Milan Centrale is a magnificent landmark in its own right, take the time to have a look around.  Milan Centrale station guide

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      Milan Centrale station guide

      Recommended hotels in Milan

This page explains how to travel by train from Milan to other key European cities, and how to buy tickets the cheapest way. Information current for 2024.

Tip:  For a coffee, beer or meal before your train try the Bistro Centrale on the main concourse.  For a great Italian restaurant 5-10 min walk from the station, I recommend Noblesse Oblige, see map.

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

Which station in Milan?

Milan Centrale is the main station in Milan, an impressive landmark in its own right, and most trains use this.  However, the French TGVs to and from Paris use Porta Garibaldi, as do a handful of mainline Trenitalia trains.  In the text below 'Milan' means Milan Centrale unless it says otherwise.  If you need to transfer between Centrale and Porta Garibaldi, it's an 8-minute €8 taxi ride or a 25 minute walk or a €3 10-minute local train or metro ride.  Milan Centrale station guide.  Milan Porta Garibaldi station guide.  Map of Milan showing stations.

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Milan to Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples & other Italian cities from €19.90

• Most trains in Italy are operated by Trenitalia, the passenger operating part of Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), Italian State Railways.

  Tickets for Trenitalia's high-speed & intercity trains always come with a seat reservation automatically included, so yes, in theory trains can sell out although although there are so many trains & seats it's easy to buy tickets at the station on the day if you like, the real issue is price.

  High-speed & intercity trains have airline-style pricing, so tickets are significantly cheaper booked in advance with a cheap Economy, Super-Economy or Speciale Frecce advance-purchase fare, specified train only, limited or no refunds or changes to travel plans.

  If you buy on the day the Base fare applies, which is flexible and can be changed to another departure up to 60 minutes after the departure of the train you originally booked. 

  Regional trains don't usually require reservations and have one fixed price called Ordinaria which you can pay at the station on the day and just hop on the next train.  There is no need to pre-book regional trains and no advantage in doing so other than saving a few minutes at the station.  More about how tickets for regional trains work.

• How to buy tickets

  1.  www.italiarail.com is easy to use, in €, £, $ & Aus$.  Only sells tickets for Trenitalia, not Italo or for other countries.  Allows seat selection from a seat map.  Italiarail can be cheaper than Trenitalia.com for 2 or more people travelling together as explained here.  They'll refund their €3.50 booking fee for seat61 users you email seat61@italiarail.com after you book.

  2.  www.thetrainline.com is also easy to use, in €, £, $, small booking fee.  Sells tickets for Trenitalia and Italo and can also book trains in other countries.  Allows seat choice from a seat map on Trenitalia high-speed & Intercity trains.  More about Thetrainline.

  3.  www.raileurope.com is easy to use, in €, £ & $, small booking fee.  Sells tickets for Trenitalia and Italo and can also book trains in other countries.  More about Raileurope.

  4.  www.trenitalia.com is Italian Railways' own website, only sells its own tickets, in €, allows seat selection from a seat map on high-speed & intercity trains.  It's fairly easy to use but you need to use Italian-language place names and it has a few quirks, especially when booking sleepers, see this advice on using it.

  All these sites offer ticketless travel for Trenitalia intercity & high-speed trains, you print out your booking or show it on your phone.

  Booking for high-speed trains usually opens 4 months ahead, but this varies, especially when the mid-December timetable change is imminent.

• For more information, including how to reach places such as Sorrento, Pompeii, Capri, Amalfi see the Train travel in Italy page.

• Competing private operator Italo:  Private operator NTV runs its Italo high-speed trains from Florence to Bologna, Milan, Venice Rome, Naples & Salerno in competition with State-owned Trenitalia, see the Italo page for more details.  Check times & fares & book online at www.italotreno.it.  Should you pick Trenitalia or Italo?  This may help you decide!

Milan to Como, Tirano

• Regional trains link Milan Centrale with Varenna, Lecco & Tirano (every 2 hours, see www.trenord.it for times & prices) and with Como San Giovanni on Lake Como, see www.trenitalia.com for times & prices.  No reservation necessary or possible, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on the next one.

Milan to Pompeii, Sorrento, Amalfi

• Take a 300 km/h (186 mph) Frecciarossa to Naples Centrale, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book this at either at www.italiarail.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.trenitalia.com.

  Then take the little electric Circumvesuviana Railway every half hour from Naples Centrale to Ercolano, Pompeii Scavi and Sorrento, with onward buses to Amalfi.  There are also ferries to Capri.

• More information:  How to visit Pompeii.  How to reach Sorrento.  How to reach Capri.  How to reach Amalfi, Positano & Praiano.

Milan to Palermo, Catania, Siracuse & Sicily

Option 1, Milan to Sicily by direct sleeper train - an epic ride in your own private sleeper, direct to Sicily

• An Intercity Notte sleeper train leaves Milan Centrale at 20:10 every night, snuggle down in your own bed and wake up next morning speeding along the scenic Italian coast.  At Villa San Giovanni at the toe of Italy the train is shunted onto a ferry to cross the Straits of Messina.  It's a unique experience, have your camera ready.  In Messina the train splits, one portion goes to Cefalu & Palermo, the other to Catania, Taormina & Siracuse, arriving in the afternoon.

  The train has has a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin and Comfort couchette cars with 4-berth compartments, ideal for families.  The couchettes convert to seats for daytime use, the sleepers convert to a private sitting room with sofa.  There's no restaurant car, so bring your own picnic and bottle of wine or beer. 

• Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com, www.raileurope.com or www.italiarail.com.

  All these sites sell the same tickets, all offer ticketless travel for Italian intercity & high-speed trains, you print your booking reference or show it on your phone.  www.italiarail.com will refund their small booking fee if you email them afterwards at seat61@italiarail.com.

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead, except when the mid-June & mid-December timetable changes are imminent when the booking horizon shrinks to less than this with some trains loaded before others.  More about how to buy Italian train tickets.

• See the Sicily page for timetable, prices, how to buy tickets, photos & tips.

Option 2, Milan to Sicily using a Rome-Sicily sleeper - the most time-effective option

• Catch an early-evening Frecciarossa high-speed train to Rome Termini in as little as 2h55, then take an Intercity Notte sleeper train from Rome Termini to Cefalù, Palermo, Catania, Taormina or Siracuse.  In the morning the sleeper train is shunted onto a ferry to cross the Straits of Messina, a unique experience, have your camera ready.  It arrives in Sicily late morning.  More about trains to Sicily.

• Milan to Rome starts at €29.90, Rome to Sicily starts at €39.90 in a couchette, €79.90 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper or €87.50 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com, www.raileurope.com or www.italiarail.com.

  All these sites sell the same tickets, all offer ticketless travel for Italian intercity & high-speed trains, you print your booking reference or show it on your phone.  www.italiarail.com will refund their small booking fee if you email them afterwards at seat61@italiarail.com.

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead, except when the mid-June & mid-December timetable changes are imminent when the booking horizon shrinks to less than this with some trains loaded before others.  More about how to buy Italian train tickets.

  If you'd like longer in Rome between trains (perhaps plan to have dinner there, or an afternoon wander) book each train separately, it makes no difference to the price.

• See the trains to Sicily page for photos & travel tips

Option 3, Milan to Sicily by daytime train.  Milan to Sicily in a single day, an epic ride

• You can travel from Milan to Palermo, Catania or Siracuse by train in a single day, albeit with an early start and late evening arrival.  You take a Frecciarossa high-speed train from Milan Centrale to Naples Centrale, then the afternoon InterCity train from Naples Centrale to Sicily.  The journey takes you along the coast past cliffs and beaches to the toe of Italy, then the Naples-Palermo/Catania/Siracuse train gets shunted onto a ferry to cross the Straits of Messina, a unique experience, have your camera ready.  There's no catering car on the InterCity train, so bring your own picnic and bottle of wine or beer.  See the trains to Sicily page for photos & travel tips

• Fares start at just €39.80 in 2nd class or €59.80 in 1st class.  Book ahead for Trenitalia's cheap Super-Economy and Economy prices.

• Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com, www.raileurope.com or www.italiarail.com.

  All these sites sell the same tickets, all offer ticketless travel for Italian intercity & high-speed trains, you print your booking reference or show it on your phone.  www.italiarail.com will refund their small booking fee if you email them afterwards at seat61@italiarail.com.

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead, except when the mid-June & mid-December timetable changes are imminent when the booking horizon shrinks to less than this with some trains loaded before others.  More about how to buy Italian train tickets.

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Milan to London from €74

• See the London to Italy page for times, fares, tickets between the UK & Italy - in either direction

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Milan to Dublin & Ireland

Option 1, Milan to Dublin via London & Holyhead - daily departures

• Day 1, travel from Milan to London by high-speed train & Eurostar, see the London-Italy page for times, fares, how to buy tickets.

• Stay overnight in London, see suggested hotels near St Pancras.  It's a 10 minute walk from London St Pancras to London Euston.

• 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, fun and interesting way to go, see an illustrated account of the journey.

Option 2, Milan to Dublin via Paris & Cherbourg - several times a week

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Paris by Frecciarossa or TGV on an afternoon departure, see the timetable on the Milan-Paris page.

  Fares start at €29, for full details see the Milan-Paris page.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the stations.

• Day 2, travel from Paris to Dublin by train & ferry, taking a morning train from Paris St Lazare to Cherbourg & an overnight ferry to Dublin as shown in the Paris to Dublin section, arriving in the morning on Day 3.

  Irish Ferries sails Cherbourg-Dublin several times a week.  Start by booking the ferry at www.irishferries.com and add a train connection using www.thetrainline.com, see the Paris to Dublin section for details.

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Milan to Paris from €29

Option 1, Milan to Paris by Trenitalia Frecciarossa - direct trains, 2 per day

• Every day, 2 Frecciarossa 1000 trains link Milan Centrale & Turin Porta Susa with Paris Gare de Lyon, see the timetable here.

  Update:  The direct Milan-Paris line via Modane was blocked by a landslide in August 2023, and remains blocked in 2024.  Until further notice, all direct Milan-Paris trains are cancelled.  Until this is resolved, please travel Milan to Paris via Switzerland instead, as shown here.

  The Frecciarossa has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a scenic & relaxing run, initially a slow speed meander through the alps on the classic line from Italy into France via Modane, past Chambéry & Lyon, then a final high-speed dash to Paris at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) on the high-speed line.  Bring a good book and a bottle of wine, and make it a relaxing journey with your feet up.

  These trains started running in December 2021, in competition with the French Railways TGVs shown in option 2.

  Which is better, TGV or Frecciarossa?  See a comparison here.

• Fares start at €29 in standard (2nd class), €36 in business (1st class) or €165 in executive (premium 1st).

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in plain English, in €, £ or $, allows seat choice from a seat map, their small booking fee will be refunded if you email them afterwards at seat61@italiarail.com), www.raileurope.com (also easy to use, in plain English, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.thetrainline.com (also easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee).  Booking opens 4 months ahead.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

Option 2, Milan to Paris by French Railways TGV - direct trains, 3 per day

• Every day, 3 French Railways TGV trains link Milan Porta Garibaldi & Turin Porta Susa with Paris Gare de Lyon, see the timetable here.

  Update:  The direct Milan-Paris line via Modane was blocked by a landslide in August 2023, and remains blocked in 2024.  Until further notice, all direct Milan-Paris trains are cancelled.  Until this is resolved, please travel Milan to Paris via Switzerland instead, as shown here.

  The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a scenic & relaxing run, initially a slow speed meander through the alps on the classic line from Italy into France via Modane, past Chambéry & Lyon, then a final high-speed dash to Paris at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) on the high-speed line.  Bring a good book and a bottle of wine, and make it a relaxing journey with your feet up.  See the Paris-Milan video showing the train & scenery.

  Which is better, TGV or Frecciarossa?  See a comparison here.

• Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €44 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com (easy to use, in plain English, in €, £ or $, small booking fee, offers choice of seating options including forward-facing seats) or www.thetrainline.com (also easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee, ability to specify forward-facing seats & other seating options).  Booking opens 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can select a mobile ticket to show on your phone.

  You can also buy at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  You can't buy tickets at the Italian railways website or at Italian stations as since 2011 these trains have been operated entirely by French railways with no Trenitalia involvement.

And these are mountains in Italy between Oulx and Turin.  Courtesy of www.discoverbyrail.com.

Option 3, Milan to Paris via the Bernina Express & Swiss Alps from €76 - much slower, but the ultimate scenic option

This journey is longer and costs a bit more, but it will be a highlight of your whole trip.  If time isn't pressing and you want the ultimate train ride through the Alps, I'd recommend this option! If you need convincing, watch the video!

• Day 1, take the 10:20 regional train from Milan Centrale along the shores of Lake Como to Tirano, then take the absolutely fabulous Bernina Express narrow-gauge panoramic train through the Alps to Chur, and a connecting train to Zurich, arriving 19:53.  It's a long day, but worth it.

  See the Bernina Express page for details & how to buy tickets.   Watch the video.

• Stay overnight in Zurich.  For something special, the 5-star Hotel Schweizerhof is one of my favourite hotels anywhere, just across the road from the station.  They'll even send a uniformed commissionaire to meet you & carry your bags from the train.  For something cheaper, also next to the station with great reviews, try the Ruby Mimi Hotel or the excellent 3-star Hotel St. Josef, 7 minutes walk from the station, see walking map.  If you're on a budget, book a private rooms in a 1-star hotel or backpacker hostel near the station at www.hostelworld.com.

  Alternatively, you could stop overnight in the pleasant town of Chur instead.

• Day 2, travel from Zurich to Paris by TGV-Lyria, leaving Zurich HB at 07:34 arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 11:38.

  Or there's a later TGV-Lyria leaving Zurich HB at 09:34 arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 13:38.  Your call!

  TGV-Lyria trains have 3 classes, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about TGV-Lyria.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €51 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

The Milan to Paris Thello sleeper train was suspended in March 2020 and has now been permanently discontinued.

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Milan to Lyon

• Two Frecciarossa 1000 trains link Milan Centrale with Lyon Part Dieu every day, at 06:25 & 15:53, see the timetable here.

  Update:  The direct Milan-Paris line via Modane was blocked by a landslide in August 2023, and remains blocked in 2024.  Until further notice, all direct Milan-Paris trains are cancelled.  Until this is resolved, take a EuroCity train to Geneva then a regional train to Lyon.

  The Frecciarossa has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  After a short dash on the Milan-Turin high-speed line, the train slows right down for a scenic meander through the alps.

• Fares start at €25 in standard (2nd class), €32 in business (1st class) or €149 in executive (premium 1st).

• Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

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Milan to Strasbourg

• Step 1, travel from Milan Centrale to Basel SBB by direct EuroCity train, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  At the time I write this there are departures at 07:20 & 15:20, journey time 4h12.  It's a lovely journey through the Alps.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Booking opens up to 3 months ahead.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Step 2, take a TER train from Basel SBB to Strasbourg.  These run every hour, sometimes every half hour, journey time 1h18.

  Fares are €27 in 2nd class or €40.50 in 1st class.  These fares are fixed-price, unlimited availability.

  Tickets are good for any train, so even a 10-minute connection is fine, if you miss it you can take the next one.  At Basel SBB, the trains to Strasbourg leave from SNCF platforms 31-35.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com and print them out.

  Booking opens up to 3 months ahead.

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Milan to Vichy, Clermont, Le Mans, Tours, Brittany, Lille

• Step 1, take the 06:25 Frecciarossa 1000 train from Milan Centrale to Lyon Part Dieu, see the timetable here.

  Update:  The direct Milan-Paris line via Modane was blocked by a landslide in August 2023, and remains blocked in 2024.  Until further notice, all direct Milan-Paris trains are cancelled.  Until this is resolved, use alternative routes.

  The Frecciarossa has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  After a short dash on the Milan-Turin high-speed line, the train slows right down for a scenic meander through the alps.

  Fares start at €25 in standard (2nd class), €32 in business (1st class) or €149 in executive (premium 1st).

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.

  I'd allow at least an hour between trains in case of delay, given you will be using separate tickets.

• Step 2, take a direct TGV from Lyon Part Dieu to Lille, Tours, Le Mans, Nantes, Rennes, or a direct TER or Intercité from Lyon Part Dieu to Vichy, Clermont-Ferrand and other destinations in central France.

  Look up times and buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

• Alternatively, you can take the 15:53 afternoon Frecciarossa 1000 train from Milan Centrale to Lyon Part Dieu, see the timetable here.  Stay overnight in Lyon, and take an onward train next morning.

  The Ibis Budget Lyon Centre - Gare Part Dieu is affordable & right next to Lyon Part Dieu station with good reviews, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lyon also gets great reviews and is just a few minutes walk away.

• Alternatively, take a train from Milan to Paris and an onward train from Paris.  There's then a wider choice of departures and it's sometimes cheaper, but it usually involves changing stations in Paris.

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Milan to Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo

• There are several departures from Milan to Monaco, Nice & the Côte d'Azur every day, see the Italy to Nice page for details.

  You take an Intercity train from Milan to Ventimiglia on the French border in as little as 3h45, then a TER local train from Ventimiglia to Menton, Monte Carlo, Nice, Antibes & Cannes taking another hour or so.

  It's a lovely journey along the Ligurian coast between Genoa & Ventimiglia, along the Côte d'Azur between Ventimiglia, Monaco, Nice & Cannes.

• Fares start at around €48 in 2nd class or €65 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• See the Italy to Nice page for details with schedules, fares, tips & how to buy tickets.

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Milan to Brussels & Bruges from €64

Option 1, Milan to Brussels in a day via Lyon - easiest, avoids crossing Paris

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Lyon by Frecciarossa, leaving Milan Centrale at 06:25 & arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 11:10.

  Update:  The direct Milan-Lyon-Paris line via Modane was blocked by a landslide in August 2023, and remains blocked in 2024.  Until further notice, all direct Milan-Lyon trains are cancelled.  Until this is resolved, please use alternative routes.

  This is high-speed dash from Milan to Lyon, then a lovely ride at low speed on the classic line through the Alps, see the photos & information here.  The train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Sit back and enjoy the ride.

  Fares start at €25 in standard (2nd), €32 in business (1st) or €149 in executive class (premium 1st).  Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.

  Book this train at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (whichever you prefer) as you can buy all the tickets together in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Booking normally opens up to 4 months ahead, it's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Have lunch in Lyon, see suggested brasserie near Lyon Part Dieu.  On weekdays you've a afternoon free in Lyon.

• Step 2, travel from Lyon to Brussels by direct TGV:

  On Saturdays & Sundays, leave Lyon Part Dieu at 14:00 arriving Brussels Midi at 17:43.

  On Mondays-Fridays, leave Lyon Part Dieu at 17:00 arriving Brussels Midi at 20:43

  The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.

  Book this train at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Booking normally opens up to 4 months ahead.  you print your ticket or select a mobile ticket to show on your phone.

Step 2, Lyon to Brussels by TGV.  Above left, 2nd class seats with a mix of unidirectional seats & tables for 4.  Seats 2+2 across car width. Larger photo.

Option 2, Milan to Brussels in a day via Paris - usually fastest & cheapest, if you don't mind crossing Paris

• You can travel from Milan to Brussels in a day.

  Leave Milan Porta Garibaldi 06:00, change trains & stations in Paris, arrive Brussels Midi 17:17.

  Leave Milan Porta Garibaldi 12:10 on Sundays only, change trains & stations in Paris, arrive Brussels Midi 21:47.

Update:  The direct Milan-Paris line via Modane was blocked by a landslide in August 2023, and remains blocked in 2024.  Until further notice, all direct Milan-Paris trains are cancelled.  Until this is resolved, please use alternative routes.

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Paris on the 06:00 or (on Sundays) the 12:10 TGV from Milan Porta Garibaldi to Paris Gare de Lyon.

  It's a scenic & relaxing run, initially a slow speed meander through the alps on the classic line from Italy into France via Modane, past Chambéry & Lyon, then a final high-speed dash to Paris at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) on the high-speed line, see the Paris-Milan TGV video.  Bring a good book and a bottle of wine, and make it a relaxing journey with your feet up

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €44 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com and add to basket.  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.

  Make sure you allow at least 60 minutes or more to change trains and stations in Paris.

• Step 2, travel from Paris Gare du Nord to Brussels Midi in 1h20 by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed train.  Eurostar trains have 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €55 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, add to basket & check out.  You print your own tickets or can select mobile tickets to show on your phone.

• Tip:  You can book Milan to Brussels in one go if you like, in which case I'd use www.raileurope.com, click More options, then enter Paris (any station) and a stopover duration of at least 60 minutes to get a robust connection.  If you don't do that the system allows cross-Paris connections as tight as 40 minutes, which I consider to risky.

Option 3, Milan to Brussels with overnight stop in Lyon - easy and time-effective

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Lyon by Frecciarossa, leaving Milan Centrale at 15:53 & arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 20:12.

  Update:  The direct Milan-Lyon-Paris line via Modane was blocked by a landslide in August 2023, and remains blocked in 2024.  Until further notice, all direct Milan-Lyon trains are cancelled.  Until this is resolved, please use alternative routes.

  This is high-speed dash from Milan to Lyon, then a lovely ride at low speed on the classic line through the Alps, see the photos & information here.  The train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Sit back and enjoy the ride.  More about the Milan-Lyon-Paris Frecciarossa.

  Fares start at €25 in standard (2nd), €32 in business (1st) or €149 in executive class (premium 1st).  Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.

  Book this train at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (whichever you prefer) as you can buy all the tickets together in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Booking normally opens up to 4 months ahead, it's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Stay overnight in Lyon, The Ibis Budget Lyon Centre - Gare Part Dieu is affordable & right next to Lyon Part Dieu station with good reviews, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lyon also gets great reviews and is just a few minutes walk away.

• Step 2, travel from Lyon to Brussels by direct TGV:

  On Mondays to Saturdays you can leave Lyon Part Dieu at 05:50 arriving Brussels Midi at 09:43.

  On any day of the week you can leave Lyon Part Dieu at 08:27 arriving Brussels Midi at 12:11

  The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.

  Book this train at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  Booking normally opens up to 4 months ahead.  you print your ticket or select a mobile ticket to show on your phone.

Option 4, Milan to Brussels with overnight stop in Zurich

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 19:10 & arriving Zurich HB at 22:27.

  These trains run every hour so by all means book the earlier 15:10, 17:10 or 18:10 departure for more of an evening in Zurich.

  The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It takes the scenic Gotthard route via the world's longest rail tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the transit takes just 20 minutes.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com (east to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Stay overnight in Zurich.  For something special, the 5-star Hotel Schweizerhof is one of my favourite hotels anywhere, just across the road from the station.  They'll even send a uniformed commissionaire to meet you & carry your bags from the train.  For something cheaper, also next to the station with great reviews, try the Ruby Mimi Hotel or the excellent 3-star Hotel St. Josef, 7 minutes walk from the station, see walking map.  If you're on a budget, book a private rooms in a 1-star hotel or backpacker hostel near the station at www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 2, travel from Zurich to Brussels by superb ICE trains with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, changing Basel and Frankfurt (Main) Hbf.  There are various departures, for example, leaving Zurich HB at 09:00 and arriving Brussels Midi at 17:35 - but by all means choose an earlier or later departure. 

  Fares start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com (which means you keep all your bookings together in one place), or at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

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Milan to Amsterdam from €64

Option 1, Milan to Amsterdam using the Zurich-Amsterdam Nightjet sleeper - the time-effective option

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train through the Alps, leaving Milan Centrale at 17:10 arriving Zurich HB at 20:27.

  The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & fee WiFi.  It's a lovely ride across Switzerland through the Alps past various lakes including Lake Lugano, see the Milan to Zurich video.  Have your camera ready!

  You've time for dinner in Zurich, I recommend steak-frites and a beer or two at the Brasserie Federal in the main station hall.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares work like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Book from Milan to Zurich to at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee).  Booking usually opens up to 4 months ahead.  It's ticketless, you print your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Step 2, travel from Zurich to Amsterdam by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 21:59, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 09:13.

  This comfortable Nightjet train has an air-conditioned AB33 sleeping-car with 1 & 2 berth compartments with washbasin.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  Watch the Amsterdam-Switzerland sleeper video.

  Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.oebb.at.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes less.

  Tip:  This train may be listed in the search results twice, once as an IC with seats, once as an NJ with couchettes/sleepers.  Choose the latter!

Step 1, Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, through the Alps.  This is a Giruno train at Milano Centrale.  The train passes through the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world's longest rail tunnel, though the transit takes just 20 minutes.

Giruno, 1st class.  Larger photo.		Restaurant car with bar counter. Larger photo.

Giruno 2nd class.  Larger photo		Level boarding. Note the destination screen in the door.

Lake Lugano, seen from the Milan-Zurich EuroCity train on the Gotthard route.

Step 2, Zurich to Amsterdam by Nightjet sleeper train.  More about Nightjets.  Watch the sleeper video.

Single-bed sleeper with washbasin.  Larger photo.		Breakfast next morning.  Larger photo.

4 or 6 berth couchette compartment.  Larger photo.		Couchette car.

Option 2, Milan to Amsterdam via Paris - means crossing Paris, but it's sometimes the cheapest option

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Paris by TGV, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 06:00 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 13:16.

  Update:  The direct Milan-Paris line via Modane was blocked by a landslide in August 2023, and remains blocked in 2024.  Until further notice, all direct Milan-Paris trains are cancelled.  Until this is resolved, please travel Milan to Paris via Switzerland instead, as shown here.

  It's a scenic & relaxing run, initially a slow speed meander through the alps on the classic line from Italy into France via Modane, past Chambéry & Lyon, then a final high-speed dash to Paris at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) on the high-speed line, see the Paris-Milan TGV video.  Bring a good book and a bottle of wine, and make it a relaxing journey with your feet up

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €44 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com and add to basket. 

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  Make sure you allow at least 60 minutes or more to change trains and stations in Paris.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Amsterdam by Eurostar (formerly Thalys), leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 14:22 arriving Amsterdam Centraal 18:14.

  Eurostar trains have 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).  Later departures are available from Paris to Amsterdam if you'd like a more relaxed transfer in Paris.

  Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, add to basket & check out. 

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own tickets or can select mobile tickets to show on your phone.

• Overnight stop in Paris?  You can also take the late afternoon Frecciarossa from Milan Centrale to Paris Gare de Lyon (see the timetable here), stay overnight in Paris (see suggested hotels at the Gare de Lyon) then take any morning Eurostar (formerly Thalys) train from Paris Gare du Nord to Amsterdam Centraal in 3h20.

Option 3, Milan to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Zurich - breaks up the journey nicely

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 19:10 & arriving Zurich HB at 22:27.

  These trains run every hour so by all means book the earlier 15:10, 17:10 or 18:10 departure for more of an evening in Zurich.

  The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It takes the scenic Gotthard route via the world's longest rail tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the transit takes just 20 minutes.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, you need to enter place names in Italian, see advice on using it.  It's ticketless, you print your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Stay overnight in Zurich.  For something special, the 5-star Hotel Schweizerhof is one of my favourite hotels anywhere, just across the road from the station.  They'll even send a uniformed commissionaire to meet you & carry your bags from the train.  For something cheaper, also next to the station with great reviews, try the Ruby Mimi Hotel or the excellent 3-star Hotel St. Josef, 7 minutes walk from the station, see walking map.  If you're on a budget, book a private rooms in a 1-star hotel or backpacker hostel near the station at www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 2, travel from Zurich to Amsterdam by ICE, leaving Zurich HB at 07:59, changing Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 17:29.

  Times vary, but it's usually possible to do with just 1 change.  By all means choose an earlier or later departure.

  The ICE trains all have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Check times & buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (if you want to book all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, small booking fee), or at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

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Milan to Luxembourg

Option 1, Milan to Luxembourg in a single day

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Mannheim by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 11:10 and arriving Mannheim Hbf at 17:58.

  This train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It takes you along the Gotthard route through Switzerland, past various lakes, see the photos & video here.

  Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book from Milan to Mannheim at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

• Step 2, travel from Mannheim to Luxembourg, leaving Mannheim Hbf at 18:36, changing at Koblenz, arriving Luxembourg 22:29.

  Fares start at €20.90 in 2nd class or €27.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book from Mannheim to Luxembourg at int.bahn.de.

  Tip:  Click Stopovers and enter Igel with length of stay zero,  This rids the search results of journeys involving a bus.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

• Earlier departures are possible, with an extra change in Zurich.  In this case, you'd first book from Milan to Zurich at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, add to basket, then book from Zurich to Luxembourg with Igel entered as a via station (and allowing at least 45 minutes between trains in Zurich), add to basket and check out.

Option 2, Milan to Luxembourg with an overnight stop in Zurich

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 19:10 & arriving Zurich HB at 22:27.

  These trains run every hour so by all means book the earlier 15:10 or 17:10 departure for more of an evening in Zurich.

  The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It takes the scenic Gotthard route via the world's longest rail tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the transit takes just 20 minutes.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian place names, see advice on using it.  It's ticketless, you print your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Stay overnight in Zurich.  For something special, the 5-star Hotel Schweizerhof is one of my favourite hotels anywhere, just across the road from the station.  They'll even send a uniformed commissionaire to meet you & carry your bags from the train.  For something cheaper, also next to the station with great reviews, try the Ruby Mimi Hotel or the excellent 3-star Hotel St. Josef, 7 minutes walk from the station, see walking map.  If you're on a budget, book a private rooms in a 1-star hotel or backpacker hostel near the station at www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 2, travel from Zurich to Luxembourg, leaving Zurich HB at 07:59, changing at Mannheim & Trier, arriving Luxembourg at 15:23.

  Or have a leisurely breakfast and take the easiest departure with just 1 change, leaving Zurich HB at 10:59 by direct EuroCity train EC8 to Koblenz, time for coffee in Koblenz, then the 17:06 from Koblenz direct to Luxembourg arriving 19:24.  Times vary by date, look for journeys with the fewest changes.

  These are all comfortable air-conditioned trains and they all head along the scenic Rhine Valley route between Mainz and Koblenz past vineyards, castles, river boats & the legendary Lorelei Rock - see the Rails Down the Rhine page - then along the pretty Moselle river to Trier.  The whole journey is made on a through ticket, so no worries about connections, they normally go like clockwork.  There are earlier or later departures, too, just check online.

  Tip:  EuroCity train EC8 has a Swiss 1st class panorama car, to book it, see the advice on the Rails Down the Rhine page.

  Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book from Munich to Luxembourg at the German Railways website int.bahn.de & print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

  Tip:  To get an all-train journey and avoid journeys with a bus, click Stopovers and enter Igel as a stopover, leaving length of stay as 00:00.

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Milan to Geneva, Zurich, Luzern, Basel & Switzerland from €29

Option 1, Milan to Switzerland by EuroCity train to Brig, Geneva, Montreux, Bern, Spiez, Basel, Zurich, Lucerne

• Regular EuroCity trains link Milan Centrale with Geneva, Montreux, Brig, Lugano & Zurich.

  There are also one or two daily direct trains from Milan Centrale to Bern, Lucerne, Spiez and Basel.  Milan to Zurich now takes just 3h17.

  Look out for great scenery on the routes from Italy into Switzerland, past lakes and mountains.  See photos & information about these EuroCity trains.  Watch the video:  Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train.  The Milan-Zurich Gotthard route now takes you through the world's longest rail tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel, although only 20 minutes is inside the tunnel.

  Tip:  Just so you know, two or three EuroCity trains run direct between Bologna or Genoa & Switzerland.  Annoyingly, these now by-pass Milan Centrale, calling only at secondary stations, Milan Lambrate & Milan Rogoredo.  I'd stick with departures that go from Milan Centrale.

• Fares from Milan to Swiss cities by direct train start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.

• How to buy tickets

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Both are easy to use, in €, £ or $ (www.thetrainline.com can also sell in CHF), overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  These retailers connect to both the Swiss and Italian systems so should be able to book from anywhere in Italy to anywhere in Switzerland, but if necessary help it along by specifying a via or splitting the booking at the interchange point.

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  Italian high-speed trains & the EuroCity trains are ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.  Swiss domestic tickets can be printed out or a mobile ticket can be shown on your phone.

An EuroCity train at Milan Centrale, about to leave for Switzerland.  More about these EuroCity trains.

1st class seats.  Larger photo.		Restaurant car.  Larger photo.

Lunch in the restaurant car.		2nd class.  Larger photo.  360 degree photo.

Sion castle, as seen from the train.  The train passes through the famous Simplon Tunnel, opened in 1906, on the very route used by the celebrated Simplon Orient Express of Agatha Christie fame.

Option 2, Milan to St Moritz, Chur & Zurich via the scenic narrow-gauge Bernina route

• This is much slower and a little more effort to book, but it's an amazing experience, the best Swiss Alpine train ride of them all.  See video of a Milan to Zurich journey via the wonderful Bernina route.

• Step 1, travel from Milan Centrale to Tirano by Trenord local train.

  The 10:20 from Milan connects with the Bernina Express itself, with time for a sandwich and beer in Tirano, see the Bernina Express page.

  However, these trains run every 2 hours throughout the day, fare around €12, check train times at www.thetrainline.com or www.trenord.it.  No reservation is necessary or even possible, you just buy a ticket to Tirano from the self-service machines at Milan Centrale and hop on the next train.

  In Tirano, the Italian Trenord station is right next to the Rhätische Bahn one on the same town square, see walking map.

• Step 2, travel from Tirano to St Moritz & Chur on the Rhätische Bahn.

  This is the fabulous Bernina route over the Bernina Pass.  Check times & prices from Tirano to St Moritz, Chur or Zurich at www.thetrainline.com or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch.  If you take one of the regular normal local trains, no reservation is necessary or possible, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on.  Only if you want to use the once or twice daily Bernina Express with its special all-reserved panoramic carriages do you need a seat reservation, see the Bernina Express page.

• Step 3, travel from Chur to Zurich by Swiss Intercity train.

  On arrival in Chur, simply cross the platform to the waiting half-hourly InterCity or InterRegional train to Zurich.  Again, no reservation necessary or possible, if you're bound for Zurich simply buy a ticket to Zurich in Tirano.  Check times and fares from Tirano to Zurich at www.thetrainline.com or www.sbb.ch.

Bernina Express 1st class seats.		the Bernina Express uses panoramic carriages.

The Bernina Express descends from the Bernina Pass.

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Milan to Barcelona, Madrid & Spain

Option 1, Milan to Barcelona & Spain in a day via Lyon - the easiest & usually cheapest option

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Lyon by Frecciarossa, leaving Milan Centrale at 06:25 & arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 11:10.

  Update:  The direct Milan-Paris line via Modane was blocked by a landslide in August 2023, and remains blocked in 2024.  Until further notice, all direct Milan-Paris trains are cancelled.  Please use one of the other options.

  This is a lovely ride at low speed snaking through the Alps, see the photos & information here.  The train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, sit back and enjoy the ride.

• Have lunch in Lyon, see suggested brasserie near Lyon Part Dieu.

• Day 1, travel from Lyon to Barcelona by AVE S100 high-speed train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:35 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 19:33.

  This comfortable Spanish high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Look out for Béziers cathedral on the right, colonies of flamingos on the étangs in southern France, the Fort de Salses on the right approaching Perpignan and great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees.  More about AVE S100 & this journey.

• Day 1, leave Barcelona Sants at 21:20 by AVE-S103 high-speed train, arriving Madrid Atocha at 23:50.

  Earlier departures may be available with other operators, but I recommend allowing at least an hour between trains in Barcelona and it's better to stick with the same operator if you can when making connections, in this case Renfe.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  The Hotel Barcelo Sants is the top choice here, it's part of Barcelona Sants station so easy to use when arriving & departing by train, with great reviews & good feedback from Seat61 users.  See other suggested hotels near the station.

• Day 2, travel from Barcelona to anywhere else in Spain by high-speed train.

  For Madrid:  AVE high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants with Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30.

  For Granada:  Leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 by AVE S112 high-speed train arriving Granada at 13:10.

  For Malaga:  Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE S103 high-speed train arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:51.

  For Cordoba & Seville:  Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE S103 high-speed train arriving Cordoba 13:42 & Seville Santa Justa 14:32.

  For Valencia & Alicante:  Euromed trains link Barcelona with Valencia & Alicante regularly through the day, for example one leaves Barcelona Sants at 07:15 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 10:10 & Alicante 12:38 or at 10:15 every day arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 13:13 & Alicante 15:32.

  For Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña & Vigo, there's a morning Alvia train to Galicia, see details here.

• How much does it cost?

  Milan to Lyon starts at €25 in standard (2nd), €32 in business (1st) or €149 in executive class (premium 1st).

  Lyon to Barcelona starts at €39 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.

  Barcelona to Madrid starts at around €35.  Barcelona to Seville or Malaga starts at around €45.

  All these fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• How to buy tickets

  The easiest way to buy tickets is to use either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (whichever you prefer) as you can buy all the tickets together in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Booking normally opens up to 4 months ahead.  About Raileurope.  About Thetrainline.

  Step 1, book the direct morning train from Milan Centrale to Lyon Part Dieu for day 1 and add this to your basket. 

  Step 2, book the afternoon train from Lyon Part Dieu to Barcelona and add that to your basket. 

  Step 3 if going beyond Barcelona, book a train from Barcelona to your Spanish destination for next morning, add to basket & check out.

  The Frecciarossa is ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.  For TGVs you can print your ticket or select a mobile ticket to show on your phone.  For AVE and other Spanish trains you print your own ticket.

• How to buy tickets, advanced

  You can of course book each train separately with the relevant operator, with no booking fee.  This means more work and it won't necessarily make it any cheaper.

  Step 1, buy tickets from Milan to Lyon at either www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in plain English, allows seat choice from a seat map, they'll refund seat61 users their booking fee if you email seat61@italiarail.com afterwards) or Trenitalia's own website www.trenitalia.com, for that you'll need to use Italian-language place names, see this advice on using it.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

  Step 2, if using the direct train from Lyon to Barcelona run by Renfe, book at the Spanish Railways website, www.renfe.com (in €, fiddly, see advice on using it).  If using the alternative trains run by SNCF, book these at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com.

  Step 3, book onward trains in Spain at www.renfe.com (in €, fiddly, see advice on using it).

Option 2, Milan to Barcelona & Spain with overnight stop in Marseille

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Marseille, leaving Milan Centrale at 09:10 by Intercity train to Ventimiglia, then a TER local train from Ventimiglia to Nice Ville and a TGV from Nice Ville to Marseille St Charles, arriving 18:32.

  This is a lovely journey with great coastal scenery through Genoa, San Remo, Nice & Cannes.  More about the Milan-Ventimiglia-Nice journey.

• Stay overnight in Marseille.  Inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.

• Day 2, travel from Marseille to Spain by AVE S100, leaving Marseille St Charles at 08:04, arriving Barcelona Sants 12:38 & Madrid Atocha 15:45.

  This comfortable Spanish high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Look out for Béziers cathedral on the right, colonies of flamingos on the étangs in southern France, the Fort de Salses on the right approaching Perpignan and great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees.  More about AVE S100 & this journey.

• Day 2, take a high-speed train from Barcelona to Valencia & Alicante or from Madrid to Cordoba, Seville, Granada, Malaga.

  A fast Euromed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 16:10 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 19:02 & Alicante 21:34.

  An AVE high-speed train leaves Madrid Atocha at 16:35 every day, arriving Cordoba 18:34 & Malaga Maria Zambrano 19:43.

  An AVE high-speed train leaves Madrid Atocha at 16:30 daily except Saturdays arriving Seville Santa Justa at 19:03.  Or on any day of the week you can leave Madrid Atocha at 18:00 arriving Seville Santa Justa at 20:43.

  An AVE high-speed train leaves Madrid Atocha at 20:05 every day, arriving Granada 23:36.

  AVE & Euromed trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

• How much does it cost?

  Milan to Ventimiglia starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €26.90 in 1st class.

  Ventimiglia to Nice by TER costs a fixed-price €8, although €7.50 or even €5 promotional fares are sometimes offered.

  Nice to Marseille by TGV starts at €15.

  Marseille to Barcelona starts at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Marseille to Madrid at €44 in 2nd class or €54 in 1st class.

  Barcelona to Alicante or Madrid to Malaga/Seville starts at around €30.

  All these fares (except for the TER) vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

• How to buy tickets

  Go to www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  Book from Milan to Marseille on day 1 and add it to your basket.  Then book from Marseille to Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Alicante etc. for day 2, add it to your basket and check out.

  www.thetrainline.com & www.raileurope.com both connect to the Italian, French & Spanish rail ticketing systems, so you can buy all these tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  If you have any problems, split the journey into stages, if necessary booking each train separately.

  Booking for Trenitalia trains & French trains including the TGV to Barcelona normally opens up to 4 months ahead.  Booking for Spanish domestic trains opens 60 days ahead, but this varies greatly.

  Trenitalia trains are ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.  For French trains, you print your own ticket or can choose a mobile ticket to show on your phone.  For trains in Spain, you print your ticket.

• How to buy tickets, advanced

  Alternatively, you can book each train separately like this, although it's more work and the fares should be the same, but with no booking fee.

  Step 1, book from Milan to Ventimiglia using either www.italiarail.com (easy to use, English place names, and they'll refund their €3.50 booking fee if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your PNR) or Italian Railways' own site www.trenitalia.com (you'll need to use Italian language place names).  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

  Step 2, book from Ventimiglia to Marseille at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

  Step 3, book from Marseille to Barcelona or Madrid for day 2 at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).  You print your own ticket.

  Step 4, book onward trains within Spain as a second transaction at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it, it's a lot easier to use www.thetrainline.com).  You print your own ticket.

Step 1, take an Intercity train from Milan to Ventimiglia.  Above, an Intercity train at Milan Centrale.

2nd class.  Larger photo.		1st class.  Larger photo.

Step 2 & 3, take a TER local train from Ventimiglia to Nice, then a TGV from Nice to Marseille.  Here, a TER rolls into Juan les Pins station, between Nice & Cannes.

Coastal scenery from the upper deck of the TER from Ventimiglia to Nice & Cannes.

Option 3, Milan to Barcelona & Spain with overnight stop in Geneva

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Geneva by ETR610 EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 17:20 and arriving Geneva 21:21.

  Or take an earlier train for a pleasant afternoon in Geneva.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee), using either of these sites means you can book all your tickets together in one place.  Or book at www.italiarail.com in €, £ or $, the small fee will be refunded if you email them afterwards at seat61@italiarail.com.

• Stay overnight in Geneva.  Hotels with good reviews near the station include Hotel Cornavin Genève, Hotel Les Arcades, ibis Styles Geneva Gare.  Hotels in Switzerland can be expensive, if you're on a budget you can book budget private rooms in a one-star hotel or backpacker hostel near the station using www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 2, travel from Geneva to Barcelona, leaving Geneva at 07:14, change Lyon Part Dieu & Montpelier St-Roch, arriving Barcelona Sants 16:31.

  Geneva to Lyon is by TER regional train along the river Rhône, Lyon to Montpelier is by TGV with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, Montpelier to Barcelona is by TGV Duplex also with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  The TGV Duplex passes Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes between Montpelier & Narbonne, the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks before Perpignan, with great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, see more photos & information about the journey.

  Geneva-Lyon costs a fixed-price €33.40.  Lyon-Barcelona starts at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

  Book from Geneva to Barcelona at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your tickets or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

• Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid, Malaga, Cordoba, Seville, Valencia or Alicante and so on by high-speed train.

  A high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:25, arriving Madrid Atocha 20:55, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  A fast Euromed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:15 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 21:07 & Alicante 23:40.

  For Granada, Seville, Cordoba & Malaga, stay in Barcelona overnight, I recommend the Hotel Barcelo Sants inside the station.  Next morning direct high-speed AVE trains leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 for Granada and 08:35 for Cordoba, Seville Santa Justa & Malaga Maria Zambrano.

  Check times & buy tickets using either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or Spanish railways own site www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it) or www.petrabax.com (in $, small mark-up).  You print your own ticket.

  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens only 60 days ahead, but this varies.  Allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Barcelona.

Milan to Geneva by bullet-nosed EuroCity train.  More about these EuroCity trains.

1st class seats.  Larger photo.		Restaurant car.  Larger photo.

Lunch in the restaurant car.		2nd class.  Larger photo.  360 degree photo.

The view from the train:  Lake Leman on a wintry day.

To Barcelona by TGV.  More about the TGV to Barcelona.

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

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

Dinner from the cafe-bar.		View from the train, passing Béziers.

Mt Canigou & the Pyrenees.  One of the highest peaks in the mighty Pyrenees, the 2,784m (9,137 feet) high Mt Canigou dominates the skyline on the right all the way from Perpignan to Girona, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canigou.  More about what to see on the Paris-Barcelona journey.

Option 4, Italy to Barcelona by luxury cruise ferry

• Another excellent option is the Grimaldi Lines cruise ferry from Civitavecchia (an hour by regional train north of Rome) and Barcelona.  The ferry usually sails daily at 22:15 and arrives at 18:15 next day.  To check times, fares, accommodation and to book online see the Direct Ferries website or go to www.grimaldi-lines.com.  Grimaldi Lines also run a ferry several times a week between Barcelona and Livorno, and between Salerno (near Naples) and Valencia.

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Milan to Lisbon & Portugal

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Marseille, stay overnight, then take the morning AVE high-speed train from Marseille to Madrid on day 2 as shown in the Milan to Madrid section above.

• Stay overnight in Madrid.  The classic Hotel Mediodia is across the road from Atocha with good reviews, or try the NH Hotel Madrid Atocha or Only YOU Hotel Atocha, also across the road from the station.

• Day 3, travel from Madrid to Lisbon by day trains, as shown on the Madrid to Lisbon page.

• Change at Lisbon Oriente for trains to Porto & Faro, as shown in the Madrid to Lisbon section.

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Milan to Andorra

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Marseille as shown in the Milan to Nice & Marseille section above.

  Book this at either www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.

• Stay overnight in Marseille.  Inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.

• Step 2, travel from Marseille to Toulouse by Intercité leaving Marseille St Charles at 07:25 & arriving Toulouse Matabiau at 11:18.

  Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at either www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  French trains open for booking up to 4 months ahead.

• Step 3, travel from Toulouse Matabiau station to Andorra la Vella by bus.  Andbus run several buses per day taking 4 hours, fare €36.

  There's a bus leaving Toulouse Matabiau station (bus stand 15) at 13:45 arriving Andorra 17:45.

  Book the bus at Andbus.net or Omio.com.  I'd allow at least an hour between train and bus in Toulouse in case of delay.

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Milan to Munich, Hamburg, Berlin & Germany from €39

Option 1, Milan to Hamburg or Berlin using the Zurich-Hamburg/Berlin sleeper - the most time-effective option

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 15:10 and arriving Zurich HB at 18:27.

  The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a lovely run through the Alps, past Italian and Swiss lakes and passing through the world's longest railway tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it).  Booking opens up to 90 days ahead.  It's ticketless, you print your booking reference or show it on your phone.

  Have dinner in Zurich, I recommend steak-frites & a beer at the Brasserie Federal on the main concourse at Zurich HB.

• Step 2, travel from Zurich to Germany by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 19:59 & arriving Berlin Hbf 07:20, or leaving Zurich HB at 20:59 & arriving Hamburg Hbf 07:54.

  The Zurich-Berlin Nightjet has a Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet.  The Zurich-Hamburg Nightjet has two air-conditioned double-deck sleeping-cars (1 & 2 bed compartments with washbasin, 1 & 2 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, plus a few 3-berth compartments with washbasin).  Both trains also have couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments & ordinary seats cars.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee in the morning, see the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, tips, photos & video.

  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 $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  You can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Switzerland & click nj.

Option 2, Milan to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train, onwards to Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin or anywhere in Germany - the time-effective option!

• Step 1, a comfortable Nightjet sleeper train leaves Milan Rogoredo at 21:26 every night arriving Munich Hbf at 09:20 next morning.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car 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 couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  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 (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  You can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.

• Step 2, travel from Munich to anywhere in Germany, for example leaving Munich Hbf 10:55 by ICE train and arriving Berlin Hbf at 15:29.

  Book from Munich to anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website int.bahn.de, allowing at least 1 hour between trains in Munich.

  Fares start at €18.90 upwards.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.   I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.

Milan to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train.  More about Nightjets.

Deluxe sleeper.  Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room.  Larger photo.  Video of deluxe room		Same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out.  Larger photo.		Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided.  Larger photo.		Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open.  It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth.  Larger photo.

6-berth couchettes.		4-berth couchettes.		Couchette car.

Option 3, Milan to Germany by daytime trains via Zurich & the Gotthard - in a single day, and a scenic ride

• Step 1, travel from Milan Centrale to Zurich HB by EuroCity trains in 3h17, these leave every hour.

  The EuroCity trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  They run via the scenic Gotthard route through the Alps with great views of Italian & Swiss lakes, passing through the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world's longest railway tunnel.  See photos & video of the Gotthard route here.

  Step 2, travel from Zurich to cities all over Germany by ICE train, also every hour, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

• In addition, there's one daily direct EuroCity train from Milan to Frankfurt, operated by a bullet-nosed ETR610 with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, leaving Milan Centrale at 11:1o every day and arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 19:36.  Change at Mannheim for Cologne.

• How much does it cost?

  Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train starts at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.

  Zurich to Germany starts at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class

  If you use the 11:20 from Milan, through fares from Milan to Frankfurt & Germany start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €89.90 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• How to buy tickets

  If you use the direct 11:20 Milan-Frankfurt you can book from Milan to anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

  If you want an earlier or later journey with a change in Basel or Zurich, book as one easy transaction at book at www.raileurope.com.  To see all the options & prices you must click More options and enter Basel SBB as a via station with duration set to at least 45 minutes.  Look for options with 1 change.  You can try this again with Zurich as the via station to see if you get timings you prefer.

  The Milan-Zurich/Basel train will be ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.  The ticket from Basel/Zurich to Germany can be printed out or shown on your phone.  Alternatively, you can book in two stages as follows:

  Step 1, book a ticket from Milan to Zurich using www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in €, $ or £, they'll refund the €3.50 booking fee to seat61 users if you email them after booking at seat61@italiarail.com).  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

  Step 2, now book from Zurich HB to anywhere in Germany at int.bahn.de (easy to use, in €, no booking fee) or www.thetrainline.com (if you want to book all your trains together in one place, in €, £ or $, small booking fee).  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I'd allow at least 45 minutes between trains in Zurich in case of any delay.

Option 4, Milan to Munich or anywhere in Germany by daytime trains via the Brenner - another scenic option!

• Step 1, travel from Milan Centrale to Verona Porta Nuova by Frecciarossa in 1h22.

  Frecciarossa high-speed trains leave Milan every hour or so, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Some departures leave from Milan Centrale, others from Milan Porta Garibaldi.

• Step 2, travel from Verona Porta Nuova to Munich Hbf by railjet train in 5h26.

  These swish Austrian railjet trains leave every 2 hours, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st & business class a steward takes restaurant orders and serves you at your seat.  They travel through the scenic Brenner Pass, see the scenery photos & video on the Brenner Pass page.

• I'd allow at least 45 minutes in Verona between trains.  For example:

  Leave Milan Centrale at 08:45, change at Verona Porta Nuova onto the 11:01 railjet train, arriving Munich Hbf 16:27.

  Leave Milan Centrale at 10:05, change at Verona Porta Nuova onto the 13:01 railjet train, arriving Munich Hbf 18:28.

  Leave Milan Centrale at 12:05, change at Verona Porta Nuova onto the 15:01 railjet train, arriving Munich Hbf 20:26.

  Leave Milan Centrale at 14:45, change at Verona Porta Nuova onto the 17:01 EuroCity train, arriving Munich Hbf 22:27.

• How much does it cost?

  Milan to Verona starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.

  Verona to Munich starts at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

• How to buy tickets

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, but (and this is important) click More options, entering Verona Porta Nuova as a via station with a stopover duration of 45 minutes to ensure a robust connection.  Look for journeys with just 1 change to Munich or 2 changes if going beyond Munich.

  www.raileurope.com connects to both the Italian and German ticketing systems so can source both tickets either side of Verona as one seamless booking.  You can pay in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.

  Booking for the Italian Milan-Verona trains opens up to 4 months ahead.  Booking for the Austrian/German trains from Verona to Germany opens up to 6 months ahead.  The Italian train is ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.  For Austrian/German trains you can print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone.

  Alternatively, you can book the Italian train at www.italiarail.com (in €, £ or $, the small fee will be refunded if you email them afterwards at seat61@italiarail.com) or www.trenitalia.com, then book the Austrian/German trains from Verona to anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

A new generation railjet at Innsbruck, note the low-floor section for easy boarding.  Courtesy of @SimplyRailway.  Interior photos courtesy of ÖBB.

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Milan to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck & Austria from €48

Option 1, Milan to Salzburg & Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train - the time-effective option

• A Nightjet sleeper train leaves Milan Rogoredo at 21:26 every evening and arrives Vienna Hbf at 09:04.

  Another portion of the same train leaves Milan Rogoredo at 21:26 and arrives Salzburg Hbf at 06:49.

  Each portion of this comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car 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 couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

• 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 (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  You can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.

The Nightjet sleeper at Vienna Hbf.  More about Nightjet trains.

Deluxe sleeper.  Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room.  Larger photo.  Video of deluxe room		Same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out.  Larger photo.		Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided.  Larger photo.		Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open.  It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth.  Larger photo.

6-berth couchettes.		4-berth couchettes.		Couchette car on the Nightjet sleeper train.

Option 2, Milan to Salzburg or Vienna by daytime trains - a scenic option with lunch in Venice

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Venice by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 12:05, arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 14:42.

  By all means take an earlier train from Milan if you'd like lunch and a wander around Venice, for example the 08:05, 09:05, 10:05...  The Rialto Bridge is just 20 minutes walk from Venice Santa Lucia, St Mark's Square just 27 minutes walk, see map of Venice showing station.  There's a left luggage office at the station.  Of course if you haven't been to Venice before, I'd recommend an overnight stop, not just a few hours!

  Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £, or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in €, $ or £, they'll refund their small booking fee to seat61 users if you email them after booking at seat61@italiarail.com) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, more fiddly, requires Italian-language place names, see advice on using it).

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Step 2, travel from Venice to Vienna by railjet train, leaving Venice Santa Lucia at 15:52 and arriving Vienna Hbf 23:36.

  The swish Austrian railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more about railjets.  It takes the beautiful UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains, you might see something of this at least in summer when it's light until ten.

  For Salzburg, change in Villach arriving Salzburg Hbf around 21:48.  Don't worry about the 5-minute interchange at Villach, this is a recognised connection which many people make, it's a simple cross-platform switch from platform 2 to platform 3.  In any case you will have a through ticket so will be looked after if there's missed connection.

  Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or €59.90 in business class (premium 1st).  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book from Venice to Vienna or Salzburg at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

Option 3, Milan to Innsbruck by daytime trains via the Brenner Pass - another scenic option

• Step 1, travel from Milan Centrale to Verona Porta Nuova by Frecciarossa in 1h22.

  Frecciarossa high-speed trains leave Milan every hour or so, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Some departures leave from Milan Centrale, others from Milan Porta Garibaldi.

• Step 2, travel from Verona Porta Nuova to Innsbruck Hbf by railjet in 3h35.

  These swish Austrian railjet trains leave every 2 hours, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st & business class a steward takes restaurant orders and serves you at your seat.  They travel through the scenic Brenner Pass, see the scenery photos & video on the Brenner Pass page.

• I'd allow at least 45 minutes in Verona between trans, for example:

  Leave Milan Centrale at 08:45, change at Verona Porta Nuova onto the 11:01 EuroCity train, arriving Innsbruck Hbf 14:36.

  Leave Milan Centrale at 10:05, change at Verona Porta Nuova onto the 13:01 EuroCity train, arriving Innsbruck Hbf 16:36.

  Leave Milan Centrale at 12:05, change at Verona Porta Nuova onto the 15:01 EuroCity train, arriving Innsbruck Hbf 18:36.

  Leave Milan Centrale at 14:45, change at Verona Porta Nuova onto the 17:01 EuroCity train, arriving Innsbruck Hbf 20:36.

• How much does it cost?

  Milan to Verona starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.

  Verona to Innsbruck starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• How to find train times & buy tickets

  Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, but (and this is important) click More options, entering Verona Porta Nuova as a via station with a stopover duration of 45 minutes to ensure a robust connection.

  www.raileurope.com connects to both the Italian and Austrian ticketing systems so can source both tickets either side of Verona as one seamless booking.  You can pay in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Booking for the Milan-Verona trains opens up to 4 months ahead, it's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.  Booking for the Verona-Innsbruck trains opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket.

A new generation railjet at Innsbruck, note the low-floor section for easy boarding.  Courtesy of @SimplyRailway.  Interior photos courtesy of ÖBB.

Economy class, open saloon.		Restaurant car.

First class, all in open saloons.		Business class = just four 4-seat compartments

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Milan to Copenhagen, Gothenburg & Stockholm

Option 1, Milan to Stockholm using the Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 07:10 and arriving Zurich HB at 10:27.

  This EuroCity Giruno train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Enjoy the superb scenery through the lakes & mountains of Italian & Swiss Alps, see the scenery photos here.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee).

  Booking opens up to 4 months head.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Step 2, travel from Zurich to Hamburg by ICE train, leaving Zurich HB at 11:59, change at Basel SBB and arrive Hamburg Hbf 19:36.

  The ICE train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Times may vary, an extra change may be necessary at some times of year, but always allow at least an hour or two when connecting with a sleeper train you don't want to miss.  Have dinner in Hamburg, see suggested restaurants near the station.

  Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.

• Step 3, travel from Hamburg to Stockholm by sleeper train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 22:03, arriving Stockholm Central 09:55 next morning.

  Run by SJ (Swedish Railways), the train has one or two sleeping-cars with compact 1 & 2 berth compartments with washbasin, several 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower, couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A bistro car is attached between Malmö and Stockholm.  More about the Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train.

  Fares start at €44.90 with a couchette in 6-berth, €69.90 with a couchette in 4-berth, €79.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €164.90 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.  All prices per person per bed, fares vary like air fares so book ahead.

  Book this train at SJ's website www.sj.se.

  Booking opens several months ahead, You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

The inaugural Hamburg to Stockholm SJ EuroNight train in Hamburg on 1 September 2022. The author rode this first departure.  More about this sleeper train.		6-berth couchettes.

2-bed sleeper.  Larger photo.		The inaugural train from Hamburg to Stockholm calls at Padborg, just after entering Denmark.

Typical Swedish scenery on the morning run into Stockholm.

Option 2, Milan to Copenhagen, Gothenburg & Stockholm using the Zurich-Hamburg sleeper

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 15:10 and arriving Zurich HB at 18:27.

  The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a lovely run through the Alps, past Italian and Swiss lakes and passing through the world's longest railway tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel.  Have dinner in Zurich, I can recommend the steak-frites and a beer at the Brasserie Federal on the main concourse at Zurich HB.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it).  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Step 2, travel from Zurich to Hamburg by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 20:59 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 07:53.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two air-conditioned double-deck sleeping-cars (compact 1 & 2 bed compartments with washbasin, larger 1 & 2 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, plus a few 3-berth compartments with washbasin), couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments & ordinary seats.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee in the morning, see the Nightjet information page.

  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 $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

• Step 3, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50 & arriving Copenhagen at 13:34.

  The EuroCity train has power sockets at all seats & a refreshment trolley.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.

  Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de or www.thetrainline.com.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

• Step 4, travel from Copenhagen to Sweden by train.

  For Stockholm, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000 train leaving Copenhagen at 14:19 and arriving Stockholm Central at 19:37.

  For Gothenburg, travel from Copenhagen to Gothenburg by Öresund train, these leave every hour taking 3h50.

  For Malmo, travel from Copenhagen to Malmö Central by Öresund train every 20-30 minutes taking 39 minutes.

  All these trains cross the water from Denmark to Sweden over the impressive Öresund fixed link. 

  Fares from Hamburg to Sweden start at €56.90.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book from Hamburg to Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmö at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Gothenburg is listed as Göteborg Central.  If you have any problems, for example if you don't see any affordable 1st class fares, split the booking, booking Hamburg to Copenhagen at int.bahn.de and booking Copenhagen to anywhere in Sweden at either Omio.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small fee) or www.sj.se (in SEK, has been known to reject some overseas credit cards).

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.

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 2024.  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.

Option 3, Milan to Copenhagen, Gothenburg & Stockholm using the Milan-Munich sleeper - another time-effective option

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Rogoredo at 21:26 & arriving Munich Hbf 09:22.

  Important: This sleeper train is cancelled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025 due to work in the Tauern Tunnel in Austria.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car 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 couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  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 (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  You can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.

• Step 2, travel from Munich to Copenhagen, leaving Munich Hbf 10:21, changing at Hamburg Hbf and arriving Copenhagen at 21:34.

  Treat this as a chill-out day with a good book and a glass or two of wine (I can recommend DB's Spätburgunder red).  You travel from Munich to Hamburg by ICE train with restaurant car for lunch, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by comfortable EuroCity train, power sockets at all seats, refreshment trolley.  Exact times may vary.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.

  If you're only going as far as Copenhagen, book from Munich to Copenhagen from €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class at the German Railways site int.bahn.de.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

• Step 3 if you're going to Malmo, simply take a regular Öresund train from Copenhagen to Malmö Central in 39 minutes, these leave twice an hour.  You can book through from Munich to Malmö from €56.90 at int.bahn.de and print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone.

• Step 3 if you're going to Stockholm or Gothenburg, stay overnight in Copenhagen then travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm Central in just 5h15 by X2000 high-speed train or from Copenhagen to Gothenburg Central in 3h50 by Öresund train.

  You can book tickets from Copenhagen to anywhere in Sweden at the Swedish Railways site www.sj.se, but there's a cleverer way to book if you are coming from Munich.  Use this special link to bahn.de to book from Munich to Stockholm from €56.90 with an overnight stop in Copenhagen programmed in using the Stopover feature - just enter your date of travel from Munich.  Adjust the intermediate stopover time as necessary to get the trains you want, or if no fares show up initially, it may take a bit of trial & error to get the trains you want.  This method works to book from Munich to Gothenburg, too - you'll find bahn.de lists Gothenburg as Göteborg Central.

Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Switzerland.

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Basel by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 18:20 and arriving Basel SBB at 22:39.

  Earlier trains are available, and you can travel via Zurich instead if you like.  It's a scenic ride past Italian lakes and through the Alps with restaurant car for dinner.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, €3.50 fee will be refunded if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com after booking) or www.trenitalia.com (you'll need to Italian place names).

• Stay overnight in Basel.  The Royal Hotel - Urban Living is right next to the station.  For something cheap a few minutes walk from the station, try the easyHotel Basel.

• Day 2, travel from Basel to Copenhagen leaving Basel SBB at 09:06, changing at Hamburg Hbf and arriving Copenhagen at 21:34.

  It's a chill-out day, travelling from Basel to Hamburg by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats, refreshments available.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.

  Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

• For Stockholm, Gothenburg or Oslo, stay overnight in Copenhagen and book an onward ticket next day using the Swedish Railways website www.sj.se.

Option 4, Milan to Copenhagen, Gothenburg & Stockholm with overnight stop in Hamburg - if you prefer day trains & hotel to sleepers

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 09:10 arriving Zurich HB 12:27.

  The EuroCity trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You get great views of the Alps and Italian & Swiss Lakes, even though 20 minutes is now spent inside the world's longest rail tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee).  Using either of these sites means you can make all your bookings together in one place.

  You can also book at www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in €, $ or £, they'll refund the €3.50 booking fee to seat61 users if you email them after booking at seat61@italiarail.com) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, more fiddly, requires Italian-language place names).  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Day 1, travel from Zurich to Hamburg by ICE4, leaving Zurich HB at 13:59 & arriving Hamburg Hbf at 21:39.

  The ICE4 train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Times may vary, an extra change is necessary after 15 July 2024.

  Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com, www.raileurope.com or the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  Look for a direct train with 0 changes, make sure you allow at least 50 minutes between trains in Zurich, in case of delay.

  Tip:  Earlier departures are possible from Milan, check Zurich to Hamburg times at int.bahn.de, look for options with 1 change, then split the booking to book each train separately as shown above.

• 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.

• Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50 & arriving Copenhagen at 13:34.

  Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at int.bahn.de, www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com. 

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone

• Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Sweden & Norway.

  For Stockholm, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000 train, leaving Copenhagen at 14:19 and arriving Stockholm Central at 19:37.

  Book from Hamburg to Stockholm as one transaction from €56.90 at int.bahn.de & print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone.

  For Malmo or Gothenburg, Öresund trains run hourly from Copenhagen to Gothenburg taking 3h50 and every 20 minutes from Copenhagen to Malmö Central taking 39 minutes.  You should book from Hamburg to Malmo or Gothenburg (= Goteborg Central) as one transaction from €56.90 at int.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

  For Oslo, either travel from Copenhagen to Oslo by train the same day, arriving late at night as shown in the Hamburg to Oslo section, or sail overnight to Oslo by DFDS cruise ferry as shown here.

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Milan to Oslo & Norway

Option 1, Milan to Oslo with overnight stops Munich & Copenhagen - by train all the way

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Munich via the scenic Brenner Pass as shown in Milan-Munich section, option 4.

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

• Day 2, travel from Munich to Copenhagen by train, leaving Munich Hbf at 10:21, 1 easy change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen at 21:34.

  Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. 

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.

• 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).

• Day 3, 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 Copenhagen-Oslo timetable & information.

  Alternatively, spend the day in Copenhagen and take the DFDS overnight ferry to Oslo with a comfortable private cabin with shower & toilet, sailing from Copenhagen at 16:30 (15:00 some days) and 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.dfds.com.

Option 2, Milan to Oslo via the Kiel-Oslo cruise ferry - most luxurious way to Norway

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 15:10 and arriving Zurich HB at 18:27.

  The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a lovely run through the Alps, past Italian and Swiss lakes and passing through the world's longest railway tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel.  Have dinner in Zurich, I can recommend the steak-frites and a beer at the Brasserie Federal on the main concourse at Zurich HB.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it).  Booking opens up to 90 days ahead.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Day 1, travel from Zurich to Hamburg by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 20:59 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 07:53.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two air-conditioned double-deck sleeping-cars (compact 1 & 2 bed compartments with washbasin, larger 1 & 2 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, plus a few 3-berth compartments with washbasin), couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments & ordinary seats.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee in the morning, see the Nightjet information page.

  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 $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  If you like, you can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using the excellent www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Switzerland & click nj.

• Day 2, take a regional train from Hamburg Hbf to Kiel Hbf, then the Color Line cruise ferry overnight to Oslo.

  The ferry sails from Kiel around 14:00, arriving in Oslo around 10:00 on day 3 from Milan.  For full details of this Hamburg to Oslo journey, see Hamburg-Oslo option 2 on the trains from Hamburg page.

Zurich to Hamburg by Nightjet.  This is a double-deck sleeping-car at Zurich HB. Courtesy of DiscoverbyRail.com.

2-berth sleeper on lower deck.		Stairs down to pair of lower compartments.		1 or 2-bed sleeper on lower deck with washbasin, viewed through window.  Set up as 1-bed.  Note how compact the compartment is.

Nightjet couchette car.		6-berth couchettes.		4-berth couchettes.

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.

Option 3, Milan to Oslo using the Zurich-Hamburg sleeper & Frederikshavn-Oslo ferry - cheaper, more changes, slightly quicker

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Hamburg & stay overnight.

• Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Oslo by train arriving late at night, or s sail from Copenhagen to Oslo by DFDS overnight ferry.  This is a cheaper option than the Color Line ferry from Kiel.

• For details of this journey see here.

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Milan to Helsinki & Finland

Option 1, Milan to Helsinki using the Finnlines ferry from Germany - the easiest option

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Rogoredo at 21:26 and arriving Munich Hbf 09:22.

  Important: This sleeper train is cancelled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025 due to work in the Tauern Tunnel in Austria.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car 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 couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the guide to Nightjet accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  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 (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  You can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.

• Day 2, travel from Munich to Hamburg by ICE4 train, leaving Munich Hbf at 10:21 and arriving Hamburg Hbf 16:55.

  Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €56.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

• Day 2, transfer from Hamburg Hbf to the Travemünde ferry terminal by local train+bus and sail from Travemünde to Helsinki with Finnlines, as shown in detail on the Trains from Hamburg page.

  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 4 from Milan).  Check sailing dates, times & book the ferry at www.finnlines.com.

• Book onward trains within Finland at the Finnish Railways website www.vr.fi.

Finnlines operate the Finnstar, Finnmaid & Finnlady on the Travemünde-Helsinki route.  Photo courtesy of Hubert Bartkowiak.  Photos below courtesy of Chris Russell.

Standard cabin.  Larger photo.		Gym with a view.		Sauna.

Option 2, Milan to Helsinki by train to Stockholm, then ferry

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Stockholm as shown above.

• Step 2, travel from Stockholm to Helsinki either by direct overnight cruise ferry, or by daytime or overnight ferry to Turku and connecting train to Helsinki as shown on the Trains & ferries from Stockholm page.

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Milan to Prague or Cesky Krumlov from €68

Option 1, Milan to Prague using the Milan-Vienna sleeper - safe, comfortable, time-effective

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Rogoredo at 21:26 & arriving Vienna Hbf at 09:04 next morning.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car 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 couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  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 (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  You can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.

  Tip:  If you have a sleeping-car ticket and/or 1st class ticket for the onward train you can use the ÖBB lounge in Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary refreshments & free WiFi.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Prague by smart modern Czech railjet train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 11:10 & arriving Prague Hlavni at 15:15.

  These swish railjet trains have a restaurant car with draught beer on tap, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about Vienna-Prague railjets.

  Why not book a later railjet & spend some time exploring Vienna?  Railjets leave every two hours, see the timetable here.  Left luggage lockers are available in Vienna.  In Prague, you arrive in the city centre walking distance from the old city square.

  Fares start at €14.90 in 2nd class, €29.90 in 1st class or €44.90 in business class (premium 1st).  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book from Vienna to Prague at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, booking opens 6 months ahead, small booking fee) or the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz (in koruna, booking opens 3 months ahead).  Check prices on both sites as one is often cheaper than the other.  You print your own ticket.  You can also book at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.  See suggested hotels in Prague.

Step 1, Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train.  More about Nightjets.

Deluxe sleeper.  Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room.  Larger photo.  Video of deluxe room		Same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out.  Larger photo.		Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided.  Larger photo.		Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open.  It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth.  Larger photo.

6-berth couchettes.		4-berth couchettes.		Nightjet couchette car.

Option 2, Milan to Prague or Cesky Krumlov via the Zurich-Prague sleeper - safe, comfortable & time-effective

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by train, leaving Milan Centrale at 15:10 by EuroCity train through the Alps arriving at Zurich HB at 18:27.

  This train runs along Lake Maggiore and takes the scenic Gotthard route, although 20 minutes of this journey is now inside the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world's longest.  See the scenery video here.  Make sure you have at least an hour in Zurich to change trains in case of any delay - you could leave Milan on the 17:10 if you like, but with less room for manoeuvre if there's a delay.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book from Milan to Zurich at either www.raileurope.com, www.italiarail.com or www.trenitalia.com.  It's ticketless, you print your booking reference or show it on your phone.

  You've time for dinner in Zurich, I recommend the steak-frites and a beer or two at the Brasserie Federal on the main concourse at Zurich HB.

• Step 2, travel from Zurich to Prague by sleeping-car, leaving Zurich HB at 21:40 and arriving Ceske Budejovice 08:52 & Prague Hlavni 10:39.

  The sleeping-car to Prague is a modern Czech comfortline type with nine 1, 2 or 3 bed compartments with washbasin and three deluxe 1, 2 or 3 bed compartments with en suite toilet & shower.  There are toilets and a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. Morning tea & coffee is included in the sleeper fare.  There are no couchettes on this route.  More about this sleeper train.

  Fares start at €45 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €59 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €112 in a single-bed sleeper.

  Book this sleeper online at the Czech Railways site www.cd.cz and print out your own ticket.  See my tips for using cd.cz.  For deluxe sleepers, select 1st class before running the enquiry.  This is the only site that can book this sleeper, booking normally opens 3 months ahead.

• If you're going to Ceske Krumlov, get off the sleeper at Ceske Budejovice (its former name is Budweis, that's right, where the name of the beer comes from), have a coffee at the station then take the 10:13 express train to Ceske Krumlov arriving 10:50.  In this case you'd use www.cd.cz to book Zurich to Cesky Krumlov, of course looking for the 21:40 departure with 1 change.

Option 3, Milan to Prague with overnight stop in Venice - if you prefer day trains & hotel to sleepers

• Day 1, travel from Milan Centrale to Venice Santa Lucia by Frecciarossa in just 2h27 using any train you like.

  You can spend a full day in Milan before taking an evening train, or take an earlier train and see something of Venice.  The Rialto bridge is just 15 minutes walk from Venice Santa Lucia, the Piazza San Marco is just 25 minutes walk.  Frecciarossas have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas cards no problem, small booking fee) or Trenitalia's website www.trenitalia.com (in €, more fiddly, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.

  You can also try high-speed operator Italo for this journey, booked at www.italotreno.it.

• Stay overnight in Venice.  For a hotel that won't break the bank just 2 minutes walk from Venice Santa Lucia with good reviews, try the Hotel Maggior Consiglio or for a little more, the Hotel Abbazia.

• Day 2, travel from Venice to Vienna by railjet train, leaving Venice Santa Lucia at 09:56 and arriving Vienna Hbf 17:36.

  The swish Austrian railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It takes the beautifully scenic UNESCO-listed Semmering route from Vienna to Graz, a real treat, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semmering_railway.  Treat yourself to lunch with wine as the mountains glide by.  More about Venice to Vienna railjets & the journey.

  Fares start at €28.30 in 2nd class, €56.60 in 1st class or €71.60 in business class (= premium 1st class, a real treat).  Fares vary like air fares.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

  Tip:  If you have a 1st or business class ticket you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.

• Day 2, travel from Vienna to Prague by swish modern Czech railjet train leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:10 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 23:19.

  The excellent air-conditioned railjet train has a restaurant car with draught beer on tap, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Fares start at €14.90 in 2nd class, €29.90 in 1st class or €44.90 in business class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com or the Czech Railways site www.cd.cz, whichever is cheaper.  Booking opens 6 months ahead on www.thetrainline.com, 92 days ahead at www.cd.cz.  You print your own ticket.  See suggested hotels in Prague.

A Venice-Vienna railjet, at Venice Santa Lucia.  More about Venice-Vienna railjets.

Restaurant.  In 1st & business you're served at your seat.		Business class.  About business class.

First class.		Economy class.

The railjet travels over the famous Semmering Railway, opened in 1854 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  See the Vienna to Venice page for more information, photos & video.

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Milan to Bratislava from €54

Option 1, Milan to Bratislava using the Milan-Vienna sleeper - safe, comfortable, time-effective

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Rogoredo at 21:26 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 09:04.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car 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 couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  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 (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (same prices, a bit more fiddly, in €).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  You can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.

  Tip:  If you have a sleeping-car ticket you can use the ÖBB Lounge in Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary refreshments & free WiFi.

• Step 2, when you reach Vienna, simply buy a ticket for €11 and hop on the next hourly Regional Express train from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna, no reservation necessary or possible, journey time 56 minutes, see the timetable here.  You can check times using www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.  Important:  If travelling before 15 December 2024, see the update here.

Step 1, Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train.  More about Nightjet trains.

Deluxe sleeper.  Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room.  Larger photo.  Video of deluxe room		Same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out.  Larger photo.		Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided.  Larger photo.		Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open.  It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth.  Larger photo.

Step 2, Vienna to Bratislava by hourly Regional Express train, seen at Vienna Hbf.  Behind the locomotive is a smart Slovakian air-conditioned intercity coach, the rest of the train consists of non-air-con Austrian City Shuttle carriages, as shown in the photo above right.  Find a seat in the more Slovakian car if you can!  More about Vienna-Bratislava trains.

Option 2, Milan to Bratislava with overnight stop in Venice - if you prefer day trains & hotel to sleepers

• Day 1, travel from Milan Centrale to Venice Santa Lucia by Frecciarossa in just 2h27 using any train you like.

  You can spend a full day in Milan before taking an evening train, or take an earlier train and see something of Venice.  The Rialto bridge is only 15 minutes walk from Venice Santa Lucia, the Piazza San Marco only 25 minutes walk.  Frecciarossas have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas cards no problem, small booking fee) or Trenitalia's website www.trenitalia.com (in €, more fiddly, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.

  You can also try high-speed operator Italo for this journey, booked at www.italotreno.it.

• Stay overnight in Venice.  For a hotel that won't break the bank just 2 minutes walk from Venice Santa Lucia with good reviews, try the Hotel Maggior Consiglio or for a little more, the Hotel Abbazia.

• Day 2, travel from Venice to Vienna by railjet train, leaving Venice Santa Lucia at 09:56 and arriving Vienna Hbf 17:36.

  The swish Austrian railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It takes the beautifully scenic UNESCO-listed Semmering route from Vienna to Graz, a real treat, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semmering_railway.  Treat yourself to lunch with wine as the mountains glide by.  More about railjets and the Venice-Vienna journey.

  Fares start at €28.30 in 2nd class, €56.60 in 1st class or €71.60 in business class (= premium 1st class, a real treat).  Fares vary like air fares.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

  Tip:  If you have a 1st or business class ticket you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.

• Day 2, when you reach Vienna, simply buy a ticket for €11 and hop on the next hourly regional express train from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna, no reservation necessary or possible, journey time 56 minutes.  You can check times using www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.  Important:  If travelling before 15 December 2024, see the update here.

Venice to Vienna by railjet, seen at Venice Santa Lucia.  More about Venice-Vienna railjets.

Restaurant.  In 1st & business you're served at your seat.		Business class.  About business class.

First class.		Economy class.

The railjet travels over the famous Semmering Railway, opened in 1854 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  See the Vienna to Venice page for more information, photos & video.

Vienna to Bratislava by hourly Regional Express train, seen at Vienna Hbf.  Behind the locomotive is a smart Slovakian air-conditioned intercity coach, the rest of the train consists of non-air-con Austrian City Shuttle carriages, as shown in the photo above right.  Find a seat in the more Slovakian car if you can!  More about Vienna-Bratislava trains.

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Milan to Budapest from €69

Option 1, Milan to Budapest using the Milan-Vienna sleeper - safe, comfortable, time-effective

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Rogoredo at 21:26 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 09:04.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car 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 couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  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 (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  You can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.

  Tip:  If you have a sleeping-car ticket and/or 1st class ticket for the onward train to Budapest you can use the ÖBB lounge in Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary refreshments & free WiFi.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Budapest by EuroCity train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 10:42 & arriving Budapest Keleti 13:19.

  This comfortable Hungarian EuroCity train has a restaurant car, treat yourself to an early lunch and a beer or two.

  There's an earlier 09:42 to Budapest, but this is not a robust connection with the sleeper.  However, trains leave every hour so by all means book a later train & spend some time in Vienna, see the timetable here.  Luggage lockers are available.

  Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class, €29.90 in 1st class or €44.90 in business class (premium 1st).  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.  Easy!

Step 1, Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train.  More about Nightjets.

Deluxe sleeper.  Each compartment can be used as a 1, 2 or 3-bed room.  Larger photo.  Video of deluxe room		Same deluxe sleeper in evening/morning mode with beds folded away, seats folded out.  Larger photo.		Deluxe rooms have a compact shower & toilet, towels & hair/body wash provided.  Larger photo.		Standard sleeper set up as 2-berth, washstand open.  It can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth.  Larger photo.

6-berth couchettes.		4-berth couchettes.		Couchette car on the Nightjet sleeper train.

Step 2, Vienna to Budapest by Hungarian EuroCity train.

1st class is usually in 6-seat compartments.  Larger photo.		2nd class, open-plan saloon type, modernised.  Larger photo.

Option 2, Milan to Budapest with overnight stop in Venice - if you prefer day trains & hotel to sleepers

• Day 1, travel from Milan Centrale to Venice Santa Lucia by Frecciarossa in just 2h27 using any train you like.

  You can spend a full day in Milan before taking an evening train, or take an earlier train and see something of Venice.  The Rialto bridge is just 15 minutes walk from Venice Santa Lucia, the Piazza San Marco is just 25 minutes walk.  Frecciarossas have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas cards no problem, small booking fee) or Trenitalia's website www.trenitalia.com (in €, more fiddly, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.

  You can also try high-speed operator Italo for this journey, booked at www.italotreno.it.

• Stay overnight in Venice.  For a hotel that won't break the bank just 2 minutes walk from Venice Santa Lucia with good reviews, try the Hotel Maggior Consiglio or for a little more, the Hotel Abbazia.

• Day 2, travel from Venice to Vienna by railjet train, leaving Venice Santa Lucia at 09:56 and arriving Vienna Hbf 17:36.

  The swish Austrian railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It takes the beautifully scenic UNESCO-listed Semmering route from Vienna to Graz, a real treat, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semmering_railway.  Treat yourself to lunch with wine as the mountains glide by.  More about Venice to Vienna railjets & the journey.

  Fares start at €28.30 in 2nd class, €56.60 in 1st class or €71.60 in business class (= premium 1st class, a real treat).  Fares vary like air fares.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

  Tip:  If you have a 1st or business class ticket you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.

• Day 2, travel from Vienna to Budapest by railjet train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 18:42 and arriving Budapest Keleti at 21:19. 

  The swish air-conditioned railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class, €29.90 in 1st class or €44.90 in business class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas 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.

A Venice-Vienna railjet, at Venice Santa Lucia.  More about Venice-Vienna railjets.

Restaurant.  In 1st & business you're served at your seat.		Business class.  About business class.

First class.		Economy class.

The railjet travels over the famous Semmering Railway, opened in 1854 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  See the Vienna to Venice page for more information, photos & video.

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Milan to Bucharest, Brasov & Romania

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Budapest as shown in the Milan to Budapest section.

  You leave Milan in the evening by Nightjet sleeper train, changing in Vienna Hbf onto a fast railjet train to Budapest Keleti, arriving at lunchtime.  You've an afternoon to explore Budapest.

• Step 2, take the overnight sleeper train Ister leaving Budapest Keleti at 19:10 and arriving Brasov 08:48 & Bucharest Nord 11:35 next day. 

  This comfortable train has an air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, see the photos on the London to Romania page.  There's no restaurant car, so take a picnic and bottle of wine.

  Fares start at €39 with a couchette in 6-berth, €46 with a couchette in 4-berth, €69 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €84 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €162 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.  All prices per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  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 Bucharest type Bucuresti.  It can book seats, couchettes or sleepers.  You print your own ticket.

  You can also book at the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu, see my advice on using it.  For Bucharest type Bucuresti.  You show your ticket in the MAV app on your phone.

• Alternatively, stay overnight in Budapest, top choice for an inexpensive stay next to Budapest Keleti is the Intercity Hotel on the square in front of the station.  Also try the Royal Park Boutique Hotel, the inexpensive Baross City Hotel across the road or the Elit Hotel 2 minutes walk away.

  Next day, take a daytime train across Transylvania to Cluj, Timisoara, Simeria, Brasov or Bucharest as shown on the Budapest page.  These trains are also bookable 60 days ahead from €26.30 at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it.

A 1, 2 or 3-bed sleeper with washbasin.  Larger photo.		The sleeping-car (vagon de dormit) on the westbound Ister at Bucharest.  Sleepers convert from beds to private sitting rooms for day use.  Courtesy of @AndyBTravels, DiscoverByRail.com.

The vagon cuseta (couchette car) on the westbound Ister, boarding at Bucharest.  Couchettes convert from bunks at night to seats by day.  Courtesy of @AndyBTravels, DiscoverByRail.com .		4 or 6-berth couchettes.  Larger photo.

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Milan to Ljubljana & Zagreb

Option 1, Milan to Ljubljana & Zagreb using the Zurich-Zagreb sleeper - the most comfortable & time-effective option

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 15:10 arriving Zurich HB at 18:27.

  The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a lovely run through the Alps, past Italian and Swiss lakes, see the photos and video here.  It passes through the world's longest railway tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £, $ or Au$) or www.trenitalia.com (in €).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Step 2, travel from Zurich to Zagreb by sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 20:40 arriving Lesce-Bled 07:13, Ljubljana 08:09 & Zagreb 10:39.

  This excellent EuroNight sleeper train has modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, see the Croatian sleeper video. It also has a couchette car and with 4 & 6 bunk compartments.  The scenery in the morning is wonderful, all along the River Sava between Ljubljana and Zagreb.

  Fares start at €49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, €59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, €69.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €88.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 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 $, overseas 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.

  Tip:  There's no restaurant car, so have dinner before boarding your sleeper, see suggested restaurants on the Zurich HB station page.

  Tip:  You can check the consist for this train, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Switzerland & click nj.

  Important: This sleeper train is diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and won't call at Lesce-Bled or Ljubljana from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025.  For Ljubljana, either use another option or get off the sleeper at Celje in northern Slovenia at 09:47 then take a local train leaving Celje at 11:36 arriving Ljubljana 12:43.  Check times for the local train at potniski.sz.si/en.

Step 1, Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, through the Alps.  This is a Giruno train at Bellinzona.  The train passes through the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world's longest rail tunnel, though the transit takes just 20 minutes.

1st class.  Larger photo.		Restaurant car with bar counter. Larger photo.

2nd class.  Larger photo		Level boarding. Note the destination screen in the door.

Lake Lugano, seen from a Milan to Zurich train on the Gotthard route.

Step 2, Zurich to Zagreb by sleeper train seen here boarding at Zurich HB as the sun sets on a summer day.  That's the Croatian couchette car on the right, the Croatian sleeping-car on the left.  See the Croatian sleeper video.

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

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

Option 2, Milan to Ljubljana & Zagreb using the Milan-Austria Nightjet sleeper train - another time-effective option.

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Bruck an der Mur by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Rogoredo at 21:26 and arriving Bruck/Mur at 06:39.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car 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 couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the guide to Nightjet accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  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 (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  You can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.

• Step 2, travel from Bruck an der Mur to Ljubljana by EuroCity train Emona, leaving Bruck/Mur at 09:58, and arriving Ljubljana at 14:00. 

  Change at Zidani Most for Zagreb, arriving 17:10.

  It's an enjoyable ride with some great scenery.  The Emona  has air-conditioned cars and a restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch.

  Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book from Bruck/Mur to Ljubljana or Zagreb at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket.

Option 3, Milan to Ljubljana & Zagreb by the direct route through Venice & Trieste

• Direct trains from Italy to Slovenia were restored in September 2018.  Two modern air-conditioned trains now run from Trieste to Ljubljana every day, with connections from Venice - and there's now a daily Austrian EuroCity train from Trieste to Ljubljana, too.

  Just €22 or so gets you from Venice to Ljubljana, any day, any date, no prior reservation necessary, it cannot sell out, just buy at the station on the day.  And if you've ever wondered where prosecco comes from, you'll find out on this route! 

  For example, you can take a lunchtime train from Milan, change in Venice & Trieste, arriving Ljubljana at 21:41.  Stay overnight an head for Zagreb next morning.

  Click here for train times & fares from Venice to Ljubljana & Zagreb, with an account of the journey.

• Add a Milan to Venice train ticket from €19.90 at either www.italiarail.com or www.trenitalia.com.

Option 4, Milan to Ljubljana by daytime trains, overnight stop, on to Zagreb next day - a leisurely daytime option

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Venice by ETR610 EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 12:05, arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 14:42.

  If you'd like lunch and a wander around Venice, take an earlier train from Milan, for example the 08:05, 09:05 or 10:05.  The Rialto Bridge is just 20 minutes walk from Venice Santa Lucia, St Mark's Square just 27 minutes walk, see map of Venice showing station.  There's a left luggage office at the station.  Of course if you haven't been to Venice before, I'd recommend an overnight stop, not just a few hours!

• Step 2, travel from Venice to Villach by railjet, leaving Venice Santa Lucia at 15:52 and arriving Villach 19:11.

  The smart Austrian railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Villach is in southern Austria.  Have a coffee at the station between trains.

• Step 3, travel from Villach to Ljubljana by express train, leaving Villach at 20:53, arriving Lesce-Bled 21:47 & Ljubljana 22:38.

• Stay overnight in Ljubljana, see suggested hotels near the station.

• Step 4, travel from Ljubljana to Zagreb, leaving Ljubljana at 08:09 & arriving Zagreb 10:39.

  Enjoy the scenery as the train runs along the lovely river Sava from Ljubljana to Zagreb.

• How much does it cost?

  Milan to Venice starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Venice to Ljubljana starts at €26.50 in 2nd class or €39.40 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Ljubljana to Zagreb costs €9 bought at the station.

• How to buy tickets

  First book from Venice to Ljubljana at www.thetrainline.com (quickest & easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  You print your own ticket.

  Now book a suitable connecting train from Milan to Venice at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £, $ or Au$) or www.trenitalia.com (in €).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

  Buy the ticket from Ljubljana to Zagreb at the station in Ljubljana.

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Milan to Dubrovnik & Split

Option 1, Milan to Split & Dubrovnik via Zagreb - overland by train all the way

• Step 1, travel from Milan to Zagreb by train as shown above.

• Step 2, take a train from Zagreb to Split then a bus Split to Dubrovnik as shown here. 

Option 2, Milan to Split & Dubrovnik by ferry from Ancona or Bari - more time-effective

• Step 1, book an overnight ferry with comfortable en suite cabin either from Ancona to Split or from Bari to Dubrovnik.  www.jadrolinija.hr sails on both routes several times a week, leaving 19:45-22:00 and arriving 07:00-08:00.  You can choose a private cabin or cheaper berth in a shared cabin.  There are also reclining seats, but I always recommend a bed in a cabin for a safe and secure night's sleep.  Make sure you're on deck with your camera ready as the ship approaches the beautiful Croatian coast!

• Step 2, now add a train ticket from Milan Centrale to either Ancona Centrale or Bari Centrale using www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in €, £, $ or Au$) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian-language place names, see advice on using it).  Italiarail will refund their small booking fee if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your booking reference.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

  You should choose a train which arrives in Bari or Ancona at least 3 hours before the ferry sails, to allow for transfer to the port and check-in.  In Bari it's a 25 minute walk via Bari's pleasant old town to the ferry terminal, or a 10 minute taxi ride.  In Ancona, take a taxi from station to ferry terminal.

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Milan to Belgrade

Option 1, Milan to Belgrade & Sofia using the Zurich-Zagreb sleeper

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 15:10 arriving Zurich HB at 18:27.

  The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a lovely run through the Alps, past Italian and Swiss lakes, see the photos and video here.  It passes through the world's longest railway tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £, $ or Au$) or www.trenitalia.com (in €).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Day 1, travel from Zurich to Zagreb by sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 20:40 arriving Lesce-Bled 07:13, Ljubljana 08:09 & Zagreb 10:39.

  This excellent EuroNight sleeper train has modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, see the Croatian sleeper video. It also has a couchette car and with 4 & 6 bunk compartments.  The scenery in the morning is wonderful, all along the River Sava between Ljubljana and Zagreb.

  Fares start at €49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, €59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, €69.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €88.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 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 $, overseas 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.

  Tip:  There's no restaurant car, so have dinner before boarding your sleeper, see suggested restaurants on the Zurich HB station page.

  Tip:  You can check the consist for this train, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Switzerland & click nj.

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

  This train was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended.

  This train has air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats, but no 1st class.  There's no catering, so bring a picnic and some beer or wine.  The fare is around €29, it cannot be bought online so buy at the station or on board the train.

  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 €20, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com.

• If you're going to Sofia, spend the night in Belgrade, I recommend the historic Hotel Moskva.  Next day, travel from Belgrade to Sofia, see the Belgrade to Sofia page for details.

Step 1, Milan to Zurich by EuroCity train, through the Alps.  This is a Giruno train at Milano Centrale.  The train passes through the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world's longest rail tunnel, though the transit takes just 20 minutes.

1st class.  Larger photo.		Restaurant car with bar counter. Larger photo.

2nd class.  Larger photo		Level boarding. Note the destination screen in the door.

Lake Lugano, seen from a Milan to Zurich train on the Gotthard route.

Step 2, Zurich to Zagreb by sleeper trainseen here boarding at Zurich HB as the sun sets on a summer day.  That's the Croatian couchette car on the right, the Croatian sleeping-car on the left.  See the Croatian sleeper video.

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

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

Step 3, Zagreb to Belgrade by Serbian train.

Option 2, Milan to Belgrade & Sofia with overnight stop in Villach - a useful alternative

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Venice by ETR610 EuroCity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 12:05, arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 14:42.

  If you'd like lunch and a wander around Venice, take an earlier train from Milan, for example the 08:05, 09:05 or 10:05.  The Rialto Bridge is just 20 minutes walk from Venice Santa Lucia, St Mark's Square just 27 minutes walk, see map of Venice showing station.  There's a left luggage office at the station.  Of course if you haven't been to Venice before, I'd recommend an overnight stop, not just a few hours!

  Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee, means you can keep all your bookings together in one place) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in €, £, $ or Au$, they'll refund their small booking fee if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com afterwards) or www.trenitalia.com (in €).

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Day 1, travel from Venice to Villach by railjet, leaving Venice Santa Lucia at 15:52 and arriving Villach 19:11.

  The smart Austrian railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Villach is in Austria, on the Slovenian border.

  Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this at www.thetrainline.com (quickest & easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  You print your own ticket.

• Stay overnight in Villach, I suggest the Hotel Goldenes Lamm or Hotel City, both near the station with great reviews.

• Day 2, travel from Villach to Zagreb, leaving Villach at 06:28 & arriving Zagreb at 10:39.

  Enjoy the lovely scenery as the train runs along the pretty river Sava from Ljubljana to Zagreb.

  Fares start at €19.90, 2nd class only.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this at www.thetrainline.com (quickest & easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  You print your own ticket.

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

  This train was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended.

  This train has air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats, but no 1st class.  There's no catering, so bring a picnic and some beer or wine.  The fare is around €29, it cannot be bought online so buy at the station or on board the train.

  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 €20, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com.

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Milan to Sofia

Option 1, Milan to Sofia via Budapest & Bucharest - currently the most viable option

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Budapest as shown in the Milan-Budapest section.

  Make sure you allow an hour or two between trains in Budapest.

• Day 2, travel from Budapest to Bucharest by sleeper, then Bucharest to Sofia by day train, as shown in the Budapest to Sofia section.

  You arrive in Sofia on the evening of Day 3.  Book as shown.

Option 2, Milan to Sofia via Belgrade

• Not currently viable with the Zagreb-Belgrade and Belgrade-Sofia trains suspended.

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Milan to Bar, Budva, Kotor & Montenegro

• This is an excellent way to reach beautiful Montenegro from Florence.  Make sure you're on deck with your camera ready as the ship approaches the lovely Montenegrin coast!

• Step 1, travel from Milan Centrale to Ancona by train, journey time around 3h30.

  Obviously, check ferry operating dates and times first and work out a suitable connecting train after booking the ferry.  You should allow several hours in Ancona, check ferry check-in times, port location and procedures carefully.

  Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, easy to use, small booking fee) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in €, £, $ or Au$) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, more fiddly).  Italiarail will refund their small booking fee if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your booking reference.

  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

• Step 2, take the overnight ferry from Ancona to Bar in Montenegro, arriving next morning.

  Montenegro Lines used to sail from Bari to Bar but ceased trading in early 2017, Jadrolinija (www.jadrolinija.hr) took over this route but then abandoned it.  In 2024, Adria Ferries started a twice-weekly ferry from Ancona to Bar, which may run again in 2025.  Days and times varied.

  Check sailing dates & book online at www.adriaferries.com/en/lines/ancona-bar.html.

  You can book a private cabin or berth in a shared cabin.  There are also reclining seats, but a bed in a cabin means a safe & secure night's sleep.

  If you find no sailings to Bar, book a sailing from Bari to Dubrovnik in Croatia with www.jadrolinija.hr.  From Dubrovnik it's a 3h45 bus ride to Bar.

• Trains link Bar with Podgorica and indeed with Belgrade on the spectacular Bar-Belgrade Railway.  Buses link Bar bus station with Budva & Kotor.

The former Montenegro Lines ferry to Bari at Bar ferry terminal.

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Milan to Warsaw, Krakow & Poland

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Milan Rogoredo at 21:26 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 09:04.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car 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 couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board 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 (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  You can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz.  Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.

  Tip:  If you have a sleeping-car ticket and/or 1st class ticket for the onward train you can use the ÖBB lounge in Vienna Hbf, with complimentary refreshments & free WiFi.

• Day 2, spend the morning in Vienna and travel to Poland in the afternoon.

  For Warsaw, travel from Vienna to Warsaw by EuroCity train Polonia, leaving Vienna Hbf at 14:10, arriving Warsaw Centralna 21:34.

  For Krakow, travel from Vienna to Krakow by EuroCity train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 16:10 and arriving Krakow Glowny 21:13.

  Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You collect tickets from the ÖBB ticket machines in Vienna.

Vienna to Warsaw or Krakow by EuroCity train.  This is the Danubius to Krakow at Vienna Hbf on a winter afternoon.  That's the Czech through car to Wroclaw nearest the camera, the Polish cars to Krakow are ahead of it.  Courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.

Most 2nd class cars have compartments like this with side corridor & 6-seat compartments.

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Milan to Lviv, Kyiv, Moscow & St Petersburg

• Day 1, travel from Milan to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train as shown in the Milan to Vienna section above.

  You leave Milan Porta Garibaldi in the evening and arrive at Vienna Hbf next morning.

• Day 2, enjoy the best part of the day in Vienna, left luggage lockers are available.

• Day 2, travel from Vienna to Lviv or Kyiv by direct Ukrainian sleeping-car. leaving Vienna Hbf at 16:42 every day and arriving next day (day 3) at Lviv at 09:20 & Kyiv at 16:03. 

  Introduced in 2017, this train consists of 2 or sometimes 3 direct Ukrainian sleeping-cars attached to a Vienna-Zahony EuroCity train.  The sleeping-cars have comfortable 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin, see the photos below.  At Chop on the other side of the border the through sleeping-cars are jacked up to have their wheelsets changed from European standard gauge (4'8½") to Russian gauge used in Ukraine (5').

  Vienna to Lviv costs €71.20 in a 3-berth sleeper, €79.20 in a 2-berth sleeper or around €130 in a single sleeper.

  Vienna to Kyiv costs €89.60 in a 3-berth sleeper, €99.60 in a 2-berth sleeper or around €170 in a single sleeper.

  Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.

  Booking for these direct sleeping-cars opens 20 days ahead, but tickets sell out a day or two after booking opens, so book as soon as the booking period opens.  If the ÖBB website says Ticket not available within 20 days it means fully-booked, if it says that more than 20 days ahead it means booking isn't open yet.

  Tickets can now be printed out so you can book in either direction.  However, you must print the ticket, it cannot be shown on a mobile device.

• Day 3, take a sleeper train from Kyiv to Moscow.  Train 6 leaves Kyiv at around 19:36 and arrives Moscow Kievskaya at around 10:09 next day (day 4 from Italy).  Taking the route via Kyiv avoids Belarus, so no need for a Belarus visa.

  These trains were suspended due to Covid-19, and are now cancelled - and the lines blown up - due to the war in Ukraine

  The fare is around €92 with a bed in 4-berth kupé or €180 with a bed in a 2-berth spalny vagon.

  You can book tickets starting in Kyiv at the Ukrainian Railways site booking.uz.gov.ua/en/ booking from Kyiv to Moskva Kievskaya.  You collect tickets at the station in Kyiv.  Feedback appreciated!

  Change in Moscow for fast trains to St Petersburg, see the train travel in Russia page.

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Milan to Athens & Greece

• You can leave Milan Centrale in the morning on a fast train to Bari, sail overnight to Patras in Greece and take a bus/train into Athens arriving in the early evening.  See the Italy to Athens page for details of times, fares & how to buy tickets.

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Hotels in Milan

Backpacker hostels

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

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Travel insurance & VPN

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

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