Slow Travel from Vilnius to the UK
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: Vilnius, Lithuania to UK
By clicking this link you are leaving Sustainable Journeys
Overview
Embark on an unforgettable rail journey, the low-carbon way, from Vilnius, Lithuania through the heart of Europe, stopping in Warsaw and Cologne, before arriving in London.
Day 1 – Vilnius, Lithuania to Warsaw, Poland (approx. 8 hours and 40 minutes).
Board the train from Vilnius, Lithuania to Warsaw, Poland – approx. 8 hours and 40 minutes.
Upon arriving in Warsaw, make your way to your hotel, which is a short 6-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.
Hotel Polonia Palace is a 4-star award-winning hotel centrally situated, just opposite the Palace of Culture and Science. It’s situated within just 350 metres from Warszawa Centralna Railway Station and the Złote Tarasy Shopping Centre.
If time allows, admire the various beautifully landscaped gardens at the serene 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, watch the famous Chopin concerts that take place outside by the Monument to Chopin.
There’s so much to do, so leave what time you can to explore Warsaw.
Day 2 – Warsaw, Poland to Cologne, Germany (approx. 10 hours and 19 minutes).
Board the train from Warsaw, Poland to Berlin, Germany – approx. 5 hours and 56 minutes; then from Berlin, Germany to Cologne, Germany – approx. 4 hours and 23 minutes.
Upon arriving in Cologne, make your way to your hotel, which is a short 17-minute walk away.
Check-in at 25hours Hotel The Circle or similar.
Breakfast included.
On the River Rhine and overlooked by the towers of its stunning 157m-high Gothic cathedral, Cologne (Köln) is one of Germany’s largest cities. The city’s unique identity is a mix of the narrow alleys of its old town, the Kölsch dialect (and Kölsch beer), and contemporary architecture down by the ultramodern Rheinauhafen riverfront complex.
25hours Hotel The Circle is a stylish, modern, and eco-friendly hotel just 15 minutes from the Hauptbahnhof by foot.
If time allows, relax in the city’s Art Nouveau public bath house, Köln Neptunbad. Originally built in 1912, the complex contains luxurious spa facilities and a serene Japanese garden. Circle the outside of Kölner Dom, Cologne’s famous cathedral, to admire its intricate stonework and flying buttresses. Admire Cologne from above on the Rhein-Seilbahn cablecar, which runs from Kölner Seilbahn right across the River Rhine. Wander around Cologne’s impressive botanical gardens, the Flora und Botanischer Garten Köln, and discover some of the 10,000 or more species of plant that call it home.
There’s so much to do, so leave what time you can to explore Cologne.
Day 3 – Cologne, Germany to London, England (approx. 3 hours and 51 minutes).
Board the fast German ICE train from Cologne, Germany to Brussels, Belgium – approx. 1 hour and 50 minutes; then from Brussels, Belgium to London, England – approx. 2 hours and 1 minute.
Click to view Byway’s rail journey: Vilnius, Lithuania to UK
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?
11 nights in 3-4* with breakfast in small locally owned hotels and guesthouses
Etnocosmology Museum visit and guided tour
Ancient beekeeping museum visit and honey tasting
Riga farmers market visit and food tasting
Brewery tour and tasting in Valmiera
In Setomaa cultural education about Seto national costume
Onion farm visit
Electric car rental
National Park fees
What is not included?
Pre or post tour accommodation
Travel to and from The Baltics, by air or rail
Meals and drinks not mentioned as ‘included’.
Personal travel insurance
Gratuities
Optional activities and tours
0 EUR liability insurance for car
City taxes (in Riga)
Optional extras
Car insurance with 0EUR liability – 145 EUR.
Why this tour is sustainable?
All our tours promote and respect local culture by inviting travellers to witness and experience local customs and traditions.
Visiting lesser-known destinations.
This tour is already sustainable from the mass tourism perspective – as the Baltic states is 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 we’ve expanded it to 12 days allowing you to visit more remote areas and small towns that are less visited, to distribute tourism spend to these areas. 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 to give you a more authentic experience on your holiday, while supporting small businesses and local communities.
Transport.
This journey includes the hire of an electric vehicle, so despite travelling a distance of up to 1,400km, your carbon emissions will be low.
Short distances.
We offer day activities that include walking, hiking and exploring nearby areas from the overnight stay. Each day the distance covered is 30-200 km between the 2 overnight stays. This allows to have more stops in beautiful and interesting local areas that otherwise would be skipped if visiting only capital areas.
Sightseeing.
The tour includes visiting national and regional parks that are protected by the state. In Lithuania, a few years ago the government introduced a voluntary park visit ticket which we include in the tour price for the whole duration of the tour to all parks visited. All the funds collected from the park entrance tickets go directly to the national and regional parks and are used for the maintenance of the walking paths, preparation of the information boards and education of the park visitors. We include many outdoor options with beautiful walking trails and natural monuments to see.
The optional guided tours are offered by certified local guides and include no transportation. All the museums are local and represent various traditional crafts, lifestyles and history of local people.
Food and drinks.
During this tour, 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) live locally, are directly contracted, and are paid fair wages for their services.
