Book your ticket through Rail Europe by visiting the Web site (see Resources) or calling (888) 382-RAIL.
For more information, call European Rail at 011 (+44) 20 7387 0444. (From outside of the United States and Canada, call 00 (+44) 20 7387 0444.)
Contact a travel agent to help you with the booking process. Though they will usually add a surcharge for their services, it is often worth the peace of mind knowing that a professional agent is involved. You can also book directly via the Turkish rail system Web site but you will still have to pick the tickets up in Turkey when you arrive.
Tell the agent the city from which you'd like to depart, the city in which you'd like to arrive and any cities or towns along the way in which you'd like to stop. The more information the travel agent has, the better chance you have of getting exactly what you want. If you're not using an agent to book your trip, this understanding of your route is absolutely essential.
Pick up your tickets at the Turkish train station once you have finished the booking and enjoy your trip!
Decide whether you want to travel directly to a town in Greece such as Thessoloniki or Athens or via somewhere else. You can access Thessoloniki directly from Turkey but will have to change trains if you go further into Greece.
Decide whether you want to travel during the day or at night. Though you'll miss out on some of the scenery in Turkey by traveling at night, the sleeper cars offer a more comfortable ride than the standard seats.
Grab a map and check out your route visually. You may recognize an opportunity to make a side trip along the way.
Research supplementary travel options in Turkey in addition to the train. Oftentimes, bus travel will complete the last leg of your journey in a safe, cheap manner. By taking a bus to your final destination once you disembark, you can also enjoy the view at a slower pace.
