My wife and I will be bicycle touring Slovenia, Austria, and the Czech Republic in September 2017. Our plans include cycling along the Danube from Melk to Durstein, and then (if possible) taking a train from nearby Sankt Polten to Prague, presumably changing trains in Vienna. It seems the ease of traveling with a bicycle is changing. Is the St. Polten to Prague trip possible and the travel relatively uncomplicated? Any advice would be appreciated.
Posted by
not here anymore
631 posts
since the journey is mostly austrian
http://www.oebb.at/en/leistungen-und-services/im-zug/fahrrad-am-zug
use their journey planner (you can ask for PRAG) and check the box "carriage of bicycles required".
http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/query.exe/en
then click More (small black text with red arrow at left over legal stuff). In connections change Duration of Transfer to at least 20 minutes (you have to unload and load when you change as well as find the other train).
it seems possible but needs reservations for the bikes (and tickets of course)
Posted by
San Francisco
14500 posts
Yes, you can. Going from St Pölten to Prague requires transferring once...easy. . On both legs you need a bike reservation, which is mandatory. (Fahrradmitnahme reservierungspflichtig). Traveling with a bike is uncomplicated...always has been, has not changed. Just get reservation at the ticket counter first. St Pölten is a nice modern station. I took the EN night train from there to Hannover Hbf back in early June.
Posted by
OP
Lakewood, Colorado
33 posts
Thank you! This information is very helpful. Looking at the planning website, and requesting bicycle accommodation for 21 Sept, I found an EN train departing at 07:42, arriving Wien 08:11, connecting to RJ train departing at 08:57 for Prague. But when I proceed to learn ticket prices there is no train shown with an 08:57 departure time. Does that mean that particular train (RJ 72) has no space available? Am I supposed to choose one of the alternatives offered?
Posted by
San Francisco
14500 posts
Hi,
For the 2 legs on 21 Sept, as you indicate, I have dep St Pölten at 0742 hr on the EN (EuroNight) train, arriving in Wien Hbf 0819 hrs
(not 0811 hrs), then the next train for you time wise is:
Wien Hbf to Prague on the RJ dep 09: 10, arriving 13:06.
If you don't want to be last minute, get the bike reservations, both of them, in St Pölten Hbf., one for St Pölten-Wien, then one for Wien to Prague. I would do that.
You have ample time ca 50 mins to have a coffee at Wien Hbf, a huge and new station.