Please help! Regarding the huge Train stations in Vienna and Prague

Have you looked at the stations online? Vienna HBH has escalators and lifts (elevators). Prague website says both station entry and platforms are barrier free. She just has to be able to drag her suitcase onto the train and into the luggage rack for large pieces near the door.

Youtube probably has videos of each train station. While it may not show
her exact route, you can get some idea of the ability to move between levels.

And obviously book a routing with no connections.

If walking long distances aggrevates the knee condition, this would be the same
situation in an airport. So worth checking if the rail company (OBB) offers some
type of handicapped transfer option.

Depending on the knee condition, taking Advils or wearing a brace on the day of
the train ride may be advisable.

I might move this from the "Packing" to the "Transportation" subforum.

Having been through the Prague main station many times, it has elevators, escalators, and ramps to get her from level to level. However, she may walk a distance to get to a platform, or platform to platform.

We sixty something year old ladies will not be luggage shamed for taking 28 inch luggage. I digress from the main question, but it had to be said!

On the train she may have to rely on the kindness of strangers. I was recently through Vienna Hbf and didn't encounter any stairs - it's just one level up to the trains.

She could also look at a shared van service from CK Shuttle. It would be door to door. It includes a stopover in Cesky Krumlov, but it may be possible to schedule a relatively short one. We used them years ago along this basic route and found them efficient and punctual. The door to door service was quite convenient. They also offer private transfers by car - probably in the USD $500 range.

What an excellent set of responses!! Since I've never been there, I assumed those huge train stations would have more ground walking, escalators, elevators, and navigation than the Prague and Vienna airports. So if the effort is the same for Trains and Planes, the cost of a train being about 15% of the cost of a flight, seems like a no brainer. My friend will just need to get a map of both train stations so she isn't turning around and walking more if she were to get misdirected. She can get the train ticket in advance to not further complicate things.

If this is not asking too much, if someone has taken the Vienna to Prague train, if you could provide the steps in and out of the stations from one to the other, that would be great. If not, that's ok....someone familiar would be of great help in knowing where to go in and out, up and down to help avoid any missteps/confusion.

I was just at the Vienna and Prague main stations this past March.

I found Vienna central station easy to navigate with good signage.

I found this video helpful for the Prague station:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ8900D8cU8

I recommend a first-class train ticket as I have found first class has more room for luggage.

I think you are panicking a bit without need. If one can read English, and if one arrives a bit early, one can easily navigate either station. Odds are the train will depart late and buy them a bit more time.

Just relax and go slow. Lots of elevators and escalators and people with even larger luggage.

For both Prague and Viennna, there are numerous videos on YouTube showing how to navigate through the stations. The ground floor of Vienna Hbf is basically a big shopping mall with escalators and elevators up to the platforms. Prague is a bit more challenging, as it's older, has lower ceilings, as I recall, and a bit more boisterous than orderly Vienna. At Prague I would be most concerned with how she intends to get to her lodging - be sure to read up on how to avoid being ripped off by taxi drivers.

Here is a link to the Living Prague website, covering the train station - Jason's video is linked to as well. The website is a great resource for anyone planning a visit to Prague.

https://livingprague.com/prague-transport/prague-train-station/

What is actually a "28 inch" luggage?

I travel with big luggages as well, but I often see people travelling with big "spinners", ie, big, squat suitcases with 4 spinning wheels. A better choice in my opinion are rolling duffel bags. These have two big wheels, and are usually more elongated, These survive being dragged in and out of trains, on European streets etc..., and fit better in the luggage racks.

But am I overexaggerating when I tell her going through all those
train station levels and the lengths she would walk through the train
stations is not a good idea?

Yes you are. Massively.

I assumed those huge train stations would have more ground walking,
escalators, elevators, and navigation than the Prague and Vienna
airports. So if the effort is the same for Trains and Planes, the cost
of a train being about 15% of the cost of a flight, seems like a no
brainer.

Have you been to Europe before? Railway stations are in general much smaller than airports and require much less walking.

If this is not asking too much, if someone has taken the Vienna to
Prague train, if you could provide the steps in and out of the
stations from one to the other, that would be great.

I'm not sure what you're looking for, but here is a guide to Wien Hbf: https://www.seat61.com/stations/vienna-hauptbahnhof.htm It's a very easy station to navigate. Assuming she's using the large main entrance she will arrive in a large hall, just keep walking and she will see the large departure boards on the right. Look for the train to Prag on them and see what track the train uses. Then follow the signs to that track. It's probably less than a 5 minute walk from the entrance to the platform. And there are escalators and lifts to the platform level.

How is she getting from her hotel in Vienna to the train station? I know some shortcuts that might save her a lot of walking.

Such great replies!
1. She will take an uber or Bolt from each airport/train station to and from the hotels.
2. 28 in luggage by 18 x 10 or similar.
3. I think she will really enjoy the countryside on the train ride, especially if there is any snow.

The adventure is not the train station, it's the train. It may or may not have level boarding. It may or may not be double decker. It may or may not have sufficient secure storage space for such a large bag, either in between seats or near the train door.

So as noted, your friend needs to depend on the kindness of strangers. She should seek out someone who seems youngish and strongish for help on and off the train. It's not like a plane, there are no flight attendants. The conductor is plenty busy already and won't be much help.

The scenery from a train is great.

Train stations, like airports, are made for people to be able to manage luggage, so don't worry. There are elevators for big suitcases. I agree that getting on and off trains may be the sticking point but there will always be someone who will help your friend get on board. I would not worry. However, I am not sure if Uber and Bolt are much of a thing in Vienna or Prague. Taxis are the usual thing in European cities, and there will be a taxi rank outside the station, so she should be prepared for that.

Lavandula

Unfortunately, I'm all too familiar with navigating the Vienna and Prague stations with a wonky knee. I injured my knee quite badly in Vienna two years ago, and still managed to go to Prague for the second half of my vacation.

It wasn't easy. Here's what I know:

As others have said, the stations themselves are not huge. But it's never easy to find lifts. They are often in a corner somewhere. So you walk a lot trying to find them. I find this to be true in most European train and subway stations.

OBB will definitely provide wheelchair service. You can request this online and they will meet you at the ticket counter and take you to the platform, and then meet you at the platform and take you to the station exit at your destination.

While this was tremendously helpful, you still have to get yourself and your luggage onto the train. This is definitely the hardest part, and you definitely need help. As a short person, I find train stairs difficult even with two good legs!

There can be a frightful crush and rush at the door, with impatient travelers forgetting their manners. The luggage storage areas get full quickly and the train may start moving long before you're settled. This part was unpleasant and painful. I wish I could say it was a breeze, but it was pretty awful.

My reserved seat was not on the upper level, thank the gods, but this was my first OBB trip and I didn't realize that some trains have two levels. I hope it's possible to check the seat location and carriage configuration online.

The OBB wheelchair person took me to the main exit of the Prague station when I arrived. However, that's not where ride share companies pick up passengers. I learned this the hard way, after a few Uber drivers canceled because I wasn't at the correct pick-up spot. Eventually I had to limp to another entrance, which involved navigating up and then down a ramp, exiting the station, and walking a fair distance to the street.

I had the smaller MaxLite spinner and a backpack. I'm grateful I didn't have anything bigger.

So, richardtausch100, I don't think you're overexaggerating. The train will definitely be difficult for your friend. Not impossible by any means, but difficult. I hope that kind people help her and that she has a fantastic trip.

..there will be a taxi rank outside the station, so she should be prepared for that.

But that is the last thing she'd want to do in Prague - per both the RS guidebook and Jason at livingprague.com. And yes, Bolt and Uber operate in both Prague and Vienna.

Edited to add:

The train will definitely be difficult for your friend. Not impossible by any means, but difficult. I hope that kind people help her and that she has a fantastic trip.

This is why I suggested CK Shuttle - it would be door-to-door service from her lodging in Vienna to the same in Prague.

OP, you haven’t mentioned your friend’s level of travel experience. I think that could play into her choices here.

In April, I (66 F) travelled with my husband (63 M) into and out of both Vienna and Prague train stations. I was paying particular attention to my impressions of both as I was gathering information for a friend (67 F) who is planning a solo journey to those cities. For context, my husband and I are well-travelled, carry-on-size-only, confident train users. For years I commuted from NJ to NY Penn Station. I feel very comfortable in busy, chaotic train stations, as does my friend. Here’s what I told her:

Arriving (and leaving) in Prague was a bit disorienting. It’s very hectic. The station reminds me of the old NJ Transit/LIRR area under NY Penn station with low ceilings, bright lights and lots of corridors going in every direction - in a foreign language.

The signs for the most part are in Czech, there is some English on a few of the important signs and the departure announcements are made in Czech and English. There are pictograms to guide you to services and transportation with directional arrows to show you the way out of the station. But it takes some concentration.

At the time I noted to my husband that the Prague station would be challenging for someone who was not familiar with train travel. I think that it’s easy for seasoned travelers to underestimate how overwhelming all of the steps of taking a train can be. Get to the correct station on time, find your track, find your proper car and your seat all while navigating crowds in a foreign language, managing over-sized luggage and watching out for pickpockets. Oh, and my knee hurts!

As someone upthread noted, train stations are smaller than airports. At airports though, you leave your 28” bag basically at the entrance. Check it and it meets you at baggage claim on the other end. You don’t need to drag it through the airport or lift it onto the plane or find somewhere to put it and then worry because you can’t see it from your seat. As an older woman who has traveled alone, there is great value in making choices based on physical comfort, safety and peace of mind. The train journey is lovely, but I would suggest she consider flying

Never would I imaged some many helpful responses - this is THE travel forum of the internet!!

But it's never easy to find lifts. They are often in a corner
somewhere. So you walk a lot trying to find them. I find this to be
true in most European train and subway stations.

That can be a problem in older stations. But Vienna Hbf is a modern station, opened in 2015. You can't miss the lifts in the big passage under the tracks. https://maps.app.goo.gl/mosnRhFSFv7vmJVs9

A little secret about the Vienna Hauptbanhoff.

Most of the intercity trains leave from the east tracks one level above street level. If she wants to avoid the chaos of the main area of the train station there are entrances to the station on Karl Popper Strasse which is the eastern end of the station. (Where the D Tram stops.) Once inside, there are elevators and escalators up to track level. Have the car drop her off there or just north. It's much easier than having o go through the main station.

Very few people use this enrance since there is nothing there in regard to shops or restaurants. There is a ticket machine.

Even if you don't see a lift right away, it seems most train stations have ramps in addition to stairs. Since we're all rolling these days.

And I would disagree about degree of difficulty, if you can navigate an airport you can handle a train station. After all, airports came later and were modelled on train stations.