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Amandaccsc
Traveller
1 comments

Posted 12 years ago

Hi there!

It's my first time posting so, sorry if it sounds confusing!

I have bought the 1 month railpass starting from Paris and I would like to go the way down to Greece and possibly Turkey.
I am finding two things most difficult: find a direct site to book the trains to Greece and having available information in English :(
Am confused whether I should skip Greece and go to Turkey instead. By the way, my last stop so far is Budapest, trying to decide the next step.

Anything will be helpfull.

Thanks a lot 8)
Amanda

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Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

replied 12 years ago

Hi Amanda.
So I hope you bought your official Interrail pass via our partner link [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux] to support this answer and all the information we offer. And not at one of these rail ticket outlets which can not help you with details to Greece and Turkey.

To your route:
GREECE: no international connections from and to Greece. You have to use a bus.
Information: [u]https://rail.cc/en/greece/xgr[/u]

TURKEY: until 2013 the train stops at the Bulgarian/Turkish border and is from there replaced by a bus service to Istanbul. This bus is included in your Interrail pass.
[u]https://rail.cc/en/turkey/xtr[/u]

Concerning booking of reservations: not all countries are like some Western European ones. Often you only get reservations on train stations - as well, the Interrail reservations are sometimes a bit special and not available to book online, even the railway company offers online booking of standard tickets.

From Budapest you can use a free train to Belgrade:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/budapest-to-belgrade[/u]

And from Belgrade to Istanbul (if you want, have a stop in Sofia):
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/belgrade-to-istanbul[/u]

Also possible is Budapest to Bucharest (Romania), then to Bulgaria (Black Sea) and ending in Istanbul.

More connections here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u]

Pete :)

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Amandaccsc
Traveller
1 comments

replied 12 years ago

That's brilliant!

I will check all the routes you sent me.
One more question, so the best way to get to Greece would be from Turkey by boat? Do they have cheap connections?!

Unfortunately I bought my tickets from a agency in London, to be honest I just got to know the website and you are right, they barely give information about the simple routes! Yet, I will recommend the site for all my friends and some of them also like travelling. =D

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Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

replied 12 years ago

Currently the easiest way to get from Istanbul to Athens is by bus.
The ticket is available in Istanbul (not included in Interrail1). There should be several bus companies running this route, one example is here:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/istanbul-to-athens[/u]

It would be very friendly if you tell others about railcc. :)

Peter :)

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orestgreece
Traveller
44 comments

replied 12 years ago

also you can come in Greece by ferry from Italy ;)