Skip to main content
Answer

Itinerary help - London to Zagreb

  • April 27, 2025
  • 5 replies
  • 168 views
S

Hi all,

I’m trying to work out a route from London to Zagreb at the beginning of August. There will be 4 (with 2 older teenagers) of us and we are meeting friends in Croatia.

We would have already used our In and Out of home country ticket at this point from an earlier planned trip into Europe. Now I am trying to work out a route down to Zagreb - we have 5 days to use on our passes. I am assuming Eurostar is our best route in and out as well. I did wonder if it would be cheaper to Eurotunnel into France and park up. I could not find anything on this plan, and I know this takes away the rail adventure.

My first thoughts were to head to Munich, Vienna, Budapest and then Zagreb - I think this may be too much for a week. My partner really wants to go into the Alps but we are concerned by the prices of Switzerland so could maybe do 1 night there. 

I was hoping for advice on a nice route to Zagreb which could get the Alps in and Vienna as well. Any thoughts and suggestions would be amazing!

We have 2 days for our return, and following Seat 61 will be going Zagreb to Stuttgart and back to London somehow from there.

Thanks so much!

Sarah

Best answer by Siège avec vue

My first thought would be to get though/out of France as quickly as possible, on the basis that the reservation fees for four of you could start to add up. Get onto some nice free trains. You could achieve this by getting the Eurostar to Brussels Midi (probably a nicer capital/station to deal with other people in tow).

Some reservation-free idea-seeders:

  • Brussels to Munich is about seven hours, change in Frankfurt. From Munich there’s a night train to Zagreb and day trains to Zurich or Vienna
  • Brussels to Zurich takes seven and a half hours via Frankfurt. From Zurich you have a choice of a night train to Zagreb, a direct RailJet (worth it once) to Vienna, or a morning Transalpin Express to see pretty Alpy things to Graz on a train with a dining car
  • There are direct day trains from Graz to Zagreb and some indirect ones from Vienna
  • Brussels to Stuttgart is about six hours, change in … Frankfurt! 

Mix, match, and reverse to get a desirable route. :-) 

I suggest losing an hour or two with Chronotrains and the rail planner.

5 replies

T
Full steam ahead
Forum|alt.badge.img+6
  • thibcabe
  • Full steam ahead
  • April 27, 2025

Depends on Eurostar prices I guess but it is definitely the best way to the mainland. Otherwise there's the convenient Harwich - Hoek van Holland Stena Line ferry (daytime/overnight). Sail&Rail fares available (see The Man in Seat 61).

From there you could head through Germany to Switzerland. The Rhine valley line is beautiful (Cologne-Mainz). Delays are common but part of any German long-distance trip.

In Switzerland you'll have loads of trains to choose from, free seating. Accommodation can be reasonably priced outside hubs such as Interlaken or Lucerne. Also look at border towns.

The Bregenz - Vienna night train (though with early arrival!) is a good way to save on accommodation in Switzerland and travel at the same time. Fares are heavily subsidised.

S
Siège avec vue
Siège avec vue
Keeps calm and carries on
  • Siège avec vue
  • Keeps calm and carries on
  • Answer
  • May 6, 2025

My first thought would be to get though/out of France as quickly as possible, on the basis that the reservation fees for four of you could start to add up. Get onto some nice free trains. You could achieve this by getting the Eurostar to Brussels Midi (probably a nicer capital/station to deal with other people in tow).

Some reservation-free idea-seeders:

  • Brussels to Munich is about seven hours, change in Frankfurt. From Munich there’s a night train to Zagreb and day trains to Zurich or Vienna
  • Brussels to Zurich takes seven and a half hours via Frankfurt. From Zurich you have a choice of a night train to Zagreb, a direct RailJet (worth it once) to Vienna, or a morning Transalpin Express to see pretty Alpy things to Graz on a train with a dining car
  • There are direct day trains from Graz to Zagreb and some indirect ones from Vienna
  • Brussels to Stuttgart is about six hours, change in … Frankfurt! 

Mix, match, and reverse to get a desirable route. :-) 

I suggest losing an hour or two with Chronotrains and the rail planner.

S
S
  • Saspi
  • Author
  • Right on track
  • May 7, 2025

Thanks so much for the responses - is it worth staying in Frankfurt for the night and then getting an early train to one of the destinations? On the first day of travel I am guessing we want to head as far South as we can to the Alps but I think we are limited on how much time spent on the train.

 

We will aim for Brussels and keep it simple re reservations.

 

Thanks again for the advice and links!!

Siège avec vue
Keeps calm and carries on
  • Siège avec vue
  • Keeps calm and carries on
  • May 7, 2025

I know nothing of Frankfurt having only ever passed through it, though this might influence your decision.

You don’t say what time you plan to leave London. Check Eurostar availability on b-europe.com or Raileurope

You could spend a day in Brussels/Frankfurt then go to Zurich for a night, get the morning pwetty train to Graz, optionally get a train to Vienna, then get a train to Zagreb. Graz is quite nice. Depends what you want to look at.

I salute your efforts to get as far as you can on day one. :-)

S
  • Saspi
  • Author
  • Right on track
  • May 7, 2025

Ok - the pudding looks like a winner! I do have to be realistic with the teens on how long for a train. So a night stop and then go further south to the alps would be ideal, I’ve not looked at Graz either, and this could be good. The more I look into this, the more the idea of a few days in the mountains and a quick trip to Vienna seems to be on the cards. But it would be nice to easily transfer to Zagreb on the day.

 

So many choices!!!

 

Thanks again - your help is really appreciated.

Terms and Conditions & Privacy PolicyAccessibility statement