FIP to Greece !

[G136GREYHOUND]

anyone DONE IT ? Anyone used the Greek ferries on FIP too ?

I'd be interested to hear as thinking of doing it this year

many thanks

 

[reb0118]

Yes, travelled from Linlithgow to Athens via Brüssel, München, Budapest, Belgrade, Sofia, & Istanbul.

The trains got progressively worse the further east & south we ventured. Got thrown off the train in Greece with a FIP coupon for having no reservation even though we missed our original booked train due to the sleeper arriving over three hours late. The Greeks were only slightly better than the Serbs - their sleeper coach did not appear full stop. We had the option to share a couchette with some South Slavic Rab C. Nesbit characters (string vests the lot!) but politely declined.

The Germans, Austrians, & Hungarians were spot on, however.

Off to bed soon so will pass on more info later.

 

[G136GREYHOUND]

Speak later

 

[laird]

Not FIP but London-Munich (DB Spezial) Sleeper to Zagreb, comfy Serbian train to Belgrade, Couchette to Thessaloniki, comfy Greek train to Athens.

If you don't feel like doing the Couchette from Belgrade to Thessaloniki then it may be possible to do both sections in daylight by staying overnight in Belgrade and Skopje as appropriate.

Another alternative would be to travel as reb0118 suggests via Budapest, where you could pick up the sleeping car train direct to Sofia for the Sofia to Thessaloniki train.

 

[306024]

Greek rail travel is an adventure if the one and only time I used my FIP coupon a few years ago is anything to go by. Having arrived in Istanbul on the ferry from Odessa, the planned journey over the course of a few days was Istanbul - Thessaloniki (sleeper) - Athens - Patras (for ferry to Bari)

1) Train from Istanbul to Thessaloniki was terminated at 02.30 in the middle of nowhere as the line ahead was blocked. An earlier train had hit a lorry on a crossing, a serious incident involving four fatalities. So chucked out of bed and onto a replacement coach to Thessaloniki.

2) Train from Thessaloniki to Athens was terminated a mile short of Athens, due to a political demonstration blocking a level crossing, we all had to grab our bags and walk the last mile along the track, past the demonstration, with the police just watching on.

3) Train from Athens to Patras involved a change at Corinth, something we didn't realise at the time. Only worked it out when we saw the connection departing. Result - an unexpected two hours in Corinth.

So good luck, don't let me put you off

 

[G136GREYHOUND]

did it to Portugal last year and that was ok, more research needed me thinketh !

 

[dutchflyer]

Depending on where in GR you want to go to: the alternative via Italy-then ferry, is worthwhile-or you can combine the 2. Some of the many ferries IT-GR also accept rail+all their discount coupons. You then arrive in either Corfu or Patras.