Night Trains

I have taken the night train from Prague to Krakow and from Krakow to Budapest and I slept well. I was in a 3 person compartment and there wasn't alot of room, but it felt safe. There are 2 locks on the door and you have an attendent for the rail car. It depends how light of a sleeper you are though. Krakow is one of my favorite cities, enjoy!

Carolyn:

I'm sure other posters will have other experiences to relate, but my wife and I (ages 65 and 63), have done three separate night train trips (Graz, Austria to Venice - 2000, Madrid to Barcelona - 2004 and Graz to Zurich - 2008). I'm a light sleeper, so these were not the best night's sleep I've ever had, but our experiences were very positive. We met some very interesting folks, and had no concerns about our luggage. In each case, we all agreed to lock the compartment for the night. I generally draw the top bunk, so I just hauled my single Rick Steves pack up the ladder with me - there is usually an adequate storage area at one end of the bunk.

We sleep in our light clothes, but the Europeans are just as likely to strip down to their underwear - they tend to be less hung up than most Americans about such things.

But we would recommend the experience. I tell folks back home that I felt like Bond - James Bond. All I needed was a tuxedo and a shoulder holster!

Enjoy!

Bill
Syracuse, New York

Worrying about theft will probably not keep you awake. Rather, the constant small jerks and bounces that are inherent to train travel will. The main benefit of a night train is, as the previous responder has noted, extra sight-seeing time during the day. However, if you don't sleep on the train (a real possibility for many people), that strategy can backfire if you need to nap during the day, particular if your trip involves frequent night train use.

And don't worry about "luxury". Despite what you've seen in the movies, most couchettes are usually comfortable and clean enough, but hardly luxurious.

Our first and only night train experience was probably the worst night of sleep I have ever had. I was zonked the next day and over all it was a terrible experience...

However, because of that, I learned the following and I think it would be a better experience next time:

• Get the top bunks (bottom bunks are the most confined that I saw)

• Make sure you have eye shades and ear plugs readily available

• Arrive early and try to get on the train before everyone else does

• ENSURE that you rail pass (if you are using one) covers all the countries you are traveling through on the night train. Either that, or pay the difference before you get on the train.

You can ride a night train from Krakow to Eger, but it takes about 18 hours and requires several changes, some in the middle of the night. Better to take the overnight Krakow/Budapest, 10 hours, no changes, then a 2 hour ride to Eger.

Thanks for all of the replies!

Krakow to Eger is not possible on a night train, except in the summer when a second Krakow-Budapest train operates.

Prague Krakow is a fine train. I have been on it twice (once in a 3 person sleeper because the train was so empty they didn't want to use the couchette car) and about a month ago in a couchette.

The equipment is provided by Czech railways, and at least in the couchette, has the hardest beds of any night train I've ever been on. However, the attendant was quite good, the ride fairly smooth, and the door had a very secure lock (a chain that wrapped around the door hand and clipped to itself).

If you pick your ticket up from the Wasteels office at Prague's drab main station, they may be able to give you a good price for two people traveling together. Additionally, I would buy my ticket to LEAVE Poland BEFORE I get to Poland.

The ladies at the Krakow train station have no sense of customer service, the lines are long, and will only offer full-fare, fully changeable tickets at Western Europe prices. Advice in many travel guidebooks is to use the Orbis office in Krakow's main square to book tickets BUT less than a month ago they told me there were NO COUCHETTES on the Krakow-Budapest train (not true).

After three tries at the train station in Krakow, with three different agents, I finally got one to admit there was a SparNight special price non refundable ticket available for the night I wanted to travel to Budapest, at a 60% discount over the full fare ticket they were trying to push...

I repeat again, buy your tickets out of Krakow before you get to Krakow, preferably at Wasteels in Prague.