London to Tehran by Rail — Self-Launched Edition

Arrive and settle into a hostel near King's Cross/St Pancras — the Eurostar terminal is your departure point tomorrow, so walkable proximity is worth the small premium. Use the day to sort a UK SIM/eSIM, pick up a Rail Europe or Interrail pass decision, and buy your Eurostar ticket in advance if you haven't (book 1-3 months ahead for the cheapest fares, from around £39 each way).

🚌Walking, London Underground (£2.80-£3.50 per journey, contactless)

🛏Hostel dorm near King's Cross (e.g. Clink78 or similar)

• →Hostel check-in near St Pancras
• →Buy/activate Eurostar and Interrail tickets
• →Evening walk along the South Bank or Regent's Canal

Board Eurostar at St Pancras for the 2h20 ride through the Channel Tunnel to Gare du Nord. Drop bags at your Montmartre or Canal Saint-Martin hostel, then do a self-led orientation walk: Canal Saint-Martin, the Marais, Île de la Cité and a sunset look at the Seine. Book Eurostar early for the best price — standard class fares run £39-£120 depending on how far ahead you book.

🚌Eurostar ~£60; Paris Métro €2.15 per ride (~£1.85)

🛏Hostel dorm in central/north Paris (e.g. St Christopher's Canal or Generator)

• →Eurostar London-Paris (~£45-£90 booked ahead)
• →Self-guided Marais and Île de la Cité walk
• →Seine riverside stroll (free)

A full free day. Pre-book the Louvre (€22, timed slot essential) or go cheaper with Musée d'Orsay (€16) or Rodin (€14). Walk the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe, climb Sacré-Cœur's steps for the free view, and eat a picnic from a boulangerie rather than sit-down restaurants to keep costs down.

🚌Métro day of rides ~£6

🛏Hostel dorm in central/north Paris

• →Louvre or Musée d'Orsay (€16-22, pre-book)
• →Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe walk (free exterior)
• →Sacre-Cœur and Montmartre (free)
• →Picnic lunch from a boulangerie

Morning TGV-Lyria from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lausanne (~3h45). Buy the ticket on Trainline or SBB and book ahead — fares from €29 if you're early, €80+ last minute. Spend the afternoon wandering Lausanne's steep old town and lakeside Ouchy, with a free visit to the Gothic Cathedral of Notre-Dame.

🚌TGV ~£50; Lausanne metro ~£3 per ride

🛏Budget hostel in Lausanne (e.g. Lausanne Guesthouse — note Switzerland is the trip's priciest stop)

• →TGV Paris-Lausanne (~£35-£65 booked ahead)
• →Lausanne old town and Ouchy lakefront walk
• →Cathedral of Notre-Dame (free)

Take the scenic SBB route via Visp up to car-free Zermatt (~2h15). The village sits under the Matterhorn — hike a free lower-valley trail (e.g. to Zmutt, ~2h) or just wander the car-free lanes. Supermarket picnic dinner keeps the day affordable; eating out in Zermatt is expensive.

🚌Swiss rail ~£38

🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel dorm in Zermatt (e.g. Zermatt Youth Hostel)

• →Train Lausanne-Visp-Zermatt (~£30-£45 with half-fare/Saver ticket)
• →Free valley hike toward Zmutt
• →Car-free village wander

Ride the Glacier Express from Zermatt to Chur — around 6 hours of viaducts, gorges and Alpine meadows. The full panorama train costs a premium; a cheaper and equally scenic option is the regular regional train over the same track with a change at Brig/Andermatt or Disentis (Saver Day Pass around CHF 52-75). Pack your own lunch and snacks aboard.

🚌Swiss rail ~£60

🛏Budget hostel in Chur (e.g. Chalet Hostel Chur)

• →Glacier Express or equivalent regional rail Zermatt-Chur (~£50-£70)
• →Alpine scenery through the Oberalp Pass
• →Evening in Chur's old town (free)

A full day's rail via Zurich or St Margrethen to Munich (~5-6h). Book an Interrail pass (a 7-days-in-1-month Global Pass is roughly £220-£280 and pays for itself across this trip) or buy a Sparpreis ticket from around €30. Arrive in Bavaria, dump your bag at a hostel near Hauptbahnhof, and head to a beer hall — Hofbräuhaus is a classic, with a stein and a plate of Weisswurst for around €20-25.

🚌Rail ~£45; Munich U-Bahn day ticket ~£7

🛏Hostel dorm near Hauptbahnhof (e.g. Wombats City Hostel)

• →Rail Chur-Munich (~£35-£55)
• →Hofbräuhaus evening (€20-30)
• →Munich old town wander

Either take the regional train to Füssen (~2h, Bayern-Ticket ~€29 for up to 5 people if you pair up with other travellers) and hike up to Neuschwanstein (castle entry €21, book online to avoid sell-outs), or stay in the city: surfers at the Eisbach, the English Garden, the Deutsches Museum and the free Asamkirche.

🚌Bayern-Ticket regional rail ~£15-£25

🛏Hostel dorm near Hauptbahnhof

• →Neuschwanstein Castle day trip (€21 entry + ~£25 rail)
• →Or: English Garden, Eisbach surfers, Deutsches Museum
• →Optional BMW Welt/Museum (free entry to Welt)

Morning visit to the Dachau Memorial Site — the memorial is free, with an audio guide around €4, reached by S-Bahn plus bus (~£6). Return to Munich, then take the regional train to Salzburg (~1h30, Bayern-Ticket covers it). Check in to a hostel in the old town and walk the Getreidegasse at dusk.

🚌S-Bahn/bus + regional rail ~£20

🛏Hostel dorm in Salzburg old town (e.g. YoHo International)

• →Dachau Memorial Site (free entry, audio guide €4)
• →Regional train Munich-Salzburg (~£15 with Bayern-Ticket)
• →Orientation walk through the old town

Free day. Options: the Sound of Music tour (around €45-50, bookable on GetYourGuide), the Hallein salt mines (~€22, bus from town), or Fortress Hohensalzburg (€13) and a cheap picnic in the Mirabell Gardens. The self-guided Mozart walk through town is free.

🚌Local bus ~£4

🛏Hostel dorm in Salzburg old town

• →Sound of Music tour (~€45) OR Hallein salt mines (~€22)
• →Fortress Hohensalzburg (€13)
• →Mirabell Gardens and river walk (free)

Rail to Vienna (~2h30 via Salzburg-Linz, ÖBB Sparschiene from €14.90 booked ahead; otherwise ~€40). Book a hostel near the Naschmarkt or Westbahnhof. Spend the afternoon on the free Ringstrasse walk, then consider standing-room tickets at the Staatsoper (€13-18) or a Belvedere gallery visit (€19, Klimt's The Kiss).

🚌ÖBB rail ~£25; Vienna U-Bahn ~£2.50 per ride

🛏Hostel dorm in Vienna (e.g. Wombats Naschmarkt)

• →Rail Salzburg-Vienna (~£15-£35)
• →Ringstrasse self-guided walk (free)
• →Vienna State Opera standing ticket (€13-18) or Belvedere (€19)

Morning Railjet to Budapest Keleti (~2h40, from €9.90 with a Sparschiene ticket, usually ~€25). Hostels in District VII (Jewish Quarter) are cheap and central. Take an orientation walk over the Chain Bridge to Buda Castle, then hit the ruin bars in the evening — a pint is £2-3.

🚌Rail ~£20; Budapest metro/tram single ~£0.90

🛏Hostel dorm in District VII (e.g. Carpe Noctem or Wombats)

• →Railjzet Vienna-Budapest (~£10-£25)
• →Chain Bridge and Buda Castle walk (free; castle grounds free)
• →Ruin bar evening in District VII

Free day. Do the Széchenyi or Rudas thermal baths (£18-20 for a day ticket), or a Budapest Bike Tour (around £25, bookable on GetYourGuide). Heroe's Square, the House of Terror (€10), and the Great Market Hall (free, great cheap lunch) fill a relaxed second day.

🚌Tram/metro ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm in District VII

• →Thermal baths entry (~£18)
• →Budapest bike tour (~£25) or Great Market Hall
• →House of Terror museum (€10)

Long rail day into Transylvania. The practical route is Budapest to Brașov or Sighișoara via Szolnok/Arad or via Curtici — check CFR Călători and MÁV schedules, as the direct connections vary by season. Budget 12-16 hours. A couchette on an overnight leg (Budapest-Bucharest night train runs via Brașov, couchette from around €45) saves a night's accommodation.

🚌Rail Budapest-Romania ~£45

🛏Overnight train couchette (or budget pension in Arad if travelling by day)

• →Cross-border rail into Romania (Interrail/CFR, ~£35-£55)
• →Overnight couchette option to save a hotel night
• →Border paperwork check — carry passport and onward tickets

Base yourself in the citadel of Sighișoara, a UNESCO-listed medieval town where Vlad the Impaler was born. Walk the Clock Tower (free exterior, €2 to climb), the covered Scholars' Stairway, and the Church on the Hill. Guesthouses inside the citadel are great value at £25-35 a double, so a private room here costs about the same as a Western dorm.

🚌Local train/bus from Arad/Brașov ~£10

🛏Family-run guesthouse in the citadel

• →Sighișoara citadel walk (free)
• →Clock Tower climb (~£2)
• →Scholars' Stairway and Church on the Hill

Book a half-day village tour with a local guide through a Sighișoara guesthouse or GetYourGuide (around €40-55) covering Saxon villages, fortified churches (Viscri, Biertan — small entry fees €3-5) and rural life. Alternatively rent a bike or take a local bus to Viscri and do it yourself for a fraction of the cost.

🚌Shared tour vehicle or local bus ~£8

🛏Family-run guesthouse in the citadel

• →Half-day Transylvanian villages tour (~€45) or DIY bus to Viscri
• →Fortified church visits (€3-5 each)
• →Local Saxon village lunch

Train or bus to Brașov (~2h, £4-6). Base in Brașov's old town, then take local bus 20 or a shared taxi to Bran to see 'Dracula's Castle' — entry around 50 RON (£9), and it's the trip's signature Transylvanian sight. In Brașov itself, the Black Church (€2), Catherine's Gate and a cable car up Tâmpa (€3) are cheap and excellent.

🚌Train/bus ~£6, local bus ~£3

🛏Hostel or pension in Brașov old town

• →Bus Brașov-Bran and back (~£3)
• →Bran Castle entry (~£9)
• →Brașov old town: Black Church, Catherine's Gate, Tâmpa cable car

Rail to Bucharest (~2h30, £8-12 with a CFR advance ticket). Stay near the old town (Lipscani). See the colossal Palace of the Parliament on a guided tour (around 60 RON, book ahead — passport required), the free Arc de Triomphe, and the Village Museum (€3). Cheap, filling Romanian food at a local bistro will set you back £6-8.

🚌Rail ~£10; metro ~£0.55 per ride

🛏Hostel or budget hotel near Lipscani

• →Rail Brașov-Bucharest (~£10)
• →Palace of the Parliament tour (~£10, passport needed)
• →Arc de Triomphe (free) and Village Museum (€3)

The Bucharest-Ruse-Veliko Tarnovo route is easiest by bus (around 4-5h, £15-20 — check Flixbus or local operators) crossing the Danube at Ruse. Veliko Tarnovo's hillside old town is gorgeous and cheap. Climb Tsarevets Fortress (6 BGN, £2.70) for the sunset and the light show if it's on.

🚌Bus ~£18

🛏Guesthouse in Veliko Tarnovo old town

• →Bus Bucharest-Veliko Tarnovo (~£18)
• →Tsarevets Fortress (~£2.70)
• →Old town and Samovodska Charshia street walk

Hike or take a local bus up to Arbanasi village (4km, free trail) to see its medieval Nativity Church frescoes (6 BGN). Then take a bus or train to Sofia (~3h, £8-12). Sofia is one of Europe's best-value capitals — hostels from £12-15 a night, a hearty meal £5.

🚌Local bus + intercity ~£12

🛏Hostel dorm in central Sofia

• →Arbanasi village hike (free) and Nativity Church (~£2.70)
• →Bus/train to Sofia (~£10)
• →Sofia evening: Vitosha Boulevard walk (free)

Morning at Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (free, crypt icons £3) and the free walking tour of Sofia, then the afternoon bus or train to Plovdiv (~2h, £5). Plovdiv's old town and the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis (3 BGN) are superb, and the Kapana creative quarter is where the cheap eats are.

🚌Bus ~£5; local tram ~£0.50

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Plovdiv's Kapana district

• →Free walking tour of Sofia (tip-based)
• →Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (free)
• →Bus/train Sofia-Plovdiv (~£5) and old town walk

The classic route is the overnight train from Sofia/Plovdiv to Istanbul (the Bosphorus Express, with a bus shuttle over the Bulgarian-Turkish border) — check current schedules as this service is frequently rerouted. Budget around £30-45 for a couchette. Alternatively, a direct bus Plovdiv-Istanbul is around 8h and £20-25.

🚌Rail/bus ~£35

🛏Overnight train couchette (or hostel in Istanbul if travelling by day)

• →Overnight train couchette to Istanbul (~£35) or daytime bus (~£22)
• →Border crossing — carry passport and Turkish e-visa printout if applicable

Arrive and check into a hostel in Sultanahmet or Karaköy. Join a free walking tour of the old city (tip-based) or pay for a small-group guided Sultanahmet tour (~£20 on GetYourGuide). Hagia Sophia entry is now around £20 for foreign visitors, and the Blue Mosque is free — check current rules before going.

🚌Istanbulkart tram/ferry ~£0.70 per ride

🛏Hostel dorm in Sultanahmet/Karaköy

• →Free walking tour of Sultanahmet (tips)
• →Hagia Sophia (~£20) and Blue Mosque (free)
• →Turkish breakfast or balık ekmek by the water (£4-6)

Take a public Bosphorus ferry (not the private tour boats) for around £1.50 each way, wander the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, and climb Galata Tower (~£22) if you want the view. Cross into Asia on a commuter ferry and eat in Kadıköy, where locals eat and prices drop.

🚌Ferries and tram ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm in Sultanahmet/Karaköy

• →Public Bosphorus ferry (~£3 return)
• →Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar (free entry)
• →Galata Tower (~£22, optional) and Kadıköy food crawl

Book a YHT high-speed train from Istanbul's Söğütlüçeşme or Pendik to Ankara (~4h30, around £12-20 booked on the TCDD app). See Anıtkabir, Atatürk's vast mausoleum (free, awe-inspiring), plus the Anatolian Civilizations Museum (~£8) if time allows. Ankara is a functional stop-off, not a highlight — overnight and move on.

🚌YHT rail ~£16; Ankara metro ~£0.50

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Kızılay

• →YHT high-speed train Istanbul-Ankara (~£16)
• →Anıtkabir (free)
• →Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (~£8)

Overnight bus or train+bus to Nevşehir/Göreme (~5-9h, £12-20). Check into a cave hostel in Göreme (dorms from £12-18). In the evening, book a home-cooked dinner with a local family in Çavuşin through a platform like Withlocals or Airbnb Experiences (~£15-25) — this replaces the tour's 'local living moment' and is the best cultural evening on the trip.

🚌Bus ~£15; local minibus ~£1

🛏Cave hostel dorm in Göreme

• →Overnight bus Ankara-Göreme (~£15)
• →Sunset from Göreme's viewing ridge (free)
• →Home-cooked dinner with a Cappadocian family (~£20)

Either book a hot-air balloon flight (from around £140-170 via Klook or a reputable operator — the single biggest optional splurge) or a cheaper sunrise hike for free. Explore the Göreme Open Air Museum (~£10 entry), hike the Rose and Red Valleys (free), and see the underground city at Derinkuyu on a local minibus.

🚌Local minibuses ~£4; balloon transport included

🛏Cave hostel dorm in Göreme

• →Hot-air balloon sunrise flight (~£150 optional)
• →Göreme Open Air Museum (~£10)
• →Rose/Red Valley hike (free); Derinkuyu underground city (~£6)

Begin the long haul east. The scenic route is the Van Gölü Ekspresi / Eastern Express from Ankara (or a connection south), an epic ~24-26h rail journey, or fly Ankara-Van cheaply (~£35-50) if time is tight. Hostels and budget hotels in Van run £15-25. The Trans-Asia section of the original tour begins here, and it's where the trip starts to feel genuinely off the beaten track.

🚌Rail (~£25 in a couchette) or flight (~£40)

🛏Budget hotel in Van city centre

• →Eastern Express long-distance rail or cheap domestic flight to Van
• →Arrival in Van, lakeside sunset walk
• →Stock up on provisions and cash for eastern Türkiye

Take a local minibus to Gevaş and a boat out to Akdamar Island (~£8-10 return) to see the exquisite 10th-century Armenian Church of the Holy Cross. Later, walk up to Van Castle (~£2) for the Urartian rock tombs and the view over the lake. The whole day can be done on local transport for under £15.

🚌Local minibus and boat ~£12

🛏Budget hotel in Van city centre

• →Boat to Akdamar Island (~£8)
• →Akdamar Church of the Holy Cross entry (~£4)
• →Van Castle (~£2) and old Van ruins

Bus east to Doğubayazıt near the Iranian border (~2h, £5). Half-day trip to the spectacular Ishak Pasha Palace (~£3 entry) perched above the valley, with Mount Ararat filling the horizon — hike up if you have the legs, or take a shared taxi (~£10). Simple hotels here are £15-20.

🚌Bus + shared taxi ~£12

🛏Simple local hotel in Doğubayazıt

• →Bus Van-Doğubayazıt (~£5)
• →Ishak Pasha Palace (~£3)
• →Mount Ararat viewpoint hike or shared taxi

Cross the Gürbulak-Bazargan border on foot (shared taxi to the border, then walk through, then shared taxi or bus onward to Tabriz). Have your visa approval number, passport, insurance and hotel booking ready in printed form. Buses/shared taxis Tabriz-ward cost £5-10. Change money before or at the border — international bank cards do not work in Iran, so bring enough cash. Women must wear a headscarf from the moment of crossing.

🚌Shared taxi/bus ~£12

🛏Budget hotel or traditional guesthouse in Tabriz

• →Shared taxi to Gürbulak border and on to Tabriz (~£10)
• →Complete Iranian entry formalities (visa approval number required)
• →Tabriz Grand Bazaar and El Goli Park evening

Tabriz is Iran's fifth city and deeply Azeri in feel. See the UNESCO-listed Grand Bazaar (free), the Blue Mosque (~£1), and the Azerbaijan Museum (~£1). Persian food here is cheap and excellent — a full kebab or stew meal is £2-4. Budget hotels are £12-20 a night.

🚌Shared taxi and metro ~£3

🛏Budget hotel or traditional guesthouse in Tabriz

• →Tabriz Grand Bazaar (free)
• →Blue Mosque and Azerbaijan Museum (~£2)
• →Kandovan rock village half-day trip by shared taxi (~£8, optional)

Take the overnight train from Tabriz to Tehran (~12h, around £10-15 in a 4-berth couchette) or a cheap domestic flight (~£30-40). Check into budget accommodation near Ferdowsi Square or in the old city. Tehran is a big, noisy, fascinating city — spend the evening at a traditional teahouse (chaikhaneh).

🚌Rail or flight ~£20

🛏Budget hotel in central Tehran

• →Overnight train Tabriz-Tehran (~£12)
• →Tehran street-level evening walk
• →Traditional teahouse dinner (~£4)

See Golestan Palace (UNESCO-listed, ~£4), the National Museum of Iran (~£3) and the Carpet Museum (~£2). Take a shared taxi or metro to Sa'd Abad Palace complex in the north (~£3). Note that the National Jewelry Museum has very limited opening hours (typically 2-5pm, Sun-Tue) — check before going, and note photography is restricted.

🚌Metro and shared taxi ~£4

🛏Budget hotel in central Tehran

• →Golestan Palace (~£4)
• →National Museum of Iran (~£3) and Carpet Museum (~£2)
• →Sa'd Abad Palace complex (~£5)

A domestic flight Tehran-Shiraz is quick (~1h20, £30-45) but flying over the desert misses the point — if you have time, the bus is cheap (£6-10) but ~14h. Most travellers fly. On arrival, walk to the Karim Khan Citadel (~£1) and the Vakil Bazaar in the evening, and eat at a local restaurant in the old quarter.

🚌Flight or bus ~£35

🛏Traditional guesthouse in Shiraz old town

• →Domestic flight Tehran-Shiraz (~£35) or overnight bus (~£8)
• →Karim Khan Citadel (~£1)
• →Vakil Bazaar evening wander

See Vakil Mosque (~£1), the tombs of Hafez and Sa'adi (~£1 each), and the gorgeous Nasir al-Mulk 'Pink Mosque' (arrive at 7am for the stained-glass light). The Eram Garden is a lovely stop. Every sightseeing ticket here is £1-2, and a full day of taxis around town costs about £8.

🚌Shared taxi / Snapp app ~£6

🛏Traditional guesthouse in Shiraz old town

• →Nasir al-Mulk Pink Mosque at sunrise (~£1)
• →Vakil Mosque and Hafez/Sa'adi tombs (~£3 total)
• →Eram Garden (~£1)

Hire a shared taxi or join a small local group tour to Persepolis (~60km, £5-10 entry, ~£15-25 for the transport if shared). Persepolis is the undisputed highlight of any Iran trip. Add Naqsh-e Rostam's Achaemenid rock tombs (~£2) and Pasargadae, Cyrus the Great's tomb (~£2) if the timing works. A local guide at Persepolis (~£10-15 shared) adds a lot.

🚌Shared taxi ~£20

🛏Traditional guesthouse in Shiraz old town

• →Persepolis day trip (~£5 entry + ~£20 shared transport)
• →Naqsh-e Rostam (~£2)
• →Pasargadae (~£2) and Koran Gate on the way back

VIP bus Shiraz-Isfahan (~7h, £5-8) is comfortable and fast. Check into a traditional guesthouse near the bazaar. Spend the late afternoon in Naqsh-e Jahan Square, one of the largest public squares on earth, watching families picnic and the light change over the Shah Mosque.

🚌Bus ~£7; local taxis ~£3

🛏Traditional guesthouse near Naqsh-e Jahan

• →VIP bus Shiraz-Isfahan (~£7)
• →Naqsh-e Jahan Square at sunset (free)
• →Bazaar wander and cheap local dinner (~£4)

Full day in Isfahan — arguably the most beautiful city in Iran. The Shah (Imam) Mosque, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque and Ali Qapu Palace (all ~£2 each), then the Armenian quarter of Jolfa and the Vank Cathedral (~£2), and the Khaju and Si-o-se Pol bridges at dusk. A full day on foot and shared taxi costs under £15.

🚌Shared taxi and walking ~£4

🛏Traditional guesthouse near Naqsh-e Jahan

• →Imam Mosque, Sheikh Lotfollah and Ali Qapu (~£6)
• →Vank Cathedral in Jolfa (~£2)
• →Si-o-se Pol and Khaju bridges at sunset (free)

Bus or flight back to Tehran to finish the route as the original itinerary does (flight ~£35, bus ~£8 over 6-7h). If time allows, spend a last afternoon at the Tajrish bazaar and Darband mountain teahouses. Flights home from Imam Khomeini Airport — book well in advance, as Iran's airline ticketing can only be done through agents or specific sites.

🚌Bus/flight ~£10

🛏Budget hotel in Tehran (final night) or onward flight

• →Isfahan-Tehran bus (~£8) or flight (~£35)
• →Tajrish bazaar and Darband teahouses
• →Final Persian dinner (~£5)