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How to travel by train from London to Europe - a complete guide General information page How to travel by train from London to Europe . . . Home Site map Search site Useful links Railpasses What's new About me E-mail me Guestbook UK UK train travel Channel Islands Northern Ireland Europe Europe by train general info Albania Andorra Austria Belgium Belarus Bosnia Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Rep. 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It's remarkably easy, quick and comfortable to travel overland by train from London to just about anywhere: Spain, Italy, Greece, Prague, Helsinki, Moscow... The difficult bit is finding out how to do it and where to buy tickets. That's where 'seat 61' comes in..! This website will tell you the best train times and approximate fares from London to major destinations all over Europe. It will tell you what the trains are like, and how to buy your ticket. Where do I start? Rail travel from the UK to: Albania Andorra Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Gibraltar Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Monaco Morocco Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Tunisia Turkey Ukraine Let's start with train times and sample fares from London to your European destination. Simply select your destination country in the drop-down box above, or use the navigation menu to the left. Return to this page for general information. On this page: Where can I buy train tickets to Europe? Couchettes and sleeping-cars Taking your bike How far in advance can I book? Travelling by Eurostar Taking your car - Motorail Can I check train times online? First or second class? Taking your dog or pet Can I check fares online? Child fares Passengers with special needs Can I book any European train from the UK? Luggage Recommended guidebooks Railpasses - for a beginner's guide to European railpasses, including Inter-Rail and Eurail passes, see the railpass page . Where can I buy train tickets to Europe? Back to top Booking online: You can book international train tickets from London or Paris to France, Italy, Spain & Switzerland online at the Eurostar website and the French Railways website - see the can I book tickets to Europe online? section. For most other international train journeys, you'll need to book by phone with one of the agencies listed below. Booking by phone: It's easy to book European trains from the UK once you know who to call..! A number of UK agencies sell European train tickets, although some are better for some journeys than others. Remember that European train reservations open 60 days or for some trains 90 days before departure - you cannot book before reservations open..! Here's a list of the main agencies: Rail Europe 0870 5 848 848 Recommended for booking journeys from London to France, Switzerland, Italy & Spain. Phone lines open 08:00 - 21:00 Mondays to Fridays, 09:00 - 18:00 Saturdays & 10:00 - 17:00 Sundays. Website www.raileurope.co.uk , e-mail reservations@raileurope.co.uk . You can book in person at the Rail Europe travel centre at 179 Piccadilly, London, open 10:00-18:00 Mondays to Fridays, 10:00 - 17:00 Saturdays. It gets very busy in the Summer, so allow plenty of time. Rail Europe is the UK's biggest European rail agency, owned by the French Railways (SNCF). They use the French Railways reservation system, so are good for journeys to France and via France to major cities in Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Austria. Their phone lines are open in the evenings and at weekends, and unlike smaller agencies, the staff are online to the reservation computer during your call, and can quote you train times, fares and availability there and then. A small booking fee is charged (about 6). On the down side, their SNCF reservations system can have problems booking certain trains outside France that the systems used by smaller agencies can do easily - for example, it booked Paris to Rome without a problem, then failed to book a train from Rome to Sicily which Ffestiniog Travel did easily. I have come across staff who are reluctant to sell tickets to more exotic destinations such as Moscow, Istanbul, and Bucharest. Deutsche Bahn has a better reservation system and may have cheaper fares for journeys to Germany, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. If you have any problems booking through Rail Europe, simply try Deutsche Bahn or one of the smaller expert agencies such as Ffestiniog Travel or TrainsEurope. Rail Europe do not sell rail+sea tickets to Paris or Brussels, only Eurostar. Unlike smaller agencies, they won't get reservations for you by fax/e-mail if the reservations you want are not held on the European computerised reservation system (but this normally only applies to more exotic journeys such as Athens to Sofia - see Can I book any European train from the UK? ). Deutsche Bahn 0870 2 43 53 63 Recommended for journeys from London to Germany, Scandinavia, central & eastern Europe. Phone lines open 09:00 - 17:00 Monday to Friday, closed Saturdays & Sundays. Website www.deutsche-bahn.co.uk .e-mail enquiries to sales@deutsche-bahn.co.uk This is German Railways' excellent UK telesales office, good for tickets from London to Germany as they use German Railways' reservation computer and can access all German Railways' special offers. They are also good for Scandinavia, Austria (via Brussels/Germany) and eastern Europe, including trains to Russia and the Ukraine. As you're booking direct with German Railways, there is no booking fee, although a 3 fee is charged for credit cards, so use a debit card if you can. Ffestiniog Travel 01766 512400 An experienced and capable European rail agency offering Eurostar, European rail tickets, & railpasses. Website www.festtravel.co.uk , e-mail info@festtravel.demon.co.uk . It can sometimes be better to book through a smaller specialist agency, especially for more far-flung trips or to less usual destinations. Ffestiniog Travel is one such agency, offering a full range of tickets, including Eurostar, rail-sea-rail tickets, railpasses and seat, couchette and sleeper reservations. It is part of the Ffestiniog Railway, based at Harbour Station, Porthmadog, North Wales. Open Monday-Saturday, telephone bookings taken. A small booking fee is charged, about 8%. TrainsEurope 0871 700 7722 An experienced and capable European rail agency offering Eurostar, European rail tickets, rail-sea-rail tickets & railpasses. Website www.trainseurope.co.uk , e-mail info@trainseurope.co.uk . Fax 01354 660444. From outside the UK, call +44 1354 660222 . Trains Europe can make seat, couchette & sleeper reservation for almost any train in Europe except those starting in Portugal, Serbia, Greece, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova or the Baltic states. A small booking fee is charged. TrainsEurope have a contact in Romania, so are a good agency to call for trips through Romania to Istanbul, for example. Located in March, Cambridgeshire. Other recommended UK agencies: www.railchoice.co.uk (call 020 8659 7300), www.international-rail.com (Ropley, Hampshire, call 01962 773646), www.rail-canterbury.co.uk (39 Palace Street Canterbury, call 01227 450088, e-mail rail@rail-canterbury.co.uk ), www.spanish-rail.co.uk (Spanish Railways' UK agency for tickets to and within Spain, call 020 7224 0345), www.europeanrail.com (Tavistock Place, London WC1, call 020 7387 0444), www.railbookers.com (e-mail info@railbookers.com or call 0870 730 0720), www.freedomrail.co.uk (Blackpool, call 0870 757 98 98), www.thetravelbureau.co.uk (office in Wombourne, West Midlands). If you live in Ireland... You can book European train travel through Irish Rail by telephone on (01) 703 1885, in person at 35 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1, or by e-mail at europeanrail@irishrail.ie . If you live in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore etc... If you live in the USA or Canada, you can buy European train tickets & railpasses at www.raileurope.com , North America's biggest European rail ticketing agency. There are also agencies in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, South Africa and other countries - click here for a list of overseas agencies who sell European train tickets and railpasses. Alternatively, you can book many national journeys and some international journeys online, and pick up the tickets at the station. See the next section below... Sponsored links: Can I book tickets to Europe online ? Back to top Many straightforward train journeys in western Europe can now be booked online, although more complex journeys, and most journeys in eastern Europe, cannot be booked online and will need to be booked by phone. Here are the options for online booking: London to Paris, France, Belgium & The Netherlands: Book online at www.eurostar.com You can book train journeys from London to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, the most popular destinations in France, any station in Belgium, also Rotterdam and The Hague online at www.eurostar.com . Tickets will be sent to any UK address or you can choose to pick them up at the station on departure. This is the simplest and easiest website to use, although it won't book overnight trains, and the voyages-sncf website described below offers more destinations, allows more advanced control over each booking, will also book overnight trains, and can sometimes offer cheaper options. London to France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland: Book online at www.voyages-sncf.com The French Railways website, www.voyages-sncf.com , is the recommended way to book train journeys from London or Paris to anywhere in France and to major cities in Italy, Spain or Switzerland. Tickets will be posted to any address in the UK or most other European countries, and some other countries worldwide. Tickets can also be picked up at stations in France. Paying in euros on this website (so your own bank converts it to pounds sterling) is cheaper than paying UK travel agency fares which are converted at a less favourable rate of exchange. Using the voyages-sncf website, you can find some amazingly cheap 'prems' fares - for example, Paris to Venice 35 euros in 6-berth or 70 euros in 4-berth, Paris to Marseille 25 euros, Paris to Nice 40 euros overnight with couchette, Paris to Milan by TGV 25 euros. But please read the advice below first, and if you have any problems with this site, book by phone if necessary. The same booking system, with prices in pounds and tickets posted to UK addresses only, appears re-badged for Rail Europe (French Railways' UK subsidiary) on www.raileurope.co.uk and www.tgv.co.uk . First, do your homework : Use www.seat61.com to find the best train times and fares from London to your destination, so you know what you're looking for... Make a note of each train you want to book and the date of departure. Then go to www.voyages-sncf.com . Look for the 'English' button: It's a UK flag at the bottom of the page on the left, not the easiest thing to find..! Choose your country : Select 'Great Britain' if you want the tickets sent to a UK address. If you select 'Great Britain' it will later offer you 'payment online in euros' or 'payment in GBP by contacting Rail Europe in London'. Select online payment in Euros if you want a cheap 'prems' fare in France, as these will not show up otherwise. You may also get a better exchange rate buying in euros than paying their pounds sterling prices. On the other hand, the option to pay by contacting Rail Europe allows you to hold a reservation without payment, calling Rail Europe to pay at a later date, and you can arrange to pick up the tickets from Rail Europe's travel centre in London if this is more convenient. If you live overseas , www.voyages-sncf.com will send tickets to any address in Europe and in many countries worldwide, but not to the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Singapore. To get round this, simply book the Eurostar separately at www.eurostar.com , choosing to pick up tickets at Waterloo station in London. Then book the onwards train from Paris at www.voyages-sncf.com , leaving 'France' selected as this allows you to pick up your tickets at the ticket office in Paris or any major station in France. Book your journey in two stages , not one : First book the journey from Paris to your final destination and back, then click 'add another ticket' and book your Eurostar from London to Paris and back as a second separate journey. You can pay for both bookings together at the end of your session. There are three reasons for booking the Eurostar and the onwards train from Paris separately: 1) if you try to book, for example, London to Rome all in one go, it will simply add up the full fares and won't take account of the special offers available from Paris to Rome; 2) you may want to mix and match classes, for example, 2nd class Eurostar London to Paris then 1st class 4-berth couchette or 1st class 2-bed sleeper, on the Paris to Rome leg. You can only do this if you book each leg separately; 3) it allows you to search for an earlier Eurostar connection from London (or a later one back from Paris on your return) if there are no cheap seats left on the recommended Eurostar connection, or if you want to stop off in Paris for a while. Make sure you book the right type of seat, couchette or sleeper : When the page with train times appears, use the 'options' button above each train time to toggle between different types of seat, couchette or sleeper. You'll also need to toggle between 1st class and 2nd class to see all types of sleeper and couchette on a night train. Be careful if it suggests you 'upgrade to first class...' as you could be downgrading from a 2nd class sleeper to an inferior 1st class couchette, or worse, from a 2nd class sleeper to a 1st class reclining seat (!) P lay around & see what this system offers you: If in any doubt you can always book by phone instead . Don't try to use this system for journeys from the UK via Brussels to Germany, Scandinavia, central or eastern Europe, as cheaper fares are often available by calling Deutsche Bahn's UK office . Use other websites (if necessary) to book onwards connections: For example, voyages-sncf.com can book Eurostar and the train from Paris to Rome or Madrid, but may not succeed in booking onwards connections from Rome to Naples or Madrid to Malaga. If so, simply book the main journey with voyages-sncf.com, then book the last leg using another website. For example www.trenitalia.it can book any train within Italy (tickets can be picked up at the station, or there is a ticketless option for the best Eurostar Italia trains), www.renfe.es can book daytime trains within Spain, with ticket pick-up at the station in Spain. There is a list of national railway websites on the useful links page, and many of these will have online ticket sales for journeys within that country. International journeys within Europe... You can book international journeys from France to Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria & Switzerland online at www.voyages-sncf.com - if you select 'France' you can pay by credit card, then pick up the tickets at any main French Railways station. You can book international journeys from Italy to France, Germany, Austria online at www.trenitalia.it - tickets can be picked up at the station in Italy. Online booking is also possible for some international trains such as Thalys (Paris - Brussels - Amsterdam / Cologne), CityNightLine (overnight hotel trains linking Amsterdam, Germany. Switzerland, Austria), www.nachtzug.de (overnight sleeper trains between Germany and Austria, Italy, France, Denmark, Poland, Switzerland) and of course Eurostar (London to Paris & Brussels). Train journeys wholly within one country... Journeys wholly within one country can often be booked at the website of the relevant national train operator - many national railway websites now offer online booking, with tickets collected at the station or sometimes even printed out on your own PC printer. This includes www.voyages-sncf.com for France (including overnight trains), www.renfe.es for Spain (not overnight trains), www.trenitalia.it for Italy (including overnight trains), http://bahn.hafas.de (not overnight trains) for Germany, and others - see the useful links page for a complete list of national railway websites for each country. How far in advance can I book? Back to top Reservations open 60 days in advance - you cannot buy tickets before bookings open..! Reservations for European trains normally open 60 days ( 2 months ) before departure and can usually be made until shortly before departure. Reservations for certain services, such as Eurostar, Thalys, the Paris-Italy & Paris-Spain overnight trains, and (from October 2005) French domestic trains open 90 days ( 3 months ) before departure. You cannot buy tickets or make reservations until reservations open. But don't worry - you are unlikely to have any problems getting a reservation on the train you want if you book when bookings open. Can I check European train times on-line? The online European timetable: http://bahn.hafas.de It's easy to check train times for any journey in Europe at http://bahn.hafas.de . This is an excellent online timetable for the whole of Europe provided by the German Railways, probably the best resource for European train travel on the net. To check UK train times, it's best to use the UK system which will show any alterations due to engineering work - see the UK page . For a list of all European railway websites (usually with train times and fares for their own country), see the useful links page . The Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable... Published since 1873, the world-famous Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable has timetables for trains, buses and boats in all European countries, ships to North Africa, Israel & the Mediterranean islands. If you're going to travel a lot, for example with an InterRail or Eurail pass, you should buy one of these to plan your journey - it will save you a lot of time at stations queuing up to ask questions..! It costs 11 from the bureau de change in any UK branch of Thomas Cook, or you can buy online at www.thomascooktimetables.com (look for 'Timetables' then 'European Rail Timetable'). Alternatively, you can buy the special independent traveller's edition online at Amazon.co.uk . Can I check European fares on-line? Fares for journeys wholly within one country: You can usually check fares for journeys wholly within one country at the national railway website for that country - see the list of websites on the useful links page. Some sites will also let you book online. To check UK train fares and book tickets online, see the UK page . Fares for international journeys: You can check fares from London to major cities in France, Spain, Italy & Switzerland, at www.voyages-sncf.com or www.raileurope.co.uk . You can also use these sites to check fares from France to Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany & the Netherlands. This system has its limitations - it will not have all the best fares for journeys from the UK to Germany via Brussels, for example. It will tell you that some trains don't exist when they do - for example, it doesn't know about the through sleepers from Cologne to Moscow or the direct couchette car from Budapest to Istanbul. Use this system with care - book by phone if you have any doubt about what the system offers you. You can check international fares from Italy using www.trenitalia.it . You can check Eurostar fares from London to Paris or Brussels either using this French enquiry system or at www.eurostar.com . You can check fares within Germany and on some (but not all) international routes from Germany using the German online timetable, http://bahn.hafas.de/english.html . Fares for the Paris - Brussels - Amsterdam / Paris - Brussels - Cologne 'Thalys' high speed service can be found at www.thalys.com . Fares for DB (German Railways) sleeper trains Paris/Brussels-Berlin, Paris/Brussels-Hamburg, Paris-Munich, Cologne-Copenhagen can be found online at www.nachtzug.de . Fares for the 'trainhotels' from Paris to Madrid and Barcelona can be found on the French system mentioned above (which can also book 'trainhotel' tickets online), but fares for all the Spanish 'trainhotels', including the ones from Madrid to Lisbon, Barcelona to Zurich and Barcelona to Milan, can be found in the international section of www.renfe.es (but no online booking). www.elipsos.com also has fares (but as yet no online booking) for the international trainhotels to and from Spain. The fares shown on 'seat61' are obtained using a combination of all these sources. Where can I find a map of European rail routes? Online rail maps For online maps of the European railway network, see www.europrail.net/maps/maps.html or www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps.php . The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe - buy from Amazon UK Buy from Amazon USA This is easily the best and most comprehensive map of European train routes, showing rail lines from Portugal in the west to Ukraine in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily in the south. Scenic routes are highlighted. It costs around 7.95 from branches of Thomas Cook or you can buy online at Amazon. Well worth buying, especially if you are buying an InterRail or Eurail pass. Can I book any European train from the UK? Back to top A good European rail agency can sell you a basic ticket (without reservation) for most national or international journeys in Europe. However, you will need a reservation for a couchette or sleeper, or for a train shown as 'reservation obligatory' in the timetable. It can help to know which trains can and can't be easily reserved from the UK. The European computer reservation system - a linked series of different railways' computers - covers most of Western Europe and some of Eastern Europe, from Portugal in the west to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and (as of 2005) Serbia and Romania in the east, and from Sicily in the south to Sweden and Finland in the north, inclusive. The computer reservation systems used by European rail agents in the UK and by ticket offices at railway stations in most of Western Europe can (in theory) reserve seats, couchettes or sleepers anywhere in that area. For example, both Madrid to Lisbon and Lisbon to Madrid can be reserved from London. The computer system can also book trains starting in this area heading outwards - for example, Budapest to Istanbul or Cologne to Moscow. However, it cannot reserve places on trains in countries outside that area (e.g. Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Russia) or on trains starting outside that area heading back in, for example, Moscow back to Cologne, or Istanbul back to Budapest. In theory, reservations not reservable using the computer system can be obtained by your agency faxing or telexing the railway station where the reservations are held, but many agencies won't to do this. Rail Europe and Deutsche Bahn will tell you that reservations on such trains are 'not possible', but some smaller agencies will try and get a reservation for you, possibly for an extra fee. You can of course book seats or sleeping accommodation for such journeys at the local reservation office when you get there, although you can buy the basic travel ticket (without reservation) in the UK before you go. There is one more thing you need to know. Different agencies (and different national railways) use different systems to access the reservation and fares information. Some of these systems can't access all the information. Rail Europe's French Railways system is particularly bad for this, and may have problems (for example) with some internal trains in Italy or Spain, the Cologne-Moscow sleeper, or the Budapest-Istanbul couchettes. If this happens, they may tell you the train 'doesn't exist' when it does. If you have any problems, simply shop around - different agencies now use different systems, and some are better than others. Travelling by Eurostar ... Back to top Eurostar is the excellent high-speed train from London to Paris and Brussels through the Channel Tunnel. Most journeys to Europe now start with a trip on Eurostar to Paris or Brussels. All 1st class fares include complimentary drinks and a meal, and all passengers have access to a bar car serving drinks and snacks. Remember that you need to check-in for Eurostar trains at least 30 minutes before departure (15 minutes for passengers with certain types of 1st class ticket) to allow for an airline-style security check. Eurostar does not run on Christmas Day. Click here for more information about the Eurostar journey . Eurostar seating plan . The Eurostar website is www.eurostar.com . Eurostar in Paris... Eurostar 2nd class... Eurostar 1st class... Changing trains in Paris: mtro map - www.ratp.fr In Paris, Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord, and your connecting train will probably leave from one of the other Paris stations. The Gare de l'Est is a 10-minute walk from the Gare du Nord, but to get to any of the other Paris stations you'll need to take the metro or RER (Express Metro) across Paris. See www.ratp.fr and select 'plans' for maps of the Paris metro and bus routes. Recommended connection times in Paris The minimum connection times shown here are the minimum amount of time you should allow between the scheduled arrival of your train in Paris and the scheduled departure time of your connecting train from Paris. Travelling FROM London If your connecting train departs from the Gare de l'Est (only a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord, where Eurostar arrives): 45 minutes, if missing it simply means catching the next one. 1 hour 15 minutes minimum if catching the last train of the day or a long-distance sleeper train which you cannot afford to miss. If your connecting train departs from any other Paris station (usually a 30-40 minute RER or mtro ride from the Gare du Nord): 1 hour if missing it simply means catching the next one 1 hour 40 minutes minimum, preferably 2 hours, if catching the last train of the day or a long-distance sleeper train which you cannot afford to miss. Travelling TO London Arriving on a train at the Gare de l'Est (only a 10-min walk to Paris Nord from where Eurostar departs) 60 minutes minimum, which includes the compulsory 30-minute Eurostar check-in time . if you miss the Eurostar because your train is significantly late, the Eurostar staff should let you catch the next one, as long as seats are available. Arriving on a train at any other Paris station (usually a 30-40 min mtro or RER ride to Paris Nord) 1 hour 30 minutes minimum, which includes the compulsory 30-minute Eurostar check-in time. if you miss the Eurostar because your train is significantly late, the Eurostar staff should let you catch the next one, as long as seats are available. Since the opening of the new UK high speed line, roughly 90% of Eurostars normally arrive within 15 minutes of the advertised time, but it is not unknown for problems in the Channel Tunnel to delay a Eurostar by an hour. If you're connecting with (say) a long distance sleeper train which you can't afford to miss, then better safe than sorry..! Changing trains in Brussels: In Brussels, all long-distance trains use Brussels Midi station, where the Eurostar arrives, so changing trains is easy. However, you may have to queue for passport control as you exit the platform, and the Eurostar may arrive a bit late, so allow plenty of time..! These recommended times are the minimum. Recommended connection times in Brussels The minimum connection times shown here are the minimum amount of time you should allow between the scheduled arrival of your train in Brussels and the scheduled departure time of your connecting train from Brussels. Travelling FROM London If you're connecting in Brussels with a local or non-reserved InterCity train, where missing it simply means catching the next one: 25 minutes. If you're connecting in Brussels with a Thalys or ICE train, where you have a train-specific ticket and reservation: 25 minutes, but preferably a bit more - if you miss it because the Eurostar is late they should let you catch the next one, as long as seats are available. If you're connecting in Brussels with a long-distance sleeper train which you cannot afford to miss: 60 minutes, preferably 90 minutes. Travelling TO London Any connection in Brussels 40 minutes minimum, which includes the compulsory 30-minute Eurostar check-in time. if you miss the Eurostar because your train is late the Eurostar staff should let you catch the next one, as long as seats are available. Travelling by train & ferry... Back to top Most people now start their journey to Europe by Eurostar, but you can still travel to Europe by rail and sea if you prefer. It takes much longer and is less convenient, but there are some low fares, and tickets are usually more flexible than with Eurostar. London to Paris train+ferry+train times and fares are shown on the France page . There is an excellent, cheap, and convenient train+ferry+train service from London to Amsterdam, and this is shown on the Netherlands page . There are also excellent ships direct from the UK to Spain and Scandinavia. If you live in the north of England or Scotland, it can sometimes be a good option to take a direct ferry from Newcastle to IJmuiden (Amsterdam) with www.DFDSseaways.co.uk , Hull to Rotterdam with www.POFerries.com , or Rosyth (Edinburgh) to Zeebrugge with www.superfast.com instead of the train to London and Eurostar onwards. Many European rail booking agencies (but not Rail Europe or Deutsche Bahn) can sell both Eurostar and train+ferry tickets, and can combine train+ferry tickets to Paris or Brussels with onward train tickets to Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and so on. If you prefer train+ferry travel, simply substitute the rail-sea-rail times shown on the France and Belgium pages for the Eurostar times to Paris or Brussels shown on the Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland pages. First or second class ..? Back to top Second class is perfectly adequate for most travellers throughout Europe. Even in Southern and Eastern Europe, you don't need to pay for a 1st class ticket to travel in comfort, especially on the fast modern air-conditioned expresses. On the other hand, 1st class travel can be an affordable treat. In the UK, first class is only for business travellers on expense accounts, but in Europe it is normally just 50% more than second class. First class rail travel in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Eastern Europe is particularly good value, because their rail fares are so cheap to start with. First class gets you wider seats, more legroom, and fewer passengers per coach. On overnight trains, whether you have a first or second class ticket is almost irrelevant, because your comfort depends on the type of sleeping accommodation you pay for: ordinary seat, couchette, or sleeping-car. A 2nd class couchette is more comfortable (and more secure) than a 1st class seat. A 2nd class sleeper is more comfortable than a 1st class couchette. The options for travelling on overnight trains are explained below. Travelling overnight ... Back to top Many long-distance expresses run overnight. These include modern ' hotel trains ', designed to equal the facilities of a good hotel, and conventional overnight trains branded 'EuroNight' or 'NachtZug' to indicate that they are high quality. There are three ways to travel overnight: In an ordinary seat, in an economical couchette or in a comfortable sleeping-car. For overnight journeys, which of these you choose is more important than whether you buy a 1st or 2nd class ticket. You are better off spending your money on the second class sleeper supplement than on the first class fare..! ...in a sleeping-car: A sitting room by day... ...a bedroom at night. A sleeping-car is the equivalent of a hotel : A cosy bedroom, with comfortable beds, washbasin, and room service. For the daytime parts of a journey, the beds fold away to reveal a sofa. Sleepers come in 1-, 2-, 3- and (sometimes) 4-berth varieties, depending on the route, whether you have a 1st or 2nd class ticket, and the price you pay. If you are travelling alone and don't want to pay for a 1st class single room, you can book a berth in a 2- or 3-berth room and share with other passengers of the same sex. A sleeper costs about 20-39 in western Europe or 11-20 in eastern Europe per person per night for a berth in a 3-berth in addition to the relevant 2nd class ticket or railpass. A berth in a 2-berth costs about 35-49 per night, plus either a 1st or 2nd class ticket or railpass depending on the route and type of sleeper. A single room costs around 70-90 per night and you must have a 1st class ticket or railpass. On an increasing number of routes (e.g. Paris to Madrid, Barcelona, Italy, and Brussels to Berlin), good-value inclusive fares are now charged, covering travel, sleeper and breakfast. Click here for more information about travelling by sleeping-car . A typical 6-bunk couchette... ...or in a couchette: A couchette is rail's answer to a youth hostel or 'pensione': Economical and comfortable, an ordinary seating compartment for six people by day, with fold-out bunks for six people by night, each with sheet, rug and pillow. Male and female passengers normally share the same compartment, and apart from removing shoes and jackets, passengers do not normally undress. A berth in a couchette compartment costs around 13 per berth per night, in addition to a 2nd class ticket or railpass. On certain routes you can pay a higher supplement (about 18) to travel in a less crowded 4-berth couchette compartment. 1st class couchettes, with four berths per compartment, are rare - they are only operated on a few trains in France, Italy, and on the 'TransBalkan' from Budapest to Istanbul. Click here for more information about travelling in a couchette . Travelling overnight in an ordinary seat is a false economy and not recommended, either for comfort or security. Always budget for at least the couchette supplement for a comfortable night's journey. Types of train: Back to top EuroCity... This is the brand name used for Europe's best international daytime expresses. EuroCity trains are fast, modern and air-conditioned, and have refreshments available. In most countries, a small supplement is payable in addition to the normal fare to travel, which includes the seat reservation fee. EuroNight... This is the brand name used for Europe's best international overnight expresses. EuroNight trains are modern and air-conditioned, and have comfortable sleeping accommodation. Morning refreshments are normally included in the sleeper or couchette supplement. TGVs, ICEs, Thalys, InterCity and Talgos... As well as EuroCity and EuroNight, you will find a whole range train types in the timetable. Some (for example TGV, AVE, ICE) are types of high-speed train. Some are just brand names for a particularly fast or high-quality train service for which a small supplement may be payable in addition to the normal fare. Others indicate a train service run by a special consortium of national rail operators - for example 'Thalys' is a company set up by the French, Belgian, German and Dutch rail companies to run the Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam / Cologne high speed trains, on which special fares apply. Many of these branded trains require payment of a small supplement or a special fare. However, any supplement will be included in the charge for your seat reservation when you book, so you shouldn't need to worry. If you particularly want to know what a TGV, AVE, Talgo, ICE or Thalys is, click here for a glossary of the main train types. Railpasses , Inter-Rail, Eurail... Back to top For a beginner's guide to European railpasses, including Inter-Rail and Eurail, see the railpass page . To check pass prices and buy online in the UK, click the button: If you need a Eurostar ticket or seat/couchette/sleeper reservations to go with you pass,just call Rail Choice on 020 8659 7300 after buying the pass online. To buy European railpasses in the USA or Canada, go to www.raileurope.com . Luggage Back to top Unlike airlines, neither Eurostar nor the other European rail services impose any weight limit on luggage taken with you on European trains. Just remember that you will have to carry it..! Eurostar limits luggage to two large items per passenger, plus a small item of hand luggage. There is room for luggage on Eurostar on the luggage racks and for larger items at the end of each coach. Eurostar passengers may also send up to three items from London to either Paris or Brussels as registered baggage, at an extra charge (approximately 12-20 per item). Visit www.Eurostar.co.uk for details. Virtually all major stations across Europe have a 'left luggage' facility, either a staffed facility or self-service lockers or both. When changing trains with some time to spare, you can leave your luggage and explore the town. Porters are a thing of the past, but most major stations have self-help luggage trolleys. Sometimes these require a coin to release them, which is returned when you return the trolley. Taking bicycles on European trains Back to top You can take your bicycle with you on many European trains, although the arrangements vary on different services. Motorbikes are not carried on any European passenger train, only on the special ' motorail' trains . Getting your bike from London to Paris or Brussels by Eurostar: There are two ways to get your bicycle to Paris or Brussels on Eurostar: Officially, bicycles should be sent on Eurostar from London to Paris or Brussels as registered baggage, at an extra charge of around 20 one-way. The Eurostar website says that there may be a 24 hour delay in making the bicycles available at Paris/Brussels, but to avoid this you can check your bike in at Waterloo a day in advance, so that it will be available in Paris / Brussels when you get there. Visit www.Eurostar.co.uk for details. In practice, bicycles can usually be taken with you as carry-on luggage, free of charge, providing you put your bike in a special zip-up 'bike bag' (available from cycling shops) with its wheels and pedals removed and handlebars turned to reduce bulk. It can then be stowed in the normal luggage rack the end of each coach. Getting your bike from London to Paris by train+ferry: Alternatively, cheaper but a lot longer, you can take your bike with you from London to Paris by train+ferry without the need to dismantle it to put it in a bike bag - see the London to France page for train+ferry times and fares from London to Paris. Bikes are carried free of charge between London and Dover in the guard's van on all trains except those arriving in London before 10:00 Monday-Friday, or leaving London between 16:00 and 19:00 on Monday-Friday. Bikes are then carried free between Dover and Calais on the ferries. Once in Calais, bikes are carried free on both the local trains from Calais to Boulogne, and the connecting express trains from Boulogne to Paris. On the Boulogne to Paris trains, cycles are carried in the special bicycle compartment which is normally in coach 14, marked with a bicycle logo (pictured, right). Beyond Paris and Brussels: Beyond Paris and Brussels, there are two basic options: In practice (meaning sometimes officially, sometimes unofficially), you can take a bicycle with you as carry-on luggage free of charge on just about any train, national or international, if you put it in a 'bike bag', with wheels and pedals removed and handlebars turned. Just remember that it will be a fairly anti-social piece of luggage which may not endear you to your fellow-passengers in a crowded 6-berth couchette compartment. Lugging a bike bag around can be hard work, and so is dismantling and reassembling the bike each time it goes into and out of the bag. Many European trains allow you to carry bikes in the luggage van, sometimes free, sometimes for a small charge. However, most international expresses and many high speed trains don't take bikes at all (other than in bike bags), so unless you go for the bike bag option you may have to travel on slower regional or national services and change trains a few times. The information below may help. For information on travelling with your bicycle within any given country, visit the website of the relevant national train operator - the useful links page has a list of all European railway websites. To destinations in France: You can officially take a bike with you in a bike bag as described above, on any French train, including high-speed TGVs. Dimensions should not exceed 120cm x 90cm. Bikes are carried free of charge in the luggage van on local, regional and most ordinary (non-TGV) express trains (but not during the Monday-Friday peak hours on Paris commuter routes). This includes all express trains between Paris and Boulogne and connecting trains to Calais, which makes the rail-sea-rail service from London to Paris a bike-friendly option, as bikes are also carried free in the guard's van on all London to Dover trains except during the morning and evening rush hours - see the London to France page for details of this service. New from 2002, most overnight trains within France will also accept bicycles in the luggage van if you reserve space in advance and pay a small fee (about 10 Euros), while you travel in a couchette or sleeping-car. On most high-speed TGV trains from Lille and Paris to the Mediterranean, you can put your bike in the luggage van if you reserve a space in advance and pay a small fee (about 10 Euros). To destinations in Belgium: Bicycles can be carried on most Belgian internal trains by buying a 'bike card' for about 4.10 Euros at the ticket office before boarding (visit www.sncb.be for more information). To destinations in Holland and Luxembourg: Bicycles can be carried on the hourly InterCity (non-Thalys) trains from Brussels to Rotterdam, Den Haag, Amsterdam, and from Brussels to Luxembourg on payment of a small fee (about 8.60 Euros) at the ticket office before travelling (more info at www.sncb.be ). To destinations in Germany: Bicycles are not carried on Thalys or ICE, which since 2003 are unfortunately almost the only types of train between Brussels and Germany, other than the overnight train and some local services. However, bicycles are carried for a small charge (about 10-15 Euros) in a special bicycle compartment (marked with a bicycle logo) on the overnight sleeper between Paris / Brussels and Hamburg / Berlin - see the London to Germany page for details of this train. Bikes are carried on the overnight train from Paris to Munich, again in a special bicycle compartment, for a small charge. Elsewhere in Germany, bicycles can be taken on most German Inter-Regio and InterCity trains (but not on high speed 'ICE' trains) for a small charge, providing you make a prior reservation for your bicycle. You can use the online timetable system at http://bahn.hafas.de , ticking the 'carriage of bicycles required' box to find non-ICE train services that carry bikes. To destinations in Switzerland: Bikes are carried on the daytime trains from Paris to Basel and on the overnight train from Paris to Basel, Zurich & Chur. A fee may be charged in Switzerland. Bikes are carried for a fee of about 15 Euros on the two daytime trains between Brussels and Switzerland - however, the connections into and out of these trains to/from London are poor, and may require an overnight stop in Brussels. To other destinations: Putting your bike in a bike bag is likely to be your best option. Bikes are not carried (other than in bike bags) on the Paris-Spain 'trainhotels', the Paris-Italy night or TGV trains, or the Paris-Switzerland TGVs. Children - child fares on European trains Back to top In the UK, children under 5 go free, children from 5 to 15 travel at half the adult fare. On Eurostar, children under 4 go free, and a special child fare (currently 30 single, 60 return to Paris/Brussels in standard class) applies to children from 4 to 11. Children over 12 travel at the adult fare. All children under 12 must travel accompanied by an adult, and unaccompanied children from 12 to 16 require a consent form signed by their parent or guardian. In Europe, the age limits for children vary, but you can generally reckon on children under 4 travelling free, children from 4 to 11 travelling at half fare, 12 and over paying the adult fare. The internet sites of individual train companies will have more details. You can use the links to these on my useful links page . Motorail - taking you car by train... Back to top Normal passenger trains cannot take cars - just passengers and their luggage, and in some cases bicycles. However, there are special trains called 'Motorail' services on which you can travel with your car or motorbike. These run on just a few selected holiday routes, usually only on certain days of the week, and usually summer-only. The trains can take ordinary cars and motorbikes, but cannot take caravans, campers, over-height people carriers or 4X4s (However, French motorail have recently ordered some new car carrier wagons capable of carrying overheight 4x4s and people carriers - they were due to enter service for the summer 2004 season). Here is a brief summary of what is available of interest to travellers from the UK: French Motorail: Calais to Avignon, Brive, Narbonne, Nice, Toulouse; Paris to Nice, Geneva, Avignon, Biarritz, Marseille, Tarbes, Narbonne, St Raphael, Toulon and Toulouse. French motorail trains run overnight with couchettes and sleeping-cars on certain days of the week from May to September from Calais to Nice, Narbonne, Avignon, Toulouse and Brive. A one-way trip from Calais to Brive for a car and up to two adults in a 2-berth sleeper costs from 245 to 409 depending on the date of travel (Summer 2004 prices). For a similar trip from Calais to Nice, fares range from 345 to 509. From Calais to Narbonne, a car and up to 4 people (adults or children - it makes no difference) one-way in a private 4-berth couchette compartment costs from 389-545 depending on the date of travel. There are now no Motorail services to Italy or Spain. For times, fares and booking see www.raileurope.co.uk and select 'Motorail', call Rail Europe's Motorail line on 0870 2 415 415 , or visit www.railsavers.com . Belgian Motorail: There are now no motorail services from Belgium - these stopped running in December 2003. Greece & Turkey If you are travelling further afield, Optima Tours run Motorrail trains from Germany/Austria (Villach) to Bulgaria, Macedonia (Skopje), Greece (Thessaloniki), and Turkey (Edirne). See www.optimatours.de for dates, times and booking information. Other motorail services: There are also motorail services within Italy (for example, Milan to Sicily), within Spain (for example Santander to Madrid, Bilbao to Alicante), and within Germany and Austria. To ask about motorail services in Germany/Austria, call the German Railways UK booking centre on 0870 2 43 53 63 or visit www.railsavers.com . Car ferries: Don't forget that there are also direct car ferries from the UK to Spain (Portsmouth - Bilbao with www.poferries.com , and Plymouth - Santander with www.brittany-ferries.co.uk ), and UK to Germany (Harwich - Cuxhaven near Hamburg with www.dfdsseaways.co.uk ). Taking your dog or other pet ... Back to top First the bad news: Eurostar will not carry dogs or any other animals at all, except guide dogs. Most ferry companies will only allow pets if they remain in your vehicle, in other words, they do not allow foot passengers to take pets. So getting your pet across the Channel without a car can be difficult. Hoverspeed used to allow foot passengers to carry pets, but they stopped all Dover-Calais SeaCat sailings as from 7 November 2005. So your only option is to get a friend with a car to buy a cheap day return ferry crossing and drive you and your pet to Calais. Once across the Channel at Calais, dogs and cats can be taken on the normal trains from Calais Ville station to Paris (Gare du Nord). You can check Calais-Paris train times at www.voyages-sncf.com (the English button is a UK flag at bottom left). Beyond Paris, dogs and cats can normally be carried on most trains across Europe, sometimes free, sometimes for a small charge. In sleeping-cars and couchettes on overnight trains, you can generally only take a dog if your party occupies all the berths in a compartment. For example, a domestic animal may be taken on the Paris-Madrid or Paris-Barcelona 'trainhotels' for 37.50 one way, or on the Paris-Rome, Paris-Venice or Paris-Milan sleeper trains for 7.50 one-way, as long as the accompanying passengers occupy all the berths in a compartment. For more information on the transport of accompanied dogs and other pets, search the website of the relevant national train operators - there is a list of links to each operator's website on the useful links page . Passengers with special needs ... Back to top Eurostar can provide assistance to passengers with special needs travelling from London to Paris, Lille or Brussels. If you are confined to a wheelchair, there are wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets on each Eurostar train. There are also special fares for people travelling in wheelchairs and a travelling companion. For more information, see www.eurostar.com . Once on the Continent, some but not all trains have accommodation for passengers travelling in wheelchairs. For more information, start with the website of the relevant national train operators - there is a list of links to each operator's website on the useful links page . Alternatively, try calling Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848 (lines open 08:00-21:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-18:00 Sat, 10:00-17:00 Sun). To destinations in France: Take Eurostar to Lille. High-speed TGV trains with wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets run direct from Lille to many French destinations, including Lyon, Valence, Avignon, Marseille, Cannes, Nice, Bordeaux. For train times, see the London to France page. For travel information for passengers with disabilities on French Railways, see www.voyages-sncf.com . To destinations in Germany: Take Eurostar to Brussels or Paris. The Thalys high-speed trains from Brussels to Cologne have wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets. From Cologne, there are wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets on almost all the InterCity (IC) and InterCityExpress (ICE) trains which run to destinations all over Germany. Boarding assistance can be provided at most major Germany stations. The overnight trains from Paris to Munich and from Brussels to Hamburg and Berlin have a wheelchair-accessible couchette compartment with adjacent wheelchair-friendly toilet. For train times, see the London to Germany page. There is a handicap brochure with more information on the Germany Railways website, www.bahn.de . You could also consider travelling by sea - www.dfdsseaways.co.uk sails regularly from Harwich to Cuxhaven near Hamburg. To destinations in the Netherlands: Take Eurostar to Brussels. The Thalys high-speed trains from Brussels to Amsterdam have wheelchair spaces. You can also consider travelling by sea - see www.stenaline.co.uk (Harwich-Hoek van Holland) or www.dfdsseaways.co.uk (Newcastle-IJmuiden near Amsterdam). To destinations in Spain: There are direct ferries from the UK to Spain - see www.Brittany-Ferries.co.uk (Plymouth-Santander) or www.poportsmouth.com (Portsmouth-Bilbao). Unfortunately, there are as yet no facilities on the Paris - Madrid / Paris - Barcelona overnight 'trainhotels' for passengers travelling in a wheelchair. To destinations in Austria: Take Eurostar to Brussels. The Thalys high-speed trains from Brussels to Amsterdam have wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets. The 'CityNightLine' hotel train has a wheelchair-accessible compartment in the 6-berth couchette category with adjacent wheelchair-friendly toilet. For train times, see the London to Austria page. Recommended guidebooks ... Wherever you're going, having a decent guidebook makes a big difference. For the independent traveller, I think easily the best ones out there are either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide. Both series of guidebooks are excellent, and you won't regret buying one..! Alternatively, the 'Europe by Rail' guide combines country information with basic train information. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links, to help support the site. Click the images to browse & buy at Amazon... H otels & guesthouses in Europe... To find a hotel in most European countries, try www.venere.com . On this site, the price you see is the price you pay - no hidden extras - and you simply pay the hotel when you get there. After you've booked, you can change or cancel your reservation in line with the hotel's own change and cancellation policy. Seat61 gets a small commission if you book through this link, to help support the site. Feedback from www.venere.com bookings is always welcome. Another site to try is www.expedia.co.uk . For backpacker hostels in most European cities (either a dorm bed or very cheap private room at rock bottom prices) try Hostelbookers.com . Travel insurance - Direct Line.com Always take out adequate travel insurance, either single trip or annual multi-trip, from a reputable insurer. Shop around for the best deal, but I can recommend Direct Line whom I've used myself. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy after clicking this link. Page last updated 18 December 2005 Back to home page

Cheap Travel Insurance Weekend

Holiday Reviews, Hotel and Resort Reviews at Review Centre. Holiday Reviews Login/Register | How Can You Help? Reviews Holiday Forums Topic : Please select Books Cameras Cars Computers Electronics Entertainment Fashion & Lifestyle Finance Games Home & Garden Phones Sport Travel Websites this topic Review Centre Travel holiday reviews We now have thousands of holiday reviews written by ordinary people like you. We can help each other through the difficulties of choosing a vacation by submitting reviews about the resorts and hotels we have been to. We also provide lists of web sites to help you find holidays, flights, late deals and UK days out at discount prices. We also have reviews of hotels, airlines and tour operators to help you build your own package holiday. 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Germany Travel Planner Part

Munich Germany Travel Planner - Visiting Dachau  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Munich Germany Travel Planner Part 3: The Dachau Memorial Tour More of this Feature • Part 1: Munich Essentials • Part 2: Hitler's Munich Related Resources • Germany Travel Map and Tourism Essentials • Munich Germany Links • Germany Links Elsewhere on the Web • Dachau Concentration Camp • DachauGas Chambers • DachauPrisoner Badges VisitingDachau Concentration Camp Memorial The Nazi's first concentration camp at Dachau has been renovated and preserved as a memorial to those who suffered and died there between 1933 and 1945. There are several tours, although you can visit on your own as well. The memorial is well documented in English and you should have no trouble understanding what went on by simply going there yourself. However, a guided tour offers you insights you may not get by just wandering through the exhibits, and the transportation aspects of getting to Dachau from Munich are easier with a tour. Dachau is open from 9 am to 5 pm every day except Monday. It takes around 45 minutes to get there from Munich. Allow 3 hours minimum. Dachau Tour Options The Original Munich Walks offers a three hour tour of Dachau starting at the train station. Cost is €18 for adults and €9 for accompanied children under 14. All transportation costs are included. Munich Walk Tours offers a similar three hour tour of Dachau that can be combined with its Third Reich Tour for a reduced price. This is the one we took. Cost is €17 for adults, €16 for people under 26, and €9 for children under 14 with an adult. There's a €2 discout if you combine the two tours. To sign up for the tour, meet at the main entrance of the New Gothic Rathaus (town hall) directly under the Glockenspiel on Marienplatz before 1:20pm. The guide will be holding a yellow sign. For more information on these tours, you may email info@munichwalktours.com . To get to the Dachau Memorial on your own from the main train station, descend down to the S-Bahn platforms and board any train on the S2 line with a desitnation marked as Dachau or Petershausen. From Dachau station, Bus 726 or 724 will take you to the Memorial. Photos of Dachau Memorial - Click to Enlarge Previous page > MunichWalks > Page 1 , 2 , 3 From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Advertisement Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Headlines Antwerp Pictures Antwerp is a fashion and diamond center for Belgium and... Like to Travel Well? Follow the CIA! I really should have paid attention when the CIA came... Tapas from Cans? Ok, so you wander into one of Barcelona's most celebrated... North Holland: Noah's Ark Redux A pious north Holland businessman took out a 300 000...

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Cheap vacations to London - discount hotel + air deals - TripAdvisor London vacation discounts and deals Sign in • Sign up Home > Europe > United Kingdom > England > London > SmartDeals > Vacation packages London tourism: Overview Hotels Flights Attractions Deals Forums Maps, etc. Discount hotels | Hotel + air deals | All travel offers Search (e.g., London hotels, Las Vegas, Paris art museum) London London Overview London Hotels Flights to London London Deals Discount hotels Hotel + air deals All travel offers London Attractions London Forum London Maps London Discount Hotels London Vacation Packages e-mail this page to a friend London vacation packages Acapulco vacation packages Alaska vacation packages Amsterdam vacation packages Anaheim vacation packages Arizona vacation packages Aruba vacation packages Aspen vacation packages Atlanta vacation packages Atlantic City vacation packages Bahamas vacation packages Barbados vacation packages Belgium vacation packages Bermuda vacation packages Boston vacation packages Branson vacation packages Breckenridge vacation packages British Virgin Islands vacation packages Cabo San Lucas vacation packages California vacation packages Canada vacation packages Cancun vacation packages Caribbean vacation packages Colorado vacation packages Costa del Sol vacation packages Cozumel vacation packages Dallas vacation packages Daytona Beach vacation packages Dominican Republic vacation packages Florida vacation packages Florida Keys vacation packages Fort Lauderdale vacation packages France vacation packages Germany vacation packages Grand Canyon National Park vacation packages Greece vacation packages Grenada vacation packages Hawaii vacation packages Hilton Head vacation packages Ibiza vacation packages Ireland vacation packages Italy vacation packages Ixtapa vacation packages Jamaica vacation packages Kauai vacation packages Key West vacation packages Lake Placid vacation packages Lake Tahoe vacation packages Las Vegas vacation packages London vacation packages Los Angeles vacation packages Los Cabos vacation packages Maui vacation packages Mazatlan vacation packages Melbourne vacation packages Mexico vacation packages Miami vacation packages Montreal vacation packages Myrtle Beach vacation packages Nashville vacation packages Nassau vacation packages New York vacation packages New York City vacation packages Niagara Falls vacation packages Nova Scotia vacation packages Oahu vacation packages Orlando vacation packages Paris vacation packages Park City vacation packages Philadelphia vacation packages Phoenix vacation packages Pigeon Forge vacation packages Puerto Rico vacation packages Puerto Vallarta vacation packages Punta Cana vacation packages Quebec City vacation packages Reno vacation packages Rome vacation packages Salt Lake City vacation packages San Antonio vacation packages San Diego vacation packages San Francisco vacation packages Santa Fe vacation packages Scotland vacation packages Seattle vacation packages Spain vacation packages St. Croix vacation packages St. Lucia vacation packages St. Maarten/St. Martin vacation packages St. Thomas vacation packages Sydney vacation packages Texas vacation packages Toronto vacation packages Tucson vacation packages U.S. Virgin Islands vacation packages Vail vacation packages Virginia Beach vacation packages Washington DC vacation packages Whistler vacation packages Read more London tourism Hotel + air deals to London * Hotels (269) B&Bs / Inns (0) Other lodging (2) Sorted by popularity hotel name The Bentley London , London Popularity index: #21 in London based on 45 sources The Bentley London : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! The Bentley London : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Baglioni Hotel London , London Popularity index: #22 in London based on 21 sources Baglioni Hotel London : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Baglioni Hotel London : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel K+K Hotel George , London Popularity index: #24 in London based on 143 sources K+K Hotel George : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! K+K Hotel George : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Claridge's , London Popularity index: #25 in London based on 50 sources Claridge's : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Claridge's : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 Claridge's : Vacation Planning Experts. ClassicVacations.com Call 800-921-2650 to find your luxury travel specialist View all travel offers for this hotel Crown Moran Hotel , London Popularity index: #26 in London based on 29 sources Crown Moran Hotel : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Crown Moran Hotel : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Ramada Encore London West , London Popularity index: #27 in London based on 49 sources Ramada Encore London West : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Ramada Encore London West : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Langham Hotel London , London Popularity index: #28 in London based on 61 sources Langham Hotel London : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Langham Hotel London : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Courthouse Hotel Kempinski , London Popularity index: #34 in London based on 22 sources Courthouse Hotel Kempinski : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Courthouse Hotel Kempinski : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel The Montague on The Gardens , London Popularity index: #35 in London based on 68 sources The Montague on The Gardens : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! The Montague on The Gardens : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Kingsway Hall Hotel , London Popularity index: #37 in London based on 115 sources Kingsway Hall Hotel : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Kingsway Hall Hotel : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Marriott London County Hall , London Popularity index: #38 in London based on 95 sources Marriott London County Hall : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Marriott London County Hall : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Threadneedles Hotel , London Popularity index: #40 in London based on 21 sources Threadneedles Hotel : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Threadneedles Hotel : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Athenaeum Hotel & Apartments , London Popularity index: #41 in London based on 60 sources Athenaeum Hotel & Apartments : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Athenaeum Hotel & Apartments : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel De Vere Cavendish St. James's , London Popularity index: #43 in London based on 65 sources De Vere Cavendish St. James's : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! De Vere Cavendish St. James's : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel 47 Park Street - Marriott Grand Residence Club , London Popularity index: #44 in London based on 11 sources 47 Park Street - Marriott Grand Residence Club : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! 47 Park Street - Marriott Grand Residence Club : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Swissotel The Howard , London Popularity index: #45 in London based on 61 sources Swissotel The Howard : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Swissotel The Howard : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel The Sanctuary House Hotel , London Popularity index: #48 in London based on 62 sources The Sanctuary House Hotel : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! The Sanctuary House Hotel : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Sheraton Park Tower , London Popularity index: #50 in London based on 32 sources Sheraton Park Tower : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Sheraton Park Tower : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Hazlitt's , London Popularity index: #51 in London based on 24 sources Hazlitt's : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! Hazlitt's : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel The Conrad London , London Popularity index: #54 in London based on 44 sources The Conrad London : Save on this hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. Travel right! The Conrad London : Book Hotel + Air and Save hotels.com Vacations We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 View all travel offers for this hotel Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ... 14 Read more about London travel! TripAdvisor SmartDeals are the best deals on the best hotels in London. Visit our SmartDeals page. TripAdvisor's Tourism page has the web's best articles on London travel . Our London hotels page presents hotels ranked by popularity - read traveler reviews and guidebooks. Looking for things to do in London? Try our Attractions page! Visit our London forum page to ask questions and get advice about London travel. TripAdvisor forums let you ask questions and get advice - post in our London forum . Our Maps, etc. page has maps and other travel information. Visit our London discount hotels page for great savings on London hotels, including TripAdvisor SmartDeals. Book a flight to London on our Flights page. To view all the specials, vacation packages, and other travel offers we've found, visit our All travel offers page. About TripAdvisor TripAdvisor lists cheap air + hotel deals to London, England. Recommendations for hotels, resorts, inns, vacations, travel packages, travel guides and lots more! 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Italy Travel

Italy Travel Tips Book Online or call (800) 682-3333 Europe Asia Americas Caribbean Mediterranean Pacific Cruises Home Hotels Find a Vacation Specials Contact Us Italy & Sicily Spain & Portugal Britain & Ireland France Belgium & Holland Central Europe Scandinavia Greece River Cruises China & Japan Southeast Asia Thailand India South America Brazil Peru Costa Rica Bahamas Caribbean & Mexico Bahamas Cancun Riviera Maya Punta Cana Jamaica Greece & Turkey Israel Egypt Morocco Australia & New Zealand Tahiti China & Japan Southeast Asia Sea Cruises River Cruises Italy & Switzerland Travel Tips Climate / Clothing Language Code of Conduct Currency Holidays Travel Insurance Car Regulations Luggage Local Emergency/Phone Health Precautions Passports and Visas Driving Electricity Shopping Tipping Venice Transfers Departure Tax Papal Audiences Climate /Clothing Italy : Spring and Fall: 55 - 75F; Summer: 70 - 85F; Winter: 40 - 55F. Bring comfortable shoes, a sweater, clothes you can layer and an all-weather coat. On the cruises, informal dress is the general rule but there may be some occasions were formal dress is required. Some religious sites may require modest dress to enter (no shorts or sleeveless tops). Italy Average Temperatures: www.gate1travel.com/italy-travel/weather/italy-weather.htm . Switzerland : The Alps cause many climatic variations throughout Switzerland. In the higher Alpine regions temperatures tend to be low, while the lower land of the northern area has higher temperatures and warm summers. Switzerland Average Temperatures: www.gate1travel.com/italy-travel/weather/switzerland-weather.htm . Language Italy : Italian is the local language. Limited English is generally spoken as well. Switzerland : German, French, Italian, and Raeto-Romance are the official languages, but English is widely spoken. Passports and Visas Italy : Passport required. Visa not required for tourist or business stays up to 90 days. Switzerland : Passport required. Visa not required for tourism/study stay of less than 90 days. For more information, please see www.gate1travel.com/visas.htm . Currency Italy : Euro Switzerland : The Swiss Franc Tipping Italy : This is a matter of personal discretion. Tips are appreciated and expected for good service in restaurants and other places. Although restaurant bills often include a service charge, this amount is not typically for the waiters/staff. A typical tip is approximately 10%. Switzerland : A service charge is included in all hotel, restaurant, cafe, bar, taxi and hairdressing services by law; further gratuities are not usually required. For specific guidelines, please refer to www.gate1travel.com/tipping.htm Electricity Italy & Switzerland : The voltage used is 220 volts. *Note: The U.S. uses 120 volts and you can purchase a converter and transformer at most hardware stores for your 120V appliances. Shopping Italy : Shops are generally open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., with some variations in Northern Italy, where the lunch break is shorter and shops close earlier. Prices are reasonable and the quality of goods is very high. Department stores such as La Rinascente, Coin, Upim, and Standa are found in many Italian cities and towns. Things to buy: Clothes for men & women (dresses, shoes, gloves, silk ties, shirts); lacework, jewelry, leather goods (handbags, cases, boxes, luggage), ceramics, gold and silver items, alabaster; woodwork, straw, embroidery, glass and crystal ware. It is advisable to carry merchandise purchased with you in order to avoid any inconvenience. All major credit cards are honored in Italy. A proof of purchase (receipt) must be kept. Switzerland : Special purchases include embroidery and linen, Bernese woodcarving, chocolate, cheese, Swiss army knives and luxury handmade clocks and watches. Shopping hours usually run Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1:30 -6:30 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1:30-4 p.m. Most shops are closed on Monday mornings. Health Precautions Italy & Switzerland : No inoculations are necessary when arriving in Italy or Switzerland from the U.S. but you should consult with your health care provider before traveling. To prevent "Montezuma's Revenge," avoid the tap water, including raw fruits and vegetables washed in tap water. Your stomach may still become upset due to the change in diet. Bring anti-diarrhea medicine just in case.*For the latest overseas travel health information, call the Center for Disease Control's traveler's hotline at 404-332-4559. Or visit their web site at www.cdc.gov Conservation/Code of Conduct Italy : The social structure is heavily influenced by the Roman Catholic church and, generally speaking, family ties are stronger than in most other countries in Western Europe. Normal social courtesies should be observed. Dress is casual in most places, though beachwear should be confined to the beach. Conservative clothes are expected when visiting religious buildings and smaller, traditional communities. Formal wear is usually indicated on invitations. Smoking is prohibited in some public buildings, transport and cinemas. Visitors are warned to take precautions against theft, particularly in the major cities. Switzerland : Avoid red roses; never give chrysanthemums or white asters as they are considered funeral flowers. Informal wear is widely acceptable. First-class restaurants, hotel dining rooms and important social occasions may warrant jackets and ties. Black tie is usually specified when required. It is customary to give unwrapped flowers to the hostess when invited for a meal. Luggage *Gate 1 tour packages allow one piece of luggage per person, plus carry-on bag. Additional baggage will be subject to handling charges of up to $100 per piece. As Gate 1 will not be responsible for loss or damage to luggage and personal belongings, you MUST report any loss or damage immediately at the time of the incident and obtain a written report from the local authority for submission to your insurance provider. If you luggage is lost or damaged by the airlines, a baggage claim form MUST be filed with the carrier before leaving the airport. See www.gate1travel.com/destinations/luggage.htm for Important Baggage Information for U.S. Travelers. Departure Tax Italy & Switzerland : There are currently no departure taxes in Italy or Switzerland, please see www.gate1travel.com/Destinations/departure_tax.htm for more information. Travel Insurance We strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance as additional security in the case of cancellation or interruption of travel plans, lost or damaged luggage, travel delays, illness, or accident. Keep all boarding passes, ticket copies and receipts for expenses paid during your trip if it later becomes necessary to file a claim. Local Emergency Phone # Italy : ambulance/medical: 118 fire, disasters: 115 police & general emergency: 112 Switzerland : general emergency: 112 Holidays Italy : January 1 New Year's Day January 6 Epiphany Mar 28 Easter Monday April 25 Liberation Day May 1 Labor Day June 2 Anniversary of the Republic August 15 Assumption of the Virgin November 1 All Saints Day November 7 World War 1 Victory Anniversary Day December 8 Immaculate Conception December 25 Christmas Day December 26 St Stephens Day *Note : In addition, local feast days are held in honor of town patron saints, generally without closure of shops and offices. These include: Turin/Genoa/Florence: Jun 24 (St John the Baptist) Milan: Dec 7 (St Ambrose) Siena: Jul 2 and Aug 16, Palio horserace Venice: Apr 25 (St Mark) Bologna: Oct 4 (St Petronius) Naples: Sep 19 (St Gennaro) Bari: Dec 6 (St Nicholas) Palermo: Jul 15 (St Rosalia) Rome: Jun 29 (St Peter) Trieste: Nov 3. Switzerland : Public Holidays: January 1 New Year's Day January 2 Berchtolds Day Mar 25* Good Friday Mar 28* Easter Monday May 5* Ascension May 15* Whit Monday Aug 1 National Day Nov 1 All Saints Day Nov 7 World War 1 Victory Anniversary Day Dec 8 Immaculate Conception Dec 25 Christmas Day Dec 26 St Stephens Day *Note : (a) *These holidays may not be observed in certain cantons. (b) There are additional regional holidays which are observed in certain cantons only. Driving Italy : Traffic drives on the right. There are more than 185,500 miles of roads in Italy, including over 3700 miles of motorway (autostrada) which link all parts of the country. Tolls are charged at varying distances and scales, except for the SalernoReggio Calabria, PalermoCatania and PalermoMazara Del Vallo stretches which are toll-free. Secondary roads are also excellent and require no tolls. Road signs are international. Many petrol stations are closed 12 -3 p.m. Visitors are advised to check locally about exact opening times. Switzerland : Traffic drives on the right. Road quality is generally good. Many mountain roads are winding and narrow, and often closed in heavy winter conditions; otherwise chains and snow tires may be necessary. Rail is often more efficient than driving. Car Regulations Italy : Driving licenses and other traffic documents valid in other countries are recognized in Italy. Distances are indicated in kilometer ( 1 km = 0.621 miles). An international insurance certificate is required for citizens from non-EC countries.The wearing of seat belts in front and rear seats is obligatory. An appropriate harness system is obligatory for children from 2 to 12 years of age. Gasoline : Almost all the service stations in the country are equipped with pumps for lead-free (95 octane) and diesel fuel. The fuel distribution network for gas-propelled vehicles is reasonably developed (ask for information at the Automobile Club d'Italia offices). Service stations are open from 7 am to 12:30 pm and from 3 pm to 7:30 pm. Service is guaranteed 24 hours a day on the motorways. Automatic pumps, which accept 10,000 and 50,000 lire banknotes, function in the evenings and at night. Carrying gasoline in gas cans is prohibited. Traffic Tips : On highways (autostrade) no U-turns are permitted and stopping is permitted only in emergency parking areas or parking lanes. The Italian Highway Code follows the Geneva Convention and Italy uses international road signs. Driving is on the right, passing on the left. Violators of the highway code are fined; serious violations may also be punished by imprisonment. In cities and towns, the speed limit is 50 km/hr. Papal Audiences, Vatican City General audiences with His Holiness are usually held once a week (Wednesdays at 11 a.m.) in Vatican City. They may be held inside the Basilica itself or in the hall of the Papal Audiences (Aula Paolo VI, Seating 7000), and in summer in Saint Peter's Square or in the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo. Catholics are requested to have a letter of introduction from their parish priest. For this audience women should dress modestly, with arms and head covered. Dark or subdued colors are requested. Men are asked to wear a tie and jacket. Return to the Italy brochure More TravelInformation Email This Page to a Friend © 2005 Gate 1 Travel Home | About Us | Travel Agent | Free Brochure | Help | Site Map | (800) 682-3333 Read our privacy policy . Contact Us . 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