ATHENS - AMSTERDAM | train

mixali
Traveller
6 comments

hi.. i am considering going from athens to amsterdam via this route that u have suggested.. as i am not computer friendly are u able to give in further detail exactly how i can find ticket prices and time of departure from athens to amsterdam.. thankyou

p.s what does free ice mean ??
Wien Westbahnhof dep: 1040 | free ICE
Frankfurt(M) Flughafen/Airport arr: 1754

Frankfurt(M) Flughafen/Airport dep: 1809 | free ICE
Amsterdam Centraal arr: 2155

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi!

Do you intend to go by InterRail?

I cant give you the exact timings for Athens - Thessaloniki, because the website of OSE (Greek Railways) isnt working currently - however, timings should be like this:

Athens 1453 - 2051 Thessaloniki

The other timings are in the first posting. When travelling with InterRail, a supplement is payable for the Athens - Thessaloniki train as well as for the Thessaloniki - Sofia - Wien trains. Free ICE means that you can use these trains with your InterRail pass without an additional supplement. :)


Flo 8)

mixali
Traveller
6 comments

ok so if i get the train from larissa station to thessaloniki, is the train to sofia at the same stop? is it best to buy tickets via webpage or at each station? and again from sofia etc etc?? what do u reccomend?

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Both trains Athen Larissa - Thessaloniki and Thessaloniki - Sofia call at the same station in Thessaloniki. :)

Since we are an InterRail dedicated forum/website I cant give you details for the fares when buying single tickets - but you can buy an InterRail pass here at the website: [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux]

If you decide to go with InterRail keep in mind that you cant use it in your country of residence - so if you are Greek nationality you will have to get a regular train ticket up to the Greek border.

I dont know your plans but a 5in10 flexi pass probably would be the best option.


Flo 8)

mixali
Traveller
6 comments

ok i was born in australia, but a greek citizen now my gf will also be coming but she only australian citizen.. whats the best option for both of us.. best to buy the interrail ticket.. first time catching a train so im sorry for all the questions due to having my gf with me i really not keen on stuffing up anywhere and hearing her scream at me in a foreign country.. i hope u understand...

honestly whats your best opinion as we will also be returning from amsterdam to athens...

n again sorry for all the questions.. airline tickets just too expensive n i wouldnt mind seeing the european country side... thanks

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi!

Has your girlfriend been staying more than six consecutive months in Greece now and can she prove that with relevant documents? If not, she isnt eligible for InterRail, what would be kind of a problem...

But before we work that out, let me talk about the possible costs for that journey.

Athens - Kulata (Greek border): With an InterRail pass you get 50% discount on the OSE fares - you will have to get a ticket to Kulata, ask at your station how much it will cost. From Kulata you can continue with InterRail.
(Thessaloniki -) Kulata - Sofia night train: I recommend to get places in a couchette - these will cost ~9€ per person. If you want to have more privacy when travelling with your girlfriend a sleeper compartment would be an option, ~33€ per person
Sofia - Wien night train: Same as above
Wien - Frankfurt - Amsterdam: Free travel on ICE trains with InterRail

With a 5in10 global pass, the travel would cost you (per person) ~200€ plus the ticket in Greece. So I dont know if it's the right choice for you or if you wouldnt find a cheaper offer by plane. But travelling with InterRail, especially on such a route is certainly an unique experience totally different to flying on a plane. :)
With the 5in10 you would have ~5-6 days you could stay in Amsterdam before you would have to return. If you want to travel longer, think about the 10in22 pass.


Flo 8)

mixali
Traveller
6 comments

ok well ive been living in greece now to years, she hasnt spent more than a couple of months each time she comes.. so i get interrail ticket is my best option, but what would hers be.. man i travell from greece to australia n back im sick of planes and seeing clouds.. i want to see mountains, rivers, things ive never seen before hence why im opting this option..
her father lives in dam so yeah i dont want to stay there more than 5 days lol u understand.. again whats my gf's best option??
and im most sure if paying 200euro is worth it for me.. will only cost athens to border prob 30euro, 33 euro plus another 33...

can my gf do the same thing? or will it be different as she is an australian citizen?
maybe i should tell her to get euro citizen b4 she leaves australia.. again sorry for all the questions..

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi!

If your girlfriend isnt an European citizen for at least six consecutive months on the first day of your travel she cant use InterRail. Her alternative railpass would be Eurail. :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/eurail[/u]
The best choice then would be the Eurail Select Pass for five countries: Benelux + Germany + Austria + Hungary + Serbia/Montenegro/Bulgaria - five travel days would cost 260€

[b]Attention![/b] Only the Eurail Youth pass (under 26) is available for 2nd class - all other Eurail offers are for 1st class only! So in case your girlfriend is 26 or older, you would need a 1st class InterRail pass too.


Flo 8)

mixali
Traveller
6 comments

ok well im 26 n she 24.. lucky i guess for me.. really its more the sight seeing than anything else.. im sure u understand.. man i thankyou a million times for your help. she will be here next friday so if i need anything else trust me i will let u know.. again thankyou..

mixali
Traveller
6 comments

hi again flo..
sorry man.. a few more questions..

now if i dont buy interrail 5-10 pass, wat are costs for the last 2 trains?
maybe its worth me buying it ?

and for my gf, if we get her the eurorail 5-10 pass, does that also cover the 2 last trains?

and with them passes is it just seats or cabin?

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

Hi.

If you want to know single train fares, you have to ask at a station - as we are only specialists for InterRail.

Cabins or seats: depends which one you reserve on a night train.

I can't give you details about Eurail ... like I said: only InterRail here. ;)

Peter :)

amsterdamskunk666
Traveller
3 comments

Hello guyss first of all nice to meet you and thanks for the great job you are doing here on railcc helping people!!! i am a 19 year old student in the north part of greece and i want to take the route from sofia to amsterdam but i am a bit afraid of the schedules of the trains so i want to know whats the best way to travel from thessaloniki to amsterdam and if you can tell me the exact schedules it would be nice another thing i want to know is for example if i go from sofia to beligrade i have to go to another station to take the train to zagreb or i just wait there(the same question goes for all the station that i ll arrive)?and if i choose to buy the 5 days travel in 10 days how many days i ll stay in amsterdam before i have to leave?sorry for all that questions but i reallyyyyyy wanna go but i am a bit afraid because it will be my first BIG travel with train(i have traveled for 20hours with train6-7 times but this is much bigger haha)thanks for your help and sorry for my bad english:(

with regards anthony :)

amsterdamskunk666
Traveller
3 comments

hey guys i think i found a way i ll take a bus from alexandroupoli to instanbul and there i ll take the train to sofia-belgrade so my question is first of all the schedules and if they run daily second with an interrail pass do i have to pay something else(i dont want to book a couchete just a normal seat) third do i have to change train from sofia to belgrade?when i ll arrive to belgrade what will be the best route to reach amsterdam(do i have to book a seat before i ll arrive to belgrade for amsterdam)?and do i have to pay something else or the interrail pass works fine?sorrry for my english and for all those questions but i am new to all this thanks in advance!!!!

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

Hi.
Just check the railcc schedules and click the details: [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u]

First to [b]Thessaloniki. From there to Sofia[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/thessaloniki-to-sofia[/u] - this is a bus as you can see clicking the details: [u]https://rail.cc/en/thessaloniki/bus/c[/u]

[b]Sofia - Belgrade[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/sofia-to-belgrade[/u]
This is a night train as you can see in the details: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train/sofia-belgrade-b-292/180[/u]
Reservation required. Available at the RILA office in the main railway station (not at the national ticket windows!).

[b]Belgrade - Budapest[/b]: dep 0645, arr 1454. Free by day train - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/belgrade-to-budapest[/u]

[b]Budapest - Munich[/b]: dep 1510, arr 2232. Free by day train - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/budapest-to-munich[/u]

[b]Munich - Amsterdam[/b]: by overnight train ([u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train/munich-amsterdam-cnl418/12[/u]) or free day train: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/munich-to-amsterdam[/u]

And please be fair and buy your official Interrail pass in the railcc [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux]
Then I can set your profile to PLUS. Thank you.
Peter :)

amsterdamskunk666
Traveller
3 comments

hey peter thank you very much for the info and all this helpful stuff:)in this trip i ll be all alone maybe so i ll go by plane found very cheap tickets with lufthansa but in my next trip i ll definately buy tickets from here and jump to the night trains until then.....my super duber skunks awaits me hehehheh:)

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

I hate planes... boring and definitely not ecological... :|
Have a nice trip anyway,
Peter :)

nltrainer
Traveller
1386 comments

a full plane-and certainly those of energy-conscious LH, are much more green-friendly as those old, diesel fumes spoiling Soviet built locos with 5 cars for just 2-3 people that use to trundle along East-Europe rails. Its more a stubborn prejudice. Full buses are in fact AFAIK the best re exhausts/passenger.