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

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Innsbruck to San Sebastian

• Step 1, travel from Innsbruck to Paris as shown in the Innsbruck to Paris section.

  Change stations by metro or taxi from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare Montparnasse.  Allow at least 1h15 between trains in Paris.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near Paris Montparnasse.

• Day 2, travel from Paris to Hendaye by TGV Duplex Océane, leaving Paris Gare Montparnasse at 10:11, arriving Hendaye 14:47.

  An earlier 07:11 departure is available on Mondays to Saturdays, arriving Hendaye at 11:47.

  The TGV Duplex Océane has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Hendaye is on the French side of the Spanish border.

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

  Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).

  Booking for French trains opens up to 4 months ahead.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

• Step 3, transfer from Hendaye to San Sebastian Amara by Euskotren, every 30 minutes, journey 37 minutes, fare €2.75.

  Simply walk out of Hendaye station and turn right, the little Euskotren station is just 50m away.  Buy a ticket at the Euskotren station from the machines or staffed counter with cash or card and hop on the next half-hourly Euskotren to San Sebastian Amara.  Check Euskotren times at www.euskotren.eus.  More about the journey from Paris to San Sebastian.

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Innsbruck to Lisbon, Porto, Faro & Portugal

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Paris by high-speed train via Zurich as shown in the Innsbruck-Paris section.

• Stay overnight in Paris.  The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the Gare de Lyon station complex, ideal for an early train next morning.  See other suggested hotels near the Gare de Lyon.

• Day 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 07:42, arriving Barcelona Sants 14:29.

  The impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has 1st & 2nd class, a café-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.

  The train speeds along the Rhône valley past pretty villages & picturesque churches, then past Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the étangs (lakes) in southern France, the Fort de Salses approaching Perpignan and the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou in the Pyrenees.  More about the journey.

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

  Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.  Booking for the TGV opens up to 4 months ahead.

• Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid by AVE, leaving Barcelona Sants at 15:25 Mondays-Fridays, arriving Madrid Atocha 17:55.

  Or on any day of the week, leave Barcelona Sants at 16:00 by AVE, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:12.

  These comfortable AVE S103 high-speed trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Fares start at €17.05 in standard class or €68.05 in comfort class.  Fares work like air fares, so book ahead.

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

  Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead.

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

• Day 2, travel from Madrid to Lisbon by daytime trains as shown on the Madrid to Lisbon page.

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Innsbruck to Andorra

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Paris on the 07:47 departure as shown in the Innsbruck to Paris section.

Have dinner at the Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon then stroll across the bridge over the River Seine to the Gare d'Austerlitz.

Intercité de nuit sleeper train at Paris Gare d'Austerlitz.  More about Intercités de Nuit.

2nd class 6-berth couchettes.		A cosy 2nd class couchette.

1st class couchette, made up for the night.		1st class 4-berth couchettes.

If you choose to go via l'Hospitalet, you stay on the sleeper train as it climbs into the Pyrenees south of Toulouse.   This is Foix, between Toulouse & l'Hospitalet.  The castle is on the right just south of the station.

Beyond Foix, the sleeper train climbs higher into the mountains.

...and arrives at Andorre l'Hospitalet station, pictured above right.

Road transport to Andorra.  This is a Toulouse to Andorra bus at Toulouse bus stand 15.		The bus station in Toulouse Matabiau forecourt.  Photo courtesy of Andrew McIntyre.

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Innsbruck to Munich

• Trains link Innsbruck Hbf & Munich Hbf regularly, you can choose the fast mainline route via Kufstein or a slower scenic regional route through Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

• For details, see the Munich to Innsbruck page.

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Innsbruck to Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg & Germany from €19.99

Option 1, Innsbruck to Germany by daytime trains

• Innsbruck to Frankfurt & Berlin:

  A direct ICE leaves Innsbruck Hbf at 08:42 every day, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf 14:08 & Berlin Hbf 18:32.

  This comfortable ICE4 train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It won't run from 17 April to 6 June 2025.

• Innsbruck to Cologne & Düsseldorf:

  A direct ICE leaves Innsbruck Hbf at 08:52 every day, arriving Cologne Messe/Deutz 18:25 & Düsseldorf 18:50.

  This comfortable ICE4 train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It won't run from 17 April to 6 June 2025.

• Innsbruck to anywhere in Germany:

  Check train times & buy tickets from Innsbruck Hbf to anywhere Germany at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. 

• Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

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

  Tip:  It's worth checking prices at www.thetrainline.com too.  This connects to the Austrian ÖBB ticketing system rather than the German one, and prices for the same train or trains can differ between the two systems.  Buy from whichever is cheapest!

Option 2, Innsbruck to Hannover & Hamburg by Nightjet sleeper train

• Every evening, a Nightjet sleeper train leaves Innsbruck Hbf at 20:44, arriving Hannover 06:50 & Hamburg Hbf 08:47.

  This train is a new generation Nightjet with 1 & 2 bed sleepers all with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to accommodation.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.

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

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

Innsbruck to Hamburg by Nightjet sleeper train.  More about new-generation Nightjets

Comfort Plus sleeper with shower & toilet.		Comfort sleeper with shower & toilet

4-berth couchettes.		Mini-cabins - enclosed individual capsules.

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Innsbruck to Copenhagen from €46.99

Option 1, Innsbruck to Copenhagen in a day.

• Travel from Innsbruck to Copenhagen, leaving Innsbruck Hbf 06:42, change Munich Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 21:38.

  You travel from Innsbruck to Munich by swish Austrian railjet, then Munich to Hamburg by superb German ICE train, both trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Hamburg to Copenhagen is by EuroCity train with refreshment trolley.

• Fares start at €46.99 in 2nd class or €79.99 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Change Transfer time from normal to 45 minutes to get robust connections.

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

Option 2, Innsbruck to Copenhagen using the Innsbruck-Hamburg sleeper train

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Hamburg by Nightjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 20:44, arriving Hamburg Hbf 08:47.

  This is a new generation Nightjet sleeper train with 1 & 2 bed sleepers with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to accommodation.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.

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

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

• Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 10:53, arriving Copenhagen 15:38.

  The EuroCity train has power sockets at all seats and a refreshment trolley.  More about this journey.

  Fares start at €29.99 in 2nd class or €59.99 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

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

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

Step 1, Innsbruck to Hamburg by Nightjet sleeper train.  Above, a new generation Nightjet ready to leave.  More about new-generation Nightjets.

Comfort Plus sleeper with shower & toilet.		Comfort sleeper with shower & toilet

4-berth couchettes.		Mini-cabins - enclosed individual capsules.

Step 2, Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train.  From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024.  The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats, but no catering so bring your own food & drink.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.

2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this.  There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.

The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo.  Larger photo.

Option 3, Innsbruck to Copenhagen with overnight stop in Hamburg

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Hamburg, for example leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 12:42, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:58.

  By all means book an earlier train for more of an evening in Hamburg, they leave every 2 hours.  You travel by comfortable high-speed ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

• Stay overnight in Hamburg.  The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews.  Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski.  If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50, arriving Copenhagen 13:38.

  The EuroCity train has power sockets at all seats and a refreshment trolley.  More about this journey.

• How much does it cost?

  Fares start at €46.99 in 2nd class or €79.99 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• How to buy tickets

  Book from Innsbruck to Copenhagen at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  To get the overnight stop, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 10 hours.  Adjust departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want on day 1 and the morning train to Copenhagen on day 2.

  You can book Innsbruck-Hamburg and Hamburg-Copenhagen separately, but this usually costs more than a through ticket with a stopover.

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

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Innsbruck to Stockholm & Sweden

Option 1, Innsbruck to Stockholm using the Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train - the time-effective option

• Step 1, travel from Innsbruck to Hamburg, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 10:42, change Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 18:56.

  You travel from Innsbruck to Munich by Austrian railjet and Munich to Hamburg by German ICE, both have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Always allow at least an hour when connecting with a sleeper train, ideally more. 

  A later 12:40 departure is possible, but I'd play safe and have dinner in Hamburg, see suggested restaurants near the station.

  Fares start at €37.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

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

  I recommend changing Transfer time from normal to 45 minutes.

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

• Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Stockholm by sleeper train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 22:03, arriving Stockholm Central 09:55.

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

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

  Book tickets at SJ's website www.sj.se.

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

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

2-bed sleeper.		The inaugural train from Hamburg to Stockholm calls at Padborg.

Typical Swedish scenery on the morning run into Stockholm.

Option 2, Innsbruck to Malmö, Gothenburg & Stockholm, with overnight stop in Copenhagen

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Copenhagen, leaving Innsbruck Hbf 06:42, change Munich Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 21:38.

  You travel from Innsbruck to Munich by swish Austrian railjet, then Munich to Hamburg by superb German ICE train, both trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Hamburg to Copenhagen is by EuroCity train with refreshment trolley.

  If you're going to Malmö, hop on the next Öresund train to Malmö Central, these run every 15 minutes, taking 40 minutes.

• Stay overnight in Copenhagen.  The friendly Astoria Hotel is a 1930s design classic right outside Copenhagen station main entrance, see photos & information here.  Other hotels near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Boutique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).

• Day 2 for Gothenburg:  Travel from Copenhagen to Gothenburg (Göteborg Central) by Öresund train, journey time 3h50.

  These trains leave every hour, using the impressive Öresund fixed link from Sweden to Denmark.

• Day 2 for Stockholm:  Travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000, leaving Copenhagen at 08:21, arriving Stockholm Central 13:34.

  SJ's X2000 trains have a bistro, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  They use the impressive Öresund fixed link from Sweden to Denmark.

  Update 2025:  Unfortunately, SJ is short of X2000s and until further notice you'll need to change at Malmö:

  On Mondays-Fridays, leave Copenhagen 08:59, change at Malmö Central, arriving Stockholm Central 14:39.

  On Saturdays & Sundays, leave Copenhagen 08:44, change at Malmö Central, arriving Stockholm Central 14:32.

  Or there are earlier & later departures, check times at www.sj.se or Omio.com.

Option 3, Innsbruck to Malmö, Gothenburg & Stockholm using the Innsbruck-Hamburg sleeper

• Step 1, travel from Innsbruck to Hamburg by Nightjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 20:44, arriving Hamburg Hbf 08:47.

  This is a new generation Nightjet sleeper train with 1 & 2 bed sleepers with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to accommodation.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.

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

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

• Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 10:53, arriving Copenhagen 15:38.

  The EuroCity train has power sockets at all seats and a refreshment trolley.  More about this journey.

• Step 3 for Malmö, travel from Copenhagen to Malmö Central by Öresund train, these run every 15 minutes taking 40 minutes.

  You can buy a through ticket from Hamburg to Malmö from €37.99 in 2nd class or €57.99 in 1st class using int.bahn.de.

• Step 3 for Gothenburg, travel from Copenhagen to Göteborg Central by Öresund train, these run every hour taking 3h50.

  You can buy a through ticket from Hamburg to Göteborg Central from €56.99 in 2nd class or €79.99 in 1st class using int.bahn.de.

• Step 3 for Stockholm, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm Central by X2000,  Allow at least 1 hour between trains in Stockholm.

  Book from Hamburg to Copenhagen at int.bahn.de, then book from Copenhagen to Stockholm using www.sj.se (in SEK) or using Omio.com (in SEK, €, £ or $, small booking fee).

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

Step 1, Innsbruck to Hamburg by Nightjet sleeper train.  Above, a new generation Nightjet ready to leave.  More about new-generation Nightjets.

Comfort Plus sleeper with shower & toilet.		Comfort sleeper with shower & toilet

4-berth couchettes.		Mini-cabins - enclosed individual capsules.

Step 2, Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train.  From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024.  The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats, but no catering so bring your own food & drink.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.

2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this.  There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.

The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo.  Larger photo.

Step 3, Copenhagen to Stockholm by tilting 200km/h X2000, seen at Stockholm Central.  More about X2000 trains.

1st class on an X2000.  Larger photo.		2nd class on an X2000.  Larger photo.

Bistro seating on an X2000 train. Larger photo.		Bistro on an X2000 train. Larger photo.

Crossing the impressive Öresund bridge from Denmark to Sweden.

Option 4, Innsbruck to Malmö, Gothenburg & Stockholm with overnight stop in Hamburg

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Hamburg, for example leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 12:42, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:58.

  By all means book an earlier train for more of an evening in Hamburg, they leave every 2 hours.  You travel by comfortable high-speed ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

• Stay overnight in Hamburg.  The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews.  Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski.  If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.

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Innsbruck to Oslo & Norway

Option 1, Innsbruck to Oslo via the Kiel-Oslo cruise ferry - the most comfortable way to Oslo

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Hamburg by Nightjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 20:44, arriving Hamburg Hbf 08:47.

  This train is a new generation Nightjet sleeper train with 1 & 2 bed sleepers with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to accommodation.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.

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

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

• Day 2, travel from Hamburg Hbf to Kiel Hbf by regional train, these leave several times each hour taking 1h10, fixed-price fare around €23.  Check times and buy a ticket at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  In Kiel it's a 7 minute 450m walk from Kiel Hbf to the Color Line ferry terminal, see walking map.  But always allow several hours between trains and ferry for the ferry check-in and in case of any delay.

• Day 2, sail from Kiel to Oslo by luxurious overnight Color Line ferry, with a full range of en suite cabins, suites, bars, restaurants and lounges.  The m/v Magic or m/v Fantasy normally sails at 14:00 arriving Oslo at 10:00 next morning (Day 3 from Innsbruck).

  Check times & buy tickets using the Direct Ferries website or at www.colorline.com.  You print your own ticket.

  Money-saving tip:  It appears that it's considerably cheaper to book on Color Line's Norwegian website www.colorline.no in Norwegian Krone, for example a €274 fare becomes the equivalent of €164.  You'll need to use Google to translate the Norwegian.  You are still able to enter a UK or other European address and contact details.  Feedback appreciated.

  Make sure you're on deck next morning as the ship sails through spectacular scenery up Oslo Fjord.  The ship docks at the modern Color Line terminal about 2 km from the city centre.  Color Line provide transfer buses to Oslo Sentral station costing 55 krone, or there are plenty of taxis.  If you have little luggage it's possible to walk.  See map of Oslo showing ferry terminal.

Step 1, Innsbruck to Hamburg by Nightjet sleeper train then take a regional train to Kiel.  More about new-generation Nightjets.

Comfort Plus sleeper with shower & toilet.		Comfort sleeper with shower & toilet

4-berth couchettes.		Mini-cabins - enclosed individual capsules.

Step 2, sail from Kiel to Oslo with Color Line.  It's just a 6 minute walk across from Kiel Hbf to the Color Line terminal.  There's a lift up to a connecting walkway which takes you to the ferry terminal.  If you've booked one of Color Line's 5 star suites, check in at the desk rather than the machines to be directed to a VIP lounge with free tea, coffee, juice, snacks & WiFi.  You'll have priority boarding & free access to the on-board spa.  Photos courtesy of Philip Dyer-Perry except where shown.

Above left, cabin with TV, shower & toilet, luxury suites are also available.  Above right, restaurant with a view.

Restaurant and lounge on the Kiel-Oslo ferry.

Wake up to lovely scenery sailing up Oslo Fjord.

The Color Line ferry, arrived at Oslo.  Above right, there's a transfer bus to Oslo Sentral, photo courtesy of Andrew Leo.

Option 2, Innsbruck to Oslo with overnight stop in Hamburg - by train all the way

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Hamburg, for example leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 12:42, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:58.

  By all means book an earlier train for more of an evening in Hamburg, they leave every 2 hours.  You travel by comfortable high-speed ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

  Fares start at €37.99 in 2nd class or €56.99 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

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

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

• Stay overnight in Hamburg.  The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews.  Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski.  If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Oslo, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50, change at Copenhagen & Gothenburg, arriving Oslo Sentral 23:47.

  For full details & how to buy tickets, see the Hamburg-Oslo section.

  Tip:  You can save money by booking from Innsbruck to Göteborg Central as one journey from €56.99.  To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 10 hours.  Adjust departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want in the afternoon and the 08:50 from Hamburg in the morning.  You then just need the Vy ticket from Gothenburg to Oslo.

Option 3, Innsbruck to Oslo with overnight stop in Copenhagen - by train all the way or using the DFDS Copenhagen-Oslo ferry

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Copenhagen in a single day as shown above.

• Stay overnight in Copenhagen.  The friendly Astoria Hotel is a 1930s design classic right outside Copenhagen station main entrance, see photos & information here.  Other hotels near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Boutique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).

• Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Oslo by train, leaving Copenhagen at 07:30, change at Gothenburg Central, arriving Oslo Sentral 15:47.

  Earlier & later departures are available, see the Copenhagen-Oslo timetable & how to buy tickets.

  Alternatively, spend the day in Copenhagen and take the overnight ferry to Oslo with a comfortable private cabin with shower & toilet, sailing from Copenhagen at 16:30 (15:00 some days) and arriving Oslo at 10:00 on day 3, as shown here.  This is remarkably affordable, and saves a hotel bill.  Book the ferry at www.dfds.com.

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Innsbruck to Helsinki & Finland

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

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Hamburg, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 10:42, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 18:58.

  Fares start at €37.99 in 2nd class or €56.99 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

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

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

• Day 1, transfer from Hamburg Hbf to the Travemünde ferry terminal by train+bus and sail from Travemünde to Helsinki with Finnlines, see the Trains from Hamburg page for full details of the transfer, check-in arrangements & ferry crossing.

  Finnlines sail from Travemünde in northern Germany to Helsinki every day, boarding at 23:30, sailing at 02:45 (the exact time varies) and arriving at Helsinki's Hansa Terminal in Vuosaari at 09:15 2 nights later (Day 3 from Innsbruck).

  Check sailing dates, times & book the ferry at www.finnlines.com or using the Direct Ferries website.

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

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

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

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

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Innsbruck to Prague from €19

• Hop on a smart Austrian railjet train with restaurant car & free WiFi from Innsbruck Hbf to Linz in just 2h52, then change onto a comfortable air-conditioned EuroCity train to Prague taking 4h05.  There are a range of departures every day:

  Leave Innsbruck Hbf 08:17, change at Linz Hbf, arrive Prague Hlavni 15:39.

  Leave Innsbruck Hbf 12:16, change at Linz Hbf, arrive Prague Hlavni 19:39.

  Leave Innsbruck Hbf 15:14, change at Linz Hbf, arrive Prague Hlavni 22:39.

  Relax and enjoy the ride across Austria and into the Czech Republic - there's a restaurant car on the railjet, and usually a bistro car on the Linz-Prague EuroCity train, or take your own picnic and beer or wine.  Suggested hotels in Prague.

• Fares start at just €19 (about 500 CZK) in 2nd class or €39 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.

  Change the Czech flag to the UK flag for English  and look for journeys with just 1 transfer via Linz.  Or you can travel via Vienna if you prefer.  Booking opens up to 3 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.  See my tips & advice for using cd.cz.

  Tip:  You can also buy from www.thetrainline.com which connects to the Austrian ÖBB ticketing system and on which booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  Cd.cz is usually cheaper, but you may prefer booking at Trainline up to 6 months out.

• If you're going to Český Krumlov

  The Linz-Prague EuroCity trains all call at České Budějovice (formerly Budweis, where the name of the beer comes from).  Simply get off there and take the regular branch line train run by local operator GWTR to Český Krumlov, 44 minutes away.  Book from Innsbruck to České Budějovice at www.cd.cz and print your own ticket.  Then buy the local ticket from České Budějovice to Český Krumlov either at České Budějovice from the distinctive green & orange GWTR ticket kiosk in the station's main hall or on board the local train from the self-service machines which accept contactless cards.

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Innsbruck to Bratislava from €39.90

Option 1, Innsbruck to Bratislava by direct railjet train - once per day, the best option if the timings suit you

• A direct railjet train leaves Innsbruck Hbf at 16:16 every day, arriving Bratislava Hlavna 21:51.

  The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about railjets.

• Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or €59.90 in business class (premium 1st).

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

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

The direct railjet at Bratislava.

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

First class.		Economy class.

Option 2, Innsbruck to Vienna by railjet then regional express to Bratislava - hourly departures from morning to late afternoon

• If the timing of the direct train doesn't suit you, simply take any of the regular Austrian railjet trains from Innsbruck Hbf to Vienna Hbf in around 4h15, then the hourly regional express train from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna (the main station, closest to the city centre) taking 56 minutes.  You'll find hourly departures with 1 change at Vienna Hbf from morning until late afternoon.

  Important: If travelling before 5 July 2025, see the update here.

• Book at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).  In the search results, look for journeys with 1 change.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

  Tip:  I recommend selecting the specific destination station Bratislava hl.st. so you only see journeys to Bratislava Hlavna which is the main station, closest to the city centre.  If you select the generic BRATISLAVA as your destination you may see journeys to Bratislava Petrzalka station instead, which is not the main or best-located station in Bratislava.

• Tip:  The Vienna-Bratislava regional express trains run every hour, your ticket is good for any of them, so feel free to spend some time in Vienna between trains.

• Tip:  You could consider a river trip along the Danube from Vienna to Bratislava.  Fast ferries and hydrofoils run at least once a day in winter, up to 5 times a day in summer, journey time 80 minutes.  At least two companies operate the route, see www.twincityliner.com or www.lod.sk.

The hourly regional express train from Vienna to Bratislava Hlavna

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Innsbruck to Poprad-Tatry & Kosice

• There are various options with a change in Vienna & Bratislava, check times at www.oebb.at.

• Fares start at €59.90 in 2nd class or €89.90 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Book from Innsbruck to Poprad Tatry or Kosice at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.

  Tip:  To get a robust connection in Vienna, not a risky 10-minute one, wait until the search results appear, then click Set more filters and tick Comfortable connection time.

  Booking opens 60 days ahead.  In this case, tickets must be collected from a self-service machine or ticket office in Austria.

  You can also book at the Slovakian Railways website www.zssk.sk, which can be cheaper.  Switch it to English by clicking EN top right, it's a little fiddly, but it works.  You print your own ticket.  To get a robust connection time in Vienna, click More options for 1 route and select Time for change at least 30 minutes.

Slovakian Intercity train at Bratislava Hlavna.

Bar area at one end of the restaurant car.		2nd class open-plan seating.

1st class open-plan seats.		2nd class compartment seating.

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Innsbruck to Budapest from €29.90

• A railjet links Innsbruck Hbf with Budapest Keleti station leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 14:16, arriving Budapest Keleti 21:19.

  If this direct train doesn't suit you there are other departures every hour with one easy change at Vienna Hbf.

  These smart Austrian railjet trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about railjets.  1st & business class passengers have restaurant orders taken and served at their seats.  Look out for views of Salzburg castle on its hill on the right as you cross the river Salzach on the approach to Salzburg Hbf.

• Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or €59.90 in business class (premium 1st).

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

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

A railjet at Innsbruck Hbf.  More about railjets.

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

First class.		Economy class.

A railjet arrived on platform 9 at Budapest Keleti station.

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Innsbruck to Bucharest & Romania

Option 1, Innsbruck to Romania using the sleeper train Ister from Budapest to Brasov & Bucharest

• Step 1, travel from Innsbruck to Budapest by railjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf 08:17, change at Vienna Hbf arriving Budapest Keleti 16:19.

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

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class, €44 in 1st class or €59 in business class (= premium 1st).  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

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

• Step 2, travel from Budapest to Romania by sleeper train Ister leaving Budapest Keleti at 19:10, arriving Brasov 08:48 & Bucharest Nord 11:35.

  This comfortable sleeper train has an air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  There's no restaurant car, so take a picnic and bottle of wine.  There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest, a real treat.

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

  Book this train at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro.

  Click EN top right for English.  Booking opens up to 90 days ahead.  For Bucharest type Bucuresti.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

  You can also book at the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu, see my advice on using it.  For Bucharest type Bucuresti.  You show your ticket in the MAV app on your phone.  Booking opens 60 days ahead.

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

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

Option 2, Innsbruck to Romania using the sleeper train Dacia Express from Vienna to Sighisoara, Brasov & Bucharest.

• Step 1, travel from Innsbruck to Vienna by railjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 14:17, arriving Vienna Hbf 18:32.

  Railjet trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  By all means travel earlier (trains leave every hour) and have dinner in Vienna, see suggested restaurants near the station.

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class, €44 in 1st class or €59 in business class (= premium 1st).  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.oebb.at (in €).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Romania on the sleeper train Dacia Express, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:42 every day, arriving next day in Simeria 07:17, Sighisoara 09:17, Braşov 12:50, Ploeşti Vest 14:47 & Bucharest Nord 15:26.

  The Dacia Express has a modern air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus several with shower & toilet, a Romanian couchette car with 4-berth & 6-berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest, a real treat.

  The Dacia Express also conveys a portion from Vienna to Cluj Napoca, also leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:42, arriving Cluj Napoca 10:44. This portion has a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.

  Fares start at €59 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a couchette in a 4-berth compartment, €79 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper, €99 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper or €159 with a bed in a single-berth sleeper all to yourself.  All per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

  Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.

  Booking opens up to 90 days ahead.  In the search results, look for the direct train marked D with no changes.  If it says not available you can't book it, but if a Sparschiene fare is shown you can.  You collect tickets from an ÖBB ticket machine in Vienna.

  You can also book this train at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro.

  Click EN top right for English.  Booking opens up to 90 days ahead.  For Vienna type Wien, for Bucharest type Bucuresti.  For Austria to Romania journeys you can now print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  Tip:  Prices might be cheaper than on oebb.at, so check both sites!

The Dacia Express sleeping-car at Vienna Hbf.  Interior photo courtesy of Jose Carlos Barbosa.  Larger photo.

The Dacia Express couchette car, boarding at Vienna Hbf.  Larger photo.

Transylvania:  The Dacia Express crosses rural Transylvania.  Courtesy of @PaliparanDotCom

The Carpathian mountains:  Almost Alpine scenery between Brasov & Bucharest.  Courtesy of @PaliparanDotCom.

Option 3, Innsbruck to Romania by daytime trains with overnight stop in Budapest

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Budapest on any railjet train you like.

  A direct railjet train leaves Innsbruck Hbf at 14:16 arriving Budapest Keleti 21:19, but by all means travel earlier with a change in Vienna.

  Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or €59.90 in business class (premium 1st).

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

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

• Stay overnight in Budapest.  Top choice for an inexpensive stay next to Budapest Keleti is the Intercity Hotel just across the square in front of the station.  Also try the Royal Park Boutique Hotel, the inexpensive Baross City Hotel across the road or the Elit Hotel two minutes walk away. Of course, if you want to push the boat out, the luxurious Corinthia Hotel opened in 1896 was almost certainly the inspiration for the 2014 film The Grand Budapest Hotel, 20 minutes walk or 9 minutes by taxi from Keleti station.  More hotels in Budapest.

• Day 2, travel from Budapest to Romania by comfortable air-conditioned Intercity train.  These link Budapest Keleti with Cluj, Timisoara, Craiova, Sibiu, Sinaia, Brasov & Ploesti.  It's an all-day daytime run across Transylvania, see the Budapest page for details.

  Limited-availability advance-purchase fares start at €26.30 in 2nd class or (on trains which have it) €40.50 in 1st class.

  Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it.

  Booking opens 60 days ahead.  You show your ticket in the MAV app on your phone.

  You can also book at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro.

  Click EN top right for English.  Booking opens up to 90 days ahead.  For Bucharest type Bucuresti.  You print your own ticket.

The daytime train from Budapest to Bucharest has modern air-conditioned Romanian carriages.  Three cars travel all the way, additional cars are attached whilst in Hungary, and additional cars and a bar car are attached between Drobeta Turnu Severin & Bucharest.

On the left, the daytime train to Bucharest is about to leave Budapest Keleti.		Comfortable 2nd class seats on the Budapest to Bucharest train.  There are power outlets under the tables.  Larger photo.

A bar car is attached between Drobeta Turnu Severin & Bucharest.  Photos courtesy of @AndyBTravels, DiscoverByRail.com.

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Innsbruck to Ljubljana & Zagreb from €29.90

• Leave Innsbruck Hbf at 08:21, change Schwarzach St Veit & Villach, arriving Lesce Bled 13:50, Ljubljana 14:31 & Zagreb 17:10.

  Leave Innsbruck Hbf at 12:21, change Schwarzach St Veit & Villach, arriving Lesce Bled 17:50, Ljubljana 18:32 & Zagreb 20:45.

  This is a really lovely scenic journey through the mountains of Austria and along the lovely River Sava between Ljubljana and Zagreb.  Bring a picnic & a bottle of wine and have your camera ready!

  Important update:  The closure of the Tauern Tunnel affects this route between 17 November 2024 & 13 July 2025, check times at int.bahn.de.

• Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.  You print your own ticket.

• Tip:  I've seen a cheap €29.90 Sparschiene fare available from Salzburg to Zagreb but only standard price €50+ available on the same date and train from Salzburg to Ljubljana.  So if you don't see a cheap Sparschiene to Ljubljana, see if there's one to Zagreb as nothing stops you buying that and getting off in Ljubljana!

Through the Austrian Alps.  Clinging to the mountainside high in the Austrian Alps, the train snakes along between snow-capped mountains, absolutely wonderful.

Along the Sava river in Slovenia.  Now across the border in Slovenia, the EuroCity train runs along the pretty River Sava all the way to Ljubljana and Zagreb.		Comfortable seats:  The 2nd class seats in the Slovenian cars are arranged 2+1 abreast, the same as 1st class!

The EuroCity train Sava, arrived at Zagreb.		More scenery along the Sava between Ljubljana & Zagreb.

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Innsbruck to Belgrade & Montenegro

Option 1, Innsbruck to Belgrade with overnight stop in Budapest - due to start 8 December 2024 but postponed, see updates.

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Budapest by railjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 14:16, arriving Budapest Keleti 21:19.

  This swish Austrian railjet trains has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

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

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Transfer from Keleti to Nyugati station by metro, tram or taxi as shown here.

• Stay overnight in Budapest.  Top choice for an inexpensive stay next to Budapest Keleti is the Intercity Hotel just across the square in front of the station.  If you prefer to stay near Budapest Nyugati, look no further than the 3-star  T62 Hotel just across the road, a traveller's favourite with funky interior design.  The cheaper 3-star Star Inn Budapest Centrum is a few minutes walk away, also with good reviews.  The 4-star Radisson Blu Béke Hotel is one block along the road from the station.  Of course, if you want to push the boat out, the luxurious Corinthia Hotel opened in 1896 was almost certainly the inspiration for the 2014 film The Grand Budapest Hotel.

• Day 2, travel from Budapest to Belgrade, leaving Budapest Nyugati 05:50, changing at Szeged & Subotica, arriving Belgrade Centar 12:38.

  If you'd prefer a later departure, leave Budapest Nyugati 11:50, changing at Szeged & Subotica, arriving Belgrade Centar 18:38.

  You take a Hungarian Intercity train from Budapest to Szeged, a local train across the border to Subotica and a 200 km/h SOKO train to Belgrade, for details see the Budapest to Belgrade page.

  Fares start at around €23, see more about fares.

  Buy tickets as shown on the Belgrade to Budapest page.

Budapest to Belgrade is on a connecting 3-train combo, starting 8 December 2024.  This includes a 200 km/h double-deck Serbian SOKO train from Subotica to Belgrade Centar, with refreshments, toilets, power outlets at all seats & free WiFi.  Soko is Serbian for falcon, hence the logo!  Photo courtesy of Hugo van Vondelen.

Option 2, Innsbruck to Belgrade with overnight stop in Zagreb - currently involves a bus

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Zagreb as explained in the Innsbruck-Zagreb section.  A lovely scenic ride!

• Stay overnight in Zagreb.  The historic Esplanade Hotel, the Palace Hotel or Central Hotel are all near the station with good reviews.

• Day 2, 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 was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended in 2024.

  2nd class only, with two comfortable Serbian air-conditioned cars.  There's no catering, so bring your own food & drink.  This train cannot be booked online, just buy at the station or on the train for around €29.

  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 €21, buy a ticket at www.flixbus.com.

• For Montenegro:   A daytime and overnight train link Belgrade station with Podgorica and Bar over one of the most scenic lines in Europe, fare around €22 paid at the station on the day.  For train times, fares & photos see the Belgrade to Montenegro page.  Change at Podgorica for buses to Budva or Kotor.

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Innsbruck to Sofia & Bulgaria

Option 1, Innsbruck to Sofia via Bucharest

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Budapest by railjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 06:10, change at Vienna Hbf, arriving Budapest Keleti 13:19.

  The swish Austrian railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  The connection in Vienna may seem tight, but if there's a delay a later train will get you to Budapest at 14:19.

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

  Buy at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares) and print your own ticket.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead

• Day 1, travel from Budapest to Bucharest on the sleeper train Muntenia, leaving Budapest Keleti at 15:10, arriving Bucharest Nord 09:36.

  The Muntenia has 4 & 6-berth couchettes and ordinary seats.  A Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments is attached from Arad (depart 20:57) to Bucharest.  There's no catering car, so bring your own food & drink.

  Fares start at €40 with a couchette in 6-berth or €47 with a couchette in 4-berth.  These are limited-availability advance-purchase fares

  Book this at the Romanian Railways international website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro/en.  You print your own ticket.

  If you want the comfort & privacy of a proper sleeper from Arad to Bucharest, (1) book a 2nd class seat from Budapest to Arad from €17 using bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro/en.  You print your own ticket.  (2) Now book berths in a 1, 2 or 3-bed sleeper from Arad to Bucharest Nord at the Romanian domestic website bilete.cfrcalatori.ro and print your own ticket.

• Day 2, travel from Bucharest to Sofia by daytime train as shown in the Bucharest-Sofia section of the Trains from Bucharest page. 

  You leave Bucharest Nord at 10:11 and arrive Sofia Central at 20:35 after a pleasant day meandering across the Danube and through the river valleys of Bulgaria.  In summer it's direct, in winter you have to switch trains at Ruse.  There's no catering car, so bring your own food & drink.

  The fare is around €34.

  Book this at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro/en.  You print your own ticket.

Option 2, Innsbruck to Sofia via Belgrade

• Not currently viable while the Budapest-Belgrade, Zagreb-Belgrade and Belgrade-Sofia trains remain suspended.

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Innsbruck to Krakow & Warsaw

Option 1, using the EuroNight sleeper train from Salzburg to Krakow & Warsaw - the time-effective overnight option

• Step 1, travel from Innsbruck to Salzburg by railjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 17:14, arriving Salzburg Hbf 19:02.

  This swish Austrian railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  By all means book an earlier train if you'd like time for dinner in Salzburg.  Don't risk any tight connections when catching a sleeper.

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

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

  Tip:  If you have a sleeping-car ticket you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Salzburg Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.

• Step 2, travel from Salzburg to Poland by sleeper train, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 20:30, arriving Krakow Glowny 06:20 & Warsaw Centralna 09:08.

  The EuroNight sleeper train Chopin has two comfortable air-conditioned Polish sleeping-cars with 1, 2 or 3 beds per compartment.  Each car also has two 1 or 2 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, see the photos below.  It also has ordinary seats, but no couchettes.  In the sleepers, a light breakfast with tea or coffee is included.

  Fares start at €53.50 in a 3-bed sleeper, €68.20 in a 2-bed sleeper, or €126.70 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.  All prices per person per bed as berths are sold individually.  Prices vary like air fares, so book ahead.

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

  Tip:  If you're getting off in Krakow, the sleeper arrives at an early hour.  Leave the station through the shopping centre and you'll find the Hotel Puro Stare Miasto on the other side of the road and to the right.  You can join their excellent breakfast buffet from 7am for around €16.  Of course, your own hotel may let you join their breakfast buffet on the morning of arrival.  Suggested hotels in Krakow.

Munich to Krakow & Warsaw by sleeper train.  This is the modern Polish sleeping-car on the EuroNight train Chopin, seen at Vienna Hbf.

Standard sleeper in evening/morning mode with seats folded out.		Standard sleeper set up as 3-berth, can also be set up as a single or double.		Deluxe sleeper, set up as a 2-berth, showing TV & wardrobe.		Deluxe sleeper:  En suite shower & toilet.  Click the photos for larger images.

Option 2, Innsbruck to Warsaw by railjet & EuroCity train - the leisurely daytime option

• Step 1, travel from Innsbruck to Vienna by railjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 08:17, arriving Vienna Hbf 12:32.

  The railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  A later connection is possible, but as there are no later onward trains to Warsaw, I'd play it safe.

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

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Warsaw by EuroCity train Polonia, leaving Vienna Hbf 14:10, arriving Warsaw Centralna 21:50.

• Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Book at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you collect tickets from the ticket machines at the station.

A EuroCity train from Vienna to Warsaw & Gydnia at Vienna Hbf.  On these PKP Polish Railways cars, the green stripe above the windows indicates 2nd class.  Yellow indicates first class.  Red indicates the restaurant car.  Courtesy of Jennifer Delaney.

Most 2nd class cars have compartments like this with side corridor & 6-seat compartments, although one or two cars may have open-plan saloons.  All 1st class seats are in 6-seat compartments on these trains.  Click images for larger photos.

Restaurant car.

Option 3, Innsbruck to Krakow by railjet & EuroCity train - the leisurely daytime option

• Step 1, travel from Innsbruck to Vienna by railjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 11:14, arriving Vienna Hbf 15:32.

  The railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  A later connection is possible, but as there are no later onward trains to Krakow, I'd play it safe.  By all means travel earlier, trains leave Innsbruck every hour.

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

• Step 2 travel from Vienna to Krakow by EuroCity train, leaving Vienna Hbf 16:10, arriving Krakow Glowny 21:25.

  There's no catering car, so bring your own food & drink.

• Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

• Book at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you collect tickets from the ticket machines at the station.

The Danubius to Krakow, at Vienna Hbf on a winter evening.  That's the Czech through car to Wroclaw nearest the camera, the Polish cars to Krakow are ahead of it.  Courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.

Most 2nd class cars have compartments like this with side corridor & 6-seat compartments.

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Innsbruck to Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Warsaw as shown in the Innsbruck to Warsaw section.

• Stay overnight in Warsaw.  The Polonia Palace Hotel is excellent, historic, relatively inexpensive for such a good hotel, and it's just across the road from the station.  For something much cheaper, but still with great reviews and near the station, try the Hotel Metropol next door to the Polonia Palace or the nearby Novotel Warsaw Centrum.  Also see the Warsaw Centralna station & city information.

• Day 2, travel from Warsaw to Kaunas & Vilnius by train as shown on the Warsaw to Vilnius page.

• Stay overnight in Vilnius.  Try the inexpensive Stay Vilnius hotel, a 6-minute walk from the station, or the Conti Hotel Vilnius, a 9-minute walk from the station towards the old town, both with excellent reviews.

• Day 3, travel from Vilnius to Riga (Latvia) or Tallinn (Estonia) by train as shown on the Vilnius-Riga-Tallinn page.

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Innsbruck to Kyiv & Ukraine

• Step 1, travel from Innsbruck to Vienna by railjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 10:17, arriving Vienna Hbf 14:32.

  The railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  A later connection is possible, but I'd play it safe.

  Fares start at €19.90 in economy, €29.90 in 1st class or €44.90 in business class (= premium 1st class).

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

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Ukraine by direct sleeping-car, leaving Vienna Hbf at 16:42 daily, arriving Lviv 09:59 & Kyiv 16:41 next day

  Introduced in 2017, this train consists of 2 or sometimes 3 direct Ukrainian sleeping-cars attached to a Vienna-Zahony EuroCity train.  The sleeping-cars have comfortable 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin, see the photos below.  At Chop on the other side of the border the through sleeping-cars are jacked up to have their wheelsets changed from European standard gauge (4'8½") to Russian gauge used in Ukraine (5').

  Vienna to Lviv costs €71.20 in a 3-berth sleeper, €79.20 in a 2-berth sleeper or around €130 in a single sleeper.

  Vienna to Kyiv costs €89.60 in a 3-berth sleeper, €99.60 in a 2-berth sleeper or around €170 in a single sleeper.

  Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.

  Booking for these direct sleeping-cars opens 20 days ahead, but tickets sell out a day or two after booking opens, so book as soon as the booking period opens.  If the ÖBB website says Ticket not available within 20 days it means fully-booked, if it says that more than 20 days ahead it means booking isn't open yet.

  Tickets can now be printed out so you can book in either direction.  However, you must print the ticket, it cannot be shown on a mobile device.

  Booked at the station in Ukraine, Kyiv to Vienna costs around €80, Lviv to Vienna around €60, in both cases with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper.

The Vienna-Kyiv sleeping-car boarding at Vienna Hbf.

The Vienna-Kyiv sleeper about to leave Vienna Hbf. Courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.		The sleeper corridor.  Courtesy Helmut Uttenthaler.		1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper compartment.

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Innsbruck to Moscow & Russia

Innsbruck to Moscow via Kyiv - avoiding Belarus

• Step 1, travel from Innsbruck to Vienna by railjet, then Vienna to Kyiv by sleeper as shown above.

• Step 2, take one of the various Kyiv to Moscow sleeper trains, for example train 6 leaves at 19:36 arriving Moscow Kievskaya station at 10:09.

  These trains were suspended due to Covid-19 and remain suspended due to the war in Ukraine.

  The fare is around €92 with a bed in 4-berth kupé or €180 with a bed in a 2-berth spalny vagon.

  You can ask www.polrail.com to book this for you too, or you can book tickets from Kyiv to Moscow at the Ukrainian Railways site booking.uz.gov.ua/en/ booking from Kyiv to Moskva Kievskaya.  You collect tickets at the station in Kyiv.  Feedback appreciated!

These modern sleeping-cars run from Vienna to Moscow.

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Innsbruck to Athens & Greece

Option 1, Innsbruck to Athens by train & ferry via Italy - the leisurely option with an Adriatic cruise thrown in

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Verona by railjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf at 17:24, arriving Verona Porta Nuova 20:59.

  By all means take the earlier 15:24 or 13:24 for more of an evening in Verona, see the timetable here.  These trains head through the scenic Brenner Pass with a restaurant car for dinner, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  A treat!

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

  Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).

• Stay overnight in Verona.  Hotels near the station with good or great reviews include the Corte Merighi Rooms & Breakfast, Novo Hotel Rossi, Guesthouse Verona or (a little closer to the centre but with fab reviews) the Relais Empire.

• Day 2, travel from Verona to Bari by Frecciarossa, leaving Verona P. Nuova at 06:52, change at Bologna Centrale, arriving Bari Centrale 14:31.

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

  Book this at www.italiarail.com (they'll refund their small booking fee if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com afterwards) or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names).

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

• In Bari, transfer from station to port, see map of Bari showing station, port entrance, check-in building & Superfast Ferries berth.

  You can walk the 1.9 km from the station to the port entrance in 25 minutes, a stroll through Bari's pleasant old town, see correct walking map from the station to the port entrance gate - if Google tells you any different, trust me, not Google!

  Alternatively, bus 50 runs from Bari Centrale station to the road outside the port gate roughly every 40 minutes.  A taxi will take 10 minutes.

• Day 2, sail overnight from Bari to Patras in Greece with Superfast Ferries.

  The ferry sails from Bari at 19:30 on Mondays-Saturdays, arriving Patras at 13:00 next day (Day 3).

  On Sundays the ship sails at 13:30, too early to make connections.

  You can check sailing times & dates at using the Direct Ferries website or at www.superfast.com or www.ferriesingreece.com.

  You should check in at the Superfast desk on the ground floor of the cruise terminal (Terminal Crociere) at Bari port with passport & booking number to get your boarding pass, ideally 3 hours before departure in summer, although in practice 2 hours or even 1½ hours is normally fine.

  You then walk 500m from check-in to the ferry, board the ferry via the foot passenger gangway at the stern and head up the escalator to the main lounge and reception desk to get your cabin key.

  The ship is comfortable, with self-service restaurant, lounge, bar and sun deck.  You can book a deck place (a good & cheap option in summer if you have your own sleeping bag), a reclining seat or various types of cabin, all with private shower & toilet.  Strolling the decks in the morning sun as the ship cruises past the islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca is the nicest part of the trip, and it's a wonderful way to arrive in Greece.

  In Patras, the ferry arrives at the new South ferry terminal a few km from the town centre.  Bus 18 links the port with the Patras bus station every hour on the hour, fare €1.20 or you can hop in a taxi for around €9, journey time 15-20 minutes.

• Day 3, travel from Patras to Athens by Greek Railways bus/train combo.

  Hellenic Train (Greek Railways) operate an integrated bus/train service from Patras to Athens every hour or two, total journey time 3h02, fare around €18.  No prior reservation is necessary, just buy a ticket to Athens at Patras railway station ticket office.

  For example, at the time I write this, buses leave from outside Patras railway station at 14:15, 15:15, 16:00, 17:15 & 18:15, taking 90 minutes to reach Kiato railway station near Corinthos.  At Kiato they connect with a modern air-conditioned regional train taking 78 minutes to Athens Larissa Station in downtown Athens.  You can check Patra to Athens bus/train times using the journey planner at www.hellenictrain.gr.

The ferry Superfast II from Bari to Patras, boarding at Bari.  Photos courtesy of DiscoverByRail.com.

The passenger gangway, onto the ferry.		Reception desk & lounge on the ferry.

Lounge and bar on the Superfast II.		Self-service restaurant.

Private cabin with en suite toilet & shower.

Option 2, Innsbruck to Athens overland by train via Munich & Belgrade - not currently viable

• The overland route is not viable, there are currently no international train to or from Greece.

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Innsbruck to Istanbul & Turkey

• Day 1, travel from Innsbruck to Bucharest using the Vienna-Bucharest sleeper train Dacia Express as shown above.

• Day 2, stay overnight in Bucharest.  The Hotel MyContinental Bucuresti Gara de Nord is walking distance from the station, inexpensive and gets great reviews.

• Day 3, travel from Bucharest to Istanbul by sleeper train as shown on the Bucharest to Istanbul page, arriving in the morning on Day 4.

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Hotels in Innsbruck

For advice on hotels in Innsbruck, see the Innsbruck station page.

Backpacker hostels

www.hostelworld.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.

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Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

  www.staysure.co.uk offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & gets 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot.

  www.columbusdirect.com is also a well-know brand.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list.  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works:  1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android.  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card, they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  Why you need a VPN

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from buy from Amazon.com.

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