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Train from Vienna to Prague to Dresden

My husband and I are travelling from Vienna to Dresden in December and want to take a train.
The Bahn train appears to go through Prague. We will be rolling luggage with us. We are travelling with one other couple as far as Prague. Then we go on our own to Dresden.
What route do you recommend and how much time do you recommend to transfer. Thanks.

Posted by
353 posts

I usually recommend the quickest, most direct route, which is through Prague (7 hours 35 min.). Most trains have 1 hour 19 min. to change trains in Prague, which is plenty of time. There are direct trains every 2 hours from Prague to Dresden, so you can always book a later train if you want more time in Prague.

You might consider buying these tickets ahead to save money. They Bahn website has some advance-purchase "Savings Fares" which are less than a third the cost - €29 per ticket as opposed to the full-fare of €95.40: www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/index.shtml
Note that most of these cheaper, savings fares are non-refundable and non-exchangeable, so you should be ready to commit at the time of purchase: You can also use the Austrian Rail website for booking the Vienna-Prague train: www.oebb.at/en/

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you for the advice Rich. On the trip from Vienna to Prague there is a 3 minute stop for something - hope it is not a transfer as that seems very short amount of time- is that a border stop or something? The time you mention to transfer in Prague for the Dresden trip is plenty long.

Posted by
2487 posts

I've checked on the OEBB website: some trains involve a change of trains for which you have the 3 minutes you mention. Better stick to the direct trains.

Posted by
2487 posts

Take the right-hand side on the train from Prague to Dresden. The stretch from the Czech border goes through the nice landscape of what's called Saxon Switzerland.