European Rail Odyssey from Paris to Istanbul

Use discount code TOUR116 at the checkout to save £116 per person on selected tours departing in September 2026 and October 2026

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of €342.20pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

It is your responsibility to check your passport validity. To enter Europe (and all Schengen countries) your passport must: have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive and have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave. Sources of information include; https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.

A visa is not required for your trip to France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria or Turkey however further advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. We strongly advise you check your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding passport validity

Please note that final flight details, including terminal, airline and baggage allowance, will be confirmed on your final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport and boarding pass to the staff at the desk.

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org. uk, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

This tour is accessible to most people with a good level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves climbing steep stairs and getting on and off transport such as coaches and trains. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

The currency throughout France, Germany, Austria and Bulgaria is the Euro. The currency used in Hungary is the Hungarian Forint (HUF). The currency used in Serbia is the Serbian Dinar (RSD) which is a closed currency. This means it is not possible to buy Serbian money in the UK before you travel. The currency in Turkey is the Turkish Lira (TRY).

It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive. There are foreign exchange offices and cash machines available in most places during your tour. Your tour guide can assist you in each country with currency exchange. Credit and debit cards are accepted in most hotels and some shops and restaurants; a charge is sometimes added for using them.

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.

You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks and any additional snacks. Approximately £700 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases.

Tipping

Tipping is not compulsory and is at your discretion. We would recommend approximately £10 per person per day which is split between the drive and guide. Should you wish to tip, this will be collected by your guide at the end of your tour for your convenience. It is asked that if you do not tip in the local currency, please do not give coins as these are difficult to exchange.

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 15, and the maximum will be 35. If in the unlikely event there are less than 15 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

This is a fully escorted tour meaning that you will be met by a local guide who will be with you for the whole of the tour/ in each of the cities that you visit, ensuring that you always have first-hand knowledge.

Throughout your tour, you'll be boarding and disembarking several trains, all of which are reserved in air-conditioned 2nd class carriages on trains during the day. Overnight you will have a sleeper compartment. Each compartment has an upper and lower berth, a small wash-basin and table. All necessary bedding is provided, along with soap and a towel. The berths can be folded away to reveal two seats for daytime use. There is a 2-pin power outlet for electric razors, but no specific outlet for mobile phones or laptops. You may wish to bring a battery pack to keep your phone charged. Toilets are located at the end of the carriages. There’s no shower or dedicated dining car, so it’s a good idea to bring your own food and water for the journey. Your guide will keep you informed of any changes along the way.

Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way.

Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.

On your arrival in Paris, you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Happy Tours, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/ Happy Tours representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.

Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.

Emergency Contact Telephone number:

+386 64 122 013, West department emergency phone

• Sunglasses, Sunscreen and hat in summer
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Camera and charger
• A plug adaptor-the voltage is 110 V. You’ll need a two-pin adapter in Europe
• Antibacterial hand gel
• Personal first aid kit containing travel pills, rehydration powder, plasters, stomach settlers, antiseptic creams, aspirin etc
• Small day pack for excursions
• Waterproof, lightweight jacket
• Battery pack - for phone and camera charging