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Overland To Istanbul by InterRail
Why Travel to Istanbul
As part of InterRail’s 50 year anniversary celebrations they ran a special promotion offering an old codger like me three months rail travel throughout Europe for the grand sum of £341.00.
For my second trip using this InterRail pass I decided to travel overland from Dusseldorf (Germany) to Istanbul (Turkey) via the Rhine valley, Austria, Romania and Bulgaria.
Did You Travel Only By Train
No, I added a one way outbound flight from London to Dusseldorf on British Airways at the give away price of £17.50 + 4750 avios points and a one way return flight on Pegasus Airlines from Istanbul to London for £105.00.
Were There Any Other Costs
Yes, this all needed to be topped off with some 17 nights of accommodation, but by staying in hostels and cheap hotels these costs, on average, we’re less than £50.00 per night.
Book your Hostel Accommodation
So, Where Did You Go
An overview of the whole route through Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey is depicted on the map below.
Do You Have Any More Detailed Information About Your Route
The following four maps show the key places visited and the modes of transport used. They detail my journey:
- through the Rhine valley;
- within Austria; and
The first map provides a key showing the location of the other three maps.
What Did You Do Along The Way
The highlights of the trip were:
Exploring Germany
- Visiting Cologne, Bonn and Boppard in the Rhine Valley and taking a boat trip along the Rhine
Photos of Cologne, Bonn, Boppard and the River Rhine, Germany (See individual photos for details)
- Taking a overnight sleeper train from Frankfurt (Germany) to Vienna (Austria)
Exploring Austria
- Spending two days on a train based exploration of the Austrian countryside, with a night’s stopover in Salzburg
Photos of the Austrian countryside between Vienna and Salzburg
- This trip involved travelling southwestwards along the UNESCO listed Semmering Railway Line between Vienna and Villach and then northwestwards towards Salzburg via Schwarzach- St Veit and Woergl before returning to Vienna on the InterCity route through Germany.
- Whiling away an afternoon sightseeing in Vienna, visiting St Stephen’s Cathedral and the Vienna State Opera House
Photos of central Vienna, Austria (See individual photos for details)
- Taking an overnight sleeper train from Vienna (Austria) to Sighisoara (Romania)
Sightseeing in Romania
Sighisoara, Sibiu and Brosov
- Spending three days meandering through Romania visiting the historic towns of Sighisoara, Sibiu and Brasov, before proceeding to the capital city, Bucharest
- Throughout I did my own thing – Travelling around by train, booking my own local hostels / hotels and finding out about the history of the places with local guided tours
- Accommodation included the Hotel Restaurant Imperial in Sighisoara, Poet Pastior Residence in Sibiu and Casa Wagner in Brasov.
- Typical examples of local guided walking tours include a 2 hour City Walking Tour of Sighisoara, a 1.5 hr Guided Walking Tour of Sibiu and a 2.5 hour Small Group Guided Walking Tour of Brasov. Each is run by a local guide who has detailed knowledge of the history of the area.
Photos of Sighisoara, Sibiu and Brasov, Romania (See each photo for details)
- Alternatively, you can just self guide yourself using a local Romanian guidebook and a bit of imagination. A selection of good local guidebooks can be found by clicking the images below. If you make a purchase you will be supporting local bookshops.
Bucharest
- Spending a day chilling out in the centre of Bucharest which was surprisingly much more interesting than I had expected. Accommodation in Bucharest was at the Hello Hotels Gara de Nord.
Photos of Bucharest, Romania (See individual photos for details )
Seeing Parts of Bulgaria
Veliko Tarnovo
- Taking another meander by train from Bucharest (Romania) over the border into Bulgaria and on to the captivating town of Veliko Tarnovo where I spent and evening enjoying the balcony views from my hotel before sightseeing around the Old Town after breakfast next morning
- My accommodation in Veliko Tarnovo was the Meridian Hotel Bolyarski
Photos of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria (See individual photos for details)
Sofia
- travelling by train from Veliko Tarnovo through northern Bulgaria to the capital City, Sofia
- Spending an evening and the following day exploring the sights of Sofia including St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Russian St. Nicholas Church and the St. Nedelya Eastern Orthodox Church
Photos of Sofia, Bulgaria (See individual photos for details)
Exploring Istanbul
- Finally passing away two days sightseeing in Istanbul including visiting the Basilica Cistern, a fantastic Roman cavern, undertaking a boat trip on the Bosporus, visiting the Grand Bazaar and spending time around the Istiklal area, with its vibrant atmosphere and lively street cafes
Buy Your ‘Local Country’ Phone E-sims within Europe here
Photos of Istanbul, Turkey (See individual photos for details)
Buy your Istanbul Travel Guide Books
If you want a travel guide book for your stay in Istanbul the following might be worth considering. Additionally, if you click on the images you can support local books.
Where Did You Stay, Which Trains Did You Use
A detailed itinerary of the trip is presented here. This details each step of the journey, detailing where I stayed each night and providing a link to a log of which trains were used to make the trip.
Have You Got Any More Photographs
A photographic and map based record of the trip can be found here in my PolarSteps account.
Was It Worth Doing
Yes, by travelling overland by train I discovered places I would never have usually visited. In addition, it is my belief that in terms of travelling, it is the journey that is important, not the final destination.
If you only have interest in the destination, rather than the journey, than that’s not really travelling. That’s simply holidaying.
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