Express to the Orient: Paris to Istanbul

15 days
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Small Group Tour
On this 15-day adventure traversing Europe from Paris to Istanbul, use local trains to follow the historic routes once used by the Orient Express’ carriages in the 19th century. Travel by train all the way from Paris to Budapest, with stops to explore the historic quarters and modern offerings of Strasbourg, Munich and Vienna. Then change lines and follow ano...
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$6,156
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy

Highlights

    • Choose a slower-paced European journey on a comfortable rail trip – as well as travelling like the locals on domestic trains, you’ll get a taste of history as you follow the route once taken by the historic Orient Express.
    • Stop in for local delicacies as you go – trying tarte flambee in Strasbourg, sharing a traditional Serbian lunch in a Salas property and sitting down for a lavish kaffee and kuchen (coffee and cake) experience in Vienna’s old town.
    • Keep the rail adventures going with rides along rail funiculars to the castles of both Salzburg and Budapest.
    • Explore the streets of Vienna and learn about the long history of Austria’s capital city, from the Gothic architecture to the State Opera House, a paragon of world opera.
    • Get the low-down on Budapest’s classic charm, café culture, and eclectic neighbourhood vibes during your time here. Have you actually been to Budapest if you didn’t go to a ruin bar?

What's this trip about?

    On this 15-day adventure traversing Europe from Paris to Istanbul, use local trains to follow the historic routes once used by the Orient Express’ carriages in the 19th century. Travel by train all the way from Paris to Budapest, with stops to explore the historic quarters and modern offerings of Strasbourg, Munich and Vienna. Then change lines and follow another historic route from Belgrade to Istanbul, riding local trains to experience Nis, Sofia and Plovdiv as you go. With plenty of free time to explore at each stop, and a passionate local leader on hand to point you in the right direction, there isn’t a moment you’ll want to miss on this rail adventure.

Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age range15 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityParis
End CityIstanbul

Travel Themes

  • High Adventure

Destinations

  • Europe
  • Austria
  • Germany
  • France
  • Bulgaria
  • Hungary
  • Serbia
  • Turkey

Attractions

  • Belgrade
  • Budapest
  • Istanbul
  • Munich
  • Paris
  • Sofia
  • Strasbourg
  • Vienna

Trip includes

    • Strasbourg - Tarte Flambee
    • Salzburg - Hohensalzburg Fortress Visit & Funicular
    • Vienna - Kaffee and Kuchen Experience
    • Budapest - Castle Visit & Funicular Ride
    • Novi Sad - Traditional Serbian Lunch at a Salas Property
    • Belgrade - Fortress Visit

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Paris

Bonjour! Welcome to France. Your adventure begins in Paris – the City of Lights, known for its romance, delicious cuisine and amazing art scene – with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, why not check out the world-famous Louvre, where you can see ...

Day 2 Strasbourg

After breakfast, bid au revoir to Paris and take a high-speed train to Strasbourg. Sitting on France’s border with Germany, the city lets you experience the best of both countries. Get your bearings on an orientation walk with your leader, then enjoy snacking on a tar...

Day 3 Strasbourg / Munich

Enjoy a free morning continuing your exploration of Strasbourg. If you didn't yesterday, perhaps wander around the 16th-century buildings of La Petite France. Make sure to buy some lunch for your next train journey as you go, which takes you over the German border and...

Day 4 Munich

Enjoy a full free day to explore Munich at your leisure. If you didn’t get to the Old Town yesterday, make sure to find the Altes Rathaus and the neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus with its sooty facade and gargoyles. Time it right to watch the Glockenspiel clock reenact scenes...

Day 5 Salzburg / Vienna

Rise early then take a train journey to the Austrian town of Salzburg. Take a leader-led walk to get your bearings (and maybe grab an apple strudel or some kaiserschmarrn for breakfast), then jump on board a funicular up to Fortress Hohensalzburg. Explore the medieval...

Day 6 Vienna

Start your day in Vienna with an orientation walk with your leader. Get insight into the cosmopolitan city’s rich cultural heritage and golden past as you wander past the Gothic splendour of St Stephens Cathedral to the neo-classical Graben. Finish your walk with a ka...

Day 7 Budapest

Spend a final morning in Vienna before travelling east to Budapest by train. Known as the 'Pearl of the Danube', Budapest's grand architecture and boulevards evoke a time gone by. After a short orientation walk around the city, you have a free afternoon to further exp...

Day 8 Budapest

Start your day in Budapest with a visit to the historical Buda Castle and palace complex. Lose yourself in the history of the winding streets, which date back to the 13th century. You’ll also keep your rail adventures going with a ride on the funicular up the Buda Cas...

Day 9 Novi Sad / Belgrade

This morning, say farewell to Hungary and hop on a private transfer to Novi Sad, Serbia’s second largest city (approximately 4 hours). On the way, you’ll stop for an included traditional Serbian lunch at a Salas property. Sitting on the banks of the Danube River, you’...

Day 10 Belgrade

After breakfast, head out on a leader-led orientation walk through Belgrade. Known as the White City, Belgrade is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Sitting at the confluence of two major rivers – Sava and Danube – it’s an important intersection between Eastern and W...

Day 11 Nis

Rise and shine early for a long train ride to Nis today. Make sure you’re all stocked up with snacks, then sit back, relax and enjoy your ride through southern Serbia. Arrive in Nis in the afternoon, and stretch your legs on a leader-led walk around one of Europe’s ol...

Day 12 Sofia / Plovdiv

Take a private transfer to Sofia this morning. Bulgaria's capital is a cosmopolitan city with wide tree-lined boulevards and pleasant parks. Get oriented with your leader, taking the city’s metro and trams, then have the rest of the day to wander. You might want to sa...

Day 13 Plovdiv / Overnight Train

This morning, join your leader for an orientation walk of the main sights and some insight into the town's history. The most remarkable sight is the ancient Roman theatre, accidentally ‘discovered’ after a landslide exposed the site in the early 1970s. Built in the 2n...

Day 14 Istanbul

Arrive into Istanbul around 7 am this morning, drop your luggage at your hotel, and then maybe grab an optional breakfast with your group. Afterwards, head out with your leader to explore the Old City of Istanbul. Get an introduction to some of the city’s historical t...

Day 15 Istanbul

All good things come to an end, and this morning your adventure officially comes to a close. If you would like to extend your stay in Istanbul we are able to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).

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Dates & Availability

Price From $4,560
Price per day$304
Last Updated: 10/11/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
24 Apr 2025
08 May 2025
$4,740
22 May 2025
05 Jun 2025
$4,740
26 Jun 2025
10 Jul 2025
$4,560
17 Jul 2025
31 Jul 2025
$4,560
04 Sep 2025
18 Sep 2025
$4,740
11 Sep 2025
25 Sep 2025
$4,740
09 Oct 2025
23 Oct 2025
$4,560

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

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The Intrepid Travel Experience

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. For the past 25 years, we’ve been taking small groups of travelers on unforgettable trips around the world. What makes them unforgettable? Take a look for yourself and discover the Intrepid experience.

Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

  •   Small groups - average of 10 people per trip
  •   Sustainability - pioneers for the industry
  •   Local leaders - authentic perspectives
  •   Local transport - get close and personal
  •   Local accommodation - experience real living
  •   Intrepid travelers - like-minded companions 

History

Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

Values

On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

  • Integrity – Doing the right thing
  • Responsible – Think global, act local
  • Growth – Stakeholders in our own success
  • Innovation – Thriving on new ideas and embracing change
  • Fun – It’s engrained into who we are and what we do
  • Passion – We are inspired by the work we do and the trips we offer

 

Why we love this operator
They're highly committed to sustainable tourism and contribute to crucial initiatives like climate action, focusing on local cultures and more.
What they’re known for
Small group tours for all types of travelers at a range of different price points and trips to off-the-beaten-path destinations.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Hotel (13 nights),Overnight train (1 night),

Transportation & Flights

Train,Overnight train,Private transport,

Transportation & flights

Train,Overnight train,Private transport
Guides
All Intrepid group trips in Europe are accompanied by one of our local European group leaders. ’Local’ in this context means a leader who is European or lives in Europe. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader takes care of logistics, will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At Intrepid we also aim to support local guides in the individual cities or locations we travel to. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend an optional local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements
Health & Safety
Most national governments provide regularly updated foreign travel advice on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all destinations and activities on your trip. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trips here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, flight tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however, during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests or relax and take it easy. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Intrepid's operational safety policies can be viewed on our website at the link below. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how safety is being managed on our trips. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines PETTY THEFT AND PERSONAL SAFETY While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking alone at night and encourage you to walk together and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing. FIRE PRECAUTIONS: Please be aware that local laws governing tourism facilities in this region differ from those in your home country and not all the accommodation which we use has a fire exit, fire extinguishers or smoke alarms.
Age Requirements
15 years and up
Additional Information

Finish point

  • Manesol Galata Hotel
  • Azapkapı, Billur Sk. No:1,Beyoğlu
  • Istanbul
  • 34421
  • TURKEY
  • Phone: +90 2122450000
Trip ID
intrepid-AMSU

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