In March, my mum put a message in our family group chat suggesting that we visit Croatia for this year's family holiday. My response:
I have committed to not flying within Europe as a way of reducing my carbon footprint, so I knew that if I was going to join the family holiday in Croatia, I'd need to find a way to get there by train.
As soon as I agreed to the trip, I began researching ways of getting from England to Croatia by train. I quickly realised that it wasn’t going to be quick or cheap or easy, but I knew it was the right decision for me. Plus, I liked the challenge of travelling across Europe by train!
A few weeks ago, I got back from this adventure. I was lucky that despite a few stressful (or missed) connections, one rail replacement bus, and one cancelled high-speed train, overall, my trip went incredibly smoothly. This post will provide an overview of the outbound and return journey for anyone looking to plan their own flight-free trip across Europe. If you're interested in learning more, I'm planning on posting a handful of additional blog posts that go into more depth about each direction of travel (if I can ever find the time to finish them!).
Why am I sharing this story? Because I think it's important to normalise slow travel if we want to encourage more people to make sustainable choices when choosing transport options for their travels. Yes, travelling by train across Europe was certainly slower than it would have been to fly, but taking the train offered so many other advantages over flying (which I discuss in more depth below). Yes, I've written about Interrailing before, but it's important to note the big difference between the 2022 trip and this most recent trip: while our Interrailing trip in 2022 was all about exploring new places, this most recent trip was about getting from point A (home) to point B (holiday destination). It just so happened I was able to explore some new places along the way.
Statistics
From London (UK) to Split (Croatia) and back again
5 Interrail travel days
13 trains, 4 metros, 1 coach, 1 rail replacement bus, 1 local bus, 1 taxi
Over 51 hours on trains
Over 4,500 kilometres of travel
6 countries transited through: England, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia
4 cities visited en-route: Vienna, Zagreb, Lake Bled, Munich
Map created with BRouter-Web and dérive
Planning
It took a bit of research to find a route that I felt both confident and excited about. The encyclopaedic knowledge of the Man in Seat Sixty-One proved, once again, to be a valuable resource in route planning. I wanted to do at least one overnight train, and when I saw there was a direct overnight train from Vienna to Split, I knew that was the best option. Now, with a better idea of my route, I could count up my travel days and buy the appropriate Interrail pass. For anyone interested in multi-day train travel in Europe, an Interrail (or Eurrail) pass is definitely the way to go.
In August, I bought a 5-day First Class Interrail pass for the trip. As I’ve learnt on previous trips, travelling in first class can make a world of difference when you’re spending hours on trains. Once I had my Interrail pass, the next key milestone was booking seat reservations on the Eurostar and a couchette on the sleeper train to Croatia, as these were more likely to sell out than other seat reservations (and were both vital to the overall journey – taking the train to Croatia wouldn’t work very well if I couldn’t get off the island of Great Britain, as my mum reminded me multiple times).
When I booked my Interrail pass, my sister was planning on joining me for the journey, but she ended up deciding to fly at the last minute due to health complications. So, as I left my parent's flat in London, the night still dark, I was embarking on my longest solo train journey to date.
Itinerary
24 September Travel day 1: London to Vienna
I was up early to catch the 07:04 Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels. Passport control was a mess (only one of the six e-gates were working), but it meant boarding had started by the time I got through to the waiting area. As we sped towards the continent, I was served a light breakfast (one of the perks of travelling in Standard Premiere), then took the opportunity to nap.
I had planned on getting the 12:25 train to Frankfurt, but because my Eurostar had arrived on time and I didn’t need to wait for my sister to arrive from the Netherlands, I was able to catch an earlier high-speed ICE train from Brussels to Frankfurt. One of the benefits of travelling on an Interrail pass, as opposed to standard tickets, is that it gives you a lot more flexibility on timing for trains (at least, for those trains that don’t require a seat reservation). Although there was only 20 minutes to transfer to my second train of the day, I still managed to squeeze in time to pick up a Belgian waffle – always the (singular) highlight of passing through Brussels Midi train station! As I boarded the crowded train, I felt grateful to have a first class Interrail pass, as I was able to find a seat with no problem. I was very impressed with the stable wifi connection, which allowed me to work throughout the length of the journey. In fact, I had great wifi on all the ICE trains I took throughout my trip (it's ironic that as I write this blog post, I'm currently on a South Western train from Exeter to London that does not have any working wifi! Oh, how far we have to go…).
The train from Brussels was delayed, meaning I had just enough time in Frankfurt to grab some food for the rest of the afternoon. The ICE train from Frankfurt to Vienna, however, was terminated at Passau due to recent flooding. From there, I had to get a local train to Wells, where I could transfer back onto a high-speed train to take me the rest of the way to Vienna. Despite the diversion, I still made it into Vienna at roughly the time I had expected to. I felt incredibly thankful that I had managed to get earlier trains at both Brussels and Frankfurt – if I had stuck to my original itinerary, I’m not sure I would have made it to Vienna that evening!
Public transport used: 5 trains, 2 metros
Travel time: 16 hours 45 minutes
Time on trains: 12 hours 19 minutes
Countries visited: England, Belgium, Germany, Austria
Local snack: Belgian waffle
25 September Exploring Vienna
Although I was tempted to spend the morning in bed, I only had one day in Vienna, so I was determined to make the most of it. The weather was perfect for walking around the city and I was impressed with the gradeur of the buildings I passed. In the afternoon, I rented a city bike and cycled around one of the big parks, where the leaves were just beginning to turn golden. It was fun getting to see the city that Brett has visited multiple times for conferences.
25-26 September Travel day 2: Vienna to Split
After a day exploring Vienna, it was time to board the sleeper train from Vienna to Split! This train only runs three times a week throughout the summer season. Although I've taken sleeper trains before, this was my first time travelling solo in a couchette. I had paid extra to be in a four-person couchette (as opposed to a six-person one), and had also requested a women's only cabin, which turned out to be a great choice – there was only two of us in the cabin, which felt like a luxury compared to the crowded couchettes along the corridor. As the sun set over Austria, I did a bit of work, before making my bed and watching a movie I had downloaded on my phone. I slept okay, although I did wake a few times in the night when the train stopped at various stations.
When I got up in the morning, the sun was just beginning to rise. I spent the last few hours of the journey admiring the views and taking photos out of the open window. Overnight, the landscape had transformed dramatically, from lush green fields, to dry hills covered in shrubs. The train corridor was lined with other passengers looking out the windows as the Adriatic Sea finally came into view. By the time the train pulled into Split (an hour later than scheduled), I was buzzing with excitement – I'd made it across Europe by train!
Public transport used: 1 train
Travel time: 15 hours 15 minutes
Time on trains: 15 hours 15 minutes
Countries visited: Austria, Croatia
26 September - 5 October Exploring Croatia
Once I had arrived in Split, I met up with my sister and we spent the day exploring the picturesque city before meeting up with our parents in Trogir later that afternoon. The following morning we boarded the cruise, and we spent the next week visiting various spots north of Split, cruising in the morning and running in the afternoons. I was, as before, impressed by the natural beauty of Croatia's Adriatic coastline.
6 October Travel day 3: Split to Lake Bled
Back on the mainland, we spent one night in Split, before I began my long journey back to England. Ashlynn joined me for the first leg of the journey, travelling with me from Split to Lake Bled before flying back to England from Ljubljana. Because the train from Split to Zagreb wasn’t running that Sunday, we were forced to book a coach from the Croatian coast to its capital city. We were up at 04:00 to catch a 05:00 Flixbus, which was, shockingly, on time departing Split and arriving in Zagreb. I managed to get some sleep and when I woke up, the sun had risen behind the clouds, revealing sweeping views out towards the coast. After passing through a tunnel, we emerged on the other side of the moutains into a landscape covered in fog. As much as I wanted to catch up on sleep, I was too drawn in by the views to drift off again.
6 October Exploring Zagreb
We had a few hours in Zagreb before our train to Slovenia, so I reached out to a friend, who met us for a coffee and showed us around. Another great thing about slow travel is getting to see friends and meet people along the way!
Local snack: Štrukli (cheese pastry)
After exploring Zagreb for a few hours, we caught our connecting train to Lake Bled. We managed to get a whole compartment to ourselves, which was lovely. Just forty minutes after leaving Zagreb, we had crossed the border into Slovenia, however, we were told by the conductor that we would need to get off at Ljubljana and get a rail replacement bus to Lake Bled. She didn’t give an explanation. I've learnt that things don’t always go to plan when you’re travelling by train, so you have to be willing to go with the flow. We transfered to the bus at the Ljubljana train station, which took us to the Lesce-Bled station. The next local bus to the lakeside town wasn’t for another hour, but luckily we were able to jump in a taxi with two other tourists and were soon checking into our hostel.
Public transport used: 1 coach, 1 train, 1 rail replacement bus, 1 taxi
Travel time: 13 hours
Time on trains: 2 hours 35 minutes (plus 6 hours 30 minutes on the coach and bus)
Countries visited: Croatia, Slovenia
7 October Exploring Lake Bled
We had one full day in Lake Bled and we certainly made the most of it! After a week in the warmth of the Adriatic sun, the cold mountain air was a bit of a shock as we left the hostel to walk down to the lake for sunrise. We got up early to visit Vintgar Gorge before it got crowded and then walked around Lake Bled in the afternoon. Climbing up to one of the viewpoints, I was in awe at the incredible lighting illuminating the church on the lake below us. It was a perfect day and I'm so glad I got to share it with Ashlynn!
Local snack: Bled cream cake and Štruklji (a Slovenian boiled dumpling)
8 October Travel day 4: Lake Bled to Munich
After saying goodbye to Ashlynn, I caught the local bus to the Lesce-Bled train station, where there was – helpfully – no departure board or platform numbers. I ended up chatting with a German woman who was also heading to Munich, and we learnt from a local lady that our train was delayed. Thankfully, I still managed to make the short connection at Villach onto the train to Munich. Getting back onto an ICE train felt like stepping into luxury. The views as we passed through the Austrian Alps were spectacular, with snow-capped peaks visible through gaps in the clouds.
Public transport used: 2 trains, 1 bus
Travel time: 7 hours
Time on trains: 5 hours 15 minutes
Countries visited: Slovenia, Austria, Germany
8 October Exploring Munich
I didn’t have much time in Munich, just an evening. After leaving my bags at the hostel, I made my way into the old city centre, where I wandered aimlessly for a few hours. I couldn’t resist stopping for a pickle and an extra-large bretzel (I regretted the latter as I was too full to finish my dinner!). When it started raining, I made my way back to the hostel early for a chill evening.
Local snack: Extra-large bretzel, pickle
9 October Travel day 5: Munich to London
By the time I started my last travel day, I was certainly getting tired. I left my hostel at 06:30 and didn’t get to my parents’ flat in London until 21:00. My first ICE train took me from Munich to Frankfurt, where I relaxed in a cafe near the station for a couple of hours while waiting for my connection. Next, it was another ICE to Brussels. I always build in a lot of time before any Eurostar train, so I had over three hours sitting in the Brussels-Midi train station before I could check in (oh the joys). Finally on board my final train of the trip, I was perhaps a little over excited to be sat in Seat 61. It felt fitting to end this journey with a little homage to the Man in Seat 61, whose brilliant website helped make this whole trip possible.
Public transport used: 4 trains, 2 metros
Travel time: 15 hours 30 minutes
Time on trains: 8 hours 45 minutes
Countries visited: Germany, Belgium, England
Local snack: Frankfurter Kranz (Frankfurt Crown Cake), Belgian waffle (again, yes)
Highlights
Cycling around the park in Vienna on a sunny day
Hiking through Vintgar Gorge and around Lake Bled
Taking the train through the Austrian Alps
Waking up in Croatia on the sleeper train between Vienna and Split
Insane sunset on the train to Vienna
Getting to taste local delicacies at the stops along the way
Meeting up with a Croatian friend in Zagreb
The Man in Seat 61 liking my post on Bluesky about sitting in Seat 61 on the Eurostar
Lessons learnt
Bring more snacks and water than you might expect you will need – if you have delayed trains, any layovers you have may end up being a lot shorter than expected, which means planned snack stops may be cut short (or abandoned all together).
On long travel days, and especially when you have short connections between trains, you're going to have to get used to using the train toilets. On my first travel day, I went most of the day without using a "real" bathroom. You don't have to enjoy the experience, as long as you're willing to do it (this can also save you money, as many train stations in Europe charge up to €1 to use the toilet).
Don’t wear trousers with a tight waistband on long travel days – when you’re bloated after 16 hours of travelling, you certainly won’t appreciate that discomfort.
Make sure you top up your phone data before you run out, otherwise you’ll have to wait until you can find free wifi somewhere! (Speaking from experience...)
And finally, be prepared for things to not go exactly to plan. If you can, schedule in extra time in case there are delays and you need to catch a later train.
Reflections
As I mentioned earlier, this was the longest solo train trip I’ve ever taken. Yes, it took me many days to get to and from Croatia, while flying would have been a handful of hours on either side of the holiday. But this trip was an eye-opening experience in realising it is possible to get to most of Europe within a few days – while also stopping to see some incredible places along the way! Although the main holiday was in Croatia, I also got the opportunity to explore Vienna, Zagreb, Lake Bled, and Munich – places I would not have visited if I’d flown to and from Croatia. I got to taste local desserts: Belgian waffles, Bled cream cake, and Frankfurter kranz. I got to see the landscape change from the arid hills of coastal Croatia, to the dramatic valleys of the Austrian Alps, to the flat farmland of southern Germany. I cycled in Vienna and hiked in Lake Bled. I worked on my funding application, submitted a conference abstract, and joined a seminar, all from the comfort of a first class train carriage.
Climate change wasn't far from my mind on this journey. On my way to Vienna, my journey was disrupted by flooding in Austria and as I travelled back to London, a second hurricane was approaching Florida, a state where I have extended family. You don’t have to look far to see our world being shaped by changing weather pattens. If taking the train on holiday is one way I can minimise my impact on the natural environment, then it’s the choice I’m going to make every time. I recognise that I am in a very privileged position to even have this choice to make. I’m grateful to have parents who supported this trip financially, and a job that allows me the flexibility of slow travel.
If you’re in a similar position, I would strongly encourage you to consider getting an Interrail pass on your next holiday in Europe. I understand why flying is the go-to option for most travellers, but I would encourage you to ask yourself the following questions before you decide to book that next flight. Where else could you visit along the way to your final destination? How much does that flight really cost once you’ve factored in the luggage fees and the price of getting to and from the airport? And should we always prioritise convenience and speed when we can instead prioritise sustainability and novel experiences?
Yes, train travel certainly has its quirks and I won't deny that it can be stressful at times. But there’s also something invigorating about overcoming those challenges – whether it’s being rerouted on the way to your evening’s destination or rushing to find food on a 10-minute layover between trains. It also feels exciting to say that I’ve travelled across Europe by train! I’m guessing there’s not all that many people who have taken the train round-trip to go on holiday in Croatia! This trip has certainly made me excited for future train trips to other parts of Europe that Brett and I haven’t explored yet – Scandinavia and more of Eastern Europe certainly feel more manageable now.
Resources
If you're planning a similar trip, here are some resources I used in planning/booking my trip:
The Man in Seat Sixty-One for suggested itineraries and lots of other train-related advice
Interrail for buying your pass and planning your travel days (I had a query about pricing for the overnight train and was very impressed with the quick and helpful response from the Interrail customer service team)
OBB for checking live train updates and booking cabin reservations for the EuroNight sleeper train
BRouter-Web for mapping distances and plotting pretty maps of your train journeys
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