Istanbul Express...

21 May: London to Paris on the 07:01 Eurostar, in seat 61...

21 May: Arrive Paris Nord 10:17.

A table for lunch is reserved at 12:30 at the famous Train Bleu restaurant...

Depart Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:23 by TGV-Lyria for Zurich, first class.

21 May: Arrive Zurich 18:23 by TGV from Paris. Time for dinner... Depart Zurich at 20:40 by sleeping-car to Zagreb, with a single-berth sleeper reserved...

22 May: Arrive Zagreb 10:35, depart 10:55. Not so much a change of train, more a walk through from the Zurich-Zagreb sleeping-car to the Villach-Belgrade through cars.

22 May: Arrive Belgrade 17:32, time for dinner, depart 21:50 in couchette car for Sofia, top bunk...

23 May: Arrive Sofia 08:02, with a day to explore and a day room reserved at the Hotel Favorit. Depart Sofia at 18:30 in a couchette on the Balkan Express...

24 May: The Balkan Express terminates here at 05:44 as the line is being rebuilt for the Bosphorus Tunnel project. A bus transfers passengers to Istanbul Sirkeci station

In 1929, the Orient Express was stuck in 5m high snowdrifts for 5 days... The incident inspired Agatha Christie to write her 1934 novel...

24 May: Arrive 07:50, at least that's the theory. Head for Istanbul's massive Otogar for bus to Esisehir...

Border formalities and buying a Turkish visa, 01:25 to 02:55. Hopefully I'll soon be back in bed...

The YHT high-speed train to Ankara starts here... 24 May, evening: YHT to Ankara.

24 May, evening...