When I first started RailTravel Station, the original purpose was to document such an overland trip. However, due to circumstances, I was not able to proceed with the trip as I had originally planned, as there were other issues I considered more important to complete first.
* Route map edited to feature only destinations of my journey.
Finally, I was on my way backpacking across Europe and Asia, departing at the end of April 2016 and arriving back in June 2016. The London to Singapore overland trip by train has been completed successfully by many, and is considered one of the most adventurous and interesting rail routes in the world. It was also the best time for me to travel as I was still eligible for youth discounts for travel in the UK (so now you can roughly guess my age).
I had mentally (and also on an Excel sheet) planned this trip for about 6 years now, so it was relatively easy for me to start sorting out my tickets and times. This planning was done with my own knowledge and sources online, typically for Asian routes, and also with assistance from an excellent railway travel website and some email correspondence with The Man in Seat Sixty-One, especially for European routes which I was not exactly familiar with.
From train rides to tuk-tuks, Vatican City to Angkor Wat, Eurostar to ETS. 40 days, 14 countries, 23 cities, 27 train journeys, 17 nights spent on overnight travels, 1 incredible, memorable and epic journey.
Follow my journey:
- From London to Singapore in 40 Days: Prologue
- Day 0: Garuda Indonesia GA86 from Singapore to London by Boeing 777-300ER
- Day 1-3: London
- Day 3: Megabus from London to Sheffield
- Day 4: CrossCountry from Sheffield to York
- Day 4: National Railway Museum
- Day 4: CrossCountry from York to Sheffield
- Day 5: National Express from Sheffield to London
- Day 5: London
- Day 5: Virgin Trains East Coast & Northern Rail from London to Sheffield
- Day 5: Sheffield Supertram
- Day 6: First Transpennine, Virgin EC, Eurostar and TGV from Sheffield to Marseille
- Day 7: Marseille
- Day 8: Cassis
- Day 9: Thello and Trenitalia from Marseille to Rome
- Day 10-13: Rome
- Day 10-13: Rome Metro, Trams and Ferrovie Laziali
- Day 12: Vatican Gardens by Open Bus
- Day 13: Papal Audience
- Day 13-14: Trenitalia from Rome to Venice
- Day 14: Cheap Venice Luggage Storage
- Day 14: Venice
- Day 14: Venice People Mover
- Day 14-15: Thello from Venice to Paris
- Day 15: Paris
- Day 16-18: RZD from Paris to Moscow
- Day 17: “Detained” at the Belarus border
- Day 18-19: Moscow
- Day 18-19: 6 Most Interesting Stations on the Moscow Metro
- Day 18: Moscow Monorail
- Day 19: China Railway from Moscow to Beijing (Trans-Siberian Day 1)
- Day 20: China Railway from Moscow to Beijing (Trans-Siberian Day 2)
- Day 21: China Railway from Moscow to Beijing (Trans-Siberian Day 3)
- Day 22: China Railway from Moscow to Beijing (Trans-Siberian Day 4)
- Day 23: China Railway from Moscow to Beijing (Trans-Siberian Day 5)
- Day 24: China Railway from Moscow to Beijing (Trans-Siberian Day 6)
- Day 25: China Railway from Moscow to Beijing (Trans-Siberian Day 7)
- Day 19-25: 7 days on the Trans-Siberian
- Day 25: Picking up pre-purchased tickets from Beijing Railway Station
- Day 25-27: Beijing Subway
- Day 26: Purchasing train tickets to Hanoi in Beijing
- Day 26: Tiananmen & The Imperial City
- Day 27: China Railway Museum (Zhengyangmen Branch)
- Day 27: How to get from Beijing Railway Station to Beijing West Railway Station
- Day 27-28: China Railway from Beijing to Nanning
- Day 28: Purchasing train tickets to Hanoi in Nanning
- Day 28-29: China Railway from Nanning to Hanoi
- Day 29: Hanoi
- Day 29-30: Vietnam Railways from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City Part 1
- Day 31: Vietnam Railways from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City Part 2
- Day 31-32: Ho Chi Minh City
- Day 31: Purchasing Phnom Penh and Siem Reap bus tickets in Ho Chi Minh City
- Day 32: Sapaco Tourist from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh
- Day 32-33: Phnom Penh
- Day 33: Royal Railways – Phnom Penh Royal Railway Station
- Day 33-34: Giant Ibis from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
- Day 34: Angkor Small Circuit – Purchasing an Angkor Pass
- Day 34: Angkor Small Circuit – Angkor Wat
- Day 34: Angkor Small Circuit – Angkor Thom
- Day 34: Angkor Small Circuit – Thommanon & Chau Say Tevoda
- Day 34: Angkor Small Circuit – Ta Keo
- Day 34: Angkor Small Circuit – Ta Prohm
- Day 34: Angkor Small Circuit – Banteay Kdei & Srah Srang
- Day 34: Angkor Small Circuit – Prasat Kravan
- Day 35: Hang Tep Travel from Siem Reap to Poipet
- Day 35: Poipet to Aranyaprathet Border Crossing by Foot & Tuk-Tuk
- Day 35: State Railway of Thailand from Aranyaprathet to Bangkok
- Day 36: The cheapest way around Bangkok
- Day 37: Talad Rot Fai Ratchada
- Day 38-39: State Railway of Thailand from Bangkok to Padang Besar
- Day 39: KTM Komuter from Padang Besar to Butterworth
- Day 39: ETS Gold from Butterworth to Kuala Lumpur
- Day 40: ETS Gold from Kuala Lumpur to Gemas
- Day 40: Ekspres Selatan from Gemas to Johor Bahru
- Day 40: Shuttle Tebrau from Johor Bahru to Woodlands CIQ
- Day 40: SMRT Buses & SMRT Trains from Woodlands CIQ to Home
- From London to Singapore in 40 Days: Epilogue
Looking forward to your entry here
Hello there!
I hope you will publish your 40 days journey in details as in the price, place and all. Have fun! Will be waiting for your updates. Hoping that my request is not burdening you.
Yes, certainly. However this will only be complete once I return from the trip.
when will you be going and when will you return?
you never read uh. “departing at the end of April 2016.”
Hi there, this looks like a dream to me. If you don’t mind me asking, how did you save up for a trip like this?
Sorry, I meant how much? 😀
I will update the final prices as I go along, and the final total once I return from the trip.
I find it too short for 40 days. It will be a touch and go for all countries.
Indeed.
All the best! Enjoy this beautiful journey.. 🙂
Thanks.
Looking forward to your updates. Have a safe trip!
Thanks!
Good luck!
Thanks!
Best of luck in your jourrney. Looking forward to your sharing since this is my plan in the future as well.
That’s what me and my bestfriend have planned when we returned back to Malaysia once we finished our study in UK. Will be patiently waiting for your full updates once you landed back to Singapore. Have fun! 😀
P/s: if you don’t mind please update every single thing later on as in where you stay, price etc. 😀
Found your website before going on a 3-month Europe trip in June. Hope to see some interesting stories and get some useful information.
Have a safe trip!
Can’t wait to see your updates and interesting moments! Have fun:)
Good luck and all the best! 🙂
Lake Baikal at Irkutsk is beautiful. Spend a day there if you have time!
I agreed, make a stop at Irkutsk for Lake Baikal, its really beautiful!!
I did the Russia >> Singapore 2 years back and i still miss Lake Baikal.
Oh and Mongolia!! It seems that you are not stopping at Mongolia?
Haha i had a blog like you but i got busy and lazy to update. Maybe its tine for me to get a laptop and start writing again!
I’ll just be passing through Mongolia – will be on the Trans-Mongolian throughout the train’s journey.
Wow! Can’t wait to hear more about your trip! Would love to do it as well
Please do vlogs on youtube. Would be interesting to watch. Will subscribe for sure!
Don’t think I’ll be doing vlogs, but thanks for your suggestion. I’ll just post pictures and short commentaries or descriptions during the trip.
May you have an amazing and blessed journey with many adventures and exciting moments. Was daydreaming about Venice last week so do spare a thought for a Malaysian girl who longs to (but for practical reasons can’t) to satisfy her wanderlust.
there is a story of Thai twin ladies who manage to travel from London back to Bangkok by Rail using info from Seat61 and they have written a book about their journey.
I just checked online at Seat61, which link you just referred about Thai twin ladies i look for?
Wow….enjoy your 40 days trip. I bet it’s going to be one of your most priceless journey! Enjoy and stay safe!!
Have taken the Siem Reap – Aranyaprathet – Bangkok route !
Seems like a really cool trip plan. Looking forward to the whole experience! (:
Looking forward to your travel log! Stay safe and fun!
All the best for your trip! If you need a SIM card in the UK, check out https://m.facebook.com/Giffgaff-in-Singapore-570433863009162/ 🙂
wow, looking forward at your trip too~
Im excited looking forward to your updates… Happy Journey
looking forward for your journey updates…am sure your experience will inspired others and the choice of station to start on will be vary…:-)
This should be interesting.All the best
Please inform of you have alocated stopovers i may want to do the same.
don’t you need a visa for Russia??
Yes.
Hey, just to share, I met this couple at Xi’an in 2012 and they did it from London to SG whilst I did the opposite way from SG to London.
Below here is their blog. Hope you find it useful and good luck to your travels!
http://why-didnt-we-fly.blogspot.sg/
That would be a wonderful trip!
Enjoy your trip! Looking forward to your update!
Have an awesome trip that add colors to your lufe journey. Looking forward to your sharing which will help many others to fulfill their dream trip too. Play safe and have fun
Wow, im thinking of doing the other way round, that is from Malaysia to Londo overland.
Will definifely follow ur blog. Stopover in Mongolia & Irkutsk for Lake Baikal will be fun. I just came back from winter lake baikal and it’s just too beautiful.
Good luck & stay safe.
hi im actually working on a similar trip which you have in mind…..maybe we could get in touch….my contact number 019 262 4694 dave….tks
hi, what about visa?
many country for transit 🙂
please tell me.. thanks
Bon Voyage for the trip and looking forward for your Itinerary 😀
its gonna be an interesting journey thats for sure, wish you all the best and any chance of me travelling with you….:-)
Good luck in your adventure. Will look fwd to your stories…
That’s what I have been thinking to do! Was planning to take train back to SG from London by train after omplete my study two years ago..but failed…hope you will share more! Im looking forward to reading your exciting trip!
Hi everyone,
I am looking for for adventurous people who is keen to cross London to Singapore on train in August.
If anybody knows someone interested, please let me know… I started to organize it by myself, but it would be great have a nice companion.
Cheers,
can you give me any suggestion from Malaysia to Latvia?