ryan_scotland
Traveller
7 comments
Posted 8 years ago
Hello again, it's been a while
I have interrailed twice now, seeing lots of the main cities and am looking for something a bit different on this trip.
I will be flying out from Scotland then looking to get trains. I am not sure entirely where to go so looking for suggestions and a route. I have around 2 weeks time for this trip.
I am open minded and would like to see some places that are a bit special, perhaps with nature or beauty. Places that currently appeal to me for this trip are;
Porto, Lisbon, Belgrade, Llubjana, Florence. I know I won't be able to fit these all in to this trip but i am just wondering if there are any possible routes that may include some of these?
Any suggestions at all would help!
Thanks very much!
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi Ryan!
All of these cities are quite beautiful and you can spend many days exploring them (ok, Ljubljana and maybe also Belgrade have a little less to offer in terms of tourist attractions than the others). Like you said it wont be able to visit all of them within two weeks - I'd say it is realistic to visit Florence and then the two other cities in the east or west.
If you do Lisbon and Porto you will need to cover quite few kilometres to get to Florence - with a 5in15 Interrail pass you would have four travel days to do that. I would recommend to start in Porto, then go to Lisbon, then take the night train to Madrid or Irun/Hendaye and continue from there.
Some places more or less along the route which might be not so well known or less touristy then the main cities but worth visiting are: Teruel, Zaragoza, Girona (Spain), the Cote Vermeille (south of Perpignan), the Yellow Train ([u]https://rail.cc/blog/little-yellow-train-video/[/u]), the Cervennes line from Nimes to Le Puy en Velay, the Cote Bleue, Briancon, Grenoble (France), Turin, Perugia, Lucca (Italy).
If you go to the east, you could make stops en route in Trieste and take the old tramway to Villa Opicina to continue to Slovenia, then make a stop at Lake Bled ([u]https://rail.cc/blog/travel-lake-bled-train/[/u]) before continuing to Ljubljana. Then to Zagreb and on to Sarajevo, then by bus to Belgrade or continue to Montenegro before taking the famous line through the mountains from Bar to Belgrade.
Flo 8)
ryan_scotland
Traveller
7 comments
Flo,
Thank you for this great advice! You have given me a good idea of some routes I might be able to take and a way to do this trip. I will let you know how I get on with some more planning :)
Thank you
ryan_scotland
Traveller
7 comments
Flo!
Upon looking at places to visit further, a trip in the balkans definitely seems more interesting and appealing to me.
Is it possible to go around places here by train only? The ones that appeal to me at the moment are definitely Belgrade, Mostar and Sarajevo and any other places you would advise checking out?... would it be possible to include a visit to Lake Bled in this trip too? Keeping in mind I have roughly 15 days.
What is a good route I could take? The most reasonable prices for flights to nearby destinations for me are Split, Dubrovnik, Venice, Budapest, Milan
What kind of tickets/pass would be advised for this?
Thanks again!
[quote]Hi Ryan!
All of these cities are quite beautiful and you can spend many days exploring them (ok, Ljubljana and maybe also Belgrade have a little less to offer in terms of tourist attractions than the others). Like you said it wont be able to visit all of them within two weeks - I'd say it is realistic to visit Florence and then the two other cities in the east or west.
If you do Lisbon and Porto you will need to cover quite few kilometres to get to Florence - with a 5in15 Interrail pass you would have four travel days to do that. I would recommend to start in Porto, then go to Lisbon, then take the night train to Madrid or Irun/Hendaye and continue from there.
Some places more or less along the route which might be not so well known or less touristy then the main cities but worth visiting are: Teruel, Zaragoza, Girona (Spain), the Cote Vermeille (south of Perpignan), the Yellow Train ([u]https://rail.cc/blog/little-yellow-train-video/[/u]), the Cervennes line from Nimes to Le Puy en Velay, the Cote Bleue, Briancon, Grenoble (France), Turin, Perugia, Lucca (Italy).
If you go to the east, you could make stops en route in Trieste and take the old tramway to Villa Opicina to continue to Slovenia, then make a stop at Lake Bled ([u]https://rail.cc/blog/travel-lake-bled-train/[/u]) before continuing to Ljubljana. Then to Zagreb and on to Sarajevo, then by bus to Belgrade or continue to Montenegro before taking the famous line through the mountains from Bar to Belgrade.
Flo 8) [/quote]
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Currently the only international train to Bosnia-Herzegowina is the Zagreb - Sarajevo day train (which should finally be operated by a modern Talgo unit in a few weeks time). To get to Belgrade, it is best to take a bus from Sarajevo (otherwise you would have to get back to Zagreb, then take the day or night train to Belgrade). Sarajevo - Mostar should be operated by train again after several months of bus replacement.
Do you still want to go to Italy?
Lake Bled - Zagreb - Sarajevo - Mostar - Belgrade can definitely done within a 15 day timeframe. Tickets can be bought locally.
If you end the trip in Belgrade you could get to Budapest by train to get your flight or rearrange the trip to do Zagreb - Belgrade - Sarajevo - Mostar - Split/Dubrovnik (the last trip by bus too).
In the beginning you could start in either Budapest (to get to Ljubljana then buy an advance fare ticket via [ux]https://rail.shop/mav/[/ux]) or in Venice; from Venice then either go to Gorizia (beautiful small old town), then cross the border on foot and go to Lake Bled from Nova Gorica or go to Trieste - Villa Opicina, then to Lake Bled via Sezana - Nova Gorica.
ryan_scotland
Traveller
7 comments
Hey Flo
Thanks so much for helping get this journey and experience started!
So I have broke my flight to Budapest. I plan to follow your recommendation and from here go to Lake Bled - Zagreb - Belgrade - Sarajevo - Mostar - Split(to fly home).
How much time will I need to make reservations in advance? Will most of the journey be made by train? Where shall I get these tickets?
Are there any other cool places you recommend checking out in between these, my 15 days are pretty flexible I could add one or two more on!
Thank you Flo
[quote]Currently the only international train to Bosnia-Herzegowina is the Zagreb - Sarajevo day train (which should finally be operated by a modern Talgo unit in a few weeks time). To get to Belgrade, it is best to take a bus from Sarajevo (otherwise you would have to get back to Zagreb, then take the day or night train to Belgrade). Sarajevo - Mostar should be operated by train again after several months of bus replacement.
Do you still want to go to Italy?
Lake Bled - Zagreb - Sarajevo - Mostar - Belgrade can definitely done within a 15 day timeframe. Tickets can be bought locally.
If you end the trip in Belgrade you could get to Budapest by train to get your flight or rearrange the trip to do Zagreb - Belgrade - Sarajevo - Mostar - Split/Dubrovnik (the last trip by bus too).
In the beginning you could start in either Budapest (to get to Ljubljana then buy an advance fare ticket via [ux]https://rail.shop/mav/[/ux]) or in Venice; from Venice then either go to Gorizia (beautiful small old town), then cross the border on foot and go to Lake Bled from Nova Gorica or go to Trieste - Villa Opicina, then to Lake Bled via Sezana - Nova Gorica.[/quote]
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
It makes sense to book Budapest - Ljubljana in advance via [ux]https://rail.shop/mav/[/ux] for 39€. Ljubljana - Bled is available locally.
The remaining tickets also can be bought locally; check for Ljubljana - Zagreb special fare when you arrive in Ljubljana from Budapest.
Belgrade - Sarajevo and Mostar - Split is by bus; by locally at the bus station.
You can support us by booking your accomodation through our affiliate links [u]https://rail.shop/bookingcom/[/u] and [ux]https://rail.shop/hostelworld[/ux] - thank you.
ryan_scotland
Traveller
7 comments
[quote]It makes sense to book Budapest - Ljubljana in advance via [ux]https://rail.shop/mav/[/ux] for 39€. Ljubljana - Bled is available locally.
The remaining tickets also can be bought locally; check for Ljubljana - Zagreb special fare when you arrive in Ljubljana from Budapest.
Belgrade - Sarajevo and Mostar - Split is by bus; by locally at the bus station.
You can support us by booking your accomodation through our affiliate links [u]https://rail.shop/bookingcom/[/u] and [ux]https://rail.shop/hostelworld[/ux] - thank you.[/quote]
Flo I will book through your affiliate links for sure... so it is best to just purchase these tickets individually and there is no pass I could buy?
Thanks
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
A pass makese no sense as you only have four rail trips. The Interrail 5in15 would be too expensive and the Balkan Flexi Pass only covers Serbia and Bosnia. So, just buy the tickets locally (except Budapest - Ljubljana as explained above) and you will be better off. :)
ryan_scotland
Traveller
7 comments
[quote]A pass makese no sense as you only have four rail trips. The Interrail 5in15 would be too expensive and the Balkan Flexi Pass only covers Serbia and Bosnia. So, just buy the tickets locally (except Budapest - Ljubljana as explained above) and you will be better off. :) [/quote]
Thank you Flo
I will purchase this ticket and my hostel through your link today!
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
OK great :)
I was just thinking, if you have time, you could think of going from Budapest to Vienna, spend a couple of hours there, then travel overnight to Bled via Salzburg.
ryan_scotland
Traveller
7 comments
Hey Flo
I have already booked but don't think I would like to go as already been there anyway.
However I was wondering is there any where I could stop or a destination to add between Mostar and Split? Are there any other places in Croatia worth checking out? I have already been to Dubrovnik and would like to see somewhere new.
Will the euro be a valid currency between all these countries do you think?
[quote]OK great :)
I was just thinking, if you have time, you could think of going from Budapest to Vienna, spend a couple of hours there, then travel overnight to Bled via Salzburg.[/quote]
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
OK :)
The Euro is currency only in Slovenia, in Hungary it is Forint (HUF), in Croatia Kuna (HRK), in Bosnia Mark (BAM) and in Serbia it is Dinar (RSD).
Between Mostar and Split? ...maybe Imotski with the Blue and Red Lake...or Biokovo national park...sadly I have only been to Dubrovnik so cant give first hand tipps...
ryan_scotland
Traveller
7 comments
Thanks Flo! I'll try leave a post after the trip letting you know how it goes!
[quote]OK :)
The Euro is currency only in Slovenia, in Hungary it is Forint (HUF), in Croatia Kuna (HRK), in Bosnia Mark (BAM) and in Serbia it is Dinar (RSD).
Between Mostar and Split? ...maybe Imotski with the Blue and Red Lake...or Biokovo national park...sadly I have only been to Dubrovnik so cant give first hand tipps...[/quote]
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Great thank you. :)
Have fun on your trip!