I'm attempting to book an overnight train from Budapest - Keleti station departs 20:05 to Prague arrives 6:23 next day. When looking at the detailed timetable there is a comment "through carriage." What does this mean? I'd like to sleep from 20:05 till arrival in Prague, but not sure if I have to change trains. Appreciate your help. Thank you/1
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
17908 posts
I'm not a great train expert but I did look up your train. It goes through with no changes. You are in a through carriage which implies that when the trains stops in Pardubice (the only stop), it will be dropping other carriages.
Posted by
Seattle
4637 posts
You will not have to change trains. Your overnight train goes all the way to Berlin. Arrives in Prague at 4:03 am. Because it would be an ungodly hour to get up and get off at that time, then when the train arrives in Pardubice at 2:39 am they disconnect one (or more) carriages and connect them to another train which leaves Pardubice at 5:09 am and arrives in Prague at 6:23 am which is just slightly more godly hour to get off. In the case that you are a very early morning bird I think you will still have an option to be in the carriage which arrives in Prague at 4:03. It would be nice if Pardubice is the only stop of your train but that's unfortunately not the case. These are the stops of your train on the way from Budapest to Prague: Vac, Sturovo, Nove Zamky, Bratislava, Kuty, Breclav, Brno, Pardubice, Praha. The second train which leaves Pardubice at 5:09 am also stops in Prelouc, Kolin and Praha-Liben.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
17908 posts
Like I said, i'm no train expert. I've only ridden a half dozen or so in the last decade but the way I read the schedule there is only one stop on the 20:05 train from Budapest to Prague. http://elvira.mav-start.hu/ The last overnight train I was on was in the early 1980's. In my old age I have come to appreciate showers to much to ride the night trains.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
17908 posts
Hey, good to see you again.
I do hit the route number and it shows 2.5 hours stopped in Pardubice but no other stops. Some of the other schedules show stops, but not the 20:05. But what the heck. Only matters that eventually you get there. Still not up to 30 something hours between showers.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
17908 posts
So right you are!!! I live and I learn. And someone is going to sleep through 20 starts and stops? Amazing!
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8139 posts
We took day trains Budapest to Bratislava and from Vienna to Prague in April. The train rides were relaxing, but cabin a/c just wasn't up to U.S. standards--even in April.
I'd hate to be through a night of cat naps and dropped off in a city with 8-10 hours to spend before getting into my hotel. I'm just not a fan of night trains.
The route goes through a very beautiful farming area--river deltas.