managing a trip from boston to merano to Prague

Posted by helen.epstein on 01/30/18 07:37 PM

We (two fit, multiligual, late 60s travelers) want to travel to Prague ( where I have a book publication event in September) but also want to spend time in Merano and the Dolomites (where we have never been).

Several questions:

should we fly from Boston into Milan, Munich or Venice ? Milan is direct from Boston.

should we travel by train from Milan to Merano or rent a car ?

Should we look at air B & B in Merano or stay in a hotel?

Should we continue to Prague by train? or go back to Milan or Venice and fly?

Thanks for your help

Posted by Laura

Rick Steves' Europe

01/30/18 08:00 PM

16895 posts

I would take the direct flight to Milan (I assume it's Malpensa airport), then easy Malpensa Express train to Milano Centrale train station. From Milano Centrale, trains to Merano take 4 hours with changes at Verona and Bolzano. Train connections from Venice are not much different. Trains from Innsbruck are a little faster, 3 hours with one connection at Bolzano or Brennero; from Munich is the longest travel time.

Trains from Merano to Prague take 11 hours, the easiest with 2 changes at Bolzano and Munich, departing about 9:15 or 11:15 a.m. You could break the trip in Munich if that's too long for one day. I don't see much benefit to backtracking to an airport but if you want to check flights within Europe, try www.skyscanner.com.

Looking Up Train Schedules and Routes Online gives you the Deutsche Bahn train schedule link and tips for using it. It also sells advance-discount tickets to/from Munich but the earlier Italian tickets you can buy on arrival.

Posted by helen.epstein OP

01/30/18 08:04 PM

2 posts

Thank you! Does one always have to go back from Merano to Bolzano? Would it make sense to take a train from there to Inssbruck and then fly or rail to Prague?

Posted by acraven

Washington DC

01/30/18 08:24 PM

28450 posts

Merano seems to be at the end of a spur railway line, so I think you do always get routed back through Bolzano, and all the train routings go through Innsbruck. After that, there are multiple choices; some routes take you through Munich, some through Linz and some through Vienna.

The Deutsche Bahn website allows you to see all the train changes and all the intermediate stops. For most travelers, it's a matter of chosing a desirable departure time if the travel times are similar. You basically specify your origin and destination and let the rail company choose the best routing. If you have a particular area you want to travel through (for scenery), you can add an intermediate stop to force the routing you want.

Posted by Ilja

Seattle

01/30/18 08:33 PM

4637 posts

From Innsbruck go to Prague via Linz. Going via Vienna or Munich seems to be a big detour.

Posted by Laura

Rick Steves' Europe

01/30/18 11:04 PM

16895 posts

A DB schedule search shows two options starting with a train that departs Merano at 9:16 (for instance). The route via Munich has 2 transfers, arrives at 20:31, and tickets can be purchased easily through the German DB site. The route via Linz has 3 transfers, arrives a half hour earlier, and advance-discount tickets would be purchased through Austrian OBB, which is less user-friendly.

If you want to overnight in Innsbruck, then the options the next day are similar - about 7h 45m with a connection at either Munich or Linz. I don't see any nonstop flights from Innsbruck to Prague.