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Scenery between Ljubljana & Belgrade as you travel to Serbia & Montenegro comfortably by train. No airports, no flights. |
To Belgrade & Montenegro's Adriatic coast by train...
It's easy to travel by train all the way from London or Paris to Belgrade in Serbia, Podgorica, Bar or Budva in Montenegro or Skopje in Macedonia. Leave London mid-morning, travel via Paris and either Zagreb or Budapest, and you'll be in Belgrade by early evening the next day, with modern high-quality air-conditioned trains throughout. It's safe, scenic & comfortable, too. It can cost little more than flying, yet it's a memorable travel experience not a soulless flight. This page explains how to plan, book and make a train journey from the UK to each of these countries.
Train
times, fares & how to buy tickets...
London to Belgrade & Novi Sad (Serbia)
London to Podgorica, Bar, Budva, Kotor (Montenegro)
London to Skopje (Macedonia) & Pritina (Kosovo)
Hotel Moskva - the recommended hotel in Belgrade
Belgrade to Bar on Marshal Tito's deluxe private train
General European train travel information
Luggage Taking bikes Taking dogs
Useful country information - visas, currency, time zone, dialling codes
Hotels & accommodation in Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia & Kosovo
Route map: London to Serbia & the Balkans by train...
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Sponsored links...
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Useful
country information
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Train operators: |
Serbia: ZS (Zeleznice Srbije) & ZCG (Zeleznice Cme Gore), www.serbianrailways.com Macedonia: MZ (Makedonski Zeleznici), www.mz.com.mk. Montenegro: www.zcg-prevoz.me Eurostar times & fares. All-Europe online train times: www.bahn.de |
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Railpass: |
Beginner's guide to European railpasses Buy a rail pass online |
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Time zone: |
GMT+1 (GMT+2 from last Sunday in March to last Saturday in October). |
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Dialling code: |
Serbia +381, Montenegro +382, Macedonia +389 |
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Currency: |
£1 = 125 Serbian Novi Dinar = 73 Macedonian Denar. Montenegro uses the euro, £1 = 1.18 Currency converter |
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Hotels: |
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Tourist information: |
Tripadvisor Serbia page Tripadvisor Montenegro page Tripadvisor Macedonia page Check www.fco.gov.uk for advice on visiting Serbia or Macedonia. |
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Page last updated: |
18 May 2013. Train times valid from 8 Dec 2012 to 8 June 2013. |
London to Belgrade
& Serbia
Which route to choose?
It's easy, fast & comfortable to travel by train from the UK to Serbia, and there's a choice of routes and departures. Whichever option you choose, by all means stop off on the way, each train is ticketed separately so it costs no more to spend an extra day in Paris or Munich or Budapest en route.
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Option 1 is the fastest, taking 2 days & 1 night. You leave London mid-morning and arrive in Belgrade next day in the early evening, with high-quality air-conditioned trains throughout including one night spent aboard the excellent EuroNight sleeper train from Munich to Zagreb. This is the option I'd recommend.
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Option 2 is very similar, also taking 2 days & 1 night, also leaving London mid-morning and arriving in Belgrade next day in the evening, with one night aboard the equally-excellent EuroNight sleeper train from Munich to Budapest. This option takes three hours longer than option 1, but you get a morning in Budapest and it can be slightly cheaper. It also features high-quality trains throughout.
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Option 3 is a 3-day all-daytime journey with 2 overnight hotel stops, one in Munich & one in Zagreb. So it takes longer than the other options, but some people prefer leisurely daytime journeys through great scenery and sleeping in hotels overnight to using a sleeper train. High-quality trains throughout.
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Option 4 takes 1½ days & 2 nights using two sleeper trains, so you can leave London in late afternoon on day 1 and arrive Belgrade early morning on day 3. This can be more convenient and time-effective, especially if you have to travel up to London from some way outside.
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The route via Italy & the Adriatic ferry to Montenegro is covered in the London to Montenegro section below.
Option 1: London to Belgrade via Paris, Munich & Zagreb...
This is the option I'd recommend. It's the fastest option, leaving London mid-morning on day 1 and arriving Belgrade early-evening on day 2, with just one night on the rails in a sleeper or couchette, and high-quality modern air-conditioned trains throughout.
London ► Belgrade
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Day 1: Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:25 (11:01 on Saturdays) arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:47 (14:17 on Saturdays). It's a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est. By all means take an earlier Eurostar if you'd like more time in Paris or if it has cheaper seats available.
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Day 1: Travel from Paris to Munich by 200 mph double-decker TGV Duplex on the new TGV-Est high-speed line, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:19 and arriving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 21:36. Cafe-bar available. In Munich, you can have a late dinner or a beer at the typically Bavarian Mongdratzerl restaurant located inside the Hauptbahnhof while waiting for the sleeper to Zagreb, it's open until late.
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Day 1: Travel from Munich to Zagreb overnight on the sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 23:40 and arriving at Zagreb at 08:53 next morning (day 2). The Lisinski has a smart modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), and ordinary seats (not recommended). From early April until late summer, it also has a modern Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments). In Zagreb, you have time for a late breakfast or a quick wander around the old town.
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Day 2: Travel from Zagreb to Belgrade by air-conditioned EuroCity train, leaving Zagreb at 10:55 and arriving Belgrade (Beograd in Serbian) at 17:32. This train has modern air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats (no 1st class). There's no dining-car, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.
Belgrade ► London
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Day 1, travel from Belgrade to Zagreb by air-conditioned EuroCity train, leaving Belgrade at 10:30 and arriving Zagreb at 17:59. This train has modern air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats (no 1st class). There's no dining-car, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine. You've time for dinner in Zagreb.
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Day 1: Travel from Zagreb to Munich overnight on the sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Zagreb at 21:20 and arriving in Munich at 06:15 next morning. The Lisinski has a modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), and seats (not recommended). From early April until late summer, it also has a modern Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments). In Munich, you can have breakfast at the Mongdratzerl restaurant inside the Hauptbahnhof.
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Day 2: Travel from Munich to Stuttgart by high-speed ICE, leaving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 09:45 and arriving Stuttgart at 12:01.
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Day 2: Travel from Stuttgart to Paris by high-speed double-decker TGV Duplex, leaving Stuttgart at 12:55 and arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 16:35. In Paris, it's a 10-minute walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.
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Day 2: Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:13 (19:13 on Saturdays), arriving London St Pancras at 19:39 (20:39 on Saturdays).
How much does it cost?
Each train is ticketed separately, so add up the price for each leg of the journey.
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1. London to Paris by Eurostar... |
From £39 one-way, £69 return 2nd class. From £107 one-way, £189 return 1st class. Child, youth, senior fares |
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2. Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex... |
From £34 one-way, £68 return in 2nd class From £53 one-way, £106 return in 1st class. Limited availability, book in advance to get these fares. Full fare £81 one-way, £142 return. |
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3. Munich to Zagreb on the Lisinski... |
In a seat: |
In a couchette |
In the sleeping-car |
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6-berth |
4-berth |
3-berth |
2-berth |
single |
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Savings fare one-way, from: |
29 |
49 |
59 |
69 |
79 |
139 |
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Savings fare return, from: |
58 |
98 |
118 |
138 |
158 |
278 |
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Savings fare = Advance-purchase fare, price varies, no refunds, no changes to travel plans. Berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed. The other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers. For sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a 1-berth sleeper or 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper or 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette & so on. |
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3. Zagreb to Belgrade by day train... |
£44 each way. |
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How to buy tickets online...
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If you live in the UK, you can easily book the Eurostar, the Paris-Munich TGV, the Munich-Zagreb Lisinski and the Zagreb to Belgrade train all in one place, at www.raileurope.co.uk. However, I recommend booking London-Paris, Paris-Munich, Munich-Zagreb & Zagreb-Belgrade as four separate one-way or return bookings, identifying and booking each of the trains mentioned above, adding each in turn to your basket and paying for all four tickets at the end as one transaction.
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Before booking the Paris-Munich TGV with Rail Europe, I recommend checking the price on the German Railways website www.bahn.de as I have often known this to be cheaper than the French Railways system used by Rail Europe.
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If you don't live in the UK, (1) book the Eurostar at www.eurostar.com, then (2) book the Paris-Munich TGV at www.bahn.de and finally (3) book both the Munich-Zagreb sleeper & (4) Zagreb-Belgrade day train as two separate journeys at www.raileurope-world.com (Tip: click 'fare details' to see if the price is for a seat, couchette or sleeper).
How to buy tickets by phone...
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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 fee), or www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-17:30 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee, but their staff can be more familiar with booking journeys like this).
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Click here for a list of agencies and other useful information on how to buy European train tickets.
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If you have any difficulty making the return train reservation out of Belgrade, you can enlist the help of the Wasteels agency in Belgrade station, see the 'booking trains in Serbia' section below.
What are the trains & journey like?
London to Paris by Eurostar: See the Eurostar page for photos & information.
Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex... Watch the TGV Duplex video guide
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Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views. The train has 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. |
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TGV Duplex at Paris Est. These impressive 200 mph double-deck trains link Paris & Munich, a relaxing journey with reading book & glass of wine... |
2nd class seats on TGV Duplex upper deck. There's a mix of unidirectional seating and tables for 4 like this... |
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1st class seats on the upper deck, with a 'club duo' on the left, a 'club quatre' on the right. |
A TGV Duplex. The red near the door indicates 1st class, pale green indicates 2nd class. |
Munich to Zagreb on the sleeper train Lisinski...
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This modern sleeper train is a pleasure to travel on, whether in the privacy of your own sleeper or in economical couchettes. There's time for dinner in Munich before boarding, I recommend the typically Bavarian Mongdratzerl restaurant located inside the Hauptbahnhof, open until late. |
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The sleeping-car on the Lisinski: The modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car of the Lisinski from Munich to Zagreb has 10 compartments with washbasin, each of which can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth room, with toilets at the end of the corridor. Soap, towels and all bedding are provided. Above left, the sleeper arrived at Zagreb. |
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The couchette car on the Lisinski has modern air-conditioned 6-berth and 4-berth compartments. Above right, the train is seen boarding at Munich. See panorama photo. |
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 Wake up to scenery like this between Ljubljana & Zagreb, along the river Sava... |
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Zagreb to Belgrade by air-conditioned train...
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This is a comfortable air-conditioned Serbian train, with modern 2nd class seats - there's no 1st class. There's no restaurant car, so take a picnic and some beer or wine with you. Above right, the Belgrade to Zagreb train about to leave Belgrade. Above left, 2nd class seats. |
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Option 2: London to Belgrade via Paris, Munich & Budapest
This is very similar to option 1 above, also leaving London in mid-morning on day 1and arriving Belgrade in the evening on day 2, and also involving quality modern air-conditioned trains throughout. It takes 3 hours longer than option 1, but can be slightly cheaper and gives you a morning free in Budapest into the bargain.
London ► Belgrade
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Day 1: Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:25 (11:01 on Saturdays) arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:47 (14:17 on Saturdays). It's a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.
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Day 1: Travel from Paris to Munich by 200 mph double-decker TGV Duplex high-speed train, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:25 and arriving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 21:36. Cafe-bar available. See the photos below. In Munich, you can have a late dinner or a beer at the typically Bavarian Mongdratzerl restaurant located inside the Hauptbahnhof while waiting for the sleeper to Zagreb, it's open until late.
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Day 1: Travel from Munich to Budapest overnight on the EuroNight sleeper train Kalman Imre, leaving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 23:40 and arriving Budapest Keleti station at 08:55 next morning. The Kalman Imre has a modern air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and seats (although the seats are not recommended). Spend a pleasant morning in Budapest.
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Day 2: Travel from Budapest to Novi Sad & Belgrade (Beograd in Serbian) on the air-conditioned EuroCity train Avala, leaving Budapest Keleti station at 13:05, crossing the border at Subotica and arriving Novi Sad at 19:10 and Belgrade at 20:52. The Avala is a modern air-conditioned EuroCity train, see the photos below, with a Serbian restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals, so treat yourself to lunch and dinner! Or feel free to bring your own provisions and maybe bottle of wine if you like.
Belgrade ► London
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Day 1: Travel from Belgrade or Novi sad to Budapest on the air-conditioned EuroCity train Avala leaving Belgrade at 06:45 or Novi Sad at 08:35, arriving Budapest Keleti station at 14:54. A restaurant car is available, so treat yourself to breakfast & lunch, or feel free to take your own provisions. Enjoy an afternoon and evening in Budapest.
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Day 1: Travel from Budapest to Munich overnight on the EuroNight sleeper train Kalman Imre, leaving Budapest Keleti station at 21:10 and arriving in Munich at 06:15 next morning. The Kalman Imre has a modern air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern Hungarian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and seats (the seats are not recommended). In Munich, you can have breakfast at the Mongdratzerl restaurant inside the Hauptbahnhof.
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Day 2: Travel from Munich to Stuttgart by high-speed ICE, leaving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 09:45 and arriving Stuttgart at 12:01.
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Day 2: Travel from Stuttgart to Paris by 200 mph double-decker TGV Duplex, leaving Stuttgart at 12:54 and arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 16:35. It's a 10-minute walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.
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Day 2: Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:13 (19:13 on Saturdays), arriving London St Pancras at 19:39 (20:39 on Saturdays).
How much does it cost?
Each train is ticketed separately, so add up the price for each leg of the journey.
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1. London to Paris by Eurostar... |
From £39 one-way, £69 return 2nd class. From £107 one-way, £189 return 1st class. Child, youth, senior fares |
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2. Paris to Munich by TGV... |
From 39 (£34) each way in 2nd class From 69 (£59) each way in 1st class. The price varies, book in advance to get these fares, full-price 139. |
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3. Munich to Budapest on the Kalman Imre... |
In a seat |
In a couchette |
In the sleeping-car |
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6-berth |
4-berth |
3-berth |
2-berth |
single |
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Savings fare one-way, from: |
29 (£25) |
49 (£42) |
59 (£49) |
69 (£59) |
79 (£67) |
139 (£118) |
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Savings fare return, from: |
58 (£50) |
98 (£84) |
118 (£98) |
138 (£118) |
158 (£134) |
278 (£236) |
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Full fare one-way: |
114 |
131 |
136 |
146 |
161 |
211 |
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Savings fare = Special cheap fare, book in advance, limited availability, no refunds, no changes to travel plans. Normal fare = fully flexible, refundable, buy any time. Berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed. The other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers. For sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a single-berth sleeper or 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper or 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette and so on. |
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4. Budapest to Belgrade by train... |
Booked at the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu: 15 one-way or 26 return, 2nd class. No 1st class tickets available online. Booked online at www.raileurope.co.uk About £39 each way in 2nd class About £57 each way in 1st class |
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How to buy tickets online...
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You can now book trains from Budapest to Belgrade online at the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu. To collect tickets, look for these blue e-ticket collection machines at Budapest Keleti station. Location of internet ticket collection machines at Budapest Keleti station |
This method can be used by anyone from any country. First note down what trains on what dates you want to book, using the train time information above. Bookings open 90 days before departure (just 60 days for the Budapest-Belgrade train), you can't buy tickets before reservations open. Hotel accommodation can be booked before booking your trains risk-free if you use a site such as www.booking.com with free cancellation.
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Step 1, go to the German Railways website www.bahn.de and using the train times on this page as your guide, book the TGV train from Paris to Munich & back. You may get a self-print ticket, or they will send tickets to any country.
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Step 2, still on www.bahn.de, now book a sleeper or couchette from Munich to Budapest on the direct overnight sleeper train with 0 changes, looking for the cheap Savings fares. Your simply book online and print out your own ticket in .PDF format using your PC printer. Easy! Make sure you select the type of couchette or sleeper that you want. I recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily retrieve any bookings.
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Step 3, book the Eurostar from London to Paris & back at www.eurostar.com. By all means take an earlier Eurostar outward or a later one returning if it has cheaper seats available.
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Step 4, now go to the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu, click 'EN' top left for English and run an enquiry for Budapest to Belgrade (Beograd). When the search results appear, enter your date of birth in the format YY.MM.DD and click 'Tickets and Prices'. Then click 'Further information;' and finally click 'Open'. You pay online and collect your ticket from the self-service machine installed at Budapest Keleti station. You can book very cheap 2nd class tickets this way, but cannot book 1st class tickets.
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Alternatively, UK residents can try booking the train from Budapest to Belgrade & back at www.raileurope.co.uk (or the relevant Rail Europe in your own country if you're not in the UK). If an error message appears when trying to add this ticket to your basket, don't worry, just book this part of the journey by phone with German Railways' UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 sat & Sun). If they have any problem booking the westbound Belgrade to Budapest train, either just buy it at the station when you reach Belgrade or try arranging it through the Wasteels office at Belgrade by emailing wasteels@eunet.yu as explained in the section below.
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 fee), or www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-17:30 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee, but their staff can be more familiar with booking journeys like this). Click here for a list of agencies and other useful information on how to buy European train tickets.
If you have any difficulty making the return train reservation out of Belgrade, you can enlist the help of the Wasteels agency in Belgrade station, see the 'booking trains in Serbia' section below.
What are the trains & journey like?
London to Paris by Eurostar: See the Eurostar page for photos & information.
Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex... Watch the TGV Duplex video guide
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Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views. The train has 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. After an hour or two, 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. |
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TGV Duplex at Paris Est. These impressive 200 mph double-deck trains link Paris & Munich, a relaxing journey with reading book & glass of wine... |
2nd class seats on TGV Duplex upper deck. There's a mix of unidirectional seating and tables for 4 like this... |
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1st class seats on the upper deck, with a 'club duo' on the left, a 'club quatre' on the right. |
A TGV Duplex. The red near the door indicates 1st class, pale green indicates 2nd class. |
Munich to Budapest by Kalman Imre sleeper train... Watch the video
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This modern Hungarian sleeper train is safe & comfortable, in the privacy of your own sleeper or in the economical couchettes. There's time for dinner in Munich before boarding, I recommend the typically Bavarian Mongdratzerl restaurant located inside the Hauptbahnhof, open until late. |
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Cosy & inviting, a hotel on rails, this is the modern air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car of the Kalman Imre waiting to leave Munich Hauptbahnhof on its overnight journey to Budapest... The sleeping-car has 10 compartments with washbasin, each of which can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth room, with toilets at the end of the corridor. Sleeper passengers get a light breakfast of coffee, juice and cake in the morning, included in the fare. Exterior photo courtesy of Istvįn Halįsz. Watch the Hungarian sleeping-car video. |
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6-berth couchettes... |
4-berth couchettes |
Hungarian couchette car at Munich |
Budapest to Belgrade on the air-conditioned Avala...
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The Avala to Belgrade uses modern air-conditioned Serbian coaches & has a restaurant car serving inexpensive meals and a bar serving snacks & drinks. However, always take your own supplies as it's not unknown for the restaurant to be missing. The train travels sedately across the Great Hungarian Plain to the border at Kelebia where passports are checked. Shortly afterwards it arrives at the Serbian border point, Subotica, where where it's the Serbians' turn. Subotica is the location for much of the action in Graham Greene's novel Stamboul Train. If you thought the train was slow in Hungary, wait till you get into Serbia! Again, you're crossing the great Pannonian Plain, past an occasional pheasant or deer, although wooded hills appear (and the train speeds up a bit) as you approach the Serbian capital. You enter Belgrade over a long steel girder bridge spanning the river Sava, with two modern illuminated road suspension bridges to your right. The rail bridge opened in 1883, and originally linked two countries, the Austro-Hungarian empire on one bank, and Belgrade in Serbia on the other. Below left, the Avala is pictured about to leave Budapest. Below right, 2nd class seats. |
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Option 3: London to Belgrade by daytime trains with hotel stops...
This takes longer than using a time-effective sleeper train, 3 days & 2 nights instead of 2 days & 1 night, but if you prefer daytime scenery and hotels to sleeper trains this is the route for you, with overnight hotel stops in Munich and Zagreb.
London ► Belgrade
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Day 1: Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:25 (11:01 on Saturdays) arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:47 (14:17 on Saturdays). It's a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.
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Day 1: Travel from Paris to Munich by 200 mph double-decker TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:19 and arriving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 21:36. Cafe-bar available.
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Spend the night in a hotel in Munich.
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Day 2: Travel from Munich to Villach by modern, air-conditioned Austrian EuroCity train, leaving Munich at 08:27 and arriving in Villach, near the Austrian-Slovenian border, at 12:43. A restaurant car is available for breakfast. At Villach it's a simple cross-platform change onto the waiting Slovenian/Croatian/Serbian EuroCity train to Zagreb.
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Day 2: Travel from Villach to Zagreb on a modern, air-conditioned EuroCity train, the Sava, leaving Villach at 12:52 and arriving in Ljubljana at 14:31 and Zagreb at 17:10.
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Spend the night in a hotel in Zagreb.
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Day 3: Travel from Zagreb to Belgrade by daytime train, leaving Zagreb at 10:55 and arriving Belgrade at 17:32.
Belgrade ► London
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Day 1: Travel from Belgrade to Zagreb by daytime train, leaving Belgrade at 10:30 and arriving Zagreb at 17:59.
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Spend the night in a hotel in Zagreb.
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Day 2: Travel from Zagreb to Munich by air-conditioned EuroCity train Sava, leaving Zagreb at 12:30, Ljubljana at 15:05, you need to make a simple cross-platform change of train at Villach (arrive 17:03, depart 17:16) and you arrive in Munich at 21:33. Enjoy the excellent scenery, a restaurant car is (usually) available until Villach on the Austrian frontier, reached about 16:30. This train usually gets delayed a bit at the various frontiers, so expect a 10-40 minute late arrival in Munich.
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Spend the night in a hotel in Munich.
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Day 3: Travel from Munich to Stuttgart by high-speed ICE, leaving Munich Hauptbahnhof at 09:45 and arriving Stuttgart at 12:01.
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Day 3: Travel from Stuttgart to Paris by 200 mph double-decker TGV Duplex, leaving Stuttgart at 12:54 and arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 16:35. It's a 10-minute walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.
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Day 3: Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:13 (19:13 on Saturdays), arriving London St Pancras at 19:39 (20:39 on Saturdays).
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £39 one-way or £69 return.
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Paris to Munich by TGV starts at 39 (£34) each way.
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Munich to Zagreb starts at 39 (£34) each way.
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Zagreb to Belgrade is approximately 44 each way.
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The Zagreb to Belgrade fare is fixed-price. The other fares vary like air fares, going up as departure date approaches, so book early for the cheapest prices.
How to buy tickets online...
The easiest and cheapest way to book this journey is online, as there's no booking fees and all the cheap deals are there for you to see. Booking opens 92 days ahead, you cannot book before booking opens.
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Step 1, book the TGV from Paris to Munich at the German railways website www.bahn.de. You print your own ticket. I strongly recommend registering when prompted, as you can then log in from any computer and check or re-print your tickets.
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Step 2, still on www.bahn.de, book your Munich to Zagreb train, looking for a cheap 'spezial' fare and print your own ticket.
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Step 3, now book the London-Paris Eurostar at www.eurostar.com. You book online and print your own ticket. I recommend confirming the timings of the Paris-Munich train before booking a suitable Eurostar connection, which is this is step 3 not step 1. Make sure you allow at least 60 minutes in Paris between trains.
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Step 4, the Zagreb to Belgrade train cannot be booked online, but is easy to book at the station in Zagreb, which is the cheapest way to do it. There are always places available, it cannot sell out.
How to buy tickets by phone...
If you prefer to book by phone, just call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday, no booking fee, 2% credit card charge but no charge for debit cards), or a booking agency such as European Rail on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee).
What are the trains & scenery like?
London to Paris by Eurostar: See the Eurostar page for photos & information.
Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex... Watch the TGV Duplex video
Sit back with a glass of wine and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views. The train has power sockets at all seats in both classes, and a cafe-bar serving drinks, snacks & 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.
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Boarding a double-deck TGV Duplex. These impressive 200 mph double-deck trains link Paris & Munich, a relaxing journey with a good book & a glass of wine. And it isn't expensive if you follow the advice on this page! Watch the TGV Duplex video |
The upstairs landing on a TGV Duplex showing the stairs down to the entrance door... |
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2nd class seats on TGV Duplex upper deck. There's a mix of unidirectional seating & 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.... |
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1st class seats on the upper deck, 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 2nd class. |
Munich to Zagreb by EuroCity train Sava...This is a smart modern EuroCity train, with air-conditioned Slovenian coaches. An Austrian restaurant car is attached between Munich & Villach. The scenery is stunning. After leaving the Munich suburbs the train snakes through pretty Bavarian scenery to Salzburg, past churches and picturesque villages. Just before arriving at Salzburg, look to your right as you cross the River Salzach for great views of Salzburg citadel. Soon after Salzburg, the train enters the Austrian Alps proper, climbing through vast mountains. Look out for the magnificent fortress at Werfen (although the train doesn't call here), perched on its hilltop on the right hand side, guarding the approaches to Salzburg along the Salzachtal valley. You now need to make a very straightforward cross-platform change of train at Villach on the Austrian/Slovenian border, from the Austrian train to the waiting Croatian/Slovenian train. After entering Slovenia, the scenery flattens out, and the train snakes along the pretty river Sava all the way into Ljubljana. Beyond Ljubljana, the train continues to follow the river Sava, passing through a beautiful river gorge between mountains, a real treat. Beyond Zidani Most the valley widens into a plain, and you cross the border into Croatia at Dobova and soon arrive in Zagreb's impressive central station, a palace of a building, right in the centre of the city. There's more lush green scenery on the remainder of the journey to Belgrade. ... |
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An early lunch in the Austrian restaurant car as the Alpine scenery flies by. The first stage is on a smart Austrian EuroCity train from Munich to Villach... |
Through the Austrian Alps... Clinging to the mountainside high in the Austrian Alps, the train snakes along between snow-capped mountains, absolutely wonderful... |
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...and along the Sava river in Slovenia. Now across the border in Slovenia, the EuroCity train runs along the pretty River Sava all the way to Ljubljana and Zagreb... |
Comfortable seats: The 2nd class seats in the Slovenian cars are arranged 2+1 abreast, the same as 1st class! |
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The EuroCity train Sava, arrived at Zagreb. |
More scenery along the Sava between Ljubljana & Zagreb. |
Option 4: London to Belgrade via the Budapest-Belgrade sleeper...
This involves 2 nights in a sleeper rather than 1, but if you'd prefer a later departure from London and an arrival in Belgrade in the morning it may be better for you:
London ► Belgrade
Travel from London to Budapest via any of the options shown on the London to Hungary page. You can leave London at 15:31 (14:01 on Saturdays) by Eurostar, take the City Night Line sleeper from Paris to Munich, then a smart modern Railjet to Budapest, arriving 16:49 the day after leaving London. Or leave London in the morning by Eurostar and TGV to Munich, stay overnight, then take the morning Railjet to Budapest, also arriving 16:49.
Travel from Budapest to Belgrade by overnight sleeper train, leaving Budapest Keleti station daily at 22:20 and arriving in Belgrade at 06:06 next day. This train is the Beograd, with a sleeping-car (a safe & comfortable sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, recommended), couchettes (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended).
Belgrade ► London
Travel from Belgrade to Budapest by overnight sleeper train, leaving Belgrade daily at 21:45 and arriving in Budapest Keleti station at 06:04 next day. This train is the Beograd, with a sleeping-car (a safe & comfortable sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, recommended), couchettes (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended).
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Travel from Budapest to London via any of the options shown on the London to Hungary page. You can leave Budapest at 13:10 by Railjet to Munich, take the City Night Line sleeper train overnight from Munich to Paris, and be back in London at 12:30 the day after leaving Budapest.
Fares & how to buy tickets...
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See the London to Hungary page for fares & how to buy tickets between London & Budapest.
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Tickets from Budapest to Belgrade can be booked online at the Hungarian Railways website, www.mav-start.hu from just 24 including a couchette or 26 per person including a bed in a 3-bed sleeper or 32 including a bed in a 2-bed sleeper. Simply click 'EN' top left for English and run an enquiry for Budapest to Belgrade (Beograd). When the search results appear, enter your date of birth in the format YY.MM.DD, select 'Sleeping-car' or 'couchette', and click 'Tickets and Prices'. On the next page click 'Further information' and 'Open'. You buy online and collect your ticket from the self-service machine installed at Budapest Keleti station.
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Alternatively, to book by phone call German Railways' UK office on 08718 80 80 66, lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday.
By overnight train from Budapest to Belgrade... Watch the video
This has a basic and very elderly Serbian sleeping-car & couchette car dating from the communist era, but comfortable enough with clean sheets.
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The Belgrade to Budapest sleeper, arrived at Budapest Keleti... |
Serbian 2-bed sleeper... |
6-berth couchettes... |
There are two ways to travel from the UK to Montenegro. Option 1 is to travel all the way by train, using the famously scenic Belgrade-Podgorica-Bar railway. Option 2 is to travel from the UK to Bari in Italy by train, then sail to Bar on a Montenegro Lines ferry.
Option 1, London to Podgorica, Bar, Budva by train via Belgrade...
This option involves comfortable modern trains all the way to Belgrade, then a ride on the famous Belgrade-Bar Railway, recognised as one of Europe's most scenic.
London ► Montenegro
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Step 1, travel from London to Belgrade as shown above. This takes 2 days, 1 night. Allow at least 2 hours to make connections in Belgrade in case of any delay.
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Step 2, travel from Belgrade to Podgorica or Bar via the famous and scenic Belgrade-Bar railway, either the daytime train or the overnight sleeper.
The daytime train Tara leaves Belgrade at 09:10 arriving Podgorica at 19:29 & Bar at 20:26. The Tara has comfortable 2nd class seats and a cafe car. See the video below. The Tara is named after a Montenegrin river.
The overnight train Lovcen leaves Belgrade at 20:10 arriving Podgorica at 06:30 and Bar at 07:28. The Lovcen has 1, 2 or 3 bed sleepers, 4-berth & 6-berth couchettes, see the photos below. The Lovcen is named after a mountain and national park in southwest Montenegro.
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The Belgrade-Bar railway is very scenic, so a daytime journey in at least one direction is highly recommended - the northbound daytime train does the best bits in daylight, the southbound train reaches some of the nice bits after dark, depending on the time of year. For the best scenery you must sit on the right hand side of the train going south.
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Budva, Kotor: Buses link both Podgorica & Bar with other towns such as Kotor & Budva, see www.visit-montenegro.com/transport-bus.htm. Buses link Podgorica & Budva every half-hour from 05:45 to 21:25, distance 65km, expect to pay 6 or so. Buses link Podgorica & Kotor every hour or so. Buses link Bar & Budva every hour or better, 39km.
Montenegro ► London
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Step 1, travel from Bar or Podgorica to Belgrade via the famous Bar-Belgrade railway.
The daytime train Tara leaves Bar at 09:00 & Podgorica at 10:00 arriving Belgrade at 20:07. The Tara has comfortable 2nd class seats and a cafe car.
The sleeper train Lovcen leaves Bar at 19:00 & Podgorica at 20:05 arriving Belgrade at 06:03. The Lovcen has 1, 2 or 3 bed sleepers, 6-berth and 4-berth couchettes. Allow at least 1 hour 45 minutes for connections in Belgrade, preferably more.
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As the Bar-Belgrade line is so scenic, a daytime journey in at least one direction is highly recommended. For the best scenery you must sit on the left hand side going North.
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Step 2, travel from Belgrade to London as shown above. This takes 2 days, 1 night.
Fares & how to buy tickets...
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Book your London-Belgrade journey online as shown above.
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Belgrade to Bar costs 21 one-way. For travel by night train, add 6 for a couchette, 15 for a bed in a 3-bed sleeper or 20 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper.
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Book the train from Belgrade to Montenegro either online at www.serbianrailways.com or by emailing the highly-recommended Mr Popovic at the Wasteels office at Belgrade station as shown here. At www.serbianrailways.com, click 'e-ticketing' at lower right. You pay online by credit card and collect your ticket at the station in Belgrade. Several travellers have now reported success with this system.
Watch the video: A journey from Bar to Belgrade by train...
A video guide to the scenery from Bar to Belgrade. Be warned, the video features the 'Uh-oh we've hit a horse' incident about 00:02:40 in.
Scenery on the famous Belgrade to Bar line...
For the best scenery you must sit on the right hand side of the train going south, or the left hand side going North. This quite possibly means ignoring your reserved seat on a theoretically all-reserved train, but nobody seems to mind about seat reservations anyway. It's 296 miles from Belgrade to Bar, over a line started in the 1950s but only completed in 1976. It's a marvel of engineering, with 254 tunnels and 435 bridges between the Serbian capital and the Adriatic. For more information see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgrade%E2%80%93Bar_railway.
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The train heads south from Belgrade - just south of Topcider station, watch on the right for the shed in which Marshall Tito's deluxe private train is kept, followed by a yard of rusting diesels that used to haul it. The train heads across the plains to Valjevo, where the hills and then mountains begin... |
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You'll see the Potpec dam on the Lim River on the right and the little monastery alongside the station at Vrbanica on the left... The train crosses from Serbia to Montenegro with a Serbian passport check at Prijepolje then a Montenegrin passport check at Bijelo Polje. The summit is reached soon after Kolasin, at over 1,000m above sea level, the line then descends steeply to Podgorica, crossing the famous Mala Rijeka viaduct (pictured above right), the highest railway viaduct in the world. |
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In the hour between Podgorica and Bar the line crosses Skadar Lake on a causeway past a ruined castle on the right, then it passes through a long tunnel and emerges alongside the lovely blue Adriatic, reaching Bar station minutes later. |
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The Belgrade-Bar daytime train Tara...
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The daytime train consists of a motley assortment of carriages, mostly Serbian, 2nd class only. You may find some 1st class carriages used as 2nd class. There's usually a cafe-bar selling tea, coffee and snacks, but it's always a good idea to take some supplies of your own. |
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The Belgrade-Bar sleeper train Lovcen...
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The sleeper train Lovcen has (1) two second-hand sleeping-cars bought from France, with 1-bed, 2-bed & 3-bed compartments with washbasin (pictured above right, set up as a 3-berth), (2) Montenegrin 6-berth couchettes (second-hand German), (3) a Serbian first class 4-berth couchette car and (4) ordinary seats. Above left, the two Montenegrin sleeping-cars and one couchette car of the Lovcen arrived at Bar station. |
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The Lovcen arrived in Belgrade... |
4-berth couchettes |
6-berth couchettes |
Marshal Tito's private luxury train from Belgrade to Bar...
From 2013, Josip Broz Tito's deluxe private train will make several passenger-carrying runs between Belgrade & Bar, see the Tito page for details.
Option 2, London to Podgorica, Bar, Budva by ferry from Italy...
London ► Montenegro
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Day 1 & day 2, travel from London to Bari as shown on the London to Italy page. For example, you can leave London on day 1 by Eurostar & TGV to Milan, stay in Milan overnight, and travel to Bari by daytime train on day 2, arriving late afternoon. Allow several hours in Bari for getting to the port & checking in.
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Day 2, sail from Bari in Italy to Bar in Montenegro. Montenegro Lines (www.montenegrolines.net) sail Bari-Bar 3 times a week year round, usually departing Bari at 22:30 or 23:00 and arriving in Bar at 08:00 next morning (day 3 from London). Cabins and reclining seats available.
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Buses link Bar with Budva and Kotor. Trains link Bar with Podgorica.
Montenegro ► London
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Day 1, sail from Bar in Montenegro to Bari in Italy with Montenegro Lines (www.montenegrolines.net). They sail several times a week year-round, usually leaving Bar at 22:30 arriving Bari at 08:00 on day 2, cabins and reclining seats available. Allow several hours in Bari in case of delay. In Bari it's a 25 minute walk or short taxi ride from the ferry terminal to Bari Centrale station.
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Day 2, travel from Bari to London as shown on the London to Italy page. You can leave Bari around 11:38 by train to Milan, stay overnight, then return to the UK by TGV to Paris and Eurostar to London next day (day 3).
Fares & how to buy tickets...
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Book train tickets from London to Bari in Italy as shown on the Italy page. Samples fares are also shown on that page.
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Book the Bari to Bar ferry direct with Montenegro Lines at www.montenegrolines.net or use the Seat61 ferry shop. Ferry fares from 50 each way with reclining seat, or 60 each way with a bed in shared cabin, with more luxurious cabins also available.
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The Montenegro Lines ferry to Bari at Bar ferry terminal... |
London to Macedonia
& Kosovo
London ► Skopje & Pritina
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Travel from London to Belgrade using any of the options shown in the London to Belgrade section above. You can leave London in the morning on day 1, and arrive in Belgrade early evening on day 2.
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An overnight train leaves Belgrade at 21:50, calling at Ni at 02:11 and arriving in Skopje at 07:22 next morning. A Macedonian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3-berth rooms with washbasin) is available, although a shortage of serviceable sleeping-cars means that the sleeper is sometimes replaced by a 6-berth couchette car.
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You may prefer to spend the night in Belgrade and take the daytime train leaving Belgrade at 07:50 arriving Ni at 12:12 & Skopje at 17:47. If you're going to Nis and would like a morning to see Belgrade, there's also a 15:05 train from Belgrade to Nis, arriving 19:16. You can check train times at http://bahn.hafas.de.
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There is one train a day between Skopje & Pritina in Kosovo, departing Skopje at 16:35 and arriving Pritina 19:35. Expect this train to be one ancient ex-Norwegian diesel and two elderly carriages!
Pritina & Skopje ► London
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There is one train a day between Pritina & Skopje, leaving Pritina at 07:10 and arriving Skopje at 09:51. Expect this train to be one ancient ex-Norwegian diesel and two elderly carriages! Spend the day in Skopje and take the night train to Belgrade, as shown below.
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By day train, leave Skopje at 08:20 or Ni at 13:20, arriving Belgrade at 17:58. There's also a 15:43 from Ni arriving Belgrade at 19:47. You can check train times at http://bahn.hafas.de. Spend the night in a hotel in Belgrade.
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By overnight train, leave Skopje at 20:10, calling at Nis at 01:20 and arriving Belgrade at 05:43 next morning. The overnight train has a Macedonian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments, but due to a lack of serviceable sleeping-cars you may find t replaced by a 6-berth couchette car.
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Travel from Belgrade to London as shown above. You can leave Belgrade in the morning and arrive London in the evening of the following day.
Fares...
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See above for fares from the UK to Belgrade.
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Belgrade to Skopje costs around £29 one way, £58 return 2nd class.
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Skopje to Pritina costs about 4.25 one-way.
Belgrade to Skopje by daytime train...
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The morning train from Belgrade to Skopje... |
Old but comfortable 1st class compartment. |
Belgrade to Skopje by overnight train...
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The sleeper train from Belgrade to Skopje should have an elderly Macedonian sleeper with 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments. It's sometimes substituted by a couchette car. |
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Skopje to Pritina by train...
Traveller Jeroen van Marle reports: "I took the train from Pritina in Kosovo to Skopje in May 2011. Absolutely freezing cold as there was no heating, but the ride was lovely, very scenic compared to the highway blight that the buses pass."
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The morning train waits to leave Pritina. Photo courtesy of Jeroen van Marle |
At the border, where locomotives are changed. Photo courtesy of Jeroen van Marle |
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The train uses old Norwegian coaches. Photo courtesy of Jeroen van Marle |
The train from Pritina, arrived at Skopje station. Photo courtesy of Jeroen van Marle |
Belgrade station
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Belgrade station main entrance, on the east (platform 1) side of the station. The ticket office is in here. |
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The north building, directly ahead of the buffer stops on the north side of the open-air concourse. The Wasteels office & ATM are in here. |
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The Wasteels office at Belgrade station, inside the north building. Open 09:00-18:00 (at the time of writing, hours extended to 08:00-21:00). |
A classic building from 1884. Click for city map
Belgrade has a classic Balkan station, built in 1884. Unlike most main stations in Europe, there is no overall roof - the concourse is open-air, although canopies cover the actual platforms. The station is just a 10 minute walk from the main pedestrianised street in central Belgrade, although it's uphill so you may want to take one of the taxis waiting outside. See Wikipedia entry. See map of Belgrade showing station.
Buying tickets...
The ticket office is in the main building on the east (platform 1) side of the station. It has a couple of separate windows for booking international trains, to the left of the main ones. However, I'd recommend using the Wasteels office in the north side building to book trains, there's seldom any queue and Mr Popovic speaks excellent English, see the section below.
Left luggage & ATMs...
There is a 24 hour left luggage office, see here for prices. The left luggage office is in a small yard just off the extreme left-hand corner of the open-air concourse as you stand with your back to the trains looking at the north side building pictured right. There is an ATM inside the north building exit hall, opposite the Wasteels office.
Somewhere for a meal or beer between trains...
There is a Zelturist cafe-restaurant in the far right corner of the open-air concourse as you stand with your back to the trains. It's basic, but has unbelievably cheap set menus and cheap beer. There are a couple of other cafes on the open-air concourse too, and several kiosks selling drinks and snacks for your journey. There are more kiosks immediately outside the exit from the North building.
Wasteels agency, Belgrade... Recommended!
The Serbian Railways reservation system is linked to the western European railway computer reservation systems, so seat, couchette or sleeper reservations can be made on domestic or international trains starting in Belgrade from most reservation offices or train booking agencies across Europe, including UK European rail booking agencies. In practice however, the computer link sometimes goes down, and in any case agencies outside Serbia can usually only sell full-price 'TCV' tariff tickets, not the various cheap special offer fares that are available locally. So to pre-book international tickets starting in Belgrade at the cheapest prices, email or call the highly-recommended Wasteels travel agency at Belgrade station. You can pick up and pay for the reservations/tickets when you get to Belgrade (although you may now be asked for pre-payment). Mr Popovic can also arrange tickets starting in Sofia, if given sufficient notice, for collection in Belgrade. Warseels contact details (with new email address from summer 2012) are:
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Putovanja Wasteels Phone: +381 11 265 8868 |
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Agency representative Mr Popovic speaks excellent English and comes highly recommended. He will be glad to make train reservations for you and book tickets, and even give you advice on visiting Belgrade! Payment must be made in cash in Serbian Dinars which is no problem as there is a bureau de change next to the Wasteels office and an ATM in the same small hall. If you email him in advance he can also make bookings for trains from Sofia.
Online booking for Serbian domestic trains & trains to Montenegro...
You can now book Serbian domestic trains online (also the ones to Montenegro, but only southbound) at www.serbianrailways.com, click 'e-ticketing' at lower right. You pay online by credit card and collect your ticket at the station in Belgrade. Several travellers have now reported success with this system.
Visiting
the city of Belgrade
Belgrade is not a typical tourist hotspot, but it's a very pleasant city with lots to interest the visitor. Click for map of Belgrade.
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Victor Plaza in Belgrade fortress, with a great view of the confluence of the Danube & Sava rivers. |
Belgrade's parliament building... |
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Knez Mihailova is Belgrade's main pedestrianised shopping street, leading from the Moskva Hotel to the fortress. |
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In 2013, the Serbian Ministry of Defence still hadn't been repaired after NATO bombing in the 1990s conflict. |
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Marshall Tito's mausoleum is a little way south of central Belgrade. Tito was Serbia's head of state between 1945 & 1980. There's also a museum with many of the gifts which Tito received during his lifetime. |
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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.
Guidebooks
To
get the most from your visit, you should take a good guidebook.
For the independent traveller, I think this means one of two
guidebooks, either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide. Both
series are excellent. You can buy a guide covering all the countries in Eastern Europe. Lonely
Planet Eastern Europe
.
Click to buy online at Amazon...
Find hotels
in Belgrade & the Balkans...
Recommended hotel in Belgrade: Hotel Moskva...
Look no further for a hotel in Belgrade than the historic Hotel Moskva. Opened in 1906, anyone who is anyone who has visited Belgrade has stayed here, from British author Graham Green to Ethiopian emperor Haile Salassie. It served as Gestapo Headquarters in 1941-44, although fortunately no trace of these former occupants remains. It's ideally located 10 minutes walk from the station (uphill, so you're better taking a taxi if you have luggage), right in the centre of Belgrade at the end of the pedestrianised main street that leads to Belgrade fortress. Immaculate rooms, friendly staff and a good cooked breakfast. Book the Hotel Moskva.
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◄◄◄◄ Search all the main hotel booking sites at once...
I'm a big fan of www.hotelscombined.com as it checks all the main hotel booking sites (Opodo, Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com, AsiaRooms, LateRooms etc.) to find the widest choice of hotels & the cheapest rates. Try it and see! |
Other hotel sites worth trying...
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www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.
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www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system). It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).
Backpacker hostels...
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www.hostelbookers.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelbookers offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel
insurance & health card...
Get travel insurance, it's essential...
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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.