London to Germany by high-speed train

London to Germany by train

It's easy to travel from the UK to Germany by train.  Take Eurostar from London to Brussels in 2 hours and switch to a high-speed ICE train to Cologne taking 1h57, then take another luxurious ICE train to Munich, Berlin, Hamburg or anywhere in Germany.  London to Brussels starts at £52 one-way or £78 return, Brussels to Cologne at €18.99 each way, Brussels to Berlin or Munich at €27.99, city centre to city centre, no airports, no flights.  Children under 4 go free, and there's free WiFi.  This page explains the best routes, times, & how to buy tickets.

Choose your destination:     London to: Augsburg Berlin Bielefeld Bochum Bonn Bremen Colditz Cologne (Koln) Dortmund Dresden Duisburg Dusseldorf Essen Frankfurt Hamburg Hannover Heidelberg Koblenz Leipzig Mainz Mannheim (via Brussels) Mannheim (via Paris) Munich Neuschwanstein Castle Nuremberg Osnabruck Regensburg Saarbrucken Stuttgart Ulm

Train times, fares & tickets

  London to Hanover & Berlin

  London to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen & Dortmund

  London to Bonn, Koblenz, Mainz

  London to Frankfurt

  London to Nuremberg

  London to Osnabrück, Bremen & Hamburg

  London to Mannheim, Stuttgart & Munich

  London to Leipzig & Dresden

  London to other destinations

  London to Germany via the Harwich-Hoek ferry

  UK to Germany by ferry from Hull or Newcastle

  Starting from other UK towns & cities

  Hotels convenient for arrival by train

  Holidays & tours to Germany by train

  Rhine cruises - deluxe or do-it-yourself

Train travel within Germany

  Train travel in Germany - a beginner's guide

  Buy tickets online for travel within Germany

  Lander tickets - unlimited travel in a region

  How to visit Neuschwanstein castle

  How to visit the Harz steam railway & Brocken

  How to visit Colditz

International trains to & from Germany

Station guides

Other useful information

Interactive map:  Click a destination or route

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Useful country information

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London to Hannover & Berlin

Which route to choose?

• Option 1, by Eurostar & daytime trains - The fastest, cheapest, most direct route.  Take Eurostar from London to Brussels, a high-speed ICE train to Cologne and another ICE to Hannover & Berlin.

• Option 2, by Eurostar & European Sleeper on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.  Leave London on the 13:01 Eurostar, have an early dinner in Brussels, then take the European Sleeper to Berlin arriving 06:16 next morning, see the European Sleeper page.

• Option 3, by Eurostar & Nightjet sleeper also on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.  Leave London on the 13:01 Eurostar to Brussels, have an early dinner in Brussels, then take the Nightjet sleeper to Berlin arriving 08:26 next morning.

• Option 4, by Eurostar with overnight stop in Amsterdam:  A long way round, but what's not to like about a stopover in Amsterdam?  Take the early evening Eurostar from London to Amsterdam, stay overnight, take an intercity train to Berlin next day.

• Option 5, by overnight ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland then daytime train to Berlin. The ferry alternative.  Take the 19:36 train from London to Harwich, sleep on the Stena Line superferry from 21:00 to 08:00 in a cosy private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV.  Next day, take the metro to Schiedam and a Dutch Intercity train to Amsterdam.  An Amsterdam-Berlin Intercity train will get you to Berlin Hbf by early evening.  A great alternative if you live in East Anglia, if Eurostar fares are expensive or you prefer a ferry to the Tunnel.

• Option 6, by daytime ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland then sleeper to Berlin.  Take an early morning train from London to Harwich and cruise to Hoek van Holland on Stena Line's daytime crossing.  Then take the European Sleeper from Rotterdam to Berlin 3 times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri). Useful if Eurostar fares are expensive, if you live in East Anglia or if you prefer a ferry to the Tunnel.

• Option 7, by overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam or Newcastle to Amsterdam, then onward trains to Germany.  By-pass London!  If you live in the North of England or Scotland, you can cruise overnight from Newcastle or Hull to Holland, then take a train to Berlin.

Which option is cheapest?  You have to go online and see, because each option involves several tickets and the price of each ticket varies like an air fare.  However, at short notice, the ferry options are usually cheaper than Eurostar.

Can you go out one way, back another?  Yes!  Almost all European train fares are priced as one-way, so you can book one-way out on one route and one-way back on another.  Eurostar is the exception where a return fare is cheaper than two one-ways, so book London-Paris or London-Brussels as a round trip if you can.

Can you stop off?  Of course!  Simply book trains either side of the stopover on whatever dates you want.  Each part of these journeys is ticketed separately in any case (for example, the Eurostar and the sleeper train), so it's no problem to stop off on the way at any of the main interchange points.

What if you're not starting from London?  See this advice about starting your journey from elsewhere in the UK.

Option 1, London to Berlin by daytime trains

This is the fastest & most direct option.  Take a morning Eurostar to Brussels, a high-speed ICE3neo train to Cologne, and another luxurious ICE train to Berlin, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Treat yourself to lunch with a beer or glass of wine in the restaurant, I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier and DB's choice of German red wine.  An overnight stop in Brussels or Cologne can make for a time-effective journey as shown by the shaded journeys in the timetable below.

Timetable outward 2025

How to buy tickets

• Buy tickets from London to Berlin or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  They're in plain English, in €, £ or $, international credit cards accepted. There's a small booking fee.  You print your own ticket or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app and show the DB ticket on your phone.

• When does booking open?

  Booking for Eurostar opens up to 11 months ahead.  Onward trains open up to 6 months ahead, less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  Journeys involving a Brussels-Cologne Eurostar (formerly Thalys) open 4 months ahead.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens.

• Booking tips

  It helps to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  Using www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Is it a through ticket?

  There are no through tickets from London to Germany.  But www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com can sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to anywhere in Germany as one seamless transaction.  The connection between tickets in Brussels is protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT.

• One-way or round trip?

  On most European trains, a return fare is two one-ways, but on Eurostar, return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so always book round trips involving Eurostar as a return.  For more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey, add to basket, book Brussels to Berlin one way, add to basket, then Berlin to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

• Seat reservations

  Eurostar tickets automatically include a reserved seat, but on ICE trains seat reservation is optional.  You'll be asked if you want to add one during the booking process for €5.20 each way 2nd class, €6.50 1st class, ICEs can get busy so I recommend reserving.  If you forget, you can make a seat reservation to go with an existing ticket at int.bahn.de, using the Book seat only toggle.

• About that 20-minute connection at Brussels Midi

  The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an ICE to Germany, sometimes 18 or 19 minutes, is a recognised connection.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms (if open).

  You are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT, so if the Eurostar is delayed you can travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

  The system knows whether a connection is acceptable or too tight.  If you plan to book your Eurostar & ICE tickets separately, first run a London-Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de to check that the system recognises that Eurostar as connecting with that ICE, on that specific date.

  Tip:  By all means book an earlier Eurostar than the one which connects with your chosen onward ICE, if it has cheaper fares or if you want a safer connection.  There are plenty of places for a coffee or beer between trains in Brussels!

• Travelling from the UK regions:  See the advice here.

Another way to buy tickets

• This is a little more work, but there's no booking fee and int.bahn.de lets you select your seat from a seat map on German ICE & IC trains.  And unlike Thetrainline or Raileurope, int.bahn.de lets you adjust the default transfer time to give more robust connections, and add stopovers.

• First check that your outward Eurostar & ICE are a recognised connection by running a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de and confirming that your chosen Eurostar & ICE appear together as one journey.  See the bit about 20-minute connections in the previous section.

• Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com.

  Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, always book Eurostar as a round trip.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone.

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Step 2, book from Brussels to Berlin at the German Railways site int.bahn.de.

  A round trip is priced as two one-ways, so you can book one way at a time if it's easier.

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

  Tip:  With int.bahn.de you can add a stopover and still get a cheap end-to-end fare, it allows up to 2 stopovers within the 2-day ticket validity.  The Stopovers feature lets you specify the length of stay in hours.  Why not stop off in Cologne?

How to buy tickets by phone

• Call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sundays UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).  Click here for a list of agencies & more about how to buy tickets by phone.

Using an Interrail pass

• Pass or point to point?

  Let's be clear, a pass will not save money over the cheapest point-to-point advance-purchase fares you might see if you book a few months ahead.  But when point-to-point fares are expensive (for example, at short notice) OR you want the flexibility to change your mind, re-route or reschedule as necessary, a pass might be what you need.

  If flexibility is what you want, buy the pass.  If it's about saving money, you'll have to check point-to-point prices and do the maths.

  It's worth doing the maths if you are under 28, if you have kids (kids get a free pass when accompanying an adult but still need to pay reservation fees) or if you live a long way from London (as a pass covers you from your home station to London).  Passes are available in 1st & 2nd class.

• How to use a pass for a trip to Germany

  Step 1, buy a 4-days in 1-month Interrail pass from www.raileurope.com (click Rail passes and select Europe) or www.interrail.eu, see pass prices on the Interrail page.  You load the pass into the Railplanner app on your phone.

  A 4-day pass is enough to get from almost anywhere in mainland Britain to anywhere in Germany & back again.

  A 4-day pass gives you unlimited train travel on any 4 dates you choose in an overall 1 month period.  The first travel day can be any date you select in the 11 months after buying the pass, the overall 1 month period starts from that date.  Learn about how Interrail passes work here.

  Step 2, make a Eurostar passholder reservation from London to Brussels & back, see prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations online.  Tip:  Eurostar passholder availability is limited, so check availability before buying a pass.

  Step 3, reservations between Brussels and Berlin are usually optional, but recommended.  You can make seat reservations for €5.20 2nd class, €6.50 1st class at int.bahn.de using the Book seat only toggle.

  By all means go out one way, back another, with an Interrail pass you can use almost any of the trains & routes to/from Germany shown on this page, find out how to reserve the relevant trains using the Interrail reservations guide.

Let Railbookers or Byway arrange it

• Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can arrange a tour or short break by train as a package, with rail travel, hotels & transfers.  On their website you'll find suggested tours & holidays which can be customised to your own requirements.  One of their most popular trips is a short break by train from the UK to Cologne & Berlin, customisable to add extra nights.  Another top seller is their holiday to Berlin & Prague, also with travel to & from London by train.  Finally, have a look at their Ultimate Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest - this is by train on the outward leg from the UK, but can easily be customised to include train travel from Budapest back to London.

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

    US call free 1-888-829-4775, www.railbookers.com.

    Canada call 1-855-882-2910, www.railbookers.com.

    Australia call 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au. 

    New Zealand call toll-free 0800 000 554 or see website.

• Byway (Byway.travel) is a new UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating.  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book a holiday to Germany for you as a package, including train travel and hotels, starting from any British station you like.  Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.

  They can build a trip to your requirements if you phone 0300 131 7173 (open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, from outside the UK call +44 300 131 7173) or email them or use this contact form.  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

• Tailor Made Rail can also organise a trip to Berlin & Germany by train, with hotels and transfers. Call their dedicated seat61 phone line 020 3778 1461 and quote seat 61 when booking.  From outside the UK call +44 20 3778 1461.  Lines open 09:00-17:30 Monday-Friday.  Their website is www.tailormaderail.com/destinations/germany.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

Easy 20 minute connection, Eurostar to ICE:  That's the 11:04 Eurostar from London on the right, arrived at 14:05 on platform 3, and the 14:25  ICE to Cologne & Frankfurt on the left on platform 4.  All you have to do to change trains on this particular departure is walk 20 feet across the width of the platform!  If the connection is missed, you're covered by Railteam/HOTNAT.

2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3neo

In June 2024, the latest type ICE3neo took over this route from ICE3M.  These ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, food & drink orders are taken & served at your seat.  50 minutes after leaving Brussels the ICE calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava.  As you approach Cologne Hbf you'll see the twin towers of Cologne Cathedral on the right, next to the station.  More about ICE3.  Brussels Midi station guide.  Cologne Hbf station guide.

An ICE3neo at Brussels Midi.  Click on the interior images for larger photos.  Photo above courtesy of Christian Hunt.

3. Cologne to Berlin by ICE2

The Cologne to Berlin route is operated by ICE2, although an increasing number of departures are now ICE4.  ICE2 trains have a restaurant car, bar car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat.  Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, the train crosses the Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine.  It passes through the industrial Ruhr via Wuppertal & Hamm.  After leaving Hannover, the train passes non-stop through Wolfsburg - look out for the original Volkswagen factory on the left, built in 1938.  The train then travels at up to 280 km/h (174 mph) on the high-speed line to Berlin Hbf, where it arrives at the low-level platforms.  More about ICE2.  Cologne Hbf station guide.  Berlin Hbf station guide.

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Option 2, London to Berlin by Eurostar & European Sleeper

• This is shown on the European Sleeper page.

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Option 3, London to Berlin by Eurostar & Nightjet sleeper

From 10 December 2023 there are not one but TWO different sleeper trains from Brussels to Berlin, both running 3 times a week on different days, the existing European Sleeper (see the European Sleeper page) and a new Austrian Nightjet sleeper train, shown below.  So on 6 days a week you can hop on a lunchtime Eurostar to Brussels, have an early dinner, then sleep your way to Berlin.

London ► Berlin Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays

• Step 1, travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 13:01 and arriving Brussels Midi 16:06.

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

  A later 15:04 departure is possible, but the 13:01 is a safer connection as the sleeper is occasionally retimed earlier.

  Tip:  At Brussels Midi, the Pullman Hotel bar makes an excellent VIP waiting room.

• Step 2, travel from Brussels to Berlin by Nightjet, leaving Brussels Midi at 19:06 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, arriving Berlin Hbf 08:26.

  Until 14 December 2024, the days of running are Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper 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's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The train has a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and an ordinary seats car.  See the guide to Nightjet accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee, served in your compartment.

Berlin ► London Tuesdays, Thursdays, Sundays

• Step 1, travel from Berlin to Brussels by Nightjet, leaving Berlin Hbf at 19:06 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, arriving Brussels Midi 09:55.

  Until 15 December 2024 the days of running are Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper 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's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The train has a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and an ordinary seats car.  See the guide to Nightjet accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee.

  Tip:  On arrival at Brussels Midi, the Pullman Hotel bar makes an excellent VIP waiting room.

• Step 2, travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar, leaving Brussels Midi at 12:56 arriving London St Pancras 13:57.

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

How much does it cost?

Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.  Return fares are twice the one-way.

On the sleeper train, berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed, the other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers.  For sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a 1-berth sleeper or 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper or 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette and so on.

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, book the Nightjet sleeper train from Brussels to Berlin at www.thetrainline.com and add to basket.  About Thetrainline.

  Using www.thetrainline.com allows you to book all your tickets in one place, in €, £ or $, international cards no problem, small booking fee.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, less than this when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  Child under 6?  See here.

• Step 2, now use www.thetrainline.com again to book the London-Brussels Eurostar connection, add to basket & check out.

  You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.

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

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

• Alternatively, you can book the Nightjet at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €) and then the Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.  It means using two different websites, prices should be the same, but no booking fee.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide.  In Brussels, I recommend the Pullman Hotel bar as your VIP waiting room.

2. Brussels to Berlin by Nightjet

This is an Austrian Railways (ÖBB) Nightjet train, with two sleeping-cars, two couchette cars & seats.  Each of the two Comfortline sleeping-cars has nine 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet.  The sleeper berths come made up with sheets and duvets, all sleeper passengers get mineral water in the evening and a light breakfast served in their compartment next morning.  Towels & toiletries are provided, including shampoo and shower gel in the deluxe sleepers.  In the more economical couchettes, you can book a couchette in a cheaper 6-berth compartment or a less-crowded 4-berth compartment, each provided with sheet, blanket, pillow & small bottle of water.  Couchette passengers get tea or coffee, rolls & jam in the morning.  More about Nightjets.

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Option 4, London to Berlin with overnight stop in Amsterdam

This is a longer way round so much slower than option 1, but there's only one change of train, it can be cheaper and what's not to like about some time in Amsterdam?  It also allows an after-work departure from London so is time-effective.  Take Eurostar from London to Amsterdam Centraal in around 4h, often with keener pricing than between London & Brussels, stay overnight, then take a German Intercity train from Amsterdam Centraal to Berlin Hbf next day in 5h52.

London ► Berlin

• Day 1, travel from London to Amsterdam by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 18:04 daily except Saturdays, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 23:15.

  Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Plus & Premier fares include dinner with wine.  More about London-Amsterdam Eurostars.

• Stay overnight in Amsterdam.  The Park Plaza Victoria Hotel is directly opposite the station and gets very good reviews.  The Ibis Styles Amsterdam Centraal is also opposite the station for a relatively inexpensive for overnight stop, or try the Hotel Luxer.

• Day 2, travel from Amsterdam Centraal to Berlin Hbf by Intercity train on any departure you like.

  The 06:00 from Amsterdam arrives Berlin 11:51, or there's an 08:00, 10:00, 12:00 and so on, see the Amsterdam-Berlin timetable.

  All have power sockets at all seats & a refreshment trolley.  More about Amsterdam to Berlin trains.

Berlin ► London

• Day 2, travel from Berlin Hbf to Amsterdam Centraal by Intercity train leaving Berlin Hbf at 16:06 & arriving Amsterdam Centraal 21:59.

  Or book an earlier train if you like, trains leave Berlin Hbf at 06:06, 08:06, 10:06, 12:06, 14:06, see the Berlin-Amsterdam timetable.

  All have power sockets at all seats & a refreshment trolley.  More about Amsterdam to Berlin trains.

• Stay overnight in Amsterdam.  The Park Plaza Victoria Hotel is directly opposite the station and gets very good reviews.  The Ibis Styles Amsterdam Centraal is also opposite the station for a relatively inexpensive for overnight stop, or try the Hotel Luxer.

• Day 1, travel from Amsterdam to London by Eurostar, leaving Amsterdam Centraal 07:47 Monday-Saturday, arriving London St Pancras 10:43.

  Or on Monday-Fridays & Sundays you can leave Amsterdam Centraal at 13:47, arriving London St Pancras 16:57.

  Update 2024:  You'll need to change at Brussels (check times online) until 10 February 2025, when direct Eurostars resume in this direction.

  Or spend a day in Amsterdam & take the afternoon Eurostar leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 16:47 daily except Saturdays, arriving London St Pancras 19:43, see the London to Amsterdam timetable.

  Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

How much does it cost?

• London to Amsterdam by Eurostar starts at £51 one-way or £98 return in Standard, £97 one-way or £168 return in Plus (1st class).

  Children under go 4 free, children under 12 pay a reduced fare.

• Amsterdam to Berlin starts at €37.99 in 2nd class, €69.99 in 1st class.

  Children under 6 go free, children under 15 also go free when accompanied by an adult.

• Fares are dynamic, like air fares, so book ahead and avoid busy days such as Friday afternoons for the cheapest fares.

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, buy a Eurostar ticket between London & Amsterdam at www.eurostar.com.

  Booking opens up to 11 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app.

• Step 2, buy tickets between Amsterdam & Berlin at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

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

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Which route to choose?

Cologne, or Köln in German from its Roman name, Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, was once the largest city in Germany, with a magnificent cathedral right next to the main station.  There are several good options for travel from the UK to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen or Dortmund.

• Option 1, by Eurostar + ICE:  Take Eurostar from London to Brussels, then a superb high-speed German ICE3neo train from Brussels to Cologne at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  Change in Cologne for a regional train to Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen & Dortmund.

  I'd choose this option if I was going to Cologne, it's fastest because of a slick 20-minute connection in Brussels, and more frequent too.

• Option 2, by Eurostar + Eurostar:  Take Eurostar from London to Brussels, then a high-speed Eurostar (formerly Thalys) from Brussels to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen & Dortmund.

  I'd choose this option if going to Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen or Dortmund if the timings suit you.  There's a more robust 1h20 connection in Brussels (with time for a beer), and Eurostar (formerly Thalys) runs direct from Brussels to these cities with no need to change in Cologne.

• Option 3, by Stena Line Harwich-Hoek overnight ferry and onward trains to Düsseldorf & Cologne:  The ferry alternative.  Leave London Liverpool Street station at 19:36 or Cambridge at 19:47, sleep on the ferry in a cosy private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV from 21:00 to 08:00, connecting trains will get you to Düsseldorf at 12:46 or Cologne at 13:15.  If Eurostar fares are expensive, if you live in East Anglia or if you prefer a ferry to the Tunnel, this is a great option.

• Option 4, by overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam or Newcastle to Amsterdam, then onward trains to Germany.  By-pass London!  If you live in the North of England or Scotland, you can sail overnight from Newcastle or Hull to Holland, then take a train to Germany.

Option 1, London to Cologne & Düsseldorf by Eurostar + ICE

Getting to Cologne from London is easy by train:  Hop on a high-speed Eurostar train from London to Brussels in just 2 hours, then travel from Brussels to Cologne by high-speed ICE train in just 1h57 with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Frequent regional trains then link Cologne with Düsseldorf, Essen, Bochum & Dortmund.  ICEs are run by Deutsche Bahn (German Railways).

Timetable outward 2025

Timetable inward 2025

• London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £97 one-way, £140 return in Plus (1st class).

• Brussels to Cologne by ICE starts at €18.99 each way in 2nd class, €27.99 each way in 1st class.

• Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead and avoid busy day such as Fridays or Sundays.

• Tip:  If making a round trip at short notice, if fares exceed €280 return consider using an Interrail pass as explained below.

How to buy tickets

• Buy tickets from London to Cologne, Düsseldorf or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  These sites are in plain English, in €, £ or $, international credit cards accepted. There's a small booking fee.

  You print your ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app and show the DB ticket on your phone.

• When does booking open?

  Booking for Eurostar opens up to 11 months ahead, onward trains up to 6 months ahead, less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens.

• Booking tips

  It can help to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  At www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Is it a through ticket?

  There are no through tickets from London to Germany.  But www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to anywhere in Germany.  The connection between tickets in Brussels is protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT.

• One-way or round trip?

  On most European trains, a return fare is simply two one-ways, but on Eurostar, return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so always book round trips involving Eurostar as a return.  For more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey, add to basket, book Brussels to Berlin one way, add to basket, then Berlin to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

• Seat reservations

  Eurostar tickets automatically include a reserved seat, but on ICE trains seat reservation is optional.  You'll be asked if you want to add one during the booking process for €5.20 each way 2nd class, €6.50 1st class, ICEs can get busy so I recommend reserving.  If you forget, you can make a seat reservation to go with an existing ticket at int.bahn.de, using the Book seat only toggle.

• About that 20-minute connection at Brussels Midi

  The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an ICE to Germany, sometimes 18 or 19 minutes, is a recognised connection.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms, if it's open.

  You are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT, so if the Eurostar is delayed you can travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

  The system knows whether a connection is acceptable or too tight.  If you plan to book your Eurostar & ICE tickets separately, first run a London-Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de to check that the system recognises that Eurostar as connecting with that ICE, on that specific date.

  Tip:  By all means book an earlier Eurostar than the one which directly connects with your chosen onward ICE, if it has cheaper fares or if you want a safer connection.  There are plenty of places for a coffee or beer between trains in Brussels!

• Travelling from the UK regions:  See the advice here.

Another way to buy tickets

• This is a little more work, but there's no booking fee and int.bahn.de lets you select your seat from a seat map on German ICE & IC trains.  And unlike Thetrainline or Raileurope, int.bahn.de lets you adjust the default transfer time to give more robust connections, and add stopovers.

• First check that your outward Eurostar & ICE are a recognised connection by running a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de and confirming that your chosen Eurostar & ICE appear together as one journey.  See the bit about 20-minute connections in the previous section.

• Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com.

  Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, always book Eurostar as a round trip.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone.

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Step 2, book from Brussels to Cologne or Düsseldorf at the German Railways site int.bahn.de.

  A round trip is ticketed as two one-ways, so you can book one way at a time if that's easier.

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

  Tip:  With int.bahn.de you can add a stopover and still get a cheap end-to-end fare, it allows up to 2 stopovers within the 2-day ticket validity.  The Stopovers feature lets you specify the length of stay in hours.  Why not stop off in Cologne?

How to buy tickets by phone

• Call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sundays, UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).  Click here for a list of agencies & more about how to buy tickets by phone.

Let Railbookers or Byway arrange it

• Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a tour or short break by train as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers.  Their website has a range of suggested tours & holidays which can be customised to your requirements.  One of their most popular trips is a short break by train from the UK to Cologne & Berlin, customisable to add extra nights, with train travel throughout.

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

    US call free 1-888-829-4775, www.railbookers.com.

    Canada call free 1-855-882-2910, www.railbookers.com.

    Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au. 

    New Zealand call toll-free 0800 000 554 or see website.

• Byway (Byway.travel) is a new UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating.  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book a holiday to Germany for you as a package, including train travel and hotels, starting from any British station you like.  Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.

  They can build a trip to your requirements if you phone 0300 131 7173 (open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, from outside the UK call +44 300 131 7173) or email them or use this contact form.  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

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

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

Easy 20 minute connection, Eurostar to ICE:  That's the 11:04 Eurostar from London on the right, arrived at 14:05 on platform 3, and the 14:25  ICE to Cologne & Frankfurt on the left on platform 4.  All you have to do to change trains on this particular departure is walk 20 feet across the width of the platform!  If the connection is missed, you're covered by Railteam/HOTNAT.

2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3

In June 2024, the latest type ICE3neo took over this route from ICE3M.  These ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat.  50 minutes after leaving Brussels the ICE calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava.  As you approach Cologne Hbf you'll see the twin towers of Cologne Cathedral on the right, next to the station.  More about ICE3.  Brussels Midi station guide.  Cologne Hbf station guide.

An ICE3neo at Brussels Midi.  More about ICE trains.  ICE3neo photos courtesy of Christian Hunt.

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Option 2, London to Cologne & Düsseldorf by Eurostar + Eurostar

Take a Eurostar from London to Brussels in just 2 hours, then take a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) from Brussels to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen or Dortmund with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  This option involves a more robust connection in Brussels and no need to change again in Cologne if you're going to Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen or Dortmund.  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).

Timetable outward 2025

Timetable inward 2025

• London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £97 one-way, £140 return in Plus (1st class).

• Brussels to Cologne, Düsseldorf or Dortmund by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) starts at €19 each way in 2nd class, €49 each way in 1st class.

• Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead and avoid busy days such as Fridays or Sundays.

How to buy tickets

• Buy tickets from London to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen or Dortmund at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Both sites are in plain English, in €, £ or $, international credit cards accepted. There's a small booking fee.

  You print your ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app and show the DB ticket on your phone.

• When does booking open?

  Booking for Eurostar opens up to 11 months ahead, booking for Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains opens up to 4 months ahead, less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open for sale.  More about when booking opens.

• Booking tips

  If you're booking to Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen or Dortmund, both www.raileurope.com & www.thetrainline.com normally suggest this option.

  If you're booking to Cologne, www.thetrainline.com typically offers both options 1 & 2, look closely at the timings to choose the one you want.

  However, www.raileurope.com often only offers Eurostar+ICE (option 1) with the slick 20-minute connection.  To make it offer this Eurostar+Eurostar option with the 1h20 connection, click More options and enter Brussels (any station) with a 1 hour duration.

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Is it a through ticket?

  There are no through tickets to Germany, www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket to Germany.  The connection between tickets in Brussels is protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT.

• One-way or round trip?

  On most European trains, a return is simply two one-ways, but on Eurostar to/from London, return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so always book round trips as a return.  For more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey, add to basket, book Brussels to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen or Dortmund one way, add to basket, then Germany to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

• Seat reservations

  Eurostar & Eurostar (formerly Thalys) tickets automatically include a reserved seat.

• Travelling from the UK regions:  See the advice here.

How to buy tickets by phone

• Call Eurostar on +44 (0)3432 186 186 (lines open 07:00-19:00 every day, UK time, there's a fee for phone bookings).  Click here for a list of agencies & more about how to buy tickets by phone.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

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

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

2. Brussels to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen or Dortmund by Eurostar (formerly Thalys)

Alternating (and competing) with the German Railways ICE, a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) links Brussels with Cologne every couple of hours or so, most going on to Düsseldorf and Essen.  You can use these if you prefer.  Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains have 3 classes, standard, comfort (1st class) & premium (premium 1st class with food & wine included).  All classes have free WiFi, power sockets at all seats.  There are vending machines, but now no cafe-bar.  As you approach Cologne Hbf you'll see the twin towers of Cologne Cathedral on the right, next to the station.  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).  Brussels Midi station guide.  Cologne Hbf station guide.

A Eurostar at Brussels Midi.  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).

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High-speed Eurostar trains link London with Brussels in just 2 hours.  High-speed ICE & Eurostar (formerly Thalys) then link Brussels and Cologne in only 1h57.  Regular trains then link Cologne with Bonn, Koblenz and Mainz.

How to check train times

First use the London-Cologne timetables above to find train times from London to Cologne.

You can use either Eurostar + ICE or Eurostar + Eurostar (formerly Thalys), but I'd use Eurostar + ICE because then you can buy a through ticket between Brussels and your German destination, which makes it cheaper and protects your connection in Cologne.

Then use int.bahn.de to look up connecting train times from Cologne to Bonn, Koblenz and Mainz.

I'd allow at least 20 minutes between trains in Cologne eastbound, at least 45 minutes westbound.

How much does it cost?

• London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £97 one-way, £140 return in Plus (1st class).

• Brussels to Bonn, Koblenz or Mainz starts at €18.99 each way 2nd class, €27.99 each way 1st class.

• Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead and avoid busy days such as Fridays or Sundays.

How to buy tickets

• Buy tickets from London to Bonn, Koblenz, Mainz or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, in plain English, in €, £ or $, international credit cards accepted. There's a small booking fee.

  You print your own ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app and show the DB ticket on your phone.

• When does booking open?

  Booking for Eurostar opens up to 11 months ahead.  Onward trains to Germany open up to 6 months ahead, less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  Journeys involving a Brussels-Cologne Eurostar (formerly Thalys) open 4 months ahead.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open before committing to a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens.

• Booking tips

  It can help to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  At www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Is it a through ticket?

  There are no through tickets from London to Germany.  But www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to anywhere in Germany.  The connection between tickets in Brussels is protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT.

• One-way or round trip?

  On most European trains, a return fare is simply two one-ways, but on Eurostar, return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so always book round trips involving Eurostar as a return.  For more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey, add to basket, book Brussels to Berlin one way, add to basket, then Berlin to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

• Seat reservations

  Eurostar tickets automatically include a reserved seat, but on ICE trains seat reservation is optional.  You'll be asked if you want to add one during the booking process for €5.20 2nd class, €6.50 1st class.  ICEs can get busy so I recommend reserving a seat.  If you forget, you can make a seat reservation to go with an existing ticket at int.bahn.de, using the Book seat only toggle.

• About that 20-minute connection at Brussels Midi

  The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an ICE to Germany, sometimes 18 or 19 minutes, is a recognised connection.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms, if it's open.

  You are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT, so if the Eurostar is delayed you can travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

  The system knows whether a connection is acceptable or too tight.  If you plan to book your Eurostar & ICE tickets separately, first run a London-Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de to check that the system recognises that Eurostar as connecting with that ICE, on that specific date.

  Tip:  By all means book an earlier Eurostar than the one which directly connects with your chosen onward ICE, if it has cheaper fares or if you want a safer connection.  There are plenty of places for a coffee or beer between trains in Brussels!

• Travelling from the UK regions:  See the advice here.

Another way to buy tickets

• This is a little more work, but there's no booking fee and int.bahn.de lets you select your seat from a seat map on German ICE & IC trains.  And unlike Thetrainline or Raileurope, int.bahn.de lets you adjust the default transfer time to give more robust connections, and add stopovers.

• First check that your outward Eurostar & ICE are a recognised connection by running a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de and confirming that your chosen Eurostar & ICE appear together as one journey.  See the bit about 20-minute connections in the previous section.

• Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com.

  Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, always book Eurostar as a round trip.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone.

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Step 2, book from Brussels to Bonn, Koblenz or Mainz at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  A round trip is ticketed as two one-ways, so you can book one way at a time if that's easier.

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

  Tip:  I'd change Transfer time from normal to 20 minutes when booking the outward, and to 45 minutes when booking the inward.

  Tip:  With int.bahn.de you can add a stopover and still get a cheap end-to-end fare, it allows up to 2 stopovers within the 2-day ticket validity.  The Stopovers feature lets you specify the length of stay in hours.  Why not stop off in Cologne?

How to buy tickets by phone

• Call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sundays, UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).  Click here for a list of agencies & more about how to buy tickets by phone.

Back to top

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Which route to choose?

• Option 1, by Eurostar to Brussels:  This is fastest and easiest.  Take Eurostar to Brussels Midi in 2 hours, make a simple same-station change onto a high-speed high-speed ICE to Frankfurt (Main) Hbf in 3h15.  Both Eurostar & ICE have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You arrive at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf in the heart of the city.

• Option 2, by Eurostar to Paris:  Take a Eurostar to Paris Nord in 2h20, it's then an easy 7-minute walk to Paris Est for a high-speed ICE to Frankfurt (Main) Hbf taking around 3h50.  Apart from the 7-minute walk in Paris this is almost as easy as option 1, it takes only a little longer depending how the connections work.  How about lunch in Paris?

• Option 3, by Stena Line overnight ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland:  The ferry alternative!  Leave London Liverpool Street by train at 19:36 or Cambridge at 19:47, sleep in a cosy private cabin on the Stena Line superferry from 21:00 to 08:00 with shower, toilet & satellite TV.  Next day, take the metro to Rotterdam and onward trains to Frankfurt (Main) Hbf arriving at 14:31.  This is a great option if Eurostar fares are expensive (for example, at short notice), if you live in East Anglia, or if you prefer a ferry to the Tunnel.

• Option 4, by overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam or Newcastle to Amsterdam, then onward trains to Germany.  By-pass London!  Sail overnight in a cosy cabin from Newcastle or Hull to Holland, then take a train to Germany.

• Option 5, by Eurostar to Brussels & the scenic Rhine Valley route.  Similar to option 1, taking Eurostar to Brussels and an ICE onwards, but instead of staying aboard the ICE all the way from Brussels to Frankfurt, you change in Cologne onto a slower train running along the Rhine Valley to Frankfurt, past cliffs and castles and the fabled Lorelei Rock.  It takes an hour longer, but it's worth it!  If you want this option, use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, entering Koblenz as a via station.  To enter a via station at www.raileurope.com, click More options.  See the Rails Down the Rhine page.

• You can go out one way and back another if you like, as each train is ticketed separately with one-way fares, except for Eurostar which is cheaper booked as a round trip to Paris or a round trip to Brussels because a return fare costs less than two one-ways.  From other UK town & cities, travel up to London to connect with Eurostar, see this advice.

Option 1, London to Frankfurt via Brussels

Timetable outward 2025

Timetable inward 2025

Notes for the timetables

How to read these timetables.  Each column is a service, and you read downwards.  There's normally a change of trains at each of the grey bars.

Check these train times at int.bahn.de.   About the 20-minute connection in Brussels

Station guides:  London St Pancras  Brussels Midi  Frankfurt (Main) Hbf

Evening departure from London & overnight stop in Brussels?  You can also catch an evening Eurostar to Brussels, stay overnight, continue next morning. This isn't shown here, but you can easily check times & prices online.  In Brussels I recommend the Ibis Brussels Midi across the road or the Pullman Hotel Brussels Midi in the station itself.

How much does it cost?

• London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £97 one-way, £140 return in Plus (1st class).

• Brussels to Frankfurt starts at €18.99 each way in 2nd class, €59.99 each way in 1st class.

• Fares are dynamic like air fares, so for the cheapest prices book early and avoid busy times such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.

How to buy tickets

• Buy tickets from London to Frankfurt or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, in plain English, in €, £ or $, international credit cards accepted. There's a small booking fee.

  You print your ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app and show the DB ticket on your phone.

• When does booking open?

  Booking for Eurostar opens up to 11 months ahead.  Onward trains to Germany open up to 6 months ahead, less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  Journeys involving a Brussels-Cologne Eurostar (formerly Thalys) open 4 months ahead.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens.

• Booking tips

  It can help to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  At www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Is it a through ticket?

  There are no through tickets from London to Germany.  But www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to anywhere in Germany.  The connection between tickets in Brussels is protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT.

• One-way or round trip?

  On most European trains, a return fare is simply two one-ways, but on Eurostar, return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so always book round trips involving Eurostar as a return.  For more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey, add to basket, book Brussels to Berlin one way, add to basket, then Berlin to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

• Seat reservations

  Eurostar tickets automatically include a reserved seat, but on ICE trains seat reservation is optional.  You'll be asked if you want to add one during the booking process for €5.20 2nd class, €6.50 1st class, each way.  ICEs can get busy so I recommend reserving a seat.  If you forget, you can make a seat reservation to go with an existing ticket at int.bahn.de, run an enquiry using the Book seat only toggle.

• About that 20-minute connection at Brussels Midi

  The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an ICE to Germany, sometimes 18 or 19 minutes, is a recognised connection.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms, if it's open.

  You are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT, so if the Eurostar is delayed you can travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

  The system knows whether a connection is acceptable or too tight.  If you plan to book your Eurostar & ICE tickets separately, first run a London-Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de to check that the system recognises that Eurostar as connecting with that ICE, on that specific date.

  Tip:  By all means book an earlier Eurostar than the one which directly connects with your chosen onward ICE, if it has cheaper fares or if you want a safer connection.  There are plenty of places for a coffee or beer between trains in Brussels!

• Travelling from the UK regions:  See the advice here.

Another way to buy tickets

• This is a little more work, but there's no booking fee and int.bahn.de lets you select your seat from a seat map on German ICE & IC trains.  And unlike Thetrainline or Raileurope, int.bahn.de lets you adjust the default transfer time to give more robust connections, and add stopovers.

• First check that your outward Eurostar & ICE are a recognised connection by running a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de and confirming that your chosen Eurostar & ICE appear together as one journey.  See the bit about 20-minute connections in the previous section.

• Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com.

  Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, always book Eurostar as a round trip.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone.

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Step 2, book from Brussels to Frankfurt at the German Railways site int.bahn.de.

  A round trip is ticketed as two one-ways, so you can book one way at a time if that's easier.

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

  Tip:  With int.bahn.de you can add a stopover and still get a cheap end-to-end fare, it allows up to 2 stopovers within the 2-day ticket validity.  The Stopovers feature lets you specify the length of stay in hours.  Why not stop off in Cologne?

How to buy tickets by phone

• Call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sundays, UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).  Click here for a list of agencies & more about how to buy tickets by phone.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

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

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

Easy 20 minute connection, Eurostar to ICE:  That's the 11:04 Eurostar from London on the right, arrived at 14:05 on platform 3, and the 14:25  ICE to Cologne & Frankfurt on the left on platform 4.  All you have to do to change trains on this particular departure is walk 20 feet across the width of the platform!  If the connection is missed, you're covered by Railteam/HOTNAT.

2. Brussels to Frankfurt by ICE3

From June 2024, the latest type ICE3neo has taken over this route from ICE3M.  These ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, food & drink orders are taken at your seat.  The train calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava, and at Cologne Hbf, where you'll see Cologne Cathedral to the right as you approach, right next to the station.  Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, the train crosses the impressive Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine before joining the 300km/h high-speed line to Frankfurt.  More about ICE3.  Brussels Midi station guide.  Frankfurt (Main) Hbf station guide.

An ICE3neo at Brussels Midi.  Click on the interior images for larger photos.  Photo above courtesy of Christian Hunt.

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Option 2, London to Frankfurt via Paris

The TGV-Est high-speed line opened in June 2007 with the final section opening in July 2016.  320 km/h (199 mph) high-speed trains now link Paris Gare de l'Est & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf in as little as 3h38, centre to centre.  Most Paris-Frankfurt departures are German ICE3 trains which are amongst the most comfortable high-speed trains in Europe, see the Paris-Frankfurt ICE video below.  A few are impressive double-deck French TGV Duplex, see the video guide.

Timetable outward 2025

Timetable inward 2025

Note for the timetable

How to read these timetables:  You read downwards, each column is a journey you can take.  You change trains at each grey bar.

t = By French TGV Duplex, all other Paris-Frankfurt trains are German ICE.

Station guides:  London St Pancras  Paris Gare du Nord  Paris Gare de l'Est  Frankfurt (Main) Hbf

How much does it cost?

• London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £97 one-way or £168 return in Plus (1st class).

• Paris to Frankfurt starts at €39.99 each way in 2nd class, €69.99 each way in 1st class.

  If you book at int.bahn.de, accompanied children under 15 go free on the German part of the journey.

• Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead and avoid busy times such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.

How to buy tickets: Raileurope.com

• The easiest way to buy London-Frankfurt train tickets is at www.raileurope.com. 

• Booking for the Paris-Frankfurt trains opens up to 6 months ahead, up to 6 months ahead for Eurostar & German domestic trains.

• www.raileurope.com can book journeys to Frankfurt via both Brussels or Paris.  If you want the Paris route, click More options and enter Paris Nord as a via station.  It connects to both the French & German railways ticketing systems. There's a small booking fee.

Or buy using bahn.de & eurostar.com

• It's also worth checking prices for the Paris-Frankfurt train on int.bahn.de, as this is the German reservation system so prices can vary from those on the French system.

  There's no booking fee at and child age limits are more generous:  When booked through int.bahn.de, children under 6 go free and children under 15 can also go free if accompanied by an adult.

  Booking this way involves two websites, so do a dry run first on both sites to check prices and availability before booking for real.

• Step 1, go to int.bahn.de, the German Railways website, and book from Paris to Frankfurt & back.

  Always book this train first and check its exact arrival & departure times before booking the Eurostar connection, as times can vary.

  The results will show cheap Sparpreis fares.  You pay by credit card and print your ticket or show it on your phone.  Easy!

  I recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily retrieve any bookings later.

• Step 2, go to www.eurostar.com to buy your Eurostar ticket between London & Paris, using the Eurostar times above as a guide.

  Always allow at least 40 minutes (ideally 60) between trains in Paris going out, at least 60 (ideally 90) between trains coming back.

  By all means book an earlier Eurostar outwards, or a later Eurostar on the way back if it has cheaper fares or if you'd like to stop off in Paris.  Eurostar tickets can be sent to any UK address, self-printed, or collected at the station.

Buy tickets by phone

• Call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sundays, UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).  Click here for a list of agencies & more about how to buy tickets by phone.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Paris Gare du Nord station guide.

Eurostar e320 at Paris Nord.  More about Eurostar.		1st class: Plus or Premier seating.

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

2. Paris to Frankfurt by ICE3

In Paris it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est for the ICE to Frankfurt.  The superb German ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, food & drink orders are taken at your seat.  More about ICE3.  Paris Gare de l'Est station guide.  Frankfurt (Main) Hbf station guide.

Video guide:  Paris-Frankfurt by ICE

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High-speed Eurostar trains link London with Brussels in just 2 hours.  From Brussels, ICE high-speed trains run to Frankfurt in around 3h05.  Change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf for Nuremberg (Nürnberg in German), taking just 2h05.  Eurostar has a cafe-bar, ICEs have a restaurant car, and both Eurostar & ICE come with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Timetable outward 2025

Timetable inward 2025

How to buy tickets

• Buy tickets from London to Nuremberg at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, in plain English, in €, £ or $, international credit cards accepted. There's a small booking fee.

  You print your ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app and show the DB ticket on your phone.

• When does booking open?

  Booking for Eurostar opens up to 11 months ahead.  Onward trains to Germany open up to 6 months ahead, less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  Journeys involving a Brussels-Cologne Eurostar (formerly Thalys) open 4 months ahead.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens.

• Booking tips

  It can help to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  At www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Is it a through ticket?

  There are no through tickets from London to Germany.  But www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to anywhere in Germany.  The connection between tickets in Brussels is protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT.

• One-way or round trip?

  On most European trains, a return fare is simply two one-ways, but on Eurostar, return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so always book round trips involving Eurostar as a return.  For more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey, add to basket, book Brussels to Berlin one way, add to basket, then Berlin to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

• Seat reservations

  Eurostar tickets automatically include a reserved seat, but on ICE trains seat reservation is optional.  You'll be asked if you want to add one during the booking process for €5.20 each way 2nd class, , €6.50 1st class, ICEs can get busy so I recommend reserving.  If you forget, you can make a seat reservation to go with an existing ticket at int.bahn.de, simply use the Book seat only toggle.

• About that 20-minute connection at Brussels Midi

  The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an ICE to Germany, sometimes 18 or 19 minutes, is a recognised connection.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms, if it's open.

  You are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT, so if the Eurostar is delayed you can travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

  The system knows whether a connection is acceptable or too tight.  If you plan to book your Eurostar & ICE tickets separately, first run a London-Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de to check that the system recognises that Eurostar as connecting with that ICE, on that specific date.

  Tip:  By all means book an earlier Eurostar than the one which directly connects with your chosen onward ICE, if it has cheaper fares or if you want a safer connection.  There are plenty of places for a coffee or beer between trains in Brussels!

• Travelling from the UK regions:  See the advice here.

Another way to buy tickets

• This is a little more work, but there's no booking fee and int.bahn.de lets you select your seat from a seat map on German ICE & IC trains.  And unlike Thetrainline or Raileurope, int.bahn.de lets you adjust the default transfer time to give more robust connections, and add stopovers.

• First check that your outward Eurostar & ICE are a recognised connection by running a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de and confirming that your chosen Eurostar & ICE appear together as one journey.  See the bit about 20-minute connections in the previous section.

• Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com.

  Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, always book Eurostar as a round trip.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone.

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Step 2, book from Brussels to Nuremberg at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  A round trip is ticketed as two one-ways, so you can book one way at a time if that's easier.

  I recommend changing Transfer time from normal to 20 minutes to avoid risky 10-minute connections.

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

  Tip:  With int.bahn.de you can add a stopover and still get a cheap end-to-end fare, it allows up to 2 stopovers within the 2-day ticket validity.  The Stopovers feature lets you specify the length of stay in hours.  Why not stop off in Cologne?

How to buy tickets by phone

• Call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sundays, UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).  See list of agencies & more about buying tickets by phone.

Nuremberg rail museum & rally grounds

• Nuremberg has a DB railway museum just 5-10 minutes walk from the station, for details & location see www.dbmuseum.de.

• Nuremberg's NS Rally grounds are an amazing area to visit and an important historical reminder which should not be missed.  To reach them, either take Tram 9 from its terminus right outside Nuremberg Hbf to the tram stop right outside the Dokumentation Centre (buy a tram ticket from the machines at the tram stop) or take suburban S-Bahn train S2 every 20-40 minutes from Nuremberg Hbf to Nuremberg-Dutzendteich (journey tome 6 minutes, it's a 5 min walk from the Dokumentation Centre) or Nuremberg-Frankenstadion which is an 8 minute train ride, located just 2 minutes walk from the Zeppelin Field.  The Zeppelin field is freely accessible at all times of day, there's no entrance fee.  When I visited I was the only person there.  Incidentally, the courthouse where the famous post-war trials were held is west and a little north of Nuremberg station.

• Nuremberg has a pleasant old town just 5 minutes walk from the station, and in November-December you'll find an extensive Christmas market there.

Which route to choose?

• Option 1, by Eurostar & high-speed trains:  Travel by high-speed train from London to Osnabrück, Bremen & Hamburg via Brussels & Cologne.  All these trains have a cafe-bar or restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

• Option 2, by Stena Line's luxurious overnight ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland then daytime trains to Osnabrück, Bremen or Hamburg:  Leave London Liverpool Street station at 19:36 or Cambridge at 19:47, sleep on the ferry in a cosy private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV from 21:00 to 08:00, connecting trains will get you to Hamburg around 16:14.  If Eurostar fares are expensive, for example at short notice, if you live in East Anglia or if you prefer a ferry to the Tunnel, this is a great alternative.

• Option 3, by overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam or Newcastle to Amsterdam, then onward trains to Germany.  Useful if you live in the North of England or Scotland.

You can easily travel by train from London to Osnabrück, Bremen or Hamburg in a day, using Eurostar, a high-speed ICE to Cologne and a comfortable German InterCity train from Cologne to Osnabrück, Bremen or Hamburg.

Timetable outward 2025

Timetable inward 2025

How to buy tickets

• Buy tickets from London to Osnabrück, Hamburg or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, in plain English, in €, £ or $, international credit cards accepted. There's a small booking fee.

  You print your own ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app and show the DB ticket on your phone.

• When does booking open?

  Booking for Eurostar opens up to 11 months ahead.  Onward trains to Germany open up to 6 months ahead, less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open before committing to a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens.

• Booking tips

  It can help to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  At www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Is it a through ticket?

  There are no through tickets from London to Germany.  But www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to anywhere in Germany.  The connection between tickets in Brussels is protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT.

• One-way or round trip?

  On most European trains, a return fare is simply two one-ways, but on Eurostar, return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so always book round trips involving Eurostar as a return.  For more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey, add to basket, book Brussels to Berlin one way, add to basket, then Berlin to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

• Seat reservations

  Eurostar tickets automatically include a reserved seat, but on ICE trains seat reservation is optional.  You'll be asked if you want to add one during the booking process for €5.30 each way, ICEs can get busy so I recommend reserving a seat.  If you forget, you can make a seat reservation to go with an existing ticket at int.bahn.de, simply use the Book seat only toggle.

• About that 20-minute connection at Brussels Midi

  The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an ICE to Germany, sometimes 18 or 19 minutes, is a recognised connection.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms, if it's open.

  You are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT, so if the Eurostar is delayed you can travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

  The system knows whether a connection is acceptable or too tight.  If you plan to book your Eurostar & ICE tickets separately, first run a London-Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de to check that the system recognises that Eurostar as connecting with that ICE, on that specific date.

  Tip:  By all means book an earlier Eurostar than the one which directly connects with your chosen onward ICE, if it has cheaper fares or if you want a safer connection.  There are plenty of places for a coffee or beer between trains in Brussels!

• Travelling from the UK regions:  See the advice here.

Another way to buy tickets

• This is a little more work, but there's no booking fee and int.bahn.de lets you select your seat from a seat map on German ICE & IC trains.  And unlike Thetrainline or Raileurope, int.bahn.de lets you adjust the default transfer time to give more robust connections, and add stopovers.

• First check that your outward Eurostar & ICE are a recognised connection by running a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de and confirming that your chosen Eurostar & ICE appear together as one journey.  See the bit about 20-minute connections in the previous section.

• Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com.

  Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, always book Eurostar as a round trip.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone.

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Step 2, book from Brussels to Osnabrück, Bremen or Hamburg at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  A round trip is ticketed as two one-ways, so you can book one way at a time if that's easier.

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

  Tip:  With int.bahn.de you can add a stopover and still get a cheap end-to-end fare, it allows up to 2 stopovers within the 2-day ticket validity.  The Stopovers feature lets you specify the length of stay in hours.  Why not stop off in Cologne?

How to buy tickets by phone

• Call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sundays, UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).  Click here for a list of agencies & more about how to buy tickets by phone.

Using an Interrail pass

• Pass or point to point?

  Let's be clear, a pass will not save money over the cheapest point-to-point advance-purchase fares you might see if you book a few months ahead.  But when point-to-point fares are expensive (for example, at short notice) OR you want the flexibility to change your mind, re-route or reschedule as necessary, a pass might be what you need.

  If flexibility is what you want, buy the pass.  If it's about saving money, you'll have to check point-to-point prices and do the maths.

  It's worth doing the maths if you are under 28, if you have kids (kids get a free pass when accompanying an adult but still need to pay reservation fees) or if you live a long way from London (as a pass covers you from your home station to London). Passes are available in 1st & 2nd class.

• How to use a pass for a trip to Germany

  Step 1, buy a 4-days in 1-month Interrail pass from www.raileurope.com (click Rail passes and select Europe) or www.interrail.eu, see pass prices on the Interrail page.  You load the pass into the Railplanner app on your phone.

  A 4-day pass is enough to get from almost anywhere in mainland Britain to anywhere in Germany & back again.

  A 4-day pass gives you unlimited train travel on any 4 dates you choose in an overall 1 month period.  The first travel day can be any date you select in the 11 months after buying the pass, the overall 1 month period starts from that date.  Learn about how Interrail passes work here.

  Step 2, make a Eurostar passholder reservation from London to Brussels & back, €30 each way.  See prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations online.  Tip:  Eurostar passholder availability is limited, so check availability before buying a pass.

  Step 3, reservations between Brussels and Hamburg are usually optional, but recommended.  You can make seat reservations for €5.20 2nd class, €6.50 1st class at int.bahn.de by entering Brussels to Berlin and using the Book seat only toggle.

  By all means go out one way, back another, with an Interrail pass you can use almost any of the trains & routes to/from Germany shown on this page, find out how to reserve the relevant trains using the Interrail reservations guide.

Let Railbookers or Byway arrange it

• Railbookers:  For holidays or short breaks to Germany by train call rail specialists Railbookers.  They offer custom-made holidays & tours to Germany with trains, transfers & hotels sorted for you in one place.  As they're selling you a package they'll look after you if anything happens such as a strike or major delay.  The trips you see online are examples which can be customised to include train travel to & from the UK with no flying necessary, or to add extra nights, just call them.

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

    US call free 1-888-829-4775, www.railbookers.com.

    Canada call 1-855-882-2910, www.railbookers.com.

    Australia call 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au. 

    New Zealand call 0800 000 554 or see website.

• Byway (Byway.travel) is a new UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating.  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book a holiday to Germany for you as a package, including train travel and hotels, starting from any British station you like.  Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.

  They can build a trip to your requirements if you phone 0300 131 7173 (open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, from outside the UK call +44 300 131 7173) or email them or use this contact form.  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

Easy 20 minute connection, Eurostar to ICE:  That's the 11:04 Eurostar from London on the right, arrived at 14:05 on platform 3, and the 14:25  ICE to Cologne & Frankfurt on the left on platform 4.  All you have to do to change trains on this particular departure is walk 20 feet across the width of the platform!  If the connection is missed, you're covered by Railteam/HOTNAT.

2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3

In June 2024, the latest type ICE3neo took over this route from ICE3M.  These ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, food & drink orders are taken at your seat.  More about ICE3.  Brussels Midi station guide.  Cologne Hbf station guide.

An ICE3neo at Brussels Midi.  Click on the interior images for larger photos.  Photo above courtesy of Christian Hunt.

3. Cologne to Hamburg by ICE4

ICE4s have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, and are capable of 265 km/h (165 mph).  Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, Cologne-Hamburg trains cross the impressive Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine, then pass through the industrial Ruhr.  More about ICE trains.  Hamburg Hbf station guide.

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Which route to choose?

There are several good options for travel between the UK and Stuttgart or Munich:

• Option 1, by Eurostar & TGV via Paris:  Take Eurostar to Paris where it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to Gare de l'Est.  Then take a high-speed double-deck TGV Duplex from Paris to Stuttgart or Munich.  This is the fastest option.

• Option 2, by Eurostar & ICE via Brussels:  Take Eurostar to Brussels, a high-speed ICE train to Cologne and another ICE train to Stuttgart or Munich.  This is the most frequent option with a range of services every day.  It involves two easy same-station changes of train.

• Option 3, by Eurostar & Nightjet sleeper train.  A time-effective option, using either the Paris-Munich or Brussels-Munich sleepers.

• Option 4, by Stena Line overnight ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland then daytime trains to Stuttgart or Munich:  The ferry alternative.  Leave London Liverpool Street by train at 19:36 or Cambridge at 19:47, sleep on the Stena Line superferry in a cosy private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV from 21:00 to 08:00, then take trains to Stuttgart (arriving around 16:08) or Munich (arriving around 18:07).  If Eurostar fares are expensive, if you live in East Anglia or if you prefer a ferry to the Tunnel, this is a great option.

• Option 5, by overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam or Newcastle to Amsterdam, then onward trains to Germany.  By-pass London, sailing overnight in a cosy cabin from Newcastle or Hull to Holland, then taking trains from Holland to Munich.

• Option 6, by Eurostar & Brussels-Munich sleeper:  Twice a week during February & March 2025, European Sleeper will run a direct sleeper train from Brussels to Munich.  London to Munich with one easy same-station change in Brussels!  You can also travel by ferry from London or Harwich and pick it up in Rotterdam.  See details here.

Option 1:  London to Stuttgart & Munich via Paris

Impressive double-deck TGV Duplex trains link Paris & Stuttgart in 3h09 at up to 320 km/h (199 mph), with one a day going direct to Munich - watch the video guide.  The TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a fast and easy journey, book an upper deck seat for the best views!

Timetable outward 2025

Timetable inward 2025

Notes for the timetables

How to read these timetables  Each column is a service, you read downwards.  You change trains at each of the grey bars.  Times may vary so always check online.

Station guides:  London St Pancras  Paris Gare du Nord    Paris Gare de l'Est    Munich Hbf

How much does it cost?

• London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £97 one-way or £168 return in Plus (1st class).

• Paris to Stuttgart or Munich starts at €39.99 each way 2nd class, €69.99 each way 1st class.

  If you book at int.bahn.de, accompanied children under 15 go free on the German part of the journey.

• Fares are dynamic like air fares, so for the cheapest prices book early and avoid busy times such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.

Buy tickets at Raileurope.com

• The easiest way to buy London-Munich or London-Stuttgart train tickets for journeys via Paris is at www.raileurope.com.

• www.raileurope.com can book journeys to Stuttgart or Munich via both Brussels or Paris.  If you specifically want the Paris route, click More options and enter Paris Nord as a via station. There's a small booking fee.

• Booking for Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes longer, booking for Paris-Munich TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead, I'd wait until all your trains are open for booking.  More about when booking opens.

Other ways to buy tickets

• It's worth checking prices for the Paris-Munich train on int.bahn.de, as this is the German reservation system so prices vary from those on the French system used by www.raileurope.com.

  In addition, there's no booking fee and child age limits are more generous:  Using bahn.de, children under 6 go free, and children under 15 also go free if accompanying a fare-paying adult.

  Booking this way involves two websites, so do a dry run first on both sites to check prices and availability before booking for real.

  Booking for Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes longer, booking for Paris-Munich TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead, I'd wait until all your trains are open for booking.  More about when booking opens.

• Step 1, go to int.bahn.de, the German Railways website, and book from Paris to Munich & back.

  Always book this train first and check its arrival & departure times before booking the Eurostar connection, as times may vary.

  The results will show cheap Sparpreis fares (if available).

  Tip:  In the westbound Munich to Paris direction, I recommend changing Transfer time from Normal to at least 30 minutes before running the enquiry.  That will avoid tight 7-minute connections into a Stuttgart-Paris train that only runs every 2-3 hours.

  I recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily retrieve any bookings later.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

• Step 2, go to www.eurostar.com to buy your Eurostar ticket between London & Paris, using the Eurostar times above as a guide.

  Always allow at least 40 minutes (ideally 60) between trains in Paris going out, at least 60 (ideally 90) between trains coming back.

  By all means book an earlier Eurostar outwards, or a later Eurostar on the way back, if this has cheaper seats available or if you'd like to stop off in Paris for a while.  Eurostar tickets can be sent to any UK address, self-printed, or collected at the station.  There's no booking fee.

How to buy tickets by phone

• Call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sundays, UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).  See list of agencies & more about how to buy tickets by phone.

Using an Interrail pass

• See the Interrail pass section below

What's the journey like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Paris Gare du Nord station guide.

2. Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex

In Paris it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est for the TGV to Germany.  Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views.  The train is equipped with power sockets for laptops & mobiles at all seats in both classes, and a cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.  The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods & farmland at up to 320 km/h (199 mph), past picturesque French villages of the Champagne region.  An hour or two later, the train leaves the high-speed line and slowly meanders through pretty wooded hills, the countryside eventually flattening out towards Strasbourg.  On leaving Strasbourg, look out for Strasbourg cathedral on the left with its famously missing second tower.  Minutes afterwards you rumble across the river Rhine into Germany, before heading on to Stuttgart & Munich.  Paris Gare de l'Est station guide.  Munich Hbf station guide.  More about TGV Duplex.  See TGV video guide.

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Option 2:  London to Stuttgart & Munich via Brussels

You can travel from London to Munich by train in a day, using a morning Eurostar to Brussels, a high-speed ICE3 train to Frankfurt and another luxurious ICE to Munich, with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Treat yourself to lunch with a beer or some wine in the ICE restaurant car.  Alternatively, an overnight stop in Brussels can make it more time-effective, as shown by the shaded journeys in the timetable below.

Going to Stuttgart, Ulm or Augsburg?  You travel on the same departures from London as far as Frankfurt, but usually on a different connection from Frankfurt.  For simplicity, I just show the Munich times below, but a journey to Stuttgart, Ulm or Augsburg is booked in exactly the same way as to Munich, with similar timings.

Timetable outward 2025

Timetable inward 2025

Buy tickets at Raileurope.com

• Buy tickets from London to Munich or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, in plain English, in €, £ or $, international credit cards accepted. There's a small booking fee.

  You print your own ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app and show the DB ticket on your phone.

• When does booking open?

  Booking for Eurostar opens up to 11 months ahead.  Onward trains to Germany open up to 6 months ahead, less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open before committing to a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens.

• Booking tips

  It can help to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  At www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Is it a through ticket?

  There are no through tickets from London to Germany.  But www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to anywhere in Germany.  The connection between tickets in Brussels is protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT.

• One-way or round trip?

  On most European trains, a return fare is simply two one-ways, but on Eurostar, return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so always book round trips involving Eurostar as a return.  For more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey, add to basket, book Brussels to Berlin one way, add to basket, then Berlin to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

• Seat reservations

  Eurostar tickets automatically include a reserved seat, but on ICE trains seat reservation is optional.  You'll be asked if you want to add one during the booking process for €5.20 each way 2nd class, €6.50 1st class, ICEs can get busy so I recommend reserving.  If you forget, you can make a seat reservation to go with an existing ticket at int.bahn.de, simply use the Book seat only toggle.

• About that 20-minute connection at Brussels Midi

  The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an ICE to Germany, sometimes 18 or 19 minutes, is a recognised connection.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms, if it's open.

  You are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT, so if the Eurostar is delayed you can travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

  The system knows whether a connection is acceptable or too tight.  If you plan to book your Eurostar & ICE tickets separately, first run a London-Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de to check that the system recognises that Eurostar as connecting with that ICE, on that specific date.

  Tip:  By all means book an earlier Eurostar than the one which directly connects with your chosen onward ICE, if it has cheaper fares or if you want a safer connection.  There are plenty of places for a coffee or beer between trains in Brussels!

• Travelling from the UK regions:  See the advice here.

Other ways to buy tickets

• This is a little more work, but there's no booking fee and int.bahn.de lets you select your seat from a seat map on German ICE & IC trains.  And unlike Thetrainline or Raileurope, int.bahn.de lets you adjust the default transfer time to give more robust connections, and add stopovers.

• First check that your outward Eurostar & ICE are a recognised connection by running a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de and confirming that your chosen Eurostar & ICE appear together as one journey.  See the bit about 20-minute connections in the previous section.

• Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com.

  Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, always book Eurostar as a round trip.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone.

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Step 2, book from Brussels to Stuttgart or Munich at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  A round trip is ticketed as two one-ways, so you can book one way at a time if that's easier.

  When booking an inward Munich to Brussels journey I recommend changing Transfer time from normal to 40 minutes to avoid risky connections.

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

  Tip:  With int.bahn.de you can add a stopover and still get a cheap end-to-end fare, it allows up to 2 stopovers within the 2-day ticket validity.  The Stopovers feature lets you specify the length of stay in hours.  Why not stop off in Cologne?

How to buy tickets by phone

• Call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sundays, UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).  Click here for a list of agencies & more about how to buy tickets by phone.

Using an Interrail pass

• Pass or point to point?

  Let's be clear, a pass will not save money over the cheapest point-to-point advance-purchase fares you might see if you book a few months ahead.  But when point-to-point fares are expensive (for example, at short notice) OR you want the flexibility to change your mind, re-route or reschedule as necessary, a pass might be what you need.

  If flexibility is what you want, buy the pass.  If it's about saving money, you'll have to check point-to-point prices and do the maths.

  It's worth doing the maths if you are under 28, if you have kids (kids get a free pass when accompanying an adult but still need to pay reservation fees) or if you live a long way from London (as a pass covers you from your home station to London). Passes are available in 1st & 2nd class.

• How to use a pass for a trip to Germany

  Step 1, buy a 4-days in 1-month Interrail pass from www.raileurope.com (click Rail passes and select Europe) or www.interrail.eu, see pass prices on the Interrail page.  You load the pass into the Railplanner app on your phone.

  A 4-day pass is enough to get from almost anywhere in mainland Britain to anywhere in Germany & back again.

  A 4-day pass gives you unlimited train travel on any 4 dates you choose in an overall 1 month period.  The first travel day can be any date you select in the 11 months after buying the pass, the overall 1 month period starts from that date.  Learn about how Interrail passes work here.

  Step 2, make a Eurostar passholder reservation from London to Paris or Brussels & back, see prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations online.  Tip:  Eurostar passholder availability is limited, so check availability before buying a pass.

  Step 3 if going via Brussels:  Reservations between Brussels and Munich are optional, but recommended.  You can make seat reservations for for €5.20 2nd class, €6.50 1st class at int.bahn.de using the Book seat only toggle.

  Step 3 if going via Paris:  Reservations on Paris-Germany trains are compulsory, seat reservations cost around €18 each way and can be made using the official Interrail reservation service.

  By all means go out one way, back another, with an Interrail pass you can use almost any of the trains & routes to/from Germany shown on this page, find out how to reserve the relevant trains using the Interrail reservations guide.

Let Railbookers or Byway arrange it

• Railbookers:  Rail specialists Railbookers offer custom-made holiday & tour packages to Germany by train, with rail travel, transfers & hotels sorted for you.  The trips you see on their website can be customised to your requirements, just give them a call.

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

    US call free 1-888-829-4775, www.railbookers.com

    Canada call 1-855-882-2910, www.railbookers.com

    Australia call 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au

    New Zealand call 0800 000 554 or see website.

• Byway (Byway.travel) is a new UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating.  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book a holiday to Germany for you as a package, including train travel and hotels, starting from any British station you like.  Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.

  They can build a trip to your requirements if you phone 0300 131 7173 (open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, from outside the UK call +44 300 131 7173) or email them or use this contact form.  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

Easy 20 minute connection, Eurostar to ICE:  That's the 11:04 Eurostar from London on the right, arrived at 14:05 on platform 3, and the 14:25  ICE to Cologne & Frankfurt on the left on platform 4.  All you have to do to change trains on this particular departure is walk 20 feet across the width of the platform!  If the connection is missed, you're covered by Railteam/HOTNAT.

2. Brussels to Frankfurt & Frankfurt to Munich by ICE

Germany's superb ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, food & drink orders are taken at your seat.  The Brussels to Frankfurt train calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava, and at Cologne Hbf, where you'll see Cologne Cathedral to the right as you approach, right next to the station.  Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, the train crosses the long Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine before joining the 300km/h high-speed line to Frankfurt.  More about ICE3 trains.  Brussels Midi station guide.  Cologne Hbf station guide.  Frankfurt (Main) Hbf station guide.  Munich Hbf station guide.

An ICE3neo at Brussels Midi.  Click on the interior images for larger photos.  Photo above courtesy of Christian Hunt.

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Option 3, London to Munich by sleeper

ÖBB (Austrian Railways) run an excellent Nightjet sleeper train from Brussels to Munich 3 times a week, final destination Vienna, and another from Paris to Munich Ost on the same days of the week, also en route to Vienna (the Brussels-Vienna & Paris-Vienna trains are combined into one train between Mannheim and Vienna).  It's a comfortable and time-effective option if you don't mind the early arrival.

London ► Munich (via Brussels) Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays

• Step 1, travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 13:01 arriving Brussels Midi 16:06.

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

  Tip:  At Brussels Midi, the Pullman Hotel bar makes an excellent VIP waiting room.

• Step 2, travel from Brussels to Munich by Nightjet, leaving Brussels Midi at 19:06 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, arriving Munich Ost 05:43.

  Until 14 December 2024 the days of running are Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has two air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-cars each with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet.  There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has two couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  See the guide to Nightjet accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee.

London ► Munich (via Paris) Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays

• Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 14:31 and arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:58.

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

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

  Tip:  I'd take the earlier 12:31 Eurostar from London and have an early dinner in Paris, see recommended restaurants near the Gare du Nord, see recommended restaurants in or near the Gare de l'Est.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Munich by Nightjet, leaving Paris Est at 19:12 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, arriving Munich Ost 05:43.

  Until 14 December 2024 the days of running are Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has two air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-cars each with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The train has two couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  See the guide to Nightjet accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee, served in your compartment.

Munich ► London (via Brussels) Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Brussels by Nightjet, leaving Munich Ost at 23:14 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, arriving Brussels Midi 09:55.

  Until 14 December 2024 the days of running are Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has two air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-cars each with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet.  There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has two couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  See the guide to Nightjet accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee.

  Tip:  On arrival at Brussels Midi, the Pullman Hotel bar makes an excellent VIP waiting room.

• Step 2, travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar, leaving Brussels Midi at 12:56 arriving London St Pancras at 13:57.

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

Munich ► London (via Paris) Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays

• Step 1, travel from Munich to Paris by Nightjet, leaving Munich Ost at 23:14 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, arriving Paris Est 09:39.

  Until 14 December 2024 the days of running are Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-cars each with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The train has two couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  See the guide to Nightjet accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

  There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee.

  Tip:  If you have a ticket for a sleeper, you can use the ÖBB lounge at Vienna Hbf with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & WiFi.

  In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord, but I'd allow 2-3 hours between trains in case of delay.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:12 daily arriving London St Pancras at 14:30.

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

How much does it cost?

• London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £97 one-way, £140 return in Plus (1st class).

• Brussels or Paris to Munich by Nightjet starts 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 fares per person per bed.

• Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead for the cheapest prices.

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, book the nightjet sleeper train from Brussels or Paris to Munich at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, plain English, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways www.oebb.at (in €, a little more fiddly, but no booking fee).

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, less than this when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.

  You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.

• Step 2, add a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels or Paris at www.thetrainline.com, using the train times on this page as a guide.

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

• If you need a ticket from another UK town or city to London to connect with Eurostar, see the advice here.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Paris or Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide.  Paris Gare du Nord station guide.

2.  Brussels or Paris to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train

This is an Austrian Railways (ÖBB) Nightjet train, with sleeping-car, couchettes & seats.  Each of the two sleeping-cars has 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, plus three deluxe compartments with 1, 2 or 3 beds with private shower & toilet.  The sleeper berths come fully made up with sheets and duvets, all sleeper passengers get mineral water in the evening and a light breakfast served in their compartment next morning.  Towels & toiletries are provided, including shampoo and shower gel in the deluxe sleepers.  In the more economical couchettes, you can book a couchette in a cheaper 6-berth compartment or a less-crowded 4-berth compartment, each provided with sheet, blanket, pillow & small bottle of water, and couchette passengers get a tea or coffee in the morning.  More about Nightjet trains.  Paris Gare de l'Est station guide.  Munich Hbf station guide.

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London to Leipzig & Dresden

There are several good options for travel from the UK to Leipzig or Dresden:

• Option 1, by Eurostar & daytime trains.  London to Leipzig or Dresden in a day!

• Option 2, by Eurostar & European Sleeper.  Eurostar to Brussels then Brussels-Dresden by European Sleeper.

• Option 3, by Eurostar & Czech sleeper train.  Eurostar to Paris, high-speed train to Karlsruhe & sleeper train to Dresden.

• Option 4, by overnight ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland & daytime trains to Germany.  An evening train from London to Harwich, sleep on the overnight Stena Line ferry from 21:00 to 08:00 in a cosy private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV.  Next day, take onward trains to Germany.  If Eurostar fares are expensive, if you live in East Anglia or you prefer a ferry to the Tunnel, this is a great alternative.

• Option 5, by daytime ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland & sleeper train to Dresden.  A early morning train from London to Harwich, cruise to Hoek van Holland on Stena Line's daytime crossing, then take the European Sleeper from Rotterdam to Dresden 3 times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri).  Another useful alternative to Eurostar.

• Option 6, by overnight ferry from Hull or Newcastle to Holland then onward trains to Germany.  If you live in the North of England or Scotland, you can cruise overnight from Newcastle or Hull to Holland, then take onward trains to Germany.

Option 1, London to Leipzig or Dresden by daytime trains

This is the cheapest option, London to Leipzig or Dresden in a single day.  Or break up the journey with an overnight stop in Brussels or Cologne if you like.

London ► Leipzig, Dresden

• Option 1, leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 07:04 on Mondays-Fridays, change at Brussels Midi & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf and arrive Leipzig Hbf 17:10 & Dresden Hbf 19:38.

• Option 2, leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 09:01 every day, change at Brussels Midi & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf and arrive Leipzig Hbf 19:10 & Dresden Hbf 21:39.

• Option 3, leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 11:04, change at Brussels Midi & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf and arrive Leipzig Hbf 21:10 or (change again at Leipzig) Dresden Hbf 23:39.

• Option 4, with overnight stop in Brussels

  Day 1, travel from London to Brussels on any afternoon or evening Eurostar you like.

  The last one leaves London St Pancras at 19:34, arriving Brussels Midi 22:38, by all means book an earlier one for more of an evening in Brussels.

  Stay overnight in Brussels.  I recommend the excellent Pullman Hotel Brussels Midi which is an integral part of Brussels Midi station itself, or the inexpensive Ibis Brussels Midi just across the road.

  Day 2, travel from Brussels to Leipzig in around 6h58, or to Dresden in 8h11.  Find times that suit you at int.bahn.de.

• Option 5, with overnight stop in Cologne

  Day 1, travel from London to Cologne on any of the services shown in the London to Cologne section.  You can leave London St Pancras at 15:04 daily, change at Brussels Midi and arrive Cologne Hbf at 20:15.

  Stay overnight in Cologne.  The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, the entrance is left of the station entrance, many rooms have a cathedral view.

  Day 2, travel from Cologne Hbf to Leipzig in as little as 4h23, or to Dresden in 5h42.  Find times that suit you at int.bahn.de.

Dresden, Leipzig ► London

• Option 1, leave Leipzig at 06:47, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf & Brussels Midi arriving London St Pancras 15:57.

• Option 2, leave Dresden at 06:10 daily or Leipzig at 08:47, change Frankfurt (Main) Hbf & Brussels Midi arriving London St Pancras 18:57.

• Option 3, leave Dresden at 08:10 daily or Leipzig at 10:48, change Frankfurt (Main) Hbf & Brussels Midi arriving London St Pancras 19:57.

• Option 4, leave Dresden at 10:10 or Leipzig 12:48, change Frankfurt (Main) Hbf & Brussels Midi arriving London St Pancras 21:57 (21:27 Saturdays).

• Option 5, with overnight stop in Brussels

  Day 1, travel from Dresden or Leipzig to Brussels, check times at int.bahn.de.  For example, you can leave Dresden at 12:10 or Leipzig at 14:48, arriving Brussels Midi at 21:35.

  Stay overnight in Brussels.  I recommend the Ibis Brussels Midi, just across the road from Brussels Midi station, or the Pullman Hotel Brussels Midi which is part of the station. 

  Day 2, travel from Brussels to London on any Eurostar you like.

  The first one leaves Brussels Midi at 07:56 Mondays-Saturdays, arriving London St Pancras 08:59 or at 08:52 Sundays arriving 09:57.

How much does it cost?

• London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £97 one-way, £140 return in Plus (1st class).

• Brussels to Leipzig or Dresden starts at €27.90 each way in 2nd class, €59.90 each way in 1st class.

• Fares are dynamic like air fares, so for the cheapest prices book early and avoid busy times such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.

• Tip:  If making a round trip at short notice, if fares exceed €280  return consider using an Interrail pass as explained below.

How to buy tickets

• Buy tickets from London to Leipzig, Dresden or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, in plain English, in €, £ or $, international credit cards accepted. There's a small booking fee.

  You print your own ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app and show the DB ticket on your phone.

• When does booking open?

  Booking for Eurostar opens up to 11 months ahead.  Onward trains to Germany open up to 6 months ahead, less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open before committing to a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens.

• Booking tips

  It can help to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  At www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Is it a through ticket?

  There are no through tickets from London to Germany.  But www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to anywhere in Germany.  The connection between tickets in Brussels is protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT.

• One-way or round trip?

  On most European trains, a return fare is simply two one-ways, but on Eurostar, return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so always book round trips involving Eurostar as a return.  For more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey, add to basket, book Brussels to Berlin one way, add to basket, then Berlin to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

• Seat reservations

  Eurostar tickets automatically include a reserved seat, but on ICE trains seat reservation is optional.  You'll be asked if you want to add one during the booking process for €5.20 each way 2nd class, , €6.50 1st class, ICEs can get busy so I recommend reserving.  If you forget, you can make a seat reservation to go with an existing ticket at int.bahn.de, using the Book seat only toggle.

• About that 20-minute connection at Brussels Midi

  The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an ICE to Germany, sometimes 18 or 19 minutes, is a recognised connection.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms, if it's open.

  You are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT, so if the Eurostar is delayed you can travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

  The system knows whether a connection is acceptable or too tight.  If you plan to book your Eurostar & ICE tickets separately, first run a London-Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de to check that the system recognises that Eurostar as connecting with that ICE, on that specific date.

  Tip:  By all means book an earlier Eurostar than the one which directly connects with your chosen onward ICE, if it has cheaper fares or if you want a safer connection.  There are plenty of places for a coffee or beer between trains in Brussels!

• Travelling from the UK regions:  See the advice here.

Another way to buy tickets

• This is a little more work, but there's no booking fee and int.bahn.de lets you select your seat from a seat map on German ICE & IC trains.  And unlike Thetrainline or Raileurope, int.bahn.de lets you adjust the default transfer time to give more robust connections, and add stopovers.

• First check that your outward Eurostar & ICE are a recognised connection by running a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de and confirming that your chosen Eurostar & ICE appear together as one journey.  See the bit about 20-minute connections in the previous section.

• Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com.

  Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, always book Eurostar as a round trip.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone.

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Step 2, book from Brussels to Leipzig or Dresden at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  A round trip is ticketed as two one-ways, so you can book one way at a time if that's easier.

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

  Tip:  With int.bahn.de you can add a stopover and still get a cheap end-to-end fare, it allows up to 2 stopovers within the 2-day ticket validity.  The Stopovers feature lets you specify the length of stay in hours.  Why not stop off in Cologne?

How to buy tickets by phone

• Call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sundays, UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).  See list of agencies & more about how to buy tickets by phone.

Using an Interrail pass

• Pass or point to point?

  Let's be clear, a pass will not save money over the cheapest point-to-point advance-purchase fares you might see if you book a few months ahead.  But when point-to-point fares are expensive (for example, at short notice) OR you want the flexibility to change your mind, re-route or reschedule as necessary, a pass might be what you need.

  If flexibility is what you want, buy the pass.  If it's about saving money, you'll have to check point-to-point prices and do the maths.

  It's worth doing the maths if you are under 28, if you have kids (kids get a free pass when accompanying an adult but still need to pay reservation fees) or if you live a long way from London (as a pass covers you from your home station to London). Passes are available in 1st & 2nd class.

• How to use a pass for a trip to Germany

  Step 1, buy a 4-days in 1-month Interrail pass from www.raileurope.com (click Rail passes and select Europe) or www.interrail.eu, see pass prices on the Interrail page.  You load the pass into the Railplanner app on your phone.

  A 4-day pass is enough to get from almost anywhere in mainland Britain to anywhere in Germany & back again.

  A 4-day pass gives you unlimited train travel on any 4 dates you choose in an overall 1 month period.  The first travel day can be any date you select in the 11 months after buying the pass, the overall 1 month period starts from that date.  Learn about how Interrail passes work here.

  Step 2, make a Eurostar passholder reservation from London to Brussels & back, see prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations online.  Tip:  Eurostar passholder availability is limited, so check availability before buying a pass.

  Step 3, reservations between Brussels and Leipzig or Dresden are usually optional, but recommended.  You can make seat reservations for €5.20 2nd class, €6.50 1st class at int.bahn.de using the Book seat only toggle.

  By all means go out one way, back another, with an Interrail pass you can use almost any of the trains & routes to/from Germany shown on this page, find out how to reserve the relevant trains using the Interrail reservations guide.

Escape to Colditz?

• Colditz has become part of WW2 folklore and it's well worth a visit.  A train leaves Leipzig every hour for Grossbothen (or on some departures, Grimma) where a bus connects for Colditz.  Journey from Leipzig about 1 hour 7 minutes.  You can check train and bus times at int.bahn.de.  In 1992, I made the whole journey from Leipzig to Colditz by train, as did many of the PoWs.  See the Escape to Colditz page.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

2. Brussels to Frankfurt & Frankfurt to Leipzig or Dresden by ICE

Germany's superb ICE (InterCity Express) high-speed trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, food & drink orders are taken at your seat.  The ICE3 train from Cologne to Frankfurt calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava, and at Cologne Hbf, where you'll see Cologne Cathedral to the right as you approach, right next to the station.  Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, the train crosses the long Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine before joining the 300km/h high-speed line to Frankfurt.  The train from Frankfurt to Leipzig & Dresden will be an ICE-T.  More about ICE trains.  Brussels Midi station guide.  Frankfurt (Main) Hbf station guide.

Option 2, London to Dresden by European Sleeper

• This is shown on the European Sleeper page.

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Option 3, London to Dresden by Czech sleeper

This is the most time-effective way from the UK to Dresden, using an overnight train with sleeping-car & couchettes which links Zurich with Prague, routed via Karlsruhe & Dresden.  From London you pick this new sleeper up in Karlsruhe.  It's a comfortable option, some sleepers have an en suite toilet & shower, breakfast included.

London ► Dresden

• Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 12:24 every day arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 15:48.

  In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.  No need to cross Paris!

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Karlsruhe by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 17:54 & arriving Karlsruhe Hbf 20:25.

  This 320 km/h double-deck high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck. 

  Have dinner in Karlsruhe:  The Erste Fracht Braugasthaus (www.erste-fracht.de) is just across the road from the station's main exit and serves German food & beer, open until late 7 days a week.  The Wirtshaus Wolfbräu (www.wolfbräu.de) is an 18-minute 1.4 km walk away but has been suggested as better by one seat61 correspondent, see walking map.  There is also a decent Indian restaurant, the Maharaja (www.restaurantmaharaja-ka.de) across the road and to the right.  There is a MacDonald's inside the station, open until late.

• Step 3, travel from Karlsruhe to Dresden by sleeper train, leaving Karlsruhe Hbf at 23:07 and arriving Dresden Hbf 07:05.

  The sleeper train has a Czech air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and three 1, 2 & 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite shower & toilet.  There are toilets and a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in regular sleepers.  There are also 4 & 6-berth couchettes.  A light breakfast with tea or coffee is included in the sleeper fare.

Dresden ► London

• Step 1, travel from Dresden to Karlsruhe by sleeper train, leaving Dresden 21:10 & arriving Karlsruhe Hbf at 05:07.

  The sleeper train has a Czech air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and three 1, 2 & 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite shower & toilet.  There are toilets and a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in regular sleepers.  There are also 4 & 6-berth couchettes.  A light breakfast with tea or coffee is included in the sleeper fare.

  Tip:  At Karlsruhe Hbf there are various bakeries and cafes open from 6am.  The Schwarzwaldstube restaurant in the Schlosshotel Karlsruhe (www.schlosshotelkarlsruhe.de) serves breakfast from 06:00, it's open to non-residents, just across the road from the station & to the right.

• Step 2, travel from Karlsruhe to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Karlsruhe Hbf daily at 07:32, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 10:07.

  This 320 km/h double-deck high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.

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

• Step 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 12:12 arriving London St Pancras 13:30.

• Alternatively, if you don't fancy the 5am arrival at Karlsruhe and don't mind a later arrival in London.

  You can book the sleeper from Dresden to Basel instead, it arrives at Basel SBB at the much more agreeable hour of 07:20.  The 10:34 TGV-Lyria from Basel SBB reaches Paris Gare de Lyon at 13:40, cross Paris by metro and take the 17:03 Eurostar from Paris Nord to London.

How to much does it cost?

• London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £97 one-way or £168 return in Plus (1st class).

• Paris to Karlsruhe by TGV starts at €39.99 each way in 2nd class, €69.99 each way in 1st class.

• Karlsruhe to Dresden starts 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.  Berths in deluxe sleepers with shower & toilet cost a bit more.

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

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, book London to Karlsruhe at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com, both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Using one of these sites means you can book everything easily in one place.  About Raileurope.  About Thetrainline.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead for each of these trains, see more about when bookings open.  I recommend waiting until all trains have opened for booking and times are confirmed before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.

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

  Tip:  If you are making a round trip, London-Paris return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways so it's cheaper to book this as a return.  All other trains are one-way ticketed so it makes no difference how you book, and it can be easier to book one way at a time.

  Tip:  After booking use the Manage your booking feature at www.eurostar.com to choose a better seat from a seat map, see tips on choosing a seat on Eurostar.

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

  Alternatively, you can book the Eurostar at www.eurostar.com, then book the Paris-Karlsruhe TGV at int.bahn.de.  This is more work and prices should be the same, but there's no booking fee.

• Step 2, book the Karlsruhe-Dresden sleeper at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.  Booking opens 2 or 3 months ahead.

  Leave 2nd class selected.  Do not select 1st class even if you want a deluxe sleeper, if you do the sleeper train won't show up.

  The train will appear in the search results twice, both marked No transfers.  The first appearance is the seats carriages marked EC (EuroCity), ignore this.  Click the buy button against the second appearance of this train, with a sleeper & couchette symbol marked EN for EuroNight, and continue.  Use the modify & edit features to adjust the type of couchette & sleeper.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  You can also try booking at the Austrian Railways site www.oebb.at.

What is the sleeper train like?

It has one modern Czech sleeping-car with 9 standard compartments with washbasin and 3 deluxe compartments with a compact en suite toilet & shower.  Each compartment can be sold with 1, 2 or all 3 beds in use, as single, double and T3.  There are toilets and a shower at the end of the corridor, and each compartment converts from beds to a private sitting room for the daytime parts of the journey.  There is a power socket for laptops and mobiles.  All necessary bedding and towels are provided.  The doors have card-key locks like hotels.  A very safe, civilised and comfortable way to travel!  Do not obsess about getting a deluxe - In the standard compartments the beds and the decor are exactly the same as the deluxe ones, the only difference is that the compartment floor space is a fraction smaller (though not so you'd notice) and there's a washbasin instead of an en suite toilet & shower.  You can of course use the shower at the end of the corridor - you access it using the same card key that opens your compartment door.  This train also has couchettes, basic bunks with rug & pillow, you can book a bunk in either a 6-berth or less crowded 4-berth compartment.

A Czech sleeping-car of the Comfortline type.

Standard sleeper set up as a 2-berth, with blind down & washstand open.  Each room can be used with 1, 2 or 3 beds.  Larger photo.		Same sleeper with berths folded away & seats out.  Very similar to a deluxe, but without the shower & toilet.  Larger photo.		Deluxe sleepers are virtually identical to standard, but with a compact shower & toilet.  Larger photo.		Just like a hotel, the corridor in a Comfortline sleeping-car.  There's a shower at end of the corridor for standard sleeper passengers.

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London to other destinations in Germany

Neuschwanstein Castle, one of King Ludwig II of Bavaria's fairytale castles.  Find out how to visit it as a day trip from Munich here.

You can get to just about anywhere in Germany by train from London.  If your destination is a small place close to one of the big cities shown on this page such as Berlin, Hamburg or Munich, use the train times on this page to that city then use the German Railways website int.bahn.de to find train times onwards from that city to your final destination.  The German Railways website will also give fares and sell tickets for journeys within Germany.

London to anywhere in Germany

• If your destination isn't listed here, for example, London to Heidelberg, Regensburg or Konstanz to name just three, use this booking process to search for journeys:

• Buy tickets from London to anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, in plain English, international credit cards accepted and fares shown in multiple currencies. There's a small booking fee.

  You print your own ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app, and show the DB ticket on your phone.

  Tip:  It can help to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  At www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

  Tip:  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• When does booking open?

  Booking for Eurostar opens up to 11 months ahead.  Onward trains to Germany open up to 6 months ahead, less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  Journeys involving a Brussels-Cologne Eurostar (formerly Thalys) open 4 months ahead.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open before committing to a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens.

  Tip:  Fares are dynamic like air fares, so book early for the cheapest prices and avoid busy days such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.

• Is it a through ticket?

  There are no through tickets from London to Germany.  But www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to anywhere in Germany.  The connection between tickets in Brussels is protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT.  If the onwards train from Brussels is a German Railways ICE, you'll normally get a Eurostar ticket plus a through ticket from Brussels to Germany.

• One-way or round trip?

  On most European trains, a return fare is simply two one-ways, but on Eurostar, return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so always book round trips involving Eurostar as a return.  For more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey, add to basket, book Brussels to Berlin one way, add to basket, then Berlin to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

• Seat reservations

  Eurostar tickets automatically include a reserved seat, but on ICE trains seat reservation is optional.  You'll be asked if you want to add one during the booking process for €5.20 each way 2nd class, , €6.50 1st class, ICEs can get busy so I recommend reserving.  If you forget, you can make a seat reservation to go with an existing ticket at int.bahn.de, using the Book seat only toggle.

• About those 20-minute connections at Brussels Midi

  The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an onward ICE, sometimes less than this, is usually a recognised connection which lots of people make.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms.

  Even though the system sells you separate tickets either side of Brussels, you are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT so if there's a delay and you miss the connection you will be allowed to travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

  The system knows which connections are recognised/acceptable and which are too tight - if you intend booking your Eurostar and ICE tickets separately (which I often do to check prices for Eurostar and onwards trains separately, and to retain more control over the booking) it's wise to run a London-Cologne enquiry first just to check that the system does indeed recognise that specific Eurostar as connecting with that specific onward ICE, on that specific date.

  Tip:  Nothing stops you booking an earlier Eurostar than the one which directly connects with your chosen onward ICE, if it has cheaper fares or if you want a more robust connection.  There are plenty of places for a meal, coffee or beer between trains in Brussels!

• How to buy a connecting ticket from other UK towns & cities:  See the advice on special add-on tickets here.

Another way to buy tickets

• This is a little more work, but there's no booking fee and int.bahn.de lets you select your seat from a seat map on German ICE & IC trains.  And unlike Thetrainline or Raileurope, int.bahn.de lets you adjust the default transfer time to give more robust connections, and add stopovers.

• First check that your outward Eurostar & ICE are a recognised connection by running a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de and confirming that your chosen Eurostar & ICE appear together as one journey.  See the bit about 20-minute connections in the previous section.

• Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com.

  Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, always book Eurostar as a round trip.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone.

  After booking you can use Eurostar's Manage your booking feature to select a better seat.

• Step 2, book from Brussels to Berlin at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  A round trip is ticketed as two one-ways, so you can book one way at a time if that's easier.

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

  Tip:  With int.bahn.de you can add a stopover and still get a cheap end-to-end fare, it allows up to 2 stopovers within the 2-day ticket validity.  The Stopovers feature lets you specify the length of stay in hours.  Why not stop off in Cologne?

Neuschwanstein: Bavaria's fairytale castle

• See the Neuschwanstein page for a guide to reaching Bavaria's fairytale castle, including how to get there from Munich by train.

By Harz steam railway to the Brocken

• See the Harz railway page.

Escape to Colditz

• See the Escape to Colditz page.  Now part of WW2 folklore and well worth a visit!  Colditz is easy to reach from Leipzig, or you can do it as a day trip from Berlin or Dresden.

Berchtesgaden, Obersalzberg & Eagle's Nest

• Another site from WW2 which can be visited, the site of Hitler's country house, the Berghof, can still be seen at Obersalzberg on the mountain above Berchtesgaden, where Göring, Bormann, Speer and others also had houses.  The ruins of the Berghof were demolished in 1952, all that can be seen now is an overgrown site with a large retaining wall.  Hitler's impressive mountain-top tea house, the Eagle's Nest, is still standing and can be visited in summer.  First, travel to Munich as shown above.

• Travel from Munich Hbf to Berchtesgaden by regional train, these leave every hour through the day with one simple change at Freilassing, total journey time 2h35.  int.bahn.de will give train times and sell you a train ticket - look for all-train departures that don't involve a bus.  The regular fare is around €43 each way, so it's cheaper to buy a Bayern Ticket for €29 for the first passenger + €10 for each additional passenger, this gives unlimited travel for the day on regional trains after 09:00 on weekdays, any time at weekends so will cover a same-day round trip.

  Although you can buy on the day at the station, buying online at int.bahn.de saves time and the system automatically shows the Bayern Ticket for journeys where this is cheaper than the regular fare.

• Roughly hourly buses then link Berchtesgaden with Obersalzberg, journey time only 12 minutes, from where tourist shuttle buses go up to the Eagle's Nest.  The bus operator is www.rvo-bus.de.  Or take a tour - Eagles Nest Historical Tours (www.eagles-nest-historical-tours.com) do an Obersalzberg tour and an Eagles Nest tour, leaving from the tourist information centre directly across the roundabout from the station.

Holidays & breaks

• Railbookers:  For holidays or short breaks to Germany by train call rail specialists Railbookers.  They offer custom-made holidays & tours to Germany with trains, transfers & hotels sorted for you in one place.  As they're selling you a package they'll look after you if anything happens such as a strike or major delay.  The trips you see online are examples which can be customised to include train travel to & from the UK with no flying necessary, or to add extra nights, just call them.

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

    US call 1-888-829-4775, www.railbookers.com

    Canada call 1-855-882-2910, www.railbookers.com

    Australia call 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au

    New Zealand call 0800 000 554 or see website

The ferry alternative!  A great option if you live in East Anglia (there's a direct train from Cambridge & Ipswich to Harwich to connect with the night boat), if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel or if there are strikes in France.  It can be cheaper than Eurostar, especially at short notice Or you may simply prefer a leisurely cruise across the North Sea in a cosy cabin with toilet, shower & satellite TV, after dinner in the Stena Plus lounge.  The route via Harwich & Hoek of Holland is one of those shown in dark blue on the route map above.  There are two departures a day, the day boat and the night boat.

Using the night boat

A convenient evening departure from central London by train and a good night's sleep in a cosy private cabin with toilet, shower & satellite TV on board the rock-steady 63,000 ton Stena Line superferry.  Next morning, take onward trains to anywhere in Germany.

London, Cambridge & Harwich ► Germany

• Day 1, travel from London to Amsterdam overnight, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details.

  You leave London Liverpool Street at 19:36 Mondays-Fridays, 19:04 Saturdays or 20:00 Sundays by direct train to Harwich International.

  You leave Cambridge at 19:47 Mondays-Saturdays or 19:45 on Sundays by direct train to Harwich International.

  At Harwich, the station is right next to the ferry terminal and you walk off the train into the terminal, check in at the Stena Line desk and walk straight onto Stena Line's luxurious overnight superferry Stena Hollandica.

  All passengers travel in cosy private cabins with toilet, shower & satellite TV.  Comfort & Captains class cabins are also available, and there's free WiFi.  You can board the ferry around 9pm, have a late dinner in the restaurant or Stena Plus lounge and settle into your cabin.

  The ferry sails at 23:00 and arrives at Hoek van Holland at 08:00 Dutch time next morning.

  Next morning if going to Osnabrück, Hanover, Hamburg or Berlin, you take the frequent metro from Hoek van Holland to Schiedam Centrum and an Intercity train to Amsterdam Centraal arriving 10:24.  Have a coffee at the delightfully retro Cafe 1e Klas!

  Next morning if going to Düsseldorf, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich, you take the frequent metro from Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam Alexander then an Intercity train to Utrecht Centraal arriving at or before 10:28.

• Day 2, travel from Amsterdam or Utrecht to Germany.

  You can check times & fares and buy tickets from Amsterdam or Utrecht to anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  German Intercity trains link Amsterdam Centraal with Osnabrück, Hanover & Berlin Hbf every 2 hours, change at Osnabrück for Hamburg.

  For example, you can leave Amsterdam Centraal at 12:00 and arrive Berlin Hbf at 17:51, see the Amsterdam to Berlin timetable here.

  High-speed ICE trains link Utrecht with Düsseldorf, Cologne & Frankfurt every couple of hours, for example you can leave Utrecht on the 11:04 ICE arriving Düsseldorf 12:52, Cologne Hbf 13:15 or Frankfurt (Main) Hbf 14:31.

  Change in Cologne or Frankfurt for Nuremberg, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, Munich and so on.  These ICE trains start in Amsterdam, although picking them up in Utrecht is quicker, you can go the longer way round via Amsterdam if you prefer.

Germany ► Harwich, Cambridge & London

• Day 1, take a train from anywhere in Germany to Amsterdam or Utrecht.

  You can check train times & buy tickets from any German station to Amsterdam or Utrecht at int.bahn.de.

  Coming from Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, Hannover or Osnabrück it's easiest to go via Amsterdam.  For example, the 10:06 Intercity train from Berlin Hbf arrives Amsterdam Centraal at 15:59.

  Coming from Munich, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Frankfurt, Cologne or Düsseldorf it's quickest to go via Utrecht.  The ICE train leaving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 13:27, Cologne Hbf 14:41 & Düsseldorf 15:08 arrives Utrecht Centraal at 16:59.

• Day 1, travel from Amsterdam or Utrecht to London, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details.

  Take the 18:36 train from Amsterdam Centraal to Schiedam Centrum, then the metro to Hoek van Holland Haven.

  Or take the 17:48 train from Utrecht Centraal to Rotterdam Alexander, then metro to Hoek van Holland Haven.

  By all means take an earlier train+metro, there are departures every 15-30 minutes and the ferry starts boarding at 19:30.

  At Hoek, the metro station is next to the ferry terminal.  Check in at the Stena Line desk at least 45 minutes before sailing time, then walk up the gangway onto the luxurious Stena Line superferry and sail overnight to Harwich.

  All passengers travel in cosy private cabins with en suite toilet & shower & satellite TV.  Comfort & Captains class cabins are also available, and there's free WiFi.  You can board the ferry around 8pm, have dinner in the restaurant or Stena Plus lounge and settle into your cabin.

  The ferry sails from Hoek van Holland at 22:00 and arrives at Harwich International at 06:30 next morning (day 3), UK time.

  Day 3, take a train from Harwich to London Liverpool Street arriving around 08:54 or from Harwich to Cambridge, arriving 09:42 (10:39 Sundays).

How much does it cost?

• London or any Greater Anglia station to Hoek van Holland starts at £62 per person each way, plus cabin.

  Cabins start at £34 for a single berth cabin or £45 per cabin for a 2-berth, and are compulsory on the night sailing.  For full details of fares and cabin types and costs, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.

• Hoek to Schiedam Centrum or Rotterdam Alexander by metro costs around €4.

• Schiedam Centrum or Rotterdam Alexander to Cologne starts at €18.99, to Frankfurt from €27.99, to Berlin from €37.99.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, book from London or any Greater Anglia station to Hoek van Holland at www.stenaline.co.uk/rail-and-sail/to-holland.

  This is a special Stena Line Rail & Sail ticket, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for more tips & information on how to buy one.

  You buy the metro ticket from Hoek van Holland to Schiedam or Rotterdam at the metro station using the ticket machines or simply by touching in & out with any contactless bank card.

• Step 2, now book trains from Schiedam Centrum or Rotterdam Alexander to anywhere in Germany at German Railways website int.bahn.de.

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

  Tip:  Before running the enquiry at int.bahn.de I'd click Stopovers, enter Utrecht (if going this way) or Amsterdam Centraal (if going that way) with a length of stay of 1 hour.  This gives a robust connection.  However, even train-specific Sparpreis or Super Sparpreis tickets are usually good for any train you like on a Dutch domestic part of the journey, for example Rotterdam-Utrecht or Schiedam-Amsterdam.

What's the journey like?

Step 1, London to Holland by train & ferry

A train takes you from London's Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich.  You walk off the train, into the terminal, get your boarding card & cabin key at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the overnight ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The superferries Stena Hollandica and Stena Britannica are the largest ferries of their kind in the world.  Have a late dinner in the lounge, retire to bed in a private cabin with toilet, shower & satellite TV.  At Hoek van Holland, you walk off the ship, through passport control and straight onto the metro station for the frequent trains to Schiedam & Rotterdam.  Change at Schiedam Centrum for a Dutch Railways train to Amsterdam Centraal (if heading for Hannover or Berlin), or at Rotterdam Alexander for a Dutch Railways train to Utrecht (if heading to Düsseldorf, Cologne, Frankfurt & southern Germany).  The journey is explained in detail on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.  See the video.

The Stena Hollandica boarding at Harwich, a floating hotel with private cabins, restaurant, bar, lounges, shop & kennels.

Above left, standard outside cabin.  Larger photo.  360º photo.  Above right, the Stena Plus lounge with complimentary red & white wine, tea, coffee & snacks.

Above left, the bar on 9 deck. Above right, a Captain's Class cabin with complimentary minibar, toilet & shower.

Step 2, Holland to Germany by ICE high-speed train or comfort InterCity (IC) train

You can pick up a German Railways ICE train to Düsseldorf, Cologne & Frankfurt at Amsterdam Centraal (where they start) or at Utrecht Centraal (a bit quicker).  More about ICE trains.  If you're heading for Hannover or Berlin, go to Amsterdam Centraal to catch an InterCity train there.  More about Amsterdam-Berlin InterCity trains.

An ICE3neo at Amsterdam Centraal.  Click on the interior images for larger photos.

The 16-seat restaurant car.  Larger photo.		1st class seats on an ICE3neo.  Larger photo.

2nd class seats on an ICE3neo.  Larger photo.		Lunch: I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier!

Using the day boat

It's an early start from London, but Stena Line's Harwich to Hoek van Holland daytime crossing connects nicely with the 3-times-a-week European Sleeper from Rotterdam to Berlin, making this a good option for Berlin, Leipzig or Dresden if the days and times suit you.

London & Harwich ► Berlin, Dresden

• Step 1, travel from London to Harwich by train.

  You leave London Liverpool Street at 06:00 Mondays-Fridays, 06:36 Saturdays or 06:44 Sundays, check train times at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

  At Harwich, the station is right next to the ferry terminal.  You walk off the train and into the terminal, check in at the Stena Line desk and walk onto Stena Line's luxurious superferry to Hoek van Holland.

  This is an integrated train & ferry service, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for details.

  The special fare from London to Hoek van Holland is valid from any Greater Anglia station, for example Romford, Ilford or Ipswich.

• Step 2, cruise from Harwich to Hoek van Holland with Stena Line.

  On Mondays-Saturdays the ferry sails at 09:00 arriving 17:15.

  On Sundays she sails at 09:00 arriving at 18:00.

  The ferry has a bar, self-service restaurant, lounges, a premium Stena Plus lounge, children's play area & free WiFi.  A private cabin is optional (but half price) on the day crossing, all cabins come with toilet & shower & satellite TV.

• Step 3, hop on the metro from Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam.

  On arrival at Hoek van Holland, walk off the ferry into the terminal and go through passport control.  Walk out of the terminal to the adjacent metro station and hop on the metro from Hoek van Holland Haven to Eendrachtsplein in downtown Rotterdam, the metro leaves every 20-30 minutes, journey time around 30 minutes, see metro network map.  Buy a ticket using the ticket machines or simply touch in and out with any contactless bank card.

  From Eendrachtsplein it's an 850m 11-minute stroll to Rotterdam Centraal, see walking map, or you can change at Beurs onto metro line D or E and go 2 stops to Rotterdam Centraal.

  You've time for dinner in Rotterdam, try Kaapse Maria (www.kaapsebrouwers.nl) for craft beer and good pub food, half way between Eendrachtsplein & Rotterdam Centraal, see location map.  Check opening hours, it's open Monday & Friday but closed Wednesdays.  Alternatively, Le Nord (lenord.nl), La Cazuela & Dunya are all good bistros 5 minutes walk north of the station, see walking map.

• Step 4, travel from Rotterdam to Berlin or Dresden by European Sleeper.

  The European Sleeper leaves Rotterdam Centraal at 21:22 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, arriving Berlin Hbf 06:16 & Dresden Hbf 08:50.

  The train has 4 & 6 berth couchettes & a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers, extra in couchettes.  More about the European Sleeper.

  For Leipzig, change in Berlin.  I'd allow at least 1 hour between trains, check times at int.bahn.de.

Dresden, Berlin ► Harwich & London

• Step 1, travel from Dresden or Berlin to Rotterdam by European Sleeper.

  The European Sleeper leaves Dresden Hbf at 20:30 &  Berlin Hbf at 22:57 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, arriving Rotterdam Centraal 07:27.

  The train has 4 & 6 berth couchettes & a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers, and can be ordered at extra cost in couchettes.  More about the European Sleeper.

  If you're coming from Leipzig, check times at int.bahn.de.  I'd want at least 1 hour between trains in Berlin.

• Step 2, hop on the metro from Rotterdam to Hoek van Holland.

  Walk from Rotterdam Centraal to Eendrachtsplein metro station, 850m, 11 minutes, see walking map, or take metro line D or E 2 stops to Beurs.  Then take metro line B from Beurs or Eendrachtsplein to Hoek van Holland Haven, it runs every 20-30 minutes, journey time 33-35 minutes, see metro network map.

  Buy a ticket using the ticket machines or simply touch in and out with any contactless bank card.  The ferry terminal is right next to Hoek van Holland Haven metro station.  Walk into the terminal and check in at the Stena Line desk.  You'll need to leave downtown Rotterdam around 12:00 Monday-Friday or 11:30 Sundays, allowing for travel time and ferry check-in.

• Step 3, cruise from Hoek van Holland to Harwich with Stena Line.

  The ferry sails at 14:15 Monday-Saturday or 13:45 on Sundays, arriving Harwich at 19:45.

  The ferry has a bar, self-service restaurant, lounges, a premium Stena Plus lounge, children's play area & free WiFi.  A private cabin is optional (but half price) on the day crossing, all cabins come with toilet & shower & satellite TV.

  At Harwich, the ferry terminal is right next to the station.  Walk off the ferry, into the terminal, through passport control and onto the train.

• Step 4, travel from Harwich to London by train.

  On Mondays-Saturdays a train leaves Harwich International at 20:45 arriving London Liverpool Street station at 22:14.  On Sundays, leave Harwich at 20:30, arriving London Liverpool Street at 21:44.  Check train times at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

How much does it cost?

• London or any Greater Anglia station to Hoek van Holland starts at £62 per person each way with a Rail & Sail ticket.

  For full details of fares & cabin costs, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.

• Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam by metro costs around €4.

• Rotterdam to Berlin or Dresden by European Sleeper starts at €79 with a couchette, see the European Sleeper page for details.

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, book from London or any Greater Anglia station to Hoek van Holland at www.stenaline.co.uk/rail-and-sail/to-holland.

  This is a special Stena Line Rail & Sail ticket, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for more tips & information on how to buy one.

• Step 2, book the sleeper from Rotterdam to Berlin or Dresden at www.europeansleeper.eu.

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

• If you need an onward ticket from Berlin to Leipzig or Dresden, book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

• Buy the Hoek to Rotterdam metro ticket at the station using the ticket machines or simply touch in and out with any contactless bank card.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Rotterdam by train & ferry

A train takes you from London Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich International.  You walk off the train and into the terminal, get your boarding card at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The superferry Stena Hollandica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  There's a self-service restaurant, bar, lounges, a premium Stena Plus lounge, children's play area & free WiFi.  At Hoek van Holland, you walk off the ship, through passport control and out of the terminal to the adjacent metro station for the frequent metro train to Rotterdam.  See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details, photos & travel tips.

The Stena Hollandica at Hoek van Holland, a floating hotel with restaurant, bars, lounges, shop, cabins & kennels.

Above left, the bar on 9 deck.  Above right, the Stena Plus lounge with complimentary red & white wine, tea, coffee, soft drinks & snacks.

Above left, a Captain's Class cabin with complimentary minibar, toilet & shower.  Above right, fresh sea air aft on 9 deck.

2. Rotterdam to Berlin by European Sleeper

Launched by two sleeper-loving entrepreneurs in May 2023, the European Sleeper has a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, couchette cars with 4 and 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers, available at extra cost in couchettes. Light snacks and drinks can be ordered from the attendant, but there's no restaurant car so bring a picnic and maybe a bottle of wine!  More about European Sleeper.  Berlin Hbf station guide.

Above, the European Sleeper calls at Amsterdam Centraal.  This is a 5-berth couchette car, beyond it is the stainless steel sleeping-car.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper, set up as a single.		5-berth couchette compartment.

The European Sleeper arrived at Berlin Hbf.

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Scotland & the North to Germany 

If you live in the North of England or Scotland, you can of course take a train to London and travel to Germany as described above.  This may be the quickest & easiest option, see advice on buying connecting train tickets to London.  If you live in Scotland, the Caledonian Sleepers will get you to London for a morning Eurostar.

Or you can by-pass London by taking the overnight Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry run by DFDS Seaways or the overnight Hull-Rotterdam ferry run by P&O Ferries.  Then take a train from Holland to Germany next day.  A great way to go!

Scotland & North of England ► Germany

• Day 1, take a train to either Hull or Newcastle, whichever is most convenient for you.

  In Hull, transfer to P&O ferry terminal and sail overnight from Hull to Rotterdam by P&O cruise ferry, with bus/train connection to Amsterdam Centraal.  The ferry has bars, restaurants & cosy en suite cabins.  For details, see the Hull-Rotterdam page.

  In Newcastle, transfer to the DFDS ferry terminal at North Shields and sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam by DFDS Seaways cruise ferry.  The ferry has bars, restaurants & cosy en suite cabins.  For details, see the Newcastle-Amsterdam page.

• Day 2, travel by train from Rotterdam Centraal or Amsterdam Centraal to anywhere in Germany.

  Use the German Railways website int.bahn.de to check train times & fares from Amsterdam to anywhere in Germany and buy tickets online.

  For example, the 12:00 Intercity train from Amsterdam Centraal arrives Berlin Hbf 17:51, or there are later trains.

  A 12:38 ICE train from Amsterdam Centraal arrives Cologne Hbf 15:18 & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf 16:31, or there are later trains too.  if you'd like to spend some time in Amsterdam.

  Or you could spend the day in Rotterdam or Amsterdam, have dinner, then take the 3-times-a-week European Sleeper overnight to Berlin.

Germany ► Scotland & North of England

• Day 1, take a train from Germany to Rotterdam Centraal (for P&O to Hull) or to Amsterdam Centraal (for DFDS to Newcastle).

  You can check train times & fares from anywhere in Germany to Amsterdam & buy tickets online at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. 

  For example, the 08:06 Intercity train from Berlin Hbf arrives at Amsterdam Centraal 13:59.

  The 09:27 ICE train from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf & 10:41 from Cologne Hbf arrives Amsterdam Centraal 13:29, or there are other trains.

  By all means travel earlier and have more time in Amsterdam.

  Or you could take the 3-times-a-week overnight European Sleeper from Berlin to Amsterdam (for Newcastle) or Rotterdam (for Hull), spend the day there, then take the overnight ferry home.

• Day 1, if going to Hull:  Transfer by P&O bus from Rotterdam Centraal to Rotterdam Europoort and sail overnight from Rotterdam to Hull with P&O Ferries (www.poferries.com), arriving next morning (day 2).  In Hull, transfer from the ferry terminal to Hull station by taxi or shuttle bus.

  For details, see the Hull to Rotterdam page.

• Day 1, if going to Newcastle:  Transfer from Amsterdam Centraal to IJmuiden ferry terminal by DFDS transfer bus and sail overnight from IJmuiden to Newcastle with DFDS (www.dfds.com), arriving next morning (day 2).  In Newcastle, transfer from ferry to station by bus or taxi.

  For details, see the Newcastle to Amsterdam page

• Day 2, take a train home from Hull or Newcastle.

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, start with the ferry.  Go to www.dfds.com for Newcastle-Amsterdam, www.poferries.com for Hull-Rotterdam.

• Step 2, now for the train from Amsterdam to Germany.

  Book from Amsterdam Centraal (if you're arriving from Newcastle by DFDS) or from Rotterdam Centraal (if you're arriving at Rotterdam Europoort with P&O) to anywhere in Germany using the German Railways website int.bahn.de.  Allow plenty of time for the port-station transfer.

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

• Step 2, then check train times and buy train tickets to Hull or Newcastle as shown on the UK page or using www.nationalrail.co.uk.  Allow plenty of time for the transfer from station to port, and for the ferry check-in.

What's the journey like?

Step 1, Newcastle to Amsterdam (DFDS) or Hull to Rotterdam (P&O) by overnight cruise ferry, with private en suite cabins, restaurants, bars, cinema, a floating hotel.  If travelling with DFDS from Newcastle, a transfer bus takes you from IJmuiden ferry terminal to Amsterdam Centraal station next morning.  If travelling with P&O from Hull, a transfer bus takes you from Rotterdam Europoort ferry terminal to Rotterdam Centraal, from where frequent Dutch trains run to Utrecht or Amsterdam.

DFDS Seaways Princess of Norway (now Princess Seaways) about to sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam.  The ferry also has deluxe Commodore class cabins with minibar, satellite TV, shower & toilet.  See the video		A standard Seaways class cabin with shower & toilet on DFDS Princess of Norway from Newcastle to Amsterdam.

P&O Ferries Pride of Rotterdam at Rotterdam Europoort.  The ferry also has deluxe class cabins with minibar, satellite TV, shower & toilet.		A standard outside cabin with shower & toilet on P&O's Pride of Rotterdam from Hull to Rotterdam.

Step 2, take an ICE train from Amsterdam or Utrecht to Germany.  More info about ICE trains.

An ICE3neo at Amsterdam Centraal.  Click on the interior images for larger photos.

The 16-seat restaurant car.  Larger photo.		1st class seats on an ICE3neo.  Larger photo.

2nd class seats on an ICE3neo.  Larger photo.		Lunch:  I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier!

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Holidays & tours to Germany

If you want a holiday to Germany by train, but want someone else to organise all the train tickets & hotels for you, several good specialist companies do just that.

Railbookers, railbookers.co.uk

Railbookers can custom-make a flight-free holiday or short break to Germany for you, with train travel & hotels, for however long you like, leaving on any date you like.  If you tell them what you want, they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you.  They get a lot of repeat business!  For example:

• Short breaks to Cologne with train travel & hotel, check their website for prices.

• Short breaks to Berlin, with train travel both ways & 2 or more nights hotel.

• 7-night holiday to Berlin & Prague by train.

• Christmas Markets - Railbookers are experts in Christmas Market breaks by train

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

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

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

  Australia call 1300 971 526, see website

  New Zealand call 0800 000 554 or see website

Byway, byway.travel

Byway (Byway.travel) is a new UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating.  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book a holiday to Germany for you as a package, including train travel from the UK and hotels, starting from any British station you like.  Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.

They can build a trip to your requirements if you phone 0300 131 7173 (open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, from outside the UK call +44 300 131 7173) or email them or use this contact form.  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

Tailor Made Rail, tailormaderail.com

Tailor Made Rail offers packages from the UK to Germany by train which can be customised your requirements, with any stopovers you want.  As it's a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens on one part of the trip, for example, a national strike.  They're TTA-protected, which is like ATOL, but not just for agencies that sell air travel.  Website www.tailormaderail.com/destinations/france.

Call their dedicated seat61 phone line 020 3778 1461 and quote seat 61 when booking.  From outside the UK call +44 20 3778 1461.  Lines open 09:00-17:30 Monday-Friday.

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Rhine Valley cruises

There are two ways to cruise the wonderful Rhine Valley - as an inexpensive day trip on a scheduled KD Lines cruise, or as a multi-day trip on a full-blown cruise ship which you use as a floating hotel, staying on board in en suite cabins.

A day cruise down the Rhine Valley, an inexpensive short break

• Buy train tickets from London to Koblenz, as explained above. 

• Buy a ticket for around €35 for the daily scheduled cruise from Koblenz to Rüdesheim run by the Köln-Düsseldorfer Line, www.k-d.com.  Their scheduled day cruises run between April and October, there's usually a sailing from Koblenz around 09:00 arriving Rüdesheim around 15:15.  You may also find an afternoon departure, leaving Koblenz around 14:00 and arriving Rüdesheim around 20:15. The cruise will take you past the Hostile Brothers' castles and the legendary Lorelei Rock.  They have various other scheduled cruises starting as far north as Cologne and going as far south as Mainz, see www.k-d.com (select English top right then click ''KD Scheduled Cruises' top left).

• Treat the timetable as a guide, and don't book any tight connections, the Rhine boats can run late!

Luxury Rhine cruises

River cruisers with private cabins, restaurants and bars cruise the Rhine on multi-day trips where you live on board and visit locations along the way.

• Riviera Travel, www.rivieratravel.co.uk, offers 8-day Rhine cruises from Koblenz to Switzerland with train travel by Eurostar to and from London, from around £1,199 per person.  The trips cover Koblenz, the Rhine Gorge and Lorelei Rock, Strasbourg, the Black Forest, Interlaken and Lucerne.

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European Rail Timetable & maps

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

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

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Guidebooks

Make sure you take a good guidebook.  For independent travel, the best guidebook is either the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide.  Both guidebooks provide an excellent level of practical information and historical and cultural background.  You won't regret buying one!

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

Or buy the Lonely Planets from the Lonely Planet website, with shipping worldwide.    Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website, from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

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Recommended hotels

Here are my suggested hotels conveniently located for arrival by train in key German cities, all with good or great reviews.  You are unlikely to be disappointed by any hotel scoring over 8.0 out of 10 on Booking.com.

In Berlin

• An excellent and relatively inexpensive choice next to Berlin Hbf is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf, only 200m from the station main entrance, ideal for an overnight stop.  It's a favourite of mine and it gets great reviews.  You can easily stroll to the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate in 17 minutes, and of course Berlin Hbf is a local transit hub making it easy to reach other parts of Berlin.

• Also right next to Berlin Hbf and a step up in quality and cost, the 5-star Steigenberger Hotel am Kanzerlamt is on the main square in front of the station.  It's a guest favourite, I've eaten in the bar here, it's a classy place which won't disappoint (Steigenberger hotels usually don't!).

• For something cheaper but still with great reviews, the reliable inexpensive Motel One Berlin-Hauptbahnhof is on the north side of the station.

• Finally, if you really want to push the boat out with somewhere special, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is right next to the Brandenburg Gate, a 17 minute walk or 5 minute taxi ride south of the station.

In Cologne

• The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf station itself, the entrance is left of the station entrance, many rooms have a cathedral view.

• Also near the station with good reviews are the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.

In Frankfurt

• Hotels next to Frankfurt (Main) Hbf with good or great reviews include the Flemings Express Hotel & Hotel Hamburger Hof, both of which I have stayed at and can recommend, I'd go with Flemings Express on balance, for carpeted rooms and a good breakfast buffet.  Both hotels are just across the road from the station's northern (platform 24) side exit.  You could also try The Frankfurt and the inexpensive Hotel Topas.

In Hamburg

• If you walk out of Hamburg Hbf's main eastern exit, you'll find a row of good hotels lined up in front of you on the opposite side of the Kirchenallee.  The pick of these is the excellent 4-star Hotel Reichshof Hamburg, across the road and to the left with art deco-based design and great reviews.  It has its own restaurant for lunch or dinner, although I'd still be tempted to try the beer & traditional German food at Nagel's bar, 150m south along the Kircheallee, restaurant-kneipe-hamburg.de.

• The Hotel Europaischer Hof is another good choice and directly in front of you across the road when you walk out of the station.  Other hotels next to Hamburg Hbf with good reviews include the 5-star Hotel Continental Novum (to the right of the Europaischer), Hotel Furst Bismarck (to the right of the Continental Novum), and the Hotel Atlantic Kempinski.

• If you'd prefer a hotel right in the city centre, the Henri Hotel Hamburg Downtown is 5 minutes walk from the station on the city side, and gets really great reviews.

• If you're on a budget, private rooms in the A&O Hotel start at around £33 for one person or £49 for two people booked at www.hostelworld.com.  The A&O is an 11-minute 900m walk south of Hamburg Hbf, see walking map.  Also try the innovative Cab20 capsule hotel, a 550m 6-minute walk from the station, see walking map.

In Munich

• Affordable hotels right next to Munich Hbf with good or great reviews include the reliable Eden Hotel Wolff or the NH Collection München, both directly across the road from the station's north side exit, ideal for an overnight stop between trains.  I've used the Hotel Wolff myself.

• Also consider the more upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian, Excelsior by Giesel or Mercure München City Center, all a stone's throw from the station with great reviews.

• If you want to push the boat out, the luxurious 5-star Sofitel Munich Beyerpost is right outside the station's south side exit, located in the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building dating from 1896-1900.  It comes complete with a spa with massage service and sauna.

• If you're on a budget, the Wombat's Hostel Munich is close to the station's south side exit with private rooms & dorm beds, with good reviews.

Booking.com for hotels

I generally use Booking.com for hotels for 3 reasons:

(1) It keeps all my hotel bookings together in one place;

(2) I've come to trust Booking.com's review scores;

(3) Booking.com usually offers a clearly-marked Free cancellation option.

Free cancellation means you can secure hotels risk-free even before trains open for booking, and if necessary change those bookings if your plans evolve.

If I'm only staying a night or two, I look for a hotel near the station to make arrival & departure easy.  You can enter the station name (e.g. Berlin Hbf) as search location.  If staying longer, I look for a hotel close to the sights, entering the name of a city attraction as the search location, then using map view.

I then look for a hotel with a review score of 8.0 or over, any hotel scoring over that won't disappoint.

AirBnB:  Airbnb.com

www.airbnb.com began in 2008 when two designers who had space to share hosted three travellers looking for a place to stay.  AirBnB is a platform which connects hosts with guests, so you can now book a room in people's homes, or an apartment, flat or house which people want to rent out.  It can be nicer than a hostel, cheaper than many hotels.

Backpacker hostels: Hostelworld.com

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 Paris and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.

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Car hire

Compare 50 different car hire companies:  www.carrentals.co.uk

The award-winning www.carrentals.co.uk compares many different car hire companies including Holiday Autos, meaning not only a cheapest price comparison but a wider choice of hire and drop off location.

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Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance

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

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

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

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

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

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

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

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

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

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

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

Carry an Anker powerbank

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

Touring cities?  Use hill walking shoes!

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

 

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