Taking the train from the UK to anywhere in Europe...  With help from the Man in Seat Sixty-One, you can leave London on Eurostar, bound not just for Paris but for Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Morocco, Tunisia, Ukraine, Turkey, Syria, even Russia, China and Japan...  No flying necessary!
	...And beyond.  Seat61 explains how to travel safely, comfortably and affordably by train and (where appropriate) buses or ferries, in Asia, Africa, Australasia & the Americas, avoiding unnecessary flights to see and experience far more than you would otherwise...

A practical guide to travel without flying...

People now want a more environmentally-sound, less stressful, more rewarding alternative to airports & flights.  Taking a train from the UK to mainland Europe is easy & affordable, a far more practical alternative than many people imagine.  The problem is finding out about it, as most travel agents would rather sell you flights, flights, car hire & more flights.  The same can often be said for travel by train, ferry or bus services around the world.  I've set out to fix this, and explain how you can put the romance and interest back into travel.

Why is it called The Man in Seat Sixty-One?

Eurostar connects the UK with mainland Europe, and my overland journeys from London to Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Syria, Russia, Jordan, Greece, the Crimea and even Japan have all started on Eurostar.  I always try to book seat 61 in specific first class cars.  Before you ask, it's one of a pair of seats facing across a table, with an unobstructed view from a picture window.  More about me on the about me page.

How to travel from the UK to mainland Europe by train...

• Seat61 explains how to travel by train or ferry from London to almost every country in Europe, with recommended train times, approximate fares, photos showing what the trains or ferries are like and advice on the best way to buy tickets.

• Three of the most popular pages are London to France, London to Spain & London to Italy.  You can hop on a Eurostar from central London after breakfast, have lunch in Paris and dinner in Nice, Barcelona, Turin or Milan.  London to the South of France, Spain or Italy by train in a single day.  It's amazing some people still think you have to fly...

• Even journeys like London to Istanbul or London to Moscow are covered.  As it happens, those two are surprisingly popular.

• The site explains how to find some great prices by train+ferry, too.  London to Dublin only £44.50 each way, and London to Amsterdam from £55 each way.

• The train travel to Europe page has all the general information you'll need for train travel to Europe, about luggage, child fares, bicycles, checking train times and so on.  It's also a resource centre for links to rail route maps and online timetables.  You'll find a separate motorail page about taking your car by trains and a rail pass page to help you tour with an Interrail or Eurail pass.  Even if you're from overseas and not starting your journey in London or the UK, you'll find these pages useful.

How to travel around Europe by train...

• Seat61 explains the best way to travel by train between major European cities and tourist destinations, explaining the options and how to buy the cheapest tickets, usually direct from the train operators without booking fees or marked-up prices.  If you live in the US, Canada, Australia or Asia you can save a lot by reading this advice, compared to using a railpass or buying tickets through expensive overseas agencies.

How to travel by train in Asia, Africa, Australia & the Americas, with bus & ferry connections...

• Singapore to Kuala Lumpur?  Cairo to Luxor or Aswan?  New York to Boston?  Cape Town to Johannesburg?  Delhi to Varanasi?  Sydney to Melbourne?  The train is the civilised and comfortable option for all these journeys and more.  Seat61 will help you find out train routes, times, fares, what the trains are like, and how to buy tickets.  Many international journeys are covered, too, such as Delhi to Kathmandu, Beijing to Hanoi, Bangkok to Singapore, just select the starting country.

• The most popular pages include Malaysia, Thailand, India, China, Canada, New Zealand & Egypt.

• For something a bit different, try the Burma (Myanmar) (one of my personal favourites) or Zimbabwe...

• Ferries and buses are covered too, where key destinations are not on the rail network such as Ko Samui or Phuket in Thailand, or where ferries or buses link countries, for example China to Japan or Bangkok to Phnom Penh and Saigon.

Epic journeys...

• You'll find a number of epic overland journeys explained on the site...

• Trans-Siberian Railway:  Using the Trans-Siberian Railway, you can travel overland from London to Beijing or Tokyo or even Singapore.  Seat61 will help you plan and book it the inexpensive independent way, with route guide, timetable, fares, photos and how to arrange tickets and visas.

• Coast to coast USA or coast to coast Canada:  An epic, scenic and surprisingly affordable journey, a mind-blowing alternative to a mind-numbing flight.  Seat61 will recommend the routes, times, and how to buy tickets the cheapest way.  3,000 miles of scenery from New York to Los Angeles for as little as $278!

• Singapore to Bangkok:  For around $80 / £55 you can travel 1,233 miles from Singapore to Bangkok, on comfortable modern trains with your own sleeping-berth with fresh clean bedding for both overnight sections.  It's not surprising this page is one of the most popular pages on the site...

• London to Marrakech:  You can do this over the weekend, in just 48 hours, and it doesn't cost a fortune, either.  Probably the most exotic location most easily reached from the UK by rail.  Ideal for a plane-free holiday to Africa...

• The train to Tibet:  The new railway to Lhasa, featured on the China page.

Scenic journeys...

• The Glacier Express & Bernina Express:  The two most scenic train journeys in Switzerland, or indeed Europe.  And no, I can't tell you which has the edge, I can't decide myself, you'll just have to try both.  These pages show you the train and the scenery and will help you buy tickets.

• The Northern Explorer & The Tranz-Alpine:  two great scenic trains journeys across New Zealand, NZ's contribution to world rail travel.  Wellington to Auckland is an all-day experience, a bargain and one of my own favourite trips...

• The West Highland Line & the Settle & Carlisle line:  Britain's most scenic railways and how to visit them.

• Venice Simplon Orient Express:  Luxury as well as scenery, on this classic train from London & Paris to Venice.  You'll find a run-down on the real Orient Express on the Orient Express page.

These are just a taster of what's on the site.  I hope you enjoy it, and get to try out some of the journeys!

Mark Smith

The Man in Seat Sixty-One...