If you want to make the most of your free time, travelling by train can be one of the most convenient forms of transport. Your journey begins and ends in major cities and nothing beats pulling in to a central station – you can forget fiddly transfers to and from the airport. You will also earn yourself a pat on the back for opting for the environmentally-friendly mode of transport. From Zagreb, direct services run to neighbouring countries including the cities of Ljubljana, Venice, Munich and Graz. For lengthier journeys, travel overnight to save both time and paying for a hotel room.
Zagreb really is the gateway to the neighbouring countries. If you are travelling from north to south why not stay overnight in a Split hostel and catch an early train to Zagreb the next morning. You might decide to explore the city for a few days and if you book a Zagreb youth hostel, a few extra days won’t cost you much.
· Short Trips
Slovenia - Zagreb to Ljubljana: 2 hours and 20 minutes
11 trains a day make the two-and-a-half-hour journey to the Slovenian capital. The journey itself is rather spectacular on board the air-conditioned ‘Sava’ Eurocity train. Leaving Zagreb’s beautiful palatial station, the train crosses wide open plains following the river Sava north. When it crosses into Slovenia it passes through a gorge between the mountains.
Ljubljana City Guide: For a short stay, focus your attention on the old town. Here you will find Jože Plečnik’s elegant legacy of townhouses and plenty of cobbled alleyways and bridges which make for romantic idyll wandering. Start at Prešeren Square and follow the Ljubljanica river east to take in the infamous Dragon Bridge. The castle is also an opportune place to take in a view of the city and the Julian Alps. Walk, or hop on the funicular railway to the top. The city is very walkable but if you are short of time, pick up one of the bicycles under the cycle scheme and enjoy two hours free pedalling.
Where to eat: If the weather is fine, pick up tasty local produce for a picnic from Trznica open market. For an afternoon pick-me-up, Ljubljana has many quaint tearooms serving homemade cakes and light sandwiches which make for very reasonably-priced lunches.
Where to stay: If you would like to stay in a boutique hostel Ljubljana offers cheap accommodation with private or shared rooms. The Penzion Pod Libo is housed in a charming building and is a short walk from the main train station. The terrace offers lovely views of the city and on the ground floor, a restaurant serves traditional dishes.
Austria - Zagreb to Graz: 4 hours
To save on time, swap Vienna for Graz. There is only one direct service each day leaving Zagreb at around 7am and it arrives in Graz in four hours.
Graz City Guide: Graz is Austria’s second-largest city but the 50,000 strong student population helps keep the bars and shops edgy and vibrant. It’s also a very attractive place, with red-roofed Baroque and Renaissance buildings and plenty of green space. Its other draw is the close at hand countryside. Forests, mountains, vineyards and thermal springs are all within easy reach if you’ve had your fill of cutting edge contemporary art galleries and city life.
Where to eat: Dishing up delightful styrian cuisine, Altsteirische Schmankerlstubn (Sackstraße 10) in the centre of Graz serves generous portions of broth, goulash and dumplings which can be washed down with a good selection of regional wines.
Where to stay: Book a bed in a private or shared room at a Graz hostel if you are keeping to a budget. Hotel Mariahilf is located right in the heart of Graz old town and all the attractions can be reached on foot.
· Overnighters
The best way to tackle greater distances is to plan an overnight journey. Not only do you save money on hotels, you are also maximising your time by travelling through the night. If you can’t afford to take much time off work, you can finish as usual on a Friday and then hop on to a train and wake up the next morning in a whole new city just waiting to be explored.
Italy - Zagreb to Venice: 7 hours
A direct Euronight service departs Zagreb at 23:50 and arrives in Venice’s main station Santa Lucia just after 7am the next day.
Venice City Guide: The maze of waterways is so awe-inspiring that few manage to keep to their planned itineraries. Instead, a simple ‘one foot in front of the other’ approach will lead you through intriguing alleys and across hundreds of bridges. But it is worth bearing a few things in mind. Busy though it may be St Mark’s Square allows you to absorb a number of sights all in one go including St Mark’s basilica, Doge’s Palace and the Torre dell’Orologio. A ride in a gondola is a wonderful experience but at €100 for 40 minutes, opting for the waterbus up the Grand Canal might be easier on the wallet. Other worthwhile trips on the water include a visit to Murano, the island famous for its colourful glass while Burano made a name for itself in lace and houses with colourful frontages. For a 360° view of the city, hop on a vaporetti and make the 5-minute journey over to the small island of San Giorgio. A ride up the campanile (bell tower) inside Palladio’s wonderful church of San Giorgio Maggiore will set you back a mere €3.
Where to eat: It is hard to escape the tourist throng, and also the restaurants that cater to the hordes but venture across the water to Giudecca – an island just 5 minutes from the main vaporetti station at St Mark’s – and you will be rewarded with thinning crowds and a fresh perspective of Venice with views from the promenade looking back across the water to the Doge’s Palace. I Figli delle Stelle (Fondamenta de la Crosa 70/71) is a labour of love for three friends heralding from Venice, Rome and Bari. Take an aperitivo on the sofa before tucking in to traditional pasta, fish or meat dishes with a twist from Puglia, Lazio and Veneto.
Where to stay: Things don’t come cheap in this city so try a Venice youth hostel. Alternatively the Ca’Arco Antico Guesthouse offers beautiful rooms with traditional furnishings just a few minutes from the Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge.
Germany - Zagreb to Munich: 9 hours
The first part of this journey is the Zagreb to Ljubljana route along the stunning Sava river. It then crosses the border along the Salzachtal valley and climbs the Austrian Alps. Unfortunately if you opt for the overnight train you will miss all of this and you won’t be able to marvel at the views of the river Salzach and Salzburg citadel. The Euronight departs Zagreb at 21:15 and arrives in Munich at 6:15am. Two trains operate during the day but if you are eager to get to your destination, sitting on a train for nine daylight hours might seem like wasting valuable time.
Munich City Guide: The city ranked no. 1 in Monocle’s most liveable city survey, so no doubt you will want to know what all the fuss is about. Munich is often cited as Italy’s northernmost city with a skyline of red roofs not dissimilar to the Baroque and Renaissance architecture of Bologna, Florence or Siena. Munich also boasts a successful cycle scheme and the bikes inject a little fun into the journey between attractions. If you like beer, the annual Oktoberfest is one of the biggest festivals in the world dedicated to the stuff. Tents housing different breweries are erected and buxom fräuleins carry Maß (super-size beer glasses) between raucous outbursts of song, dance and general merriment. Why not extend your trip to squeeze in a few days on the slopes? The Alps can be enjoyed – at a push – as a day trip but to really improve your skiing, stay a couple of days in the rather charming ski resorts. Another worthwhile day trip is to the picturesque Neuschwanstein Castle which many will remember from the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Where to eat: If you are looking for archetypal, it would be hard to beat Franziskaner (Persuastrasse 5), a Bavarian beer house boasting its own butchers and brew. If the folksy interior is too much, relocate to the terrace on a sunny day. Once you have had your fill of wurst and potato, move on to the steaks at Brenner (Maximilianstrasse 15). Here you can have a slap up meal with attentive service. Prices are reasonable for what might be your best dinner in Munich but the place is also a great spot for breakfast and brunch.
Where to stay: After your train journey, you won’t want to travel far so if you are looking for a youth hostel Munich has plenty of cheap accommodation close to the station. An all-you-can-eat breakfast is included in the price of a shared or private room at Jaeger’s Hostel. Just a few minutes’ walk from the main station, facilities are modern and they offer a bar and free city tour to guests.
Madeleine Wilson is a travel writer for HostelBookers, the budget accommodation specialist. She lives and works in London.
