Rothenburg, Germany to Prague

Go to the DB itinerary search page and you should find journeys that include train travel from Rothenburg to Nuremberg + IC Bus travel from Nuremberg to Prague. You'll find fares very reasonable.

You can use the DB search page for journeys all around Europe (though not all journeys can be purchased at DB.)

I looked at Deutsche Bahn website and I like this connection the best. Leave Rothenburg by bus run by Deutsche Bahn at 8:29, arrives in Dombuehl at 9:06 (many stops on the way). S-Bahn leaves Dombuehl at 9:14, arrives in Nuernberg at 10:13 (many stops on the way). Bus run by Deutsche Bahn leaves Nuernberg at 10:35, arrives in Prague at 14:10 (nonstop). There are many other options; check Deutsche Bahn website.

The trip is made in two stages: Rothenburg to Nürnberg and Nürnberg to Prague.

You can do Rothenburg to Nürnberg by rail, with changes at Steinach and Ansbach, then Nürnberg to Prague, either by rail, with one change in Schwandorf, or by non-stop by IC bus.

The full fare for the trip by rail to Nürnberg and by bus to Prague has a full fare of 70.60€ per person. There is an advance purchase savings fare starting at 19,90€ per person if you want to commit to a bus specific connection (if you miss the bus you lose your ticket).

The bus is a modern over-the-road coach with assigned seats, a bathroom, and a snack bar with attendant.

Otherwise, you can use a Bayern-Böhmen-Ticket for Rothenburg to Pilsen, Czechia, and a Czech Rail ticket from Pilsen to Prague. It costs 28€ for the first person, 7,60€ for person 2 - 5. That gets you from anywhere in Bavaria (ex. Rothenburg) to Pilsen, Czechia. At Pilsen you will need to purchase a Czech Rail ticket on to Prague for approx. 5€ per person.

The advantage of the Bayern-Bõhmen-Ticket is that the ticket can be purchased at the time of travel for the same price. So there is no risk of a train specific ticket. The IC bus ticket starts at 19,90€, but goes up as lower price tickets sell out.

As mentioned above, the quickest option is train to Nuremberg (transfers in the small stations of Steinach and Ansbach, no problem at all) and then by DB bus to Prague (250 m walk from the main station to the bus station (ZOB) in Nuremberg). If you prefer the train (takes one hour longer), I would

1. buy the ticket in the e-shop of the Czech Railways (from about € 15 for the entire trip),

2. not take the route via Schwandorf, but the nicer one via Cheb, which runs first through the hilly farmlands of eastern Franconia and then along the eastern border of Šumava. You could do a stop either in the medieval town of Cheb or in the Belle Epoque Spa of Mariánské Lázne. If you plan your connection accordingly, you can catch from Cheb onwards a train that carries a traditional restaurant car offerning delicious czech food and beer. You would like it!

Thanks for the helpful hints. We are looking forward to the trip. We will actually be flying into Munich and then up to Heidelberg and then to Rothenburg. From there we go to Prague and then down through Austria to Vienna and then a train back to Munich to fly home.

The train from Rothenberg to Nuremberg is easy. I lived in Steinach for a couple years so that was my normal commute. If you have the time I highly recommend a stop in Ansbach, most tourists pass it up, but it's a really nice town.

I also recommend the train to Prague, mainly because I hate busses. But I also like the location of the train station in Prague; it's easy to walk to a decent hotel or the old part of town from there.

Does the train go all the way to Rothenburg from Nuremberg? We will be coming from Munich.

You have to change trains between Rothenburg and Nuremberg (as noted above) in Steinach and Ansbach. But you cant get lost, as those are really small stations. Steinach only had one platform unless it's grown. You don't have to wait longer either. Check the D-Bahn site for current schedules.

I'm glad that this question was asked by the OP. I am planning on travelling between Rothenburg to Prague as well, in September. I am considering using mydaytrip.com. The transport time, in a private vehicle, takes about 4 hours and costs 239 euros. Since I'll be with two friends, we will probably go this way and split the cost, getting to Prague a lot quicker. The price was the same for leaving tomorrow as it would be for September.

That's $279 US. There is two of us, but my wife said she wouldn't pay her half, LOL. I think with the time lost going from train to train or the cost of flying out of Nuremberg, the private car is the way to go. Thanks

Of course I do not want to interfere with your plans, but what you will gain in time is actually one hour - the fastest train / bus combo takes 5:04, your car transfer company says it takes 4h, but that's a promise dependent on actual traffic. The train / bus combo is €19.90 each, so the hour saved is worth €200.

Steinach only had one platform unless it's grown.

Steinach (b. Rothenburg) has three platforms (did when I was first there in 1988). One, next to the station for Gl. 1, one in the middle for Gl. 2 & 3, and one at the side for Gl. 4 & 5. Gl. 1 is used for trains from Neustadt. Gl. 2 & 3 are used for trains from Würzburg and Ansbach (Treuchtlingen). Some trains from Würzburg use Gl. 4, which means a cross platform change to Gl. 5, which serves Rothenburg.

Most of the time the change is one platform, from the middle platform coming from/going to Würzburg or Ansbach to/from Rothenburg. It doesn't take long.

Thanks so much to everyone who has offered a suggestion.

Lee-

Thanks for the correction on Steinach; I was remembering the center platform, which (as you mention) you cross to catch the next train. It's been a long time since I did that, usually I just drive now.