays

Departing London at 15:04 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays

Check for cheap print-at-home tickets inward from Cologne to London:  (click a link, enter date of travel, if necessary change 'Cologne' to 'Düsseldorf' or 'Dortmund'):

Departing Cologne at 07:43 on Mondays-Saturdays

Departing Cologne at 07:43 on Sundays

Departing Cologne at 11:43 any day

Departing Cologne at 15:43 on weekdays

Departing Cologne at 15:43 on Saturdays

Departing Cologne at 15:43 on Sundays

About these London Spezial tickets:  These excellent London Spezial tickets start at €59 each way 2nd class or €109 1st class from London to anywhere in Germany.  That price includes Eurostar to Brussels, a superb German ICE train to Cologne and onward trains to your final destination, all on one ticket.  You'll only find these London Spezial fares on services which use the German ICE train between Brussels & Cologne (marked with a 'c' in the timetable above), they aren't available on Thalys trains.  Availability is limited, and the German site can't sell normal tickets for this route, only these London Spezial fares which can sell out.  And it can't sell tickets of any sort for Eurostar+Thalys.  Incidentally, note that when using www.bahn.de, you often need to put 'Brussels South Stn' in the 'via' box and either 01:00 or 02:00 in the 'stopover' box to force the journey planner to find the ICE connection (and so offer the cheap London Spezial fares) rather than a more immediate Thalys connection.  I've set up the 'check for cheap tickets' links above to include the necessary fiddle factor for each specific departure, so you don't need to worry about it, as long as you use the right link for the right departure.   If you find a cheap ticket using the links above then great, if not (or if you want a Eurostar+Thalys service), move swiftly on to the normal 'How to buy tickets' section below... 'Couloir Sud' short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

How to buy tickets online...

If you don't find a cheap London Spezial ticket at www.bahn.de as explained above, here's how to buy regular-price tickets from London to Cologne, and I recommend checking prices via all three options to see which is cheapest.  Bookings open 90 days before departure, book early for the cheapest fares.

(1) www.eurostar.com can book tickets to Cologne not just starting in London but from over 130 UK towns & cities, and there are no booking fees.  However, annoyingly it can only book Eurostar+Thalys, not Eurostar+ICE. Tickets are only available in limited numbers.

(2) www.b-europe.com (Belgian Railways) can book London to Cologne via both Eurostar+Thalys and Eurostar+ICE, it issues self-print tickets so it can be used by anyone resident in any country to buy tickets in either direction.  A good way to book, as it shows all options.

(3) www.raileurope.co.uk will also book London-Cologne via both Eurostar+Thalys and Eurostar+ICE, but accepts UK credit cards only, with tickets only sent to UK addresses.

(4) Anyone from any country can book the journey in stages:  First book the London-Brussels Eurostar at www.eurostar.com with self-print tickets.  Then book Brussels-Cologne with either www.thalys.com (if it's a Thalys) or www.bahn.de (if it's an ICE), both offer self-print tickets.  Remember to allow for the 30 minute Eurostar check-in at Brussels on the return journey.

This form links to www.eurostar.com.  It can book tickets to Aachen or Cologne from London or over 130 UK towns & cities... For Cologne, look for 'Koln'... If the search button doesn't work, click here Children under 4 go free, no ticket required. Children = children over 4 but under 12. Youth = anyone under 26.  Senior = anyone over 60.

This form links to www.raileurope.co.uk.  It can book tickets from London, Ebbsfleet or Ashford to Cologne. Important tip:  If you find no cheap fares, try splitting the journey into London-Brussels & back, add to basket, then Brussels-Cologne & back... Children under 4 go free, no ticket required. Children = children over 4 but under 12. Youth = anyone under 26.  Senior = anyone over 60. Buy a special add-on ticket from almost any station in Britain to London International (St Pancras)

How to buy tickets by phone...

If you prefer to book by phone, call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sundays, no booking fee, 2% credit card charge) or call www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee).  Click here for a list of agencies and more information on how to buy tickets.

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

A hassle-free option is to get a reliable specialist agency such as Railbookers to arrange your whole trip, with train bookings, hotels and transfers all sorted with one phone call.  Just tell them when and where you want to go, and they'll create the best rail holiday for you.

In the UK, call  020 3327 0761 or see www.railbookers.com.

In the USA & Canada, call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or see railbookers.com.

In Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au

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

Cologne (Köln) Hauptbahnhof...

Cologne Hauptbahnhof (main station) is located right in the city centre, right next to Cologne Cathedral with its distinctive twin towers and a stone's throw from the banks of the River Rhine.

Map of Cologne showing the Hauptbahnhof    Cologne tourist information    Left luggage information    1st class station lounges

Climbing Cologne Cathedral's tower:  If you've 30 minutes to spare, you can climb the cathedral's south (right-hand) tower for a fantastic view over Cologne & the Rhine, 475 feet high, 533 steps, no lift.  The tower is open 09:00-16:00 in winter, 09:00-17:00 or 18:00 in summer, entrance €3, see www.koelner-dom.de.

Cologne Hauptbahnhof main entrance...		The left luggage machines at Cologne...		Cologne cathedral...

High-speed Eurostar trains link London with Brussels in less than 2 hours.  From Brussels, high-speed Thalys and ICE trains take less than 2 hours to reach Cologne.  Regular trains link Cologne with Bonn, Koblenz and Mainz running via the original scenic rail route along the Rhine Valley.

Train times...

Simply use the London-Cologne timetable above to find train times from London to Cologne, then use www.bahn.de to find connecting train times along the Rhine Valley from Cologne to Bonn, Koblenz and Mainz.

How to buy tickets...

Option 1, buy a cheap London Spezial ticket from €59 (£49) each way...

Before you do anything else, check the German Railways website for cheap London Spezial fares between London and anywhere in Germany, including Koblenz, Bonn or Mainz, using the special links below.  All you need to do is enter your date of travel.  I recommend buying a round trip as two one-ways, as it's easier to see where the availability is.  Booking normally opens 90 days before departure.

Check for cheap tickets from London to Koblenz

(select a link, enter your date of travel, change 'Koblenz' to 'Bonn' or 'Mainz' if you like):

Departing London at 06:50 Mondays-Fridays

Departing London at 08:58 Sundays

Departing London at 10:58 Mondays-Saturdays

Check for cheap tickets from Koblenz to London: 

(select a link, enter your date of travel, change 'Koblenz' to 'Bonn' or 'Mainz' if you like):

Departing Koblenz at 07:43 on weekdays

Departing Koblenz at 07:43 on Saturdays

Departing Koblenz at 07:43 on Sundays

Departing Koblenz at 11:43 any day

Departing Koblenz at 15:43 on weekdays

Departing Koblenz at 15:43 on Saturdays

Departing Koblenz at 15:43 on Sundays

About these London Spezial tickets:  These excellent London Spezial tickets start at €59 each way 2nd class or €109 1st class from London to anywhere in Germany.  That price includes Eurostar to Brussels, a superb German ICE train to Cologne and onward trains to your final destination, all on one ticket.  You'll only find these London Spezial fares on services which use the German ICE train between Brussels & Cologne (marked with a 'c' in the timetable above), they aren't available on Thalys trains.  Availability is limited, and the German site can't sell normal tickets for this route, only these London Spezial fares which can sell out.  And it can't sell tickets of any sort for Eurostar+Thalys.  Incidentally, note that when using www.bahn.de, you often need to put 'Brussels South Stn' in the 'via' box and either 01:00 or 02:00 in the 'stopover' box to force the journey planner to find the ICE connection (and so offer the cheap London Spezial fares) rather than a more immediate Thalys connection.  I've set up the 'check for cheap tickets' links above to include the necessary fiddle factor for each specific departure, so you don't need to worry about it, as long as you use the right link for the right departure.  If you find a cheap ticket using the links above then great, if not (or if you want a Eurostar+Thalys service), move swiftly on to the normal 'How to buy tickets' section below...  'Couloir Sud' short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

Option 2, if you can't find a London Spezial & your journey is by ICE between Brussels & Cologne...

• Step 1, buy a ticket from London to Brussels and back at www.eurostar.com.  You print your own ticket, or can collect it at St Pancras.

• Step 2, buy an onward ticket from Brussels to Bonn, Koblenz or Mainz at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  This will book Belgium Spezial tickets from Brussels to cities in Germany from €19, but only if you use one of the German ICE trains (not Thalys) between Brussels and Cologne.  Bookings open 90 days before departure, the further ahead you book, the more likely you are to see the cheapest fare.

Option 3, if you can't find a London Spezial & your journey is by Thalys between Brussels & Cologne...

• Use this method if your journey involves a Thalys between Brussels & Cologne, or a Thalys one way and ICE the other, or you're not sure which.

• Step 1, buy a ticket from London to Cologne and back at the Belgian Railways international website www.b-europe.com.  B-europe.com can book both Eurostar+Thalys and Eurostar+ICE between London & Cologne, and their booking system handles this two-leg journey well, usually seeming to find the cheapest prices.  You print off your own tickets.  Bookings open 90 days before departure, the further ahead you book, the more likely you are to see the cheapest fare.  UK residents can also try www.raileurope.co.uk.

• Step 2, buy an onward ticket from Cologne to Bonn, Koblenz or Mainz at www.bahn.de.

How to buy tickets by phone...

If you prefer to buy tickets by phone, 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) or call www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee).  Click here for a list of agencies and more information on how to buy tickets.

You can travel from London to Frankfurt either via Paris or via Brussels.  The route via Brussels is more frequent, but with the opening of the new TGV-Est high-speed line in June 2007, direct German ICE trains link Paris & Frankfurt in just 3 hours 50 minutes with cheap fares available, making the route via Paris just as simple (one change in Paris with a short walk between stations), marginally cheaper and almost as fast.  The route via Paris is a bit easier to book online, the route via Brussels is more frequent and slightly faster.  The choice is yours... 

Option 1:  London to Frankfurt via Paris...

The new TGV-Est high-speed line opened in June 2007, and direct 199 mph German ICE trains now link Paris and Frankfurt in just 3 hours 50 minutes, city centre to city centre.  The ICE3 trains used on this service are superb, amongst the most comfortable high-speed trains in Europe.  This route is easy to book online using www.raileurope.co.uk.

An ICE3 from Paris to Frankfurt awaits departure at the Gare de l'Est...		ICE3 2nd class.  ICE's are perhaps the most comfortable trains in Europe...		ICE3 1st class, with leather seats.  Seats in both classes have power sockets.

How to read these timetables...  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

* = Journey involves an overnight stop in Paris, but takes minimal time out of the working day.  Hotels near Gare du Nord & Gare de l'Est.

If you have a first class ticket you can use the DB Lounge at Frankfurt am Main Hauptbahnhof..

Buy tickets online...

The easiest & cheapest way for UK residents to buy London-Frankfurt train tickets for journeys via Paris is online at www.raileurope.co.uk, just use the booking form below.

Children under 4 go free, no ticket required. Children = children over 4 but under 12. Youth = anyone under 26.  Senior = anyone over 60. Buy a special add-on ticket from almost any station in Britain to London International (St Pancras)

Booking tips ... Booking opens 90 days before departure. Although you can book London-Frankfurt in one go, it is better to book the journey in 2 stages.  First book the Paris-Frankfurt train, add it to your basket and click 'continue shopping'.  Then book the Eurostar London-Paris & back.  This gives you more control, and for example allows you to book an earlier Eurostar if you want to spend some time in Paris, or if it has cheaper seats available.  Make sure you allow at least 1 hour between trains in Paris to allow for any delay, and the walk between stations (15 mins) and the 30 minute Eurostar check-in in the return direction. Tickets can be sent to any UK address for a £2.25 fee or collected at St Pancras on departure free of charge.  There's a 2.5% credit card fee, so use a debit card if you can.  Only UK credit cards are accepted. It's backed by a UK call centre, 0844 848 5 848. How to buy tickets by phone... If you prefer to book the journey via Paris by phone, or if you have problems booking online, call Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 09:00-19:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, no longer open Sundays).

You can also buy tickets using www.bahn.de & www.eurostar.com...

It's also worth checking prices for the Paris-Frankfurt train on www.bahn.de, as this is the German reservation system and prices vary from those on the French system used by www.raileurope.co.uk.  In addition, child age limits are different if you book using bahn.de:  Children under 6 go free, and children under 15 can also go free if accompanying an adult.  Booking this way involves two websites, so do a dry run first on both sites to check prices and availability before booking for real.

• Step 1, go to www.bahn.de, the German Railways website, and book from Paris to Frankfurt & back.  The results will show cheap spezial fares (if available).  You pay by credit card and simply print out your own ticket.  Easy!  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 retrieve any bookings later.  Always book this train first and check its exact arrival & departure times before booking the Eurostar connection, as times can vary.

• Step 2, go to www.eurostar.com to buy your Eurostar ticket between London & 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.

Option 2:  London to Frankfurt via Brussels...

High-speed Eurostar trains link London with Brussels in just 1 hours 55 minutes.  From Brussels, there are two daily Brussels-Frankfurt high-speed ICE trains taking just 3 hours 15 minutes, or you can take a more frequent high-speed Thalys train to Cologne and change there for an ICE to Frankfurt.  London-Frankfurt by Eurostar & ICE starts at just €59 (£49) each way, booked online at www.bahn.de.  However, although the high-speed line from Cologne to Frankfurt cuts a 2-hour journey to just 1 hour, you may prefer the old scenic route running right along the Rhine Valley, past cliffs and castles and the fabled Lorelei Rock.  If so, ask when booking, or simply check times from Cologne to Frankfurt yourself at www.bahn.de, entering 'Koblenz' in the 'via' box to get a Rhine Valley journey.

ICE3 2nd class.  All seats in both classes have power sockets for laptops & mobiles...		ICE3 1st class, with real leather seats.  Staff provide at-seat service of drinks & food.		The 12:25 ICE to Frankfurt waits to leave Brussels Midi.  More info about ICE.

How to read these timetables...  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

c = by direct high-speed ICE train between Brussels & Frankfurt, with London Spezial fares from €59 available from London to Frankfurt via this service.  3D virtual tour.

Map of Frankfurt showing the Hauptbahnhof (Hbf)    Hbf = Hauptbahnhof, meaning main station.

What are Eurostar trains like?   What are Thalys trains like?   What are ICE trains like?   3D tour ICE 2nd class   3D tour ICE restaurant car 

You can double-check these train times using www.bahn.de.     Travel tip:  Short cut for changing trains in Brussels.  If you have a first class ticket you can use the DB Lounge at Frankfurt.

Buy a cheap London Spezial ticket, London to Frankfurt from €59 (£49) each way...

Before you do anything else, check the German Railways website for cheap London Spezial fares between London and anywhere in Germany, including Frankfurt, using the special links below.  All you need to do is enter your date of travel.  I recommend buying a round trip as two one-ways, as it's easier to see where the availability is.  Booking normally opens 90 days before departure.

Check for cheap print-at-home tickets from London to Frankfurt:

(just select a link & enter your date of travel)

Departing London at 06:50 Mondays-Fridays

Departing London at 08:58 Sundays

Departing London at 10:58 Mondays-Saturdays

Departing London at 12:58 Saturdays

Departing London at 15:04 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays

Check for cheap print-at-home tickets from Frankfurt to London:

(just select a link & enter your date of travel)

Departing Frankfurt at 06:25 or 06:29 any day

Departing Frankfurt at 10:16 any day

Departing Frankfurt at 14:29 any day

About these London Spezial tickets:  These excellent London Spezial tickets start at €59 each way 2nd class or €109 1st class from London to anywhere in Germany.  That price includes Eurostar to Brussels, a superb German ICE train to Cologne and onward trains to your final destination, all on one ticket.  You'll only find these London Spezial fares on services which use the German ICE train between Brussels & Cologne (marked with a 'c' in the timetable above), they aren't available on Thalys trains.  Availability is limited, and the German site can't sell normal tickets for this route, only these London Spezial fares which can sell out.  And it can't sell tickets of any sort for Eurostar+Thalys.  Incidentally, note that when using www.bahn.de, you often need to put Brussels South Stn in the 'via' box and either 01:00 or 02:00 in the 'stopover' box to force the journey planner to find the ICE connection (and so offer the cheap London Spezial fares) rather than a more immediate Thalys connection.  I've set up the 'check for cheap tickets' links above to include the necessary fiddle factor for each specific departure, so you don't need to worry about it, as long as you use the right link for the right departure.  If you find a cheap ticket using the links above then great, if not (or if you want a Eurostar+Thalys service), move swiftly on to the normal 'How to buy tickets' section below...

How to buy tickets online...

This route has to be booked in two stages.  If your chosen journey involves a direct ICE train between Brussels and Frankfurt (marked with a 'c' in the timetable above):

• Step 1, go to www.eurostar.com and buy the Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels & back.  Tickets can be posted to any UK address, self-printed or collected at St Pancras station in London.

• Step 2, go to www.bahn.de, the German Railways website, and book the ICE train from Brussels to Frankfurt & back, making sure you pick the direct Brussels-Frankfurt train.  Fares from €39 (£33) each way.  You want Brussels Zuid (Brussels South) if prompted.

If your chosen journey involves a Thalys train between Brussels and Cologne (trains not marked with a 'c'):

• Step 1, buy a London-Cologne ticket online at www.b-europe.com.  Bookings open 90 days before departure, book early for the cheapest fares.  You simply print off your own ticket.  UK residents can also try www.raileurope.co.uk.

• Step 2, now buy your Cologne-Frankfurt ticket online at the German Railways website, www.bahn.de.  Fares start at €29 (£25) each way.  I recommend registering when prompted, as you can then retrieve any bookings later.  You simply print out your own Online Ticket.

How to buy tickets by phone...

If you prefer to book by phone, 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).  You can also buy tickets by calling www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee).  Click here for a list of agencies and more information on how to buy tickets.

High-speed Eurostar trains link London with Brussels in less than 2 hours.  From Brussels, ICE high-speed trains run to Frankfurt in just over 3 hours.  Change in Frankfurt for Nuremberg (Nürnberg in German).

London ► Nuremberg (option 1)

• Travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:58 (08:58 on Sundays), arriving Brussels Midi at  14:05 (12:08 on Sundays).

• Travel from Brussels to Frankfurt by high-speed ICE train leaving Brussels at 14:25 and arriving Frankfurt at 17:41.

• Travel from Frankfurt to Nuremburg by high-speed ICE train leaving Frankfurt at 17:54 and arriving Nuremburg at 19:59.

London ► Nuremberg (option 2)

• Travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 15:04 (12:58 on Saturdays), arriving Brussels Midi at 18:05 (16:08 on Saturdays).

• Travel from Brussels to Frankfurt by high-speed ICE train leaving Brussels at 18:25 and arriving Frankfurt at 21:30.

• Travel from Frankfurt to Nuremburg by high-speed ICE train leaving Frankfurt at 22:18 and arriving Nuremburg at 00:36.

Other options..

You can in fact take any service from London to Cologne (see the Cologne section above) then use www.bahn.de to find a connecting train from Cologne to Nuremberg.  However, the options shown here are arguably the best, and usually have the cheapest fares.

Nuremberg ► London (option 1)

• Travel from Nuremburg to Frankfurt by high-speed ICE train leaving Nuremberg at 08:02 and arriving Frankfurt at 10:04.

• Travel from Frankfurt to Brussels by high-speed ICE train leaving Frankfurt at 10:16 and arriving Brussels at 13:35.

• Travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar, leaving Brussels Midi at 15:56 (14:52 at weekends), arriving London St Pancras at 17:03 (16:03 at weekends).

Nuremberg ► London (option 2)

• Travel from Nuremburg to Frankfurt by high-speed ICE train leaving Nuremberg at 12:00 and arriving Frankfurt at 14:04.

• Travel from Frankfurt to Brussels by high-speed ICE train leaving Frankfurt at 14:16 and arriving Brussels at 17:35.

• Travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar, leaving Brussels Midi at 18:56 and arriving London St Pancras at 19:57.  On Saturdays the Eurostar connection runs later, leaving Brussels at 19:52 arriving London 21:06.

Buy cheap tickets from London to Nuremberg from €59 (£49) each way...

Before you do anything else, check the German Railways website for cheap London Spezial fares between London and anywhere in Germany, including Berlin, using the special links below.  All you need to do is enter your date of travel.  I recommend buying a round trip as two one-ways, as it's easier to see where the availability is.  Booking normally opens 90 days before departure.

Check for cheap print-at-home tickets from London to Nuremberg: 

(just select a link & enter your date of travel)

Departing London at 06:50 Mondays-Fridays

Departing London at 08:58 on Sundays

Departing London at 10:58 on Mondays-Saturdays

Departing London at 12:58 on Saturdays

Departing London at 15:04 on any day except Saturdays

Check for cheap print-at-home tickets from Nuremberg to London:

(just select a link & enter your date of travel)

Departing Nuremberg at 08:02 any day

Departing Nuremberg at 12:00, on Saturdays

Departing Nuremberg at 12:00 on Mondays-Fridays & Sundays

About these London Spezial tickets:  These excellent London Spezial tickets start at €59 each way 2nd class or €109 1st class from London to anywhere in Germany.  That price includes Eurostar to Brussels, a superb German ICE train to Cologne and onward trains to your final destination, all on one ticket.  You'll only find these London Spezial fares on services which use the German ICE train between Brussels & Cologne (marked with a 'c' in the timetable above), they aren't available on Thalys trains.  Availability is limited, and the German site can't sell normal tickets for this route, only these London Spezial fares which can sell out.  And it can't sell tickets of any sort for Eurostar+Thalys.  Incidentally, note that when using www.bahn.de, you often need to put 'Brussels South Stn' in the 'via' box and either 01:00 or 02:00 in the 'stopover' box to force the journey planner to find the ICE connection (and so offer the cheap London Spezial fares) rather than a more immediate Thalys connection.  I've set up the 'check for cheap tickets' links above to include the necessary fiddle factor for each specific departure, so you don't need to worry about it, as long as you use the right link for the right departure.  If you find a cheap ticket using the links above then great, if not (or if you want a Eurostar+Thalys service), move swiftly on to the normal 'How to buy tickets' section below...

How to buy tickets online...

If you've tried to find a cheap London Spezial fare at bahn.de and can't find one, here's how to book the regular fares:

If your journey involves an ICE between Brussels & Cologne...

• Step 1, buy a ticket from London to Brussels and back at www.eurostar.com.  You print your own ticket, or can collect it at St Pancras.

• Step 2, buy an onward ticket from Brussels to Nuremberg at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  This will book Belgium Spezial tickets from Brussels to anywhere in Germany from €39, but only if you use one of the German ICE trains (not Thalys) between Brussels and Cologne.  Bookings open 90 days before departure, the further ahead you book, the more likely you are to see the cheapest fare.

If your journey involves a Thalys between Brussels & Cologne, or a Thalys one way and ICE the other, or you're not sure which.

• Step 1, buy a ticket from London to Cologne and back at the Belgian Railways international website www.b-europe.com.  B-europe.com can book both Eurostar+Thalys and Eurostar+ICE between London & Cologne, and their booking system handles this two-leg journey well, usually seeming to find the cheapest prices.  You print off your own tickets.  Bookings open 90 days before departure, the further ahead you book, the more likely you are to see the cheapest fare.  UK residents can also try www.raileurope.co.uk.

• Step 2, buy an onward ticket from Cologne to Nuremberg at www.bahn.de.

How to buy tickets by phone...

If you prefer to buy tickets by phone, 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) or call www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee).  Click here for a list of agencies and more information on how to buy tickets.

City Night Line reinstated a direct Paris-Hamburg sleeper train Andromeda from December 2010.  It's an excellent time-effective option if you need to be in central Hamburg in the morning.  You can also travel by daytime trains, see here.

London ► Hamburg

Hamburg ► London

See the London to Paris page for information about Eurostar...

Introducing the City Night Line sleeper train Andromeda to Hamburg...

The Paris-Hamburg overnight train is one of the German Railway's excellent City Night Line sleeper trains.  Called the Andromeda, 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 rooms have powerpoints for laptop computers), and 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.  More pictures & information about this train.

Dinner before you board?  There's no restaurant or bar car on the City Night Line sleeper, but for a good meal in a classic Parisian brasserie before boarding the sleeper train in Paris, catch the earlier 14:01 Eurostar & dine at the Brasserie Terminus Nord directly across the road from the Gare du Nord.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper: The most comfortable 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 Hamburg":  The Comfortline sleeping-car of City Night Line sleeper train boarding at Paris Gare de l'Est... More pictures & information about this train...

How much does it cost?

Berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed.  The other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers.

If you want sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a single sleeper, 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper, 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette & so on.

* This is the supplement you pay if you have a railpass, a 1st class pass is required for deluxe sleepers.

** Children under 15 travel free if accompanied by a fare-paying adult, but must pay the berth supplement shown here.

Savings fare = advance-purchase fare, price varies, limited availability, no refunds, no changes to travel plans.

Full price = fully flexible, refundable, buy any time.

Youth fares: 25% discount on full price using www.raileurope.co.uk if you're under 26 years old, but Savings fares usually cheaper!

Senior fares: 20% discount on full price using www.raileurope.co.uk if you're over 60 years old, but Savings fares usually cheaper!

How to buy tickets online:  www.eurostar.com & www.bahn.de

The cheapest way to buy tickets is online direct from the operators, at www.eurostar.com for Eurostar and www.bahn.de for the sleeper train.  Anyone from any country can buy tickets in this way.  But read this first!

• Booking usually opens 92 days ahead for City Night Line, 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!

• Step 1, buy your Paris to Hamburg sleeper tickets from www.bahn.de - I've set this link up for you with the necessary times, origin and destination, all you have to do is select your date of travel.  Always book the sleeper first and check its actual arrival & departure times for your dates of travel before booking the Eurostar connection, as times can vary.

• Tips for booking with bahn.de:  Look for the direct CNL train with 0 changes in the search results.  The results will show cheap Savings fares (no changes, limited refunds) and regular fully-flexible fares for each type of seat, couchette & sleeper.  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 you pay, so you can easily retrieve and re-print any tickets later from any PC.  You pay by credit card and print out your own ticket.  Easy!

• Step 2, now book a connecting Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.  Remember that your return date will be the day after leaving Berlin!  Use the recommended 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.

• You don't live in London?  At www.eurostar.com, you can not only book tickets starting in London, you can buy a cheap through ticket 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 from a numbered seating plan, look closely for the 'choose exact seat' link towards the end of the process.  See tips on choosing the best seats on Eurostar.

UK residents can also book the Eurostar & City Night Line online at www.raileurope.co.uk, with the advantage that you can book both tickets together in one place.  Indeed, if you're nervous about co-ordinating a connecting Eurostar booking with an onward City Night Line booking, you can book from London to Berlin all in one go.  However, it won't mix and match 2nd class on Eurostar with 1st class on the onward train if you book London to Berlin, so if you want (say) a 2nd class seat on Eurostar but a 2-bed sleeper on City Night Line, you'll need to book London-Paris as one ticket, add it to your basket, then book Paris-Berlin as a separate ticket, but you can still pay for both tickets as one transaction on one website.  If you have children, be warned that Rail Europe applies French age limits to anything it books, incorrectly pricing any child over 12 as an adult an any infant over 4 as a child as in fact more generous German age limits apply to City Night Line so see this important advice.  Also note that for some reason, Rail Europe cannot book 4-berth couchettes on City Night Line, if you want these you'll have to use www.bahn.de.

How to buy tickets by phone...

You can book both the Eurostar and the sleeper train by phone by calling 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 European Rail on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee).

You can easily travel by train from London to Osnabrück, Bremen or Hamburg in a day, using Eurostar, a high-speed Thalys or ICE train to Cologne, then a comfortable German InterCity train from Cologne to Osnabrück, Bremen or Hamburg.  London to anywhere in Germany starts at just €59 each way if you use one of the daily ICEs between Brussels & Cologne ICE and book at www.bahn.de.  For more information, read on...

Most Cologne-Hamburg trains are InterCity trains, a few are high-speed ICEs.  Virtual tour of InterCity train...		InterCity 2nd class.  You'll also find a few compartment coaches on InterCity trains, and a bistro or restaurant car...		InterCity 1st class, often available in both compartments like this and open-plan saloons.

c = by high-speed German ICE train, with London Spezial fares from €59 available from London to anywhere in Germany.

t = by high-speed Thalys train.

How to read these timetables...  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

Map of Hamburg showing the Hauptbahnhof   Hbf = Hauptbahnhof, meaning main station.  If you have a first class ticket you can use the DB Lounges at Cologne, Bremen & Hamburg.

Couloir Sud short cut for changing trains in Brussels   What is Eurostar like?    What are Thalys trains like?    What are ICE trains like?

You can check these train times at www.bahn.de.

This is an excellent time-effective option, getting you to Munich first thing in the morning with a full day ahead of you.  It runs daily all year round except 24, 25 December.

London ► Munich

Munich ► London

See the London to Paris page for photos & information about Eurostar

Introducing the City Night Line sleeper train Cassiopeia 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), and 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.  More pictures & information about this train. 

Dinner before you board?  There's no restaurant or bar car on the City Night Line sleeper, but for a good meal in a classic Parisian brasserie before boarding the sleeper train in Paris, catch the earlier 14:01 Eurostar & dine at the Brasserie Terminus Nord directly across the road from the Gare du Nord.  Alternatively, try the Brasserie Flo just inside the entrance to the Gare de l'Est, located 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 most comfortable 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...

How much does it cost?

Berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed.  The other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers.

If you want sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a single sleeper, 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper, 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette & so on.

* This is the supplement you pay if you have a railpass, a 1st class pass is required for deluxe sleepers.

** Children under 15 travel free if accompanied by a fare-paying adult, but must pay the berth supplement shown here.

Savings fare = advance-purchase fare, price varies, limited availability, no refunds, no changes to travel plans.

Full price = fully flexible, refundable, buy any time.

Youth fares if you're under 26:  25% discount on full price (not Savings fares) using www.raileurope.co.uk, Savings fares usually cheaper!

Senior fares if you're over 60: 20% discount on full price (not Savings fares) using www.raileurope.co.uk, Savings fares usually cheaper!

How to buy tickets online:  www.eurostar.com & www.bahn.de

The cheapest way to buy tickets is online direct from the operators, at www.eurostar.com for Eurostar and www.bahn.de for the sleeper train.  Anyone from any country can buy tickets in this way.  But read this first!

• Booking usually opens 92 days ahead for City Night Line, 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, buy your Paris to Munich sleeper tickets from www.bahn.de - I've set this link up for you with the necessary times, origin and destination, all you have to do is select your date of travel.  Always book the sleeper first and check its actual arrival & departure times for your dates of travel before booking the Eurostar connection, as times can vary.

• Tips for booking with bahn.de:  Look for the direct CNL train with 0 changes in the search results.  The results will show cheap Savings fares (no changes, limited refunds) and regular fully-flexible fares for each type of seat, couchette & sleeper.  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 you pay, so you can easily retrieve and re-print any tickets later from any PC.  You pay by credit card and print out your own ticket.  Easy!

• Step 2, now book a connecting Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.  Remember that your return date will be the day after leaving Berlin!  Use the recommended 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.

• You don't live in London?  At www.eurostar.com, you can not only book tickets starting in London, you can buy a cheap through ticket 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 from a numbered seating plan, look closely for the 'choose exact seat' link towards the end of the process.  See tips on choosing the best seats on Eurostar.

UK residents can also book the Eurostar & City Night Line online at www.raileurope.co.uk, with the advantage that you can book both tickets together in one place.  Indeed, if you're nervous about co-ordinating a connecting Eurostar booking with an onward City Night Line booking, you can book from London to Berlin all in one go.  However, it won't mix and match 2nd class on Eurostar with 1st class on the onward train if you book London to Berlin, so if you want (say) a 2nd class seat on Eurostar but a 2-bed sleeper on City Night Line, you'll need to book London-Paris as one ticket, add it to your basket, then book Paris-Berlin as a separate ticket, but you can still pay for both tickets as one transaction on one website.  If you have children, be warned that Rail Europe applies French age limits to anything it books, incorrectly pricing any child over 12 as an adult an any infant over 4 as a child as in fact more generous German age limits apply to City Night Line so see this important advice.  Also note that for some reason, Rail Europe cannot book 4-berth couchettes on City Night Line, if you want these you'll have to use www.bahn.de.

How to buy tickets by phone...

You can book both the Eurostar and the sleeper train by phone by calling 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 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...

A hassle-free option is to get a reliable specialist agency such as Railbookers to arrange your whole trip, with train bookings, hotels and transfers all sorted with one phone call.  Just tell them when and where you want to go, and they'll create the best rail holiday for you.

In the UK, call  020 3327 0761 or see www.railbookers.com.

In the USA & Canada, call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or see railbookers.com.

In Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au

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

Munich Hauptbahnhof...		First class lounges at German stations...
Munich Hauptbahnhof.  Munich's main station is just 15 minutes walk from the Dom (cathedral) & Marienplatz.  For a meal before or after your train, try the typically Bavarian Mongdratzerl restaurant, located inside the station's shopping area.		DB Lounges for first class passengers:  There are first class lounges, usually open 07:00-21:00 daily, with complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks & WiFi at these main stations:  Berlin, Bremen, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt Main Airport, Hamburg, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig, Mannheim, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart.  However, they cannot be used by first class railpass holders.

You can travel from London to Munich by daytime trains, via a choice of two routes:

• Option 1, take Eurostar to Paris, walk from the Gare du Nord to Gare de l'Est (10 minutes), then take a direct 200 mph double-decker TGV Duplex from Paris to Stuttgart or Munich.  This option is the fastest, cheapest & simplest to book, but not the most frequent.  It involves an easy 10-minute walk between stations in Paris.

• Option 2, take Eurostar to Brussels, a high-speed Thalys or ICE train to Cologne, then a high-speed ICE train from Cologne to Munich.  This is the most frequent option with several services daily, although it's not the fastest, and it always involves two (same-station) changes of train.

Option 1:  London to Stuttgart & Munich via Paris...

The new TGV-Est high-speed line opened in June 2007 and direct French TGVs now link Paris & Stuttgart in 3 hours 40 minutes at up to 320km/h (199 mph).  This makes for a fast and easy train journey from London.  The TGVs on this route are now the impressive 200mph double-deck TGV Duplex.  Make sure you select a top deck seat for the best views.  All seats have power sockets for laptops and mobiles.

sleeper = By overnight sleeper train between Paris & Munich, see the section above.

* = change in Stuttgart.  Other Paris-Munich trains are direct.

** = An earlier 12:13 Eurostar is available on Mondays and Fridays, arriving London 13:30.

How to read these timetables...  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

Eurostar times may vary slightly, so always double-check when booking.

On board the TGV Duplex from Paris to Munich...     Watch the 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.

Boarding a double-deck TGV Duplex.  These impressive 200 mph double-deck trains link Paris & Munich, a relaxing journey catching up on your reading over a bottle 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 the 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 meal 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.

How to buy tickets...

The easiest & cheapest way for UK residents to buy London-Munich or London-Stuttgart train tickets for journeys via Paris is online at www.raileurope.co.uk (just use the booking form below). 

Children under 4 go free, no ticket required. Children = children over 4 but under 12. Youth = anyone under 26.  Senior = anyone over 60. Buy a special add-on ticket from almost any station in Britain to London International (St Pancras)

Booking tips ... Booking opens 90 days before departure. Although you can book London-Munich (or Stuttgart) in one go, it is better to book the journey in 2 stages.  First book the Paris-Munich train, add it to your basket and click 'continue shopping'.  Then book the Eurostar London-Paris & back.  This gives you more control, and for example allows you to book an earlier Eurostar if you want to spend some time in Paris, or if it has cheaper seats available.  Make sure you allow at least 1 hour between trains in Paris to allow for any delay, and the walk between stations (15 mins) and the 30 minute Eurostar check-in in the return direction. Tickets can be sent to any UK address for a £2.25 fee or collected at St Pancras on departure free of charge.  There's a 2.5% credit card fee, so use a debit card if you can.  Only UK credit cards are accepted. It's backed by a UK call centre, 0844 848 5 848. How to buy tickets by phone... If you prefer to book the journey via Paris by phone, or if you have problems booking online, call Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 09:00-19:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, no longer open Sundays). How to buy tickets at www.voyages-sncf.com... Residents of any country may book trains from Paris to Germany at the French Railways website www.voyages-sncf.com.  But first see this advice on using it.  Tickets from London to Paris can be booked at www.eurostar.com.

You can also buy tickets using www.bahn.de & www.eurostar.com...

It's also worth checking prices for the Paris-Munich train on www.bahn.de, as this is the German reservation system and prices vary from those on the French system used by www.raileurope.co.uk.  In addition, child age limits are different if you book using bahn.de:  Children under 6 go free, and children under 15 also go free if accompanying a fare-paying adult.  Booking this way involves two websites, so do a dry run first on both sites to check prices and availability before booking for real.

• Step 1, go to www.bahn.de, the German Railways website, and book from Paris to Munich & back.  The results will show cheap spezial fares (if available).  You pay by credit card and simply print out your own ticket.  Easy!  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 retrieve any bookings later.  Always book this train first and check its exact arrival & departure times before booking the Eurostar connection, as times can vary.

• Step 2, go to www.eurostar.com to buy your Eurostar ticket between London & 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.

Option 2:  London to Stuttgart & Munich via Brussels...

ICE3 2nd class.  All seats in both classes have power sockets for laptops & mobiles...		ICE3 1st class, with real leather seats.  Staff provide at-seat service of drinks & food.		An ICE3 at Cologne Hauptbahnhof, used on the trains to Munich.  More info about ICE.

For overnight sleeper service between London, Paris & Munich, see above.  You can double-check these train times using www.bahn.de.

c = by high-speed German ICE train, with London Spezial fares from €59 available via this service from London to anywhere in Germany. 

m = change trains at Mannheim.

t = by high-speed Thalys train.

Hbf = Hauptbahnhof, meaning main station.  If you have a first class ticket you can use the DB Lounges at Cologne, Stuttgart & Munich.

How to read these timetables...  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

'Couloir Sud' short cut for changing trains in Brussels   What are Eurostar trains like?   What are Thalys trains like?   What are ICE trains like?   Map of Munich showing the station

Or buy a London Spezial ticket, London to Munich or Stuttgart from €59 (£49) each way...

Before you do anything else, check the German Railways website for cheap London Spezial fares between London and anywhere in Germany, including Munich, Ulm or Stuttgart, using the special links below.  All you need to do is enter your date of travel.  I recommend buying a round trip as two one-ways, as it's easier to see where the availability is.  Booking normally opens 90 days before departure.

Check for cheap print-at-home tickets from London to Munich:

(just select a link & enter your date of travel.  Change 'Munich' to 'Stuttgart' or 'Ulm' if necessary)

Departing London at 06:50 Mondays-Fridays

Departing London at 08:58 on Sundays

Departing London at 10:58 on any day except Sundays

Departing London at 12:58 on Saturdays (only as far as Stuttgart)

Departing London at 15:04 on any day except Saturdays (only as far as Stuttgart)

Check for cheap print-at-home tickets from Munich to London:

(just select a link & enter your date of travel.  Change 'Munich' to 'Stuttgart' or 'Ulm' if necessary)

Departing Munich at 05:27 Saturdays or Sundays

Departing Munich at 06:32 Mondays-Fridays

Departing Munich at 10:28, on Saturdays

Departing Munich at 10:28 on Mondays-Fridays & Sundays

If you see slightly different (in other words, later) departure times from Munich, no problem, this is simply an alternative train running via Nuremberg whereas the ones shown above are those via Stuttgart.

About these London Spezial tickets:  These excellent London Spezial tickets start at €59 each way 2nd class or €109 1st class from London to anywhere in Germany.  That price includes Eurostar to Brussels, a superb German ICE train to Cologne and onward trains to your final destination, all on one ticket.  You'll only find these London Spezial fares on services which use the German ICE train between Brussels & Cologne (marked with a 'c' in the timetable above), they aren't available on Thalys trains.  Availability is limited, and the German site can't sell normal tickets for this route, only these London Spezial fares which can sell out.  And it can't sell tickets of any sort for Eurostar+Thalys.  Incidentally, note that when using www.bahn.de, you often need to put 'Brussels South Stn' in the 'via' box and either 01:00 or 02:00 in the 'stopover' box to force the journey planner to find the ICE connection (and so offer the cheap London Spezial fares) rather than a more immediate Thalys connection.  I've set up the 'check for cheap tickets' links above to include the necessary fiddle factor for each specific departure, so you don't need to worry about it, as long as you use the right link for the right departure.  If you find a cheap ticket using the links above then great, if not (or if you want a Eurostar+Thalys service), move swiftly on to the normal 'How to buy tickets' section below...

How to buy tickets online...

If your chosen journey involves a Thalys train between Brussels and Cologne or a Thalys one way and ICE the other:

• Step 1, go to the Belgian Railways international website www.b-europe.com and book a ticket from London to Cologne and back using the train times on this page as a guide.  You print off your own tickets.  B-europe.com can book both Eurostar+Thalys and Eurostar+ICE, and their booking system handles this two-leg journey well, usually seeming to find the cheapest prices.  You print your own tickets.  UK residents can also try www.raileurope.co.uk.

• Step 2, now buy a Cologne-Munich or Cologne-Stuttgart ticket online at the German Railways website, www.bahn.de.  You simply print out your own Online Ticket.  Make sure the train you book connects with the Eurostar+Thalys you have booked, using the train times on this page as a guide.  I recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily retrieve any bookings.

If your chosen journey involves an ICE train between Brussels and Cologne (marked with a 'c' above):

• Step 1, go to www.eurostar.com and buy a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels.  Tickets can be self-printed, collected at London St Pancras, or posted to any UK address.

• Step 2, go to www.bahn.de, the German Railways website, and buy a ticket from Brussels to Stuttgart or Munich.  Brussels-Munich fares start at just €39 (£35) each way 2nd class, and you simply print out your own Online Ticket.  Make sure the train you book connects with the Eurostar+Thalys you have booked, using the train times on this page as your guide.  I recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily retrieve any bookings later.

How to buy tickets by phone...

If you prefer to buy tickets by phone, 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), or www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee).  Click here for a list of agencies and more information on how to buy tickets.

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

A hassle-free option is to get a reliable specialist agency such as Railbookers to arrange your whole trip, with train bookings, hotels and transfers all sorted with one phone call.  Just tell them when and where you want to go, and they'll create the best rail holiday for you.

In the UK, call  020 3327 0761 or see www.railbookers.com.

In the USA & Canada, call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or see railbookers.com.

In Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au

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

London ► Leipzig & Dresden (option 1)...

Dresden & Leipzig ► London (option 1)...

London ► Dresden (option 2)...

• Travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar.  Daily except Saturdays, leave London St Pancras at 15:04 arriving in Brussels at 18:05.  On Saturdays, leave London at 12:58 arriving Brussels at 16:08.

• Travel from Brussels to Cologne by ICE high-speed train leaving Brussels Midi at 18:25 and arriving Cologne at 20:15.  On Saturdays you can also take the earlier 17:28 Thalys train arriving Cologne at 19:15.  You've time for a meal in Cologne.

• Travel from Cologne to Dresden by sleeper train, leaving Cologne at 22:28 and arriving in Dresden at 07:00 next morning.  This train is the Phoenix, with modern 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, all sleepers have power points for mobiles & laptop computers), modern air-conditioned couchettes (choose between a berth in a 4 or 6-berth compartment), and basic seats (not recommended).   Inclusive fares are charged covering travel and sleeping accommodation.  The sleeping-car fare includes a light breakfast.  Click for pictures & information about this train.

Dresden ► London (option 2)...

• Travel from Dresden to Cologne by sleeper train, leaving Dresden Hauptbahnhof at 20:53 and arriving in Cologne at 06:14 next morning.  This train is the Phoenix, with brand-new German sleeping-cars (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, all sleepers have power-points for laptop computers), modern air-conditioned couchettes (choose between a berth in a 4- or 6-berth compartment), and basic seats (not recommended).   Inclusive fares are charged covering travel plus sleeping accommodation.  The sleeping-car fare includes a light breakfast.  Click for pictures & information about this train.

• Travel from Cologne to Brussels by ICE high-speed train, leaving Cologne daily at 07:43, arriving Brussels Midi at 09:35.

• Travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar.  On Mondays to Saturdays, a Eurostar leaves Brussels Midi at 10:56 and arrives London St Pancras at 11:57.  On Sundays, a Eurostar leaves Brussels Midi at 11:56 and arrives London St Pancras at 12:57.

Colditz...

Now part of WW2 folklore and well worth a visit. A train leaves Leipzig every hour (usually at .15 mins past the even hour) for Grossbothen (or on some departures, Grimma) where a bus connects for Colditz.  Journey from Leipzig about 1 hour 7 mins.  You can check train and bus times at www.bahn.de.  In 1992, I made the whole journey from Leipzig to Colditz by train, as did many of the PoWs.

How to buy tickets online...

Step 1, buy your London-Cologne tickets.  First, check to see if the cheapest option is available, a London Spezial fare from €59 at bahn.de, using these special links I've set up for you:

Buy an outward ticket from London to Cologne leaving London at 15:04 any day except Saturdays or leaving London at 12:58 on Saturdays.

Buy an inward ticket from Cologne to London leaving Cologne at 07:43 any day except Saturdays or leaving Cologne at 07:43 on Saturdays.

You may or may not find a cheap fare this way, as availability of these London Spezial fares is very limited as DB only have a small allocation of seats on Eurostar.  If you find a cheap ticket, great, if not, buy tickets from London to Cologne at regular prices by both Eurostar+ICE and Eurostar+Thalys using the Belgian Railways international website www.b-europe.com.  Their booking system handles this two-leg journey well, usually seeming to find the cheapest prices.  UK residents can also try www.raileurope.co.uk.

Step 2, buy a Cologne-Dresden sleeper or couchette ticket at the German Railways site, www.bahn.de.  Book from Cologne (Köln Hbf) to Dresden and back, looking for the cheap Savings fares.  You pay online and print out your own ticket in .PDF format on your own PC printer.

How to buy tickets by phone...

If you prefer to buy tickets by phone, 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), or www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee).  Click here for a list of agencies and more information on how to buy tickets.

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

A hassle-free option is to get a reliable specialist agency such as Railbookers to arrange your whole trip, with train bookings, hotels and transfers all sorted with one phone call.  Just tell them when and where you want to go, and they'll create the best rail holiday for you.

In the UK, call  020 3327 0761 or see www.railbookers.com.

In the USA & Canada, call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or see railbookers.com.

In Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au

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

Neuschwanstein Castle is one of King Ludwig II of Bavaria's fairytale castles.  Built in 1869 as an extravagant folly, it's now a major tourist attraction.  Travel by train to Füssen, it's then a short bus ride to Hohenschwangau, the village below the castle.  See www.neuschwanstein.de.

You can get to just about anywhere in Germany by train from London.  If your destination is a small place close to one of the big cities shown on this page such as Berlin, Hamburg or Munich, use the train times on this page to that city then use the German Railways website www.bahn.de to find train times onwards from that city to your final destination.  The German Railways website will also give fares and sell tickets for journeys within Germany.

London to anywhere in Germany, from €59 (£49) each way...

If your destination isn't listed here, for example, London to Heidelberg, Regensburg or Konstanz to name just three, use the links below to search for journeys with cheap London Spezial fares from just €59 each way.  I recommend booking a round trip as two one-ways, as it's easier to see where there's availability.  Booking normally opens 90 days before departure:

Check for cheap tickets outward from London to anywhere Germany:

(click a link, enter your destination & your date of travel)

Departing London at 06:50 on Mondays-Fridays

Departing London at 08:58 on Sundays

Departing London at 10:58 on any day except Sundays

Departing London at 12:58 on Saturdays

Departing London at 15:04 on any day except Saturdays

Check for cheap tickets inward from Germany to London:

(click a link, enter your starting station & your date of travel)

Arriving London at 11:57 on Mondays-Saturdays

Arriving London at 14:03 any day except Saturdays

Arriving London at 16:03 any day

Arriving London at 19:57 any day except Saturdays

Arriving London at 21:03 or 21:06 any day

Why are these links clever?  Well, London Spezial fares are only valid on a combination of Eurostar from London to Brussels and the German ICE from Brussels to Cologne.  You won't find them on any journeys involving the competing Thalys train between Brussels and Cologne.  On some departures from London, a Thalys happens to be the fastest connection with the Eurostar in question, so the bahn.de journey planner only offers the Thalys (and not the ICE leaving an hour afterwards) and so doesn't offer any cheap fares.  However, by typing Brussels in the 'via' box and 01:00, 01:30 or 02:30 in the 'stopover' box, you can force the journey planner to allow a 1 hour, 1½ or 2½ hour stopover in Brussels, calculated so that it ignores the immediate Thalys connection and instead finds the following train to Cologne, which happens to be an ICE, and so it offers the cheap fares.  I've incorporated this fiddle factor in the links above so you don't have to worry about it.

Other ways to buy train tickets to Germany:  If there are no cheap London Spezial fares available on the day you want, or if you want to use one of the other services involving Thalys trains between Brussels & Cologne rather than one of the German ICEs, you'll need to book in two stages using two websites.  First, use Belgian Railways international website www.b-europe.com to book your chosen trains from London to Cologne & back (UK residents can also try www.raileurope.co.uk).  Then buy a connecting German ticket from Cologne to your final destination & back using www.bahn.de, with cheap Spezial fares from €29 (£25) each way from Cologne to any destination in Germany.  Allow at least 30 minutes in Cologne to change trains.

Neuschwanstein, Bavaria's fairytale castle...

Bavaria's fairytale castle, Neuschwanstein (www.neuschwanstein.de) is near Füssen, south-southwest of Munich, close to the Austrian border.  Travel to Munich as shown above, then take a local train to Füssen.  You can find train times and buy train tickets from Munich to Füssen at www.bahn.de, the journey time is about 2 hours 30 minutes and there's a train every hour or two.  From Füssen, take bus 73 or78 to Hohenschwangau.  These buses leave about twice an hour from directly alongside Füssen station, the journey time is about 8 minutes, the fare is only a few euros. For information on these buses, see www.rvo-bus.de.  Hohenschwangau is the tourist village which has the castle ticket office, restaurants and shops.  It's a 40 minute walk, 20 minute horse-drawn carriage or 10 minute shuttle bus ride up to the castle.

Colditz...

Now part of WW2 folklore, and well worth a visit!  Colditz is easy to reach from Leipzig, see the London to Leipzig section above.

Berchtesgaden, Obersalzberg & Eagle's Nest...

Another site from WW2 which can be visited, the site of Hitler's country house, the Berghof, can still be seen at Obersalzberg on the mountain above Berchtesgaden, where Göring, Bormann, Speer and others also had houses.  The ruins of the Berghof were demolished in 1952, all that can be seen now is an overgrown site with a large retaining wall.  Hitler's impressive mountain-top tea house, the Eagle's Nest, is still standing and can be visited in summer.  Travel to Munich as shown above, then change onto hourly trains to Freilassing, change there for Berchtesgaden, total journey time about 2½ hours.  www.bahn.de will give train times an sell you a train ticket.  Buses link Berchtesgaden with Obersalzberg, from where tourist shuttle buses go up to the Eagle's Nest.  Or take a tour - Eagles Nest Historical Tours (www.eagles-nest-historical-tours.com) do an Obersalzberg tour and an Eagles Nest tour, leaving from the tourist information centre directly across the roundabout from the station.

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

A hassle-free option is to get a reliable specialist agency such as Railbookers to arrange your whole trip, with train bookings, hotels and transfers all sorted with one phone call.  Just tell them when and where you want to go, and they'll create the best rail holiday for you.

In the UK, call  020 3327 0761 or see www.railbookers.com.

In the USA & Canada, call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or see railbookers.com.

In Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au

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

	London to the Netherlands by Dutch Flyer train & ferry...  A train takes you from London's Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich.  You walk off the train, into the terminal, get your boarding card & cabin key at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the overnight ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The new superferry Stena Hollandica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  See the Netherlands page and see the video...
	Cosy cabins:  The overnight Harwich-Hoek ferry is a floating hotel.  All passengers travel in a cosy private cabin with en suite shower & toilet and satellite TV.  This is a Captain's class cabin...
	Onwards to Germany by ICE high-speed train:  At Hoek van Holland, you walk off the ship, through passport control and straight onto the station for the frequent Sprinter train to Rotterdam.  Change in Rotterdam for a train to Amsterdam or Utrecht, change there for a train to Germany.  This is a superb German ICE train at Frankfurt am Main Hauptbahnhof...

You might prefer to travel by train & ferry to reach Germany, for example to avoid the Channel Tunnel if problems affect the Eurostar service or if you suffer from claustrophobia.  This route is handy if you live in East Anglia as you can travel direct to Harwich avoiding London, and it also avoids France and Belgium, if the French or Belgians are on strike again!  Indeed, you may simply like the idea of cruising overnight on the Stena Line superferry in a luxury en suite cabin with shower, toilet, satellite TV and free WiFi, then travelling on by daytime train to Germany next morning - see the video!  If you need to travel at very short notice when cheap Eurostar tickets are unavailable, the rail & sail option may still be affordable. The train & ferry route via Harwich & Hoek of Holland is one of the routes shown in dark blue on the route map above.  Here's how to do it:

London, East Anglia & Harwich ► Germany

• Day 1, travel from London to Amsterdam overnight by Dutch Flyer train & ferry.

• You leave London's Liverpool Street station at 19:32 by train to Harwich International.  At Harwich, the station is right next to the ferry terminal and you walk off the train into the terminal, check in at the Stena Line desk and walk straight onto the Stena Line ferry to Hoek van Holland.  All passengers travel in snug private cabins with en suite toilet & shower, free WiFi & satellite TV.  Deluxe Comfort class & Captains class cabins are also available, with complimentary minibar.  You can get on board the ferry before 9pm, have a late dinner in the restaurant and settle into your cabin.  The ferry sails at 23:15 and arrives at Hoek van Holland at 07:45 Dutch time next morning.  At Hoek, the station is right next to the ferry terminal.  You hop on the frequent local train to Schiedam and change for an InterCity train to Amsterdam Centraal, arriving 09:48.

• This Dutch Flyer London-Netherlands train & ferry service is a fully-integrated service with special fares available from London to Any Dutch Station from £39 one-way plus cabin cost which cover both the train to Harwich, the ferry and onward train to anywhere in the Netherlands, see the Netherlands page for details.  The same special fare from London is valid from any National Express East Anglia station, for example Norwich, Cambridge, Romford, Ilford, Ipswich.

• Day 2, spend some time in Amsterdam if you like, left luggage lockers are available at Amsterdam Centraal.

• If you want to save a bit of time and perhaps make an earlier connection to Germany, you can of course by-pass Amsterdam, taking a train straight from Hoek van Holland to Amersfoort to pick up a train to Berlin or to Utrecht to pick up a train to Cologne & Frankfurt.  By all means play around with the online journey planner at www.bahn.de, asking it for a journey from Hoek van Holland to your German destination, and see what it suggests, departing Hoek no earlier than 08:15.  However, seeing something of Amsterdam on the way makes no difference to the cost.

• Day 2, travel from Amsterdam (or Utrecht or Amersfoort) to Germany by train.  You can check times & fares and buy tickets online from these station to anywhere in Germany using the journey planner www.bahn.de. 

• For example, InterCity trains run every 2 hours from Amsterdam Centraal to Osnabrück and Berlin, you could leave Amsterdam Centraal at 11:02 and arrive Berlin at 17:21. 

• High-speed ICE trains run several times a day from Amsterdam & Utrecht to Cologne and Frankfurt.  You can leave Hoek van Holland, change Rotterdam & Utrecht arriving Cologne at 13:12 or Frankfurt at 14:30.  Change in Frankfurt for onward trains to Stuttgart, Nuremburg, Munich.

• A City Night Line sleeper train leaves Amsterdam at 20:31 overnight to Munich, arriving at 07:10 next morning.

Germany ► Harwich, East Anglia & London

• Day 1:  Take a direct train from Berlin, Frankfurt or Cologne to Amsterdam.  You can check train times & fares from anywhere in Germany to Amsterdam (and buy tickets online) at www.bahn.de.  For example, the 10:38 from Berlin Hauptbahnhof arrives Amsterdam Centraal at 16:59.  The 13:29 from Frankfurt & 14:46 from Cologne (a superb ICE train) arrives Amsterdam Centraal at 17:26.  A City Night Line sleeper train leaves Munich at 22:50 overnight to Amsterdam, arriving at 08:56 next morning.

• Spend some time in Amsterdam.  Left luggage lockers are available.

• Day 1, take the 18:46 train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam and change onto the local sprinter train to Hoek van Holland.  The ferry terminal is right next to the station.  Walk onto the ferry and sail overnight in a snug private cabin to Harwich.  The ferry sails at 22:30 Mondays-Fridays or 21:30 Saturdays & Sundays and arrives at Harwich International at 06:30 next morning, UK time.  Take a train on to London next morning (day 2) arriving 08:48-08:59.  See the Netherlands page for full details about this train & ferry service.

How much does it cost?

• London to Amsterdam or Utrecht starts at £45 per person each way, plus the cost of a cabin.  Cabins start at £30 for a single berth cabin or £43 per cabin for a 2-berth, and are compulsory on the night sailing.  The fare covers the train from London to Harwich, the ferry, and onward Dutch trains from Hoek van Holland Haven to any station in the Netherlands, see the Netherlands page for full details of fares and cabin types and costs.

• Utrecht or Amsterdam to Cologne starts at €19.  Amsterdam to Frankfurt or Berlin starts at €29.  Amsterdam to Munich by City Night Line sleeper train starts at €59 one-way with a couchette in 6-berth, €69 with a couchette in 4-berth, €104 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper, or €144 with a bed in a single-bed sleeper.

How to buy tickets online...

• Step 1, buy a Dutch Flyer train & ferry ticket from London to Amsterdam or Utrecht online as shown on the Netherlands page.

• Step 2, now book your onward trains from Amsterdam or Utrecht.  For daytime trains from Amsterdam to Germany, book online at www.bahn.de.  To check Amsterdam-Munich sleeper train fares & book online, go to either www.raileurope.co.uk (easy to use and can be cheapest way to book, but won't book 4 berth couchettes) or www.bahn.de (look for the direct CNL train with 0 changes).

How to buy tickets by phone:  Special booking form

• To buy tickets for the Dutch Flyer from London to Hoek van Holland plus onward train tickets to Germany or almost anywhere in Europe, fill in the special booking form and email it to European Rail.  They will call you back with a price, usually within 24 hours.  Using the booking form can save a long phone call while they take details and work out trains & prices.  If you'd rather call them, phone 020 7619 1083, but please say you're calling about 'Dutch Flyer' & onward train tickets to Germany as shown on 'Seat61'.  Their lines are 08:30-18:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday.  Note that there's a £35 fee for phone or email bookings, but this is for the whole booking, not per person or per ticket.  European Rail are one of the few agencies (if not the only agency) who can sell both the Dutch Flyer and onward European train tickets.

	DFDS Seaways Princess of Norway about to sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam...
	A Commodore deluxe cabin on DFDS ferry King of Scandinavia from Newcastle to Amsterdam, with minibar, satellite TV, shower & toilet.  See the video...
	A standard Seaways class cabin with shower & toilet on DFDS Princess of Norway from Newcastle to Amsterdam.

If you live in the North of England or Scotland, option 1 is to take a train up to London and travel from London to Germany as described above.  This may well be the quickest & easiest option.  Here's some advice on buying connecting train tickets to London.  If you live in Scotland, the Caledonian Sleepers will get you up to London in time for a morning Eurostar & onwards trains to Germany.

But consider option 2, by-passing London by taking a luxurious overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam run by DFDS Seaways or a similar overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam run by P&O Ferries, then onward trains to Germany.  There are direct daytime trains from Amsterdam to Berlin, Cologne & Frankfurt, plus a City Night Line overnight sleeper to Munich.  So why not by-pass London by taking the overnight ferry to Holland, spend some time in Amsterdam, then hop on a train to Germany?

Scotland & the north of England ► Germany

Germany ► Scotland & the north of England

• Day 1, morning:  Take a direct train from Berlin, Frankfurt or Cologne to Amsterdam.  You can check train times & fares from anywhere in Germany to Amsterdam (and buy tickets online) at www.bahn.de.  For example, the 08:38 from Berlin arrives Amsterdam Centraal at 14:59.  The 07:27 from Frankfurt & 08:46 from Cologne (a superb ICE train) arrives Amsterdam Centraal at 11:26, or there are other trains.

• Spend some time in Amsterdam.  Left luggage lockers are available.

• Day 1, late afternoon/evening:  Travel overnight by cruise ferry from Holland to either Hull or Newcastle, whichever is most convenient for where you live, arriving next morning (day 2).  Transfer to the station and take a train home.  For full details of train & ferry times, station-ferry transfers and how to buy tickets for each of these routes, see the UK-Netherlands page.

Fares & how to buy tickets...

• Start with the ferry.  Go to www.dfds.co.uk for Newcastle-Amsterdam, www.poferries.com for Hull-Rotterdam.

• Then check train times and buy train tickets to Hull or Newcastle using www.thetrainline.com or www.nationalrail.co.uk.  Allow plenty of time for the transfer from station to port, and for the ferry check-in.

• Now for the onward trains from Amsterdam.  To check Amsterdam-Munich sleeper train fares & book online, go to either www.raileurope.co.uk (easy to use and can be cheapest way to book, but won't book 4 berth couchettes) or www.bahn.de (look for the direct train with 0 changes).  For all other daytime trains from Amsterdam to Germany, use www.bahn.de.

Holidays, tours & breaks to Germany by train

	020 3327 0761 (UK) 1-800-408-3280 (USA) 1300 971 526 (Aus) 0800 002 034 (NZ)
	01904 730 727
	01904 527 120
	020 7619 1080 Please quote 'seat61'

If you want a holiday to Germany by train, but want someone else to organise all the train tickets & hotels for you, several good specialist companies do just that.  Railbookers & Erail offer tailor-made individual holidays with departure on any date you like, whereas Treyn Holidays & Great Rail Journeys offer escorted tours with specific departure dates.

Railbookers tailor-made tours, holidays & breaks to Germany by train...

Railbookers can tailor-make a flight-free holiday or short break to Germany for you, with train travel & hotels, 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!  For example:

• Short breaks to Cologne with train travel & hotel, check their website for prices.

• Short breaks to Berlin, with train travel both ways & 2 or more nights hotel.

• 7-night holiday to Berlin & Prague by train.

  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.

Erail, www.erail.co.uk, 020 7619 1080.  Please quote Seat61.com...

Short breaks to Berlin, 20 years after the collapse of the Wall...  Erail offer short breaks to Berlin, by Eurostar & City Night Line sleeper train or Eurostar & high-speed daytime train with daytime train travel and 3 nights hotel in Berlin, see www.erail.co.uk.

The Great Escape:  Weimar, Leipzig, Colditz & BMW...  Or they have a 7 day holiday to Eastern Germany with daily departures. Day 1, travel to Weimar, home of the poets Goethe and Schiller & birthplace of the Bauhaus architectural style. On day 3 take a short train to Leipzig, birthplace of Bach, a new museum opens about him this year. Nearby is infamous Colditz Castle from which British officers tried many daring escapes in World War 2, also the iconic new BMW factory which offers group tours. The final stop at Dresden on the river Elbe has been completely rebuilt, an you stay at the 4* Westin Bellevue with a wonderful panorama of the city. Opportunity to visit the nearby baroque Moritzburg castle by steam train to Radebeul. Finally high speed day trains back to London on day 7. Also available with 1st class rail. see www.erail.co.uk/culture-colditz-and-cars-.html and remember to mention Seat 61.

Treyn Holidays, www.railholidays.com, 01904 730 727...

Treyn Holidays offers several train-based escorted tours to Germany, with 3* hotels and travel by Eurostar and onwards high-speed train.  For example, they offer a 5-day tour to the Rhine Valley, or a 6-day Rhine cruise.  Check prices & departure dates at www.railholidays.com, then book online or call 01904 730 727.

Great Rail Journeys, www.greatrail.com, 01904 527 120...

GRJ offers five-star inclusive escorted tours to several areas in Germany, with 1st class train travel and 5* or 4* hotels.  Tours include a 10-day tour to the Rhine Valley and a 12-day tour to Berlin, Dresden, Colditz & Prague, all with overland travel from London by train and a range of departure dates.  Great Rail Journeys also offer holidays by train to other European countries.  Check the tour details online, then call 01904 527120 to book or use their online booking form.

Send your luggage in advance

Enjoy your journey without heavy luggage... 

Let www.carrymyluggage.com deliver your bags door to door.

If you'd like to enjoy your train journey free of heavy luggage, making it easy to get on and off trains with nothing more than a lightweight daypack or handbag, www.carrymyluggage.com will collect your luggage at your home address a few days before you leave, and will deliver it to addresses all over the EU, so it will be waiting at your hotel when you arrive.  It's not cheap, you can reckon on around £78 per case each way, but this is door to door, covering collection from your home in the UK or other EU country and delivery to an address in another EU country.  I've also arranged a 10% discount if you use the Promo code 'seat61' when booking your bags online.  www.carrymyluggage.com are a reliable company, they also work with companies such as Great Rail Journeys, Virgin Trains, First Great Western, Hull Trains, and South West Trains.

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.

Make sure you take a good guidebook.  For independent travel, the best guidebook is either the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide.  Both guidebooks provide an excellent level of practical information and historical and cultural background.  You won't regret buying one!  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 now available from Amazon.co.uk.

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

Or buy the Lonely Planets from the Lonely Planet website, with shipping worldwide.    Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website, from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

Find hotels anywhere in Germany...

Other hotel booking sites worth checking...

• www.tripadvisor.com is a good place to browse independent travellers' reviews of 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!).

Budget backpacker hostels...

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

Car hire

Take the train to Germany, then hire a car:  www.holidayautos.co.uk

City centres and cars don't mix well, so stick with the train for city-based tours.  But if you want to get out of the cities and into the countryside, hiring a car can be a great idea.  Start by trying Holiday Autos, www.holidayautos.co.uk, they're part of Lastminute.com so are reliable and have a wide range of locations and very good prices.

Compare 50 different car hire companies:  www.carrentals.co.uk

The award-winning www.carrentals.co.uk compares many different car hire companies including Holiday Autos, meaning not only a cheapest price comparison but a wider choice of hire and drop off location.

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.