Here’s our quick guide to your choice of north-south rail routes if you are traveling from central Europe through Switzerland to Italy.

There are just three routes to choose from: the Simplon, the Gotthard and the Bernina.

The Simplon route

Our rating: **

Used by four daily EuroCity services from Geneva to Milan and by the thrice daily EuroCity trains from Basel to Milan. Not our favorite option as the best of the scenery is missed in tunnels. The Geneva and Basel routes converge at Brig, and then run through the Simplon tunnel into Italy. The trains from Geneva do offer some super views as they skirt the northern edge of Lake Geneva. But the Basel route south through Berne is pretty but unspectacular, and then plunges through the 34km-long Lötschberg tunnel to reach Brig, where you get a breath of fresh air before diving into the Simplon tunnel.

On the plus side, there are some super views of Lake Maggiore as the train cruises through northern Italy towards Milan. Sit on the left for the views. And it is those lake views which are the redeeming factor for the Simplon route. So we give it two stars.

The Gotthard route

Our rating: **

Used each day by seven EuroCity trains from Zürich to Milan (and also one from Basel to Milan). This route is also taken by domestic Swiss services from Basel and Zürich to Locarno and Lugano. Indeed, this is the main north to south rail axis through Switzerland. The approach to the north side of the Gotthard Tunnel is classic Switzerland. Sit on the right side of the train for super lake views with range upon range of mountains edging ever closer.

With the opening of the new 57-km Gotthard Base Tunnel in 2016, the journey is now even less scenic.

The Bernina Express running right along Lake Bianco. Photo: Terry

The Bernina route

Our rating: *****

Far and away the finest of the three north-south routes from Switzerland into Italy. No ifs, no buts. The Bernina knocks spots off the competition. If you are in a rush to get into Italy, take the Simplon or Gotthard routes. But if you want to see the Alps, the Bernina is the obvious choice. This is the only route that goes over the Alps rather than tunneling through them.

The Bernina is served by Rhaetian Railway services from St Moritz (in the Swiss Engadin) to Tirano (in Italy). Local trains run hourly on this route throughout most of the day, although evening services are very limited. There are also some through trains from Chur and Davos to Tirano (branded “Bernina Express” and with a supplementary charge).

The beauty of the Bernina, particularly if you ride the local trains which stop at every tiny station, is that you have a real sense of engaging with the landscape. There are glaciers and Alpine meadows, with moments of high drama as the train drops down from high mountain terrain into serenely beautiful valleys. Beyond Tirano, the route runs south-west to Milan, skirting the east side of Lake Como for more than an hour.

The time question

So why does everyone not take the Bernina route? It seems to be really a matter of time. Sadly, most travelers are in a rush. And the lure of a direct train tempts folk to the faster Simplon and Gotthard routes. Journeys from the principal Swiss cities to Milan via the Bernina route require several changes of train. Here are some comparison journey times for Zürich to Milan:

via the Simplon route: 4 hrs 15 min
via the Gotthard route: 3 hrs 45 min
via the Bernina route: 10 hrs 05 min

The travel times speak for themselves. Yes, the Bernina journey takes more than twice as long, but it’s so very, very much better that canny travelers give the Alps the time they deserve. Indeed, there are a heap of places along the Bernina route which warrant an overnight stop, so why not spread the journey over two days?

Editor’s Note: Looking for more insider information on train travel across Europe? Pick up a copy of Europe by Rail, now in its 15th edition, it is the definitive guide for exploring the continent by train. You can also follow them on twitter at @EuropebyRail.

The post Crossing the Alps by Train: Three rail routes from Switzerland to Italy appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Thalys is one of those quintessential European brands — very grounded and yet very cosmopolitan at the same time. We raised a smile when Thalys burbled in a press release that the cafés on Thalys trains are more than merely spots to grab a cuppa. In Thalys-talk those bistro cars are “symboles de convivialité et d’échanges interculturels.” Now you know! With Thalys you get culture and conviviality with your cappuccino.

Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam

Thalys trains run non-stop from Paris to Brussels (and vice versa) up to two dozen times each day. They dash between the two capitals in just 82 minutes — not bad for a run of some 200 miles that takes in a great sweep of Picardy and Flanders along the way.

Thalys has a monopoly in direct train services between Paris and Brussels, as indeed they do on a number of other routes (such as from Amsterdam to both Brussels and Paris). About half of the Paris to Brussels services continue north beyond Brussels to Amsterdam — along the way stopping at Antwerp, Rotterdam and Schiphol Airport.

Daily direct services from Paris to 18 destinations

Other Paris-originating Thalys services fan out from Brussels to serve other destinations across Belgium and neighboring Germany. Here is a summary of direct Thalys links from Paris (all are direct trains via Brussels):

Bruges: 1 per day
Brussels Zaventem Airport: 1 per day
Cologne: 5 per day
Duisburg: 2 per day
Düsseldorf: 3 per day
Düsseldorf Airport: 1 per day
Essen: 3 per day
Ghent: 1 per day
Liège: 5 per day
Oostende: 1 per day

In addition, Thalys has a once-daily service from Paris to Liège via Mons, Charleroi and Namur (so not serving Brussels).

Seasonal services

Thalys also runs a limited number of additional seasonal services geared to the holiday market. These include summer Saturday services from Amsterdam (via Brussels) to the south of France and winter direct trains to French ski resorts.

Passengers board a Thalys train in Liege. Photo: HiddenEurope.

On board

Thalys trains offer two classes of service, referred to as Comfort 1 and Comfort 2. All seats in both classes are fully reservable. This is not, on the whole, a turn-up-and-ride rail service. You need to book in advance.

Travelers in Comfort 1 accommodation making any journey of 50 minutes or more receive a complimentary meal service appropriate to the time of day. Expect a decent three-course spread on midday and evening journeys and lighter snacks at other times. Good French wines and classic Belgian beers are also served without charge in Comfort 1.

Comfort 2 passengers can make their way to the bar for a snack, sandwiches and beverages — but you do have to pay.

Fair fares

Thalys services open for booking three months prior to the date of travel and — as so often across Europe — it pays to book early for the best deals. Fares are keenly priced, with a one-way ticket from Paris to Cologne starting at €35. There are some especially good deals in Comfort 1 at off-peak times.

Thalys also offers great value through fares from London, using Eurostar to Brussels and connecting there with onward Thalys connections to the Netherlands and Germany. One-way fares start at €59 in Comfort 2 (with Standard Class on Eurostar) and €109 in Comfort 1 (with Standard Premier on Eurostar).

Pass holders

We are great fans of the Thalys product. This is a rail operator with a great network served by premium high-speed trains. If we have just one negative comment, it is that holders of Eurail and InterRail passes should think twice before opting for Thalys.

Rail passes are not accepted at all on the seasonal Thalys services to the Alps and Provence. They are accepted on other Thalys trains, but only for international journeys, and the rail pass supplements are hefty — sometimes even more than an advance-booking ticket for the same journey. Here are some examples of the supplements payable by holders of global InterRail and Eurail passes:

Paris to Amsterdam €39 (2nd), €62 (1st)
Cologne to Paris €36 (2nd), €51 (1st)

If you have a pass with more restricted geographical validity, one that covers only part of your intended Thalys route, then even higher supplements kick in.

Alternatives to Thalys

Thalys offers comfort and speed. But if you have a rail pass, you have the flexibility to take detours. Even in markets where Thalys has a monopoly in direct train services, there are always other options. You will need to change trains along the way, but you can then avoid those hefty Thalys supplements.

From Brussels to Amsterdam, for example, just take the regular cross-border service to Den Haag. The latter route runs every two hours. At Den Haag, you can hop onto the next Dutch local train for the short onward journey to Amsterdam.

The post Paris to Brussels and Beyond: Essential Thalys appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here are some suggestions for day trips into the Scottish hills.

Heading for the Spey Valley

The Highlands are a vast area of rugged terrain, much of it very remote from Scotland’s two principal cities. A decent tour of the Highlands demands at least a fortnight. But it is possible to get a feel for the mountains in easy day trips from Edinburgh or Glasgow.

From either city, it is just two and half hours by regular fast train to Kingussie. It is a pretty enough Highland township in the Spey Valley, but the real reason for making the journey is just to gaze through the window at the passing scenery. North of Perth, the hillsides tilt ever sharper as the train follows the Tay Valley north, before climbing over wild Drumochter Pass and dropping down into the headwaters of the Spey.

Into the Trossachs

If you are really pushed for time, and just want to catch the spirit of the Highlands, then head for the Trossachs (little more than an hour’s drive from either Glasgow or Edinburgh). Sir Walter Scott popularised this gorgeous sweep of mountains, forests and lakes in his narrative poem The Lady of the Lake. This one poem, first published in 1810, did more to promote the Trossachs than all the tourist brochures ever published since.

Take a boat trip on Loch Katrine where the steamship SS Sir Walter Scott runs regular tours from April till October.

The bonnie banks of Loch Lomond

Even closer to Glasgow is famous Loch Lomond, its waters lapping onto the edgelands of Scotland’s largest city. Just 47 minutes on the twice-hourly local train from Glasgow Queen Street to Balloch and you’ll be able to see the loch and its surrounding mountains. It’s the traditional excursion for urbanites who just want a peek of the Highlands without getting tousled hair and muddy shoes.

To the west coast

If you’re the type who needs a bit of sea along with your mountains, then Oban is the obvious choice. Scotrail runs regular trains from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban. It is a three-hour journey that takes in Loch Lomond, Loch Awe and grand views of many a Munro. (If you are a Scotland novice, you’ll need to check out what a Munro is.) Trains run three or four times daily on the route from Glasgow to Oban.

From June 23rd to August 25th, Scotrail also runs a direct Sunday excursion train from Edinburgh to Oban. It departs Edinburgh Waverly at 8:10 am, and the schedule allows five hours in Oban before the journey back to the Scottish capital. That’s just enough time to catch the ferry from Oban to Mull and back—proof indeed that one can see something of the Scottish Highlands and Islands in a day!

Anything to add?

If you consider yourself a Highlands expert, or you just have a couple tips to share, head down to the comments section below and let us know!

The post Heading for the Hills: Escapes from Scottish Cities appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Echoes of colonial rule

Cast back one hundred years and Spain had just secured (through the Treaty of Fez in the spring of 1912) international recognition for her North African protectorate which extended from Larache on the Atlantic coast to well east of Melilla on the Mediterranean coast. Moroccan independence in 1956 spelled the end of the protectorate, but Spain has clung to two cities on the coast of Morocco, eight offshore islands in the Alboran Sea and one heavily fortified rock connected to the Moroccan mainland by a sandy isthmus.

Many of these fragments of Spanish territory are no-go areas for civilians, but the two cities, Melilla and Ceuta, both make interesting excursions for travelers exploring the western Mediterranean. And each is a potential gateway to Africa – albeit a very unusual introduction to the continent.

Fortress Europe

Both Melilla and Ceuta share common land borders with Morocco, and in each case that frontier is marked by a ferocious border fence, designed to deter migrants from elsewhere in Africa who might otherwise use Ceuta and Melilla as easy routes into the European Union. These are, in a very real sense, gated communities.

That said, there is a high level of contact between the two Spanish cities and nearby communities in Morocco — in Ceuta particularly with Tetouan province and in Melilla especially with Nador province. Yet, for many Africans, the two Spanish cities on the coast of Morocco are a very tangible manifestation of Fortress Europe.

Many faces, many races

Both cities are similarly large, in each case with a population of about 70,000 including an interesting mix of Spanish, Moroccan, Berber, and Jewish settlers. In both cities, you’ll hear a rich mix of languages, recalling the cosmopolitan mosaic of races, cultures and religions that long characterized many Mediterranean ports. In Ceuta, there is even a small Hindi-speaking population.

Travel options

Ceuta has a more industrial feel, as befits a port that handles a wide range of goods and has huge ferries leaving every hour for Spain proper. Melilla is a shade more laid-back, relying heavily on the local fishing industry. Both towns make for a curious first taste of Africa.

Given the choice, make for Melilla rather than Ceuta. During the current winter season, Acciona Trasmediterranea operate daily ferries from both Málaga and Almería to Melilla. The passage time is six to nine hours. Melilla is well placed for onward journeys through Morocco. After a stay in Melilla, it is an easy walk over the border to pick up the Moroccan rail network at Beni Nsar.

Visa questions

Ceuta and Melilla are both part of the Eurozone and both are on the same time zone as mainland Spain (so, depending on the time of year, either one or two hours in advance of Morocco).

Both cities are part of  the Schengen area. Thus, a Schengen visa is valid for entry to both these fragments of Spanish territory in North Africa. However, if you are planning onward travel beyond Ceuta and Melilla into Morocco (and beyond), bear in mind that you will be leaving the Schengen area. A single-entry Schengen visa will thus be canceled as you leave Spanish territory and you will not be able to reenter the Schengen area without securing a new visa. Similarly, make sure that your passport is valid for visa-free travel to Morocco before planning journeys beyond Ceuta or Melilla. And, if it isn’t, then don’t forget that Moroccan visa.

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Boulogne is situated in the northeast corner of France near Calais.

But onward travel through France was slow and so, for a generation of Brits, this little fragment of France abutting the English Channel was the only portion of the country that they really knew.

The Nord / Pas-de-Calais region

But what a lovely corner of France it was… and still is today. Its charms are too easily overlooked by British travelers today, whose arrival in France is often all-too-hurried. They are too intent to rush on, keen to head south to the Dordogne or Provence. Insofar as they stop at all in the Calais or Boulogne region, it is usually only on the way home and then merely to load the car with the cheap wine that has become the Brits’ favorite import from France.

Viewed from the perspective of Paris, and even more so from the salons of the Riviera, the cities and ports of the far north of France are still seen as impossibly remote. It’s a sentiment nicely captured in the hugely successful film Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis (“Welcome to the Sticks”). “North of Paris lie only the boondocks,” says our Avignon friend, going on to recount stories of pungent Maroilles cheese, cauliflowers and mining communities in terminal decline. Such are the prejudices of one too pampered by life in the sunny south.

Boulogne’s Old Town

Visiting Boulogne

So we told her that was nonsense and hopped on the next train to Boulogne, the one-time ferry port that once thrived on its links with Britain. The cross-Channel steamers have gone, now focusing their commercial efforts on Calais just 35 km up the coast. And, without the day trippers, that makes Boulogne all the more enjoyable.

The local tourism authorities still have a sharp eye on the British market, ever conscious that in terms of travel time Boulogne and Calais are closer to London than they are to Paris. “Real France, real close” run the ads prepared for the UK market.

Boulogne highlights

And this is real France, for Brits just a quick hop from London with Eurostar or a pleasant 90-minute cruise from Dover on P&O’s magnificent ferries.

Boulogne in particular is something special. We wandered the Gambetta Quai each morning, which boasts a superb fish market. And each evening we ate fresh fish in whatever manner Tony Lestienne favored that day. Lestienne is the most accomplished of chefs in a town with a rich culinary tradition. If you eat at the La Matelote restaurant, you are in for a treat. But if budgets are tight, head to the restaurant in the nearby Nausicáa Centre, where Monsieur Lestienne runs the in-house catering.

With its ramparts, walled Old Town and maze of narrow streets, Boulogne is pure France. And there are enough sights to detain you for three or four days.

The castle museum is a gem, with its oddly eclectic mix of exhibits. The range runs from a hall devoted to the funereal rites of Ancient Egypt through a stunning collection of Alaskan masks to delicately beautiful paintings of local Opale Coast beaches and dunescapes.

The big-draw sight in town is of course Nausicáa, an aquarium and environmental education center that lies on the northern fringes of town. It is justifiably celebrated.

Riding the coast: North to Calais

We left by bus, taking the morning local service up the coast to Calais. This is a roller coaster of a route that takes in cliffs and bays aplenty, the entire run enlivened by wonderful views of the white cliffs of the Kent coast just across the Channel. It is a good reminder that this is a corner of France whose fortunes have been forever shaped by its proximity to England.

Getting to Boulogne

From England, we strongly recommend the P&O ferry link from Dover to Calais. This is travel as it should be – relaxed, sedate and stylish. From Calais Port, it is an easy (if not exactly beautiful) hike into town to take one of the regular local trains from Calais Ville station to Boulogne.

Calais Ville station wins no prizes for grace or grandeur, but do take a few minutes to see Calais town hall, just south of the station. It is one of the most strikingly beautiful buildings in all of Flanders.

The rail route from Calais down to Boulogne runs inland, which means that you will only get occasional glimpses of the sea. So you might consider taking the none-too-frequent local bus service that departs from the Place d’Armes in Calais and hugs the coast all the way down to Boulogne. (Just note: No Sunday services on that bus route.)

From London St Pancras (and for that matter also from Brussels Midi), there are Eurostar trains direct to Calais Fréthun, in each case with a travel time of just one hour, where you can walk down to the very spartan local platform for the onward train to Boulogne. Calais to Boulogne takes just 30 minutes.

And if you are in France and can overcome local prejudices about the far, far north, you’ll find great rail connections from Paris to Boulogne. We recommend the line via Amiens, used by classic old-style but very comfortable InterCité trains, which take about 2hrs 45mins for the journey.

There are also five-times-daily TGV services which speed from Paris to Boulogne in just over two hours. The route they take is less immediately appealing than the more traditional Amiens line, but you do get some nice views of the landscapes of Picardie and Flanders.

The post France: Visiting Boulogne and Calais appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Another old Paddington euphemism, one we have not heard for many a year, is the habit of alluding to Platform 1 as “the departure stage.” In the 19th century, that was where the premium trains departed. It’s a nice phrase, a happy reminder that there is still something theatrical about leaving a grand railway station. Departures deserve a little drama.

Arriving in Paddington after 15 minutes of theatre. Photo: Lars Plougmann

All stops on the Piccadilly Line

Visitors to London are spoiled for choice when it comes to getting out to Heathrow. But let’s face it. There’s not much drama if you ride the tube, en route swapping subterranean gloom for London’s leafy western suburbs. There are an awful lot of intermediate stops and it’s a challenge to work up any great enthusiasm for the architectural charms of South Ealing, Northfields or Boston Manor.

Or 15 minutes of theatre

But the Heathrow Express does have a touch of the dramatic about it. It is a great alternative to the slow grind on the Piccadilly line. Trains run every 15 minutes and the travel time from Paddington to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 and 3 is just 15 minutes. (Trips to slightly further distant Terminals 4 and 5 take a little longer.) And the run out from Paddington to the airport offers 15 minutes of theatre.

You catch glimpses of some very engaging architecture along the way, from the assertively modern Paddington Basin development to sedate Victorian suburbs like Ealing. There is art deco style (watch out for the EMI plant at Hayes), a water tower disguised as a castle (near Southall) and wonderful reminders of London’s multicultural character.

Just before Southall station, on the left and easily identifiable from its golden dome, is the largest Sikh temple in Europe. And the station signs at Southall station are in both Punjabi and English. This is “Bend it like Beckham” country and a chance to catch a glimpse of quite another London from that which features in the regular tourist guides.

A blurry flurry passes… Photo: JDinBawlmer

A changing London

Times have changed since the great 19th-century engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel built this fine route out from Paddington to the west. The new branch off to Heathrow is a mere youthful upstart.

But until the moment, usually about 11 minutes out from Paddington, when you branch off from Brunel’s main line to burrow underground to Heathrow, you’ll get an eyeful of classic railway architecture. There is Wharncliffe Viaduct, a feast of brick and Georgian elegance that just oozes style.

Heathrow Connect for slow-motion replay

There are some journeys that we just wish would take a little longer. This is one of them. Heathrow Express is a premium service, but it is a visual feast. Part of the appeal is the kaleidoscope of images seen at speed.

If you want a slow motion re-run, then note that Heathrow Express has a slower sibling that makes the same journey at a more moderate pace. It is called Heathrow Connect and the fares are a little cheaper.

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When winter strikes

In three of the last five winters, we have had at least one trip where we were seriously delayed on journeys back to our Berlin base, in each case not reaching home until a day later than anticipated. And that is just what happened last weekend: what should have been a routine journey from London to Berlin turned out to be a 25-hour epic.

“Hop on the Next Train” stamped on the back of a ticket.

The key to getting the best out of Europe’s railways is having a through ticket from origin to destination, which was just what we had on Saturday when we set out from London with through tickets to Berlin (a snip at just €49 per person).

Stuck in Brussels

Eurostar was as magnificent as ever, speeding us through the Channel Tunnel and on through wintry Flanders to Brussels Midi where we arrived just after 2 p.m. But the onward connecting train to Germany was cancelled due to bad weather, and many other services were heavily delayed.

Western Europe’s principal rail operators cooperate in an alliance called Railteam. And if things go wrong, you can ask to be rerouted on other Railteam member trains to reach your final destination.

Railteam: Hop on the next train

Many cheaper European rail tickets (the ones we love) restrict you to specific trains and routes. But when trains are canceled or connections missed due to a late-running train, you can ask any railway official to stamp the reverse side of your ticket. This confirms that you have encountered problems along the way, and that you are now entitled to use alternative trains or even a very different route to reach your final destination.

The Railteam stamp (nicely embellished with the slogan “Hop on the Next Train”) is your passport to flexibility in times of trouble.

Onward via Paris

We were rerouted from Brussels on a stylish Thalys train (all lush vibrant pink and purple velour) to Paris, where there was just time for a quick supper before hopping on an overnight City Night Line (CNL) train to Germany.

The Paris to Berlin sleeper would have been our first choice, but that was booked out, so we opted for the CNL train to Hamburg where luck was very much on our side as we grabbed the last remaining two-berth sleeper (for which we paid a supplementary sleeper charge – crisp linen sheets come at a cost, but we do like our creature comforts).

Snoozing to Hamburg

This was a perfect overnight journey. We both slept like logs, awakening on Sunday to see a glorious winter sunrise over northern Germany. We continued with a sleek Deutsche Bahn ICE train to Berlin, enjoying breakfast on the way and arriving home early afternoon.

What could have been a nightmare turned out to be a happily memorable journey. All thanks to the Railteam alliance.

The moral: Next time you run into trouble on the rails, make sure you get your ticket stamped to confirm the disruption. Train crews and station staff will provide the necessary stamp, and once it’s there you can exploit the flexibility of the network to reach your destination.

Don’t get flustered or annoyed. Delays are all part of traveling and with a little patience you’ll still reach your destination in the end. And perhaps with some unanticipated adventures along the way.

The post When Rail Journeys are Disrupted: Meet the Railteam Alliance appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

A church in Jutland. Photo © hidden europe magazine

Beat those Winter Blues

Those few leisure travelers who are out-and-about are heading in the main for Europe’s winter sports regions. Buck that trend and you will have much of Europe to yourself.

We traveled last week along Denmark’s windy North Sea coast, enjoying empty roads and clear blue skies. This past weekend we rode by train through northern Germany: ten trains in all, and never more than a handful of people aboard. Spread out, and enjoy the space on trains which would be crowded in mid-summer.

Low season rates and heavy discounting by hoteliers still don’t woo the crowds. So travel is cheap. Bleak weather is still interesting. And there is a peculiar charm to many off-season coastal resorts. Expect dramatic skyscapes and wild seas. Go dressed for the worst.

Five of the Best

Here are a handful of our top coastal choices for January travel:

Gozo: Malta’s kid sister is at her best in the depths of winter. Catch it when the fierce grigal winds blow in and you’ll see a moody Gozo far removed from the sedate Mediterranean island featured in guidebooks.

Connemara and Galway: Western Ireland can be formidably crowded in summer, yet even popular spots like Clifden offer space to breathe in deepest winter. Watch and feel Atlantic waves and winds roll in off the ocean.

Istria: This little pocket of territory near the head of the Adriatic, where the Latin and Slavic worlds collide, is the perfect antidote to winter blues. Piran (Slovenia) is our favorite winter hideaway on the Istrian coast.

The North Frisian Islands: It just happens that’s where we are staying all this week. The chic set who celebrated New Year here has gone and everyday life has returned to this happy scatter of Danish and German islands in the eastern North Sea. Off-season in the region is hard to beat, whether you opt for the islands of Sylt, Amrun and Föhr (all on the German side of the border) or head further north to the Danish islands.

Galicia: The north-west corner of Spain teems with summer visitors, yet is deserted in January. The seafood is as good as ever and if you drive out to the headland at Cape Finisterre on a stormy day you really will have a sense of having reached the end of the earth.

The post Exploring Europe’s Coastal Regions in Winter appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

The Eurolines network

The most convenient network of services for travelers looking to travel around Europe by coach is coordinated by Eurolines. This is not one company but a strong alliance of coach operators who coordinates their timetables and provide integrated ticketing for international journeys across Europe. This gives a continent-wide brand for marketing purposes and allows passengers to plan complicated itineraries that criss-cross Europe.

There are of course many long distance coach services in Europe that are not part of the Eurolines network. For example the Czech company Student Agency runs some two dozen routes from their hub in Prague. PolskiBus has a network of eight routes from Warsaw, the fledglng company’s growing network now also serving Vienna, Berlin, Bratislava and Prague. There are many itineraries where these non-Eurolines operators precisely fill a gap, but for its Europe-wide reach to over 500 cities, Eurolines has no serious rival.

Useful long-distance links

Eurolines does offer some intriguingly long routes. For example, service 350 operates thrice weekly direct from Amsterdam to Lisbon (“Lisboa” in Portuguese), a 36-hour journey that connects two cities some 1,500 miles apart. Even longer direct routes link cities in western Germany with provincial centers in the Russian Federation.

Good for shorter hops too

The Eurolines network thus often steps in with a convenient direct link on a routing that would require several changes of train. With Eurolines, you can board a bus in Switzerland and travel directly to Macedonia or Moldova.

But such long hauls may not be for everyone. And we find that Eurolines-affiliated services are also perfect for shorter hops, particularly in those parts of Europe where rail services are sparse. For example, comfortable long-distance coaches, most of them operating under the Eurolines umbrella, are far better than trains for journeys between the capitals of the Baltic States: Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius.

And there are times where it is just fun to travel by road for a change. There are several Eurolines coaches each day from London to Paris and other French cities. While most Eurolines schedules from London to France use the Eurotunel vehicle shuttle service, some are routed via the P&O Ferries link from Dover to Calais – always a great way to cross the Channel. And with return fares for the London to Paris run starting at just £39, the coach option can make good sense for budget travelers.

Book online

Bookings can be made online for most journeys, usually on the website of the Eurolines affiliate in your country of departure. But that does NOT mean that you need to know which particular company flies the Eurolines flag in each country. The organization maintains an excellent web portal, where you can click on the country of departure to be redirected to the relevant national site.

Here are some sample travel times (with the travel time of the fastest direct train shown for comparison):

• Brussels to Zürich: 9h 45m by Eurolines (train 8h 19m)
• Berlin to Prague: 4h 30m by Eurolines (train 4h 30m)
• Zagreb to Munich: 8h by Eurolines (train 8h 25m)
• Copenhagen to Stockholm: 9h 45m by Eurolines (train 4h 20m)
• Paris to Amsterdam: 8h by Eurolines (train 3h 19m)
• Vienna to Budapest: 2h 55m by Eurolines (train 2h 55m)

National partners

Although Eurolines coach services are principally intended for international journeys, in many countries you can also use Eurolines services for domestic journeys that cross no international borders. And many of the participating companies in the Eurolines family also have comprehensive national networks which allow you to switch seamlessly from international to national services.

For example the UK participant in Eurolines is National Express. And you can use the National Express website to book a through journey from many provincial spots around Britain to the continent. A single ticket (for example Manchester to Paris) covers travel on a National Express coach to London where you connect onto an onward Eurolines service for the continent.

More on Eurolines

Now that we’ve introduced Eurolines coach journeys, it’s time to take a little closer at their fares. Read our next post on Eurolines passes, with some tips on getting the best deals, and see how a coach pass can allow you to roam at will across Europe on Eurolines services.

Rail pass options

Interested in seeing a full list of rail pass options? Visit our booking partner, Rail Europe, to compare rates, destinations covered and see their latest promotions.

The post Eurolines: International coach journeys in Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

So much well-justified praise is heaped on Eurostar’s capital city links that it is easy to overlook that the rail service through the Channel Tunnel is good for more than merely quick hops to nearby capitals.

Direct trains to the Alps

Last Saturday, Eurostar kicked off its regular season of direct ski-trains, serving some of France’s premier winter sports resorts from London and two other stations in south-east England: Ebbsfleet and Ashford.

Ready to board in St Pancras. Photo © hidden europe magazine

Although the trains are aimed fair and square at the winter sports market, you certainly don’t need to be a skier to use these trains which are a very fine way of traveling from England to the Savoie area of eastern France. The services run through mid-April and operate to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, stopping along the way at Moûtiers-Salins-Brides-les-Bains and Aime-La Plagne. The latter, with its cottage-style stone station building, surely rates as the most rural station on the Eurostar network.

Dash South to Avignon

Tickets go on sale tomorrow (December 22, 2011) for Eurostar’s 2012 season of direct trains from London and Ashford to Avignon in the south of France. Travelers can speed from Kent to the heart of the Provence in less than five hours.

And whereas most French high-speed trains serve Avignon TGV station, the Eurostar services drop passengers at Avignon Centre, just a stone’s throw from the ancient city wall and the Old Town. For Londoners keen to catch some southern sun, the direct Eurostar service to Avignon is hugely more appealing than tackling airport crowds.

Eurostar operates a two-class service on the Avignon route (compared with the choice of three classes on their capital city services). Fares start at £109 return in Standard Class and, for passengers wanting extra space with complimentary meals and drinks, return tickets in Standard Premier are from £249.

Connections through Brussels

We traveled last Wednesday from London to Cologne, an easy 4hr 20min journey including a slick connection from Eurostar onto a German ICE train at Brussels. You can use the Eurostar website to book through journeys from London to Aachen and Cologne in Germany, as well as to any station in the Netherlands or in Belgium.

City center to city center travel times often undercut comparable journeys made by air. For example, the fastest rail connections from London to Rotterdam (changing at Brussels) take less than four hours.

Beyond Paris

Travelers from the UK can use the Eurostar website to book through tickets from London via Paris to a dozen Swiss cities and to over 60 stations across France.

We used this latter option last month on a London to Strasbourg journey, which took 5hrs 15mins. That included time for a change of trains in Paris, requiring an easy ten-minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l’Est. One-way fares on this routing start at £55.

Some travelers worry that many itineraries via Paris require a change of station in the French capital. And that is where Lille Europe station comes in handy, as it offers seamless connections between Eurostar and the French high-speed network without the need to switch stations. For example, the same lead-in fare of £55 from London to Strasbourg is also available on routings via Lille.

You can book with Eurostar from London to Lille and connect there onto direct trains to Nice, Toulouse, Marseille, Bordeaux and dozens of other destinations across France. Again, through bookings for most itineraries can be made on the Eurostar website.

Other Links

The regular direct Eurostar trains from London to Marne la Vallée-Chessy are operated mainly for visitors heading to the Disneyland complex east of Paris, but can also be used to link to and from connecting TGV services.

And we have found Eurostar useful for short hops on the continent. For example, Eurostar trains can be used to travel from Lille to both Brussels and Calais.

Rail pass options

Interested in seeing a full list of rail pass options? Visit our booking partner, Rail Europe, to compare rates, destinations covered and see their latest promotions.

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