Krakow to Prague train

The tickets are inexpensive but you might prefer to sit somewhere that someone else already bought in advance. That is something I would consider for a 7 hour train ride that has a sleeper car option.

I’m taking one of the day trains and plan to purchase a first class ticket because it’s a long train ride.
I was planning on buying the night before so I have flexibility.

If there is a fully refundable ticket option with no fee in case you change plans or cancel then buy that one in advance to secure the seat you wanted.

I think you should buy in advance if you want 1st class.

If you look at the Czech Rail site www.cd.cz, you can buy a 2nd class seat in the next few days, but not a 1st class seat. If I go out to June 29, it gives me a price of 850 CZK, about $37 US for 1st class. There are apparently very few seats in the 1st class carriage because it is shared with the bistro.

If I look at the Polish rail agency Polrail, it gives a price of 469 PLN, about $110 US for 2nd class. I cannot get a price from PKP, the rail operator because I get stuck in a loop for pricing.

Takeaway, Czesky Drahy, the Czech Rail site gives the best price by a long shot.

"PKP, the rail operator because I get stuck in a loop for pricing"

Oh, that PKP website - literally everytime I book a ticket on that website my CC provider sends we a text asking if the charge is legitimate - Y / N - text back Y, and I'm good to go.

"Takeaway, Czesky Drahy, the Czech Rail site gives the best price by a long shot"

I wonder if it's because of this -

"This is a comfortable air-conditioned express train run jointly by national rail operators CD (Czech Railways) and PKP (Polish Railways), using Czech rolling stock."

I like that idea of purchasing 1st class ticket weeks in advance. If my plans change, I’m ok with losing $37.