Choose your departure city in Europe. Large cities often have more trains and direct routes, making them better choices than smaller ones. Cities like Paris, Rome, Munich, Vienna and Madrid have large train stations with multiple travel options both day and night.
If you decide to choose London as your departure city, you will most likely need to take the Eurostar to Paris to get to mainland Europe before continuing on to Turkey. Smaller trains with faster, more direct routes are available if you choose a departure city in Eastern Europe.
Decide between taking a direct train or planning your own route. Train tour companies like the Orient Express offer direct routes to Turkey, such as the 6 day, 5 night train ride to Istanbul with stops in Budapest, Hungary and Bucharest, Romania. Cabin suites - which feature two connecting cabins - and private sleeper cabins provide comfort and privacy, creating a relaxed and luxurious voyage.
If you are more adventurous and would prefer to plan your own route, there are several options. For example, European railways such as Railjet and Corail offer service from Munich to Budapest and companies like Thalys and TGV offer service between most major European cities. Athens, Greece and Sofia, Bulgaria also offer train service to Istanbul via Budapest. From Budapest you can take the Bosfor Express to Istanbul, Turkey.
Buy your tickets. If you have decided to take a pre-planned route with a train tour company, be sure to book all of your tickets in advance. Print out extra copies of all of your confirmation information just to be sure.
If you have decided to venture out on your own, it is generally easier to buy your train tickets directly at the station in European cities. Be sure to keep cash on you when purchasing train tickets, because many of the European automated ticket machines only accept microchip credit cards.
Pack accordingly. Depending on your departure city, you will be passing through many different European landscapes and climates, so it is a good idea to pack for changing weather and to bring multiple clothing layers. Even though it may be warm in Turkey, stops on the way in various mountain villages could be on the cold side depending on the time of year. Keep in mind that space is limited on a train, and if you have decided to plan your own route you will want to be as mobile as possible. Do not pack too much and try to use smaller carry-on suitcases or backpacks. Another way to save space is to use travel sized toiletries.
