My wife and I are going to Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Czech Republic in April and we were wanting to do some overnight trains. I have read that tickets are easier and cheaper if bought in Europe, but I also know that overnight trains generally require a reservation. If we bought each overnight ticket approximately 3 days before using them would that be sufficiently enough in the future or would we be at risk of the trains being full? Thank you.
Posted by
kcmo
13 posts
I've used the overnight trains between Czech and Hungary many times, and even in the summer I didn't have a problem. Also, don't forget that when purchasing a train ticket in Czech, anything over one person counts as a 'group', giving you a bit of a discount. Have a great trip!
Posted by
dallas, tx, usa
1358 posts
Based on my experience and on posts here, I would say that buying tickets 3 days in advance is enough. If your plans are firm I would buy them more in advance to remove all risk.
Posted by
burlington
427 posts
the time is satisfactory. but you could always ask at the train station about the trains capacity.
Posted by
Phoenix
26 posts
We took the train from Vienna to Krakow and from Krakow to Prague as two separate trips. For the first trip, we booked our tickets in advance with Rail Europe. If you already know the day and the approximate time that you wish to travel, I heartily recommend this company http://www.raileurope.com/index.html It is especially useful for travellers' piece of mind (unless you are the type who is likely to lose paper tickets) because you have everything you need at your fingertips - you just enter the train station and board the train without the extra step of having to stand in line for the tickets.
They have a lot of different options, including regional and country passes, insurance and reservations (reservations are different from tickets in that you are reserving a specific seat - useful if there are multiple travellers who will want to sit near each other). You can only purchase tickets through them before you leave the US; however, even if you decide to wait on the tickets until you are in Europe, this site is handy for estimating the times and the prices for your tickets. Also, sometimes tickets cost less on the site as an incentive for American travellers.
We bought the tickets from Krakow to Prague at the station in Poland. One thing to be aware of: speaking with someone in English at train stations is hit-or-miss, especially in Poland. If you don't relish the idea, I recommend purchasing in advance.
Overnight trains in Eastern Europe are very prone to gypsies and theft. If you do get one, make sure that you have a compartment that locks. Particularly bad is the route from Krakow to Hungary; my Hungarian friend said that all Hungarians know it is better to take a bus.
I'd recommend purchasing tickets for major cities if you are confident that your plans are set. For little day trips and excursions, though, I would buy in person - those schedules are likely to change as may your plans.
Posted by
baton rouge, la, US
269 posts
Ralph, I'm in pretty much the same situation. I haven't been able to find anyplace to buy tickets while still in the US that doesn't have a significant mark-up attached to the prices, so in the end, that may make the decision easier. But it's very tricky. Good luck, and if I find any solid information I'll post it here.