Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Geneva, Switzerland. It is possible to reach Geneva by train from London in less than 7 hours if you take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord then change to Paris Gare de Lyon for the onward train to Geneva (see details below). Aerial view of Geneva. Photo: Switzerland Tourism/Stephan Engler Internationally famed for diplomacy, banking, watches, and chocolate, Geneva is a tiny city that casts a massive shadow. With the fine restaurants, great shopping and international vibe that you would expect in a compact city centre, the heartland of Protestantism has hustle and bustle and yet a wonderfully relaxed, open feel. Train routes from London connecting with TGV Lyria rail services in Switzerland: Map courtesy of Eurostar Flight-free travel from London to Geneva: Journey Time: from 6 hours 37 minutes Sample timetable: Depart London 09.22am, arrive Geneva 5.29pm Changes: 1 Transfer: Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon Frequency of Departures: 19/day Carbon emissions: 18 .9kg (flight would be 200.7kg)* Car hire at Geneva Cornavin Railway Station: Yes Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer - you have about an hour and a quarter to get the connection). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris . At Gare de Lyon, you board a Lyria high speed train to 'Geneva Cornavin' station. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare de Lyon Miss your connection in Paris? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection between high speed trains because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed Lyria train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). See more overland routes in Green Traveller's Train/Ferry Journey Planner On arrival at Geneva Bienvenue à Genève! Lake Geneva meets the Rhone in the heart of the city, and the towering jet d’eau fountain forms a spectacular centrepiece, whilst the city is shouldered by mountains on both sides: the Jura to the north, and the dramatic Alps to the south. With fresh air, beaches, parks and a lovely historic centre – there’s far more to Geneva than just international business and politics. There are plenty of hotels close to the station, see below: Hotels near Geneva's train station (Gare de Cornavin) We link to this reservation service for checking availability and booking a stopover hotel because you can read hundreds of reviews from people who have recently stayed in these hotels, slept in the rooms and eaten in the nearby restaurants. We've tried it out ourselves and found it makes choosing and booking a stopover hotel a doddle. We hope you do too. Getting around Geneva To book tickets on Switzerland's impressively well organised network of over 20,000 km of rail, bus and boat routes go to: Travel by train in Switzerland . Almost all mainline international train services to Geneva arrive at the city’s Gare de Cornavin, on the northern edge of the city centre, with great bus, tram and suburban rail connections across the city and surrounding area. Some international trains (from France) pull into Gare des Eaux-Vives, just to the south-west of the centre, which also has good bus connections. A compact metropolis, central Geneva is extremely walkable, but for longer journeys you can make use of extensive bus, tram, and suburban rail networks. TPG, the city’s transport operator, offers various downloadable maps of the Geneva transport networks (page in French), as well as a handy English language journey planner. Wikipedia also has a map of the Geneva tram network. The city’s transport is integrated, offering a range of tickets usable on all public transport in Geneva (transport zone 10): a single ticket is valid for an hour, or get a day pass. Another transport option to consider is a bike: with miles of segregated cycling lanes and great cycle provision, outside of the icier winter months cycling is a great option for getting around. The Geneva tourist website offers information on cycling for visitors, and between April and October, the Genève Roule bikesharing scheme offers free cycle loans (you have to leave a deposit of 20 swiss francs) from six different pick up points across Geneva, for up to four hours. Bon Voyage! * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Brive in the centre of France. Hotel La Réserve de Brive is a ten-minute walk from the railway station. Photo: Richard Hammond Journey Time: from 7 hours 28 minutes Sample timetable: Depart London 9.22am, arrive Brive 7.00pm Changes: 1 Transfer: Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Austerlitz Frequency of Departures: 11/day Carbon emissions: 18 .3kg (flight would be 247.2kg)* Car hire at Brive Railway Station: Yes Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Austerlitz, which can take 20-30 minutes on the Paris metro (9 stops), but we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer. See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris . At Gare de Austerlitz, you board an intercity train to 'Brive-La-Gaillarde' station. Remember, whenever you’re connecting trains in France, always remember to validate your onward train ticket ('c ompostez votre billet ') at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare de Austerlitz. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare de Austerlitz For more overland train routes in France, see our Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner On arrival at Brive-La-Gaillarde station Bienvenue à Brive! At the station, there are onward train connections to several large French cities, including Limoges, Périgueux, Clermont-Ferrand, Bordeaux and Toulouse, as well as several regional destinations. Brive is a market town in the farming department of Corrèze (hence there are lots of weekly farmers markets). In particular, there's a weekly food market at the Georges Brassens market hall on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings. There are a number of fine 15th and 16th century houses and mansions, including Maison Cavaignac, Maison Treilhard and the Tour des Echevins. Brive is also a great base for exploring the upper reaches of the Dordogne and the department of Correze. There are plenty of hotels close to the railway station, we stayed at Hotel La Réserve de Brive , which is a 10-minute walk, but there are many others, see below: For more information about where to stay, local restaurants, and what to see and do in the region, see our Green Traveller's Guide to Nouvelle-Aquitaine Bon Voyage! * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Bordeaux St Jean, which is conveniently located in the centre of Bordeaux. Graceful and beguiling, Bordeaux is a city relishing its joie de vivre – years after the restoration of its centre restored the original golden hues of its buildings, residents and visitors alike are exploring its UNESCO-protected historic centre and sipping coffees in its numerous cafés. With first-rate museums and galleries (including the CAPC museum of contemporary art), splendid architecture and a wealth of restaurants, squares, and shops, Bordeaux is a pint-sized rival to Paris: but with its own distinct charms and without the capital’s tourist hordes. And who could forget the wine? It is, of course, everywhere – and it’s delicious – with the Cité des civilizations du vin and the Musée du vin et du negoce offering an introduction to the world and culture of the city’s most famous export. Photo: Clovis Wood Photography/Unsplash on Wix Media Flight-free travel from London to Bordeaux: Journey Time: fastest from 5 hours 25 minutes Sample timetable: Depart London 10.24am, arrive Bordeaux 5.56pm Changes: 1 Transfer: Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare Montparnasse Frequency of Departures: 18/day Carbon emissions: 12.71kg (flight would be 70.43kg)* Train tickets provided by Trainline: Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Montparnasse, which can take about half an hour on the Paris metro (though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris . Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare Montparnasse. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare Montparnasse Miss your connection in Paris? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection because of a delay on the preceding leg of a high speed journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). For more overland train routes to France, see our Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner On arrival at Bordeaux St Jean train station Bienvenue à Bordeaux! There are lots of hotels near to the station, see below: Hotels near Bordeaux St Jean train station Getting around Bordeaux Bordeaux’s main railway station, the Gare St Jean, gateway for train travellers, is located a little to the south of the city centre. It is on line C of the tram network, which will whisk you to all points central in a few minutes. The ultra-modern, fast and sleek tram system is the showpiece of Bordeaux’s transport network. Three lines (A, B and C) cross the city, and most of the city centre is within a few minutes’ walk of a stop: the tram network map is clear and colour-coded. Like the trams, buses are operated by TBC who offer useful bus information, routes and timetables in English (TBC tram information) and also offer a map of central Bordeaux featuring the useful bus and tram routes for visitors. Fares for buses and trams start at €1,40 for a single journey, with a range of multi-trip and day/week tickets available: TBC offers full Bordeaux transport ticket and fare information. The centre of Bordeaux is not enormous, and many streets have been pedestrianised, making walking a great option for getting around, taking in the architecture and lifestyle and discovering hidden corners as you cross the city. The terrain is largely flat, making cycling also an appealing option: the Vcub network offers self-service bike sharing across Bordeaux (map of stations; the site is in French only) – hire a bike from one docking station and drop it off at another close to your destination. Bon Voyage! * Data for carbon emissions

Greentraveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Bayonne in the Basque Country region of southwest France. The waterfront at Bayonne. Photo: Hans-Jürgen Weinhardt at Unsplash It is possible to travel by train from London to Bayonne in just over 7 hours if you take the Eurostar to Paris and then change stations to Paris Gare Montparnasse and continue the journey by train to Bayonne. Bayonne is in the southwest of France close to the Spanish Border where there are a range of wonderful places to visit including Vauban's ramparts, Saine-Marie Cathedral, Le Petit Bayonne and the Saint-André trinquet, and the Basque Museum. Journey Time: fastest from 7 hours 15 minutes Sample timetable: Depart London 11.31am, arrive Bordeaux 7.47pm Changes: 1 Transfer: Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare Montparnasse Frequency of Departures: 12/day Carbon emissions: 12.71kg (flight would be 70.43kg)* Car hire at Bayonne Railway Station: Yes Train tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Montparnasse, which can take about half an hour on the Paris metro (though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris . Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare Montparnasse. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare Montparnasse Miss your connection in Paris? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection because of a delay on the preceding leg of a high speed journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). For more overland train journeys, see our Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner On arrival at Bayonne train station Bienvenue à Bayonne! There are lots of hotels near to the station, see: Hotels near Bayonne train station or click on the map below: Bon Voyage! * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Basel, Switzerland. The Middle Rhine Bridge, Basel. Photo: Switzerland Tourism/Andreas Gerth With over forty museums dedicated to history, art and architecture, Basel is the cultural capital of Switzerland. On the border with both Germany and France, in the north of the country, Basel is much more cosmopolitan than Zurich, not as spick and span, yet more laid back. It is also one of the country's greenest cities - the city's entire energy supply comes from renewable sources and the local government has long promoted the idea of a '2000 watt society', aiming to reduce the population's overall energy use from 6,000 to 2,000 watts. Journey Time: from 6 hours 25 minutes Sample timetable: Depart London 09.31am, arrive Basel 5.26pm Changes: 1 Transfer: Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon Frequency of Departures: 21/day Carbon emissions: 12 .1kg (flight would be 190.3kg)* Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer - you have about an hour and a quarter to get the connection). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris . At Gare de Lyon, you board a TGV high speed train to Basel station. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare de Lyon Miss your connection in Paris? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection between high speed trains because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed TGV train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). For more overland routes in Europe, see Green Traveller's Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner On arrival at Basel station Bienvenue à Basel! There are lots of great hotels near to the arrival railway station, see below. Hotels near Basel Railway Station We recommend hotel this reservation service for checking availability and booking a stopover hotel because you can read hundreds of reviews from people who have recently stayed in these hotels, slept in the rooms and eaten in the nearby restaurants. We've tried it out ourselves and found it makes choosing and booking a stopover hotel a doddle. We hope you do too. For more information on where to stay, local restaurants, and things to see and do, see our Green Traveller's Guide to Basel Bon Voyage! The beautiful cityscape of Basel. Photo: Switzerland Tourism/Andreas Gerth * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Barcelona is now reachable within a day from London by train. Photo: Wix Media Barcelona, the proud Mediterranean metropolis, is a city of many faces: from the gracious avenues of Gracia with their chic boutiques, to the atmospheric, winding lanes of the Barri Gotic, the city’s patchwork of neighbourhoods entices visitors with their distinct characters. Its cultural offer includes the Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell, as well as Miró and Picasso museums, these are complimented by any number of hole-in-the-wall bars to enjoy tapas and drinks with the locals. Part beach resort and party town, part art collection, sprinkled liberally with the modernista masterpieces of Gaudi and other architects, Barcelona is a city to see, eat, drink, explore, and enjoy. Flight-free travel from London to Barcelona: Journey Time: from 10 hours 10 minutes Sample timetable: Depart London 10.24am, arrive Barcelona 9.46pm Changes: 1 Transfer: Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon Frequency of Departures: 15/day Carbon emissions: 56.7 kg for train (flight would be 242.1kg)* Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? It is possible to travel from London to Barcelona in a day by train. You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer - you have about an hour and a half to get the connection, though you could get an earlier train and spent a bit more time in Paris, e.g. have lunch at the wonderful Train Bleu Restaurant in Gare de Lyon). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris . At Gare de Lyon, you board a TGV high speed train to 'Barcelona Sants' station. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare de Lyon Miss your connection in Paris? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection between high speed trains because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). For more overland routes to Spain, see Green Traveller's Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner On arrival at Barcelona Sants station Benvingut a Barcelona! Bienvenido a Barcelona! Barcelona-Sants station is to the south-west of Barcelona's city centre, which is on lines 3 and 5 of the metro, as well as suburban train routes. There are plenty of hotels close to Barcelona Sants station, see below. NB There are two other train stations in Barcelona: Barcelona- Estació de França , on the edge of the old town, to the east of the centre, which is on line four of the metro, and is a terminus for some suburban train lines; and Barcelona-Passeig de Gràcia , just north of the centre, on the main Passeig de Gràcia boulevard, which is on lines two, three, and four of the metro, plus suburban rail lines. Bus services are available from all three train termini. Hotels near Barcelona Sants Train Station Getting around Barcelona The easiest mode of transport for visitors in Barcelona is the metro , which consists of eight colour coded lines – take a look at the metro network map. The metro is supplemented by three suburban rail lines, part of the wider Catalan rail network (FGC), they are of limited use to visitors unless you are making trips outside of the city; the city also boasts two modern tram lines. In addition, there is of course a network of buses covering both the city and metropolitan area of Barcelona – like the metro, they are run by TMB (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona), you can access a map and bus route timetables on the TMB website (information in English). A range of different fares and passes for the public transport network is available; the TMB information offers full Barcelona transport ticket and fare information. Additionally, Hola BCN travel cards give unlimited travel for periods of between one and five days across Barcelona; and the Barcelona card offers unlimited travel plus free entry and discounts at many major attractions in the city. If you prefer to stay out in the open air, you could travel around Barcelona by bike – the city has a network of segregated cycle lanes, and the official tourism website recommends bike rental providers . As with many major European cities, Barcelona has a bike sharing scheme, where you can pick up a bike at a docking station near the start of your journey and return it to another station at your destination. A bit more about Barcelona Barcelona is the largest city and capital of Catalonia. The Catalans are a proud people. Proud of their language, history, cuisine, wine, their natural and cultural heritage. It’s no surprise: there’s so much to be proud of in this extraordinarily diverse land. That love of the region translates not just into a warm welcome for visitors, encouraged to explore the sights, smells, tastes and sounds of the cities, mountains and coasts. It’s also reflected in a respect for the environment: Catalonia has been designated the first whole-region Unesco Biosphere Destination, reflecting its dedication to sustainable tourism, along with sites including Barcelona, Sitges and the Terres de l’Ebre. From the Pyrenees in the north to bird-bustling wetlands in the south, dramatic gorges and vine-striped highlands and sandy shores, the range of activities, culture and cuisine is astonishing. For information about where to travel in Catalonia, see our Green Traveller's Guide to Catalonia . Video of our summer trip to Catalonia: * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Avignon in the South of France. Avignon's famous bridge. Photo: Wix Media Avignon is the gateway to Provence - it's an atmospheric mediaeval city of honey-coloured buildings and winding streets, crowned by the dramatic Papal Palace. Its compact centre nestles between intact city walls, and the famous bridge still juts halfway out into the Rhône. This is the dream of France – quiet squares to relax in a café, delicious provençal cuisine, fine local wines; and many a place to buy a baguette and wander around the ancient streets – with all the joys of Provence on the doorstep. Journey Time: fastest from 5 hours 44 mins Sample timetable: Depart London 11.04am, arrive Avignon 6.11pm Changes: 1 Transfer: Platform change within Lille Europe station Frequency of Departures: 20/day Carbon emissions: 15kg (flight would be 87kg)* Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? There's just a quick same-station change of platform at Lille Europe station to catch the onward connection. From the Eurostar platform arrival, go up the stairs (or lift) to the main concourse from where the onward TGV trains depart. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Lille If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Lille while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near the station. Here are some hotels that are conveniently nearby: Hotels near Lille Europe train station Miss your connection in Lille? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). For more overland routes to France, see Green Traveller's Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner Shuttle bus from Avignon TGV station into Avignon town. Photo: Richard Hammond On arrival at Avignon TGV station Bienvenue à Avignon! The TGV direct train from London arrives at Avignon TGV, which is a few miles outside the town . Thankfully, the station is linked to the city centre by the ‘TGV Navette’ bus (right), which costs 1,80€ (free for Eurostar ticket holders). This drops you off in front of the city’s downtown station, Avignon-Centre. From here, all points central are walkable, but it is a hub for transport around the city and the sights of the surrounding area. [ Photo: Green Traveller ] Hotels in Avignon Getting around Avignon The compact centre of Avignon lies within its ancient city walls, and is easily walkable, with only limited traffic. If you do need or want to take a longer journey, or to one of the outlying towns, villages, and attractions, there is a good local bus network and a new tram system opened in 2019. Transport in Avignon is operated by ORIZO, their website is in French only, however it does feature detailed information about the Avignon transport network . Tickets for a single journey cost 1,30€ (valid for one hour), with a ‘carnet’ of ten tickets for 10,50€ and a day pass at 4€. The Avignon area boasts 110km of segregated cycle paths – impressive for the city’s small size – and there is also a self-service bike sharing scheme called Vélopop operating across Avignon. You can take a bike from one docking station and return it to another when you reach your destination – for only 1€ per day (0,50€ for each half-hour of usage); here's a useful map of vélopop stations . You can also hire bikes at Provence Bikes on Boulevard St Roch or pre-order to pick up bikes at the TGV Avignon station (3km outside of the town) from Holiday Bikes. For more information about where to stay in Avignon, restaurants and things to do, see our: Green Traveller's Guide to Avignon Bon Voyage! * Data for carbon emissions

Greentraveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Antwerp, Belgium. Photo: Wix Media It is possible to travel by train from London to Antwerp in less than 3 hours if you take the Eurostar train to Brussels and change to a local train to Antwerp. Antwerp is Belgian’s second city and is an effervescent fashion centre that's is great for a weekend’s shopping break. Before heading into town, it’s worth admiring the late 19th century train station, one of the city’s main landmarks. On the Meir, there’s a wide range of shops and many more chi-chi boutiques on Schutterhofstraat and Nationalestraat, including the famous Antwerp fashion designers Dries Van Noten and Ann Demeulemeester. Head to Kloosterstraat for antiques and galleries and stroll along the river to the contemporary art museum, Muhka. The museum in the mansion where Rubens lived  between 1610 and his death in 1640, at Wapper 9-11 has 10 of the artist's works and gives an absorbing insight into Flemish fine living in the 17th century. Flight-free travel from London to Antwerp: Journey Time: from 2 hours 56 mins Sample timetable: Depart London 08.16pm, arrive Antwerp 12.27pm Changes: 1 Transfer: Quick same-station change of platform within Brussels Midi station Frequency of Departures: 20/day Carbon emissions: 7.1kg (flight would be 115.3kg)* Car hire at Antwerp Railway Station: Yes Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? Take the Eurostar to Brussels Midi station where there's an easy same-station platform change to board the intercity train to Antwerp. Keep an eye out on the platform at Brussels for the handy guide to the layout of incoming trains, which shows you where your carriage will arrive into the station so you can make your way to the correct part of the platform before the train arrives.   Stopover hotels to break the journey in Brussels If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Brussels while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near Brussels Midi. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently nearby: Hotels near Brussels Midi For more overland train (and ferry) routes across Europe, see our Flight-Free Journey Planner . On arrival Welkom in Antwerpen! International rail services and mainline trains from across Belgium stop at Antwerp Central Station: this spectacular piece of architecture is not only an auspicious gateway to the city, but also well located – just east of the centre, it is on numerous tram and bus routes. There are plenty of places to stay near to the main railway station, see below: Hotels near Antwerp Central Station: You could easily walk around much of central Antwerp, but the city is also served by a huge network of trams and buses, co-ordinated by De Lijn. Perhaps the easiest to use part of the transport network is the ‘pre-metro’, an underground section of the tram system that runs through the city centre – wikipedia has a map of the premetro, and you can see a map of all the transport routes in the inner city on the De Lijn website. The city’s official tourist website offers more information on public transport for visitors to Antwerp, including tickets and fares. Antwerp is flat and compact, so a good option for getting around is by bike: the city has joined the ranks of metropolises boasting a self-service bike sharing scheme. Velo Antwerpen has docking stations all over the city (map), and a range of different passes are available, allowing you to pick up a bike near your starting point and drop it off by your destination with only a minimal amount of effort. For more information about where to stay and eat and things to to in the city, see our: Green Travel Guide to Antwerp Bon Voyage! * Data for carbon emissions

Here is Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train and ferry from England to northern Spain as a foot passenger . If you want to experience the wonderful coastline of northern Spain, but you don't want to fly or endure a long drive through France, this is the trip for you. One of the beautiful beaches of Asturia. Photo: Chris Willan It is possible to travel from southern England to northern Spain overnight on the ferry service run by Brittany Ferries. These luxurious ferries are like going on a mini-cruise, the dining is first-class, there are lots of facilities to keep the kids happy and you may see whales and dolphin on the crossing - the Bay of Biscay is one of the best places in Europe to spot these magnificent marine animals. Flight-free travel from the UK to Northern Spain: Routes: Portsmouth or Plymouth to Santander Journey Time: 20-24 hours Sample timetable: Changes: Train to Portsmouth or Plymouth then transfer to ferry terminal for overnight ferry to Santander Frequency of Departures: Portsmouth-Santander 2 per week (journey time is 24 hours); Plymouth-Santander 1 per week (this is the fastest service - takes 20 hours) Carbon emissions (as foot passenger): 15 kg (flight would be 311.1kg)* Car hire at Santander: Yes Ferry tickets provided by Brittany Ferries (to book as a foot passenger, choose the 'on foot' option from the vehicle selection drop-down selection on step 1 of the ferry booking process). How to book ferry tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . How to travel to Portsmouth ferry terminal By Bus: The easiest way for foot passengers to reach the harbour is to take a National Express coach (e.g. from London Victoria), which stops right outside the ferry departure building. The closest train station to Portsmouth ferry terminal is 'Portsmouth Harbour' (it's a 20-minute walk from here to the ferry check-in or a 10-minute taxi ride (costs about £5). There are also local bus services to Portsmouth ferry terminal operated by Stagecoach (bus 20) and First Bus (buses 8, X4 and X9). By train: Train services London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour take 85 minutes and there are also services from London Victoria and Cardiff. NB between May and September, there is a shuttle bus from 'Portsmouth & Southsea ' railway station to the ferry terminal. Book a train to Portsmouth >> (train tickets provided by Trainline) Portsmouth Harbour facilities: Bar, café, shop, bureau de change, internet access point. How to travel to Plymouth ferry terminal By Bus: National Express runs coach services from London's Victoria coach station to Plymouth coach station. By Train: There is a good rail service from major railway stations in the UK to Plymouth train station. It takes 3-4 hours from London Paddington to Plymouth. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from both Plymouth bus station and Plymouth train station to the Plymouth ferry terminal. Book a train to Plymouth >> (train tickets provided by Trainline) Plymouth Port facilities: Baby changing, bureau de change, café, disabled access. On arrival at Santander ferry terminal: Bienvenido a Santander! The ferry terminal lies just one block along Avenida Castilla to Santander's main train station - if you have too much to carry, it's just a minute in a taxi. Santander's train station is well connected to the Spanish rail network, with trains running to major centres in the region and the rest of the country. Santander is the capital of Spain's verdant Cantabria region (part of the wider 'Green Spain' region, along with the Basque Country, Asturias and Galicia), with rugged mountain ranges and a beautiful stretch of coastline including the stunning Picos de Europa mountains. For ideas of where to stay, great locally run restaurants, heritage attractions and activities: Green Traveller's Guide to Green Spain See more flight-free journeys in our Rail and Ferry Journey Planner >> Seafront at Santander. Photo: Wix Media * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Igoumenitsa or Patras on the west coast of Greece. On board the ferry from Bari across the Adriatic. Photo: Richard Hammond Summary: Train via Paris to Milan and Bari in Italy then ferry across the Adriatic to the west cost of Greece - Igoumenitsa (for Thessaloniki) or Patras (for Athens) Journey Time: about 48 hours Carbon emissions: train to Bari is approx 65 kg (flight would be approx 480kg)* Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. Ferry tickets provided by Direct Ferries, which allows you to search and compare prices for the different operators and routes from the mainland ports in Italy across to Greece. How to book train and ferry tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? In Paris, you change stations from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer - you have about an hour and a quarter to get the connection). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris . At Gare de Lyon, board a TGV high speed train to 'Milan Centrale' station. Stay overnight in Milan, then the following morning take the high speed train to Bari to catch the overnight ferry to either Igoumenitsa or Patras on the west cost of Greece, arriving just after midday. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare de Lyon Miss your connection in Paris? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection between high speed trains because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed TGV train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). On arrival at Milan Centrale station Benvenuto a Milano! If you’re arriving on an international train service, you will probably arrive at Milano Centrale, the city’s main rail terminus – however various intercity services also serve Cardona and Garibaldi stations: all three are connected to Milan’s metro and bus services for onward travel around the city. There are plenty of hotels close to the station, see below: Hotels near Milan's train station (Milan Centrale): Milan has one of Italy’s best developed public transport systems, consisting of a metro network, trams, buses, and a suburban rail system (the latter is unlikely to be of use to visitors). Whilst many of the city centre’s main sights are within walking distance of one another, you’ll probably end up using public transport at some point during your stay. The metro consists of four lines, with a fifth under construction; there are seventeen tram lines crossing the city – trams are emblematic of travel in Milan; and numerous bus services, they are co-ordinated by ATM. You can find maps of the metro and suburban rail network on ATM’s website - see Milan Journey Planner , as well as a breakdown of the different tickets (including useful tickets for tourists), and a journey planner for transport within the Milan urban area. Like many European cities, Milan has a bike sharing scheme, allowing you to hire a bike from numerous points across the city and then return it to a different docking point when you have completed your journey: for more information, and maps, check out BikeMi (information in English). On arrival at Bari Railway Station From the station, you'll need to take a bus to the port to catch the ferry. The buses leave from just outside the railway station. Bari is a lovely city so it's worth spending some time here if you can, but if you only have a few hours and want to have a pizza, then I recommend Solho (see photos below), which is just a few hundred yards from the railway station. Solho Gourmet Pizza and Apulian food is just a few hundred metres from Bari railway station. Photos: Richard Hammond Bus from Bari Railway Station to Bari Port The buses depart from just opposite the railway station exit. Buy your ticket from the ticket booth and then board the 50 bus to the port. On arrival at the departure terminal of the port, you'll then need to take a transit bus to the ferry check-in terminal. Once you've checked in, you then take the transit bus back to the departure terminal. Do make sure you check-in at the check-in desk ( not at the ferry departure terminal) as you won't be allowed on without doing so. Left: Bus No. 50 goes from the Bari Centrale to the port. Right: Bus ticket booth opposite the station. Photos: Richard Hammond Left: The transit bus takes from the port departure terminal to the check-in desk (Right) Photos: Richard Hammond Ferry from Bari to Igoumenitsa or Patras on the west cost of Greece If you're looking to travel onwards to Thessaloniki then take the ferry to Igoumenitsa, if you're going to Athens, take the crossing to Patras. Left: Boarding as food passenger for the ferry from Bari across the Adriatic. Centre: Sunset from the Muster station. Right: four berth cabin. Photos: Richard Hammond Onward travel from Igoumenitsa or Patras At Igoumenitsa, it's just a short 5-10 minute walk from the port to the bus station from where it takes 4 hours by bus to Thessaloniki. For information timetables, see ktelmacedonia.gr At Patras, you'll need to take a bus to town centre bus station (it takes 15-20 minutes) to board the bus to Kiato railway station from where there are trains to Athens. For more information on timetables, see: hellenictrain.gr Kaló Taxídi! For other overland routes to Europe, see our Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner See our Green Traveller Guides to the following places in Greece: West Macedonia and Thessaloniki | East Macedonia and Thrace | Athens | Central and Southern Peloponnese | Pelion | Naxos and the Small Cyclades | Lesvos and Chios * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to travelling from the UK to the island of Ibiza, Spain without flying. Ibiza port. Photo: Wix Media It is possible to travel from London to Ibiza in about 36 hours if you take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris and then change trains down to Barcelona and then take the ferry across to Ibiza. There are two ways to do this (both require an overnight stay in a hotel), either: a) take train from London to Barcelona (arrives same day), stay overnight in Barcelona, then spend the day in Barcelona and catch the overnight ferry to Ibiza. b) take train from London to Paris, stay overnight in Paris, then take the train down to Barcelona in time to catch the overnight ferry to Ibiza. Flight-free travel from London to Ibiza: Journey Time: from 36 hours Sample timetable: a) Depart London 10.24am, arrive Barcelona 9.46pm; overnight in Barcelona then evening ferry departing that evening at 10pm across to Ibiza, arriving 7am the following morning, OR b) Depart London 3.31pm, arrive Paris 6.52pm; overnight in Paris then take the 10.14am train down to Barcelona arriving at 4.53pm in time to catch the evening ferry departing 10pm across to Ibiza, arriving 7am the following morning, Changes: 2 Transfer: Change of train in Paris (Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon) to Barcelona and transfer from train to ferry within Barcelona for onward ferry to Ibiza. Frequency of Departures: 15/day trains to Barcelona, 6-7/week overnight ferries to Ibiza Carbon emissions: train leg is 7 kg (flight would be 180kg)* Car hire at Ibiza ferry terminal: Yes Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? It is possible to travel from London to Barcelona in a day by train from where you can stay overnight then catch the ferry as a foot passenger across to Ibiza the following evening. You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer - you have about an hour and a half to get the connection, though you could get an earlier train and spent a bit more time in Paris, e.g. have lunch at the wonderful Train Bleu Restaurant in Gare de Lyon). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris . At Gare de Lyon, you board a TGV high speed train to 'Barcelona Sants' station. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare de Lyon Miss your connection in Paris? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection between high speed trains because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). For more routes acroos Europe, see our Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner On arrival at Barcelona Sants station There are plenty of hotels close to the station, see: Hotels near to Barcelona Sants train station . See our guide to travelling by train from London to Barcelona for more information about how to. get around Barcelona by metro and bike. Ferry from Barcelona to Ibiza There are two well-established ferry companies that run overnight ferries from Barcelona to Ibiza - Trasmediterranea and Balearia (NB. neither run day time ferry services from Barcelona to Ibiza). The overnight journey takes approximately 9 hours arrive about 6.30/7am at Ibiza's main harbour. Ferry tickets for both operators can be booked through Direct Ferries, which allows you to search and compare prices for the different operators and routes from the mainland ports in Spain to Ibiza . The crossing from mainland Spain to Ibiza. Photo: Baleria * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to the south of France and then ferry across to the island of Corsica. The port at Bonifacio, Corsica. Photo: Richard Hammond It is possible to travel from London to Corsica by train and ferry in about 24 hours if you take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris and then change to a train south to Marseille (or Nice) and catch the ferry the following morning to Corsica. Corsica is one of the 18 regions of France and the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean that's famous for its beaches and mountains, including the epic GR20 long distance hiking trail that heads high up across this spectacular island. Train and Ferry from London to Corsica: Routes: Train from London to either Marseille, Toulon or Nice, then ferry across to Corsica Journey Time: About 24 hours Sample timetable: Depart London 7.19am, arrive Marseille at 2.45pm then overnight ferry departs from Marseille at 7pm, arrives Ajaccio, Corsica at 06.15 Changes: Change in Paris or Lille for Marseille or Nice then transfer to ferry terminal for overnight ferry to Corsica Frequency of Departures: 3-4 times per week Carbon emissions (train leg): 15 kg (flight would be 311.1kg)* Car hire at Marseille St Charles station: Yes Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? Take the Eurostar train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Paris (Gare du Nord) or Lille then change for Marseille St Charles station – in Lille, the train for Marseille leaves from the same station that you arrived whereas in Paris you have to change from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon (see our How to Transfer Across Train Stations in Paris ) . On board Eurostar, there’s a bar-buffet carriage that sells a range of hot and cold, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, including champagne, as well as snacks and wholesome, hearty dishes. For those with standard premier tickets, light refreshments are served at your table, including a fresh, light, healthy meal, tea, coffee and soft drinks, and a glass of wine or beer. It’s about 30 mins from London to the Channel Tunnel, then, after about 20 minutes, you emerge for the onward journey whizzing down through the beautiful countryside of France, passing picturesque French villages and along the Rhône Valley to Marseille. This service is a fast and efficient way to travel from London to Marseille. For other routes within France and elsewhere in Europe, see our Flight-Free Journey Planner On arrival at Marseille St Charles station Bienvenue à Marseille! A city without too many airs, Marseille has a life and energy that more manicured destinations lack. The spectacular old port at its centre is surrounded by pavement cafes, restaurants and bars, and overlooked by an iconic hilltop church. Detour into the old quarter of Le Panier or the hippyish Cours Julien and you’ll find atmospheric architecture, bustling markets and some of the country’s most down-to-earth inhabitants. There are lots of hotels near to the station, see: Hotels near Marseille St Charles train station . Various eco-districts are also in development across the city, with renewable energy, greywater recycling schemes, tree planting projects and bike paths part of the plans. The most high profile of these lies within the Euroméditerranée district; a 480-hectare urban renewal project between the commercial harbour, the Vieux Port (Old Port) and the TGV station. The city is gradually moving towards a more sustainable future. With an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, many public buildings in the city are being equipped with solar panels; it's said there are more roofs here than in any other city in France. Getting around Marseille Marseille has an excellent public transport network. From Marseille Saint Charles train station there are trams, metro and buses that take you around the city centre and to the main harbour and port, see: Marseille public transport timetables and routes (French only). Marseille’s handy City Pass is an allin package including free entry to many of the city's museums, a boat trip to the Château d'If, a trip on the Petit Train, reductions on certain other excursions, and unlimited travel on the buses, metro and trams. It is valid for one (€22) or two (€29) days. See Marseille Tourism for more information. From outside the station, you can pick up a bike from the city’s bike hire scheme Le Vélo . Ferry from Marseille to Corsica Corsica Linea operate an overnight ferry service from Marseille to Ajaccio, departing at 7.15pm. You can book either a seat or a cabin with beds. The journey takes 11 hours and you'll arrive at Ajaccio at 6.15am. Ferry tickets provided by Direct Ferries, which allows you to search and compare prices for the different operators and routes from the mainland ports in France to Corsica. For more information about travelling as a foot passenger, see our guide to how to travel as a ferry foot passenger from the UK to Europe Bon Voyage! * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to the beautiful city of Venice, Italy. Photo: Wix Media Here are two options for travelling to Venice: you could go via Paris (which requires changing stations in Paris for the onward journey via Turin) or if you prefer an easier change of train, you could go via Lille where you change train within the station for the onward journey via Lyon and Turin. Both routes require an overnight stay - you could do that either in Paris, Lyon or Turin (or if you wanted to continue to Milan, you could stay overnight there and take the train down to Venice). Flight-free travel by train from London to Venice: Journey Time: Overnight Changes: 2 Transfers: Option 1 (via Paris): Change from Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon, then take the train to Torino Porta Susa (or Milan) and stay overnight and take the high-speed train the following morning to Venice Option 2 (via Lille): Change at Lille for train to Lyon where you stay overnight then take high-speed train the following morning to Venice Sample timetable: Option 1: Depart London 7.55am, arrive 11.17am Paris Gare du Nord, depart Paris Gare de Lyon at 12.46, arrive Turin 6.15. Overnight in Turin then catch 10am train to Milan Centrale arriving at 11.02am then take 11.45am train from Milan Centrale arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 2.12pm. Option 2: Depart London 11.04am, arrive 1.26pm Lille Europe, depart Lille Europe at 2.03pm, arrive Lyon at 5.02pm. Overnight in Lyon, then take 8am train to Turin, arriving 12.25pm, then take the 1pm train to Milan arriving 2.30pm, and then the 2.45pm train from Milan arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 5.12pm. Frequency of Departures: 19/day Carbon emissions: 36.4 kg (flight would be 270.9kg)* Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? Option 1: you have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris . At Gare de Lyon, you board a TGV high speed train to Torino Porta Susa where you stay overnight and then take the morning train over via Milan to Venice. Option 2: it's just a simple change of train within Lille Europe to catch the train to Lyon where you overnight (there are plenty of hotels near to the station, see below). Then the following morning you take the high speed train from Lyon to Italy. Buon Viaggio! Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris, Lyon, Turin and Milan There are lots of places to stay near the stations en route to Venice: Hotels near Gare du Nord | Hotels near Gare de Lyon | Hotels near Lyon Part Die u | Hotels near Turin Porta Susa | Hotels near Milan Porta Garibaldi | Hotels near Milan Centrale Miss your connection? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection between high speed trains because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). On arrival at Venice Santa Lucia station Benvenuto a Venizia! There are plenty of hotels close to the station, see below: Hotels near to Venice main train station (Venice Santa Lucia) Piazza San Marco, Venice. Photo: Wix Media For more overland train routes to Italy, see our Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Gothenburg, West Sweden. Sarah Baxter took the train from London to Gothenburg. Photo: Richard Hammond It is possible to travel overland by train from London to West Sweden in about 36 hours if you take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels and change for trains to Cologne, Hamburg, Copenhagen and then on to Gothenburg in West Sweden. Below is a snapshot of how we travelled to West Sweden for our Guide to Climate Smart Holidays in West Sweden . Flight-free travel by train from London to West Sweden: Journey Time:  about 36 hours Sample timetable:  Depart London just after 11am, arrive Gothenburg at 6.20pm the following afternoon Transfers:  Four (all are convienient same-station platform changes, ie they don't require you have to cross the city) in Brussels, Cologne, Hamburg (where you stay overnight) and Copenhagen Carbon emissions: 42 k g (flight would be 165. 7k g )* Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? Take an early morning Eurostar to Brussels Midi station where there's an easy same-station platform change to board the high-speed Thalys or ICE trains to Cologne where again there's an easy same-station platform change you take another train to Hamburg where you stay overnight (we recently stayed at CAB 20 , which is Level 3+ on Booking.com 's Travel Sustainably initiative, it's about a 10-minute walk from the station). In the morning, catch the train to Copenhagen where you change trains for the final leg to Gothenburg, arriving at 6.20pm. Keep an eye out on the platform at Brussels, Cologne and Hamburg for the handy guide to the layout of incoming trains, which shows you where your carriage will arrive into the station so you can make your way to the correct part of the platform before the train arrives.   Stopover hotels to break the journey in Brussels, Cologne or Hamburg If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Brussels, Cologne or Hamburg while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near Brussels Midi, Cologne and Hamburg railway stations. Here are hotels conveniently nearby: Hotels near Brussels Midi ;  Hotels near Cologne Central station ; Hotels near Hamburg station. Hotels near Hamburg's train station Miss your connection? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection on a high-speed train because of a delay on the preceding high-speed leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. For more train routes in Europe, see Green Traveller's Flight-Free Train & Ferry Journey Planner On arrival in Gothenburg There's a wonderful hotel opposite the railway station - Hotel Eggers . For other places to stay as well as lots of information on travelling around West Sweden, see our Green Traveller's Guide to West Sweden and our guide to Climate Smart Holidays in West Sweden . Some of the wonderful places to stay in West Sweden * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to the island of Sicily, Italy. The coastal village of Scopello, northwest Sicily. Photo: Wix Media Journey Time: approx 48 hours Changes: Option 1 : 3; Option 2 : 2 Transfer: There are two options: Option 1: Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon then train to Milan (stay overnight) and take train to Naples the following day where you change to the train to Sicily Option 2 : Paris Gare du Nord to stay overnight in Paris then following morning take the train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Milan to catch sleeper from Milan to Sicily Sample timetable: Option 1: Depart London 9.31am, arrive Paris Gare du Nord at 12.47, then take train from Gare de Lyon at 2.43pm, arriving Milan Porto Garibaldi at 9.49pm. The next day take the 8.30am train from Milan Centrale, arriving Naples Centrale at 1.10pm then change trains to catch the 1.45pm to Palermo arriving 11.05pm Option 2: Depart London 4.31pm, arrive Paris 7.56pm, overnight in Paris then the following day take the 06.46 train from Gare de Lyon arriving Milan at 1.49pm (there are laters trains to Milan but they require a change of train, e.g. the 07.22 requires changing in Basel and arrives in Milan at 3.55pm). Then board the sleeper from Milan which departs from Milano Centrale at 7.40pm and arrives in at Palermo Centrale at 4.55pm the following day. Frequency of Departures: 23/day Carbon emissions: 18 .51kg (flight would be 243.9kg)* Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? Option 1: You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer - you have about an hour and a quarter to get the connection). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris . At Gare de Lyon, you board a TGV high speed train to 'Milan Porta Garibaldi' station in Milan. The departing train to Naples Centrale the following day departs from Milan Centrale (about 30 minute walk away) so choose to stay overnight next to either of those stations. In Naples, you then change trains in the same station (Naples Centrale) to take the high speed train all the way to Sicily. Option 2: On arriving in Paris at Gare du Nord, you will stay overnight in Paris then the following morning make your way to Gare de Lyon where you board a TGV high speed train to 'Milan Porta Garibaldi' station in Milan. The departing sleeper train to Sicily the following day departs from Milan Centrale (about 30 minute walk away - or you could take a taxi) and arrives late afternoon the following day. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris, Milan and Naples There are plenty of hotels near to Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon in Paris as well as near both stations in Milan and the main station in Naples. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord | Hotels near Gare de Lyon Hotels near Milan Porta Garibaldi | Hotels near Milan Centrale | Hotels near Naples Centrale . Miss your connection in Paris, Milan or Naples? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection between high speed trains because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed TGV train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). On arrival in Sicily Benvenuti in Sicilia! If you’re arriving on the train from Naples you'll arrive at Palermo Central Station close to where many of the ferries arrive. There are plenty of hotels close to the station, see below: Hotels near Palermo train station, Sicily Palermo is the main city on Sicily. Photo: Wix Media Buon Viaggio! For more overland routes to Italy, see Green Traveller's Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Rome, Italy Photo: Wix Media Once the centre of the world’s most powerful Empire, today Rome - the Eternal City - remains Italy’s capital and largest city, a place where millennia of history blend with contemporary life. Where else can you stroll through (surprisingly intact) ancient ruins to a piazza designed by Michelangelo and down into a UNESCO-protected historic centre boasting baroque fountains and churches, and intimate squares where neighbourhood life seems unchanged by the modern world, all nestling between some of the world’s most famous sights, monuments, and museums? Wonderfully walkable, Rome’s compact heart is a treasure trove: and let’s not forget the tantalising, fresh cuisine – far more than just pizzas. You could come for history and culture, or just to while away your time in a café with a cappuccino or a Campari soda, and enjoy the famous dolce vita. Flight-free travel by train from London to Rome: Journey Time: Overnight Transfers: Option 1 (via Paris): Change from Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon, then take the train to Torino Porta Susa (or Milan) and stay overnight and take the high-speed train the following morning to Rome. Option 2 (via Lille): Change at Lille for train to Lyon where you stay overnight then take high-speed train the following morning to Rome. Sample timetable: Option 1: Depart London 7.55am, arrive 11.17am Paris Gare du Nord, depart Paris Gare de Lyon at 12.46, arrive Turin 6.15pm. Overnight in Turin then catch 10am train directly to Rome, arriving Roma Termini at 2.49pm. Option 2: Depart London 11.04am, arrive 1.26pm Lille Europe, depart Lille Europe at 2.03pm, arrive Lyon at 5.02pm. Overnight in Lyon, then take 8.35am train to Turin, arriving 12.45pm, then take the 1.50pm train to Rome arriving Roma Termini at 6.10pm. Frequency of Departures: 19/day Carbon emissions: 49.2kg (flight would be 410kg)* Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? Option 1: You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris . At Gare de Lyon, you board a TGV high speed train to Torino Porta Susa where you stay the night and then in the morning take the high speed train over to Rome. Option 2: it's just a simple change of train within Lille Europe to catch the train to Lyon where you overnight (there are plenty of hotels near to the station, see below). Then the following morning you take the high speed train from Lyon to Italy. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare de Lyon Miss your connection in Paris? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection between high speed trains because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). On arrival at Rome Termini station Benvenuto a Roma! Whilst there are several railway stations in Rome, almost all major international and intercity trains arrive into the enormous Stazione Termini, on the south-eastern edge of the city centre. There are plenty of hotels close to the station, see below: Hotels near to Rome's main train station (Rome Termini) Getting around Rome Termini Station is also the point of intersection for Rome’s two metro lines (constant archaeological discoveries have prevented any rapid expansion of the network), which skirt the centre in an X-shape: here is the Rome metro map. The metro can be handy for sights such as the Vatican and Colosseum, however if you are staying in central Rome it is unlikely to be of regular use. The centre of Rome is relatively compact, and walking its narrow, historic streets is a real pleasure. Happily though, there is a comprehensive network of buses (find useful bus routes for you on ATAC Roma's website) and trams (the latter are largely confined to the periphery of the city, as are the suburban trains, which you will only use if you head to outlying attractions), and ATAC Roma provides a useful journey planner on their website. The hub of Rome’s bus network is located just in front of the Stazione Termini: there is an information kiosk to help you navigate it. Here you can find ATAC's maps of buses, trams, suburban trains and the metro across central and greater Rome. Tickets are the same for all modes of transport in Rome, and are valid for 75 minutes after validating, including any interchanges. As well as single tickets, you can purchase, one-day, three-day and week tickets, for ATAC Roma offers more detailed transport ticket information. If you are staying in Rome for three or more days, and intend to visit some of the major sites, the Roma Pass could be worth considering: for 34€, you gain free admission and discounted entry to various major museums and sites, as well as three days unlimited use of public transport. If you fancy exploring Rome on two wheels, there is a bike-sharing scheme similar to those in many other European cities, allowing you to hire bikes at one station and then drop them off at another later (not much of the site is available in English); and there are also various companies offering bike hire (and tours) across the city. Buon Viaggio! For more overland train routes to Italy, see our Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Naples, Italy Photo: Wix Media Journey Time: requires overnight stop in either Paris or Turin/Milan Sample timetable: Depart London 10.22am, arrive Paris Gare du Nord 1.47pm, departs Gare de Lyon at 3.18pm arrives Milan at 10.07pm. Overnight in Milan then take any number of trains from Milano Centrale to Naples (journey time just over 5 hours) Changes: 2 Transfer: Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon and same station change in Turin or Milan Frequency of Departures: 20/day Carbon emissions: 57.5kg (flight would be 277.5kg)* Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer). How to transfer between train stations across Paris . You can either stay overnight in Paris and take train to Turin or Milan to change to Naples, or take train straight to Turin/Milan, stay overnight in either of these cities and take train next morning to Naples. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare de Lyon Miss your connection in Paris? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection between high speed trains because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). Stopover hotels in Turin or Milan If you decide to break the journey and stay overnight in Turin or Milan, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both stations. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Torino Porta Susa, Italy Hotels near Milan Porta Garibaldi, Italy On arrival at Naples station Benvenuto a Napoli! It may be the spiritual home of pizza but there are lots of other things to eat, see and do in this high energy city, including royal palaces, castles and ancient ruins. One of the best ways of getting around the city is to use the Naples Pass , which provides discounts and other benefits for visiting museums, events and using public transport around the city. Here's a handy video that shows how it works: Buon Viaggio! If you're looking to travel further afield, Naples is also the gateway to the ancient city of Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast. See more routes to Italy and across Europe in our Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Lisbon, Portugal for onward connections to the south of Portugal and the Algarve. Photo: Wix Media Journey Time: fastest from 21 hours 59 mins Sample timetable: Depart London 7.55am, arrive Lisbon 7.30am the following morning Changes: 2 Transfer: 1. Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare Montparnasse and 2. Change at Irun (Hendaye station) on the French/Spanish border for the overnight sleeper train to Lisbon Estação do Oriente Frequency of Departures: 6/day Carbon emissions: 10 .95kg (flight would be 251.59kg)* Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? You have to change trains twice - in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare Montparnasse, which can take about half an hour on the Paris metro (though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer) - see our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris ; and then change trains at Irun on the French/Spanish border to take the overnight sleeper to Lisbon Estação do Oriente. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare Montparnasse. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare Montparnasse Miss your connection? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). On arrival Bem-vindo a Lisboa! Lisbon offers a complete, comfortable transportation network. Probably the most common way to get around the city is the Lisbon metro . The outstanding work by the artist Maris Keil represented on the walls of the underground stations revived the Portuguese of the "azulejo" (glazed painted tile) and is considered a touristic attraction itself. Lisbon's underground train network is constantly evolving towards a fully accessible service, currently providing full accessibility in 36 stations out of 56, excellent attention to customers that need it and technologies and carriages adapted to visual disabilities. The metro runs from 6.30 am and 1 am daily. Don't miss the Trams, a Lisbon's iconic transport that is part of the city's identity and a must activity for everyone that visits the Portuguese capital. Tram 28 consists of a network of fifty wooden, vintage cars with capacity for 20 seating and 38 standing people. Their route is a 40 min journey through some of the main monuments, sights, and the old, narrow streets in Lisbon. Check the route and plan the places you'd like to stop at during the journey, you can get off the car and get in the next one (every 15 mins). If you are visiting Lisbon during peak season, consider the alternative option for sightseeing by Tram as Tram 28 carriages are likely to be full: Lisbon Tram Tour . There is a local bus service provided by Carris company, which can be the best way to get to different places around the city. Check bus timetables, fares, and accessibility . Hotels near Lisbon train station (Estação do Oriente) For destinations outside Lisbon, one of the best options is Express buses , which offer cheap journeys from and to many destinations around Portugal. Another comfortable, relatively cheap way is to take the train. There are ten railway stations in Lisbon: Gare do Oriente (modernist station at the east of the city with connections to the other stations and a metro line), Santa Apolonia (the oldest station, ideal for a number of attractions in Lisbon and long distance trains to Madrid and Paris), Sete Rios (north location, good for long distance buses and trains to Faro, Setubal and other destinations, and with a metro line), Rossio Station (centric and connected to city bus, metro and tram), Cais do Sodré station, Sintra station (connects to Rossio Station, Oriente, Entrecampos, Sate Rios and Campolide), Campolide, Cascais and Roma-Areeiro stations. You can get a Lisboa Card which provides free use of the metro, trams, buses, and Elevadores, plus discounts and free entry to many sights, museums, and tours (includes a free guide to Lisbon). Tenha uma boa jornada! See our Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Florence, Italy Photo: Wix Media It is possible to travel from London to Florence with just an overnight stop en route if you take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris and then change stations for the train to Milan followed by the train to Florence. The birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence has a long and rich history: home to such great figures as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Dante – not to forget the powerful Medici family – Florence has been influential in shaping the modern world. Today, it remains one of Italy’s major cities and one of the world’s premier tourist destinations. With a host of celebrated sites, from the glorious dome of the Duomo and the shop-lined Ponte Vecchio bridge, to the world-renowned Uffizi and Pitti galleries, Florence is not short of sights for the visitor. Its elegant streets, squares, and palaces invite you to stroll, or to linger over Tuscan cuisine served up with the region’s celebrated olive oil. Flight-free travel from London to Florence: Journey Time: requires overnight stop in either Paris or Turin/Milan Sample timetable: Depart London 10.22am, arrive Paris Gare du Nord 1.47pm, departs Gare de Lyon at 3.18pm arrives Milan at 10.07pm. Overnight in Milan then take any number of trains to Florence (journey time just less than 2 hours) Changes: 2 Transfer: Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon and same station change in Turin or Milan Frequency of Departures: 28/day Carbon emissions: 33.8kg (flight would be 257.9kg)* Car hire at Florence SMN Railway Station: Yes Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer). How to transfer between train stations across Paris . You can either stay overnight in Paris and take train to Turin or Milan to change to Florence, or take train straight to Turin/Milan, stay overnight in either of these cities and take train next morning to Florence. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare de Lyon Miss your connection in Paris? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection between high speed trains because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). See more routes to Italy and across Europe in our Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner Stopover hotels in Turin or Milan If you decide to break the journey and stay overnight in Turin or Milan, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both stations. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Torino Porta Susa, Italy Hotels near Milan Porta Garibaldi, Italy On arrival at Florence station Benvenuto a Firenza! There's lots of information about sustainable travel in Florence at Sustainable Florence . Most visitors coming by train will arrive directly at Florence’s Santa Maria Novella (SMN) railway station, on the north-western edge of the city centre. However, there are two other stations in the city, Firenze Campo Marte and Firenze Rifredi: it is possible you may have to make a change at Rifredi to arrive at SMN, but this should be covered by your train ticket (for no extra cost) – check with the train operator in case of doubt. Central Florence is compact, and much of it is barred to through traffic, so walking is a great option for getting around and enjoying what the city has to offer. Alternatively, you could choose to hire a bike – taking advantage of the flat terrain and quiet central streets (outside the centre, there is however traffic to contend with) – the city’s official tourist website offers a list of different cycle hire providers in Florence . For longer journeys across and around the city, you may need to take advantage of the city’s bus system. ATAF , the bus operator, provides information, maps, timetables and a journey planner in English, including basic tickets, valid for 90 minutes, and various other options are available. If you’re going to spend several days in Florence, and intend to head to several of the city’s museums and attractions, you might want to consider investing in the Firenze Welcome Card , which provides discounts on many cultural and commercial activities in the city as well as in surrounding towns and villages. Buon Viaggio! * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Copenhagen, Denmark. It is possible to travel flight-free by train from London to Copenhagen in about 15 hours by travelling by Eurostar from London St Pancras via Brussels, Cologne and Hamburg. Boats at Nyhavn harbour, Copenhagen. Photo: Richard Hammond ‘Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen,’ goes the song, and maybe the famous lyrics have got it right: this is where charming, traditional Danish architecture and cobbled streets combine with cutting edge design and a forward-thinking attitude to city life and the environment. A walker and cyclists’ paradise, Copenhagen is equally brimming with design boutiques, galleries, hip cafés, and much more. From the Royal Palace and Tivoli gardens to a contemporary city beach and a full spread of museums and art collections, the Danish capital is nothing if not diverse: a bustling metropolis with friendliness and compact scale of a small town. Train from London to Copenhagen: Journey Time: about 15 hours Sample timetable: Depart London 7.34pm , arrive Copenhagen at 9.34pm the following evening Changes: 3 Transfers: 1. Quick same-station change of platform within Brussels Midi station; 2. Quick same-station change of platform within Cologne station; 3. Quick same-station change of platform within Hamburg station Carbon emissions: 52.7kg (flight would be 270.9kg)* Car hire at Copenhagen Railway Station: Yes Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? Take an afternoon or evening Eurostar to Brussels Midi station (or if you're coming from the East of England, take the ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland and then train to Brussels) where you stay overnight then in the morning take the high-speed Thalys or ICE trains to Cologne where there's an easy same-station platform change to take another train to Hamburg and then on to Copenhagen. Keep an eye out on the platform at Brussels, Cologne and Hamburg for the handy guide to the layout of incoming trains, which shows you where your carriage will arrive into the station so you can make your way to the correct part of the platform before the train arrives.   Alternatively, you could take a morning Eurostar to Brussels to change (withing the station) to the train to Hamburg where you stay overnight then catch the mornign train to Copenhagen, arriving about 1.30pm.] Stopover hotels to break the journey in Brussels, Cologne or Hamburg If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Brussels, Cologne or Hamburg while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near Brussels Midi, Cologne and Hamburg railway stations. Here are hotels conveniently nearby: Hotels near Brussels Midi ; Hotels near Cologne Central station ; Hotels near Hamburg station. Find a hotel near Brussels Midi Railway Station See also our Green Traveller's Guide to Brussels and Green Traveller's Guide to Cologne Hostel Kohn, one of several eco-friendly places to stay in Cologne. Photo: Hostel Kohn Miss your connection? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection on a high-speed train because of a delay on the preceding high-speed leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. On arrival in Copenhagen Velkommen til København! Located by the Tivoli gardens on the southern edge of the city centre, Copenhagen Central Station is the point of arrival for international (and most national) train services. It is within walking distance of many sights and places to stay – but is also on the metro line and served by numerous buses. It has a range of facilities, including a post office, supermarket, bakery, cafes, shopping centre, baby changing facilities, bathrooms, showers, luggage storage and a lost-and-found office. There are some excellent hotels close to the station, see below: Hotels near to Copenhagen's train station (Station Kobenhavn) The centre of Copenhagen is relatively compact and very pedestrian friendly (the principal shopping artery, Strøget, is one of world’s longest pedestrian streets), so exploring on foot is a viable and inviting option. However, for longer journeys, the city has an excellent integrated public transport network. A range of tickets (from single journeys, to multi-trips and day passes, for different zones) are available for use across the transport network, information on this is available on the Visit Copenhagen website: full ticket and fare information for Copenhagen . The two principal modes of transports likely to be useful for visitors are the metro and S-trains - the rail overground network; this site in Danish includes a network map . With such a clear and comprehensive train network, you are unlikely to need to use the city’s buses – but Movia, the bus operator offers some useful information on buses in Copenhagen in English . If you intend to visit many of the city’s major museums and sights, and will be travelling by public transport a lot, consider investing in a Copenhagen Card , which gives free admission to over 75 attractions, unlimited bus, train and metro travel, and various other discounts – you can choose to buy a card for 24, 48, 72, or 120 hours. Here's a useful video guide to how it works: Copenhagen is famous for cycling: one of the world’s leading cycle cities, forty percent of commuters in the Danish capital travel by bike every day, on an ever expanding network of segregated cycle tracks, on-street cycle lanes, and super bikeways. Though there is currently no longer a cycle share programme, there are plenty of places to rent a bike in Copenhagen and Visit Copenhagen offers a wealth of information on cycling in Copenhagen for visitors. Here's more information on Copenhagen's bike culture . The Opera House, Copenhagen. Photo Wix Media For more train routes in Europe, see Green Traveller's Flight-Free Train & Ferry Journey Planner * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Utrecht in The Netherlands. Utrecht is like Amsterdam without the crowds. Photo: Richard Hammond It is possible to travel by train from London to Utrecht in less than four hours by taking the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Rotterdam where you change trains for Utrecht. Home to the Netherlands' top university, Utrecht is primarily a student city, oozing with youthful energy and enthusiasm. It's the perfect destination for a city break, with some great places to eat and drink. Drift past street performers and canalside cafes by canoe, explore the city on an illuminated night walk or pedal your way to the tranquil botanical gardens... think of it like a mini Amsterdam but without the crowds. Train routes from London Map courtesy of Eurostar Flight-free travel from London to Utrecht: Journey Time: from 3 hours 56 mins Sample timetable: Depart London 11.04pm, arrive Utrecht 4.28pm Changes: 1 Transfer: Quick same-station change of platform within Rotterdam station Frequency of Departures: 12/day Carbon emissions: 12.0kg (flight would be 114.9kg)* Car hire at Utrecht Centraal Railway Station: Yes Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? Take the Eurostar to Rotterdam station where there's an easy same-station platform change to board the local intercity train to Utrecht Centraal. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Rotterdam If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Rotterdam while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near Rotterdam Centraal. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently nearby: Hotels near Rotterdam Centraal . For more rail journeys from the UK to Europe, see our Flight-Free Journey Planner On arrival Welkom in Utrecht! You can e xplore the city's unique canals by boat – Utrecht’s Oudegracht is a curved canal that runs through the city. Utrecht is the national headquarters of Netherlands Railways, and therefore home to the Dutch Railway Museum. For more information on where to stay and eat, and things to do, see our Green Traveller's Guide to Utrecht There are plenty of hotels close to Utrecht Central Station: Hotels near to Utrecht Central Station: ( booking via booking.com ) Goede Reis! * Data for carbon emissions

Green Traveller's Guide to taking the train from London St Pancras International Railway Station to Lyon, France. Parc de la Tete d’Or; Lyon Tourist Office/Marie Perrin It is possible to travel from London by train to Lyon in less than 5 hours by taking the Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris where you change stations to catch the train to Lyon. Lyon is one of France’s under-sung glories. Dramatically built around two rivers, it has a wonderful natural setting and is a dynamic, innovative city. As well as lots of excellent restaurants there is a wide range of cultural attractions, from absorbing museums to an impressive opera house and ballet venue. Train from London to Lyon: Journey Time: from 4 hours 41 minutes Sample timetable: Depart London St Pancras on Eurostar at 11.04am, change stations in Paris, arrive Lyon 5.00pm Changes: 1 Transfer: Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon Frequency of Departures: 14/day Carbon emissions: 18 .51kg (flight would be 243.9kg)* Car hire at Lyon Station: Yes Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries . What's the journey like? You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer - you have about an hour and a quarter to get the connection). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris . At Gare de Lyon, you board a TGV high speed train to 'Lyon Part-Dieu' station. Stopover hotels to break the journey in Paris If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay near both Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon. Here are some examples of hotels that are conveniently near these stations: Hotels near Gare du Nord Hotels near Gare de Lyon Miss your connection in Paris? Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection between high speed trains because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed TGV train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager. Whenever you’re connecting, always remember to validate your onward train ticket at the machine on the platform before departing (these are often coloured yellow). For more routes in France and elsewhere in Europe, see our Flight-Free Train/Ferry Journey Planner On arrival at Lyon Part Dieu station Bienvenue à Lyon! Most international and mainline trains arrive at Lyon Part-Dieu, which is in a modern office district to the east of the city centre: it is a transport hub with trams, buses, and a station on line B of the metro. Some mainline intercity trains also arrive at Lyon Perrache, on the southern edge of the city centre, served by trams, buses, and line A of the metro – it is also within walking distance of much of the centre, including the principal Place Bellecour square. There are plenty of hotels close to the station, see below: Hotels near Lyon Railway Station (Part Dieu) We recommend hotel this reservation service for checking availability and booking a stopover hotel because you can read hundreds of reviews from people who have recently stayed in these hotels, slept in the rooms and eaten in the nearby restaurants. We've tried it out ourselves and found it makes choosing and booking a stopover hotel a doddle. We hope you do too. Getting around Lyon The old town and central shopping district (Presqu'île) are relatively compact and walkable, however Lyon is quite a large city and you are likely to need to make use of its comprehensive transport network at some point. Operated by TCL (in English, link includes a journey planner and timetables), you can take your pick from the metro, trams, trolleybuses, buses, and - in a quirky flourish - funicular railways. The metro consists of four colour-coded lines criss-crossing the city, and is integrated with funicular services up from Vieux Lyon (old Lyon) to the Fourvière and St Just hills. Additionally, there are five modern tram lines, and a network of 135 bus and trolleybus routes. TCL provides a map of the metro, tram and principal bus routes; as well as a detailed map of transport routes in Lyon and various other Lyon transport maps (in French). A huge range of tickets and fares exist depending on your needs, TCL offers full Lyon transport ticket information. If you plan on visiting several museums or attractions, and will be making use of the public transport network, it could be a good idea to invest in a  Lyon City Card  – offering unlimited travel plus free or discounted entry at numerous places and attractions across the city, for one, two, or three days In additional to its impressive public transport network, Lyon proudly lays claim to being the first French city to introduce a bike-sharing scheme, known as  Vélo’v . You can hire a bike at any of over 340 stations across the city, before returning it to another station close to your destination – Vélo’v has an interactive map of stations (double click to find the nearest to any point on the map) as well as a map of cycling routes across Lyon. For more information about places to stay and eat in the city, plus local attractions and other things to see and do, see Green Traveller's Guide to Lyon : Bon Voyage! * Data for carbon emissions

Here's my guide to those ferry services from the UK to mainland Europe that take foot passengers, how to reach the main ports by public transport, including how to transfer to the ferry check-in on departure (UK ports), and how to connect with local services on arrival for onward travel by public transport abroad. Walkway for foot passengers boarding the ferry. Photo: Richard Hammond Click on these links to go to the relevant section on this page: How to reach the main UK ferry ports by public transport Onward travel by public transport abroad See also my post on all the Map of international ferry services from the UK to Ireland and mainland Europe >> The good news is that you can travel as a foot passenger on many of the ferry services out of the UK and enjoy all the benefits of modern ferry travel – bars and restaurants, plenty of entertainment and facilities for families, comfortable overnight cabins and no bag restrictions. The ports on both sides of the crossing are well connected by public transport, so it’s easy to travel by bus or train to the ports in the UK, as well as disembark on the other side and continue the journey overland. Europe never felt so close! Check-in for foot passengers is usually at least 90 minutes before departure (though do check this at the time of booking with the operator), and it's best you travel only with luggage you can easily carry yourself. Some ports do not have lifts to access the ship and require you to walk up a ramp, an escalator or some stairs. The following services allow foot passengers: Brittany Ferries: Poole to Cherbourg; Portsmouth to Cherbourg; Portsmouth to St Malo; Portsmouth to Bilbao; Portsmouth to Santander; Plymouth to Santander; Plymouth to Roscoff; Portsmouth to Le Harve; Portsmouth to Caen. Brittany Ferries >> Stena Line: Harwich to Hook of Holland. Stena Line >> P&O Ferries: Dover to Calais; Hull to Rotterdam. Check-in time is 60 minutes before departure for foot passengers on P&O ferry services. Compare all cross channel ferries DFDS: Newhaven to Dieppe; Newcastle to Amsterdam. DFDS Seaways >> How to travel by public transport to the UK's ferry ports Here’s are the details of how to reach each of the UK's main ferry ports by public transport, including how to transfer to the ferry check-in for departure to mainland Europe. Travel to Newcastle Ferry Port by public transport Newcastle by train: Train to Newcastle Central Station from where there’s a shuttle bus (it departs from Bewick Street opposite the railway station) that takes 20–30 minutes to the port terminal that is timed to coincide with ferry departures. Newcastle by bus/coach: Coach to Newcastle coach station from where it’s a 5-minute walk to where the shuttle bus departs on Bewick Street opposite the railway station (as above). Travel to Hull Port Ferry Port by public transport By train or coach: Take either the train or coach to the Hull Paragon Interchange (home to the coach and railway station) from where there’s shuttle bus, which takes about 10-15 minutes to reach the ferry terminal building. Alternatively, there’s a taxi rank outside Hull Paragon Interchange for the 4-mile journey to the ferry terminal. Travel to Harwich Ferry Port by public transport Harwich by train: Harwich International railway station is immediately adjacent to the port, so it is a quick transfer from the train platform to the ferry check-in, and on the other side, it’s the same quick transfer off the ferry to the Hook of Holland railway station, which has train services to Rotterdam, Amsterdam and beyond. NB Stena Line sells a Rail and Sail ticket to Holland, known as the Dutchflyer , which is a combined train and ferry ticket from London Liverpool Street (or any National Express East Anglia station, such as Cambridge, Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich) to Harwich International port, from where you can catch either the morning or overnight Stena Line ferry service to the Hook of Holland, and take any onward train to any station in Holland. Travel to Port of Dover by public transport Dover by train: Train to Dover Priory Station from where there is a regular shuttle bus service to Dover's ferry port terminal building, or you can take a taxi (5 minutes) or walk (15–20 minutes). Dover by bus/coach: Take a National Express bus (e.g. from London Victoria Coach Station) to the coach stop just outside Dover's ferry port terminal. If you wanted to travel onwards from Calais to Amsterdam, Bruges, Brussels or Paris you can board the coach at this stop in Dover (there is a coach ticket office next to the coach stop). Travel to Newhaven Port by public transport Newhaven by train: Train to Newhaven railway station from where it's a 3-minute walk to the ferry terminal building. Newhaven by bus/coach: There’s a local bus service from Brighton, Seaford, Peacehaven, Dover, Bexhill, Rye, Folkestone and Hastings to Newhaven bus stop, from where it’s a short walk to the ferry terminal building. Travel to Portsmouth Port by public transport Portsmouth by train: Train to Portsmouth Harbour Railway Station (it takes 85 minutes from London Waterloo and there are also services from London Victoria and Cardiff), from where it’s a 20-minute walk (or 10-minute taxi ride) to the ferry departure terminal. NB between May and September, there is a shuttle bus from Portsmouth & Southsea railway station to the ferry terminal. Portsmouth by Bus: The easiest way for foot passengers to reach the harbour is to take a National Express coach (e.g. from London Victoria), which stops right outside the ferry departure building. There are also local bus services to Portsmouth ferry terminal operated by Stagecoach (bus 20) and First Bus (buses 8, X4 and X9). Travel to Port of Poole by public transport Poole by train: Train to Poole Railway Station from where it's a 25-minute walk to Poole Ferry Terminal. Poole by bus/coach: Bus or coach to Poole Bus and Coach Station (in the Dolphin Centre) from where it’s a 25-minute walk to Poole Ferry Terminal. Taxis are available at most times from both the railway and coach stations. A shuttle bus runs between the passenger terminal and the ship for foot passengers. Travel to Plymouth Port by public transport Portsmouth by Train: There is a good rail service from major railway stations to Plymouth train station (it takes 3-4 hours from London Paddington) from where it's about a 20-minute walk to the Plymouth ferry terminal. By Bus: National Express runs coach services from London's Victoria coach station to Plymouth coach station from where it's about a 20-minute walk to the Plymouth ferry terminal. On board the Galicia ferry to northern Spain. Photo: Brittany Ferries Travelling off the ferry by public transport in Europe On arrival as a foot passenger, here's how to transfer off the ferry for onward travel on local public transport services . Onward travel by public transport in France Ferries arrive at numerous ports along the north coast, here's how to connect with local transport services, spanning from Calais in the east to Roscoff, Brittany in the far west. Public transport at Port of Calais It's about 3km (40 minute walk) from the ferry to Calais Ville railway station but there is a free shuttle bus (called 'Balad’in'), which takes you from right outside the ferry terminal to the city centre of Calais – it runs every 22 minutes in the morning and every 11 minutes in the afternoon, from 7am to 7pm. From Calais Ville there is a regular train service to Paris Gare du Nord (it takes just over 2 hours). Public transport at Dieppe, France From the ferry terminal, it's about a 25-minutes walk to Dieppe railway station or there's a shuttle bus that can take you there in about 5 minutes. From Dieppe, there's a train that goes to Paris via Rouen (journey time is just less than 3 hours). Public transport at Caen, France: Although the route is called Caen, the ferry port is at Ouistreham about 10 miles (16km) north of Caen. Thankfully, there’s an excellent shuttles bus service (Bus Verts du Calvados line 1), which is scheduled to meet ferry arrivals at the port and run to Caen’s main railway station and the city centre – the journey takes around 40 minutes. Gare de Caen (railway station) has services to many destinations throughout France, including Paris (journey time around 2 hours). Public transport at Cherbourg, France: It’s a few minutes’ walk to Cherbourg’s main railway station (follow the quayside south along the side of the harbour), a short taxi ride, or bus number 8 runs between the ferry port and the station. Gare de Cherbourg (railway station) is well connected to the French national rail network, with regular services to various local and long-distance destinations, including Paris (around 3 hours away). Public transport at St Malo, France: It is approximately 10 minutes’ walk to St Malo town centre or coach station and 25 minutes to the train station. Alternatively, it’s a short 3-minute walk to a bus stop (by the swimming pool ‘La piscine du Naye’) for a shuttle bus into town, which stops at ‘Gare Routière’ (bus station) just opposite the railway station in the modern part of St Malo, from where there are trains to the rest of France. Alternatively, there’s a taxi rank outside the ferry terminal. Public transport at Roscoff, France: The charming fishing port of Roscoff is a great entry point in France, especially if you’re travelling to Brittany, the Loire and Aquitaine. On arrival, it’s about a mile (1.6km), a 15-minute walk or short taxi ride to Roscoff railway station where there are trains to Morlaix for connections to Paris and high-speed TGVs to destinations across France. Onward travel by public transport in Spain Ferries arrive at two ports on the north coast: Bilbao or a little further west along the coast at Santander – for more information about the part of northern Spain that's known as 'Green Spain' (Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque Country), see Green Traveller's Guide to Green Spain Public transport at Bilbao, Spain: The port of Bilbao is 10 miles (16km) north-west of Bilbao-Abando railway station, from where there are regular train services to major centres across Spain, including Madrid and Barcelona. There is no public transport direct from/to the ferry terminal, however there is a taxi rank outside the ferry terminal, or you could walk just under 2 miles (3km) to Santurtzi metro station to take the metro to Bilbao-Abando station (Santurtzi is the last stop on Line 2 and goes direct to Bilbao city centre). Public transport at Santander, Spain: In the heart of the city, Santander port is just one block along Avenida Castilla to Santander’s main railway station (a few minutes in a taxi) where there are trains running to major centres in the region and the rest of the country. Santander is the gateway to the Picos de Europa. The Pont Aven ferry to northern France. Photo: Brittany Ferries Taking a bike on a ferry as a foot passenger It's relatively easy to take a bike on a ferry as foot passenger for many of the routes out of the UK. You usually check in at the same time as other foot passengers and you then push (rather than cycle) your bike up the same vehicle ramp as that used by cars - there will be stewards on board to show you where you go with your bike and where to park and secure the bike during the crossing. Brittany Ferries and Stena Line don't charge extra for foot passengers to take a bike. Here's a handy video it has produced showing you how to board a Brittany Ferries ferry with a bike: P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways have specific 'bike passenger' fares (for DFDS it's from £25 per person each way – see its website for details: Travel with your bike to France with DFDS ). Below is a video showing you how to board a DFDS ferry with a bike: Further Information for foot passengers There’s lots of information about ferry services from the UK on the website run by Discover Ferries – an industry body representing 13 ferry operators in the UK, Ireland and the British Islands. It includes the latest news from its members and information on changes to ferry regulations, such as those being rolled out post Brexit. It also runs campaigns, such as the Big Ferry Fortnight , usually at the end of March, which celebrates ferry travel and includes promotions, special offers and prizes. Keep en eye out on Green Traveller's social media channels @twitter @facebook for special offers during the ferry fortnight period. Travel as a foot passenger on a coach Flixbus: This international coach network is a relatively cheap and efficient way to travel by coach between the UK and continental Europe. You board the coaches in cities and then travel on the coach on the ferry for crossing the Channel or through the Eurotunnel. One of the biggest advantages of travelling by coach is that you are taken directly from city centre to city centre, so no worries about transfers, taxis or trailing luggage. Tickets from London to Paris are currently from £18 one way. For individual overland journeys to Europe, see our Flight Free Journey Planner ============ Please note : the information on this page aims to give you a reasonable idea of information for foot passengers on ferry routes in order that (hopefully) there’s enough detail to know what's available, how to plan a journey and where to book tickets. The information was up to date at time of publication, and although we will make every effort to update services provided, we cannot take responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies we provide. Always confirm details when you book.

Editor's Note: please note this competition finished at 23.59 on 21 December 2020. Thanks to everyone who took part, shared our posts and their images. For those who are planning to visit Spain after lockdown in 2021 and beyond , w e wish everyone safe and happy travels. Post your favourite photo of eco adventures in Spain on social media for the chance to win a copy of Wild Swimming Spain. Here's a compilation video of eco experiences in five regions of Spain: We teamed up with Wild Things Publishing to offer a copy of this wonderful book to the winner of the best photo, which can be from anywhere in Spain - it could be a great landscape snap, seasonal food and drink, local culture and heritage, low carbon transport, low impact activities, on land or on water, local wildlife/biodiversity, or anything else that conveys sustainable travel. Keep an eye out over the next month for our #EcoSpain campaign on Twitter and Facebook featuring videos and photos about eco adventures in 5 regions: Aragón; Navarra; Castilla y León (provinces of León, Palencia and Burgos); Green Spain (Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and Basque Country), and Catalonia. From now until 21 December 2020, the person who posts the best photo (judged by us) will receive a copy of Wild Swimming Spain (worth £15.99), written by Lola Culsán and John Weller (see their instagram page: @wildswimmingspain ). It's a fabulous book packed with ideas for outdoor swimming in the freshwater lakes and rivers of Spain: • Plunge into the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Picos de Europa’s glacial lakes • Discover the laid-back reservoir beaches of Andalucia • Explore the magical waterfall grottos of the Pyrenees • Swim in the secret pools of the Rio Tajo in Guadalajara Don't forget to tag your photos #EcoSpain . Good Luck! Here's a taste of some of the lovely images in the Wild Swimming Spain book: * Full terms and conditions

If you’re looking for a quick win to reduce the carbon footprint of your ski holiday this winter, the good news is that it’s possible to reach many European ski areas by train instead of plane. Daniel Elkan and Katie Bamber provide the low down on the low-carbon route to the slopes. The low carbon route to the slopes. Photo: Swiss Tourism While Eurostar may no longer be running its direct ski train to Bourg St Maurice for access to the popular Tarentaise valley resorts, in its place is an indirect service that involves simply a platform change at Lille Europe. And plenty more ski resorts can be accessed by taking regular scheduled crosschannel services and changing in Paris for high-speed TGV connections. Or, after travelling to Brussels or Paris, you can board a NightJet sleeper train bound for destinations in Austria. Some resorts in France and Italy can be accessed by sleeper-trains too, with more overnight services planned over the coming years. If you travel to the Alps on the Friday overnight (and back on the Saturday night), you can fit in two extra days’ skiing on the relatively quieter Saturday changeover days without having to pay for the extra nights’ accommodation. When you arrive on the Saturday morning, once you’ve wiped the sleep from your eyes, you can hit the slopes before lunch; and on the final Saturday, the departing train isn’t until the evening so you can fit in a full days’ skiing. With a generous baggage allowance and free ski carriage, the train is a great lowcarbon way to travel to the slopes. Click to view a PDF of the full rail-ski map And then there’s the scenery. You’ll be swapping airport queues and baggage reclaim for café bar carriages and comfortable seats to enjoy views of the countryside and mountain vistas – it’s a surefire way to make the journey part of the holiday. Eurostar's Snow Train from Lille to the French Alps. Photo: Eurostar Five resorts reachable by train in Europe ANZÈRE, SWITZERLAND The French-speaking Swiss canton of Valais is frequently bathed in sunshine and has panoramic views, ranging from the Mont Blanc massif to the Bietschhorn. Here, you’ll find the south-facing Anzère, a relatively modern mountain-village with a family-friendly feel. There are 13 ski lifts giving access to 58km of pistes, which stay uncrowded and peaceful. STAY: A clever pellet-fired heating system heats 80% of Anzere’s accommodation, including the three-star apart-hotel Hotel Eden ( edenresort.ch ). This friendly property gets five-star reviews and has its own Escape Room activity to try, too. EAT La Boîte à Fromage ( restaurantlaposte.ch/ le-boite-a-fromage) is a cave-like restaurant serving Swiss-cheese specialities produced by herds that graze the local slopes. The cheeses for the fondues, for example, are from cows on the Serin mountain pasture and Ayent dairy, and it’s all accompanied by Valais wines. DO: With the famous panorama of Anzère as a backdrop, use axes to climb the unpredictable face of the icefall in the resort’s Icepark. There’s expert guidance from experienced climbers and 12 different routes to try. GET THERE BY TRAIN: Depart London St Pancras on Saturday on the 09:31 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord. Change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 14:18 TGV, changing at Lausanne to arrive at Sion at 19:24. From there it’s 20 minutes by bus or taxi. Family board TER near Chamonix. Photo: Daniel Elkan LES GETS, FRANCE Les Gets is a family favourite resort that shares a lift pass with neighbouring Morzine, both part of the vast 650km Portes du Soleil ski area that straddles the French-Swiss border. Loved for its wide, cruisey pistes, Les Gets has slopes for every skier and big mountain views all round. The village is pretty with a pleasant mix of restaurants and bars. The resort has a new illuminated night walk, Alta Lumina ( Altalumina.com ), that takes you on an immersive adventure through the forest. STAY Cosy Hotel Marmotte (hotel-marmotte. com) at the foot of the slopes has an Edelweiss label, awarded for exemplary management of energy, water, waste and noise. EAT Restaurant La Piste Noire (restaurantlapistenoire. com) has reinvented itself by moving from French classic bistro food to 100% vegetarian cuisine, with dishes such as butternut ravioli and homemade lemon linguini. DO In the company of their Nordic dogs, Justine and Didier organise excursions suitable for anyone keen to be at one with both nature and canine company ( lapattenordic.fr ). GET THERE BY TRAIN Depart London St Pancras on the 09.31 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 12.14 TGV to Bellegarde, then the 17.15 TER train to Cluses, arriving at 18.52. From there it’s 40 minutes by bus or taxi. Making the journey part of the holiday en route to the slopes. Photo: Eurostar LA PLAGNE, FRANCE Made up of no less than 11 villages, La Plagne is a resort with huge appeal. The ski area is shared with neighbouring Les Arcs and Peisey- Vallandry, giving 425km of slopes to explore, where even beginners can enjoy gentlebut- high-altitude blue runs. For advanced powder hounds, there’s excellent off-piste tree skiing, too. Sustainable initiatives include a partnership between recycling centre Antropia and up-cycled clothing specialists One Tree, repurposing winter jackets previously used by mountain professionals for skiers to use again ( onetreeatatime.fr ). STAY Residence W2050 (w2050-belleplagne. com) in Belle Plagne is a new high-end accommodation renovated from a former hotel, using locally sourced materials with a focus on insulation to minimise heat loss. EAT Created by brother and sister Damien and Soizic, Joya in La Plagne Centre (joyalaplagne. com) specialises in sourcing products from as close to home as possible, including Tomme, Beaufort and Raclette cheese created on the slopes of neighbouring Peisey-Vallandry and honey from Aime la Plagne beekeeper Hugo Pellicier DO At La Plagne’s Olympic bobsleigh track, holidaymakers can try piloting a bobsleigh. This thrilling experience lasts a full day and includes instruction from French former bobsleigh champions. GET THERE BY TRAIN Depart London St Pancras at 09:01 on the new Eurostar Snow service, changing at Lille Europe to arrive at Aime la Plagne at 17:58. From there the transfer takes 20-40 minutes by bus or taxi. Les Menuires, France. Photo: les3vallees/David Andre LES MENUIRES, FRANCE Celebrating its 60th anniversary this winter, Les Menuires boasts high-altitude ski-in/ski-out accommodation and a convenient starting point for exploring the 600km Three Valleys ski area. With 85% of local slopes above 1,800 metres, it’s a snowsure bet and has gained a reputation as an affordable resort. The entire snow grooming fleet now runs on HVO synthetic fuel – gleaned from 100% renewable sources, it’s palm-oil free and is manufactured from waste fats and used vegetable oils. STAY Stylish hostel Ho36 ( ho36.com ), in Les Menuires, has ski-in/ski-out access and is well rated for its eco-friendly approach to mountain accommodation. EAT La Trantsa in neighbouring Saint Martin de Belleville serves home-produced tomme and ricotta cheeses from its farm. DO Freedive in the 1ºC water under the ice of Lac du Lou (you can even do it at night by headtorch), then head inside the mountain refuge for a warming dinner. GET THERE BY TRAIN Depart London St Pancras at 09.01 on the new Eurostar Snow service, changing at Lille Europe to arrive at Moutiers at 17.30. From there it’s 25 minutes by bus or taxi. ALPBACH, AUSTRIA Some years ago, postcard-pretty Alpbach was voted the most beautiful village in Austria in a TV poll. Arrive here and it’s obvious why: charming, rustic, wooden chalets line the streets, and the effect is stunning. There’s a laid-back vibe with wintersports aficionados loyal to an authentic village that has never forgotten its farming roots. The sizeable 145km of ski terrain is ideal for intermediates looking for fun on the mountain fuelled by hearty lunches. In the evenings, the town has some cute, friendly bars and plenty of Tyrolean eateries. STAY Alpbach has 12 eco-certified places to stay. One of these is the four-star Superior Hotel Der Böglerhof ( boeglerhof.at ), whose outdoor pool has magnificent mountainside views and an infrared cabin, Finnish sauna, bio sauna and steam bath. EAT Hotel Post ( post-alpbach.at ) has a menu that focusses on fresh products from the region, including butter, eggs, cheese and bread, in recipes that have been loved and eaten in Alpbach for generations, and now given an innovative twist. DO Alpbach has several tantalising toboggan runs. The longest leads from the Reither Kogel via the Panorama Trail to Reith im Alpbachtal, a distance of 6.9km. GET THERE BY TRAIN Take the 15.04 Eurostar to Brussels- Midi, arriving 18.05, then the 18.25 ICE to Cologne, arriving 20.15. Then take the 21:45 Nightjet sleeper train to Jenbach arriving 08:53. From there it’s 20 minutes by bus or taxi. ===== For more information on taking the train to the slopes, see snowcarbon.co.uk