Useful links for travellers . . .

Europe

Europe by train

introduction

European

train tickets...

Eurostar

information...

Bangladesh

Cambodia

China

Indonesia

North Korea

Pakistan

On this page:

General travel links

European train operator websites, A-Z by country

Worldwide train operator websites, A-Z by country

Ferry operator websites

Passenger travel by cargo ship

For advice on travelling to countries which might be affected by conflicts, security problems, or other dangers, check the Foreign Office travel advice pages: www.fco.gov.uk.  The advice for each country is updated daily as situations change.  It tends to err on the safe (that is to say, paranoid) side, although it is not as paranoid as its US State department equivalent, so bear this in mind.

For UK passport applications and renewals, the UK Passport Agency website is www.ukpa.gov.uk. 

For information on visa requirements for UK citizens visiting most world countries, and for help in obtaining visas, try www.visaservice.co.uk.

www.towd.com will find the national tourist information office or website for any country in the world.  It's worth investing in a good guidebook, and I recommend the Lonely Planet and Rough Guides series.  You can buy Lonely Planets from the Lonely Planet website, with shipping worldwide.

www.hotelscombined.com searches all the main hotel reservation websites at once.

Always take out decent travel insurance.  Shop around for the best deals, but try Direct Line, which I use myself, or Columbus Direct. 

UK citizens travelling in Europe should also carry a European Health Insurance Card.  This replaces the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available free from www.ehic.org.uk and entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the UK's NHS.

Lonely Planet Thorn Tree message board is a great place to ask other travellers' advice and opinions.  You need to register, but it's free, and most questions (even about obscure countries) are answered within a matter of hours by people who have been there recently.  Just remember to sort the good answers from the not-so-good..!

www.xe.com is arguably the best online currency converter.

The train travel to Europe page has a list of UK agencies that sell European train tickets.

The train travel to Europe page will also link you to agencies selling European train tickets in the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, Singapore, South Africa, India, Hong Kong and so on.

The famous Thomas Cook European Timetable (train, bus and ferry times for every country in Europe) and Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable (train, bus and ferry times for every country in Asia, Africa, America and Australasia) are the two great world timetables.  They are essential for any serious overland traveller, and an inspiration for armchair travellers..! You can get a copy for £13.50 from any branch of Thomas Cook, or buy online at www.thomascooktimetables.com.

For up-to-date train times for almost any train journey in Europe, see http://bahn.hafas.de.  The English button is towards the right, a few inches down from the top.

UK train times, fares & online booking: www.nationalrail.co.uk.

For times and fares within individual countries, see the individual country websites listed below.

For an online map of the European railway network, see www.europrail.net/content/documents/eurailmap.pdf (note that not all UK routes are shown on this map), and also see www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps.php.

To buy the excellent Thomas Cook rail map of Europe at Amazon.co.uk, click here.

For the best online map of the UK rail network, visit www.nationalrail.co.uk/tocs_maps/.

Country:		Operator:		Remarks:
International		Eurostar		London to Paris & Brussels by high speed train.  Times, fares & online booking.  Also offers online booking from London to major cities in France, any Belgian station, Amsterdam, Basel & Cologne.  Tickets sent to any UK address or can be picked up in London, Paris or Brussels.
		Thalys		Paris to Brussels & Amsterdam / Cologne by high speed train.  Times, fares, online booking.
		CityNightLine		The German Railways' City Night Line sleeper train website.  Overnight sleeper trains between Amsterdam & Vienna/Prague/Copenhagen/Munich/Zurich, Berlin & Zurich, Hamburg & Zurich, Dortmund/Cologne & Vienna, etc.  Train times, fares & online booking, you print out your own ticket.
		Elipsos		Overnight Trainhotels between Paris & Spain, Switzerland and Spain, Milan & Spain.  Train times, fares, an excellent virtual tour of the trainhotel, but no online booking.
		Dutch Flyer (previously Amsterdam Express)		London to Amsterdam train+ferry service:  Times, fares and online booking.
		Venice Simplon Orient Express		'VSOE' runs weekly from London-Paris-Venice with restored British Pullmans and Wagons-Lits sleeping-cars.  Times, fares & online booking.
Albania		HSH		Also see unofficial site www.angelfire.com/ak/hekurudha/.  For train times see Albania page.
Andorra				No train service.  Buses www.andorrabus.com & www.autocarsnadal.com.
Austria		OBB		Austrian Federal Railways.  Times, fares & online booking of train in & from Austria.
Belarus		BCh		Belarus State Railways
Belgium		SNCB		Train times & fares for Belgian trains and for international trains from Brussels to Switzerland, Germany, etc.
Bosnia		ZBH		Bosnian National Railways
Bulgaria		BDZ		Bulgarian State Railways.  Also try www.bdz.bg
Croatia		HZ		Croatian National Railways
Czech Republic		CD		Czech Railways
Denmark		DSB		Danish State Railways.  Times, fares & online booking for trains within Denmark.
Estonia		GoRail		GoRail (formerly EVR Ekspress) run sleeper trains between Tallinn and Moscow.  Local trains: www.edel.ee & www.elektriraudtee.ee.
Finland		VR		Finnish State Railways.  Times, fares & online booking for trains within Finland.
France		SNCF		Train times, fares & online booking for journeys in France and from France to neighbouring countries.  The 'English' button is at the bottom.  Click here for the page providing updates on any disruption affecting trains within and via France (in French only).
		RATP (Paris Métro)		Visit www.ratp.fr and select 'plans' for maps of the Paris Métro and bus routes.
		Chemins de Fer de la Corse		Rail services on Corsica.  Also see www.corsicabus.org.
		Chemin de Fer de Provence		Nice-Digne scenic local trains
Georgia		www.railway.ge		Georgian Railways.
Germany		DB		See http://bahn.hafas.de for the excellent rail timetable providing train times across Europe, also German rail fares & online booking.  The 'English' button is at upper right.
		www.bahn.de/citynightline (German sleeper trains)		The German Railways sleeper train website, 'English' button at the top.  Times & fares for internal and international overnight trains in Germany.  Online booking for most of them.  You print out your own ticket.
Greece		OSE		For train times & fares in Greece.  Click 'EN' for English.  No online booking.
Hungary		MAV		Hungarian State Railways. Budapest metro map: www.metropla.net/eu/bud/budapest.htm
Ireland		IR		Irish train times, fares & information.
Italy		FS TrenItalia		Train times, fares & online booking for train travel in Italy and out of Italy to neighbouring countries.  The 'English' button is top right.  On international trips, look for 'smart price' for the cheap fares when the fares results page comes up.  It can struggle with foreign credit cards, so if you have problems, try these links: Buy Italian train tickets online in the UK.  Buy Italian tickets in the USA.
		Circumvesuviana		Times & fares for the local electric railway linking Naples, Pompeii and Sorrento.
Kosovo		www.kosovorailway.com		Kosovo railways:  Internal trains plus Skopje-Pristina service.
Latvia		LDZ		Latvian Railways
Lithuania		LG		Lithuanian Railways
Luxembourg		CFL		Luxembourg National Railways
Macedonia		MZ		Macedonian State Railways
Moldova		ZDM/CFM		Moldovan State Railways
Netherlands		NS		Netherlands Railways: Dutch train times & fares.
Norway		NSB		Norwegian State Railways
Poland		PKP or www.intercity.com.pl		Polish State Railways. For mainline and international trains, see www.intercity.com.pl
Portugal		CP		Portuguese National Railways:  Times, fares & online booking within Portugal.
Romania		CFR		Romanian State Railways
Russia		RZD		For train times in Russia and ex-Soviet republics, see www.poezda.net.  To book trains within Russia, including the Trans-Siberian Railway, try www.realrussia.co.uk, UK agencies  InTourist on 020 8538 8600 or The Russia Experience, on 020 8566 8846 or local Russian agencies Svezhy Veter or WaytoRussia.  Luxury private train Moscow-St Petersburg: www.grandexpress.ru (in Russian only).
Serbia		ZS & ZCG		Serbian National Railways
Slovakia		ZSR		Slovakian National Railways
Slovenia		SZ		Slovenia National Railways
Spain		RENFE		Spanish National Railways.  Train times, fares and online booking for trains within Spain.  Times & fares for the 'trainhotels' from Spain to Paris, Lisbon, Bern, Zurich, Turin, Milan. Madrid metro website - www.metromadrid.es.  Renfe's UK agents are www.spanish-rail.co.uk.
		FEVE		Local trains Bilbao-Santander-Oviedo-Ferrol
		Euskotren		Local trains San Sebastian-Bilbao
Sweden		SJ		Swedish State Railways.  You can check Swedish train times for all train operators (including privatised ones) at www.resplus.se.  SJ will only accept Swedish credit cards, so to book trains in Sweden contact www.swedenbooking.com.
		www.connex.se		Private company operating long-distance night trains e.g. Stockholm to Narvik/Luleå - These services were operated by Tagcompaniet until June 2003.
Switzerland		SBB		Swiss Federal Railways. Train times and fares & online booking for train travel in Switzerland.
		Rhatische Bahn		One of the operators of the famous 'Glacier Express' Zermatt-Brig-St Moritz
		BLS		Bern - Lötschberg - Simplon Railway (Bern-Brig)
		Jungfrau Bahn
Turkey		TCDD		Turkish train times, fares & online booking of trains within Turkey.
Ukraine		UZ		For Ukrainian train times.  For times and fares, use www.poezda.net. To book Ukrainian train tickets from outside Ukraine, try Unipress.
UK		National Rail Enquiries		The official site for UK train information, with train times, fares, and links to every UK train operator..
		ScotRail		On-line booking for the Caledonian Sleepers from London to Scotland.
UK (Northern Ireland)		Northern Ireland Railways		Online journey planner for both buses and trains within Northern Ireland.

Country:		Operator:		Remarks:
Argentina				Train services in Argentina are experiencing something of a revival.  Try www.sateliteferroviario.com.ar/horarios/ (in Spanish only) for info about all Argentinian train operators.
Australia		Rail Australia		Although 'Rail Australia' is not a train operator, their website is a good place to start for routes, times, and fares to get around Australia by train.  Also see the seat61 Australia page.
		Great Southern Railway		GSR operates the 'Indian Pacific' (Sydney-Adelaide- Perth), the 'Ghan' (Adelaide-Alice Springs-Darwin) and the 'Overland' (Melbourne-Adelaide).  UK agents for GSR: International Rail, 0870 751 5000. Also see the seat61 Australia page.
		Countrylink		Countrylink operates trains Sydney-Melbourne, Sydney-Brisbane, Sydney-Canberra.  UK agents for Countrylink:  International Rail, 0870 751 5000.  Also see the seat61 Australia page.
		Queensland Railways		Brisbane-Rockhampton-Townsville-Cairns & other routes in Queensland.  UK agents for QR:  International Rail, 0870 751 5000.  Also see the seat61 Australia page.
		V/Line		Internal trains in Victoria
		Transwa		Perth to Kalgoorlie & Bunbury.  Formerly Westrail.  Also see the seat61 Australia page.
Bangladesh		Bangladesh Railways Corporation		Also see the seat61 Bangladesh page.
Bolivia				Bolivian eastern line:  www.ferroviariaoriental.com Bolivian western line:  www.fca.com.bo
Burma (Myanmar)		Myanmar Railways Corporation		No official website, but see the seat61 Burma page and www.burma-travels.com/trains.htm or www.shwenet.com/myanmar/railways.shtml.  Train times shown in Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable.  To arrange tickets from outside Burma, contact www.yangonow.com.
Cambodia		Chemin de Fer de Cambodge		No official website - see the Cambodia page..
Canada		VIA Rail		Canada's national rail network.  UK agents for VIA Rail: First Rail, call 0845 644 3553.  Also see the seat61 Canada page.
		BC Rail		No longer provides Vancouver - Prince George passenger trains
		Ontario Northland		Toronto - Northern Ontario trains
		www.rkymtnrail.com		Website for the 'Rocky Mountaineer' tourist train running Calgary-Banff-Vancouver
Chile		Chilean State Railways (EFE)		Chilean state railways official website (Spanish only) - www.efe.cl.  For train times & info in English see www.geocities.com/flairck.geo/efe/.
China		Chinese Railways		Website in Chinese only - www.chinamor.cn.net.  For train times in English, see the seat61 China page or www.travelchinaguide.com/china-trains/index.htm. To book Chinese trains from outside China see www.chinatripadvisor.com.  You can check times, fares & buy tickets for Beijing-Hong Kong, Beijing-Shanghai and Shanghai-Hong Kong trains at www.train-ticket.net.  www.kcrc.com is the official site for the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, with info on local and long-distance through trains from Hong Kong.
Cuba		Ferrocarriles de Cuba		No official website - see the Cuba page.
Egypt		Egyptian National Railways (ENR)		See the seat61 Egypt page.  You can download timetables at unofficial site www.egyptianrailways.com.  Sleeping-car trains from Cairo to Luxor & Aswan are run by a private company, Abela Egypt, www.sleepingtrains.com for times, fares & booking.
India		www.indianrail.gov.in		The UK agent for Indian Railways, including Indian rail passes, is the excellent SD Enterprises in Wembley.  Call 020 8903 3411, or visit www.indiarail.co.uk.  Also see the seat61 India page.
Indonesia		Indonesian railways (Perumka)		See the seat61 Indonesia page.
Iran		Iranian Islamic Republic Railways		Official site of the 'Raja Trains' passenger department.  Times & fares for Iran and for international trains Tehran-Damascus & Tehran-Istanbul.
Iraq		Iraq Republic Railways		Train service Baghdad-Mosul, Baghdad-Basra.
Israel		Israel Railways		Times and fares for train travel in Israel.
Japan		JNR		For a rail timetable in English visit www.hyperdia.com (the English button is upper left).   UK agents for Japan rail passes include the Seat61 RailShop.  Also visit www.japanrail.com.
Jordan		Jordan Hedjaz Railway		Also see the Seat61 Jordan page.
Kazakstan		Kazak Railways		Official interactive timetable, in Cyrillic script, for Kazakhstan Railways.  Also try www.poezda.net.
Kenya		Kenya Railways		No known website, see seat61 Kenya page.  www.eastafricashuttles.com/train.htm  has info on Kenya Railways train times & fares Mombassa - Nairobi
Korea (South)		Korean