The train is a convenient alternative for travel from Britain to Germany. Visitors from the UK can reach Aachen in under 4 hours and Cologne in 4½ hours from Ashford, whilst the journey from London Waterloo takes 4¾ hours to Aachen and 5½ hours to Cologne.

By leaving from and arriving in city centres, travellers save time on unnecessary journeys between the airport and the city, and long check-in times. Prices for return fares from London to Cologne on Eurostar and the ICE or Thalys train start from £69 per person (terms and conditions apply).

Eurostar and DB Nachtzug (night train)

One other comfortable and time-saving option to reach the continent is to take the Eurostar in combination with Deutsche Bahn's DB Nachtzug (night train) from London or Ashford/Kent to several destinations within Germany. Departing London at 7:12 pm, with a change in Brussels at 11:38 pm, the train pulls into Hamburg at 6:51 am or Berlin at 8:18 am the next day. On the way to Hamburg the train also stops at Bremen and Osnabrück, whilst the train to Berlin stops at Bielefeld, Hanover and Wolfsburg. Single fares to Hamburg start from as little as £72 and to Berlin from just £75.

Journeys to southern Germany are straightforward using the connection between London and Munich with just one change in Paris. This service also stops, for example, in Stuttgart, Ulm and Augsburg.