# London to Amsterdam, Berlin and Budapest by rail and sail.



## caravanman (Feb 7, 2013)

* I should be aboard an Amtrak train, but due to a sudden medical issue, I had to change my plans... I am instead on a little train ride in Europe...needed to cheer myself up! *:







I was awake quite early yesterday, Monday 4th Feb, after a good nights sleep. I have been living in my little caravan since my relationship with my girlfriend cooled about 6 months ago, so first headed over to the shower block for a freshen up, then began to ready the ‘van to tow to a storage site, where it will be while I am away. I am constantly surprised just how long it takes me to get everything secure from breakage… no matter how careful one is with towing, if it ‘aint fixed down or put away, it will end upon the floor!

Very windy day, felt the caravan dancing around with the gusts, started to get concerned about the sea crossing later… My son, Aidan, advised me to take extra plastic bags in case of seasickness…

A quick visit to my stepdaughter Trudi, where I left my car with her for safekeeping, then onto the tram and into Nottingham to get some Euros and Hungarian Forints and on to the rail station. Nottingham station is being “rebuilt and improved”, the entrance and ticket office now a portable cabin, rather than former proud red brick Victorian edifice.

( Caravan good… Porta Cabin bad!)

Nice renovated 125 train to St Pancras International and then onto the Underground circle line to Liverpool Street main line terminus.

I had purchased in advance a “Dutch Flyer” rail and sail ticket by phone, and now collected the Liverpool Street to Harwich ferry port ticket from the booking office.

I have a soft spot for Liverpool Street station as I spent a lot of time there 35 years ago as a trainee train driver. It has changed beyond recognition from those days, as no doubt I have myself! The Stratford locomotive depot where I was based has vanished under the 2012 Olympic stadiums, and the old Liverpool Street diesel hauled Harwich “boat trains” have become fast electric units… quicker, but lacking in that “sense of occasion”.

Not many rail and sail passengers at Harwich, only about 20 or so, most “passengers” aboard the ferry turn out to be lorry drivers, or truckers, as the tannoy refers to them. I do get talking to one rail passenger, he too is wearing socks and sandals, as I am… I can’t quite decide whether to be upset by my footwear individuality being compromised, or reassured that maybe I am not so odd after all…?

One is obliged to have a cabin aboard the ferry for night crossings, mine was inside, without a window. I think I would prefer to pay a little more next time for an outside view, while it was very well appointed, it felt just a tiny bit claustrophobic.

Made several cups of tea with my travel kettle, and finished off my sandwiches. Kind of flaked out as we set sail about 11pm, and awoke in the morning to instructions and announcements over the loudspeakers about truckers breakfasts, Stena line duty free goodies and suchlike. Made a few more cups of tea, repacked, and headed for dry land in Holland…






The border formalities were brief, with so few foot passengers to check. My train was already there, the station just nearby. The “Dutch Flyer” ticket included rail fare to Harwich, ferry, and onward train travel to any Dutch station. At this point the “flyer” ground to a halt. They announced a problem on the line, so a bus service was set up. Although it was rather cold waiting for the bus, they did get it organised fairly quickly. The bus took us to Scheedam, from where I caught an intercity double decker train to Harlaam, and then my last train of the day from there, two stops to Zandvoort, at the Dutch sea side!

Having arrived at the Dutch seaside resort of Zandvoort in the middle of a freezing wind, I decided to put on my “thermals”, long john pants and a long sleeve top… and two pairs of socks. Suitable outerwear and unsuitable sandals completed my ensemble for a quick turn along the promenade.

Gosh, it was a strong wind, hard to move forward at times! I made for a catering van, the only signs of life in that area, and bought a portion of chips and mayo. Got into amusing conversation with a Dutch couple about my “summer sandals”… Then headed to the supermarket for some salad, milk and other essentials.






*Berlin bound: *

Hotel is owned by an Ethiopian woman, as I was the only person having breakfast the next morning she had time to chat, and mentioned that 99% of her summer guests were from Germany, although quite a few Dutch people came at weekends out of season. (and one English person midweek, out of season!)

It had snowed overnight, just a light coating, which gave a slippery feel to the walk to the station.

No ticket office, I bought my single from the machine. Very easy to use, several language options, and gentle prompts for folk like me who have “senior moments”.

Fare from Zandvoort to Amsterdam Central was 5.10 Euros, and the ride took about 30 minutes.

I had some currency from a previous visit to Prague, so changed that at the station, and was pleased and surprised to get 100 Euros!

Several announcements about trains not departing from anticipated stations, but my train was going as expected.






There is something extra exciting about an international train ride, fierce border guards, steam hissing in the frosty air, black and white figures dressed in trench coats and trilby hats… Ok, well, none of that happened, the journey was in full colour, the ticket inspector was jovial, and the train on time. We even got an apology for a 5 minute delay waiting for a connecting train. Not bad for a journey of about 350 miles!

My Berlin hotel was just yards from the station, so after checking in, I walked back to buy some food. It was only after I had purchased some expensive filled rolls and the worlds dearest bottled water that I spied a much more reasonable priced supermarket… selling the same water at 1/3 the price! Grrrr!

I have been to Berlin before, so given the cold weather I just ate, made tea, and watched a bit of telly. Room is very basic, but clean, and bed was comfy. Lots of young people in the lobby, giving it an atmosphere more like a youth hostel than a hotel.






*Budapest bound…*

Slept soundly but felt quite groggy on waking, early start to catch my train to Budapest, departure at 6.45 am. Managed to walk to the station with time to buy a few more items from the supermarket, and a welcome cup of coffee to take on the train.

Berlin Hauptbanhoff is an interesting construction, lines converge east and west, north and south, and the S bahn local trains arrive there too. The solution to all this is to have many levels. I imagine many other main stations have similar solutions, but one can see through the whole thing from top to bottom, one giant glass canopied rail hub.

This Budapest train seems to consist of carriages from different rail networks, I was pleased to find my seat in a compartment seating 6, with the corridor at the side. Still feeling a bit groggy, I was chuffed to have the whole to myself for the majority of the day!






Snowing lightly again, and after Dresden, we soon start to run along the bank of the river Elbe, giving more interesting scenery than yesterday’s mostly flat countryside.

Strangely, it is announced that the train will not call at Prague central as scheduled. This leads to a series of crew changes and other delays as we carry on throughout the day. The engines are changed at each countries borders, this is built into the timetable. German printed timetables are good, they list times of many connecting services too.






We rolled into Budapest main station about 30 minutes late, which was not too bad, after a journey of around 550 miles through 3 countries.

Once again I have my hotel near the station, and tomorrow is the first of several exploring Budapest…






As a matter of interest, I paid £87 to travel from London to Sandvoort. (ticket is valid to any Dutch station). This price included the overnight ferry with an inside cabin. The train from Amsterdam to Berlin was 69 Euro, and the Berlin to Budapest leg was 59 Euro. I reserved the UK to Holland bit by phone via Stena Ferries, and the two continental train rides were booked online through D. Bahn.

More pics from my mini trip can be viewed here: http://www.picturetrail.com/cajunfan


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## Bob Dylan (Feb 11, 2013)

:hi: Nice Trip Eddie!  Is taking the Train and Ferry to the Continent Cheaper and Easier than going on the Eurostar thru the Chunnel??

Hopefully youll be able to come back to the Colonies in Oct. for The Gathering which will Almost Surely be in Chicago!


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## MrEd (Feb 11, 2013)

thanks for the report.


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## Shanghai (Feb 14, 2013)

Good report for a great trip. We traveled by day train from Amsterdam to

Prague and the sleeper on the return. Also took the Orient Express from

Vienna to Paris with our children in a double bedroom and had a wonderful

trip. The scenery is great along the Rhine River.


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## caravanman (Feb 15, 2013)

Hi Jim, MrEd, and Shanghai,

Hope to be able to make the trip to Chicago in the fall, fingers crossed.

The Eurotunnel / Chunnel trains seem to be a lot more popular since they moved the terminal from Waterloo to St. Pancras at the London end... That is better for me to connect from the midlands area where I live, but the downside is the prices have increased at popular times. The first early morning trains are low bucket, but I can't connect to those the same day. The Tunnel to Paris is still often cheaper, especially in advance, than the £87 single I paid, but as I wanted to go via Amsterdam the ferry worked for me. Worth mentioning that the German website offers reduced price fares that don't show up on the Eurorail site, for trains that go via Germany. Did you have a sleeper compartment to yourselves, or share the 4 or 6 berth ones, Shanghai?

Cheers,

Ed


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## Ispolkom (Feb 17, 2013)

Great trip report. I love the look of your coach to Budapest, and now I have to add the Dutch Flyer to the list of European ferries I want to take.


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## xyzzy (Feb 17, 2013)

In a few ways I miss the old border checks when driving or taking a train from France to Germany, for example. But in most respects it's a blast to go across a border without stopping and think about how much time we used to waste at those crossings -- and how many percentage points the money changers took from us every time we changed currencies.


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## Railroad Bill (Feb 17, 2013)

Eddie,

Really enjoyed your trip report and the great photos. Must be great having the ability to travel throughout Europe on the trains. Someday we hope to make it to Europe and do some riding. Also hope you make it to Chicago in Oct for the Gathering. Look forward to your future reporting.


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