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Scenery between Ljubljana & Belgrade as you travel to Serbia comfortably by train. No airports, no flights. |
To Belgrade & Serbia by train
You can travel from London to Belgrade by train, for onward travel to Skopje in North Macedonia or Pristina in Kosovo. Leave London mid-morning for Paris, take a high-speed TGV to Stuttgart, a sleeper to Budapest and you'll be in Belgrade by early evening next day, with air-conditioned trains throughout. It's safe, scenic & comfortable. It costs more than flying, but it's a memorable experience not a soulless flight. This page explains how to plan & book a train journey from the UK to each of these countries.
Train times, fares & tickets
London to Belgrade & Novi Sad (Serbia)
London to Skopje (North Macedonia) &
Pristina (Kosovo)
Trains from other European
cities to Belgrade
Trains from
Belgrade to
other European cities
Hotel Moskva - the recommended hotel in
Belgrade
General European train
travel information
Luggage
Taking bikes
Taking dogs
Useful country information:
visas, currency...
Route map
Useful country information
Which route to choose?
There are two possible routes from Western Europe to Belgrade: Budapest-Belgrade or Zagreb-Belgrade.
The Budapest-Belgrade line was closed for rebuilding in 2019, leaving just the once-daily Zagreb-Belgrade train linking Western Europe with Belgrade. Unfortunately, this was suspended during the pandemic and has not resumed, so you currently need a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade if you go this way (options 2, 3 & 4).
However, the Budapest-Belgrade line partially reopens on 24 November 2024, allowing 3 fairly fast daily services between Budapest & Belgrade with easy changes of train at Szeged & Subotica. It will be possible to reach Belgrade without resorting to a bus and I show this as option 1. Direct Budapest-Belgrade trains are due to return in 2026, taking only 2h40 on a fully-rebuilt line.
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Option 1, leave London in the morning by Eurostar on day 1, take a TGV to Stuttgart, then the excellent Hungarian sleeper train overnight to Budapest. Then travel from Budapest to Novi Sad & Belgrade by daytime trains arriving early evening on day 2. This option avoids any buses, the fast 3-train combo between Budapest & Belgrade starts running from 24 November 2024 making this the best option.
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Option 2, you leave London in the morning on day 1 by Eurostar & TGV to Stuttgart, travel overnight on the Croatian sleeper train to Zagreb, then (as the train is suspended) take a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade arriving in the evening on day 2.
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Option 3 is similar to option 2, but via Zurich. You take a morning Eurostar to Paris, a high-speed TGV-Lyria to Zurich, the excellent Croatian sleeper train from Zurich to Zagreb, then (as the train is suspended) a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade arriving in the evening on day 2.
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Option 4 is a 3-day all-daytime journey with 2 overnight hotel stops, one in Munich & one in Zagreb. It takes longer than the other options, but some people prefer leisurely daytime journeys through great scenery and sleeping in hotels to using a sleeper train. Again, high-quality trains throughout, but a bus for the last bit from Zagreb to Belgrade.
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The route via Italy & the Adriatic ferry to Bar in Montenegro is covered in the London to Montenegro page.
Option 1: London to Belgrade via Paris, Stuttgart & Budapest
This is the fastest option. A morning Eurostar from London to Paris, a high-speed TGV Duplex to Stuttgart and a cosy sleeper on the Hungarian sleeper train to Budapest. You then travel from Budapest to Belgrade by daytime trains on day 2, an easy 3-train combo. This option avoids buses.
You can of course take any of the options shown on the London to Budapest page, then take any of the 3 daily services from Budapest to Belgrade shown on the Budapest to Belgrade page. However, the journey shown below takes just 2 days, 1 night, avoiding the need to stop overnight in Budapest. Departures are daily all year round.
London ► Belgrade
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Day 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar.
On Mondays-Fridays & Sundays, leave London St Pancras at 10:24 arriving Paris Gare du Nord 13:50.
On any day of the week you can leave London St Pancras at 09:31 arriving Paris Gare du Nord 12:50.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Plus & Premier fares include breakfast.
In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.
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Day 1, travel from Paris to Stuttgart by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:55 Monday-Friday & Sunday arriving Stuttgart Hbf 19:04.
Or if you left London at 09:31, you can leave Paris Gare de l'Est by TGV Duplex at 13:54 on any day of the week, arriving Stuttgart Hbf 17:04.
The 320 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Book an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number above 60 is upper deck. Times may vary, check your date at int.bahn.de.
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Day 1, travel from Stuttgart to Budapest by sleeper train Kalman Imre, leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 20:29 and arriving Budapest Keleti 09:19.
The Kalman Imre has an air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, an air-conditioned Hungarian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. Sleeper fares include a light breakfast. More about this sleeper train.
Transfer from Keleti to Nyugati station by taxi or tram as shown here.
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Day 2, travel from Budapest to Belgrade by train, leaving Budapest Nyugati 11:50, changing at Szeged & Subotica, arriving Belgrade Centar 18:38.
A later 14:50 departure arriving 21:19 is also available if you'd like a longer connection.
You take a Hungarian Intercity train from Budapest to Szeged, a local train across the border to Subotica and a 200 km/h SOKO train to Belgrade. These services start running from 24 November 2024, for full details see the Budapest to Belgrade page.
Belgrade ► London
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Day 1, travel from Belgrade to Budapest by train, leaving Belgrade Centar at 11:00, change at Szeged & Subotica, arriving Budapest Nyugati 18:09.
An earlier 05:00 departure is also available if you'd like a longer connection.
You take a 200 km/h SOKO train from Belgrade to Subotica, a local train to Szeged, then a Hungarian Intercity train to Budapest. These services start running from 24 November 2024, for full details see the Belgrade to Budapest page.
Transfer from Nyugati to Keleti station by taxi or tram as shown here.
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Day 1, travel from Budapest to Stuttgart by sleeper train Kalman Imre leaving Budapest Keleti at 20:40 & arriving Stuttgart Hbf 08:38.
The Kalman Imre has an air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, an air-conditioned Hungarian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. Sleeper fares include a light breakfast. More about this sleeper train.
If you have a sleeping-car ticket you can use the business lounge in Budapest on platform 9 with complimentary refreshments.
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Day 2, travel from Stuttgart to Paris by high-speed ICE train, leaving Stuttgart at 10:52 & arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 14:07.
The high-speed ICE train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Do not risk earlier connections.
In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.
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Day 2, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:12, arriving London St Pancras 18:32.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Plus & Premier fares include a meal with wine.
How much does it cost?
Each train is ticketed separately, so add up the price for each stage of the journey. On the sleeper train, berths are sold individually, 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 single-berth sleeper or 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper or 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette & so on.
How to buy tickets
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Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com, this lets you all your tickets together in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem. There's a small booking fee. About Thetrainline.
Booking opens up to 11 months ahead for Eurostar, up to 6 months ahead for the Paris-Stuttgart TGV & Stuttgart-Budapest sleeper. You can book hotels risk-free before booking trains using www.booking.com as they offer free cancellation. More about when train booking opens.
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Step 1, go to www.thetrainline.com, book the Eurostar from London to Paris & add to basket.
If you're returning, book the Eurostar as a round trip because Eurostar return fares are cheaper than two one-ways. With the TGV & sleeper train it doesn't matter, a round trip is simply two one-ways and it can be easier to book one way at a time & add to basket.
Use the Eurostar times on this page as a guide, but by all means book an earlier Eurostar out or a later Eurostar coming back, if it's cheaper or if you'd like to stop off in Paris. Remember that your return date from Paris is the day after you leave Budapest.
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Step 2, still on www.thetrainline.com, book the TGV from Paris to Stuttgart and add to basket.
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Step 3, still on www.thetrainline.com, book the sleeper from Stuttgart to Budapest, add to basket & check out.
If you have any problems (for example, you see no sleepers), also try the Hungarian Railways website at www.mavcsoport.hu - see my advice on using it first.
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Step 4, book the Budapest to Belgrade journey last, as shown on the Budapest-Belgrade page.
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You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone. 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 the best seats.
Another way to book tickets
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Alternatively, you can buy tickets for each train from the relevant train operator with no booking fee, but this means using 3 different websites and the fares should be the same. Do a dry run on all 3 sites to confirm train times, prices & availability first. If you're new to European train travel, I'd stick with www.thetrainline.com.
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Step 1, go to German Railways int.bahn.de and book the TGV from Paris to Stuttgart & back. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. Easy! I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Step 2, now book the sleeper from Stuttgart to Budapest at the Austrian Railways site www.oebb.at. You print your own ticket,
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Step 3, now book the Eurostar from London to Paris at www.eurostar.com.
Remember that your return date will be the day after leaving Budapest. Use the recommended Eurostar times above as a guide, but by all means book an earlier Eurostar outwards, or a later Eurostar on the way back, if it's cheaper or if you'd like to stop off in Paris. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Or use an Interrail pass
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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.
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How to use a pass for a trip to Serbia
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 most regions of Britain to Belgrade & back again using the route shown above
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 & 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, make a passholder reservation on the Paris-Stuttgart TGV for around €18 each way using the official Interrail reservation service.
Step 4, make a couchette or sleeper reservation on the Hungarian sleeper at www.oebb.at following the instructions here, method 1. Prices can be found on the Interrail reservations page.
Step 5, make a seat reservation from Budapest to Szeged at www.mavcsoport.hu as explained here. You'll need to make a seat reservation on the SOKO train from Subotica to Belgrade, make this at the station in Subotica, this cannot be done online.
Have your trip arranged as a package
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Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a trip as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers. Their website has a range of suggested tours & holidays which can be customised to your requirements.
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
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Byway (Byway.travel) is a UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating. If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, book a one-way or return UK-Serbia trip through Byway as a package, including 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.
To see pre-configured packages from London, use the journey planner on their website.
Or they can build a trip to your requirements, call 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.
How to buy tickets by phone
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It's better to book online to avoid phone booking fees and so you can see for yourself which departures are cheapest for each stage of the journey. Most ticketing agencies only work office hours on weekdays, but online booking is possible 24/7. However, if you want to book by phone, see my list of UK ticketing agencies.
What's the journey like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 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. Gare du Nord station guide.
2. Paris to Stuttgart by TGV Duplex See the video
In Paris it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est for the TGV to Germany. Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views. The train has power sockets at all seats in both classes and free WiFi. A cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes. The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods & farmland at up to 320 km/h (199 mph), past picturesque French villages of the Champagne region. An hour or two later, the train leaves the high-speed line and slowly meanders through pretty wooded hills, the countryside eventually flattening out towards Strasbourg. On leaving Strasbourg, look out for Strasbourg cathedral on the left with its famously missing second tower. Minutes afterwards you rumble across the river Rhine into Germany, before heading on to Stuttgart. Paris Gare de l'Est station guide.
3. Stuttgart to Budapest by sleeper train Kalman Imre See the video
Cosy & inviting, the air-conditioned Hungarian sleeping-car has 11 compartments with washbasin, each of which can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 berth room, with toilets at the end of the corridor. The fare includes a light breakfast of coffee, juice & croissant. The air-conditioned Hungarian couchette car has 4 & 6 berth compartments. More about the sleeper train Kalman Imre. Budapest Keleti station guide.
4. Budapest to Belgrade
The journey takes about 6h, using a Hungarian Intercity train to Szeged, a local train to Subotica, then a 200 km/h SOKO train from Subotica to Belgrade Centar. For full details of this journey, see the Budapest to Belgrade page. Below, a 200 km/h double-deck SOKO train at Belgrade Centar. Photo courtesy of Hugo van Vondelen.
Option 2: London to Belgrade via Paris, Stuttgart & Zagreb
This is also a fast option, taking a high-speed TGV from Paris to Stuttgart, the excellent Croatian sleeper train from Stuttgart to Zagreb then a bus to Belgrade.
London ► Belgrade
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Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:24 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Paris Nord 13:50.
Or on any day of the week, leave London St Pancras at 09:31, arriving Paris Gare du Nord 12:50.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Plus & Premier fares include a meal with wine.
In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to Stuttgart by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:55 Monday-Friday & Sunday arriving Stuttgart Hbf 19:04.
Or if you left London at 09:31, you can leave Paris Gare de l'Est by TGV Duplex at 13:54 on any day of the week, arriving Stuttgart Hbf 17:04.
The 320 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Book an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number above 60 is upper deck. Times may vary, check your date at int.bahn.de.
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Step 3, travel from Stuttgart to Zagreb by sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 20:29 and arriving Zagreb 10:39.
Arrival in Zagreb is at 11:33 until 13 July 2025, due to engineering work in the Tauern Tunnel.
The Lisinski has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended). Watch the Croatian sleeper video.
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Step 4, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade on the daily train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04 arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar 18:12.
This train has air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats (no 1st class). There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.
This train remains suspended, originally due to Covid-19, now down to Croatian & Serbian incompetence.
While the train is suspended, take a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade
It's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb station to Zagreb bus station, see walking map.
A Flixbus leaves Zagreb bus station at 14:00, arriving Belgrade bus station at 19:30.
The fare is around €20, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com.
Belgrade ► London
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Day 1, travel from Belgrade to Zagreb on the daily train, leaving Belgrade Centar station at 10:05 & Novi Beograd at 10:19 arriving Zagreb 18:13.
This train has two air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats. There's no 1st class. There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine. You've time for dinner in Zagreb.
This train remains suspended, originally due to Covid-19, now down to Croatian & Serbian incompetence.
While the train is suspended, take a bus from Belgrade to Zagreb
A Flixbus leaves Belgrade bus station at 11:30, arriving Zagreb bus station at 17:00
The fare is around €20, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com.
It's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb bus station to Zagreb station, see walking map.
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Day 1, travel from Zagreb to Munich or Stuttgart by sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Zagreb at 19:40 & arriving Stuttgart Hbf 08:38.
Departure from Zagreb is at 18:40 until 13 July 2025, due to engineering work in the Tauern Tunnel.
The Lisinski has a modern air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and seats (not recommended). Watch the Croatian sleeper video.
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Day 2, travel from Stuttgart to Paris by high-speed ICE train, leaving Stuttgart at 10:52 & arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 14:07.
The high-speed ICE train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Do not risk earlier connections.
In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.
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Day 2, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:12 & arriving London St Pancras 18:32.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Plus & Premier fares include a meal with wine.
How much does it cost?
Each train is ticketed separately, so add up the price for each leg of the journey.
How to buy tickets
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Step 1, book from London to Stuttgart at www.thetrainline.com. About Thetrainline.
Using www.thetrainline.com allows you to book all your tickets in one place, in €, £ or $, international cards no problem, small booking fee.
Booking opens up to 11 months ahead for Eurostar, up to 6 months ahead for Paris-Stuttgart and the Stuttgart-Zagreb sleeper. More about when train bookings open. I recommend waiting until all trains open for booking before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket, unless you're prepared to take a calculated risk.
Tip: Click via/avoid and enter Paris as a via station to limit the search to routes via Paris.
Tip: You can book from London to Stuttgart all in one go, but for more control over the connection in Paris, I'd book London-Paris first, add to basket, then book Paris-Stuttgart and add to basket, ensuring at least an hour between trains. That way you can allow a more robust connection than the system would give you, and you can see if earlier Eurostars have cheaper prices.
Tip: If you are making a round trip, London-Paris return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so ideally book Eurostar as a return. All other trains are priced one-way so it makes no difference, it can be easier to book one way at a time!
Tip: After booking you can click Manage your booking at www.eurostar.com to choose a better seat from a seat map, see tips on choosing a seat.
Tip: If you're travelling from a town or city north of London, see advice about buying domestic tickets to London to connect with Eurostar.
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Step 2, book the sleeper train from Stuttgart to Zagreb at www.thetrainline.com.
Use the journey planner to bring up the direct Stuttgart-Zagreb sleeper train marked EN with 0 changes. You print your own ticket.
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Step 3, while the train remains suspended, book a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade at www.flixbus.com.
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Alternatively, you can book London to Paris at www.eurostar.com, then Paris to Stuttgart at the German Railways website int.bahn.de, then Stuttgart to Zagreb at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. This is more work on multiple websites, the prices should be the same, but no booking fees.
How to buy tickets by phone
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It's better to book online, But if you want to book by phone, call International Rail on 0844 248 248 3, lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, small booking fee. Alternatively, you can call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (lines open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings).
Let Railbookers arrange it as a package
-
Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a tour or holiday for you as a package, including train travel, hotels & transfers. On their website you'll find a range of suggested tours & holidays which can be customised to your requirements. As you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay.
UK call 0207 864 4600,
www.railbookers.co.uk
US call free 1-888-829-4775,
see
website Canada call 1-855-882-2910,
see website
Australia call 1300 971 526,
see website
New Zealand call 0800 000 554 or
see
website
What's the journey like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 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. Gare du Nord station guide.
2. Paris to Stuttgart by TGV Duplex See the video guide
In Paris it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est for the TGV to Germany. Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views. The train has power sockets at all seats in both classes and free WiFi. A cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes. The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods & farmland at up to 320 km/h (199 mph), past picturesque French villages of the Champagne region. An hour or two later, the train leaves the high-speed line and slowly meanders through pretty wooded hills, the countryside eventually flattening out towards Strasbourg. On leaving Strasbourg, look out for Strasbourg cathedral on the left with its famously missing second tower. Minutes afterwards you rumble across the river Rhine into Germany, before heading on to Stuttgart. Paris Gare de l'Est station guide.
3. Stuttgart to Zagreb by sleeper train Lisinski Watch the video
This modern sleeper train is a pleasure to travel on, whether in the privacy of your own sleeper or in economical couchettes. Zagreb station guide.
4. Zagreb to Belgrade by train
This is a comfortable air-conditioned Serbian train, with modern 2nd class seats - there's no 1st class. There's also no restaurant car, so take a picnic and some beer or wine with you. Below right, the Belgrade to Zagreb train. Below left, 2nd class seats. Belgrade station guide.
Option 3: London to Belgrade via Paris, Zurich & Zagreb
This is similar to option 2, but instead of TGV to Stuttgart and the Croatian sleeper train from Stuttgart to Zagreb, you taka a TGV-Lyria to Zurich and the Croatian sleeper train from Zurich to Zagreb. There are two minor disadvantages compared to option 2: First, departure from London is a little earlier in the morning with an identical arrival in Belgrade. Second, you need to cross Paris by taxi or metro from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon, whereas in option 2 it's just a 7 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est next door. This option also has lovely scenery in the morning on the way to Zagreb along the Sava river!
London ► Belgrade
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Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 07:01 Mondays-Fridays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 10:19.
On Saturdays & Sundays, leave London St Pancras at 08:01, arriving Paris Gare du Nord 11:28.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Plus & Premier fares include breakfast.
Cross Paris by metro or taxi to the Gare de Lyon, 2 stops on RER line D.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to Zurich by TGV-Lyria, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 12:22 Mondays-Fridays arriving Zurich HB 16:26.
On Saturdays & Sundays, leave Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:22 arriving Zurich HB 18:26.
The 320 km/h double-deck TGV-Lyria has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more about TGV-Lyria.
In Zurich, I recommend steak-frites & a beer at the Brasserie Federal inside Zurich HB, see other restaurant suggestions.
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Day 1, travel from Zurich to Zagreb by Croatian sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 20:40, arriving Zagreb 10:39 next morning.
The train has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended). See the Croatian sleeper video.
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Day 2, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade on the daily train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04 arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar at 18:12.
This train has air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats (no 1st class). There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.
This train is still suspended, originally due to Covid-19, now down to Croatian & Serbian incompetence.
While the train is suspended, take a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade
It's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb station to Zagreb bus station, see walking map.
A Flixbus leaves Zagreb bus station at 14:00, arriving Belgrade bus station at 19:30
The fare is around €20, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com.
Belgrade ► London
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Day 1, travel from Belgrade to Zagreb on the daily train, leaving Belgrade Centar station at 10:05 & Novi Beograd 10:19, arriving Zagreb 18:13.
This train has two air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats. There's no 1st class. There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine. The train is intended to connect into the sleeper to Zurich.
This train is still suspended, originally due to Covid-19, now down to Croatian & Serbian incompetence.
While the train is suspended, take a bus from Belgrade to Zagreb
A Flixbus leaves Belgrade bus station at 11:30, arriving Zagreb bus station at 17:00.
The fare is around €20, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com
It's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb bus station to Zagreb station, see walking map.
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Day 1, travel from Zagreb to Zurich by Croatian sleeper train, leaving Zagreb at 19:40, arriving Zurich HB 09:20 next morning.
The train has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), a modern air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended). See the Croatian sleeper video.
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Day 2, travel from Zurich to Paris by TGV-Lyria, leaving Zurich HB at 11:34 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 15:38.
The 320 km/h double-deck TGV-Lyria has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about TGV-Lyria.
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Day 2, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:12 daily except Saturdays, arriving London St Pancras 19:30.
On Saturdays, leave Paris Gare du Nord at 19:12, arriving London St Pancras 20:39.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Plus & Premier fares include a meal with wine.
How much does it cost?
Each train is ticketed separately, so add up the price for each leg of the journey.
How to buy tickets
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Step 1, book from London to Zurich at www.thetrainline.com.
This lets you book all your tickets together in one place, in €, £ or $, international cards no problem. Small booking fee. About Thetrainline.
Booking opens up to 11 months ahead for Eurostar, up to 4 months ahead for Paris-Zurich, and up to 6 months ahead for the Zurich-Zagreb sleeper. More about when bookings open. I recommend waiting until all trains are open for booking before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket, unless you're prepared to take a calculated risk.
Tip: Click via/avoid and enter Paris as a via station to limit the search to routes via Paris.
Tip: You can book from London to Zurich all in one go if you like, but for more control over the connection in Paris, I'd book London-Paris first, add to basket, then book Paris-Zurich and add to basket, ensuring over an hour between trains. That way you can allow a more robust connection than the system would give you, and you can see if earlier Eurostars have cheaper fares.
Tip: If you are making a round trip, Eurostar return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so book Eurostar as a return. All other trains are priced one-way so it makes no difference, it can be easier to book one way at a time!
Tip: After booking, click Manage your booking at www.eurostar.com to choose a better seat from a seat map. Tips on choosing the best seats.
Tip: If you're travelling from a town or city outside London, see advice on buying tickets to connect with Eurostar.
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Step 2, book the sleeper train from Zurich to Zagreb at www.thetrainline.com, add to basket & check out.
Use the journey planner to bring up the direct Zurich-Zagreb sleeper train marked EN with 0 changes. You print your own ticket.
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Step 3, while the train remains suspended, book a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade at www.flixbus.com.
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Alternatively, you can book London to Paris at www.eurostar.com, then Paris to Zurich at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com, then Zurich to Zagreb at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. This is more work on multiple websites prices should be the same, but no booking fees.
How to buy tickets by phone
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It's better to book online to avoid phone booking fees and see for yourself which trains are cheapest. Most agencies only work weekday office hours, you can book online 24/7. But if you want to book by phone, see my list of UK-based ticketing agencies.
What's the journey like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Plus & Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 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. How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.
2. Paris to Zurich by TGV-Lyria
All TGV-Lyria trains are now 320km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex like the one shown below. TGV-Lyria trains have 3 classes: Standard class (2nd), standard premiere (1st class) and business premiere (1st class with hot meal & drinks included in the fare). There's a cafe-bar car selling drinks & snacks. There are power points for mobiles & laptops at all seats in all classes. Lyria is a consortium of the French and Swiss national railways. More about TGV-Lyria. Zurich HB station guide.
3. Zurich to Zagreb by sleeper train Watch the video
This modern sleeper train is a pleasure to travel on, whether in the privacy of your own sleeper or in economical couchettes. There's time for dinner in Zurich before boarding at a local restaurant, try the Brasserie Federal inside Zurich HB. Zagreb station guide.
4. Zagreb to Belgrade by train
This is a comfortable air-conditioned Serbian train, with modern 2nd class seats - there's no 1st class. There's also no restaurant car, so take a picnic and some beer or wine with you. Below right, the Belgrade to Zagreb train about to leave Belgrade. Below left, 2nd class seats. Belgrade station guide.
Option 4: London to Belgrade by daytime trains with overnight stops
This takes longer than using a time-effective sleeper train, 3 days/2 nights instead of 2 days/1 night, but if you prefer daytime scenery and hotels to sleeper trains this is the route for you, London to Belgrade with overnight stops in Munich and Zagreb.
London ► Belgrade
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Day 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:24 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 13:50.
On Saturdays, leave London St Pancras at 12:31, arriving Paris Gare du Nord 15:48.
In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.
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Day 1, travel from Paris to Munich TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:55 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Munich Hbf 21:36.
On Saturdays, you leave Paris at 17:55 arriving Munich Hbf at 23:26.
The 320 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views. Times may vary, so check for your date at int.bahn.de.
On Saturdays, if you'd prefer an earlier arrival in Munich you can leave London at 09:31 to connect with a TGV Duplex leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 13:51 for Stuttgart, change there for Munich Hbf arriving 19:12.
Alternatively, you can travel from London to Munich by Eurostar & ICE via Brussels & Cologne, see the London to Munich timetable here.
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Stay overnight in Munich. The affordable Eden Hotel Wolff & NH Collection München are across the road from the station's north side exit with great reviews. Or consider the more upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian, Excelsior by Giesel & Mercure City Center. For a splurge, the luxurious Sofitel Munich Beyerpost occupies the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building of 1896-1900, at the station's south side exit.
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Day 2, travel from Munich to Zagreb, leaving Munich Hbf at 08:16, change at Villach, arriving at Zagreb 17:10.
You travel from Munich to Villach (in Austria, close to the Slovenian border) by swish Austrian railjet train, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. After leaving Munich's suburbs the train snakes through pretty Bavarian scenery. Just before arriving at Salzburg, look to your right as you cross the River Salzach for views of Salzburg citadel. After Salzburg the train crosses the Austrian Alps, climbing high through the mountains. Look out for the magnificent fortress at Werfen perched on its hilltop on the right hand side, guarding the approaches to Salzburg along the Salzachtal valley.
At Villach it's a quick & easy change onto a waiting Slovenian & Croatian train called the Sava, usually just across the platform. In this direction the Croatian/Slovenian train will wait (within reason) if the Austrian train is late, there will be lots of people making this connection.
The Sava has a mix of Croatian & Slovenian cars, some open-plan with air-conditioning, some classic compartments with opening windows. I'd choose a compartment car with opening windows! There's no catering so bring your own food & drink, even a bottle of wine if you like. There's beautiful scenery along the Sava river between Ljubljana & Zagreb, a real treat.
Tip: You can see the train formation at www.vagonweb.cz, change cs to English, click Train formations and search for Sava.
Important update: The closure of the Tauern Tunnel affects this route between 17 November 2024 & 13 July 2025, check times at int.bahn.de.
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Stay overnight in Zagreb. I suggest the historic Esplanade Hotel, Palace Hotel or Central Hotel, all near the station with good reviews.
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Day 3, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade on the daily train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04 arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar at 18:12.
This train has air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats (no 1st class). There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.
This train is still suspended, originally due to Covid-19, now down to Croatian & Serbian incompetence.
While the train is suspended, take a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade
It's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb station to Zagreb bus station, see walking map.
A Flixbus leaves Zagreb bus station at 09:00, arriving Belgrade bus station at 14:30.
The fare is around €20, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com
Belgrade ► London
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Day 1, travel from Belgrade to Zagreb on the daily train, leaving Belgrade Centar station at 10:05 & Novi Beograd at 10:19 arriving Zagreb 18:13.
This train has two air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats. There's no 1st class. There's no catering, so bring along a picnic and maybe some beer or wine.
This train is still suspended, originally due to Covid-19, now down to Croatian & Serbian incompetence.
While the train is suspended, take a bus from Belgrade to Zagreb
A Flixbus leaves Belgrade bus station at 16:15, arriving Zagreb bus station at 21:45, or there's an earlier 11:30 bus.
The fare around €20, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com.
It's a 17-minute 1.3 km walk from Zagreb bus station to Zagreb station, see walking map.
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Stay overnight in Zagreb. I suggest the historic Esplanade Hotel, Palace Hotel or Central Hotel, all near the station with good reviews.
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Day 2, travel from Zagreb to Munich by train, leaving Zagreb at 07:05, change at Villach, arriving Munich Hbf 15:41.
You travel from Zagreb to Villach on a train called the Croatia, with a mix of Croatian & Slovenian cars, some open-plan with air-conditioning, some classic compartments with opening windows. There's no catering so bring your own food & drink, even a bottle of wine if you like. There's beautiful scenery along the Sava river between Zagreb & Ljubljana, a real treat, I'd choose a compartment car with opening windows!
At Villach in Austria there's a simple cross-platform change onto an Austrian train to Munich. In this direction the Austrian train will not wait if the Croatia is late, which is why I recommend taking the 07:05 from Zagreb not the 12:50, so you've time to take a later train from Villach to Munich if necessary, your ticket will be valid on later trains if the connection is missed, no worries.
The air-conditioned Austrian EuroCity train has 1st & 2nd class and a refreshment trolley. It crosses the Austrian Alps via the Tauern route through superb mountain scenery. Look out for the fortress at Werfen perched on its hilltop on the left hand side, guarding the approaches to Salzburg along the Salzachtal valley. After leaving Salzburg station, look left for views of Salzburg citadel as you cross the Salzach river.
Important update: The closure of the Tauern Tunnel affects this route between 17 November 2024 & 13 July 2025, check times at int.bahn.de.
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Stay overnight in Munich. The affordable Eden Hotel Wolff & NH Collection München are across the road from the station's north side exit with great reviews. Or consider the more upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian, Excelsior by Giesel & Mercure City Center. For a splurge, the luxurious Sofitel Munich Beyerpost occupies the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building of 1896-1900, at the station's south side exit.
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Day 3, travel from Munich to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Munich Hbf at 06:51 arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 12:32.
The 320 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Book an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number above 60 is upper deck, see this video. Times may vary, check your date at int.bahn.de.
If you'd prefer a leisurely breakfast & later departure from Munich there are various later options, see the Munich to London timetable here.
In Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.
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Day 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, normally leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 15:12, arriving London St Pancras 16:39.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Plus & Premier fares include a meal with wine.
How much does it cost?
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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).
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Paris to Munich by TGV starts at €39 each way 2nd class or €69 1st class.
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Munich to Zagreb starts at €37.90 each way 2nd class or €56.90 1st class.
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Zagreb to Belgrade is approximately €25 each way if bought at the station in Zagreb or 188 Croatian kuna (€25) if bought on board the train.
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The Zagreb to Belgrade fare is fixed-price, but other fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
How to buy tickets
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Step 1, book the London-Paris Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.
I recommend confirming the timings of the Paris-Munich train before booking the Eurostar. Make sure you allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris on the outward, 90 minutes on the way back.
Booking opens up to 11 months ahead for Eurostar, up to 6 months ahead for Paris-Munich and Munich-Zagreb. More about when bookings open. I recommend waiting until all trains are open for booking before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket, unless you're prepared to take a calculated risk.
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Step 2, book the TGV from Paris to Munich at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
I recommend registering when prompted, you can then log in and check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 3, now use int.bahn.de again to book from Munich to Zagreb. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 4, while the train remains suspended, book a bus from Zagreb to Belgrade at www.flixbus.com.
How to buy tickets by phone
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It's better to book online, but if you want to book by phone, see my list of UK-based ticketing agencies.
What's the journey like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 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. Gare du Nord station guide.
2. Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex See the video guide
In Paris it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est for the TGV to Germany. Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views. The train has power sockets at all seats in both classes & free WiFi. A cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes. The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods & farmland at up to 320 km/h (199 mph), past picturesque French villages of the Champagne region. An hour or two later, the train leaves the high-speed line and slowly meanders through pretty wooded hills, the countryside eventually flattening out towards Strasbourg. On leaving Strasbourg, look out for Strasbourg cathedral on the left with its famously missing second tower. Minutes afterwards you rumble across the river Rhine into Germany, before heading on to Stuttgart & Munich. Paris Gare de l'Est station guide. Munich Hbf station guide.
3. Munich to Zagreb by daytime train
North Macedonia & Kosovo
London ► Skopje & Pristina
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Step 2, travel from Belgrade to Skopje.
Unfortunately, the only daily train between Belgrade & Skopje became summer-only, and was then suspended during the pandemic and n ever reinstated. There are now no trains at all. The last resort is 6h15 in a bus, try Omio.com for buses.
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Step 3, there used to be one train a day between Skopje & Pristina in Kosovo, departing Skopje at 16:20 and arriving Pristina 19:20. However, this train is also not running.
Pristina & Skopje ► London
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Step 1, there used to be one train a day between Pristina & Skopje, leaving Pristina at 07:10 and arriving Skopje at 09:52. However, this train is not running.
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Step 2, travel from Skopje to Belgrade.
Unfortunately, the only daily train between Skopje & Belgrade became summer-only, and was then suspended during the pandemic and n ever reinstated. There are now no trains at all. The last resort is 6h15 in a bus, try Omio.com for buses.
How much does it cost?
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See the London-Belgrade section above for fares to Belgrade.
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Belgrade to Skopje costs around £29 each way 2nd class if bought in the UK. Bought locally, it costs around 2,700 dinars (€24 or £21).
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Skopje to Pristina bought locally costs about €4.25 one-way.
Skopje to Pristina by train
Traveller Jeroen van Marle reports: "I took the train from Priština in Kosovo to Skopje. Absolutely freezing cold as there was no heating, but the ride was lovely, very scenic compared to the highway blight that the buses pass." This train has ceased running.
The Serbian Railways reservation system is linked to the western European railway computer reservation systems, so seat, couchette or sleeper reservations can be made on domestic or international trains starting in Belgrade from most reservation offices or train booking agencies across Europe, including UK European rail booking agencies. In practice however, the computer link sometimes goes down, and in any case agencies outside Serbia can only sell full-price 'TCV' international-tariff tickets, they can't sell you the various cheap fares that are available directly from Serbian Railways themselves.
Buy tickets at the station
The easiest option is simply to buy tickets when you reach Belgrade, at the ticket office. There is hardly ever a problem doing this, there are almost always places available on all trains, even on the day.
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).
Guidebooks
To
get the most from your visit, you should take a good guidebook - even in the age
of the internet.
For the independent traveller, I think this means one of two
guidebooks, either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide. Both
series are excellent. You can buy a guide covering all the countries in Eastern Europe. Lonely
Planet Eastern Europe
.
Click to buy online at Amazon
Hotels in Belgrade & Balkans
Look no further for a hotel in Belgrade than the historic Hotel Moskva. Opened in 1906, anyone who is anyone who has visited Belgrade has stayed here, from British author Graham Green to Ethiopian emperor Haile Salassie. It served as Gestapo Headquarters in 1941-44, although fortunately no trace of these former occupants remains. It's right in the centre of Belgrade at the end of the pedestrianised main street that leads to Belgrade fortress. It was only 10 minutes walk (admittedly uphill) from Belgrade's old station, but now a taxi ride from Belgrade Centar station or Topcider. The hotel has immaculate rooms, friendly staff and a good cooked breakfast. Book the Hotel Moskva.
Backpacker
hostels
www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel insurance & other tips
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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.
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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.
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Get a Curve card for foreign travel
Most banks give you a poor exchange rate then add a foreign transaction fee on top. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month 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.
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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.
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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!