Djdora
Traveller
2 comments
Posted 3 months ago
Hi all I hope someone can help me. My wife and I are looking to travel via rail from the Uk to the italian lakes we’ve never travelled via rail in Europe. Any suggestions would be welcome, many thanks Duncan
MisterSteve
Traveller
1073 comments
it depends what you mean by UK. London? Cornwall? Scotland? Because the hardest part will be getting out of the UK since the only rail link is from London, which is very nice if you live there but a load of hassle if you have any distance to travel. Checkin times for Eurostar are getting longer and will be worse once the new Schengen entry scheme begins later this year - and their cheaper fares don't take kindly to anyone who arrives late because Avanti etc.. were delayed on the way to London. Travel insurance with "missed departure" of booked international travel from UK usually includes Eurostar from London as well as flights.
After that it's fairly simple, but depends on which lake you were thinking of and whether you want the fastest route or the scenic ones. Rail tickets are easy to get hold of on line for these routes, Interrail MIGHT work if you want to spread the travel over a few days and are going at short notice. Milan is currently possible in a long day from London, onward connections may not be. If you have to travel any distance to London then you will be looking at a night in hotel part way, Paris is the obvious one but Strasbourg or Lyon could be more interesting options.
Djdora
Traveller
2 comments
We are travelling from Darlington, very useful information thank you we would prefer a scenic route lake como would be our probable destination.
MisterSteve
Traveller
1073 comments
Dates will be important, some routes are affected by engineering work. But a "4 days in one month" Interrailpass would be good for this. Darlington to Strasbourg is a comfortable day, and gives you an evening somewhere compact enough to be able to stay near to the station, Paris is too big for a simple evening. Onward route via Swiss alps. For return Lyon many not be possible due to engineering work. Koblenz works and gives a route via the Rhine gorge, again compact enough for an evening stay and then onwards next day via Brussels to Darlington in around 10 hours.
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Djdora
Traveller
2 comments
Thanks so much, I will look into the planning of it.