London to Istanbul by Train: Europe’s Classic Rail Route
London to Istanbul by train is one of Europe’s classic rail routes, offering the chance to explore unique destinations across the continent and travel along highly scenic railway lines.
Of course, London to Istanbul is the route of the iconic Orient Express, and travelling between these historic cities has captured travellers’ imaginations for more than a century, and to this day still offers one of the most magnificent train journeys in Europe.
Although the luxury Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a Belmond train, occasionally travels along the entire London to Istanbul route, it is clearly tailored to affluent travellers and likely beyond the reach of the average holidaymaker.
Fortunately, you can also travel from London to Istanbul using daytime InterCity and high-speed trains, along with the occasional night train, enjoying the comfort of your own private sleeper compartment.
View over the Bosphorus in Istanbul. ©Pexels/Ahmet Çığşar
Travel by train from London to Istanbul: How to arrange the trip?
Due to the complexities of train ticketing in Europe, with each country having its own booking system, planning a train trip from London to Istanbul on your own can be challenging.
Indeed, some train tickets can’t even be booked online and must be bought in person at the station, adding further challenges to planning a London-Istanbul rail trip, especially if you aren’t flexible with time and want the assurance of securing all tickets and reservations to complete the journey within your desired date range.
As you’ll be transiting multiple countries and making numerous train connections en route to Turkey, there is therefore plenty that can go wrong for those uninitiated in European rail travel.
It is therefore a great idea to let a reliable rail travel agency handle all the arrangements for you!
By train from London to Istanbul with Tailor Made Rail
Tailor Made Rail is a well-regarded, highly professional rail travel agency that specialises in independent, unescorted holidays.
This rail agency can book your entire London to Istanbul train journey according to your preferences.
You simply get in touch with one of the travel agents at Tailor Made Rail, share your exact preferences, such as travel dates, cities you wish to visit along the way, and the hotels you’d like to stay at, and the agency will create a tailor-made rail itinerary for you.
Whether you want to travel by train between London and Istanbul as quickly as possible or prefer a more leisurely journey with extended stays in cities such as Paris, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest, and Sofia along the way, everything can be arranged!
With a Trustpilot rating of 4.7 out of 5, customer feedback and reviews of Tailor Made Rail are excellent.
Tailor Made Rail is a member of the Travel Trust Association (TTA), which means that your money is protected until you return from your holiday.
Destination shield of the Sofia-Istanbul express train. ©Discoverbyrail
The standard London to Istanbul train package
The standard rail holiday package offered by Tailor Made Rail takes you from London to Istanbul by train in 11 days, with prices starting at £1,149 per person.
You will spend nights in hotels in Cologne, Munich, Budapest, Bucharest, Sofia, and in Istanbul as well, of course, giving you the opportunity to discover these fascinating cities.
Of course, all the trains are included in the price, which also covers two nights on sleeper trains (between Budapest and Bucharest, and Sofia and Istanbul).
At the end of the trip, you can say that you travelled all the way by train from the River Thames to the shores of the Bosphorus, where the European continent ends and the Asian landmass begins.
Trains and itinerary between London and Istanbul
If you choose the standard London to Istanbul rail package from Tailor Made Rail, you will begin your journey by taking a Eurostar train through the Channel Tunnel to Brussels.
In the Belgian capital, you will pick up the ICE service bound for Cologne, where you will arrive at the city’s main station, right next to its famous Cathedral, for your first overnight stop.
From Cologne, it’s onward to Munich on a direct ICE high-speed train, the flagship service of German Railways.
Be sure to visit the dining car for a sit-down meal and some delicious Bavarian beer while you speed through the German countryside towards Munich!
On day 3, a comfortable Austrian Railjet train will take you from Munich via Vienna to Budapest, where you’ll have another overnight stay in a hotel.
The real adventure begins on day 4, when you’ll board the ‘Ister’ overnight sleeper train to Bucharest, Romania.
Be sure to watch the scenery from the window in the morning as the train crosses the majestic Carpathian Mountains between Brașov and Bucharest!
After a night in the Romanian capital, the trip continues as you cross the River Danube by train and arrive in Bulgaria.
In the summer season, there is a direct train between Bucharest and Sofia, while outside these months, you’ll need to change trains in Ruse to reach the Bulgarian capital.
Although this Bulgarian train is the most basic you’ll encounter on your rail trip to Istanbul, the beautiful scenery of the Iskar Gorge just before arriving in Sofia more than makes up for it.
After spending the night in a Sofia hotel, you’ll have the chance to explore the Bulgarian capital by day before boarding the final night train, the Sofia-Istanbul Express, which features modern Turkish sleeper wagons.
On the morning of day 8, you will arrive at Istanbul Halkali station, the end of your journey!
However, you’ll have 3 more nights to spend in an Istanbul hotel, giving you plenty of time to explore the fantastic sights of Turkey’s largest city, such as the Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace.
Don’t forget to visit Istanbul Sirkeci station, which was once the classic terminus of the Orient Express, though it sadly no longer sees international train traffic.
Your journey to Istanbul starts at London St Pancras, where you take the Eurostar to Brussels, and connect there onto an onward train to Cologne. ©Discoverbyrail
Cologne’s main railway station is located right next to the city’s famous cathedral. ©Discoverbyrail
Your journey continues by Germany’s InterCity Express (ICE) train to Munich. ©Discoverbyrail
View from the train between Munich and Vienna. ©Discoverbyrail
The Railjet train from Munich & Vienna has arrived at the magnificent stations of Budapest Keleti. ©Discoverbyrail
Budapest, located on the banks of the Danube, is a lovely city to explore, and a real highlight on any long-distance rail trip between London and Istanbul. ©Pexels/Sadettin Dogan
From Budapest, you will take the ‘Ister‘ night train to Bucharest, Romania. ©Discoverbyrail
Sleeper compartment on the ‘Ister’ night train. ©Discoverbyrail
On your way to Bucharest, you will cross the Carpathian Mountains. ©Discoverbyrail
In Bucharest, you can vist Ceaușescu’s Palace of Parliament, or discover why the city has earned the nickname ‘The Paris of the East’ . ©Pexels/Uiliam Nörnberg
An old but comfortable compartment on a Bulgarian train. ©Discoverbyrail
Trains from Bucharest to Sofia pass through the stunning landscape of the Iskar Gorge. ©Discoverbyrail
The Sofia-Istanbul Express stand ready for departure at the station in Sofia. ©Discoverbyrail
Bed in a private sleeper compartment on the Sofia-Istanbul night train. ©Discoverbyrail
Istanbul Halkali station – you have now successfully travelled from London to Istanbul by train! ©Discoverbyrail
Alternatives
The great advantage of booking through Tailor Made Rail is that the agency can personalise your trip according to your wishes.
Perhaps you might want to stop over for the night in Paris instead of Cologne, stay longer in Budapest to visit all the thermal spas, or include 3 nights in Vienna on your itinerary – it can all be arranged!
You can choose the hotels according to your preference, and it’s always possible to upgrade to a higher category of accommodation.
If you want a real treat, you can of course request 1st class train tickets instead of standard 2nd class tickets.
Once you reach Istanbul, you may want to continue your trip to Cappadocia or even travel overland to Georgia, all of which can be arranged by Tailor Made Rail.
Book your London to Istanbul train trip
To book your London to Istanbul train holiday, visit the Tailor Made Rail website, select your preferred departure date, and communicate your preferences, such as route choice and trip duration.
A Tailor Made Rail travel agent will contact you and provide a personalised quote based on your itinerary and preferences.
Be sure to mention that you were recommended by DiscoverByRail, as you’ll receive a free Rail Map of Europe once you’ve made your booking!