Karlovy Vary in winter

You should consider two nights - especially at that time of year . The trip from Prague to Karlovy Vary is nearly four hours , and once darkness falls you will see little , in addition , being off season , some places may be closed . A 7:30 train would get you in by about 11:00 and twilight would be upon you by 16:00 limiting your time . An early rise the next morning will give you most of the day , and allow time for the funicular to the viewpoint above the town , and Jeleni Skok . Stay the second night in a relaxed fashion and depart for Dresden early the next day . You could take a late train to Dresden rather than the second night in Karlovy , but that would be a bit rushed for my taste .

I would say also two nights are better than one night. From Prague to Karlovy Vary go by bus. Train takes detour via Usti and Labem.
Student Agency now renamed Regiojet yellow bus makes it in two hours.

If so, we were thinking of heading into the Erzgebirge for the second
night, before going to Dresden. Thoughts?

Sadly it's almost unknown outside of Germany, but the Erzgebirge is Germanys Christmas country. No other region influenced Christmas in Germany, and worldwide, like this region. Karlovy Vary is very nice, but in early December the Erzgebirge surely is the more interesting stop, with all the Christmas markets, the miner's parades, the Mettenschichts, the illuminated towns and villages, the wooden Christmas toys everywhere etc..

Here is a nice article about the Erzgebirge and Christmas:
http://www.startribune.com/longing-for-light/110826984/?c=y&page=all&prepage=1#continue

Ilja ,Thanks for the information about the bus , we are back in Prague this Autumn and wanted to make a day trip to Karlovy Vary , but the train seemed unreasonable . The bus solves the problem at about half the time . Many Thanks , Steve

Have you seen the movie Last Holiday? It's filmed largely in Karlovy Vary in winter...very cute movie! Makes the city look amazing!

I think the Grand Hotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary was used for the film,it is a lovely small town though I have only been there on day trips from Prague

Grand Hotel Pupp was used for several films, among them Casino Royal.

Anita , I was disappointed in the 2006 version . The story had been rewritten from the original , and while I have several issues with the treatment , one major change left me downhearted . Do yourself a favor and watch the original " Last Holiday " ( 1950 ) , starring Alec Guinness as George Bird , and a stellar cast including Kay Walsh , Wilfrid Hyde - White , Ernest Thesiger , and many other great British actors of the time . The end of the film from 2006 has been stripped of the great pathos in the original , which makes the film's deepest impact . Here is a link to learn about it http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042665/ ( PLEASE ! , do not read the Wikipedia entry , as it has a spoiler , and will ruin the end for you ) I think you will love the original . I would be curious to know how the original affects you , Steve

For those of us who have seen Wes Anderson's brilliant " The Grand Budapest Hotel " , most of the filming took place in Gorlitz , and Karlovy Vary stands in for the town of Nebelsbad - The Hotel Imperial substitutes for The " Grand Budapest " , and Jeleni Skok is the real incarnation of " Gabelmeister's Peak " .

Just a clarification , the interiors in the 2006 film are , indeed , Pupp , it is the exterior views in Grand Budapest , that are the Imperial . CORRECTION - The Bristol , not the Imperial , Sorry