 Luxembourg station, a 15 minute walk to the old town, see Luxembourg station guide. |
This page explains how to travel by train from Luxembourg to other European cities, and how to buy tickets. Information updated for 2026.
Before you buy your tickets
Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets. It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or a €35 point-to-point ticket?". How far ahead can you buy train tickets?
European train travel FAQ
Train travel within Luxembourg
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See the Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois (CFL, Luxembourg Railways) website www.cfl.lu.
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All public transport within Luxembourg is free (yes, really), since 1 March 2020. This includes train journeys wholly within Luxembourg, unless you want to travel 1st class. No ticket is needed.
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If you want to travel 1st class, an upgrade can be bought from CFL ticket machines for a few euros.
Luxembourg to London from €81
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For train travel between Luxembourg & London in either direction, see the London to Luxembourg page.
Luxembourg to Dublin & Ireland
Option 1, Luxembourg to Dublin via London
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to London by Intercity train & Eurostar, as shown on the London-Luxembourg page.
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Stay overnight in London, see suggested hotels near St Pancras. It's a 10 minute walk from London St Pancras to London Euston.
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Day 2, travel from London Euston to Dublin on the morning train & ferry service, arriving Dublin Ferryport 17:25, see the London-Dublin page for times, fares & how to buy tickets. Rail & Sail is an inexpensive, interesting and fun way to go, see more about this journey.
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Or you can travel overnight. Take a late afternoon Eurostar from Brussels to London. Allow at least 90 minutes in London between trains to ensure a robust connection, even though it's only a 9 minute walk between St Pancras & Euston stations. Then take the overnight London to Dublin train & ferry service arriving in Dublin next morning, see the timetable here. It's basically a red-eye service, but you can pay for a cabin when you board the ferry, so can at least get 3 hours sleep!
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How much does it cost?
For fares from Luxembourg to London, see the London-Luxembourg page.
The fare from London to Dublin is either £53.40 or £60.10, one or other fare always applies, even on the day of travel.
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How to buy tickets
Book from Luxembourg to London as shown on the London-Luxembourg page.
Book from London to Dublin Ferryport at tfw.wales, as shown on the train & ferry to Dublin page.
Option 2, Luxembourg to Dublin using the direct ferry from France to Ireland - avoiding the UK, several departures a week
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Paris by high-speed TGV, leaving Luxembourg at 06:40 Mondays-Fridays arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 08:51.
The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Allow at least 1 hour between trains in Paris, ideally more. There's no train early enough at weekends, so travel to Paris the previous evening and stay overnight.
Transfer by metro or taxi from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare St Lazare.
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Day 1, take a late morning train from Paris St Lazare to Cherbourg and an overnight ferry to Dublin.
Irish Ferries (www.irishferries.com) sail from Cherbourg to Dublin several times each week, usually leaving Cherbourg late afternoon and arriving Dublin late morning next day (Day 2).
See details of this Paris to Dublin journey & how to buy tickets.
Luxembourg to Paris from €25
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TGV Duplex high-speed trains link Luxembourg with Paris Gare de l'Est several times a day in 2h10.
The trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Book an upper deck seat for the best views.
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Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book these at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee), or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee). Look for a direct TGV train.
Booking normally opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Luxembourg to Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Montpellier, Cannes, Nice from €35
Option 1, by high-speed TGV avoiding Paris - the easiest option for Dijon, Lyon, and the South of France
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A direct TGV Duplex leaves Luxembourg at 07:13 most days for Dijon, Lyon Part Dieu, Avignon TGV, Aix en Provence TGV & Marseille St Charles.
A direct TGV Duplex leaves Luxembourg at 11:15 most days for Dijon, Lyon Part Dieu, Nimes & Montpellier.
These direct TGV trains save you having to cross Paris. They have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Change at Lyon Part Dieu for Nimes, Montpellier, Perpignan. Change at Marseille for Toulon, Cannes, Antibes, Nice.
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Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).
Booking normally opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, via Paris - works for all French destinations, involves changing stations in Paris by metro or taxi
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Step 1, travel from Luxembourg to Paris Gare de l'Est by TGV in 2h10. There are a number of departures every day.
The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
In Paris, transfer by metro or taxi to the relevant station for your onward train.
Allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris, ideally a bit more.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to anywhere in France.
TGVs run from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Cannes or Nice from €25 upwards. It's a great ride, especially the scenic section along the coast to Cannes or Nice, see the Paris to Nice by TGV page.
TGVs also run from Paris Gare de Lyon to Nimes, Montpellier, Agde, Narbonne, Perpignan,
TGVs run from Paris Montparnasse to Tours, Le Mans, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Biarritz, Lourdes, Nantes, Rennes & Brittany.
Intercités run from Paris Bercy to Vichy, Clermont Ferrand.
Intercités run from Paris Austerlitz to Limoges, Cahors, Brive, Toulouse.
Intercités run from Paris St Lazare to Caen, Cherbourg, Rouen, Le Havre.
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Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).
Booking normally opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: Use www.raileurope.com to book from Luxembourg to anywhere in France as one easy transaction, but first click More options, enter Paris (any station) as a via point with a stopover duration of at least 1 hour. If you don't do this, by default the French Railways system allows cross-Paris connections as short as 40 minutes, which I consider to tight for comfort.
Option 3, Luxembourg to Toulon, Cannes, Antibes & Nice, using the Paris-Nice overnight train
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Step 1, travel from Luxembourg to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Luxembourg at 16:10, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 18:20.
The 320 km/h (199 mph) TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Times may vary, check online.
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In Paris, transfer by metro or taxi to the Gare d'Austerlitz. I'd allow at least 90 minutes between trains when catching a sleeper, although the actual transfer only takes 30 minutes.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to the Côte d'Azur by Intercité de Nuit, leaving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 21:25 every day, arriving Toulon 07:12, St Raphael (for St Tropez) 08:07, Cannes 08:31, Antibes 08:43 & Nice Ville 09:09.
The Intercité de Nuit sleeper train has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes & reclining seats. You can book a private 1st class 4-berth or 2nd class 6-berth compartment for sole occupancy by 1-6 people if you like. More about Intercités de Nuit.
Tip: Have dinner at the celebrated Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon before strolling across the bridge over the Seine to the Gare d'Austerlitz in time for your sleeper. Or try the floating restaurant Off Paris Seine on the river next to the Gare d'Austerlitz. There are earlier TGV departures from Luxembourg if you'd like more time in Paris.
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How much does it cost?
Luxembourg to Paris starts at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.
Paris to the South of France starts at €19 in a reclining seat, €29 in a 2nd class couchette or €59 in a 1st class couchette.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
Tip: To make sure you have at least 90 minutes between trains in Paris, I'd book Luxembourg to Paris, add to basket, then Paris to Nice, add to basket & check out. Otherwise by default the system allows as little as 40 minutes between trains in Paris which I consider too tight, especially when catching a sleeper you don't want to miss.
Tip: To book a whole couchette compartment for 1-6 people, see the instructions here.
Or book at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).
Luxembourg to Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Colmar
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Every 2-3 hours a train links Luxembourg with Strasbourg, Colmar & Mulhouse, a few direct, some with a change or two.
There's a comfortable TGV Duplex at 07:13 & 11:15, and many other departures using TER regional trains.
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Check train times and buy tickets at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com.
Or book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
Or buy in person at Luxembourg station, either from the staffed office or from one of the two SNCF self-service ticket machines located in the waiting room passageway off the main hall.
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Regional trains (shown as TER or RE) require no reservation and have fixed prices so you can just turn up, buy a ticket at the station and hop on - though buying online saves time at the station.
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TGV high-speed trains (in this case running over classic lines, so little faster than the TERs) require reservation and have dynamic fares, cheaper in advance, more expensive on the day.
Luxembourg to Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp
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Hourly InterCity trains link Luxembourg with Brussels Midi in 3h18, most direct, a few involve a change at Arlon.
Most Luxembourg-Brussels trains are single-deck i11 type as shown below, a few are M6 double-deckers.
There's no catering, so bring your own food & drink.
These trains also call at Brussels Luxembourg station (next to the EU Parliament), Brussels Nord and Brussels Central (3 minutes walk from Brussels' Grand Place) before reaching Brussels Midi. It might suit you better to get off at one of those stations.
Change at Brussels Midi for half-hourly InterCity trains to Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and so on. It only takes a few minutes to change. As tickets are good for any train that day, feel free to stop off in Brussels for a few hours if you like.
Tip: To see if your train will be single or double-deck, run an enquiry at www.belgiantrain.be and click on the train for details. An image of the train type is shown. Or download the SNCB/NMBS app for your phone, run an enquiry and click for train details.
Tip: In the single-deck cars there are two power sockets per car, one at each end of the passenger saloon above a window seat. Savvy laptop users usually nab these seats! There are no power outlets in the double-deck trains.
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The fare is €25.50 one-way in 2nd class or €42 in 1st class.
If you're under 26 or over 65 there's a one-way youth/senior fare for €10, only in 2nd class.
Tickets are valid on any train leaving on the date you specify, not just for the specific train you choose when booking. These prices are fixed, with unlimited availability. So it's the same price even if you buy on the day of travel, no reservation is needed, you sit where you like.
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Buy tickets from Luxembourg to anywhere in Belgium at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee). You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: If you're over 65, you can only buy the senior fare at www.b-europe.com.
A Belgian intercity (IC) train from Luxembourg to Brussels, at platform 1 at Luxembourg station. The yellow stripe above the windows indicates first class. It's a push-pull train with a locomotive at one end, and another driving cab at the other.
Luxembourg to Amsterdam from €35.90
Option 1, Luxembourg-Brussels by Intercity, Brussels-Amsterdam by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) - fastest & most comfortable.
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The fastest & most comfortable way is to take the hourly Intercity (IC) train from Luxembourg to Brussels Midi then a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed train from Brussels Midi to Amsterdam Centraal. Typical journey time 5h38.
On the IC train between Luxembourg & Brussels there's no catering so bring your own food & drink, but it's a nice run with some pretty scenery.
The Brussels-Amsterdam Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains have 3 classes, a refreshment trolley, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. They reach 300 km/h (186 mph) on the Brussels-Amsterdam high-speed line. Suggested hotels in Amsterdam.
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Fares start at around €54 in 2nd class, €94 in 1st class if you book well in advance.
On the day it can cost around €115 2nd class, €180 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the Belgian Railways international website www.b-europe.com.
Click Advanced search, then Advanced search options and enter Brussels Midi in the VIA box, this eliminates the route via Maastricht.
Look in the search results for a journey marked IC, Eurocity Direct, ideally with 1 change.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
You can also book at www.nsinternational.com.
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On the Luxembourg-Brussels sector, tickets can be used on any Intercity train that day, not just the one you chose when booking. You sit where you like, there are no seat reservations (but it's tied to the route you bought it for, either via Arlon or via Liege).
On the Brussels-Amsterdam sector, tickets are only good for the specific Eurostar you booked, with a reserved seat always included. The cheapest fares mean no changes, no refunds.
Option 2, Luxembourg-Brussels by Intercity, Brussels-Amsterdam by Eurocity Direct - more frequent, cheaper, only slightly slower
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Almost as fast with a departure every hour, take the hourly Intercity (IC) train from Luxembourg to Brussels Midi, then the hourly Eurocity Direct (ECD) from Brussels Midi to Amsterdam Zuid. Typical journey time 5h45.
IC & ECD trains have no catering so bring your own food & drink. There are no seat reservations, you sit where you like. The ECD trains run at up to 200 km/h (125 mph) on the Brussels-Amsterdam high-speed line.
A downside of this route is that you end up at Amsterdam Zuid in the financial district on the A10 ring road. You either have to take the metro from Amsterdam Zuid to Amsterdam Centraal (or another downtown metro station) or you can change at Schiphol to reach Amsterdam Centraal.
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Buy tickets at the Belgian Railways international website www.b-europe.com.
Click Advanced search, then Advanced search options and enter Brussels Midi in the VIA box, this eliminates the route via Maastricht.
Look through the search results for a journey marked IC, Eurocity Direct, ideally with 1 change.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
You can also book at www.nsinternational.com.
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Full-flex standard fare €99.20 in 2nd class, €153.80 in 1st class, any date, any day, any train.
It's a fixed price which doesn't change, tickets are good for any train that day, tickets can be bought at the station on the day for that price, no prior reservation is necessary or possible, tickets cannot sell out. Just turn up and hop on and sit anywhere you like. Easy and flexible.
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Advance-purchase fares: Saver fares start at €50.50 in 2nd class or €90 in 1st class.
Advance-purchase saver fares can be used on any Luxembourg-Brussels Intercity train that day on the route chosen (either via Arlon or via Liege), but are only good for the specific Eurocity Direct departure you choose between Brussels & Amsterdam.
Step 2, Brussels to Amsterdam Zuid by EuroCity Direct, operated by these smart ICNG (InterCity New Generation) trains.
Option 3, Luxembourg to Amsterdam via Maastricht - slower, but cheapest & most flexible
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The cheapest and most flexible option is to travel from Luxembourg to Liège by Intercity (IC) train, Liège to Maastricht by regional (RE) train, then Maastricht to Amsterdam Centraal by IC train, all on one ticket, 6h09 with 2 changes.
These trains are comfortable enough, but there's no catering so bring your own food & drink. There are no seat reservations, you sit where you like. There's some pretty scenery between Luxembourg & Liège, snaking through the hills of Luxembourg and Belgium.
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The fare is €49.60 in 2nd class, €84.60 in 1st class.
This is the regular fixed price, good for any train that day via this route. You can buy tickets on the day for this price, no reservation necessary or possible, tickets cannot sell out. Just turn up, buy a ticket at this price, hop on and sit anywhere you like. Easy & flexible. There are no advance-purchase fares on this route.
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Buy tickets at www.nsinternational.com.
Look carefully at the search results for various different options marked IC, RE, IC.
You print your own ticket.
You can also book at www.b-europe.com.
Click Advanced search, then Advanced search options and enter Maastricht in the VIA box.
Above right, the hourly Intercity train from Luxembourg to Liège, at Luxembourg station. Above left, 2nd class. 1st class on these Belgian Desiro trains is underwhelming, so similar to 2nd class it's not worth the extra. Take your own food & drink, and as there are no power outlets on these trains, take a powerbank!
The train meanders through the pretty hills of Luxembourg, seen on a wintry November day.
Luxembourg to Rotterdam, Utrecht & other cities in the Netherlands
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There are regular InterCity trains from Luxembourg to the Netherlands with either one change of train at Brussels or two, at Liège & Maastricht. If you use these IC trains, no reservation is necessary, you can buy on the day (although worth checking if an advance-purchase fare is available by booking in advance).
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However, it's faster to take the hourly InterCity to Brussels then a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed train to Rotterdam & Amsterdam. Reservation is required for Eurostars and there are cheaper fares if you pre-book, much more expensive fares on the day.
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You can check times and prices & buy tickets online at www.nsinternational.com or www.thetrainline.com.
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You can buy tickets to any Dutch station this way: Rotterdam, Utrecht, Arnhem, Groningen, Den Haag...
Luxembourg to Basel, Zurich & Switzerland from €37.99
Option 1, Luxembourg to Switzerland via Metz, Strasbourg & Basel - the fastest & most direct route
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There are a couple of good departures per day that take only 3h16, leaving Luxembourg at 07:13 or 11:15.
You travel from Luxembourg to Mulhouse by TGV Duplex, then Mulhouse to Basel SBB by 200 km/h TER regional train.
The TGV Duplex have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. There's no catering on TER trains.
There are departures through the day by TER regional trains with changes at Metz & Strasbourg taking around 4 hours.
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Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com (in €, £ or $, small booking fee).
This can book from Luxembourg to anywhere in Switzerland, but it needs you help: Click More options and enter Mulhouse (if taking the 07:13 or 11:15) or Strasbourg (if taking another departure) as a via station with a duration of 30 minutes. Then run the enquiry. Other sites don't have this feature, and fail.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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You can also buy tickets at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).
But it won't book all in one go. First you need to find train times by running a Luxembourg to Basel enquiry. It will say non-reservable, so just note down the trains you want. Then split the booking: Book Luxembourg to Mulhouse or Strasbourg first, then book Mulhouse or Strasbourg to Basel.
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Buy onward tickets from Basel to anywhere in Switzerland at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
If you buy a full-price ticket (or Saver Day Pass) it's good for any onward train to your destination, so even a 10 minute connection is fine, if you miss it you can take the next one. However, if you buy a cheap advance-purchase Supersaver fare it's only good for the specific train you book, so in this case I'd allow maybe 40 minutes between trains in Basel in case of delay.
Tip: You can book from Luxembourg through to some Swiss destinations at www.sncf-connect.com, by all means see what it offers you, but it can be cheaper to buy the onward ticket separately because SNCF cannot access SBB's Saver Day Pass or Supersaver fares.
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The Man in Seat 61 says: Fastest isn't always best, check out option 3 before deciding!
Option 2, Luxembourg to Switzerland via Germany - slower but cheaper, easier to book and with through tickets
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This is a longer way round, but much easier to book & usually cheaper than option 1 as DB (German Railways) offers advance-purchase through fares between Luxembourg and almost any station in Switzerland.
There are almost hourly departures from Luxembourg with changes at Trier & Mannheim, journey time Luxembourg to Basel 6h14.
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Fares start at €37.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from Luxembourg to Basel, Zurich or almost any station in Switzerland.
Tip: Before running the enquiry, click Stopovers and enter Trier Hbf. Leave length of stay zero, unless you want a longer interchange time. This forces the journey planner to find journeys via this route.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 3, Luxembourg to Switzerland via the Rhine Valley - the scenic route!
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This the same as option 2 in ticketing terms, with cheap fares and through tickets, but routed through Koblenz and along the scenic Rhine Valley past river boats, vineyards, castles and the legendary Lorelei Rock, see the Rails Down the Rhine page. It's a nice route if you're not in a mad rush.
There are departures from Luxembourg every 2 hours with changes at Koblenz & Mannheim, journey time Luxembourg to Basel 7h15.
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Fares start at €37.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from Luxembourg to almost any station in Switzerland.
Before running the enquiry, click Stopovers. Enter Koblenz Hbf as as stopover, leaving length of stay 00:00.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Luxembourg to Koblenz by double-deck regional train, seen here at Luxembourg station.
Scenery along the Moselle between Luxembourg & Koblenz in the morning sun, the mists still clearing. For the best river views, sit on the right hand side of the train going east from Luxembourg, left hand side going west from Koblenz.
Pfalzgrafenstein castle on the Rhine, photographed from a train, see the Rails Down the Rhine page.
Option 4, Luxembourg to Geneva via Lyon - longer, but the simplest option for Geneva, Lausanne & Montreux
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07:15 departure:
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Step 1, travel from Luxembourg to Lyon by direct TGV, leaving Luxembourg at 07:13 arriving Lyon Part Dieu 12:59.
The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares from €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets for this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 2, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:38, arriving Geneva 16:35.
This is a scenic ride along the river Rhône, there's no catering so bring your own food & drink.
The fare is €33.40 in 2nd class or €50.80 in 1st class, fixed-price, unlimited availability.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 3, book onward trains to Lausanne, Montreux at either www.thetrainline.com or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch. You print your own ticket.
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11:15 departure:
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Step 1, travel from Luxembourg to Lyon by direct TGV, leaving Luxembourg at 11:15 arriving Lyon Part Dieu 17:03.
The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares from €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets for this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 2, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 17:38, arriving Geneva 19:35.
This is a scenic ride along the river Rhône, there's no catering so bring your own food & drink.
The fare is €33.40 in 2nd class or €50.80 in 1st class, fixed-price, unlimited availability.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 3, book onward Swiss trains to Lausanne or Montreux at www.thetrainline.com or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Luxembourg to Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples & Italy
Option 1, Luxembourg to Italy in a day
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Step 1, travel from Luxembourg to Paris by TGV, leaving Luxembourg at 10:08, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 12:21.
The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Exact times may vary.
In Paris, transfer by metro or taxi to the Gare de Lyon.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to Italy by Frecciarossa, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 15:25, arriving Turin Porta Susa 21:20 & Milan Centrale 22:07.
The Frecciarossa has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
It's a scenic journey through the Alps, see the Paris-Milan page showing train & scenery.
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Stay overnight in Turin or Milan.
Both cities make a great stopover, but Turin is lovely.
In Turin I suggest the Hotel Torino Porta Susa or Hotel Diplomatic or small Al Porta Susa B&B, all right next to Turin Porta Susa station where the Frecciarossa arrives and where your onward train leaves next morning, with good or great reviews. Alternatively, the excellent Turin Palace Hotel is in the centre right next to Porta Nuova station. It's a 7 minute taxi ride, 3-stop €1.50 metro ride or 20 minute walk from Porta Susa, but next morning you can board your train to Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples at Porta Nuova station where these trains start their journey.
In Milan, affordable hotels & guesthouses with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol, Hotel Bernina, 43 Station Hotel, B&B Hotel Milano Central Station, Guesthouse Teodora.
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Step 3, take an onward train from Turin or Milan to Venice, Florence, Rome or Napes, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Milan to Venice only takes 2h35, Milan to Florence 1h40, Milan to Rome 2h55.
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How much does it cost?
Luxembourg to Paris start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.
Paris to Turin or Milan start at €35 in 2nd class (standard), €49 in 1st class (business) or €165 in executive class.
Turin or Milan to Venice or Florence starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.
Turin or Milan to Rome or Naples starts at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Buy at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com as you can then buy all your tickets together in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or £, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee. Booking for each of these trains normally opens 4 months ahead.
First book from Luxembourg to Paris & add to basket. Then book Paris to Turin or Milan & add to basket.
Make sure you allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris, ideally more.
Then book from Turin or Milan to your Italian destination for the following day, add to basket and check out.
You can also book Luxembourg to Paris at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com, a bit more fiddly but no booking fee, then the onward Italian Frecciarossa from Paris to Turin or Milan at www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, their €3.50 booking fee will be refunded if you email them afterwards at seat61@italiarail.com) or Italian Railways own website www.trenitalia.com (requires Italian language place names, a bit more fiddly see this advice on using it).
Option 2, Luxembourg to Copenhagen with an overnight stop in Hamburg
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Hamburg leaving Luxembourg at 12:33, change at Koblenz & Cologne Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 21:32.
Luxembourg to Koblenz is by double-deck regional train, a scenic run along the Moselle valley. Koblenz to Cologne and Cologne to Hamburg are on ICE trains with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
By all means leave earlier and spend a pleasant evening in Hamburg, trains leave every hour or so. Check times at int.bahn.de, but I'd change Transfer time to 20 minutes.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg.
The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:53, arriving Copenhagen 13:38.
Or take a later train, see the timetable here. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
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How much does it cost?
Fares start at €37.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 11 hours. Adjust the departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Hamburg.
I'd also change Transfer time to 20 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Luxembourg to Stockholm & Sweden
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Hamburg leaving Luxembourg at 12:33, change at Koblenz & Cologne Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 21:32.
Luxembourg to Koblenz is by double-deck regional train, a scenic run along the Moselle valley. Koblenz to Cologne and Cologne to Hamburg are on ICE trains with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
By all means leave earlier and spend a pleasant evening in Hamburg, trains leave every hour or so. Check times at int.bahn.de, but I'd change Transfer time to 20 minutes.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg.
The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:53, arriving Copenhagen 13:38.
The EuroCity train has power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. More about this journey.
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Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Sweden:
For Malmö, hop on the next Öresund train from Copenhagen to Malmö Central, these leave every 15 minutes taking 40 minutes.
For Gothenburg, hop on the next Öresund train from Copenhagen to Göteborg Central, these leave every hour taking 3h35.
For Stockholm, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000, leaving Copenhagen at 14:19, arriving Stockholm Central 19:37.
SJ's X2000 trains have a bistro, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. They use the impressive Öresund fixed link from Sweden to Denmark,
Update 2026: Unfortunately, SJ is short of X2000s and until further notice you'll need to change at Malmö:
Leave Copenhagen 14:44, change at Malmö Central, arriving Stockholm Central 21:35.
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How much does it cost?
Luxembourg to Copenhagen starts at €49.99 in 2nd class or €79.99 in 1st class.
Copenhagen to Stockholm starts at 280 SEK (€28).
There are through fares from Luxembourg to Malmö & Gothenburg from €56.99 in 2nd class, €79.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
If you're going to Malmö or Gothenburg, book from Luxembourg to Malmö Central or Göteborg Central with German Railways at int.bahn.de.
If you're going to Stockholm, first book from Luxembourg to Copenhagen using int.bahn.de.
To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 10 hours. Adjust departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Hamburg. A little trial & error may be needed!
You can keep it simple and book Luxembourg to Hamburg and Hamburg to Copenhagen, Malmö or Gothenburg separately, but this costs a little more than buying a through ticket with a stopover.
In all cases I'd also change Transfer time from normal to 20 minutes or more.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
Then book from Copenhagen to Stockholm using www.sj.se (in SEK) or using Omio.com (in SEK, €, £ or $, small booking fee).
Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2026. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats, but no catering so bring your own food & drink. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Luxembourg to Oslo & Norway
Option 1, Luxembourg to Oslo via Hamburg & Copenhagen - by train all the way
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Copenhagen in a single day as shown in the Luxembourg to Copenhagen section.
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Stay overnight in Copenhagen
The friendly Astoria Hotel is a 1930s design classic right outside Copenhagen station main entrance, see photos & information here. Other hotels near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Boutique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).
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Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Oslo, leaving Copenhagen at 07:30, change at Gothenburg Central, arriving Oslo Sentral 15:47.
Earlier & later departures are available, see the Copenhagen-Oslo timetable & how to buy tickets.
Alternatively, spend the day in Copenhagen and take the overnight ferry to Oslo with a comfortable private cabin with shower & toilet, sailing from Copenhagen at 16:30 (15:00 some days) arriving Oslo at 10:00 on day 3, as shown here. This is remarkably affordable, and saves a hotel bill. Book the ferry at www.gonordiccruiseline.com or using the Direct Ferries website.
Option 2, Luxembourg to Oslo using the Kiel to Oslo cruise ferry - the luxury option
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Kiel on any departure you like, for example leaving Luxembourg at 12:33, change at Koblenz, Cologne Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Kiel Hbf 22:34. It's not possible to reach Kiel in time to check in for that same day's sailing.
Fares start at €24.99 in 2nd class or €56.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
I'd change Transfer time to 20 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Kiel.
The InterCity Hotel Kiel gets good reviews, is relatively inexpensive and is right next to the station and a few minutes walk from the ferry. The B&B Hotel Kiel City is also next to the station with good reviews, and is even cheaper. For something upmarket, the Atlantic Hotel Kiel gets great reviews and is in Bahnhofsplatz in front of the station.
In Kiel, it's a 7 minute 450m walk from Kiel Hbf to the Color Line ferry terminal.
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Day 2, sail from Kiel to Oslo by luxurious overnight Color Line ferry, with a full range of cosy cabins, suites, bars, restaurants and lounges. The m/v Magic or m/v Fantasy normally sails at 14:00 arriving Oslo at 10:00 next morning (Day 3 from Luxembourg).
Check times & buy tickets using the Direct Ferries website or at www.colorline.com.
Money-saving tip: It's considerably cheaper to book on Color Line's Norwegian website www.colorline.no in Norwegian Krone, for example a €274 fare becomes the equivalent of €164. You'll need to use Google to translate the Norwegian. You are still able to enter a UK or other European address and contact details. Feedback appreciated.
Make sure you're on deck next morning as the ship sails through spectacular scenery up Oslo Fjord. The ship docks at the modern Color Line terminal about 2 km from the city centre. Color Line provide transfer buses to Oslo Sentral station costing 55 krone, or there are plenty of taxis. If you have little luggage it's possible to walk. See map of Oslo showing ferry terminal.
Sail from Kiel to Oslo with Color Line. It's just a 6 minute walk across from Kiel Hbf to the Color Line terminal. There's a lift up to a connecting walkway which takes you to the ferry terminal. If you've booked one of Color Line's 5 star suites, check in at the desk rather than the machines to be directed to a VIP lounge with free tea, coffee, juice, snacks & WiFi. You'll have priority boarding & free access to the on-board spa. Photos courtesy of Philip Dyer-Perry except where shown.
Above left, cabin with TV, shower & toilet, luxury suites are also available. Above right, restaurant with a view.
Restaurant and lounge on the Kiel-Oslo ferry.
Wake up to lovely scenery sailing up Oslo Fjord.
The Color Line ferry, arrived at Oslo. Above right, there's a transfer bus to Oslo Sentral, photo courtesy of Andrew Leo.
Luxembourg to Helsinki & Finland
Option 1, Luxembourg to Helsinki using a Finnlines ferry from Germany - the easiest option
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Hamburg, leaving Luxembourg at 08:33, change at Koblenz & Cologne Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 17:32.
You travel from Luxembourg to Koblenz by double-deck regional train along the scenic Moselle valley (sit upstairs on the right hand side for the river views), Koblenz to Cologne on another regional train and Cologne to Hamburg by ICE with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €27.99 in 2nd class or €56.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
Tip: You can book from Luxembourg to Skandinavienkai Terminal, Lübeck as one transaction as this gets you a through ticket to the ferry terminal covering the train to Hamburg, the regional train to Lübeck and the bus to the Skandinavienkai Terminal. If you'd like time for dinner in Lübeck (see suggested restaurant here), click Stopovers and enter Lübeck Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 2 hours.
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Day 1, transfer from Hamburg Hbf to the Travemünde ferry terminal by local train+bus and sail from Travemünde to Helsinki with Finnlines.
Finnlines sail from Travemünde in northern Germany to Helsinki every day, boarding at 23:30, sailing at 02:45 (the exact time varies) and arriving at Helsinki's Hansa Terminal in Vuosaari at 09:15 2 nights later (Day 3 from Frankfurt). See the Trains from Hamburg page for details.
Check sailing dates, times & book the ferry at www.finnlines.com or using the Direct Ferries website.
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Book onward trains within Finland at the Finnish Railways website www.vr.fi.
Option 2, Luxembourg to Helsinki by train to Stockholm, then ferry
Luxembourg to Prague from €37.99
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You can do this journey in a single day, or split it up with an overnight stop in Germany. For example:
Leave Luxembourg 07:33, change at Koblenz, Frankfurt & Dresden, arriving Prague Hlavni 21:25.
You travel along the scenic Moselle valley on a swish double-deck regional train (sit upstairs on the right hand side for the best river views), then on ICE trains to Dresden with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats. You then travel from Dresden to Prague by ComfortJet train also with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats. Suggested hotels in Prague.
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Fares start at €37.99 in 2nd class or €56.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: I recommend clicking Stopovers and changing Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes. This ensures robust connections.
Tip: To eliminate buses from the search results, click Stopovers and add Igel as stopover 1.
Tip: If you want an overnight stop, perhaps in Berlin, click Stopovers and enter Berlin Hbf as stopover 2 with a suitable length of stay, say 12 hours.
Luxembourg to Bratislava, Budapest, Bucharest, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Sofia
Option 1, using the Koblenz-Vienna sleeper
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Step 1, travel from Luxembourg to Koblenz by regional train, leaving Luxembourg at 19:33, arriving Koblenz Hbf 21:56.
Or take the earlier 17:33 or 18:33 and have dinner in Koblenz, try the restaurant Koenigsbachertreff which is just 50m from the station, see koenigsbachertreff.cafelists.com.
The train ride from Luxembourg to Koblenz is very scenic, at least in summer when it's light, the line runs along the Moselle valley past river boats and vineyards. For the best river views, sit on the right hand side when going east from Luxembourg.
The fare is €34.50 in 2nd class or €58.20 in 1st class, fixed price, always available.
Tip: Alternatively, you could take the 17:33 from Luxembourg to Cologne Hbf (changing at Koblenz) with advance-purchase fares from €27.99. Then you can board the sleeper earlier, it leaves Cologne Hbf at 22:01.
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Step 2, travel from Koblenz to Salzburg or Vienna by Nightjet, leaving Koblenz at 23:26 (23:01 some dates) on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays, arriving Salzburg Hbf 07:26 or Vienna Hbf 10:13.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has two air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-cars each with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has two couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes. See the guide to Nightjet accommodation.
Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 3, take an onward train:
For Bratislava, take the nightjet to Vienna, then take a regional express train from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna, these leave every hour taking 56 minutes, fare €12.30, you can buy this at the station on the day or at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.
For Budapest, take the nightjet to Vienna, then take the 11:40 railjet from Vienna Hbf to Budapest Keleti arriving 14:19. Buy a Vienna-Budapest ticket from €19.90 2nd class or €29.90 1st class at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.
For Ljubljana or Zagreb, take the nightjet to Salzburg, then leave Salzburg Hbf at 12:07 by EuroCity train arriving Ljubljana 16:40 & Zagreb 19:21. Buy a ticket from Salzburg to Ljubljana or Zagreb from €39.99 at int.bahn.de. Change at Zagreb for Split & Dubrovnik, see details here.
For Bucharest & Romania, first travel to Budapest as shown above, then take the sleeper train Ister to Brasov & Bucharest as shown here.
For Sofia, travel to Bucharest and stay overnight. Then take the daytime train to Sofia as shown here.
Option 2, Luxembourg to Budapest, Ljubljana, Zagreb by sleeper from Stuttgart
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Step 1, travel from Luxembourg to Stuttgart, leaving Luxembourg 12:33, change Koblenz, arriving Stuttgart Hbf 18:23.
Buy a ticket from €21.99 at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To ensure robust connections, change Transfer time from normal to 20 minutes.
To eliminate buses, click Stopovers and enter Igel with length of stay left as 00:00, the trains all call here, the buses don't.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: In Stuttgart, the bar at the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin Hotel across the road makes a good VIP waiting lounge, or try the nearby Biergarten im Schlossgarten, see the advice here.
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Step 2, travel from Stuttgart to Budapest or Ljubljana & Zagreb, leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 20:29, arriving Budapest Keleti 09:19, Ljubljana 07:50, Zagreb 10:31.
Both sleeper trains have a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and couchettes with 4 & 6 berth compartments.
See the Stuttgart-Budapest sleeper page for more about the sleeper to Budapest.
Book the sleeper at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Munich
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Step 1, travel from Luxembourg to Munich, for example leaving Luxembourg 11:33, change at Koblenz & Frankfurt (Main) Flughafen, arriving Munich Hbf 19:41. But by all means travel earlier or later.
Buy a ticket from €37.99 at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To ensure robust connections, change Transfer time from normal to 20 minutes.
To eliminate buses, click Stopovers and enter Igel with length of stay left as 00:00, the trains all call here, the buses don't.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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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. I've stayed at both myself, the former is a cosy traditional hotel, the latter has a more modern corporate style. Or try the 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.
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Day 2, travel from Munich Hbf to Bratislava, Budapest, Ljubljana or Zagreb as shown on the Trains from Munich page.
Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Vienna
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Vienna in a day as shown in the Luxembourg-Vienna section.
Buy a ticket from €37.99 at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Vienna.
Hotels near the station with good reviews include the Motel One Vienna Hbf (a good inexpensive choice which I've used myself, a 2 minute 180m walk from Vienna Hbf's south exit), the GraetzlHotel or Hotel Schani Wien.
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Day 2, travel from Vienna to Bratislava, Budapest, Ljubljana or Zagreb as shown on the Trains from Vienna page.
Luxembourg to Sarajevo & Mostar
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Step 1, travel from Luxembourg to Zagreb as shown above.
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If you use the Stuttgart-Zagreb sleeper, you arrive in Zagreb in the morning and can travel on to Sarajevo the same day.
Otherwise, stay overnight in Zagreb. I suggest the historic Esplanade Hotel, Palace Hotel or Central Hotel, all near the station with good reviews.
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Step 2, travel from Zagreb to Sarajevo by bus, see the Zagreb-Sarajevo section.
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For onward trains to Mostar, see the Sarajevo to Mostar page.
Luxembourg to Belgrade & Montenegro
Option 1, Luxembourg to Belgrade via Budapest
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Stuttgart, leaving Luxembourg 12:33, change Koblenz, arriving Stuttgart Hbf 18:23.
Buy a ticket from €21.99 at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To ensure robust connections, change Transfer time from normal to 20 minutes.
To eliminate buses, click Stopovers and enter Igel with length of stay left as 00:00, the trains all call here, the buses don't.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: In Stuttgart, the bar at the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin Hotel across the road makes a good VIP waiting lounge, or try the nearby Biergarten im Schlossgarten, see the advice here.
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Day 1, travel from Stuttgart to Budapest by sleeper, leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 20:29, arriving Budapest Keleti 09:19.
The sleeper train Kalman Imre has a comfortable Hungarian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and a Hungarian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments.
Book the sleeper at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Transfer from Keleti to Nyugati station by metro, tram or taxi as shown here.
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Day 2, travel from Budapest to Belgrade, leaving Budapest Nyugati at 11:45, changing at Szeged & Subotica, arriving Belgrade Centar 18:38.
You take a Hungarian Intercity train from Budapest to Szeged, a local train across the border to Subotica and a 200 km/h SOKO train to Belgrade, for details see the Budapest to Belgrade page.
Fares start at €26, see more about fares.
Option 2, Luxembourg to Belgrade via Zagreb - currently involves a bus
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Stuttgart, leaving Luxembourg 12:33, change Koblenz, arriving Stuttgart Hbf 18:23.
Buy a ticket from €21.99 at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To ensure robust connections, change Transfer time from normal to 20 minutes.
To eliminate buses, click Stopovers and enter Igel with length of stay left as 00:00, the trains all call here, the buses don't.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: In Stuttgart, the bar at the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin Hotel across the road makes a good VIP waiting lounge, or try the nearby Biergarten im Schlossgarten, see the advice here.
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Day 1, travel from Stuttgart to Zagreb by sleeper, leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 20:29, arriving Zagreb 10:31.
The train has a comfortable Croatian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and a Croatian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments.
Book the sleeper at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Day 2, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade by train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04, arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar 18:12.
This train was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended in 2024.
This train has air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats, but no 1st class. There's no dining-car, so bring a picnic and some beer or wine.
The fare is around €29 bought at the station in Zagreb or paid on board the train, tickets cannot be bought online.
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.
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If you're going to Montenegro:
A daytime and overnight train link Belgrade Centar station with Podgorica and Bar over one of the most scenic lines in Europe, fare around €22 paid at the station on the day. For train times, fares & photos see the Belgrade to Montenegro page. Change at Podgorica for a bus to Budva or Kotor.
Luxembourg to Sofia
Option 1, Luxembourg to Sofia via Bucharest
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Vienna on the first departure of the day, as shown above.
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Day 1, travel from Vienna to Bucharest on the Dacia, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:08, arriving Bucharest Nord 13:38.
The Dacia has an air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car of the latest type with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, plus several 1 or 2 bed compartments with shower & toilet. It has a Romanian couchette car with 4-berth & 6-berth compartments, and 2nd class seats.
There's no catering so bring a picnic & bottle of wine. There's wonderful Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest, a treat!
Fares start at €59 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a couchette in a 4-berth compartment, €79 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper, €99 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper or €159 with a bed in a single-berth sleeper all to yourself. All per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
Booking opens up to 90 days ahead. In the search results, look for the direct train marked D with no changes. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
You can also book this train at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro.
Click EN top right for English. Booking opens up to 90 days ahead. For Vienna type Wien, for Bucharest type Bucuresti. It can book seats, couchettes or sleepers. For Austria to Romania journeys you now print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. Tip: Prices might be cheaper than on oebb.at, so check both sites!
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Day 2, stay overnight in Bucharest.
The Hotel MyContinental Bucuresti Gara de Nord, Hello Hotels Gara de Nord & Euro Hotel Grivita are all just a 350m 5 minute walk from the station, inexpensive with good reviews. I personally didn't get on with the Grivita in spite of its good reviews, perhaps try Hello Hotels Gara de Nord. The Ibis Styles Bucharest Center is an 18-minute hike from the station (see walking map), but would be a reliable choice.
However, if you want a landmark hotel in the city centre, go for the Athenee Palace Hotel, see why I love that hotel here.
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Day 3, travel from Bucharest to Sofia by daytime train as shown in the Bucharest-Sofia section of the Trains from Bucharest page.
You leave Bucharest Nord at 10:11 and arrive Sofia Central at 20:35 after a pleasant day meandering across the Danube and through the river valleys of Bulgaria. In summer it's direct, in winter you have to switch trains at Ruse. There's no catering car, so bring your own food & drink.
The fare is €36.
Book this at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro/en. You print your own ticket.
Option 2, Luxembourg to Sofia via Belgrade
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Not currently viable while Zagreb-Belgrade, Budapest-Belgrade and Belgrade-Sofia trains remain suspended.
Luxembourg to Warsaw & Krakow from €49.99
Option 1, Luxembourg to Warsaw or Krakow in a day
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Leave Luxembourg at 06:10, change at Cologne Hbf and Berlin Hbf, arriving Warsaw Centralna 21:00.
Leave Luxembourg at 06:10, change at Cologne Hbf and Berlin Hbf, arriving Krakow Glowny 23:43.
Luxembourg to Cologne is by Luxembourg Railways double-deck air-conditioned regional train, a scenic ride along the Moselle valley. Cologne to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Berlin to Warsaw or Krakow is by air-conditioned Polish EuroCity train with restaurant car.
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Fares start at €49.99 in 2nd class or €79.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To ensure robust connections, change Transfer time from normal to 20 minutes.
To eliminate buses, click Stopovers and enter Igel with length of stay left as 00:00, the trains all call here, the buses don't.
Booking opens 6 months ahead, I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, Luxembourg to Warsaw or Krakow with an overnight stop in Berlin - breaks up the journey
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Step 1, travel from Luxembourg to Berlin Hbf by regional train then ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. You can leave Luxembourg as late as 14:33, but I'd choose an earlier train for a pleasant evening in Berlin.
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Stay overnight in Berlin.
Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station. If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com. Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.
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Step 2, travel from Berlin to Warsaw or Krakow by comfortable EuroCity train with restaurant car:
A EuroCity train leaves Berlin Hbf at 05:51 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Warsaw Centralna 11:00.
A EuroCity train leaves Berlin Hbf at 07:49 every day, arriving Warsaw Centralna 13:00.
A EuroCity train leaves Berlin Hbf at 09:52 every day arriving Warsaw Centralna 15:00.
A EuroCity train leaves Berlin Hbf at 08:52 every day, arriving Wroclaw 12:54, Katowice 15:09 & Krakow Glowny 16:05.
Later trains are available, see the Berlin-Warsaw timetable here or the Berlin-Krakow timetable here.
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Fares from Luxembourg to Warsaw or Krakow start at €49.99 in 2nd class or €79.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To ensure robust connections, change Transfer time from normal to 20 minutes.
To eliminate buses, click Stopovers and enter Igel as stopover 1 with length of stay left as 00:00, the trains all call here, the buses don't.
To get the overnight stop in Berlin, enter Berlin Hbf as stopover 2 with length of stay, say, 13 hours. Adjust departure time from Luxembourg and length of stay in Berlin to get the trains you want either side of Berlin. A little trial & error may be needed!
Booking opens 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Luxembourg to Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn
Option 1, Luxembourg to Vilnius with overnight stop in Warsaw
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Warsaw as shown in the Luxembourg to Warsaw section.
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Stay overnight in Warsaw.
The Polonia Palace Hotel is excellent, historic, relatively inexpensive for such a good hotel, and it's just across the road from the station. For something much cheaper, but still with great reviews and near the station, try the Hotel Metropol next door to the Polonia Palace or the nearby Novotel Warsaw Centrum. Also see the Warsaw Centralna station & city information.
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Day 2, travel from Warsaw to Vilnius by train, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 08:57, change at Mockava, arriving Vilnius 17:25.
This is an excellent integrated train service with an easy cross-platform change at Mockava. A comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car runs from Warsaw to Mockava, connecting with a modern air-conditioned Lithuanian train from Mockava to Vilnius.
Fares start at €15.90, standard price is €29.
For details & how to buy tickets, see the Warsaw to Vilnius page.
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Stay overnight in Vilnius.
Try the inexpensive Stay Vilnius hotel, a 6-minute walk from the station, or the quirky and comfortable Grotthuss Boutique Hotel, a 11-minute walk from the station towards the old town, both with excellent reviews. At the upmarket end, the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel gets great reviews and is just a 13 minute walk from the station.
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Day 3, travel from Vilnius to Riga (Latvia) or Tallinn (Estonia) by train as shown on the Vilnius-Riga-Tallinn page.
Option 2, Luxembourg to Vilnius with overnight stop in Berlin
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Berlin Hbf by regional train then ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. You can leave Luxembourg as late as 14:33, but I'd choose an earlier train for a pleasant evening in Berlin.
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Stay overnight in Berlin.
Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station. If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com. Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.
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Day 2, travel from Berlin to Warsaw by EuroCity train, leaving Berlin Hbf at 07:49, arriving Warsaw Centralna 13:00.
The EuroCity train is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car, treat yourself to a cooked Polish breakfast.
Have lunch in Warsaw.
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Day 2, travel from Warsaw to Vilnius by train, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 14:57, change at Mockava, arriving Vilnius 23:25.
This is an excellent integrated train service with an easy cross-platform change at Mockava. A comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car runs from Warsaw to Mockava, connecting with a modern air-conditioned Lithuanian train from Mockava to Vilnius.
For details, see the Warsaw to Vilnius page.
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Stay overnight in Vilnius.
Try the inexpensive Stay Vilnius hotel, a 6-minute walk from the station, or the quirky Grotthuss Boutique Hotel, a 11-minute walk from the station towards the old town, both with excellent reviews. At the upmarket end, the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel gets great reviews and is just a 13 minute walk from the station.
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Day 3, travel from Vilnius to Riga (Latvia) & Tallinn (Estonia) by train, see the Vilnius-Riga-Tallinn page.
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How much does it cost?
Brussels to Warsaw starts at €46.99 in 2nd class or €79.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Warsaw to Vilnius starts at €15.90, standard price €29.
For fares from Vilnius to Riga & Tallinn, see the Vilnius-Riga-Tallinn page.
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How to buy tickets
Step 1, book from Brussels to Warsaw at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To get the overnight stop in Berlin, click Stopovers, enter Berlin Hbf and a suitable length of stay, say 10 hours. Adjust the length of stay and departure time to get the trains you want either side of Berlin. A little trial & error may be needed!
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & re-print tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Step 2, book from Warsaw to Vilnius as shown on the Warsaw to Vilnius page.
Step 3, book from Vilnius to Riga or Tallinn as shown on the Vilnius-Riga-Tallinn page.
Above, the Warsaw to Vilnius train service involves a simple cross-platform change at Mockava from a Polish train to a Lithuanian one.
Luxembourg to Kyiv & Moscow
Option 1, via Vienna - easy to book, but often sells out.
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Cologne and on to Vienna by sleeper as shown above.
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Day 2, travel from Vienna to Lviv & Kyiv by direct Ukrainian sleeping-car, as shown here.
You arrive in Kyiv in the late afternoon on day 3.
Option 2, via Vienna & Budapest - easy to book and usually with good availability
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Day 1, travel from Luxembourg to Koblenz and on to Vienna by sleeper, then to Budapest by railjet as shown above.
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Day 2, travel from Budapest to Lviv & Kyiv by sleeper train Transcarpathia, as shown here.
You arrive in Kyiv in the evening of day 3.
Option 3, via Warsaw - harder to book and often sells out.
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Step 1, use the German Railways site int.bahn.de to book from Luxembourg to Berlin by regional train and ICE from €29.99 in 2nd class or €59.99 in 1st class, avoiding any journey shown with 'bus' in the search results.
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Stay overnight in Berlin.
Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station. If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com. Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.
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Step 2, travel from Berlin to Warsaw by comfortable EuroCity train, there's a departure at 05:52 Mondays-Saturdays or at 09:52 every day.
Fares start at €27.99 in 2nd class or €39.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. Booking opens 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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For Kyiv, take the daily Warsaw-Kyiv sleeper train Kyiv Express as explained here.
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For Moscow, take the daily Warsaw-Moscow sleeper train as explained here. Change in Moscow for St Petersburg. This takes you though Belarus, you may prefer to take the sleeper to Kyiv, then a sleeper from Kyiv to Moscow, avoiding Belarus and the need for a Belarus visa.
The Warsaw-Moscow train was suspended due to Covid-19 and it remains suspended due to sanctions & war in Ukraine.
Luxembourg to Athens & Greece
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Step 1, travel from Luxembourg to Paris by TGV, leaving Luxembourg at 10:08, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 12:21.
TGVs have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
In Paris, transfer by metro or taxi from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare de Lyon.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to Athens as shown in detail on the Trains from Paris page.
You take the afternoon TGV from Paris to Milan & stay overnight. Next day you take a morning train to Bari for the overnight ferry to Patras in Greece. A bus+train combo will get you to Athens on Day 3 from Luxembourg.
Luxembourg to Istanbul & Turkey
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Step 1, travel from Luxembourg to Budapest as shown above.
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Step 2, travel from Budapest to Bucharest and on to Istanbul as shown here.
Hotels in Luxembourg
For somewhere near the station with good reviews, try the City Hotel, Hotel Perrin or Park Inn by Radisson.
In the old town, try the Hotel Simoncini or the good old-school Grand Hotel Cravat.
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.
Travel insurance & VPN
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Always take out travel insurance
Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit. 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 with Staysure.co.uk myself. Here are some suggested insurers. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.
www.staysure.co.uk
offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & 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.
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Get an eSIM with mobile data package
Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list. 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.
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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 at time of writing. The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.
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 digging 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.
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Get a VPN for safe browsing. Why you need a VPN
When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure. 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 the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I get a small commission to help support this site.
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Carry an Anker powerbank
Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from buy from Amazon.com.