Slow Travel to and from The Baltics
Our slow travel partner Byway specialises in journeys by train, bus, boat, and bike. To get you from the UK to the start of your Sustainable Journey with us, and or back home again we will connect you with Byway, who will arrange the appropriate travel and accommodation to ensure a hassle-free experience getting you to and from your Journey with us with all the support you need. By clicking on the link below you will be taken to a Byway ‘blueprint’ for you to provide the dates and details to get a plan and price for your travel to and from your Journey with us. It is important to remember that Byway is not part of Sustainable Journeys so any booking you make with Byway is subject to a separate agreement between you and Byway, which is your own responsibility and by clicking the link provided you accept this fact. Please see more about Byway here and follow the link below to explore how to slow travel to connect with this Sustainable Journey. Air travel, if that is your preference, is bookable with Sustainable Journeys or you can make your own arrangements.
Click to view Byway’s rail journey: UK to Lithuania Return
By clicking this link you are leaving Sustainable Journeys
Overview
Embark on an unforgettable rail journey, the low-carbon way, from London through the heart of Europe as we kickstart our Sustainable Journeys adventure en route to The Baltics, stopping in Brussels and Warsaw before arriving in Vilnius, Lithuania. From Vilnius, you’ll start your The Baltics by Electric Car journey. Then, if you’d rather not fly, take the slow environmentally kinder way home leaving Tallin and stopping over in Stockholm, Hamburg and Brussels on your way back to London.
Day 1 – Depart St Pancras International Station, London to Brussels, Belgium (approx. 2 hours and 1 minute)
Board the Eurostar at St Pancras International Station, at your booked time, heading under The Channel to Brussels. We recommend booking an early train giving time to explore the Belgian capital.
Upon arriving in Brussels, make your way to your hotel, which is a short 8-minute walk away.
Check-in at Urban Yard Hotel or similar.
Breakfast included.
Spreading out from the historic centre, each of Brussels’ neighbourhoods has its own distinct character, from the flea markets of The Marolles to the industrial-chic canal side. By day, the city offers everything you’d expect from a multicultural capital (family-friendly museums, contemporary galleries and well-kept city parks), and by night, trailblazing gastronomy gives way to a never-ending nightlife.
Located on the charming Square de l’Aviation, Urban Yard has given a new lease of life to an old building, with a beautiful bow window with curved glass, bringing light and conferring character to the hotel. A quirky, mischievous, warm, and friendly decor off the beaten track puts visitors at ease immediately. This boutique hotel is housed in two Art Nouveau townhouses with chic and comfortable interiors.
If time allows, stroll through the Sonian Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage treasure with 5,000 hectares of ancient beech trees. Dive into the heart of Brussels in the trendy Marolles district, home to independent cafes, eateries, and a vibrant daily market. Immerse yourself in the Brusseleir dialect. Explore the city and its rural outskirts on two wheels, with safe cycle highways and bike rentals. Don’t miss the enchanting Kasteel van Groot-Bijgaarden, a 12th-century castle surrounded by 14-hectare grounds, hosting the famous Floralia Brussels in spring and the magical Lightopia festival in winter.
There’s so much to do, so leave what time you can to explore Brussels.
Day 2 – Brussels, Belgium to Warsaw, Poland (approx. 12 hours 48 minutes)
Rail from Brussels to Cologne – approx. 1 hour 50 minutes; then from Cologne to Berlin – approx. 4 hours and 22 minutes; then from Berlin to Warsaw – approx. 5 hours and 56 minutes.
If the journey today by rail is too long, we can arrange an additional stop in the German capital Berlin. On arrival In Warsaw make your way to your hotel, which is a short 7-minute walk away.
Check-in at Hotel Polonia Palace or similar.
Breakfast included.
The capital of Poland, Warsaw is known first and foremost for its resilience, often likened to a phoenix rising from the ashes of its, often tumultuous, history. The architecture, museums and galleries are as diverse as the cool dining and drinking establishments, while the Wilanów Palace offers a regal outdoor space to relax in.
This 4* award-winning hotel, Polonia Palace, is centrally situated, just opposite the Palace of Culture and Science. The hotel’s Polonia Restaurant serves European and Polish cuisine. Guests can relax at the Lobby Bar, which offers drinks, live piano music and televised sports. Guests can enjoy free access to the fitness centre and a sauna. Massage services are available. Polonia Palace Hotel is situated just 350 metres from Warszawa Centralna Railway Station and the Złote Tarasy Shopping Centre.
If time allows, admire the beautifully landscaped gardens at Łazienki Park (Łazienki Królewskie), the largest park in Warsaw, and visit the Regal Palace on the Isle housing the Royal Picture Gallery, the Old Orangery with the Royal Sculpture Gallery and Royal Theatre (an original 18th-century court theatre), and the Myślewicki Palace. During this, watch the famous Chopin concerts that take place outside by the Monument to Chopin. Learn about the heroic struggle of the Polish resistance during World War II at the Warsaw Rising Museum. Explore interactive exhibits, view artefacts, and gain insights into the city’s history and resilience.
There’s so much to do, so leave what time you can to explore Warsaw.
Day 3 – Warsaw, Poland to Vilnius, Lithuania (approx. 8 hours, 40 minutes)
A relaxed, cosmopolitan city with an independent spirit, Vilnius is home to a beautiful old town with pretty Baroque buildings, alongside lush green spaces and a dynamic arts scene. If you have time, a day trip to the pretty Trakai Castle Island is a must.
Return journey following The Baltics by Electric Car trip
Day 1 – Tallinn, Estonia to Stockholm, Sweden (approx. 20 hours, 15 minutes)
Get on a sleeper train with a cabin from Tallinn to Stockholm – approx. 20 hours, 15 minutes.
Day 2 – Stockholm, Sweden to Hamburg, Germany (approx. 9 hours, 45 minutes)
Take the SJ high-speed bullet train from Stockholm, Sweden to Copenhagen, Denmark – approx. 5 hours, 7 minutes; then from Copenhagen to Hamburg, Germany – approx. 4 hours, 38 minutes.
On arrival in Hamburg, make your way to your hotel, which is a short 6-minute walk away.
Check-in at HENRI Hotel Hamburg Downtown or similar.
Breakfast included.
With three rivers that feed a maze of waterways and canals, Hamburg has been dubbed the “Venice of the north” (with six times as many bridges). The city has its roots in Maritime history, but also in music-making. It was the birthplace of Mendelssohn, the formative city of the Beatles, and recently, the state-of-the-art Elbphilharmonie concert hall has put Hamburg firmly on the map as one of the top cities for live music, as has its hip-hop and jazz club scene.
The HENRI Hotel Hamburg Downtown is centrally located between Mönckebergstraße, the main train station (Hauptbahnhof) and the town hall market (Rathausmarkt). Water, energy, soap – by using resources thoughtfully, our environment is protected! Whether through the use of food from local suppliers or the use of refillable soap dispensers to LED lighting – the HENRI Hotels do their best for our environment. That’s why we also have complete room cleaning only every other day during your stay.
If time allows, enjoy a concert at the iconic, wavelike Elbphilharmonie. The programme is diverse, covering a wide range of music genres, and the venue is worth a visit for the contemporary architecture and city views alone.
There’s so much to do, so leave what time you can to explore Hamburg.
Day 3 – Hamburg, Germany to Brussels, Belgium (approx. 5 hours, 55 minutes)
Board the first train from Hamburg, Germany to Cologne, Germany – approx. 4 hours, 5 minutes; then hop on to a fast German ICE train from Cologne to Brussels, Belgium – approx. 1 hour, 50 minutes.
On arrival to Brussels, make your way to your hotel, which is a short 8-minute walk away.
Check-in at Urban Yard Hotel or similar.
Breakfast included.
On this final full day of your trip, make sure to explore this wonderful city and visit attractions you may have missed at the start of your journey.
Day 4 Brussels-London St Pancras (approx. 2 hours, 1 minute)
At Brussels Midi, board your Eurostar to London.
Click to view Byway’s rail journey: UK to Lithuania Return
By clicking this link you are leaving Sustainable Journeys
The information below relates to the Baltics by Electric Car Sustainable Journey. Please click here for more details.
What’s Included?
4 nights in 4* hotels with breakfast
Transport
Journey guide with tickets
What is not included?
Travel to and from The Baltics, by air or rail
Pre or post tour accommodation
Meals and drinks not mentioned as ‘included’.
Personal travel insurance
Gratuities
Optional activities and tours
City taxes (in Riga)
Optional extras
First class rail travel +175pp
Why this tour is sustainable?
Visiting lesser-known destinations
The 11 night Baltic tour is already sustainable from the mass tourism perspective – as the Baltic states are a lesser known region, we encourage travellers to come to explore this new destination and to spend more time exploring three countries – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Typical and most popular holiday to the Baltics would take around 7-8 days, so with this itinerary, we expand it to 12 days allowing us to visit more remote areas and small towns that are less touristic, but have impressive nature and culture. This is very important for the local communities of such areas as they do not get a typical stream of tourism and therefore not so much income from traditional tourism.
All our tours promote and respect local culture by inviting travellers to witness and experience local customs and traditions.
Accommodations.
Where possible we use small locally owned hotels and homesteads run by locals so you would make an impact on the local economy and would meet locals and feel their hospitality.
Transport.
In this tour, we include rail travel, and a rented electric car (Baltic itinerary). So, you are making 290kg CO2 emissions, 75% less than flying.
Short distances.
We offer day activities that include walking, hiking and exploring nearby areas from the overnight stay.
Sightseeing.
The tour includes visiting national and regional parks that are protected by the state.
We include many outdoor options with beautiful walking trails and natural monuments to see.
Food and drinks.
During the Baltics tour in the middle, we offer a few food sampling options. We guarantee that all the tasted food is typical for the regions and comes from local nearby farms. The food supply chain is shortened and localised to the regions visited. Most places have vegetarian/vegan options.
Local staff.
All the tour providers (guides, hosts) are locals living there and we contract them directly and pay fair wages for their services.
