A railjet about to leave Munich Hbf.

Business class.  About.		Restaurant car.

First class.		Economy class.

View of Salzburg's Fortress Hohensalzburg on the right hand side as the railjet crosses the River Salzach approaching Salzburg Hbf.

Above, a railjet has arrived spot on time at the historic Budapest Keleti station, built 1881-1884

4. Budapest to Belgrade

The journey takes about 6h30, using a Hungarian Intercity train to Szeged, a local train to Subotica, then a 200 km/h SOKO train from Subotica to Belgrade Centar.  For full details of this journey, see the Budapest to Belgrade page.  Below, a 200 km/h double-deck SOKO train at Belgrade Centar.  Photo courtesy of Hugo van Vondelen.

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Option 3:  London to Belgrade via Paris, Stuttgart & Zagreb

This is also a fast option, taking a high-speed TGV from Paris to Stuttgart, the excellent Croatian sleeper train from Stuttgart to Zagreb then a bus to Belgrade.

London ► Belgrade

• Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:31 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Paris Nord 13:59.

  Or on any day of the week, leave London St Pancras at 09:31, arriving Paris Gare du Nord 12:59.

  Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Plus & Premier fares include a meal with wine.

  In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Stuttgart by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:55 Monday-Friday & Sunday arriving Stuttgart Hbf 19:04.

  Or if you left London at 09:31, you can leave Paris Gare de l'Est at 13:52 on any day of the week by TGV Duplex, arriving Stuttgart Hbf 17:04.

  The 320 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  Times may vary, check your date at int.bahn.de.

• Step 3, travel from Stuttgart to Zagreb by sleeper, leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 20:29, arriving Zagreb 10:31.

  The sleeper train Lisinski has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended).  Watch the Croatian sleeper video.

• Step 4, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade on the daily train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04 arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar 18:12.

  This train has air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats (no 1st class).  There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.

  This train remains suspended, originally due to Covid-19, now down to Croatian & Serbian incompetence.

  While the train is suspended, take a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade

  It's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb station to Zagreb bus station, see walking map.

  A Flixbus leaves Zagreb bus station at 14:00, arriving Belgrade bus station at 19:30.

  The fare is around €21, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com.

Belgrade ► London

• Day 1, travel from Belgrade to Zagreb on the daily train, leaving Belgrade Centar station at 10:05 & Novi Beograd at 10:19 arriving Zagreb 18:13.

  This train has two air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats.  There's no 1st class.  There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.  You've time for dinner in Zagreb.

  This train remains suspended, originally due to Covid-19, now down to Croatian & Serbian incompetence.

  While the train is suspended, take a bus from Belgrade to Zagreb

  A Flixbus leaves Belgrade bus station at 11:30, arriving Zagreb bus station at 17:00

  The fare is around €21, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com.

  It's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb bus station to Zagreb station, see walking map.

• Day 1, travel from Zagreb to Munich or Stuttgart by sleeper, leaving Zagreb at 19:38, arriving Stuttgart Hbf 08:38.

  The sleeper train Lisinski has a modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and seats (not recommended).  Watch the Croatian sleeper video.

How much does it cost?

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

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, book from London to Stuttgart at www.thetrainline.com.  About Thetrainline.

  Using www.thetrainline.com allows you to book all your tickets in one place, in €, £ or $, international cards no problem, small booking fee.

  Booking opens up to 11 months ahead for Eurostar, up to 6 months ahead for Paris-Stuttgart and the Stuttgart-Zagreb sleeper.  More about when train bookings open.  I recommend waiting until all trains open for booking before buying a Eurostar ticket, unless you're prepared to take a calculated risk.

  Tip:  Click via/avoid and enter Paris as a via station to limit the search to routes via Paris.

  Tip:  You can book from London to Stuttgart all in one go, but for more control over the connection in Paris, I'd book London-Paris first, add to basket, then book Paris-Stuttgart and add to basket, ensuring at least an hour between trains.  That way you can allow a more robust connection than the system would give you, and you can see if earlier Eurostars have cheaper prices.

  Tip:  If you are making a round trip, London-Paris return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so ideally book Eurostar as a return.  All other trains are priced one-way so it makes no difference, it can be easier to book one way at a time!

  Tip:  After booking you can click Manage your booking at www.eurostar.com to choose a better seat from a seat map, see tips on choosing a seat.

  Tip:  If you're travelling from a town or city north of London, see advice about buying domestic tickets to London to connect with Eurostar.

• Step 2, book the sleeper train from Stuttgart to Zagreb at www.thetrainline.com.

  Use the journey planner to bring up the direct Stuttgart-Zagreb sleeper train marked EN with 0 changes.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 3, while the train remains suspended, book a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade at www.flixbus.com.

• Alternatively, you can book London to Paris at www.eurostar.com, then Paris to Stuttgart at the German Railways website int.bahn.de, then Stuttgart to Zagreb at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.  This is more work on multiple websites, the prices should be the same, but no booking fees.

How to buy tickets by phone

• It's better to book online,  But if you want to book by phone, call International Rail on 0844 248 248 3, lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, small booking fee.  Alternatively, you can call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line, see opening times and number here, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).

Let Railbookers arrange it as a package

• Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a tour or holiday for you as a package, including train travel, hotels & transfers.  On their website you'll find a range of suggested tours & holidays which can be customised to your requirements.  As you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay.

    UK call 0207 864 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk

    US call free 1-888-829-4775, see website

    Canada call 1-855-882-2910, see website

    Australia call 1300 971 526, see website

    New Zealand call 0800 000 554 or see website

What's the journey like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 10:15).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  London St Pancras station guide.  Gare du Nord station guide.

Eurostar e320 at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.		1st class: Plus or Premier seating.

Standard class.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2. Paris to Stuttgart by TGV Duplex   See the video guide

In Paris it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est for the TGV to Germany.  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 at all seats in both classes and free WiFi.  A cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.  The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods & farmland at up to 320 km/h (199 mph), 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.  Paris Gare de l'Est station guide.  Stuttgart station guide.

TGV Duplex at Paris Est. These impressive 320 km/h double-deck trains link Paris & Stuttgart, a relaxing journey with reading book & glass of wine.  Book an upstairs seat for the best views.

Cafe-bar on upper deck in car 4 (or 14), serving tea, coffee, wine, beer, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.		2nd class seats on the upper deck.  There's a mix or tables for 4 and unidirectional seating.  360º photo.

1st class on upper deck, a 'club duo' on the left, a 'club quatre' on the right.  360º photo.		TGV Duplex.  The 1 near the door indicates 1st class, a 2 indicates 2nd class.

3. Stuttgart to Zagreb by sleeper train Lisinski  Watch the video

This modern sleeper train is a pleasure to travel on, whether in the privacy of your own sleeper or in economical couchettes.  Stuttgart station guide.  Zagreb station guide.

Above, the air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car to Zagreb.  It has 10 compartments with washbasin, each of which can be used as 1, 2 or 3 berth, with toilets at the end of the corridor.  Compartments convert to a private sitting room for evening or morning use.  A light breakfast is included in the sleeper fare.

The Croatian couchette car is the next vehicle to the right, also modern & air-conditioned with 4 & 6 bunk compartments, ideal for families.  Couchettes convert from bunks to seats for evening or morning use.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper.		Set up as a single-berth.		4 or 6-berth couchettes. 360º photo.

Wake up to scenery like this between Ljubljana & Zagreb, along the river Sava.

4. Zagreb to Belgrade

Unfortunately, this is now by bus.

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Option 4:  London to Belgrade via Paris, Zurich & Zagreb

This is similar to option 2, but instead of TGV to Stuttgart and the Croatian sleeper train from Stuttgart to Zagreb, you taka a TGV-Lyria to Zurich and the Croatian sleeper train from Zurich to Zagreb.  There are two minor disadvantages compared to option 2:  First, departure from London is a little earlier in the morning with an identical arrival in Belgrade.  Second, you need to cross Paris by taxi or metro from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon, whereas in option 2 it's just a 7 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est next door.  This option also has lovely scenery in the morning on the way to Zagreb along the Sava river!

London ► Belgrade

• Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 07:01 Mondays-Fridays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 10:29.

  On Saturdays & Sundays, leave London St Pancras at 08:01, arriving Paris Gare du Nord 11:28.

  Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Plus & Premier fares include breakfast.

  Cross Paris by metro or taxi to the Gare de Lyon, 2 stops on RER line D.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Zurich by TGV-Lyria, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 12:22 Mondays-Fridays arriving Zurich HB 16:26.

  On Saturdays & Sundays, leave Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:22 arriving Zurich HB 18:26.

  The 320 km/h double-deck TGV-Lyria has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more about TGV-Lyria.

  In Zurich, I recommend steak-frites & a beer at the Brasserie Federal inside Zurich HB, see other restaurant suggestions.

• Day 1, travel from Zurich to Zagreb by Croatian sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 20:40, arriving Zagreb 10:31 next morning.

  The train has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended).  See the Croatian sleeper video.

• Day 2, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade on the daily train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04 arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar at 18:12.

  This train has air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats (no 1st class).  There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.

  This train is still suspended, originally due to Covid-19, now down to Croatian & Serbian incompetence.

  While the train is suspended, take a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade

  It's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb station to Zagreb bus station, see walking map.

  A Flixbus leaves Zagreb bus station at 14:00, arriving Belgrade bus station at 19:30

  The fare is around €21, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com.

Belgrade ► London

• Day 1, travel from Belgrade to Zagreb on the daily train, leaving Belgrade Centar station at 10:05 & Novi Beograd 10:19, arriving Zagreb 18:13.

  This train has two air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats.  There's no 1st class.  There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.  The train is intended to connect into the sleeper to Zurich.

  This train is still suspended, originally due to Covid-19, now down to Croatian & Serbian incompetence.

  While the train is suspended, take a bus from Belgrade to Zagreb

  A Flixbus leaves Belgrade bus station at 11:30, arriving Zagreb bus station at 17:00.

  The fare is around €21, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com

  It's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb bus station to Zagreb station, see walking map.

• Day 1, travel from Zagreb to Zurich by Croatian sleeper train, leaving Zagreb at 19:38, arriving Zurich HB 09:20 next morning.

  The train has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended).  See the Croatian sleeper video.

How much does it cost?

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

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, book from London to Zurich at www.thetrainline.com. 

  This lets you book all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, international cards no problem.  Small booking fee.  About Thetrainline.

  Booking opens up to 11 months ahead for Eurostar, up to 4 months ahead for Paris-Zurich, and up to 6 months ahead for the Zurich-Zagreb sleeper.  More about when bookings open.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open for booking before buying a Eurostar ticket, unless you're prepared to take a calculated risk.

  Tip:  Click via/avoid and enter Paris as a via station to limit the search to routes via Paris.

  Tip:  You can book from London to Zurich all in one go if you like, but for more control over the connection in Paris, I'd book London-Paris first, add to basket, then book Paris-Zurich and add to basket, ensuring over an hour between trains.  That way you can allow a more robust connection than the system would give you, and you can see if earlier Eurostars have cheaper fares.

  Tip:  If you are making a round trip, Eurostar return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so book Eurostar as a return.  All other trains are priced one-way so it makes no difference, it can be easier to book one way at a time!

  Tip:  After booking, click Manage your booking at www.eurostar.com to choose a better seat from a seat map.  Tips on choosing the best seats.

  Tip:  If you're travelling from a town or city outside London, see advice on buying tickets to connect with Eurostar.

• Step 2, book the sleeper train from Zurich to Zagreb at www.thetrainline.com, add to basket & check out.

  Use the journey planner to bring up the direct Zurich-Zagreb sleeper train marked EN with 0 changes. You print your own ticket.

• Step 3, while the train remains suspended, book a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade at www.flixbus.com.

• Alternatively, you can book London to Paris at www.eurostar.com, then Paris to Zurich at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com, then Zurich to Zagreb at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.  This is more work on multiple websites prices should be the same, but no booking fees.

How to buy tickets by phone

• It's better to book online to avoid phone booking fees and see for yourself which trains are cheapest.  Most agencies only work weekday office hours, you can book online 24/7.  But if you want to book by phone, see my list of UK-based ticketing agencies.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Plus & Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 10:15).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Paris Gare du Nord station guide.  How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.

Eurostar e320 at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.		1st class: Plus or Premier seating.

Standard class.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2. Paris to Zurich by TGV-Lyria

All TGV-Lyria trains are now 320km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex like the one shown below.  TGV-Lyria trains have 3 classes:  Standard class (2nd), standard premiere (1st class) and business premiere (1st class with hot meal & drinks included in the fare).  There's a cafe-bar car selling drinks & snacks.  There are power points for mobiles & laptops at all seats in all classes.  Lyria is a consortium of the French and Swiss national railways.  More about TGV-Lyria.  Zurich HB station guide.

TGV-Lyria TGV Duplex train at Paris Gare de Lyon. More about TGV-Lyria.

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

1st class on the upper deck, with a club duo on the left, a club quatre on the right. Larger photo.		A TGV-Lyria boarding at Paris Gare de Lyon.  You enter on the lower deck, with 9 stairs up to top deck.

3. Zurich to Zagreb by sleeper train  Watch the video

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 Zurich before boarding at a local restaurant, try the Brasserie Federal inside Zurich HB.  Zagreb station guide.

The Zurich-Zagreb sleeper train boarding at Zurich HB as the sun sets on a summer day.  That's the Croatian couchette car on the right, the Croatian sleeping-car on the left.  See the Croatian sleeper video.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper.		Set up as a single-berth.		4 or 6-berth couchettes. 360º photo.

Wake up to scenery like this between Ljubljana & Zagreb, along the river Sava.

4. Zagreb to Belgrade

Unfortunately, this is now by bus.

Option 5:  London to Belgrade via Zagreb, using daytime trains

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, London to Belgrade with overnight stops in Munich and Zagreb.

London ► Belgrade

• Day 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:31 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 13:59.

  On Saturdays, leave London St Pancras at 12:31, arriving Paris Gare du Nord 15:59.

  In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.

• Day 1, travel from Paris to Munich TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:55 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Munich Hbf 21:36.

  On Saturdays, you leave Paris Gare de l'Est at 17:53 arriving Munich Hbf at 23:29.

  The 320 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views.  Times may vary, so check for your date at int.bahn.de.

  On Saturdays, if you'd prefer an earlier arrival in Munich you can leave London at 09:31 to connect with a TGV Duplex leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 13:52 for Stuttgart, change there for Munich Hbf arriving 19:41.

  Alternatively, you can travel from London to Munich by Eurostar & ICE via Brussels & Cologne, see the London to Munich timetable.

• Stay overnight in Munich.

  The affordable Eden Hotel Wolff & NH Collection München are across the road from the station's north side exit with great reviews.  Or consider the more upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian, Excelsior by Giesel & Mercure City Center.  For a splurge, the luxurious Sofitel Munich Beyerpost occupies the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building of 1896-1900, at the station's south side exit.

• Day 2, travel from Munich to Zagreb by Eurocity train Mimara, leaving Munich Hbf at 10:16, arriving Zagreb 19:21.

  Train EC115 has comfortable air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class Austrian carriages, but no catering so bring your own food & drink.

  After leaving Munich's suburbs the train snakes through pretty Bavarian scenery.  Just before arriving at Salzburg, look to your right as you cross the River Salzach for views of Salzburg citadel.  After Salzburg the train crosses the Austrian Alps, climbing high through the mountains.  Look out for the magnificent fortress at Werfen perched on its hilltop on the right hand side, guarding the approaches to Salzburg along the Salzachtal valley.  After Villach you enter Slovenia.  There's beautiful scenery along the Sava river between Ljubljana & Zagreb, a real treat.

  Tip:  You can see the train formation at www.vagonweb.cz, change cs to English, click Train formations and search for train EC 115.

• Stay overnight in Zagreb.

  I suggest the historic Esplanade Hotel, Palace Hotel or Central Hotel, all near the station with good reviews.

• Day 3, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade on the daily train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04 arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar at 18:12.

  This train has air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats (no 1st class).  There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.

  This train is still suspended, originally due to Covid-19, now down to Croatian & Serbian incompetence.

  While the train is suspended, take a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade

  It's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb station to Zagreb bus station, see walking map.

  A Flixbus leaves Zagreb bus station at 09:00, arriving Belgrade bus station at 14:30.

  The fare is around €21, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com

Belgrade  ► London

• Day 1, travel from Belgrade to Zagreb on the daily train, leaving Belgrade Centar station at 10:05 & Novi Beograd at 10:19 arriving Zagreb 18:13.

  This train has two air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats.  There's no 1st class.  There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.

  This train is still suspended, originally due to Covid-19, now down to Croatian & Serbian incompetence.

  While the train is suspended, take a bus from Belgrade to Zagreb

  A Flixbus leaves Belgrade bus station at 16:15, arriving Zagreb bus station at 21:45, or there's an earlier 11:30 bus.

  The fare around €21, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com.

  It's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb bus station to Zagreb station, see walking map.

• Stay overnight in Zagreb.

  I suggest the historic Esplanade Hotel, Palace Hotel or Central Hotel, all near the station with good reviews.

• Day 1, travel from Zagreb to Munich by Eurocity train, leaving Zagreb at 08:40, arriving Munich Hbf 17:41.

  Until 13 June 2026 you have to switch trains at Villach, arrive 13:15, depart 13:28, usually a simple cross-platform interchange.  It's a recognised connection, you won't be the only one making it, everyone will!   From 14 June 2026 it becomes a direct train with no need to change.

  Train EC114 has comfortable air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class Austrian carriages, but no catering so bring your own food & drink.

  There's beautiful scenery along the Sava river between Zagreb & Ljubljana, a real treat.  After Villach you cross the Austrian Alps via the Tauern route through superb mountain scenery.  Look out for the fortress at Werfen perched on its hilltop on the left hand side, guarding the approaches to Salzburg along the Salzachtal valley.  After leaving Salzburg station, look left for views of Salzburg citadel as you cross the Salzach river.

  Tip:  You can see the train formation at www.vagonweb.cz, change cs to English, click Train formations and search for train EC 114 & EC 214.

• Stay overnight in Munich.

  The affordable Eden Hotel Wolff & NH Collection München are across the road from the station's north side exit with great reviews.  Or consider the more upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian, Excelsior by Giesel & Mercure City Center.  For a splurge, the luxurious Sofitel Munich Beyerpost occupies the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building of 1896-1900, at the station's south side exit.

• Day 3, travel from Munich to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Munich Hbf at 06:51 arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 12:35.

  The 320 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views, see this video.  Times may vary, check your date at int.bahn.de.

  If you'd prefer a leisurely breakfast & later departure from Munich there are various later options, see the Munich to London timetable here.

  In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.

• Day 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, normally leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 15:02, arriving London St Pancras 16:30.

  Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Plus & Premier fares include a meal with wine.

How much does it cost?

• London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £51 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £98 one-way or £140 return in Plus (1st class).

• Paris to Munich by TGV starts at €39 each way 2nd class or €69 1st class.

• Munich to Zagreb starts at €37.90 each way 2nd class or €56.90 1st class.

• Zagreb to Belgrade is approximately €25 each way if bought at the station in Zagreb or  188 Croatian kuna (€25) if bought on board the train.

• The Zagreb to Belgrade fare is fixed-price, but other fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, book the London-Paris Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.

  I recommend confirming the timings of the Paris-Munich train before booking the Eurostar.  Make sure you allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris on the outward, 90 minutes on the way back.

  Booking opens up to 11 months ahead for Eurostar, up to 6 months ahead for Paris-Munich and Munich-Zagreb.  More about when bookings open.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open for booking before buying a Eurostar ticket, unless you're prepared to take a calculated risk.

• Step 2, book the TGV from Paris to Munich at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  I recommend registering when prompted, you can then log in and check or re-print your tickets at any time.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

• Step 3, now use int.bahn.de again to book from Munich to Zagreb.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

• Step 4, while the train remains suspended, book a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade at www.flixbus.com.

How to buy tickets by phone

• It's better to book online, but if you want to book by phone, see my list of UK-based ticketing agencies.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 10:15).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  London St Pancras station guide.  Gare du Nord station guide.

Eurostar e320 at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.		1st class: Plus or Premier seating.

Standard class.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2. Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex   See the video guide

In Paris it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est for the TGV to Germany.  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 at all seats in both classes & free WiFi.  A cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.  The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods & farmland at up to 320 km/h (199 mph), 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 & Munich.  Paris Gare de l'Est station guide.  Munich Hbf station guide.

TGV Duplex at Paris Est. These impressive 320 km/h double-deck trains link Paris with Stuttgart & Munich.

Cafe-bar on upper deck in car 4 (or 14), serving tea, coffee, wine, beer, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.		2nd class seats on the upper deck.  There's a mix or tables for 4 and unidirectional seating.  360º photo.

1st class on upper deck, a club duo on the left, a club quatre on the right.  360º photo.		A TGV Duplex.  The 1 near the door indicates 1st class, a 2 indicates 2nd class.

3. Munich to Zagreb by daytime train

Now for a treat.  Sit back with a glass of red, catch up on your reading and enjoy the views.  After leaving the Munich suburbs the train snakes through pretty Bavarian scenery to Salzburg, past churches and picturesque villages.  Just before arriving at Salzburg, look to your right as you cross the River Salzach for great views of Salzburg citadel.  Soon after Salzburg, the train enters the Austrian Alps proper, climbing through vast mountains.  Look out for the magnificent fortress at Werfen (although the train doesn't call here), perched on its hilltop on the right hand side, guarding the approaches to Salzburg along the Salzachtal valley.  After entering Slovenia, the scenery flattens out, and the train snakes along the pretty river Sava all the way into Ljubljana.  Beyond Ljubljana, the train continues to follow the river Sava, passing through a beautiful river gorge between mountains, a real treat.  Beyond Zidani Most the valley widens into a plain, and you cross the border into Croatia at Dobova and soon arrive in Zagreb's impressive central station, a palace of a building, right in the centre of the city.  Zagreb station guide.

Austrian Intercity cars as used on train EC115 Mimara from Munich to Zagreb.

Above left, 2nd class.  Above right, 1st class.

Through the Austrian Alps.   Clinging to the mountainside high in the Austrian Alps, the train snakes between snow-capped mountains, wonderful.

Across the border in Slovenia, the EuroCity train runs along the pretty River Sava all the way to Ljubljana & Zagreb.

4. Zagreb to Belgrade

Unfortunately this is now by bus.

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North Macedonia & Kosovo

London ► Skopje & Pristina

• Step 1, travel from London to Belgrade using any of the options shown in the London to Belgrade section above.

• Step 2, travel from Belgrade to Skopje. 

  Unfortunately, the only daily train between Belgrade & Skopje became summer-only, was then suspended during the pandemic and never reinstated.  There are now no trains at all.  The last resort is a 6h15 journey by bus, try Omio.com.

• Step 3, there used to be one train a day between Skopje & Pristina in Kosovo, departing Skopje at 16:20, arriving Pristina 19:20.  However, this train is also not running.

Pristina & Skopje ► London

• Step 1, there used to be one train a day between Pristina & Skopje, leaving Pristina at 07:10, arriving Skopje at 09:52.    However, this train is not running.

• Step 2, travel from Skopje to Belgrade.

  Unfortunately, the only daily train between Skopje & Belgrade became summer-only, and was then suspended during the pandemic and n ever reinstated.  There are now no trains at all.  The last resort is 6h15 in a bus, try Omio.com for buses.

• Step 3, travel from Belgrade to London as shown above.

How much does it cost?

• See the London-Belgrade section above for fares to Belgrade.

• Belgrade to Skopje costs around £29 each way 2nd class if bought in the UK.  Bought locally, it costs around 2,700 dinars (€24 or £21).

• Skopje to Pristina bought locally costs about €4.25 one-way.

Skopje to Pristina by train

Traveller Jeroen van Marle reports:  "I took the train from Priština in Kosovo to Skopje. Absolutely freezing cold as there was no heating, but the ride was lovely, very scenic compared to the highway blight that the buses pass."  This train has ceased running.

The morning train waits to leave Pristina.  Photo courtesy of Jeroen van Marle		At the border, where locomotives are changed.  Photo courtesy of Jeroen van Marle

The train uses old Norwegian coaches.  Photo courtesy of Jeroen van Marle		The train from Pristina, arrived at Skopje station.  Photo courtesy of Jeroen van Marle

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Booking trains in Serbia

The Serbian Railways website is srbijavoz.rs.

It's currently only in Serbian, use Google Translate or right-click and translate in a Chrome browser.  An English version is allegedly 'coming soon'.

For timetable information for Serbian domestic trains and Belgrade-Montenegro trains you should use w3.srbvoz.rs/redvoznje.

To buy tickets for Serbian domestic trains, the sales page is webapi1.srbvoz.rs/ekarta/app/#!/home.  This is also currently only in Serbian, but simple enough to use with a little help from Google Translate or right-clicking and translate in a Chrome browser.

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European Rail Timetable & maps

The European Rail Timetable (formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable) has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  It is essential for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.  You can buy it online at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses) or www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide).  More information on what the European Rail Timetable contains.

Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted.  See an extract from the map.  Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).

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Guidebooks

To get the most from your visit, you should take a good guidebook - even in the age of the internet.  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

 

 

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Hotels in Belgrade & Balkans

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 right in the centre of Belgrade at the end of the pedestrianised main street that leads to Belgrade fortress.  It was only 10 minutes walk (admittedly uphill) from Belgrade's old station, but now a taxi ride from Belgrade Centar station or Topcider.  The hotel has immaculate rooms, friendly staff and a good cooked breakfast.  Book the Hotel Moskva.

My favourite hotel search: www.booking.com Booking.com is my favourite hotel booking site and I generally use it to book all my hotels in one place.  I've come to trust booking.com's review scores, you won't be disappointed with any hotel that scores 8.0 or more.  Crucially, booking.com usually lets you book with free cancellation, which means you can confirm accommodation risk-free before train booking opens and/or you can hold accommodation while you finalise your itinerary and alter your plans as they evolve - a feature I use all the time when planning a trip.  I never book hotels non-refundably!

Backpacker hostels

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

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Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer.  It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit.  These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

  www.staysure.co.uk offers enhanced Covid-19 protection and gets 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot.

  www.columbusdirect.com is also a well-know brand.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a European mobile data package and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list.  There's no need to buy a physical SIM card!  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

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

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than getting a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card, they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  Why you need a VPN

When travelling you may use free public WiFi which is often insecure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using this link you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I also get some commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, hotel bookings and Interrail or Eurail passes are often now held on your mobile phone.  You daren't let it run out of power, and you can't always rely on the phone's internal battery or on being near a power outlet.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or buy from Amazon.com.

Touring cities?  Use hill walking shoes!

One of the best things I've done is swap my normal shoes for hill-walking shoes, in my case from Scarpa.  They're intended for hiking across the Pennines not wandering around Florence, but the support and cushioning for hiking works equally well when you're on your feet all day exploring foreign cities.  My feet used to give out first and limit my day, now the rest of me gives up before they do!

 

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