London to Sweden . . .

in Britain

Scotland by

sleeper...

sleeper...

Europe

Europe by train

introduction

European

train tickets...

Eurostar

information...

Bangladesh

Cambodia

China

Indonesia

North Korea

Pakistan

 Country information

Above:  DFDS Seaways ferry "Dana Sirena" links Harwich with Esbjerg... Photo courtesy of DFDS Seaways.

This is a very comfortable way to go, although not the fastest.  There are cabins, restaurants, bars and cinema on board the DFDS Seaways cruise ferry from Harwich in Essex to Esbjerg, then a train ride across Denmark to Copenhagen for the sleeper to Stockholm.  There used to be a direct ferry from the UK to Gothenburg in Sweden, but this was withdrawn in October 2006.

London ▶ Stockholm

• Day 1, travel from London to Harwich by train, leaving London Liverpool Street at 14:18 and arriving Harwich International 1 hour 25 minutes later.  Harwich International station is right next to the ferry terminal.  Trains to Harwich run hourly, but this departure gives plenty of time to catch the ferry.  Please check times at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

• Day 1 early evening, Sail from Harwich to Esbjerg in Denmark aboard DFDS Seaways 'Dana Sirena'.  The Dana Sirena sails from Harwich every Wednesday, Friday & Sunday at 17:45 (increased to every second day in June, July & August ), arriving in Esbjerg at 13:00 next day (day 2).  www.dfds.co.uk will confirm sailing dates.  The Dana Sirena is a modern and well-run ship, with comfortable cabins, two restaurants, a bar, coffee shop and lounges, see the photos below.  On arrival at Esbjerg, take a taxi or bus or simply walk to the railway station.  Bus number 5 runs from the ferry terminal to the station every 20 minutes, bus fare 15 Kr adult 8 Kr child.

  If you've a backpack or light luggage, you can easily walk from the ferry terminal to  the pedestrianised town centre in about 10-15 minutes, from where it's another 5-10 minutes walk to the station.  The station is a historic red-brick building, though not very distinctively marked.

• Day 2 afternoon, travel from Esbjerg to Copenhagen by modern InterCity train, leaving Esbjerg town station at 15:41 and arriving in Copenhagen main station at 18:49.  The journey is about 175 miles, right across Denmark in air-conditioned comfort.  You can check times for your date of travel at www.bahn.de.

• Day 2 evening, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm overnight, leaving Copenhagen main station by frequent local train at 21:23 arriving Malmö at 21:58 (these Copenhagen-Malmö local trains in fact run every 20 minutes).  A sleeper train leaves Malmö at 22:48, arriving Stockholm at 05:56 next morning (day 3 from London).  This sleeper train runs daily except Saturday nights and has seats, couchettes (6 bunk) and sleepers (1 & 2 bed rooms with washbasin).  Check train times at www.bahn.de.

• Alternatively, spend the night in Copenhagen and head for Stockholm the next day (day 3).  Regular X2000 high-speed trains link Copenhagen with Stockholm in about 5½ hours, check train times at www.bahn.de.

Stockholm ▶ London

• Day 1, travel from Stockholm to Copenhagen overnight by sleeper train, leaving Stockholm at 23:06 and arriving Malmö at 06:27 next morning.  This sleeper train runs daily except Saturdays.  A connecting local train leaves Malmö every 20 minutes, with one at 07:02 arriving Copenhagen main station at 07:37.  The sleeper train has seats, couchettes (6 bunk) and sleepers (1 & 2 bed rooms).

• Alternatively, on Mondays-Saturdays there is an X2000 high-speed train leaving Stockholm at 06:21 and arriving Copenhagen main station at 11:33, allowing same-day connection to Esbjerg for the ferry to England.  Check times and days of running at www.bahn.de.

• Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Esbjerg by modern air-conditioned InterCity train, leaving Copenhagen main station at 12:30 and arriving Esbjerg at 15:24.  You can check times at www.bahn.de.  Take a bus or taxi to the ferry terminal, or simply walk (25 minutes).  Bus number 5 runs from the station to the port every 20 minutes.

• Day 2 evening, sail from Esbjerg to Harwich aboard DFDS Seaways' 'Dana Sirena', leaving Esbjerg ferry terminal at 18:45 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays, arriving Harwich at 12:00 next day (sailings are increased to every second day in June, July & August).  See www.dfds.co.uk to confirm sailing dates.  3D virtual tour of the Dana Sirena's cabins, lounges, bars and restaurants.

• Day 3, travel from Harwich to London by train, leaving Harwich International station at 13:06 and arriving London Liverpool Street at 14:33.  The train service runs hourly, you can check times at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

Introducing DFDS Seaways "Dana Sirena" from Harwich to Esbjerg...

The Dana Sirena is a modern and well-run ship, built in 2002.  All passengers travel in cabins, and all cabins have a private shower & toilet.  Facilities on board include the 7 Seas buffet restaurant, the Blue Riband à la carte restaurant, Café Lighthouse (with WiFi access for laptops), Columbus Lounge, and shop. The ship is child-friendly, with children's play area, child restraints for cabin berths available from reception, and highchairs available in all restaurants and lounges.  3D virtual tour of the Dana Sirena's cabins, lounges, bars and restaurants.  Cabins come in three classes:

• Seaways class: 1-6 berths with private shower and toilet;

• Sirena class: 1 or 2 berth with private shower and toilet, TV (BBC World, BBC Prime), complimentary minibar, breakfast included;

• Commodore Deluxe: Hotel-style rooms with double bed or two single beds, TV (BBC Prime, BBC World), small sitting area, private shower and toilet.  Commodore cabins are on their own deck with exclusive access to the Commodore Lounge which has sea views, complimentary tea, coffee, snacks, beer and (in the evening) free wine and spirits, PC with internet access and WiFi access if you have your own laptop.  Commodore Deluxe is like travelling to Scandinavia aboard a floating hotel, highly recommended!

Crossing the North Sea with DFDS Seaways aboard the Dana Sirena...		Commodore class cabin with double bed, TV, shower & toilet.  Yes, that's an ice bucket on the table with a half bottle of sparkling wine....		Sirena class cabin with TV, shower, toilet & minibar.

On board the Danish InterCity train from Esbjerg to Copenhagen...

An air-conditioned Danish InterCity train.		2nd class seats on board the InterCity train...		Arrived at Copenhagen!

On board the X2000 daytime trains from Copenhagen to Stockholm...

A 125 mph X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm, at Copenhagen station....		2nd class seating on the X2000.  All seats have power sockets for laptops & mobiles...		Self-service buffet car on the X2000. More information about X2000 trains

How much does it cost?

• London to Harwich by train costs £28 Off-Peak return or £26 full fare one-way.  Advance reservation isn't necessary, just buy tickets at the station on the day of travel.  Alternatively, if you book with DFDS Seaways by phone, they can sell you a London-Harwich train ticket with your ferry ticket for a special price of around £13 one-way or £26 return.

• Harwich to Esbjerg by ferry starts at around £152 return per person for two people sharing a 2-bed Seaways class cabin with private toilet and shower or £294 return for one person with sole use of a cabin.  To check sailing dates, times and fares for different types of cabin, visit www.dfds.co.uk.  DFDS Seaways now has an airline-style pricing system so prices vary, book early and avoid peak times to get the cheapest fares.  Children under 16 travel at reduced fare.  Unfortunately, DFDS won't now let solo passengers share cabins, the whole cabin must be booked.

• Esbjerg to Copenhagen by intercity train costs 325 Kr (£39) one way, 650 Kr (£78) return for adults, or 163 Kr (£20) each way for children and seniors over 65.  Advance reservation is possible but not necessary, and tickets can be bought at the station on the day at those prices.  Alternatively, DFDS can sell you a train ticket with your ferry ticket, at the same prices.

• Copenhagen to Stockholm by sleeper train costs SEK 760 (£56) one-way or SEK 1520 (£112) return per person travelling in 6-bunk couchettes, or SEK 1170 (£87) one-way, SEK 2340 (£174) return per person travelling in a 2-bed sleeper, when booked by email through www.swedenbooking.com.  Booked online at either either www.sj.se, the price will be at least 10% cheaper.

How to buy tickets...

• Step 1:  Buy your ferry tickets online at www.dfds.co.uk (no booking fee) or by calling DFDS Seaways on 0871 522 9955, although there's a £20 fee for phone bookings.  Phone lines are open 09:00-17:30 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-17:00 Saturdays, closed Sundays.

• You can buy your London-Harwich & Esbjerg-Copenhagen train tickets at the station on the day of travel.  No reservation is necessary, and there's no price advantage in buying tickets in advance.  But if you really want to, you can buy the London-Harwich ticket online at www.nationalrail.co.uk and the Esbjerg-Copenhagen ticket (with seat reservation) at www.dsb.dk, the Danish Railways website.  This is in Danish, but it's not difficult to work out how to use it if you're familiar with the way such booking systems work.  You pay by credit card then print out your own ticket.  remember that Copenhagen in Danish is 'Kobenhavn'.  Alternatively, if you book by phone, DFDS can add both UK and Esbjerg-Copenhagen tickets to your ferry fare, including making a seat reservation on the Esbjerg-Copenhagen train.  Ask DFDS about special cheap train fares from other UK stations to Harwich, too. 

• Step 2:  Buy the Copenhagen-Malmö-Stockholm sleeper tickets online at either www.sj.se (no booking fee, you may have to fake a Swedish phone number) or www.bokatag.se (English button is bottom right, booking fee added, accepts all credit cards through 3-D secure system, you may have to fake a Swedish phone number).  If you can't get your credit card to work, call SJ telesales on +46 771 75 75 75 (touch tone 6 for English).  You can also book by email with www.swedenbooking.com (personal service, but 10% surcharge & SEK100 booking fee).  Bookings open 90 days before departure.  Using either www.sj.se or www.bokatag.se (or SJ telesales) you pay online and collect tickets from the Swedish Railways (SJ) ticket machines installed at Copenhagen main station or any Swedish station including Stockholm or Malmö or you can be emailed a 'print your own' ticket in .pdf format.  This is the cheapest option as there are no booking fees.  Using Swedenbooking, you email info@swedenbooking.com or call + 46 498 203380 to make the reservation by credit card.  Swedenbooking can post tickets to UK addresses or tickets can be picked up by entering your booking reference into the automatic machines at stations, including Copenhagen, Malmö & Stockholm stations.

	Train on a ferry!  This is a Hamburg to Copenhagen ICE-TD EuroCity train on board the Puttgarten to Rodby ferry.  This is one of the few remaining routes in Europe where trains go onto ferries, the other major route being mainland Italy to Sicily.  The Rodby-Puttgarten crossing takes about 50 minutes, and you must leave the train and go up into the ferry whilst it is at sea.  The ferry has bars, lounges restaurants & shops.  Naturally, you can leave your bags on the train...
	First class real leather seats on the Hamburg-Copenhagen ICE-TD train.  There's a bistro car serving drinks, snacks and meals...
	Second class seats on the Hamburg-Copenhagen ICE-TD train.  All seats have power sockets for laptops & mobiles...

London to Sweden is too far to go in one day, so an overnight stop in Hamburg is required.  It's therefore slower and less time-effective than using the Cologne-Copenhagen overnight sleeper train.  But some people prefer all-daytime train travel, so here's how to do it.  Take a bottle of wine, a good book, an enjoy a 2-day train ride across Europe on some very modern & comfortable trains.

London ► Stockholm or Gothenburg by daytime trains

• Day 1, travel from London to Hamburg using any of the services suggested on the London to Germany page.  For example, you can leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 12:57, change trains at Brussels onto a Thalys high-speed train for Cologne, and finally change at Cologne onto a German InterCity to Hamburg arriving 23:15.

• Spend the night in a hotel in Hamburg.

• Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Stockholm or Gothenburg by any suitable trains.  For example, on most days you can leave Hamburg at 09:28 on a fast ICE-TD EuroCity train for Copenhagen, change at Copenhagen & Malmö onto an X2000 125mph train, arriving Stockholm 20:39.  You can check train times using http://bahn.hafas.de (English button top right).  The Hamburg-Copenhagen train is shunted onto a ferry for the crossing from Puttgarten in Germany to Rodby in Denmark, one of the few places in Europe where trains still go onto ferries.  An interesting experience in itself!  You need to leave the train and go upstairs onto the ferry during the crossing.  Trains from Copenhagen to Malmö & Stockholm no longer use train ferries but cross the Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-decker road/rail bridge opened in 1999 linking Denmark with Sweden.

Stockholm or Gothenburg ► London by daytime trains

• Day 1, travel from Stockholm or Gothenburg to Hamburg by any suitable daytime trains.  For example, on most days you can leave Stockholm at 08:21, change once in Copenhagen, arriving Hamburg 20:16.  You can check train times for your date of travel using www.bahn.de (English button top right). 

• Spend the night in a hotel in Hamburg.

• Day 2, travel from Hamburg to London using any of the services suggested on the London to Germany page.  For example, you can leave Hamburg at 09:46, change at Cologne & Brussels, arriving London St Pancras at 19:03.

Fares & how to buy tickets...

• First jot down each separate specific train you need to book using the information above, with the date of departure for that train.  I suggest doing a dry run to check prices & availability on all three websites before booking for real.

• Step 1, go to www.eurostar.com and book a ticket from London to Cologne (shown as Köln on their site) & back.  Prices start at £85 return.  Bookings open 90 days before departure.  Tickets can be posted to UK addresses or collected at St Pancras.  Returns may be cheaper than official on-ways for a one-way trip.

• Step 2, go to www.bahn.de.  First book from Cologne to Hamburg & back for day 1 of your outward journey and day 2 of your return.  Then book from Hamburg to Copenhagen & back for day 2 of your outward journey and day 1 of your return. Cologne-Hamburg starts at just 29 euro (£24) one-way or 58 euro (£48) return.  Hamburg-Copenhagen starts at 39 euro (£33) one-way or 78 euro (£66) return, assuming you book well in advance (maximum 90 days ahead).

• Step 3, buy your Copenhagen-Stockholm ticket.  Prices vary like air fares, between £17 & £70 each way.  There are two options for booking this ticket.  The easy but more expensive way is to go to www.raileurope.co.uk and book a ticket from Copenhagen to Stockholm and back.  Rail Europe charges a standard fixed price for Copenhagen-Stockholm trains for all dates and departures, this is the international tariff made available to other European railway operators by the Swedish Railways.  The second, much cheaper way is to book the Copenhagen-Stockholm train online using either www.sj.se (no booking fee, see advice below) or www.bokatag.se (English button bottom right, booking fee added).  If you can't get your credit card to work, simply call SJ telesales on +46 771 75 75 75 (touch tone 6 for English).  The price you'll pay using www.sj.se, www.bokatag.se or SJ telesales is the actual Swedish Railways price, which varies like budget airline fares.  If you book several months in advance you can find really cheap fares available, much cheaper than with Rail Europe, rising to pretty much the same level as Rail Europe closer to departure.  You simply print out your own ticket or you can choose to collect your tickets from the Swedish Railways (SJ) ticket machines installed at Copenhagen main station.

London to Malmö

Malmö is just opposite Copenhagen across the Öresund, and linked to Copenhagen by frequent local train running across the Öresund Link across the sea from Denmark to Sweden, opened in 1999.  The link is part tunnel, part double-decker road/rail bridge, and on the long bridge section your train seems to 'fly' across the sea to Sweden.... 

• Travel to Copenhagen using any of the options shown on the London to Denmark page.  Book your tickets as shown on that page.

• Then simply buy a local ticket from any of the ticket machines or staffed ticket office at Copenhagen station and hop on an 'Öresundtåg' (Öresund Link train) from Copenhagen to Malmö.  These run every 20 minutes, journey time 35 minutes.  The Copenhagen-Malmö fare is about DKK 105 (£12) each way.

Above:  An Öresund Train (Öresundtåg) from Copenhagen to Malmö & Gothenburg, seen at Malmö Central station.  The train crosses from Denmark to Sweden on the 1999-built Öresund Link tunnel & road/rail bridge...

London to Gothenburg (Göteborg)

There are now no ferries from the UK to anywhere in Sweden, but you can easily take a train or ferry to Denmark, then a comfortable onward train to Gothenburg.

• Travel by train from London to Copenhagen as shown on the London to Denmark page.  The Eurostar, Thalys & City Night Line sleeper train option works well with the onward connections to Gothenburg, but you can also cruise from Harwich to Esbjerg in Denmark with DFDS Seaways then take a train to Copenhagen.

• Take an onward train from Copenhagen to Gothenburg.  These run every 2-3 hours, journey time 3 hours 54 minutes.  Simply use www.sj.se or http://bahn.hafas.de to find connecting Copenhagen-Gothenburg train times.  Most trains are Öresund Link trains, see the photos above.

• Book your London-Copenhagen journey as shown on the London to Denmark page, then book the Copenhagen-Gothenburg train using www.sj.se, see the advice below.

London to Northern Sweden & Narvik...

First travel to Gothenburg or Stockholm as shown above.  Overnight sleeper trains run from Stockholm and Gothenburg to Northern Sweden, including Boden, Luleå, Kiruna and Narvik in Norway.  These trains are run by www.sj.se, who took over from previous franchisee www.connex.se in 2008.  The trains have 1 & 2 berth sleepers, some with private toilet and shower, 6-berth couchettes, ordinary seats, bar and even cinema.  Daytime trains from Gothenburg and Stockholm to most cities in Sweden are also run by national train operator SJ, see www.sj.se for times and fares.

A 2-berth sleeper on the train between Stockholm & Narvik.  Photo courtesy of Ayan Ghosh.		Narvik station, inside the Arctic Circle.  Although it's in Norway, the railway to Narvik runs from Sweden.  Photo courtesy of Ayan Ghosh.		Sunset from the sleeper train from Narvik to Stockholm...  Photo courtesy of Ayan Ghosh.

	Above:  Swedish intercity train fares vary like air fares, with really cheap prices if you book in advance at www.sj.se.
	Right:  If you choose to pick up your tickets at Copenhagen station, look for the two SJ ticket machines on the left as you walk in the main entrance, next to the ticket office.  They have touch screens and an English-language facility.  Enter your booking reference and out come the tickets. Similar machines are installed at Oslo Central, Stockholm Central and at all main Swedish stations.

How to buy Swedish train tickets online at www.sj.se...

The best way to buy your train tickets within Sweden, or (in either direction) between Copenhagen & Stockholm, Copenhagen & Gothenburg, Copenhagen & Oslo or Stockholm & Oslo, is online at the official Swedish Railways website, www.sj.se.  It's far cheaper than buying through a UK agency, and there are no booking fees or postage to pay.  You can simply print out your own ticket.

• Go to www.sj.se.  The English button is top right.  Bookings open 90 days before departure.  Use the journey planner to make your booking.

• It's pretty self-explanatory, but here are a few tips:  'Copenhagen' produces an error message, but gives you the option to select 'Kobenhavn H', which is Copenhagen main station and what you want for tickets to or from Copenhagen.  For Stockholm, enter 'Stockholm C' (C for central).  If booking from Copenhaen to Oslo (Oslo S), beware of services that involve 'Swebus expressbuss' to Oslo Gaslleriet, make sure you book the train to Oslo S.  Swedish rail fares vary like air fares by date & train, so shop around for the cheapest tickets.  After selecting a departure and price, you may be given an option to upgrade to a 'rebookable' ticket (which can be changed) or to a 'rebookable, refundable' ticket.  If you don't select either of these extra-cost options, your ticket will probably be non-refundable & non-changeable.  Just stick with the base price if you want the cheapest fare.  You're then given a chance to choose your exact seat if you like, with a seating plan. 

• You can choose self-print tickets (probably the best option) or you can choose to collect your tickets at the station from the self-service machines, which also works in Copenhagen and Oslo even though these are not SJ stations, as there are SJ self-service machines installed there.  'Tickets sent' is only if you have a Swedish address.  You pay by credit card and get a booking number on the final confirmation page.  You're also sent an email with this booking number and instructions to 'check in' online within 60 days of departure.

Checking in to get your self-print ticket...

Unlike many other rail booking sites, you aren't initially given your self-print ticket.  You need to 'check in' online to get your self-print ticket, at any time within 60 days of departure.  As your booking confirmation says, go to www.sj.se/incheckning.  This is only in Swedish, so you may appreciate this help:

• Log in at www.sj.se/incheckning using your booking reference and your phone number which you gave when booking.  You need to change 'Svierge' to 'Storbritannien +44' (Storbritanien is Swedish for Great Britain, so you'll find it alphabetically under 'S'!).

• You should now see your booking.  Click the 'checka in' link to the right of the booking you want to check in for.

• You're given various warnings at each stage that once checked in, your ticket can't be changed or refunded (though of course your particular ticket might be non-refundable and non-changeable anyway).  Just ignore these.

• On the next page, tick the 'checka in biljet' ('check in ticket') box and click 'Ga vidare' ('Continue').

• On the next page, click 'Bekrafta' ('confirm')

• On the next page you should see the familiar 'PDF' logo and the words 'skriv ut incheckad biljet' ('print out checked-in ticket').

• Your self-print ticket should now appear.  Self-print tickets are very handy - you can print a couple of copies in case you lose one, and you can save the PDF file to your PC.

Update March 2010:  It's been reported that this check-in procedure has been abolished, and you can now print out your ticket immediately after booking.  The various 'warnings' that appear in Swedish simply tell you to make sure pop-ups are not blocked on your PC, as the ticket will appear in a new window.  Print each ticket on A4 paper.  You will need to show identification on the train (meaning your passport).

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  Published since 1873, it costs £13.99.  It's essential for any serious traveller and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Still not convinced you need one?  More information on what the Thomas Cook Timetable contains.  You can buy the latest monthly edition online at www.thomascooktimetables.com with worldwide delivery or buy it in person from any UK branch of Thomas Cook (ask at the bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria or Kings Cross stations in London.  Or buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:  Summer 2010 edition (June to December 2010)

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

Definitely take a good guidebook.  For independent travel, I think this means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  Both guidebooks provide an excellent level of practical information and historical background.  You won't regret buying one!  My own book, an essential handbook for train travel to Europe based on this website called "The Man in Seat 61", is due to be published in June 2008, and Amazon will let you pre-order now.

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

Or buy direct from the Lonely Planet website, with shipping worldwide.

Find a hotel in Stockholm or anywhere else in europe...

It's easy to book hotels online to go with your train tickets, but there are almost too many hotel booking websites to choose from.  So try www.hotelscombined.com (just use the search box below).  This is not a hotel booking site, but a free search tool which searches all the main hotel booking sites for you (Expedia, Travelocity, LateRooms, Opodo, Venere and many others) to find the cheapest hotel rates on the net.  Set up in 2005, it's an amazing system and probably the best place to start for booking any hotel online in any country, worldwide.

		◄◄◄ Search all the major hotel booking websites at once...
Powered by Hotelscombined.com

Other hotel sites worth trying...

• Try www.laterooms.com, which will list a huge number of hotels in any given town or city on a single page showing price and availability for your specific dates.  www.laterooms.com gets significant discounts over normal rates for many hotels, and these discounted prices are shown in orange.  As its name suggests, www.laterooms.com gets discounts for hotel rooms booked within 3 months of travel, making it ideal for anyone booking train travel within the normal 90 days booking horizon.

• www.tripadvisor.com is a huge resource, and the best place to browse for independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

Budget backpacker hostels...

• If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about the hostels.  For a dorm bed or an ultra-cheap private room in a backpacker hostel in most European cities try www.hostelbookers.com.

Get travel insurance..

Never travel without insurance from a reliable travel insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash (up to a limit) and belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

If you live in the UK, get quotes from Columbus Direct or Go Travel Insurance, or go to Confused.com to run a price comparison on a whole range of travel insurance providers for your dates of travel, seeing their policy's features at a glance.

Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, but European international rail conditions of carriage (known as the 'CIV') contain consumer protection provisions that entitle you to travel forward by the next available train if you miss a connection because of a delay to the first train, irrespective of who operates which train, and even if your ticket is in theory train-specific and non-changeable.  Feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, see Columbus Direct Australia.

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

Get an EU health card...

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

Get a pre-paid euro currency MasterCard from Caxton FX...

You can save money on ATM charges and exchange rates using a Caxton FX euro currency MasterCard, or indeed the multi-currency 'Global Traveller' MasterCard.   Find out about these cards & sign up here.

Get an international SIM card...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find some huge bills waiting for you.  I've known people run up over £1,000 in data charges just by leaving their iPhone connected during a simple trip to Europe.  However, if you buy a global SIM card for your mobile phone from a company such as www.Go-Sim.com you can slash the cost by up to 85% and limit any damage to the amount you have pre-paid.  Go-Sim cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also allows cheap data access for laptops & PDAs.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not used between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.

Back to 'Rail travel to Europe' general page