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Can I go to Germany? Rules for travelling from the UK

By Sarah James and Becky Lucas

In England , international travel for leisure has been permitted since Monday 17 May 2021. Germany was previously on the UK 's green list – but what are the rules for travelling there now? 

What are the entry requirements for Germany?

Fully vaccinated travellers – those who received their final dose at least 14 days before travelling – may enter Germany from the UK for any purpose. Anyone aged 12 or over must possess either proof of vaccination (find out the acceptable forms on the German government website ), proof of recovery from Covid for at least 28 days and no more than 90 days, or a negative Covid test prior to arrival. 

Those who are not considered fully vaccinated can only enter Germany if they are a resident or citizen, a spouse or other family member of a resident, serve in an important role or have ‘an urgent need to travel’, and they must have proof of a negative Covid test taken before entry (within 48 hours before departure for Germany if it's a PCR test, or 48 hours before the time of arrival if it's a rapid antigen test). Unvaccinated children up to the age of 11 are allowed to enter Germany from the UK, as long as they travel with at least one fully vaccinated parent. Children aged 12 to 17 can only enter if they are fully vaccinated, a resident (or the child of a resident), or have an urgent need to travel.

If you are fully vaccinated and have spent any of the previous 10 days in a country designated high-risk by the German government, you must complete pre-departure digital registration . If you have done so and are not fully vaccinated, you must quarantine for 10 days – with test and release available after five days. For more details, go to the UK government website . 

Can I travel to the UK from Germany?

As of 18 March 2022, there are no Covid travel rules in the UK, which means that anyone returning to the country does not need to test, quarantine or fill in a passenger locator form , regardless of their vaccination status. The government is also no longer managing any quarantine hotels in the UK, as of the end of March.

Germany travel restrictions: New rules in place for UK travellers over high omicron cases

Germany is banning UK tourists, and travellers who will be allowed in face two weeks of quarantine.

UK tourists are banned from Germany as of midnight tonight, Sunday 19th December, in a bid to curb the spread of the omicron variant of COVID.

Only German citizens or residents, and their partners and children, will be allowed into the country. They will be required to:

• show a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure
• quarantine for two weeks on arrival

These rules apply regardless of vaccination status or recovery from COVID.

The rules, which will be in place until at least 3rd January, are due to Germany classifying the UK as a ‘virus variant area of concern.’ The UK reported over 90,000 new cases of omicron yesterday.

UK travellers will still be allowed to transit through Germany.

• WHO says Omicron found in 89 countries as Europe attempts to slow down its spread
• UPDATED: Where can I travel in Europe? A list of COVID entry rules for every European country
• Omicron COVID variant could resist protection from two doses of Pfizer and Sinovac vaccines
• UK travel: Pre-departure and day 2 tests now required, but this one trick could save you time

What are the rules for Germany's ‘virus variant areas of concern'?

Germany’s Health Ministry said in their update : “Before departure, please be prepared for your carrier (e.g. airline) to require from you an up-to-date PCR test if you spent time in an area of variants of concern at any time in the ten days prior to entry.

“After your arrival, further PCR testing may be ordered by the health authorities at the airport or at the place of isolation/quarantine. Please be aware of the 14-day quarantine requirement, which also applies to vaccinated and recovered individuals. The duration of the 14-day quarantine may not be shortened.”

Other countries in Germany’s highest risk category include South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Further details on Germany's travel restrictions are available here .

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What are you looking for?

Information on entering germany, covid-19-related restrictions for entry into germany lifted with effect as of saturday, 11 june 2022.

Since Saturday, 11 June 2022, all COVID-19-related restrictions on entry into Germany have provisionally been lifted. Since that date, travel from the United Kingdom to Germany is permitted for all purposes (including tourism and visits). For entry into Germany proof of vaccination, recovery or testing is no longer required.

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United Kingdom

Travel Advisory July 26, 2023

United kingdom - level 2: exercise increased caution.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Exercise increased caution in the United Kingdom due to terrorism.

Country Summary:  Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in the United Kingdom. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.

There is also a risk of isolated violence by dissident groups in Northern Ireland, focused primarily on police and military targets.

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to the United Kingdom.

If you decide to travel to the United Kingdom:

• Be aware of your surroundings when traveling to tourist locations and crowded public venues.
• Follow the instructions of local authorities.
• Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information.
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and Twitter.com/Travelgov
• Review the  Country Security Report  for the United Kingdom.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel and return to the United States.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

Embassy Messages

View Alerts and Messages Archive

Quick Facts

Must be valid for the duration of your stay in the United Kingdom   (If you have onward travel to countries outside the United Kingdom, you should check the passport validity requirements for each additional country on their respective information pages.)

Must have at least one page

Not required for stays less than six months.

Embassies and Consulates

U.s. embassy london.

33 Nine Elms Lane London, SW11 7US United Kingdom Telephone: +(44)(20) 7499-9000 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(44)(20) 7499-9000 Fax: +(44) (20) 7891-3845 Email:   [email protected]

U.S. Consulate General Edinburgh, Scotland 3 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5BW Scotland Telephone: 013-1556-8315 / from the United States: 011 (44)(13) 1556-8315 Emergency After-Hours Telephone:  020-7499-9000 / from the United States: 011 (44)(20) 7499-9000 Fax: 0131-557-6023 /from the United States: 011 (44) 131-557-6023 Email:   [email protected]

U.S. Consulate General Belfast, Northern Ireland Danesfort House, 223 Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5GR Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Telephone: 028-9038-6100 / from the United States: 011 (44)(28) 9038-6100 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: 01253-501106 / from the United States: 011 (44) 1253-501106 Fax: 028-9068-1301 / from the United States: 011 (44)(28) 9068-1301 Email: [email protected]

Destination Description

Learn about the U.S. relationship to countries around the world.

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

• To enter the United Kingdom, your passport must be valid for the entire duration of your planned stay.
• Starting June 2019, U.S. passport holders will be able to use the ePassport Gates upon arrival in the United Kingdom. U.S. citizens who had previously registered for the UK’s Registered Traveller Service (RTS) should now also use the ePassport Gates on arrival in the UK.
• If you are planning onward travel after departing the UK, note that many other countries require at least six months’ remaining validity on your passport to enter. If you are bound for Continental Europe, please see our  U.S. travelers in Europe page for additional details.
• Visas for specific categories of visitors must be obtained prior to travel. Visit the  UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) website to determine if you need a visa to enter the United Kingdom. We cannot intervene on your behalf when you apply for a UK visa, nor can we advocate for your admission into the UK if you are denied entry.
• Students and prospective students should visit the  UKVI website  to determine if they need a visa.
• For some U.S. travelers, especially students, an entry stamp is required.  Please consult this website  for more information.
• Unpaid and paid workers, interns, volunteers, charity workers, and temporary workers can find information about obtaining a visa on the  UKVI website .
• Visitors traveling to the United Kingdom to get married, even if they do not plan to reside there, must obtain a visa in advance. See the  UKVI website  for visa information.
• Surcharges apply to certain categories of visas, generally those involving work, study, or residency for more than six months. More information is available on the  UKVI website  and in our Health section below.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of the United Kingdom.

Find information on  dual nationality ,  prevention of international child abduction  and  customs regulations  on our websites.

Safety and Security

Terrorist groups continue plotting possible near-term attacks in Europe. The UK Security Service publishes specific reasons for any changes in the threat level and recommended actions for the public via its  UK threat levels website .

There is the potential for  isolated violence  related to the political situation in Northern Ireland. The Police Service of Northern Ireland assesses there is a continued threat of violence from dissident groups in Northern Ireland, focused primarily on police and military targets, and may involve the use of  firearms  and  explosives . Tensions may be heightened during the summer marching season (April to August), particularly on and around the July 12 public holiday.

Avoid areas of demonstrations  if possible, and be careful within the vicinity of demonstrations. Demonstrations occur frequently in and around city centers and areas where tourists frequent. Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate to violence.

The phone number for  police/fire/ambulance emergency services  is  999  in the United Kingdom and  112  in Gibraltar. You should also use these numbers to report security threats or suspicious packages. Also see information for  contacting police from abroad .

• Be cautious and aware of your surroundings.
• Be vigilant, as  pickpocketing ,  mugging,  and “snatch and grab” theft of mobile phones, watches and jewelry can occur.
• Do not leave bags unattended in restaurants, pubs, hotel lobbies, and parked cars.
• Be alert to other criminal schemes, such as  impostors  posing as undercover police officers and “fining” tourists for bogus minor offenses. A legitimate Metropolitan Police Services officer will never demand an immediate cash payment.
• Use only licensed Black Cabs or pre-ordered car services (minicabs) . Unlicensed taxis or private cars posing as taxis may offer low fares, but in some instances, travelers have been  robbed  or  sexually assaulted  while using these cars. See Transport for London for additional information on cabs and car services .
• Avoid using ATMs that look temporary in structure or location  or are located in isolated areas – they may not be legitimate. Use ATMs located inside a bank branch.

Scams : Before sending any money to individuals you have never met in person, visit the  Embassy London website  for more information about  internet financial scams  and how to protect yourself.

See the  Department of State  and the  FBI  pages for information on scams.

Victims of Crime : Report crimes to the local police at 999 (United Kingdom) or 112 (Gibraltar) and contact the U.S. Embassy at +(44) (20) 7499-9000.

• Local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes.

See our webpage on  help for U.S. victims of crime overseas .

• help you find appropriate medical care
• assist you in reporting a crime to the police
• contact relatives or friends with your written consent
• explain the local criminal justice process in general terms
• provide a list of local attorneys
• provide our information on  victim compensation programs in the United States
• The Victim Support website  is maintained by an independent UK charity to help people cope with the effects of crime
• A Northern Ireland-based independent charity maintains a similar  victim support website
• In Scotland, victims of crime should contact  Victim Support Scotland
• provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support if you are destitute
• help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
• replace a stolen or lost passport

Domestic Violence:  U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the Embassy for assistance.

Tourism:  The tourism industry is generally regulated and rules are regularly enforced. Hazardous areas/activities are identified with appropriate signage and professional staff is typically on hand in support of organized activities. In the event of an injury, appropriate medical treatment is widely available throughout the country. Outside of a major metropolitan center, it may take more time for first responders and medical professionals to stabilize a patient and provide life-saving assistance. U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance . 

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Criminal Penalties:  You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. 

Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the United States, regardless of local law. For examples, see our website on  crimes against minors abroad  and the  Department of Justice  website.

• You will be arrested if you bring pocket knives, blades, mace or pepper spray canisters, or any part of a gun into the United Kingdom . Please refer to the UK government publication  Travelling to the UK , which details the items visitors are prohibited from bringing into the United Kingdom.
• Penalties against  alcohol-related  and other  in-flight  crimes committed aboard aircraft to and from the United Kingdom are stiff and are enforced with  prison sentences . Please also see  our information on U.S. customs regulations  covering your return to the United States.
• Controlled Substances: UK law prohibits possession and trafficking of controlled substances and narcotics, including some substances that may be legal to possess under the law of certain U.S. states. More information on controlled substances is available here . Individuals who violate UK drug laws may face penalties including fines or prison sentences.

Arrest Notification:  If you are arrested or detained in the United Kingdom, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our  webpage  for further information.

Special Circumstances:

• The legal drinking age in the United Kingdom is 18. Parents and organizers of school trips should read our  Students Abroad website  to help plan a safe and enjoyable experience.
• Scotland’s “drink drive limit” law was amended to a lower level (roughly .05 BAC) and is stricter than the rest of the United Kingdom (roughly .08 BAC). This means that  driving after even one drink  can result in a charge of driving under the influence.
• The United Kingdom has very strict gun control laws, and importing firearms is extremely complicated.  Information on applying for a firearm and/or shotgun certificate can be found on the  London Metropolitan Police Firearms licensing webpage .  Licenses from England or Wales may not be valid in Scotland; please check with the appropriate authorities.  For firearms certificates for Scotland, please check with  Police Scotland .

Faith-Based Travelers:  See our following webpages for details:

• International Religious Freedom Report  – see country reports
• Human Rights Report  – see country reports
• Hajj Fact Sheet for Travelers
• Best Practices for Volunteering Abroad

LGBTI Travelers:  There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTI events in the United Kingdom.

See our  LGBTI Travel Information  page and section 6 of our  Human Rights report  for further details.

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance:

• UK law requires that all public service providers (except in the transportation sector) make “reasonable adjustments” to ensure their services are available to persons with disabilities.  Nevertheless, code exemptions permit many older buildings to have steps up from the street.
• Getting around in cities may be difficult at times because sidewalks can be narrow and uneven.
• Most London Underground and UK National Rail System stations are not readily accessible for people with disabilities.  Many stations do not have elevators, and have stairways and long corridors for changing trains or exiting to the street. Many UK buses are equipped with lowering platforms for limited-mobility or sight- or hearing-disabled travelers.
• Many taxis have swivel-entry seats or retractable ramps to ease entry.
• Disabled parking permits (known as “blue badges”) are issued by local government councils throughout the country. Visit the  UK government website  for contact information. Some councils may not offer permits to temporary visitors.

The  Transport for London  and  National Rail  websites provide information for passengers with disabilities.

Students:  See our  Students Abroad  page and  FBI travel tips .

Women Travelers:  See our travel tips for  women travelers .

While medical services are widely available,  free medical care  under the National Health System (NHS) is allowed only for UK residents, certain EU nationals, and some visa holders.

An NHS surcharge is assessed on certain visa applicants at the time of application.  Tourists and short-term visitors will not be assessed the surcharge, but will be charged 150 percent of the cost of any medical treatment they receive from the NHS. Unpaid balances of £1,000 or more can result in being barred from return to the United Kingdom.

• The U.S. government does not pay medical bills, and U.S. Medicare is not valid overseas.

Medical Insurance:  Make sure your health insurance plan provides  coverage overseas . Most care providers overseas only accept  cash payments . See our webpage for more information on insurance coverage overseas.

• We strongly recommend  supplemental insurance  to cover medical evacuation.

Carry  prescription medication  in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription. Traveling with sufficient supplies to last the duration of your trip is recommended. Mailing prescriptions is prohibitive and may be delayed or rejected by British customs.

Certain prescriptions available in the United States are classified as a "controlled drug"  in the United Kingdom and cannot be brought into the country without applying for and obtaining a prior license. This includes prescriptions for medical marijuana or products containing CBD and THC.  Please visit the https://www.gov.uk/travelling-controlled-drugs for additional information. 

Vaccinations:  Be up-to-date on all  vaccinations  recommended for international travel by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Further health information:

• World Health Organization
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  (CDC)

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety:  Road conditions in the United Kingdom can differ significantly from those in the United States.

• In contrast to the United States, UK traffic drives on the left.  Read the  Highway Code  before driving.
• Emergency call boxes  (orange telephone booths with “SOS” printed on them) are found at half-mile intervals along motorways. White and blue poles point in the direction of the nearest call box. Call boxes dial directly to a motorway center. Use these phones rather than a personal cell phone, because motorway center personnel will immediately know your exact location.
• Generally,  pedestrians do not have the right of way  and should not expect vehicles to stop for them.

Many U.S. citizen pedestrians are injured, some fatally, every year in the United Kingdom, because they forget that oncoming  traffic approaches from the opposite direction  than in the United States.  Exercise extra care when crossing streets; remain alert and look both ways before stepping into the street.

Traffic Laws: 

• UK penalties for driving under the influence of  alcohol  or  drugs  are strict and often  result in prison sentences .
• Using a  hand-held cell phone  or similar device while driving is  illegal  in the United Kingdom. Only hands-free phones may be used. You will be  fined , or in the case of an accident,  arrested  and serve time in  prison .
• The speed limit on highways/motorways in the United Kingdom is 70 mph, or lower when posted.
• You will be  detained  and  arrested  if you cannot provide a UK address to receive a subpoena or are about to depart the United Kingdom and have to be brought to court quickly for a motoring offense.
• In Central London, a congestion charge is levied on all drivers who pass through the congestion zone. You will be  fined  or  arrested  if you do not pay the charge. See  Transport for London  for more information about driving in London.

Public Transportation:  Public transport in the United Kingdom is extensive.

• Information on disruptions to London transportation services can be found on the  Transport for London  website.
• Information about the status of National Rail Services can be found on the  National Rail Enquiries  website.
• Bus and train service information in Northern Ireland can be found on the  Translink  website.
• Bus and train service information in Scotland can be found on the  Traveline Scotland  website.

See our  Road Safety page  for more information. For specific information concerning UK driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax, and mandatory insurance, refer to the  UK Department for Transport  website or the  Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency  website.

Aviation Safety Oversight:  The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of the United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of United Kingdom’s air carrier operations. Further information may be found on the  FAA’s safety assessment page .

Maritime Travel: Mariners planning travel to the United Kingdom should also check for U.S. maritime advisories and alerts at  www.marad.dot.gov/msci . Information may also be posted to the U.S. Coast Guard homeport website and the NGA broadcast warnings website (select “broadcast warnings”).

For additional travel information

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
• See the  State Department’s travel website  for the  Worldwide Caution  and  Travel Advisories .
• Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .
• See  traveling safely abroad  for useful travel tips.

Review information about International Parental Child Abduction in the United Kingdom . For additional IPCA-related information, please see the International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act ( ICAPRA ) report.

Travel Advisory Levels

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How to travel from

London to germany by train.

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Train travel UK & Ireland...

Train travel in europe..., train travel in asia..., train travel in africa..., train travel in america..., train travel in australasia, london to germany by train.

It's easy to travel from the UK to Germany by train.  Take Eurostar from London to Brussels in 2 hours and switch to a high-speed ICE train to Cologne taking 1h57, then take another luxurious ICE train to Munich, Berlin, Hamburg or anywhere in Germany.  London to Brussels starts at £52 one-way or £78 return, Brussels to Cologne at €18.90 each way, Brussels to Berlin or Munich at €27.90, city centre to city centre, no airports, no flights.  Children under 4 go free, there's free WiFi and you can bring your own bottle of wine if you like.  This page explains the best routes, times, & how to buy tickets.

Choose your destination:     London to: Augsburg Berlin Bielefeld Bochum Bonn Bremen Colditz Cologne (Koln) Dortmund Dresden Duisburg Dusseldorf Essen Frankfurt Hamburg Hannover Heidelberg Koblenz Leipzig Mainz Mannheim (via Brussels) Mannheim (via Paris) Munich Neuschwanstein Castle Nuremberg Osnabruck Regensburg Saarbrucken Stuttgart Ulm Train times, fares & tickets

Train travel within Germany

International trains to & from germany, station guides, other useful information, interactive map :   click a destination or route, useful country information, london to hannover & berlin, which route to choose.

Which option is cheapest?  You have to go online and see, because each option involves several tickets and the price of each ticket varies like an air fare.  However, at short notice, the ferry options are usually cheaper than Eurostar.

Can you go out one way, back another?   Yes!  Almost all European train fares are priced as one-way, so you can book one-way out on one route and one-way back on another.  Eurostar is the exception where a return fare is cheaper than two one-ways, so book London-Paris or London-Brussels as a round trip if you can.

Can you stop off?   Of course!  Simply book trains either side of the stopover on whatever dates you want.  Each part of these journeys is ticketed separately in any case (for example, the Eurostar and the sleeper train), so it's no problem to stop off on the way at any of the main interchange points.

What if you're not starting from London?   See this advice about starting your journey from elsewhere in the UK .

Option 1, London to Berlin by daytime trains

This is the fastest & most direct option.  Take a morning Eurostar to Brussels, a high-speed ICE3 train to Cologne, then a luxurious ICE2 train to Berlin, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Treat yourself to lunch with a beer or glass of wine in the restaurant, I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier and DB's choice of German red wine.  An overnight stop in Brussels or Cologne can make for a time-effective journey as shown by the shaded journeys in the timetable below.

Timetable outward 2024

Timetable inward 2024, notes for the timetables.

Always check these train times using int.bahn.de , as they can vary.  About the 20-minute connection in Brussels .

t = Eurostar (formerly Thalys) , not ICE

How much does it cost?

London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £97 one-way, £140 return standard premier (1st class).

How to buy tickets

Buy tickets from London to Berlin or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com , in plain English, in €, £ or $, international credit cards accepted. There's a small booking fee.

You print your own ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app and show the DB ticket on your laptop or phone.

When does booking open?

Booking for Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes up to 11 months.  Onward trains to Germany open up to 6 months ahead, less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  Journeys involving a Brussels-Cologne Eurostar (formerly Thalys) open 4 months ahead.  I recommend waiting until all trains are open before committing to a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens .

Booking tips

It helps to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  Using www.raileurope.com , click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

Is it a through ticket?

There are no through tickets from London to Germany, DB's Sparpreis London fares were discontinued in March 2020 .  But www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to anywhere in Germany.  The connection between tickets in Brussels is protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT .

One-way or round trip?

On most European trains, a return fare is simply two one-ways, but on Eurostar , return fares are cheaper than two one-ways so always book round trips involving Eurostar as a return.  For more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey, add to basket, book Brussels to Berlin one way, add to basket, then Berlin to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

Seat reservations

About that 20-minute connection at Brussels Midi

The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an ICE to Germany, sometimes 18 or 19 minutes, is a recognised connection.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms , if it's open.

You are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT , so if the Eurostar is delayed you can travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

The system knows whether a connection is acceptable or too tight.  If you plan to book your Eurostar & ICE tickets separately, first run a London-Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de to check that the system recognises that Eurostar as connecting with that ICE, on that specific date.

Travelling from the UK regions:   See the advice here .

Another way to buy tickets

This is a little more work, but there's no booking fee and int.bahn.de lets you select your seat from a seat map on German ICE & IC trains.

First check that your outward Eurostar & ICE are a recognised connection by running a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de and confirming that your chosen Eurostar & ICE appear together as one journey.  See the bit about 20-minute connections in the previous section.

Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com .

Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, always book Eurostar as a round trip.

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone.

After booking you can use the Eurostar Manage Booking system to select an exact seat on Eurostar .

Step 2, book from Brussels to Berlin at the German Railways site int.bahn.de .

A round trip is ticketed as two one-ways, so you can book one way at a time if that's easier.

You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

How to buy tickets by phone

Using an interrail pass.

Pass or point to point?

Let's be clear, a pass will not save money over the cheapest point-to-point advance-purchase fares you might see if you book a few months ahead.  But when point-to-point fares are expensive (for example, at short notice) OR you want flexibility, for example the ability to change your mind, re-route or reschedule as necessary, a pass might be what you need.

If flexibility is what you want, buy the pass.  If it's about saving money, you'll have to check point-to-point prices and do the maths.

It's worth doing the maths if you are under 28, if you have kids (kids get a free pass when accompanying an adult but still need to pay reservation fees) or if you live a long way from London (as a pass covers you from your home station to London).  Passes are available in 1st & 2nd class.

How to use a pass for a trip to Germany

Step 1, buy a 4-days in 1-month Interrail pass from www.raileurope.com (click Rail passes and select Europe ) or www.interrail.eu for €283 adult, €212 youth or €255 senior.  You load the pass into the Railplanner app on your phone.  See pass prices on the Interrail page .

A 4-day pass is enough to get from almost anywhere in mainland Britain to anywhere in Germany & back again.

A 4-day pass gives you unlimited train travel on any 4 dates you choose in an overall 1 month period.  The first travel day can be any date you select in the 11 months after buying the pass, the overall 1 month period starts from that date.  Learn about how Interrail passes work here .

Step 2, make a Eurostar passholder reservation from London to Brussels & back, €30 each way.  See prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations online .  Tip:  Eurostar passholder availability is limited, so check availability before buying a pass .

Step 3, reservations between Brussels and Berlin are usually optional , but recommended.  You can make seat reservations for around €5 each way at int.bahn.de by entering Brussels to Berlin and clicking the Book seat only link under the red search button.

By all means go out one way, back another, with an Interrail pass you can use almost any of the trains & routes to/from Germany shown on this page, find out how to reserve the relevant trains using the Interrail reservations guide .

Holidays & breaks

Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can arrange a tour or short break by train as a package, with rail travel, hotels & transfers.  On their website you'll find suggested tours & holidays which can be customised to your own requirements.  One of their most popular trips is a short break by train from the UK to Cologne & Berlin , customisable to add extra nights.  Another top seller is their holiday to Berlin & Prague , also with travel to & from London by train.  Finally, have a look at their Ultimate Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest - this is by train on the outward leg from the UK, but can easily be customised to include train travel from Budapest back to London.

Tailor Made Rail can also organise a trip to Berlin & Germany by train, with hotels and transfers. Call their dedicated seat61 phone line 020 3778 1461 and quote seat 61 when booking.  From outside the UK call +44 20 3778 1461.  Lines open 09:00-17:30 Monday-Friday.  Their website is www.tailormaderail.com/destinations/germany .

Escorted tours:   If you'd like to travel with a convivial group of travellers escorted by a professional tour guide, the operators to check are Great Rail Journeys ( www.greatrail.com , in the UK call 01904 527 120) and Rail Discoveries , www.raildiscoveries.com , 01904 730 727.  Both have various escorted tours from the UK to Germany by train, with departures on a variety of dates.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras (45 minutes minimum at Brussels Midi) as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure .  St Pancras station guide .  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels .

2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3

Germany's superb ICEs have a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat.  50 minutes after leaving Brussels the ICE calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava.  As you approach Cologne Hbf you'll see the twin towers of Cologne Cathedral on the right, next to the station.  More about ICE3 .  Brussels Midi station guide .  Cologne Hbf station guide .

3. Cologne to Berlin by ICE2

ICE2 trains have a restaurant car, bar car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat.  Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf , the train crosses the Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine.  It passes through the industrial Ruhr via Wuppertal & Hamm.  After leaving Hannover, the train passes non-stop through Wolfsburg - look out for the original Volkswagen factory on the left, built in 1938.  The train then travels at up to 280 km/h (174 mph) on the high-speed line to Berlin Hbf , where it arrives at the low-level platforms.  More about ICE2 .  Cologne Hbf station guide .  Berlin Hbf station guide .

Back to top

Option 2, London to Berlin by Eurostar & European Sleeper

This is shown on the European Sleeper page .

Option 3 , London to Berlin by Eurostar & Nightjet sleeper

From 10 December 2023 there are not one but TWO different sleeper trains from Brussels to Berlin, both running 3 times a week on different days, the existing European Sleeper ( see the European Sleeper page ) and a new Austrian Nightjet sleeper train , shown below.  The Nightjet is expected to become daily from autumn 2024.  So on 6 days a week you can hop on a lunchtime Eurostar to Brussels, have an early dinner, then sleep your way to Berlin.

London ► Berlin Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays

Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Standard Premier & Business Premier fares include lunch with wine.

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The train has a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and an ordinary seats car.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video .

There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee, served in your compartment.

Berlin ► London Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays

There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee.

Fares vary like air fares, book early for the cheapest prices.  Return fares are twice the one-way fare.

On the sleeper train, berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed, the other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers.  For sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a 1-berth sleeper or 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper or 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette and so on.

Using www.thetrainline.com allows you to book all your tickets in one place, in €, £ or $, international cards no problem, small booking fee.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, less than this when the mid-December timetable change intervenes .  Child under 6?  See here .

Tip:   After booking you can use the Manage booking facility at www.eurostar.com to choose an exact seat from a seating plan, see tips on choosing a seat on Eurostar .

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure .  St Pancras station guide .   Brussels Midi station guide .  In Brussels, I recommend using the Pullman Hotel bar as your VIP waiting room .

2. Brussels to Berlin by Nightjet

Option 4, London to Berlin with overnight stop in Amsterdam

This is a long way round so much slower than option 1, but there's only one change of train, it can be cheaper and what's not to like about some time in Amsterdam?  It also allows an after-work departure from London so is time-effective.  Take Eurostar from London to Amsterdam Centraal in around 4h, often with keener pricing than between London & Brussels, stay overnight, then take a German Intercity train from Amsterdam Centraal to Berlin Hbf next day in 5h52.

London ► Berlin

Day 1, travel from London to Amsterdam by Eurostar , leaving London St Pancras at 18:04 daily except Saturdays, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 23:11.

Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the London to Amsterdam by Eurostar page .

Stay overnight in Amsterdam .  The Park Plaza Victoria Hotel is directly opposite the station and gets very good reviews.  The Ibis Styles Amsterdam Centraal is also opposite the station for a relatively inexpensive for overnight stop, or try the Hotel Luxer .

Day 2, travel from Amsterdam Centraal to Berlin Hbf by Intercity train on any departure you like.

The 05:59 from Amsterdam arrives Berlin 11:51, or there's an 07:59, 09:59, 11:59 and so on, see the Amsterdam-Berlin timetable .

All have power sockets at all seats & a refreshment trolley.  More about Amsterdam to Berlin trains .

Berlin ► London

Day 2, travel from Berlin Hbf to Amsterdam Centraal by Intercity train leaving Berlin Hbf at 16:06 & arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 22:00.

Or book an earlier train if you like, trains leave Berlin Hbf at 06:06, 08:06, 10:06, 12:06, 14:06, see the Berlin-Amsterdam timetable .

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam to London by Eurostar , leaving Amsterdam Centraal 07:47 Monday-Saturday, arriving London St Pancras 10:43.

Or on Monday-Fridays & Sundays you can leave Amsterdam Centraal at 13:47, arriving London St Pancras at 16:57.

Or spend a day in Amsterdam & take the afternoon Eurostar leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 16:47 daily except Saturdays, arriving London St Pancras 19:43, see the London to Amsterdam timetable here .

Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

London to Amsterdam by Eurostar starts at £51 one-way or £98 return in standard class, £97 one-way or £168 return in standard premier (1st class).

Children under go 4 free, children under 12 pay a reduced fare.

Amsterdam to Berlin starts at €37.90 in 2nd class, €69.90 in 1st class.

Children under 6 go free, children under 15 also go free when accompanied by an adult.

Fares are dynamic, like air fares, so book ahead and avoid busy days such as Friday afternoons for the cheapest fares.

Step 1, buy a Eurostar ticket between London & Amsterdam at www.eurostar.com .  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app.

Step 2, buy tickets between Amsterdam & Berlin at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

London to Cologne , Düsseldorf, Dortmund

Cologne, or Köln in German from its Roman name, Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, was once the largest city in Germany.  Its magnificent cathedral stands right next to Cologne's main station - the cathedral was consecrated in 1322, but its distinctive 512 feet high towers were only completed in 1880.  You can climb them for a magnificent view over the city and the River Rhine.  There are two good options for travel between the UK and Cologne or Düsseldorf.

Option 1, London to Cologne & Dusseldorf by high-speed train

Getting to Cologne from London is easy by train:  Hop on a high-speed Eurostar train from London to Brussels in just 2 hours, then travel from Brussels to Cologne by high-speed ICE train in just 1h57 with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Frequent regional trains then link Cologne with Düsseldorf, Essen, Bochum & Dortmund.  ICEs are run by Deutsche Bahn (German Railways).

Notes for the timetable

Buy tickets from London to Cologne, Düsseldorf or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

It can help to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  At www.raileurope.com , click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

Step 2, book from Brussels to Cologne or Düsseldorf at the German Railways site int.bahn.de .

Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a tour or short break by train as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers.  Their website has a range of suggested tours & holidays which can be customised to your requirements.  One of their most popular trips is a short break by train from the UK to Cologne & Berlin , customisable to add extra nights, with train travel throughout.

Escorted tours:   If you'd like to travel with a convivial group of travellers escorted by a professional tour guide, the operators to check are Great Rail Journeys ( www.greatrail.com , in the UK call 01904 527 120) and Rail Discoveries , www.raildiscoveries.com , 01904 730 727.  Both have various escorted tours from the UK to Germany by train, with departures on a variety of dates .

Video guide: London to Cologne

Since I made this video, Eurostar has introduced new e320 trains, and the signage at Brussels Midi has been renewed.  But the video still gives a good idea of the journey, and how to use the short cut from Eurostar platforms 1 & 2 to ICE platforms 3-6.

London to Bonn, Koblenz, Mainz

High-speed Eurostar trains link London with Brussels in just 2 hours.  From Brussels, high-speed Eurostar (formerly Thalys) and ICE trains take 1h57 to reach Cologne - watch the London to Cologne video .  Regular trains link Cologne with Bonn, Koblenz and Mainz.

How to check train times

Simply use the London-Cologne timetable above to find train times from London to Cologne, then use int.bahn.de to find connecting train times from Cologne to Bonn, Koblenz and Mainz.

Buy tickets from London to Bonn, Koblenz, Mainz or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

Step 2, book from Brussels to Bonn, Koblenz or Mainz at the German Railways site int.bahn.de .

London to Frankfurt

Option 1, by Eurostar to Brussels :  This is the fastest and easiest option.  Take a Eurostar to Brussels Midi in 2 hours, make a simple same-station change onto a high-speed high-speed ICE to Frankfurt (Main) Hbf in 3h15.  Both Eurostar & ICE have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You arrive at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf in the heart of the city.

Option 2, by Eurostar to Paris :  Take a Eurostar to Paris Nord in 2h20, it's then an easy 7-minute walk to Paris Est for a high-speed ICE to Frankfurt (Main) Hbf taking around 3h50.  Apart from the 7-minute walk in Paris this is almost as easy as option 1, it takes only a little longer depending how the connections work.  How about lunch in Paris ?

Option 3, by Stena Line overnight ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland :  The ferry alternative!  Leave London Liverpool Street by train at 18:45 or Cambridge at 19:47, sleep in a cosy private cabin on the Stena Line superferry from 21:00 to 08:00 with shower, toilet & satellite TV.  Next day, take the metro to Rotterdam and onward trains to Frankfurt (Main) Hbf arriving at 14:31.  This is a great option if Eurostar is expensive (for example, at short notice), if you live in East Anglia, or if you prefer a ferry to the Tunnel.

Option 5, by Eurostar to Brussels & the scenic Rhine Valley route .  Similar to option 1, taking Eurostar to Brussels and an ICE onwards, but instead of staying aboard the ICE all the way from Brussels to Frankfurt, you change in Cologne onto a slower train running along the Rhine Valley to Frankfurt, past cliffs and castles and the fabled Lorelei Rock.  It takes an hour longer, but it's worth it!  If you want this option, use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com , entering 'Koblenz' as a via station.  To enter a via station at www.raileurope.com , click More options .  See the Rails Down the Rhine page .

Option 1, London to Frankfurt via Brussels

Check these train times at int.bahn.de .   About the 20-minute connection in Brussels

Brussels Midi station guide .  London St Pancras station guide .  Frankfurt (Main) Hbf station

Buy tickets from London to Frankfurt or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

Step 2, book from Brussels to Frankfurt at the German Railways site int.bahn.de .

2. Brussels to Frankfurt by ICE3

Germany's superb ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat.  The train calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava, and at Cologne Hbf , where you'll see Cologne Cathedral to the right as you approach, right next to the station.  Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf , the train crosses the long Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine before joining the 300km/h high-speed line to Frankfurt.  More about ICE3 .  Brussels Midi station guide .  Frankfurt (Main) Hbf station guide .

Video guide: London to Frankfurt

Since I made this video, Eurostar has introduced ]new e320 trains, and signing at Brussels Midi has been renewed.  But the video still gives a good idea of the journey, and how to use the short cut from Eurostar platforms 1 & 2 to ICE platforms 3-6.

Option 2, London to Frankfurt via Paris

Note for the timetable.

London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £97 one-way, £168 return standard premier (1st class).

How to buy tickets:  Raileurope.com

The easiest way to buy London-Frankfurt train tickets is at www.raileurope.com . 

Booking for the Paris-Frankfurt trains opens up to 6 months ahead, up to 6 months ahead for Eurostar & German domestic trains.

www.raileurope.com can book journeys to Frankfurt via both Brussels or Paris.  If you want the Paris route, click More options and enter Paris Nord as a via station.  It connects to both the French & German railways ticketing systems. There's a small booking fee.

Or buy using bahn.de & eurostar.com

It's also worth checking prices for the Paris-Frankfurt train on int.bahn.de , as this is the German reservation system so prices can vary from those on the French system.  Furthermore there's no booking fee and child age limits are more generous:  When booked through int.bahn.de , children under 6 go free and children under 15 can also go free if accompanied by an adult.  Booking this way involves two websites, so do a dry run first on both sites to check prices and availability before booking for real.

Buy tickets by phone

1. London to Paris by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras (45 minutes minimum at Paris Nord) as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure .  St Pancras station guide .  Paris Gare du Nord station guide .

2. Paris to Frankfurt by ICE3

In Paris it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est for the ICE to Frankfurt.  The superb German ICEs have a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat.  More about ICE3 .  Paris Gare de l'Est station guide .  Frankfurt (Main) Hbf station guide .

Video guide :  Paris-Frankfurt by ICE

London to nuremberg.

High-speed Eurostar trains link London with Brussels in just 2 hours.  From Brussels, ICE high-speed trains run to Frankfurt in around 3h05, watch the video guide .  Change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf for Nuremberg ( Nürnberg in German), taking just 2h05.  Eurostar has a cafe-bar, ICEs have a bistro-restaurant car, and both Eurostar & ICE come with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Always check times for your date using int.bahn.de .  About the 20-minute connection in Brussels

London St Pancras station guide .  Brussels Midi guide .  Cologne Hbf station guide .  Frankfurt (Main) Hbf station guide .  Munich Hbf station guide

Buy tickets from London to Nuremberg at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

Step 2, book from Brussels to Nuremberg at the German Railways site int.bahn.de .

Nuremberg rail museum & rally grounds

London to osnabrück & hamburg, option 1, london to osnabrück, bremen, hamburg by train.

You can easily travel by train from London to Osnabrück, Bremen or Hamburg in a day, using Eurostar, a high-speed Eurostar (formerly Thalys) or ICE train to Cologne, then a comfortable German InterCity train from Cologne to Osnabrück, Bremen or Hamburg.  For more information, read on.

You can check these train times at int.bahn.de .  About the 20-minute connection in Brussels .

London St Pancras station guide     Brussels Midi station guide & advice on changing trains     Cologne Hbf station guide .  Hamburg Hbf station guide

Buy tickets from London to Osnabruck, Hamburg or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

Step 2, book from Brussels to Osnabruck, Bremen or Hamburg at the German Railways site int.bahn.de .

It's worth doing the maths if you are under 28, if you have kids (kids get a free pass when accompanying an adult but still need to pay reservation fees) or if you live a long way from London (as a pass covers you from your home station to London). Passes are available in 1st & 2nd class.

Step 3, reservations between Brussels and Hamburg are usually optional , but recommended.  You can make seat reservations for around €5 each way at int.bahn.de by entering Brussels to Berlin and clicking the Book seat only link under the red search button.

Railbookers :  For holidays or short breaks to Germany by train call rail specialists Railbookers.  They offer custom-made holidays & tours to Germany with trains, transfers & hotels sorted for you in one place.  As they're selling you a package they'll look after you if anything happens such as a strike or major delay.  The trips you see online are examples which can be customised to include train travel to & from the UK with no flying necessary, or to add extra nights, just call them.

Germany's superb ICEs have a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat.  More about ICE3 .  Brussels Midi station guide .  Cologne Hbf station guide .

London to Stuttgart & Munich

There are several good options for travel between the UK and Stuttgart or Munich:

Option 1, by Eurostar & TGV via Paris :   Take Eurostar to Paris, it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to Gare de l'Est, then take a direct 320 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex from Paris to Stuttgart or Munich.  This is the fastest option.

Option 2, by Eurostar & ICE via Brussels :   Take Eurostar to Brussels, a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) or ICE high-speed train to Cologne, then a high-speed ICE train from Cologne to Munich.  This is the most frequent option with a range of services every day.  It involves two easy same-station changes of train.

Option 3, by Eurostar & Nightjet sleeper train .  A time-effective option, using either the Paris-Munich or Brussels-Munich sleepers.

Option 1:  London to Stuttgart & Munich via Paris

London St Pancras station guide     Paris Gare du Nord station guide     Paris Gare de l'Est station guide     Munich Hbf station guide

Buy tickets at Raileurope.com

The easiest way to buy London-Munich or London-Stuttgart train tickets for journeys via Paris is at www.raileurope.com .

www.raileurope.com can book journeys to Stuttgart or Munich via both Brussels or Paris.  If you specifically want the Paris route, simply click More options and enter Paris Nord as a via station. There's a small booking fee.

Booking for Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes longer, booking for Paris-Munich TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead, but I'd wait until all your trains are open for booking.  More about when booking opens .

Other ways to buy tickets

It's worth checking prices for the Paris-Munich train on int.bahn.de , as this is the German reservation system so prices vary from those on the French system used by www.raileurope.com .  In addition, there's no booking fee and child age limits are more generous:  Using bahn.de, children under 6 go free, and children under 15 also go free if accompanying a fare-paying adult.

Booking this way involves two websites, so do a dry run first on both sites to check prices and availability before booking for real.  Booking for Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes longer, booking for Paris-Munich TGVs opens up to 4 months ahead, but I'd wait until all your trains are open for booking.  More about when booking opens .

The results will show cheap Sparpreis fares (if available).  You pay by credit card and simply print out your own ticket.  Easy!

Tip:   In the westbound Munich to Paris direction, I recommend changing Transfer time from Normal to at least 30 minutes before running the enquiry.  That will avoid tight 7-minute connections into a Stuttgart-Paris train that only runs every 2-3 hours.

How to buy tickets by phone

See the Interrail pass section below

2. Paris to Munich by TGV Duplex

In Paris it's an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est for the TGV to Germany.  Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views.  The train is equipped with power sockets for laptops & mobiles at all seats in both classes, and a cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes.  The train soon leaves the Paris suburbs behind and speeds across a vast wide open plateau of woods & farmland at up to 320 km/h (199 mph), past picturesque French villages of the Champagne region.  An hour or two later, the train leaves the high-speed line and slowly meanders through pretty wooded hills, the countryside eventually flattening out towards Strasbourg.  On leaving Strasbourg, look out for Strasbourg cathedral on the left with its famously missing second tower.  Minutes afterwards you rumble across the river Rhine into Germany, before heading on to Stuttgart & Munich.  Paris Gare de l'Est station guide .  Munich Hbf station guide .  More about TGV Duplex .  See TGV video guide .

Option 2:  London to Stuttgart & Munich via Brussels

It's easy to travel by train from London to Munich in a day, using a morning Eurostar to Brussels, a high-speed ICE3 train to Frankfurt, then another luxurious high-speed ICE to Munich, all with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Treat yourself to lunch with a beer or some wine in the ICE restaurant car.  Alternatively, an overnight stop in Brussels can make it more time-effective, as shown by the shaded journeys in the timetable below.

Stuttgart, Ulm, Augsburg :  You can travel to Stuttgart, Ulm or Augsburg on the same departures from London, with a different connection from Frankfurt.  For simplicity, I only show the Munich times in the timetable below, but a journey to Stuttgart, Ulm or Augsburg is booked in exactly the same way as to Munich.

Buy tickets from London to Munich or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

Step 2, book from Brussels to Stuttgart or Munich at the German Railways site int.bahn.de .

Step 2, make a Eurostar passholder reservation from London to Paris or Brussels & back, €30 each way.  See prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations online .  Tip:  Eurostar passholder availability is limited, so check availability before buying a pass .

Step 3 if going via Brussels:  Reservations between Brussels and Munich are optional, but recommended.  You can make seat reservations for around €5 each way at int.bahn.de by entering Brussels to Munich and clicking the Book seat only link under the red search button.

Step 3 if going via Paris:  Reservations on Paris-Germany trains are compulsory, seat reservations cost around €18 each way and can be made using the official Interrail reservation service .

Railbookers :  Rail specialists Railbookers offer custom-made holiday & tour packages to Germany by train, with rail travel, transfers & hotels sorted for you.  The trips you see on their website can be customised to your requirements, just give them a call.

Escorted tours:   If you'd like to travel with a convivial group of travellers escorted by a professional tour guide, check Great Rail Journeys ( www.greatrail.com , call 01904 527 120) and Rail Discoveries , www.raildiscoveries.com , 01904 730 727.  Both have various escorted tours from the UK to Germany by train, with departures on a variety of dates.

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras (45 minutes minimum at Brussels Midi) as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure .  St Pancras station guide .   Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels .

2. Brussels to Frankfurt & Frankfurt to Munich by ICE

Germany's superb ICEs have a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat.  The Brussels to Frankfurt train calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava, and at Cologne Hbf , where you'll see Cologne Cathedral to the right as you approach, right next to the station.  Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf , the train crosses the long Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine before joining the 300km/h high-speed line to Frankfurt.  More about ICE3 trains .  Brussels Midi station guide .  Cologne Hbf station guide .  Frankfurt (Main) Hbf station guide .  Munich Hbf station guide .

Option 3, London to Munich by sleeper

ÖBB (Austrian Railways) run an excellent Nightjet sleeper train from Brussels to Munich 3 times a week, final destination Vienna, and another from Paris to Munich Ost on the same days of the week, also en route to Vienna (the Brussels-Vienna & Paris-Vienna trains are combined into one train between Mannheim and Vienna).  ÖBB expect to make these trains daily from autumn 2024.  It's a comfortable and time-effective option if you don't mind the early arrival.

London ► Munich (via Brussels)

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video .

London ► Munich (via Paris)

Munich ► london (via brussels), munich ► london (via paris).

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The train has a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and an ordinary seats car.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video .

Tip:   If you have a ticket for a sleeper, you can use the ÖBB lounge at Vienna Hbf with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & WiFi.

How to buy a connecting ticket from other UK towns & cities:  See the advice on special add-on tickets here .

1. London to Paris or Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure .  St Pancras station guide .  Brussels Midi station guide .  Paris Gare du Nord station guide .

2 .  Brussels or Paris to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train

London to Leipzig & Dresden

There are several good options for travel from the UK to Leipzig or Dresden:

Option 1 , London to Leipzig or Dresden by daytime trains

This is the cheapest option, London to Leipzig or Dresden in a single day.  Or break up the journey with an overnight stop in Brussels or Cologne if you like.

London ► Leipzig, Dresden

Option 1, leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 07:04 on Mondays-Fridays, change at Brussels Midi & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf and arrive Leipzig Hbf 17:10 & Dresden Hbf 19:38.

Option 2, leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 09:01 every day, change at Brussels Midi & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf and arrive Leipzig Hbf 19:10 & Dresden Hbf 21:38.

Option 3, leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 11:04, change at Brussels Midi & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf and arrive Leipzig Hbf 21:10 or (change again at Leipzig) Dresden Hbf 23:38.

Option 4, with overnight stop in Brussels

Day 1, travel from London to Brussels on any afternoon or evening Eurostar you like.  The last one leaves London St Pancras at 19:34, arriving Brussels Midi at 22:38, but by all means book an earlier one for more of an evening in Brussels.

Stay overnight in Brussels .  I recommend the excellent Pullman Hotel Brussels Midi which is an integral part of Brussels Midi station itself, or the inexpensive Ibis Brussels Midi just across the road.

Day 2, travel from Brussels to Leipzig in around 6h58, or to Dresden in 8h11.  Find times that suit you at int.bahn.de .

Option 5, with overnight stop in Cologne

Day 1, travel from London to Cologne on any of the services shown in the London to Cologne section .  You can leave London St Pancras at 15:04 daily, change at Brussels Midi and arrive Cologne Hbf at 20:15.

Stay overnight in Cologne .  The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, with an entrance to the left of the main station entrance - many of its rooms have a cathedral view.

Day 2, travel from Cologne Hbf to Leipzig in as little as 4h23, or to Dresden in 5h42.  Find times that suit you at int.bahn.de .

Dresden, Leipzig ► London

Option 1, leave Dresden at 06:10 daily or Leipzig at 07:33, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf & Brussels Midi arriving London St Pancras at 18:57.

Option 2, leave Dresden at 10:10 or Leipzig at 11:33 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf & Brussels Midi arriving London St Pancras at 21:57.

Option 3, with overnight stop in Brussels

Day 1, travel from Dresden or Leipzig to Brussels, check times at int.bahn.de .  For example, you can leave Dresden at 12:10 or Leipzig at 13:33, arriving Brussels Midi at 21:35.

Stay overnight in Brussels.  I recommend the Ibis Brussels Midi , just across the road from Brussels Midi station, or the Pullman Hotel Brussels Midi which is part of the station itself. 

Day 2, travel from Brussels to London on any Eurostar you like.

The first one leaves Brussels Midi at 07:56 Mondays-Saturdays, arriving London St Pancras 08:59 or at 08:52 Sundays arriving 09:57.

Buy tickets from London to Leipzig, Dresden or anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

Step 2, book from Brussels to Leipzig or Dresden at the German Railways site int.bahn.de .

Step 3, reservations between Brussels and Leipzig or Dresden are usually optional , but recommended.  You can make seat reservations for around €5 each way at int.bahn.de , by setting up an enquiry and clicking the Book seat only link under the red search button.

Escape to Colditz?

Colditz has become part of WW2 folklore and it's well worth a visit.  A train leaves Leipzig every hour for Grossbothen (or on some departures, Grimma) where a bus connects for Colditz.  Journey from Leipzig about 1 hour 7 minutes.  You can check train and bus times at int.bahn.de .  In 1992, I made the whole journey from Leipzig to Colditz by train, as did many of the PoWs.  See the Escape to Colditz page for more information .

2. Brussels to Frankfurt & Frankfurt to Leipzig or Dresden by ICE

Germany's superb ICE (InterCity Express) high-speed trains have a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat.  The ICE3 train from Cologne to Frankfurt calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava, and at Cologne Hbf , where you'll see Cologne Cathedral to the right as you approach, right next to the station.  Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf , the train crosses the long Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine before joining the 300km/h high-speed line to Frankfurt.  The train from Frankfurt to Leipzig & Dresden will be an ICE-T .  More about ICE trains .  Brussels Midi station guide .  Frankfurt (Main) Hbf station guide .

Option 2, London to Dresden by European Sleeper

Option 3 , london to dresden by czech sleeper.

This is the most time-effective way from the UK to Dresden.  From the timetable change on 11 December 2022, a new overnight service with sleeping-car & couchettes links Zurich with Prague, routed via Karlsruhe & Dresden.  From London you can pick this new sleeper up in Karlsruhe.  It's a comfortable option, some sleepers have an en suite toilet & shower, breakfast included.

London ► Dresden

The sleeper train has a Czech air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and three 1, 2 & 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite shower & toilet.  There are toilets and a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in regular sleepers.  There are also 4 & 6-berth couchettes.  A light breakfast with tea or coffee is included in the sleeper fare.

Dresden ► London

This 320 km/h double-deck high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.

Alternatively, if you don't fancy the 5am arrival at Karlsruhe and don't mind a later arrival in London .

You can book the sleeper from Dresden to Basel instead, it arrives at Basel SBB at the much more agreeable hour of 07:20.  The 10:34 TGV-Lyria from Basel SBB reaches Paris Gare de Lyon at 13:40, cross Paris by metro and take the 17:03 Eurostar from Paris Nord to London.

How to much does it cost?

Step 1, book London to Karlsruhe at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com , both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.  Using one of these sites means you can book everything easily in one place.  About Raileurope .  About Thetrainline .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead for each of these trains, see more about when bookings open .  I recommend waiting until all trains have opened for booking and times are confirmed before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.

Tip:   You can book from London to Karlsruhe all in one go if you like, but for more control over the connection in Paris, I'd book London-Paris first, add to basket, then book Paris-Karlsruhe and add to basket, ensuring at least an hour between trains.  That way you can allow a more robust connection than the system would give you, and you can see if earlier Eurostars have cheaper prices.

Tip:   If you are making a round trip, London-Paris return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways so it's cheaper to book this as a return.  All other trains are one-way ticketed so it makes no difference how you book, and it can be easier to book one way at a time.

Alternatively, you can book the Eurostar at www.eurostar.com , then book the Paris-Karlsruhe TGV at int.bahn.de .  This is more work and prices should be the same, but there's no booking fee.

Step 2, book the Karlsruhe-Dresden sleeper at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz .  Booking opens 2 or 3 months ahead .

Leave 2nd class selected.  Do not select 1st class even if you want a deluxe sleeper, if you do the sleeper train won't show up.

The train will appear in the search results twice , both marked No transfers .  The first appearance is the seats carriages marked EC (EuroCity), ignore this.  Click the buy button against the second appearance of this train, with a sleeper & couchette symbol marked EN for EuroNight, and continue.  Use the modify & edit features to adjust the type of couchette & sleeper.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  You can also try booking at the Austrian Railways site www.oebb.at .

What is the sleeper train like?

It has one modern Czech sleeping-car with 9 standard compartments with washbasin and 3 deluxe compartments with a compact en suite toilet & shower.  Each compartment can be sold with 1, 2 or all 3 beds in use, as single , double and T3 .  There are toilets and a shower at the end of the corridor, and each compartment converts from beds to a private sitting room for the daytime parts of the journey.  There is a power socket for laptops and mobiles.  All necessary bedding and towels are provided.  The doors have card-key locks like hotels.  A very safe, civilised and comfortable way to travel!  Do not obsess about getting a deluxe - In the standard compartments the beds and the decor are exactly the same as the deluxe ones, the only difference is that the compartment floor space is a fraction smaller (though not so you'd notice) and there's a washbasin instead of an en suite toilet & shower.  You can of course use the shower at the end of the corridor - you access it using the same card key that opens your compartment door.  This train also has couchettes, basic bunks with rug & pillow, you can book a bunk in either a 6-berth or less crowded 4-berth compartment.

London to other destinations in Germany

You can get to just about anywhere in Germany by train from London.  If your destination is a small place close to one of the big cities shown on this page such as Berlin, Hamburg or Munich, use the train times on this page to that city then use the German Railways website int.bahn.de to find train times onwards from that city to your final destination.  The German Railways website will also give fares and sell tickets for journeys within Germany.

London to anywhere in Germany

If your destination isn't listed here , for example, London to Heidelberg, Regensburg or Konstanz to name just three, use this booking process to search for journeys:

Buy tickets from London to anywhere in Germany at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com , in plain English, international credit cards accepted and fares shown in multiple currencies. There's a small booking fee.

You print your own ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app, and show the DB ticket on your laptop or phone.

Tip:   It can help to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  At www.raileurope.com , click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

There are no through tickets from London to Germany, DB's Sparpreis London fares were discontinued in March 2020 .  But www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to anywhere in Germany.  The connection between tickets in Brussels is protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT .  If the onwards train from Brussels is a German Railways ICE , you'll normally get a Eurostar ticket plus a through ticket from Brussels to Germany.

About those 20-minute connections at Brussels Midi

The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an onward ICE , sometimes less than this, is usually a recognised connection which lots of people make.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms .

Even though the system sells you separate tickets either side of Brussels, you are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT so if there's a delay and you miss the connection you will be allowed to travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

The system is programmed to know which connections are recognised/acceptable and which are too tight - if you intend booking your Eurostar and ICE tickets separately (which I often do to check prices for Eurostar and onwards trains separately, and to retain more control over the booking) it's wise to run a London-Cologne enquiry first just to check that the system does indeed recognise that specific Eurostar as connecting with that specific onward ICE, on that specific date.

How to buy a connecting ticket from other UK towns & cities :  See the advice on special add-on tickets here .

Neuschwanstein : Bavaria's fairytale castle

See the Neuschwanstein page for a guide to reaching Bavaria's fairytale castle, including how to make an inexpensive DIY day trip from Munich by train, with photos of a visit to the castle.

By Harz steam railway to the Brocken

See the Harz railway page .

Escape to Colditz

See the Escape to Colditz page .  Now part of WW2 folklore and well worth a visit!  Colditz is easy to reach from Leipzig, or you can do it as a day trip from Berlin or Dresden.

Berchtesgaden, Obersalzberg & Eagle's Nest

Another site from WW2 which can be visited, the site of Hitler's country house, the Berghof, can still be seen at Obersalzberg on the mountain above Berchtesgaden, where Göring, Bormann, Speer and others also had houses.  The ruins of the Berghof were demolished in 1952, all that can be seen now is an overgrown site with a large retaining wall.  Hitler's impressive mountain-top tea house, the Eagle's Nest, is still standing and can be visited in summer.  First, travel to Munich as shown above .

Travel from Munich Hbf to Berchtesgaden by regional train, these leave every hour through the day with one simple change at Freilassing, total journey time 2h35.  int.bahn.de will give train times an sell you a train ticket - look for all-train departures that don't involve a bus.  The regular fare is around €43 each way, so it's cheaper to buy a Bayern Ticket for €29 for the first passenger + €10 for each additional passenger, this gives unlimited travel for the day on regional trains after 09:00 on weekdays, any time at weekends so will cover a same-day round trip.

Although you can buy on the day at the station, buying online at int.bahn.de saves time and the system automatically shows the Bayern Ticket for journeys where this is cheaper than the regular fare.

Roughly hourly buses then link Berchtesgaden with Obersalzberg, journey time only 12 minutes, from where tourist shuttle buses go up to the Eagle's Nest.  The bus operator is www.rvo-bus.de .  Or take a tour - Eagles Nest Historical Tours ( www.eagles-nest-historical-tours.com ) do an Obersalzberg tour and an Eagles Nest tour, leaving from the tourist information centre directly across the roundabout from the station.

London to Germany via Harwich - Hoek

The ferry alternative!  If Eurostar is expensive, especially at short notice, the ferry can be cheaper.  If you live in East Anglia, the ferry can be more convenient, there's even a direct train from Cambridge to Harwich which connects with the night boat.  If you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel or if there are strikes in France, this is also the route for you.  Or you may simply prefer a leisurely cruise across the North Sea in a cosy private cabin with toilet, shower & satellite TV, after an excellent dinner in the ship's restaurant.  The route via Harwich & Hoek of Holland is one of those shown in dark blue on the route map above .  There are two departures a day, the day boat and the night boat.

Using the night boat

A convenient evening departure from central London by train and a good night's sleep in a cosy private cabin with toilet, shower & satellite TV on board the rock-steady 63,000 ton Stena Line superferry.  Next morning, take onward trains to anywhere in Germany.

London, Cambridge & Harwich ► Germany

At Harwich, the station is right next to the ferry terminal and you walk off the train into the terminal, check in at the Stena Line desk and walk straight onto Stena Line's luxurious overnight superferry Stena Hollandica to Hoek van Holland.

The ferry sails at 23:00 and arrives at Hoek van Holland at 08:00 next morning, Dutch time.

All passengers travel in cosy private cabins with en suite toilet & shower & satellite TV.  Deluxe Comfort class & Captains class cabins are also available, and there's free WiFi in the lounges, restaurants & bars on 9 deck.  You can get on board the ferry around 9pm, have a late dinner in the restaurant and settle into your cabin.

German Intercity trains link Amsterdam Centraal with Osnabrück, Hanover & Berlin Hbf every 2 hours, change at Osnabrück for Hamburg.

For example, you can leave Amsterdam Centraal at 11:59 and arrive Berlin Hbf at 17:51, see the Amsterdam to Berlin InterCity train page .

Germany ► Harwich, Cambridge & London

Day 1, take a train from anywhere in Germany to Amsterdam or Utrecht.

You can check train times & buy tickets from any German station to Amsterdam or Utrecht at int.bahn.de .

Coming from Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, Hannover or Osnabruck it's easiest to go via Amsterdam.  For example, the 10:06 Intercity train from Berlin Hbf arrives Amsterdam Centraal at 16:00.

Coming from Munich, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Frankfurt, Cologne or Düsseldorf it's quickest to go via Utrecht.  The ICE train leaving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 13:29, Cologne Messe/Deutz 14:50 & Düsseldorf 15:12 arrives Utrecht Centraal at 16:59.

Day 1, travel from Amsterdam or Utrecht to London by Stena Line Rail & Sail .

Take the 18:35 train from Amsterdam Centraal to Schiedam Centrum or the 17:48 train from Utrecht Centraal to Rotterdam Alexander to connect with the frequent metro train to Hoek van Holland Haven.  By all means take an earlier train/metro, there are departures every 15-30 minutes and the ferry starts boarding at 19:30.

At Hoek, the station is right next to the ferry terminal.  Check in at the Stena Line desk and walk up the gangway onto the ferry and sail overnight in a snug private cabin to Harwich

The ferry sails from Hoek van Holland at 22:00 and arrives at Harwich International at 06:30 next morning (day 2), UK time.

All cabins have shower, toilet & satellite TV.  At Harwich the station is integrated with the ferry terminal. 

On day 2, Take a train from Harwich to London Liverpool Street arriving around 08:56, or from Harwich to Cambridge arriving 09:41 (10:39 on Sundays).  See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details .

Step 1, book from London or any Greater Anglia station to Hoek van Holland at www.stenaline.co.uk/rail-and-sail/to-holland .

This is a special Stena Line Rail & Sail ticket, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for more tips & information on how to buy one.

You buy the metro ticket from Hoek van Holland to Schiedam or Rotterdam at the metro station using the ticket machines or simply by touching in & out with any contactless bank card.

Step 2, now book trains from Schiedam Centrum or Rotterdam Alexander to anywhere in Germany at German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead . You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log in at any time and check or reprint tickets.

Step 1, London to Holland by train & ferry

A train takes you from London's Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich.  You walk off the train, into the terminal, get your boarding card & cabin key at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the overnight ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The superferry Stena Britannica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  Have a late dinner in the restaurant, retire to bed in a private cabin with en suite toilet & shower and satellite TV.  At Hoek van Holland, you walk off the ship, through passport control and straight onto the station for the frequent metro train to Schiedam & Rotterdam.  Change at Schiedam Centrum for a Dutch Railways (NS) train to Amsterdam Centraal (if heading for Hannover or Berlin), or at Rotterdam Alexander for a Dutch Railways train to Utrecht (if heading to Düsseldorf, Cologne, Frankfurt & southern Germany).  The journey from London to Holland is explained in detail on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page .  See the video .

The Stena Britannica at boarding at Harwich, a floating hotel with private cabins, restaurant, bar, lounges, shop & kennels.

Above left, a standard outside cabin.  Larger photo .   360º photo .  Above right, the Stena Plus lounge with complimentary red & white wine, tea, coffee & snacks.

Above left, the bar on 9 deck. Above right, a Captain's Class cabin with complimentary minibar, toilet & shower.

Step 2, Holland to Germany by ICE high-speed train or comfort InterCity (IC) train

You can pick up a German Railways ICE train to Dusseldorf, Cologne & Frankfurt either at Amsterdam Centraal (where they start) or at Utrecht Centraal (a bit quicker).  More info about ICE trains .  If you're heading for Hannover or Berlin, go to Amsterdam Centraal to catch an InterCity train there.  More info about Amsterdam-Berlin InterCity trains .

Using the day boat

It's an early start from London, but Stena Line's Harwich to Hoek van Holland daytime crossing connects nicely with the 3-times-a-week European Sleeper from Rotterdam to Berlin, making this a good option for Berlin, Leipzig or Dresden if the days and times suit you.

London & Harwich ► Berlin, Dresden

Step 1, travel from London to Harwich by train.

You leave London Liverpool Street at 06:00 Mondays-Fridays, 06:36 Saturdays or 06:44 Sundays, check train times at www.nationalrail.co.uk .

At Harwich, the station is right next to the ferry terminal.  You walk off the train and into the terminal, check in at the Stena Line desk and walk onto Stena Line's luxurious superferry to Hoek van Holland.

Step 2, cruise from Harwich to Hoek van Holland with Stena Line.

On Mondays-Saturdays the ferry sails at 09:00 arriving 17:15.  On Sundays she sails at 09:00 arriving at 18:00.

The ferry has a bar, self-service restaurant, lounges, a premium Stena Plus lounge, children's play area & free WiFi.  A private cabin is optional (but half price) on the day crossing, all cabins come with toilet & shower & satellite TV.

Step 3, hop on the metro from Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam.

On arrival at Hoek van Holland, walk off the ferry into the terminal and go through passport control.  Walk out of the terminal to the adjacent metro station and hop on the metro from Hoek van Holland Haven to Eendrachtsplein in downtown Rotterdam, the metro leaves every 20-30 minutes, journey time around 30 minutes, see metro network map .  Buy a ticket using the ticket machines or simply touch in and out with any contactless bank card.

From Eendrachtsplein it's an 850m 11-minute stroll to Rotterdam Centraal , see walking map , or you can change at Beurs onto metro line D or E and go 2 stops to Rotterdam Centraal .

You've time for dinner in Rotterdam, try Kaapse Maria ( www.kaapsebrouwers.nl ) for craft beer and good pub food, half way between Eendrachtsplein & Rotterdam Centraal, see location map .  Check opening hours, it's open Monday & Friday but closed Wednesdays.  Alternatively, Le Nord ( lenord.nl ), La Cazuela & Dunya are all good bistros 5 minutes walk north of the station, see walking map .

Step 4, travel from Rotterdam to Berlin or Dresden by European Sleeper .

The European Sleeper leaves Rotterdam Centraal at 21:21 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, arriving Berlin Hbf 06:18 & (from 25 March 2024 onwards) Dresden Hbf 08:29.

The train has 4 & 6 berth couchettes & a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin .  A light breakfast is included in sleepers, extra in couchettes.  More about the European Sleeper .

For Leipzig, change in Berlin.  I'd allow at least 1 hour between trains, check times at int.bahn.de .

Dresden, Berlin ► Harwich & London

Step 1, travel from Dresden or Berlin to Rotterdam by European Sleeper .

The European Sleeper leaves Dresden Hbf at 20:30 &  Berlin Hbf at 22:56 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, arriving Rotterdam Centraal at 07:32 next morning.  The train is extended to serve Dresden from 26 May 2024 onwards.

If you're coming from Leipzig, check times at int.bahn.de .  I'd want at least 1 hour between trains in Berlin.

Step 2, hop on the metro from Rotterdam to Hoek van Holland.

Walk from Rotterdam Centraal to Eendrachtsplein metro station, 850m, 11 minutes, see walking map , or take metro line D or E 2 stops to Beurs.  Then take metro line B from Beurs or Eendrachtsplein to Hoek van Holland Haven, it runs every 20-30 minutes, journey time 33-35 minutes, see metro network map .

Buy a ticket using the ticket machines or simply touch in and out with any contactless bank card.  The ferry terminal is right next to Hoek van Holland Haven metro station.  Walk into the terminal and check in at the Stena Line desk.  You'll need to leave downtown Rotterdam around 12:00 Monday-Friday or 11:30 Sundays, allowing for travel time and ferry check-in.

Step 3, cruise from Hoek van Holland to Harwich with Stena Line.

The ferry sails at 14:15 Monday-Saturday or 13:45 on Sundays, arriving Harwich at 19:45.

Step 4, travel from Harwich to London by train.

Step 2, book the sleeper from Rotterdam to Berlin or Dresden at www.europeansleeper.eu .

1. London to Rotterdam by train & ferry

A train takes you from London Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich International.  You walk off the train and into the terminal, get your boarding card at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The superferry Stena Hollandica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  There's a self-service restaurant, bar, lounges, a premium Stena Plus lounge, children's play area & free WiFi.  At Hoek van Holland, you walk off the ship, through passport control and out of the terminal to the adjacent metro station for the frequent metro train to Rotterdam.  See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details, photos & travel tips .

The Stena Hollandica at Hoek van Holland, a floating hotel with restaurant, bars, lounges, shop, cabins & kennels.

Above left, the bar on 9 deck.  Above right, the Stena Plus lounge with complimentary red & white wine, tea, coffee, soft drinks & snacks.

Above left, a Captain's Class cabin with complimentary minibar, toilet & shower.  Above right, fresh sea air aft on 9 deck.

2. Rotterdam to Berlin by European Sleeper

Launched by two sleeper-loving entrepreneurs in May 2023, the European Sleeper has a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, couchette cars with 4 and 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers, available at extra cost in couchettes. Light snacks and drinks can be ordered from the attendant, but there's no restaurant car so bring a picnic and maybe a bottle of wine!  More about European Sleeper .  Berlin Hbf station guide .

Above, the European Sleeper calls at Amsterdam Centraal.  This is a 5-berth couchette car, beyond it is the stainless steel sleeping-car.

The European Sleeper arrived at Berlin Hbf .

Scotland & the North to Germany  

If you live in the North of England or Scotland, option 1 is to take a train up to London and travel from London to Germany as described above.  This may well be the quickest & easiest option.  Here's some advice on buying connecting train tickets to London .  If you live in Scotland, the Caledonian Sleepers will get you up to London in time for a morning Eurostar & onwards trains to Germany.

But consider option 2, by-passing London by taking a luxurious overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam run by DFDS Seaways or a similar overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam run by P&O Ferries , then onward trains to Germany.  There are direct trains from Holland to Osnabruck, Hannover, Berlin, Cologne & Frankfurt.  So why not by-pass London by taking the overnight ferry to Holland, perhaps spend some time in Amsterdam, then hop on a train to Germany?

Scotland & North of England ► Germany

Day 1, take a train to either Hull or Newcastle, whichever is most convenient for where you live.

In Hull, transfer to P&O ferry terminal and sail overnight from Hull to Rotterdam by P&O cruise ferry, with bus/train connection to Amsterdam Centraal.  The ferry has bars, restaurants & cosy en suite cabins.

For details of schedule, fares & tickets from Hull, see the Hull to Rotterdam page .

In Newcastle, transfer to the DFDS ferry terminal at North Shields and sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam by DFDS Seaways cruise ferry.  The ferry has bars, restaurants & cosy en suite cabins.

For details of schedule, fares & tickets from Newcastle, see the Newcastle to Amsterdam page .

Day 2, travel by train from Rotterdam Centraal or Amsterdam Centraal to anywhere in Germany.

Use the German Railways website int.bahn.de to check train times & fares from Amsterdam to anywhere in Germany and buy tickets online.

For example, the 13:59 Intercity train from Amsterdam Centraal arrives Berlin Hbf at 19:51, or there are later trains.

A 12:38 ICE train from Amsterdam Centraal  arrives Cologne Messe/Deutz at 15:09 & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 16:26, or there are later trains too.  if you'd like to spend some time in Amsterdam.

Or you could spend the day in Rotterdam or Amsterdam, have dinner, then take the 3-times-a-week European Sleeper overnight to Berlin.

Germany ► Scotland & North of England

Day 1, take a train from Germany to Rotterdam Centraal (for P&O to Hull) or to Amsterdam Centraal (for DFDS to Newcastle).

You can check train times & fares from anywhere in Germany to Amsterdam & buy tickets online at the German Railways website int.bahn.de . 

For example, the 08:06 Intercity train from Berlin Hbf arrives at Amsterdam Centraal at 14:00.

The 09:29 ICE train from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf & 10:50 from Cologne Messe/Deutz arrives Amsterdam Centraal at 13:29, or there are other trains.  By all means travel earlier and have more time in Amsterdam.

Or you could take the 3-times-a-week overnight European Sleeper from Berlin to Amsterdam (for Newcastle) or Rotterdam (for Hull), spend the day there, then take the overnight ferry home.

Day 1, if going to Hull:  Transfer by P&O bus from Rotterdam Centraal to Rotterdam Europoort and sail overnight from Rotterdam to Hull with P&O Ferries ( www.poferries.com ), arriving next morning (day 2).  In Hull, transfer from the ferry terminal to Hull station by taxi or shuttle bus.

For details of schedule, fares & tickets, see the Hull to Rotterdam page .

Day 1, if going to Newcastle:  Transfer from Amsterdam Centraal to IJmuiden ferry terminal by DFDS transfer bus and sail overnight from IJmuiden to Newcastle with DFDS ( www.dfds.com ), arriving next morning (day 2).  In Newcastle, transfer from ferry to station by bus or taxi.

For details of schedule, fares & tickets see the Newcastle to Amsterdam page

Day 2, take a train home from Hull or Newcastle.

Fares & how to buy tickets

Step 1, start with the ferry.  Go to www.dfds.com for Newcastle-Amsterdam, www.poferries.com for Hull-Rotterdam.

Step 2, now for the train from Amsterdam to Germany.

Book from Amsterdam Centraal (if you're arriving from Newcastle by DFDS) or from Rotterdam Centraal (if you're arriving at Rotterdam Europoort with P&O) to anywhere in Germany using the German Railways website int.bahn.de .  Allow plenty of time for the port-station transfer.

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log in at any time and check or reprint tickets.

Step 2, then check train times and buy train tickets to Hull or Newcastle as shown on the UK page or using www.nationalrail.co.uk .  Allow plenty of time for the transfer from station to port, and for the ferry check-in.

Step 1, Newcastle to Amsterdam (DFDS) or Hull to Rotterdam (P&O) by overnight cruise ferry, with private en suite cabins, restaurants, bars, cinema, a floating hotel.  If travelling with DFDS from Newcastle, a transfer bus takes you from IJmuiden ferry terminal to Amsterdam Centraal station next morning.  If travelling with P&O from Hull, a transfer bus takes you from Rotterdam Europoort ferry terminal to Rotterdam Centraal , from where frequent Dutch trains run to Utrecht or Amsterdam.

Step 2, take an ICE train from Amsterdam or Utrecht to Germany.  More info about ICE trains .

Holidays & tours to Germany

Railbookers, railbookers.co.uk.

Railbookers can custom-make a flight-free holiday or short break to Germany for you, with train travel & hotels, for however long you like, leaving on any date you like.  If you tell them what you want, they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you.  They get a lot of repeat business!  For example:

Short breaks to Cologne with train travel & hotel, check their website for prices.

Short breaks to Berlin, with train travel both ways & 2 or more nights hotel.

7-night holiday to Berlin & Prague by train.

Christmas Markets - Railbookers are experts in Christmas Market breaks by train

Byway, byway.travel

Byway ( Byway.travel ) is a new UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating .  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book a holiday to Germany for you as a package, including train travel from the UK and hotels, starting from any British station you like.

They can build a trip to your requirements, email them or use the contact form .  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.

Rail Discoveries, raildiscoveries.com

Rail Discoveries offers several train-based escorted tours to Germany, with 3* hotels and travel by Eurostar and onwards high-speed train.  For example, they offer a 5-day tour to the Rhine Valley, or a 6-day Rhine cruise.  Check prices & departure dates at www.raildiscoveries.com , then book online or call 01904 730 727.

Great Rail Journeys, greatrail.com

Rhine valley cruises.

There are two ways to cruise the wonderful Rhine Valley - as an inexpensive day trip on a scheduled KD Lines cruise, or as a multi-day trip on a full-blown cruise ship which you use as a floating hotel, staying on board in en suite cabins.

A day cruise down the Rhine Valley, an inexpensive short break

Buy train tickets from London to Koblenz, as explained above . 

Buy a ticket for around €35 for the daily scheduled cruise from Koblenz to Rüdesheim run by the Köln-Düsseldorfer Line, www.k-d.com .  Their scheduled day cruises run between April and October, there's usually a sailing from Koblenz around 09:00 arriving Rüdesheim around 15:15.  You may also find an afternoon departure, leaving Koblenz around 14:00 and arriving Rüdesheim around 20:15. The cruise will take you past the Hostile Brothers' castles and the legendary Lorelei Rock.  They have various other scheduled cruises starting as far north as Cologne and going as far south as Mainz, see www.k-d.com  (select English top right then click ''KD Scheduled Cruises' top left).

Treat the timetable as a guide, and don't book any tight connections, the Rhine boats can run late!

Luxury Rhine cruises

River cruisers with private cabins, restaurants and bars cruise the Rhine on multi-day trips where you live on board and visit locations along the way.

Riviera Travel , www.rivieratravel.co.uk , offers 8-day Rhine cruises from Koblenz to Switzerland with train travel by Eurostar to and from London, from around £1,199 per person.  The trips cover Koblenz, the Rhine Gorge and Lorelei Rock, Strasbourg, the Black Forest, Interlaken and Lucerne.

European Rail Timetable & maps

Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted.  See an extract from the map .  Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).

Make sure you take a good guidebook.  For independent travel, the best guidebook is either the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide.  Both guidebooks provide an excellent level of practical information and historical and cultural background.  You won't regret buying one!

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

Or buy the Lonely Planets from the Lonely Planet website , with shipping worldwide.    Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website , from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

Recommended hotels

Here are my suggested hotels conveniently located for arrival by train in key German cities, all with good or great reviews.  You are unlikely to be disappointed by any hotel scoring over 8.0 out of 10 on Booking.com .

In Frankfurt

If you walk out of Hamburg Hbf's main eastern exit, you'll find a row of good hotels lined up in front of you on the opposite side of the Kirchenallee.  The pick of these is the excellent 4-star Hotel Reichshof Hamburg , across the road and to the left with art deco-based design and great reviews.  It has its own restaurant for lunch or dinner, although I'd still be tempted to try the beer & traditional German food at Nagel's bar, 150m south along the Kircheallee, restaurant-kneipe-hamburg.de .

The Hotel Europaischer Hof is another good choice and directly in front of you across the road when you walk out of the station.  Other hotels next to Hamburg Hbf with good reviews include the 5-star Hotel Continental Novum (to the right of the Europaischer), Hotel Furst Bismarck (to the right of the Continental Novum), and the Hotel Atlantic Kempinski .

If you'd prefer a hotel right in the city centre, the Henri Hotel Hamburg Downtown is 5 minutes walk from the station on the city side, and gets really great reviews.

If you're on a budget, private rooms in the A&O Hotel start at around £33 for one person or £49 for two people booked at www.hostelworld.com .  The A&O is an 11-minute 900m walk south of Hamburg Hbf, see walking map .  Also try the innovative Cab20 capsule hotel , a 550m 6-minute walk from the station, see walking map .

Affordable hotels right next to Munich Hbf with good or great reviews include the reliable Eden Hotel Wolff or the NH Collection München , both directly across the road from the station's north side exit, ideal for an overnight stop between trains.  I've used the Hotel Wolff myself.

Also consider the more upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian , Excelsior by Giesel or Mercure München City Center , all a stone's throw from the station with great reviews.

If you want to push the boat out, the luxurious 5-star Sofitel Munich Beyerpost is right outside the station's south side exit, located in the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building dating from 1896-1900.  It comes complete with a spa with massage service and sauna.

If you're on a budget, the Wombat's Hostel Munich is close to the station's south side exit with private rooms & dorm beds, with good reviews.

Booking.com for hotels

I generally use Booking.com for hotels for 3 reasons:

(1) It keeps all my hotel bookings together in one place;

(2) I've come to trust Booking.com 's review scores;

(3) Booking.com usually offers a clearly-marked Free cancellation option.

Free cancellation means you can secure hotels risk-free even before trains open for booking, and if necessary change those bookings if your plans evolve.

If I'm only staying a night or two, I look for a hotel near the station to make arrival & departure easy.  You can enter the station name (e.g. Berlin Hbf ) as search location.  If staying longer, I look for a hotel close to the sights, entering the name of a city attraction as the search location, then using map view.

I then look for a hotel with a review score of 8.0 or over, any hotel scoring over that won't disappoint.

AirBnB:  Airbnb.com

www.airbnb.com began in 2008 when two designers who had space to share hosted three travellers looking for a place to stay.  AirBnB is a platform which connects hosts with guests, so you can now book a room in people's homes, or an apartment, flat or house which people want to rent out.  It can be nicer than a hostel, cheaper than many hotels.

Backpacker hostels: Hostelworld.com

www.hostelworld.com :  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in Paris and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.

Compare 50 different car hire companies:  www.carrentals.co.uk

The award-winning www.carrentals.co.uk compares many different car hire companies including Holiday Autos, meaning not only a cheapest price comparison but a wider choice of hire and drop off location.

Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance.

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer.  It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit.  These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here .  Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a European mobile data package and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  There's no need to buy a physical SIM card!  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than getting a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  Why you need a VPN

When travelling you may use free public WiFi which is often insecure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using this link you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I also get some commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, hotel bookings and Interrail or Eurail passes are often now held on your mobile phone.  You daren't let it run out of power, and you can't always rely on the phone's internal battery or on being near a power outlet.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or Buy from Amazon.com .

Touring cities?  Use hill walking shoes!

One of the best things I've done is swap my normal shoes for hill-walking shoes, in my case from Scarpa.  They're intended for hiking across the Pennines not wandering around Florence, but the support and cushioning for hiking works equally well when you're on your feet all day exploring foreign cities.  My feet used to give out first and limit my day, now the rest of me gives up before they do!

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Russia, Germany, UK urge restraint as Iranian threat puts Middle East on edge

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'POTENTIAL FOR MISCALCULATION'

The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.

Reporting by Ilona Wissenbach in Frankfurt, Shariq Khan in New York, Emily Chow in Singapore, and Simon Lewis and Steve Holland in Washington; Writing by Tom Perry, Ros Russell, Andrew Heavens and Stephen Coates; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Daniel Wallis

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Jordan's air defences were ready to intercept and shoot down any Iranian drones or aircraft that violate its airspace, two regional security sources said.

Jordan has declared a state of emergency, state-owned Al Mamlaka news said on Saturday, amid fears of an Iranian attack on Israel.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said it launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday, an attack that may trigger a major escalation between the regional archenemies, with the U.S. pledging to back Israel.

Russia, Germany, UK Urge Restraint as Iranian Threat Puts Middle East on Edge

FILE PHOTO: A picture of late senior Iranian military commander General Qassem Soleimani hangs amid rubble after what Syrian and Iranian media described as an Israeli air strike on Iran's consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus April 1, 2024. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo

(Reuters) - Russia, Germany and Britain on Thursday urged countries in the Middle East to show restraint and Israel said it was preparing to "meet all its security needs" in a region on edge over an Iranian threat to strike Israel.

The German airline Lufthansa, one of only two Western carriers flying to Tehran, extended a suspension of its flights to the Iranian capital and Russia warned against travel to the Middle East.

Iran has vowed revenge for the April 1 airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus that killed a top Iranian general and six other Iranian military officers, ratcheting up tension in a region already strained by the Gaza war.

War in Israel and Gaza

Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday Israel "must be punished and it shall be", saying it was tantamount to an attack on Iranian soil.

The "imperative for Iran to punish this rogue regime" might have been avoided had the U.N. Security Council condemned the strike and brought the perpetrators to justice, Tehran's mission to the United Nations said on Thursday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was keeping up its war in Gaza but making security preparations elsewhere.

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"Whoever harms us, we will harm them. We are prepared to meet all of the security needs of the State of Israel, both defensively and offensively," he said in comments released following a visit to an air force base.

Iran has signalled to Washington that it will respond to Israel's attack in a way that aims to avoid major escalation and it will not act hastily, Iranian sources said.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that Israel would respond directly to any attack by Iran, Gallant's office said.

Conflict has spread across the Middle East since the eruption of the Gaza war, with Iran-backed groups declaring support for the Palestinians waging attacks from Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq. Tehran has avoided direct confrontation with Israel or the United States, while declaring support for its allies.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on her Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian to urge "maximum restraint" to avoid further escalation.

Russia's foreign ministry told citizens they should not travel to the Middle East, especially to Israel, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

"Right now it's very important for everyone to maintain restraint so as not to lead to a complete destabilisation of the situation in the region, which doesn't exactly shine with stability and predictability," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told a news briefing.

'POTENTIAL FOR MISCALCULATION'

British foreign minister David Cameron said on Thursday he had made clear to Amirabdollahian that Iran should not draw the Middle East into a wider conflict.

"I am deeply concerned about the potential for miscalculation leading to further violence," Cameron said on X.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Secretary of State Antony Blinken called counterparts including the Turkish, Chinese and Saudi foreign ministers "to make clear that escalation is not in anyone's interest and that countries should urge Iran not to escalate."

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday Iran was threatening to launch a "significant attack in Israel", and that he had told Netanyahu that "our commitment to Israel security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is iron-clad".

The U.S. expects an attack by Iran against Israel but one that would not be big enough to draw Washington into war, a U.S. official said late on Thursday.

The U.S. military said on Thursday it had destroyed an anti-ship ballistic missile launched from an area of Yemen controlled by Iran-backed Houthi militia. No injuries or damage were reported to U.S., coalition or merchant vessels.

Iran is the third-largest oil producer in the OPEC group and oil prices stayed near six-month highs on Thursday.

Late on Wednesday, an Iranian news agency published an Arabic report on the X platform saying the air space over Tehran had been closed for military drills, but then removed the report and denied it had issued such news.

Lufthansa said it would probably not fly to Tehran before April 13. Austrian Airlines said it was still planning to fly on Thursday but was adjusting timings to avoid crew having to disembark for an overnight layover.

Iranian air space is also a key overflight route for Emirates' and Qatar Airways' flights to Europe and North America.

Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Aeroflot and Air Arabia, among the airlines that fly to Tehran, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Ilona Wissenbach in Frankfurt, Shariq Khan in New York, Emily Chow in Singapore, and Simon Lewis and Steve Holland in Washington; Writing by Tom Perry, Ros Russell, Andrew Heavens and Stephen Coates; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Daniel Wallis)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

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Tags: Iran , Russia , United States , Israel , Syria , Middle East , Europe , Germany

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Iranian attack on Israel expected ‘sooner rather than later’, says Joe Biden

President said US are ‘devoted to the defence of Israel’ as he urged Tehran to show restraint

Joe Biden has said he expects an Iranian attack on Israel “sooner rather than later” and issued a last-ditch message to Tehran: “Don’t.”

“We are devoted to the defence of Israel . We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” Biden told reporters on Friday.

Earlier the White House national security spokesperson John Kirby warned that the threat of a significant Iranian attack on Israel remains “viable” despite Washington-led efforts, including calls to Tehran from the UK and Germany, to deter a serious escalation in the conflict in the Middle East.

The White House comments came as several countries, including India, France , Poland and Russia, warned their citizens against travel to the region and Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said his country was “prepared to defend [itself] on the ground and in the air, in close cooperation with our partners”.

Later CBS, quoting two unnamed US officials, reported that a substantial missile and drone attack could be launched as early as Friday evening, as a number of countries urgently warned their nationals of the risk of escalating violence in the region, and Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, convened a security assessment.

Appearing to underline that report, Javad Karimi-Ghodousi, a member of the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission, said: “After punishing the Zionist regime in the coming hours, this villain will understand that henceforth, wherever in the world it attempts to assassinate figures of the resistance front, it will again be punished with Iranian missiles.”

German airline Lufthansa said on Friday its planes would no longer use Iranian airspace and extended its suspension of flights to and from Tehran until Thursday.

Qantas has paused its non-stop flights from Perth to London because the 17-and-a-half-hour flight is possible only by using Iranian airspace.

Iran has threatened reprisals against Israel for a strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria on 1 April, in which seven members of the Revolutionary Guards including two generals were killed, sparking fears that an already volatile climate in the Middle East could quickly spiral further.

Tehran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said on Thursday that Iran felt it had no choice but to respond to the deadly attack on its diplomatic mission after the UN security council failed to take action.

Speaking to reporters, Kirby said the prospect of an Iranian attack on Israel was “still a viable threat” despite concerted efforts by Israel and the US in recent days to deter it .

“We are in constant communication with our Israeli counterparts about making sure that they can defend themselves against those kinds of attacks,” Kirby said. He confirmed that the head of US Central Command, Gen Erik Kurilla, was in Israel talking with defence officials about how Israel could be best prepared.

Israel has said it is strengthening air defences and has paused leave for combat units.

On Friday, France ordered the evacuation of diplomats’ families and warned nationals in several other countries, including Israel and Lebanon, and alerts were issued by Canada and Australia. The US also restricted travel within Israel for US diplomats and their families.

In its strong warning on Friday, the French foreign ministry advised citizens against travelling to Iran, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories and said French civil servants were banned from conducting any missions there.

The advisories followed a number of media reports that Israel was preparing for the prospect of an attack from Iran, possibly as soon as this weekend.

A US official told the Wall Street Journal that American intelligence reports indicated an Iranian retaliatory strike “possibly on Israeli soil” as opposed to against Israeli interests elsewhere, adding that the strike could come within 24 to 48 hours.

The same report, however, also reported an individual briefed by the Iranian leadership as saying no final decision had been taken by Tehran.

The newspaper reported US officials as saying that the US Navy had repositioned two destroyers in the region in order to protect US and Israeli forces.

While analysts had initially speculated that Iran may not rush into a response, concern has grown in the last two days over the potential for direct conflict between Iran and Israel after years of proxy conflict between the two enemies.

More recently experts have suggested that Iran now feels it is required to act militarily to restore its balance of deterrence with Israel.

On Wednesday, Joe Biden said Iran was threatening a “significant attack” against Israel and that Washington would do all it could to protect Israel’s security.

The US president’s comments in turn followed a televised speech by Iran’s leader saying the attack in Damascus was equivalent to an attack on Iran itself. “When they attacked our consulate area, it was like they attacked our territory,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said. “The evil regime must be punished, and it will be punished.”

The Israeli military said it was fully prepared for any strike. Israel was “on alert and highly prepared for various scenarios, and we are constantly assessing the situation,” the Israel Defense Forces spokesperson, R Adm Daniel Hagari, said at a press conference. “We are ready for attack and defence using a variety of capabilities that the IDF has, and also ready with our strategic partners.”

According to reports in the Israeli media, the IDF believes that Iran or one of its proxies are most likely to attempt to strike a military target rather than civilian centres, although some sites such as the Kirya, Israel’s defence headquarters in Tel Aviv, are located in city centres next to shopping malls, offices and restaurants.

Concern over a significant escalation in the Middle East conflict, which has already drawn in Hezbollah in Lebanon, pro-Iranian groups in Iraq and Yemen’s Houthis, came as Israeli forces continued to fight Palestinian militants in the north and centre of the Gaza Strip.

Residents of al-Nusseirat refugee camp in central Gaza said dozens were dead or wounded after Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea that had followed a surprise ground assault on Thursday, and that houses and two mosques had been destroyed.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train

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Uch . TRAINS. They’re a necessary evil in many of our lives. Horrible big tin cans full of smelly people that never turn up on time and make you late for everything. The less time spent on them the better. At least for most of us in the UK, anyway.

Not so for digital nomad Lasse Stolley. This German teenager can’t get enough of them. He’s not a trainspotter, though. He’s more of a train squatter .

Okay, ‘squatter’ isn’t really accurate. While the 17-year-old does indeed live on trains, he does so entirely legally. And with a surprising amount of comfort.

Lasse travels 600 miles a day throughout Germany aboard Deutsche Bahn trains. He travels first class, sleeps on night trains, has breakfast in DB lounges and takes showers in public swimming pools and leisure centres, all using his unlimited annual railcard.

The self-employed coder technically has no fixed abode and appears to really enjoy his unusual way of life, something which he chronicles regularly on his blog, Life on the Train .

Embarking on an unusual journey

‘I’ve been living on the train as a digital nomad for a year and a half now,’ Lasse told Business Insider recently. ‘At night I sleep on the moving Intercity Express (ICE) train and during the day I sit in a seat, at a table and work as a programmer, surrounded by many other commuters and passengers. I travel from one end of the country to the other. I’m exploring the whole of Germany.’

‘I decided to live on a train when I was 16 years old. My school days were behind me and the whole world was open to me. So in the summer of 2022, I decided to give in to my wanderlust, leave my parents’ house in Schleswig-Holstein behind and embark on a huge adventure.’

‘If I feel like travelling to the sea, I take the train north in the morning. If I long for the hustle and bustle of the big city, then I look for a connection to Berlin or Munich. Or I take the express train to the Alps for a hiking trip.’

‘I use the app to organise the next connection in the evening and sleep while I race along the tracks towards my destination. I don’t have a place to retreat to. My home is the train.’

‘The early months were tough and I had to learn a lot about how it all worked. Everything was different than how I’d imagined.’

Costs, overnights and The Parent Question

Lasse says that, all things considered, it costs him around €10,000 (£8,500) a year to live the way he does.

‘I have a lot of freedom and can decide every day where I want to go, whether it’s to the Alps, to a big city or to the sea. I’m completely flexible.’

He’s forced to keep on the ball, though. You know how it is with trains. Even the unsurprisingly much more efficient German rail system. ‘Every night I have to make sure that I catch the night train and sometimes I have to reschedule very quickly because it suddenly doesn’t arrive.’

What do Lasse’s mum and dad think of his decision? ‘I had to do a lot of convincing,’ he says. Once he’d done that convincing, his parents checked out the legal side of it and agreed. They helped him sell off the majority of his possessions and now fully back their son’s decision.

Keeping luggage to a minimum

Luggage is, obviously, something of an issue. Lasse has to travel light.

‘The most important thing is my laptop and my noise-cancelling headphones, which at least give me a little privacy on the train.’

‘An important aspect of minimalism on the train is the reduction of material possessions,’ Lasse says. ‘Since the available space is very limited, you have to choose carefully what you really need. It means getting rid of unnecessary items and limiting yourself to the bare essentials.’

‘The challenge of not accumulating more and more things is a central component of minimalist living. Especially with a backpack, you quickly reach a space limit.’

Reflecting on an hectic 18 months

‘This life means a pretty restless existence. To switch off, I just look out the window and watching the scenery. That calms me down a lot. Then I just let my thoughts wander.’

‘My favourite route leads through the Middle Rhine Valley between Mainz and Bonn. Here the trains always travel very slowly along the river. It’s a beautifully picturesque route that stretches at the foot of the vineyards. The view outside is wonderful.’

Last month, Lasse worked out that he’d travelled a total of over 500,000 kilometres (310,000 miles) since he started living on the train – the number will now, of course, be even higher.

‘I don’t know how much longer I want to travel through Germany and wake up somewhere different every day, though,’ he says.

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Middle East latest: Iran launches drones at Israel and they will arrive within hours, IDF says

Iran has launched "pilotless aircraft" at Israel, the Israeli military has said. Delivering a televised statement, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari says Israel is "well prepared" for the attack.

Saturday 13 April 2024 22:56, UK

• Israel-Hamas war
• Iran launches drones at Israel and they'll arrive in hours - IDF
• Iran says it has also launched missiles
• Watch : Alistair Bunkall explains what this could mean for Middle East
• Mark Stone analysis : This is unprecedented
• Alex Rossi analysis : An extraordinarily dangerous moment
• Iran seizes Israeli-linked cargo ship with 25 crew on board
• Watch: Revolutionary Guards board vessel by helicopter
• Explained: Why is Iran attacking Israel? 
• Live reporting by Jess Sharp

In Jerusalem, our Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall has been explaining what Iran's attack could mean for Middle East tensions. 

The drone and missile strike has been launched in response to a strike on Iran's embassy in Syria, which killed two of its top generals. 

Bunkall says it is a "very, very serious moment for Israel and the Middle East and arguably the world". 

"It is hard to think of a moment in history when the region has been on edge like this," he adds. 

However, he says it is still a bit early to understand the consequence of the attack, and it depends on a number of factors. 

You can watch his full explainer below... 

Sirens have sounded in a northern Israeli kibbutz, the Israel Defence Force has said. 

The siren comes amid the impending drone and missile attack launched by Iran and after rockets were fired from Lebanon. 

Earlier, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told citizens they must enter a shelter and stay there for at least 10 minutes if a siren sounds in their area. 

"We will update you if you need to stay in the shelter for a longer period," he added. 

More than 100 explosive drones have been launched by Iran so far, the Israeli military has said. 

The Israel Defence Forces reiterated its earlier statement, saying it expects the drones to sound in the coming hours. 

It also warned that it may see Iran launched more waves. 

"IDF has been poised and prepared across services," it added. 

It declined to confirm media reports that cruise missiles were also part of the salvo.

US officials have said Iran is expected to launch more than 100 drones, dozens of cruise missiles and dozens of ballistic missiles. 

By Mark Stone , US correspondent

There have been several moments in the last six months when the feeling of acute geopolitical anxiety from the Middle East could be felt in Washington DC.

In the hours after the Hamas attacks of 7 October there was a profound sense of "what now?"

Since then, there have been a few anxious inflection points. 

But without question this moment - right now - is the most dangerous yet, by a long way.

A direct attack by Iran against Israel is unprecedented. 

Even if the drones are intercepted, even if casualty numbers are low or zero, Israelis will feel profoundly vulnerable and the Israeli government will feel compelled to retaliate. 

The use of cruise missiles - if confirmed - would change the dynamic further still.

Even if Iran has calculated a "maximum show/minimum impact" strategy - most likely to be achieved by using drones - the chance of miscalculation is huge.

The kamikaze drones are expected to take about nine hours to reach Israel. They are flying low to avoid radar, making them harder to intercept. 

By choosing drones, Iran is repeating a tested method of attack. A swarm of kamikaze drones hit Saudi oil plants in 2019, killing no one but costing the Saudi oil trade millions. Today's drones will be more sophisticated. 

There is a deep psychological aspect to all this too. People across Israel will not sleep tonight, knowing that drones are already in the air, heading their way.

Ever since Israel made the covert decision to take out two Iranian generals inside the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, 13 days ago, they knew it would provoke a response. 

Iran said its reply would be "calibrated". That was interpreted as "limited" so as not to spark a massive Israeli response and regional war.

With an attack now underway, that assessment may have been very naive.

President Biden is in the White House right now, back from his weekend retreat a day early. As American President, the ability to control this - to limit the spiral - should rest with him. 

It's a huge test for the leader of the free world who, hitherto, has been shown to have limited leverage in the regional crisis.  

Rishi Sunak has condemned Iran's attack in the "strongest terms". 

In a statement posted on X, the UK's prime minister said the drone and missile attack was "reckless" and the UK will continue to "stand up for Israel's security". 

 Benjamin Netanyahu has convened his war cabinet, his office has announced. 

The Israeli prime minister has gathered the officials at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv, it added. 

It comes as the country prepares to intercept a salvo of drones and missiles launched by Iran, which are expected to arrive in the coming hours.

This was the moment the Israeli military announced dozens of drones had been launched by Iran. 

Israel Defence Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said it would take "several hours" for the drones to arrive. 

"We have prepared for diverse scenarios in advance. In order to intercept these launches, we have the circles of protection from both the navy and the air force on several layers," he said. 

Now that Iran has begun its retaliation against Israel, the US is bracing for this to be "a major attack", two senior American officials have said. 

Speaking to our US partner NBC News, the unnamed officials said the Biden administration is expecting Iran to launch more than 100 drones, dozens of cruise missiles and dozens of ballistic missiles. 

One of the officials said the weapons were expected to target Israeli government sites, not civilians or religious sites. 

The US and Israel have been closely coordinating how to defend against the attack

"Were ready. The Israelis are ready," the official said.

US CENTCOM commander General Michael Kurillla has been meeting senior Israeli officials for the past several days.

During his visit, he consulted with the Israelis on a defence plan which includes US help from the sea and air, as well as how Israel might respond to Iran's attack, the senior American officials said.

The administration was not expecting Iran to target any US assets in the region, they added. 

Jordan has declared a state of emergency after Iran launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel, state owned media has reported. 

Earlier, Jordan announced it was closing its airspace amid the threat of an Iranian attack. 

Two regional security sources have said the country's air defences were also ready to intercept any Iranian drone or aircraft that enters it airspace. 

Iran has also launched missiles at Israel, its Revolutionary Guards has said.

In a statement quoted by state media, the branch of the Iranian Armed Forces said it has targeted specific places in Israel with dozens of drones and missiles. 

It said the attack was launched in response to "numerous crimes of the evil Zionist regime, including the attack on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus".

The Israeli military confirmed a salvo of drones had been launched from the country and could take "several hours" to arrive. 

It has declined to immediately confirm reports that cruise missiles have also been launched. 

Israeli media has reported the drones could start arriving at around 2am local time (12am UK time) but the missiles could arrive sooner. 

Israel has been on high alert for an Iranian attack since a deadly airstrike on Iran's embassy in Syria killed two of its top generals. 

Israel has been widely blamed for the strike, but it has not publicly commented on the attack. 

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