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The Dragon Bridge, Ljubljana. Ljubljana is a wonderful city, easy to reach from the UK without flying, by train |
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London to Ljubljana by train
It's easy, safe & comfortable to travel from the UK to Slovenia by train. Take a morning Eurostar to Paris & TGV to Stuttgart or Zurich, then snooze your way to Ljubljana by overnight sleeper train, waking up to some great scenery! Or travel from London to Munich by Eurostar & high-speed TGV, stay overnight in a hotel, then take a scenic ride through the mountains of Austria next morning, arriving in Ljubljana after lunch. This page explains the routes, train times, fares & how to buy tickets.
London to Lake Bled & Ljubljana
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London to Lake Bled & Ljubljana
Option 1, London-Paris
by morning Eurostar, Paris-Stuttgart by TGV, Stuttgart-Ljubljana by sleeper -
fastest & most time-effective
Option 2, London-Paris
by morning Eurostar, Paris-Zurich by TGV-Lyria, Zurich-Ljubljana by sleeper -
also
fast & time-effective
Option 3,
London-Paris by morning Eurostar, Paris-Munich by TGV, overnight stop, scenic
daytime train to Ljubljana next day - if you prefer day trains to sleepers
Option
4,
afternoon Eurostar to Paris or Brussels, Nightjet sleeper train to Salzburg,
scenic daytime train to Ljubljana - another good & scenic option.
Option 5,
London-Amsterdam via the Harwich-Hoek van Holland ferry, train to Munich,
sleeper to Ljubljana - the ferry alternative
Option 1, London to Ljubljana by sleeper from Stuttgart
This is the fastest & most time-effective option, London to Ljubljana in comfort in less than 24 hours. You'll experience two of Europe's best high-speed trains, Eurostar and France's famous TGV, then an excellent Croatian sleeper train either in an economical couchette or a cosy private sleeper.
Important: The Stuttgart-Zagreb sleeper train won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025 as it's diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel in Austria. You can either use another option, or use the sleeper to/from Celje and take a Slovenian train between Celje & Ljubljana as shown below.
London ► Bled & Ljubljana
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Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras 10:24 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 13:50.
Or 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.
-
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 (199 mph) 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.
-
Step 3, travel from Stuttgart to Slovenia by sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 20:29 & arriving Lesce-Bled 07:13 & Ljubljana 08:09.
The Lisinski has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), an air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats. Watch the Croatian sleeper video. There's no catering car, so take a picnic and a bottle of wine.
Important: This Stuttgart-Zagreb sleeper train is diverted via Graz from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025 due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and it won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled . You can get off the sleeper at Celje in northern Slovenia at 09:47, then take a local train leaving Celje at 11:36 arriving Ljubljana 12:43. Check times for the local train at potniski.sz.si/en.
Ljubljana & Bled ► London
-
Step 1, travel from Slovenia to Stuttgart by sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Ljubljana at 22:13 or Lesce-Bled at 22:56, arriving Stuttgart Hbf 08:38.
The Lisinski has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), an air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats. Watch the Croatian sleeper video.
Important: This Zagreb-Stuttgart sleeper train is diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025. You can take a Slovenian Intercity train leaving Ljubljana at 17:50 and arriving Celje in northern Slovenia at 19:12, then board the sleeper at Celje at 20:26. Don't risk any tight connections! Check times for the Slovenian IC train at potniski.sz.si/en.
-
Step 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
-
Step 3, 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 dinner 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
-
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, see more about when train bookings open. I recommend waiting until onward 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 if you like, 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, Eurostar return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so book 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 on buying tickets to London to connect with Eurostar.
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Step 2, book the sleeper train from Stuttgart to Ljubljana at www.thetrainline.com.
Use the journey planner to bring up the direct Stuttgart-Ljubljana sleeper train marked EN with 0 changes. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket. If you have any problems, you can also book the sleeper at www.oebb.at.
Another way to buy tickets
-
You can also buy direct from the relevant operator. This is more work on multiple websites, prices should be the same, but no booking fees. Do a dry run first to check availability before booking for real.
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Step 1, book London to Paris at www.eurostar.com.
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Step 2, book Paris to Stuttgart at the German Railways website int.bahn.de
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Step 3, book the sleeper from Stuttgart to Ljubljana at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
How to buy tickets by phone
-
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-based ticketing agencies.
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.
-
How to use a pass for a trip to Croatia
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 the UK to anywhere in Slovenia & back again. Inverness to Koper might need a longer pass!
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 sleeper at www.oebb.at following the instructions here, method 1. Prices can be found on the Interrail reservations page.
By all means go out one way, back another, with an Interrail pass you can use almost any of the trains & routes to/from Slovenia shown on this page, find out how to reserve the relevant trains using the Interrail reservations guide.
Have your trip arranged as a package
-
Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a UK-Slovenia trip for you as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers. You'll find a range of suggested tours & holidays on their website which can be varied or 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,
see
website -
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-Slovenia trip with Byway as a package, including hotels, starting from any British station you like. Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption and 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 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 & free WiFi 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. Paris Gare de l'Est station guide.
3. Stuttgart to Ljubljana on the sleeper train Lisinski Watch the video
This Croatian sleeper train is a pleasure to travel on, whether in the privacy of your own sleeper or in economical couchettes. The air-conditioned sleeping-car has 10 compartments with washbasin, each of which can be used as 1, 2 or 3 berth, with toilets at the end of the corridor. Compartments convert to a private sitting room for evening or morning use. A light breakfast with tea or coffee is included in the sleeper fare. The couchette car is also air-conditioned with 4 & 6 bunk compartments, ideal for families. Couchettes convert from bunks to seats for evening or morning use. Ljubljana station guide.
The sleeper from Zurich & Stuttgart to Ljubljana & Zagreb, arrived at Lesce Bled. There's a small cafe at the station for breakfast, it has a few outside tables on the platform, visible under the Lesce-Bled station sign. Photo courtesy of @AscotPhill.
Option 2, London to Ljubljana by sleeper from Zurich
This is also fast and time-effective. It's very similar to option 1, but instead of TGV Paris-Stuttgart and Croatian sleeper train Stuttgart-Ljubljana, you taka a TGV-Lyria to Zurich and Croatian sleeper train Zurich-Ljubljana. There are two minor disadvantages compared to option 1: First, departure from London is a little earlier in the morning with an identical arrival time in Ljubljana. Second, you need to cross Paris by taxi or metro from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon, whereas in option 1 it's just a 7 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est next door.
Important: The Zurich-Zagreb sleeper train won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025 as it's diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel in Austria. You can either use another option, or use the sleeper to/from Celje and take a Slovenian train between Celje & Ljubljana as shown below.
London ► Lake Bled & Ljubljana
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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.
-
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. 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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Step 3, travel from Zurich to Ljubljana by Croatian sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB at 20:40, arriving Lesce-Bled 07:13 & Ljubljana 08:09.
This train has a comfortable air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, see the Croatian sleeper video here, and an air-conditioned Croatian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments. There's no catering car, so take a picnic and a bottle of wine with you!
Important: The Zurich-Stuttgart sleeper is diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025. You can get off the sleeper at Celje in northern Slovenia at 09:47 then take a local train leaving Celje at 11:36 arriving Ljubljana 12:43. Check times for the local train at potniski.sz.si/en.
Ljubljana & Lake Bled ► London
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Step 1, take the comfortable Croatian sleeper train leaving Ljubljana at 22:08 or Lesce-Bled 22:53 arriving Zurich HB 09:20.
It has a Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth) and an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, see the Croatian sleeper video here. There's no restaurant car, so have dinner before boarding your sleeper.
Important: The Zagreb-Zurich sleeper is diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025. You can take a Slovenian Intercity train leaving Ljubljana at 17:50 and arriving Celje in northern Slovenia at 19:12, then board the sleeper at Celje at 20:26. Don't risk any tight connections! Check times for the Slovenian IC train at potniski.sz.si/en.
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Step 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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Step 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:12 on Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving London St Pancras 19:30, or at 19:12 on Saturdays arriving 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?
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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 Zurich by TGV-Lyria starts at €29 each way 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.
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Zurich to Ljubljana by sleeper train starts at €59 with couchette in 6-berth, €69 with couchette in 4-berth, €109 with bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €159 in a single-bed sleeper.
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All these fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
How to buy tickets
-
Step 1, book from London to Zurich at www.thetrainline.com. About Thetrainline.
Using Thetrainline means you can 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 4 months ahead for Paris-Zurich, and up to 6 months ahead for Zurich-Zagreb, see more about when bookings open. I recommend waiting until onward trains open for booking before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket, unless you're prepared to take a calculated risk.
Tip: You can book from London to Zurich in one go if you like, but for more control I'd book London-Paris first, add to basket, then book Paris-Zurich 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 are cheaper.
Tip: If you are making a round trip, London-Paris 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 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 on buying tickets to London to connect with Eurostar.
-
Step 2, book the sleeper train from Zurich to Ljubljana at www.thetrainline.com.
Use the journey planner to bring up the direct Zurich-Ljubljana sleeper train marked EN with 0 changes. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
-
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 Ljubljana at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. This is more work on multiple websites and a little more fiddly, prices should be the same, but no booking fees.
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 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 outlets at all seats and free WiFi. Lyria is a consortium of the French and Swiss national railways. More about TGV-Lyria. Paris Gare de Lyon station guide. Zurich HB station guide.
3. Zurich to Ljubljana by Croatian sleeper train
The sleeper from Zurich & Stuttgart to Ljubljana & Zagreb, arrived at Lesce Bled. There's a small cafe at the station for breakfast, it has a few outside tables on the platform, visible under the Lesce-Bled station sign. Photo courtesy of @AscotPhill.
Option 3, London to Ljubljana with overnight stop in Munich
If you prefer daytime trains and an overnight hotel to sleepers, this is the option for you. Travel from London to Munich on day 1, stay overnight in a hotel near the station, then take a lovely scenic ride from Munich through the mountains of Austria into rural Slovenia next day.
London ► Lake Bled & Ljubljana
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Day 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:24 on Mondays-Fridays & Sundays arriving Paris Nord 13:48.
On Saturdays, leave London St Pancras at 12:31 arriving Paris Nord at 15:50.
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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Day 1, travel from Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 15:55 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays, arriving Munich Hbf 21:36.
On Saturdays it leaves Paris Gare de l'Est at 17:54 arriving Munich Hbf 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 your date at int.bahn.de.
On Saturdays if you'd prefer an earlier arrival in Munich you can also leave London at 09:24 to connect with a TGV leaving Paris at 13:54 for Stuttgart, change there for Munich arriving 19:13.
Alternatively, you can travel from London to Munich by Eurostar & ICE train 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 Slovenia, leaving Munich Hbf at 08:16, change at Villach, arriving Lesce-Bled 13:50 & Ljubljana 14:31.
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.
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.
Ljubljana & Lake Bled ► London
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Day 1, travel from Slovenia to Munich, leaving Ljubljana at 09:23 or Lesce-Bled 10:03, change at Villach, arriving Munich Hbf 15:41.
You travel from Ljubljana 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.
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 a morning train from Ljubljana, 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 2, travel from Munich to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Munich Hbf at 06:51 and 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 the 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.
Tip: For dinner (if you take the earlier train), I recommend
the Bavarian food & beer at the Augustiner Keller (www.augustinerkeller.de)
at Arnulfstrasse 52, to the north side of
Munich Hbf,
see walking map.
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Day 2, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, normally leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 15:12, arriving London St Pancras 16:30.
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 €39.99 each way 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
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Munich to Ljubljana starts at €27.99 each way 2nd class or €46.99 in 1st class.
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All these prices vary like air fares, so book ahead.
How to buy tickets
-
Step 1, book the Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.
Booking opens up to 11 months ahead, but I recommend waiting until onward trains are open for booking before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket. More about when bookings open.
If you're returning, London to Paris should be booked as a round trip because Eurostar return fares are cheaper than two one-ways. Onward trains beyond Paris are priced one-way so a return is two one ways and it can be easier to book one way at a time.
You print your own tickets or can load them into the Eurostar app on your phone.
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Step 2, book the Paris-Munich TGV at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.
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Step 3, book from Munich to Ljubljana at int.bahn.de.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: If for any reason the German Railways website shows only expensive full-flex fares, go to the Austrian Railways site www.oebb.at and book a cheap fare from Salzburg to Ljubljana on the same train - Munich-Ljubljana trains leave Salzburg about 1h55 after leaving Munich, and ÖBB's cheap fares are called Sparschiene. Now use www.oebb.at again to add a Munich-Salzburg ticket on that same train. Use those two tickets in combination.
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-based ticketing agencies.
Let Railbookers arrange it for you
-
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 varied or 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,
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 Munich 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 & Munich. Paris Gare de l'Est station guide. Munich Hbf station guide.
3. Munich to Ljubljana by train
This is actually two trains, a swish Austrian railjet train with restaurant car from Munich to Villach on the Austrian/Slovenian border, then a comfortable air-conditioned Slovenian & Croatian train from Villach to Ljubljana and Zagreb. The scenery along this route is superb, taking you from the Bavaria through the Austrian Alps, into Slovenia and along the Sava river to Croatia. Sit back with a glass of red, catch up on your reading and enjoy the views. Ljubljana station guide.
Option 4, London to Ljubljana using Nightjet to Salzburg
This is slower than other options but worth considering. Take Eurostar to either Brussels or Paris, then the 3-times-a-week Nightjet sleeper from Brussels or Paris to Salzburg, then a connecting train through the mountains to Slovenia. These two Nightjet trains run 3 times a week on the same days of the week, the Paris & Brussels portions run coupled together between Mannheim & Vienna.
London ► Ljubljana (via Brussels)
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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.
You could book the later 15:04 departure, 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.
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Step 2, travel from Brussels to Salzburg by Nightjet, leaving Brussels Midi at 19:06 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, arriving Salzburg Hbf 07:26.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has two Comfortline sleeping-cars each with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has two couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes. See the guide to Nightjet accommodation.
The train travels along the famous Rhine Valley between Koblenz (23:25) and Mainz (00:22), so if you're still awake and your compartment happens to be on the left-hand side of the train, switch off the lights and watch the Rhine pass by, mountains, vineyards, castles & the legendary Lorelei Rock lit by moonlight. Wonderful!
Tip: If you have a sleeper ticket, you can use the ÖBB lounge at Salzburg Hbf for an hour after arrival, with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & free WiFi. If you have a 1st class ticket for the onward train, you can use it for an hour or two before departure, too.
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Step 3, travel from Salzburg to Ljubljana, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 10:12 by railjet, make one easy change at Villach onto a Slovenian train arriving Lesce-Bled 13:50 & Ljubljana 14:31.
The swish Austrian railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a lovely journey through the mountains of Austria on the Tauern route.
Important update: The closure of the Tauern Tunnel affects this route between 17 November 2024 & 13 July 2025, check times at int.bahn.de.
While work blocks the Tauern route, book the sleeper all the way to Vienna, then use www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at to find a connection from Vienna to Ljubljana, allowing at least 2h between trains in Vienna.
London ► Ljubljana (via Paris)
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Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 14:31 and arriving Paris Gare du Nord 17:48.
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.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to Salzburg by Nightjet, leaving Paris Est at 19:12 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, arriving Salzburg Hbf 07:26.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has two Comfortline sleeping-cats 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.
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.
You've time to enjoy Salzburg. Left luggage lockers are available.
Tip: If you have a sleeper ticket, you can use the ÖBB lounge at Salzburg Hbf for an hour after arrival, with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & free WiFi. If you have a 1st class ticket for the onward train, you can use it for an hour or two before departure, too.
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Step 3, travel from Salzburg to Ljubljana, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 10:12 by railjet, make one easy change at Villach onto a Slovenian train arriving Lesce-Bled 13:50 & Ljubljana 14:31.
The swish Austrian railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a lovely journey through the mountains of Austria on the Tauern route.
Important update: The closure of the Tauern Tunnel affects this route between 17 November 2024 & 13 July 2025, check times at int.bahn.de.
While work blocks the Tauern route, book the sleeper all the way to Vienna, then use www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at to find a connection from Vienna to Ljubljana, allowing at least 2h between trains in Vienna.
Ljubljana ► London (via Brussels)
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Salzburg leaving Ljubljana at 09:23 by comfortable Slovenian EuroCity train, make an easy cross-platform change at Villach (arrive 11:07, depart 11:16) onto a Austrian EuroCity train, arriving Salzburg Hbf at 13:48.
The Austrian EuroCity train travels over the beautiful Tauern route through the mountains. You've an afternoon to explore Salzburg, left luggage lockers are available.
Important update: The closure of the Tauern Tunnel affects this route between 17 November 2024 & 13 July 2025, check times at int.bahn.de.
While work blocks the Tauern route, book the sleeper from Vienna to Brussels instead, and use www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at to find a connection from Ljubljana to Vienna, arriving at least 2h before the sleeper leaves.
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Step 2, travel from Salzburg to Brussels by Nightjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 21:18 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, arriving Brussels Midi 09:55.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has two Comfortline sleeping-cars each with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has two couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes. See the guide to Nightjet accommodation.
Tip: If you have a sleeping-car ticket you can use the ÖBB lounge at Salzburg Hbf with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & WiFi.
Tip: For dinner in Salzburg before the sleeper, consider the brewpub Die Weisse (www.dieweisse.at) which also serves food, a 1.1 km 15-minute walk from the station, see walking map. Feedback appreciated!
Tip: On arrival at Brussels Midi, the Pullman Hotel bar makes an excellent VIP waiting room.
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Step 3, travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar, leaving Brussels Midi at 12:52 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.
Ljubljana ► London (via Paris)
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Step 1, travel from Ljubljana to Salzburg leaving Ljubljana at 09:23 by Slovenian EuroCity train, make an easy cross-platform change at Villach (arrive 11:07, depart 11:16) onto a Austrian EuroCity train, arriving Salzburg Hbf 13:48.
The Austrian EuroCity train travels over the beautiful Tauern route through the mountains. You've an afternoon to explore Salzburg, left luggage lockers are available.
Important update: The closure of the Tauern Tunnel affects this route between 17 November 2024 & 13 July 2025, check times at int.bahn.de.
While work blocks the Tauern route, book the sleeper from Vienna to Brussels instead, and use www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at to find a connection from Ljubljana to Vienna, arriving at least 2h before the sleeper leaves.
Step 2, travel from Salzburg to Paris by Nightjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 21:18 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, arriving Paris Est 09:39.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two 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.
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 sleeping-car ticket you can use the ÖBB lounge at Salzburg Hbf with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & WiFi.
Tip: For dinner in Salzburg before the sleeper, consider the brewpub Die Weisse (www.dieweisse.at) which also serves food, a 1.1 km 15-minute walk from the station, see walking map. Feedback appreciated!
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.
Step 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 13:12 daily arriving London St Pancras 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?
On the sleeper train, berths are sold individually, one ticket means one bed, other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers. For sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a 1-berth sleeper, 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper, 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette & so on.
How to buy tickets
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Step 1, go to www.thetrainline.com and book the Eurostar from London to Brussels or Paris (and back, if returning). Add to basket.
Using Thetrainline means you can buy all your tickets in one place, in plain English, in €, £ or $, small booking fee. About Thetrainline.
Use the Eurostar times on this page as a guide, by all means book an earlier one outward or a later one on the way back, if it it's cheaper or if you'd like time in Brussels or Paris. Just make sure you allow well over an hour between trains when connecting with a sleeper.
Booking opens 11 months ahead, but I'd wait till the sleeper opens for booking before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.
After booking you can use Manage your booking at www.eurostar.com to choose a better seat from a seat map. Tips on choosing the best seats.
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Step 2, now use www.thetrainline.com to book the Nightjet sleeper from Brussels or Paris to Salzburg. Add to basket.
Look for the direct train with 0 changes. Booking for the Nightjet typically opens 3-4 months ahead, but it varies. Child under 6? See here.
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Step 3, now use www.thetrainline.com to book from Salzburg to Ljubljana and back. Add to basket & check out.
You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
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If you're travelling from a UK town or city north or west of London, see advice about buying tickets to connect with Eurostar.
Another way to buy tickets
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You can of course book direct with the operators without any booking fees, though it's more work. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
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Step 1, book the Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.
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Step 2, book the Nightjet sleeper & Salzburg-Ljubljana train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
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 or Brussels by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, London & Brussels in 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. Paris Gare du Nord station guide. Brussels Midi station guide. In Brussels, I recommend the Pullman Hotel bar as your VIP waiting room.
2. Paris to Salzburg or Brussels to Vienna by Nightjet
This Austrian Railways (ÖBB) Nightjet train has sleeping-cars, couchettes & seats. Each sleeping-car has 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, plus three deluxe compartments with 1, 2 or 3 beds 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. When waiting for the northbound sleeper train in Vienna, if you have booked a sleeper you can use the ÖBB lounge with complimentary refreshments. More about Nightjet trains.
Option 5: Via the Harwich-Hoek ferry
The ferry alternative! This is a great option if you live in East Anglia, if Eurostar fares are expensive or if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel. I don't recommend Dover-Calais because of poor train/ferry connections, the Stena Line rail & sail service via Harwich & Hoek van Holland has co-ordinated timetables and integrated ticketing, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page & watch the video.
London, Cambridge & Harwich ► Ljubljana
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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.
The Rail & Sail fare is valid from any Greater Anglia station, for example Norwich, Cambridge, Romford, Ilford, Ipswich.
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.
On arrival at Hoek van Holland, the metro station is next to the ferry terminal. Walk down the gangway into the ferry terminal, through passport control, out of the terminal and across the road to the metro station.
Take the frequent metro train from Hoek van Holland Haven to Schiedam Centrum and a Dutch Intercity train from Schiedam Centrum to Amsterdam Centraal arriving 10:24.
At Amsterdam Centraal, have a coffee at the delightfully retro Cafe 1e Klas, give my regards to Elvis, the cockatoo on the bar.
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Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to Stuttgart by ICE, leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 12:38, change at Cologne Hbf, arriving Stuttgart Hbf 18:08.
ICE trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Times may vary, check at int.bahn.de.
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Day 2, travel from Stuttgart to Slovenia by sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 20:29 and arriving Lesce-Bled 07:13 & Ljubljana 08:09.
The Lisinski has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), an air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended). Watch the Croatian sleeper video.
Important: This Stuttgart-Zagreb sleeper train is diverted via Graz from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025 due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and it won't call at Ljubljana or Lesce-Bled . You can get off the sleeper at Celje in northern Slovenia at 09:47, then take a local train leaving Celje at 11:36 arriving Ljubljana 12:43. Check times for the local train at potniski.sz.si/en.
Ljubljana ► Harwich, Cambridge & London
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Day 1, travel from Slovenia to Stuttgart by sleeper train Lisinski, leaving Ljubljana at 22:08 or Lesce-Bled at 22:53, arriving Stuttgart Hbf 08:38.
The Lisinski has an excellent air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin), an air-conditioned Croatian couchette car (4 & 6 berth compartments) and ordinary seats (not recommended). Watch the Croatian sleeper video.
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Day 2, travel from Stuttgart to Amsterdam by ICE, leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 09:51, change at Cologne Hbf, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 15:29.
The ICE trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to London overnight, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details.
You leave Amsterdam Centraal at 18:36 by Dutch intercity train to Schiedam Centrum and change onto the metro to Hoek van Holland Haven.
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 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?
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London or any Greater Anglia station to Hoek van Holland starts at £62 per person each way, plus cabin.
For details of fares & cabin costs, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.
Hoek to Schiedam by metro costs around €4. Schiedam to Amsterdam by train costs €17.20.
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Amsterdam to Stuttgart starts at €37.99 each way in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Stuttgart to Ljubljana by sleeper train starts at €49.90 with a couchette in 6-berth, €59.90 with a couchette in 4-berth, €69.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 with a bed in a single-bed sleeper all to yourself. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
How to buy tickets
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Step 1, buy a Stena Line Rail & Sail ticket from London to Hoek van Holland online as shown on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.
Buy the onward metro & train ticket to Amsterdam as shown on that page.
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Step 2, book the train from Amsterdam to Stuttgart at int.bahn.de, Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 3, book the sleeper from Stuttgart to Ljubljana at www.thetrainline.com or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket.
Alternatively, stay in Munich & take a daytime train next day
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Instead of taking the sleeper, you can stay in a hotel in Munich and take a daytime train to Ljubljana next morning.
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Recommended hotels near Munich Hbf include the Sofitel Munich Beyerpost, 25 Hours Hotel Royal Bavarian, Hotel Excelsior, Eden Hotel Wolff, Drei Loewen, or InterCity Hotel.
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You can leave Munich Hbf at 08:16 every day, change at Villach, arriving Ljubljana 14:32, or there is a later direct train at 12:17 arriving 18:31.
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Fares start at €39.90 each way in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Book at int.bahn.de & print your own ticket.
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It works in the return direction too. Leave Ljubljana at 09:23, arrive Munich Hbf 15:41. Stay overnight, then travel to Amsterdam as shown above.
What's the journey like?
Step 1, London to Amsterdam 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 superferry Stena Britannica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world. All passengers travel in private cabins with shower, toilet & satellite TV. There's free WiFi in the public areas on 9 deck. The journey from London to Holland 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, a 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, Amsterdam to Stuttgart on ICE trains
ICEs are German Railways' premier trains, with 1st & 2nd class, a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about ICE trains.
An ICE3neo at Amsterdam Centraal. Click on the interior images for larger photos.
Step 3, Stuttgart to Ljubljana by sleeper train Watch the video
This Croatian sleeper train is a pleasure to travel on, whether in the privacy of your own sleeper or in economical couchettes. The sleeper used to run Munich to Ljubljana & Zagreb, but is extended to run Stuttgart-Munich-Ljubljana-Zagreb from 11 December 2022.
London to Koper
London ► Koper
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Travel from London to Ljubljana as shown above.
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Trains link Ljubljana with Koper five or six times daily, journey time 2½ hours, fare €9. No reservation is necessary, just buy a ticket at the station and hop on. If you arrive in Ljubljana off the EuroCity from Munich, a train leaves Ljubljana at 15:42 arriving Koper at 18:13, 2nd class only. For other options, see int.bahn.de or potniski.sz.si.
Koper ► London
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Trains link Koper with Ljubljana five or six times daily, journey time 2½ hours, fare €9. No reservation is necessary, just buy a ticket at the station and hop on. You can check times at either int.bahn.de or potniski.sz.si. Allow plenty of time for connections at Ljubljana, at least an hour.
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Travel from London to Ljubljana as shown above.
Fares & how to buy tickets
Buy tickets and check fares from London to Ljubljana as shown above. then simply buy a Ljubljana to Koper ticket at the station when you reach Ljubljana.
Ljubljana - Trieste & Venice
You can travel between Venice, Trieste & Ljubljana by train, it's cheap, historically interesting and scenic, see the Venice to Ljubljana page.
Lake Bled - Trieste & Venice
There's also a cheap and scenic way to travel from Venice or Trieste to Lake Bled in northern Slovenia, via Gorizia and Nova Gorica, where Italian and Slovenian railway stations are just a few kilometres apart. For details, see this page.
Guidebooks
You
should take a good guidebook, even in the age of the internet. I think that the Lonely
Planets and the Rough Guides are easily the best for the
independent traveller. Both guides have plenty of
background historical and cultural information, plus lots of
practical information. You won't regret buying one of
these guides..!
Click the images to buy at Amazon
My own book, an essential handbook for train travel to Europe based on this website called "The Man in Seat 61", was published in June 2008, and is available from Amazon.co.uk with shipping worldwide.
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).
Hotels in Ljubljana & Slovenia
There are relatively few places near the station, so try somewhere towards (or in) Ljubljana's lovely old town.
I've stayed at the Best Western Premier Hotel Slon myself, it's 13 minutes walk from the station, see walking map. The City Hotel (is just 8 minutes walk, see walking map. Both are great choices.
The excellent Hotel Slamic is 11 minutes walk from the station with great reviews, but a little further from the old town than the other two, see walking map.
For something relatively inexpensive in the old town, try the Hotel Emonec, excellently located in the pedestrianised area, 13 minutes from the station, see walking map.
For something luxurious, the 5-star art nouveau-style Grand Hotel Union is in the old town and comes complete with swimming pool. It's 10 minutes walk from the station, see walking map.
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 Paris and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.
Holidays
to Slovenia by train
Railbookers can custom-make a flight-free holiday to Ljubljana & Zagreb, or indeed a train-based tour of Eastern Europe, with train travel, transfers & hotels all arranged for you, 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 and a lot of recommendation by word of mouth!
UK call 0207 864 4600,
www.railbookers.co.uk.
US call free 1-888-829-4775,
see
website.
Canada call free 1-855-882-2910,
see website.
Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526,
see website.
New Zealand call toll-free 0800 000 554 or
see
website.
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!