Help! Frankfurt to Prague

Try airberlin.com.

I was going to ride a train from Munich to Berlin, and it was like $300+ for 2 and will take 8 hrs! So, I checked airberlin...I was able to see a flight from Vienna to Berlin for $120+ (or $60 each person, so now I have a side trip to Austria, 1 hr to Berlin, and cheaper transport expenses :-)

Their prices go up as dates get closer. My flight's in Sept. too. Good luck!

Discount airline click4sky flies Frankfurt-Prague. Their flight leaves Frankfurt at 925 am that morning....but the following Tuesday, they only have a morning flight back. Cost each way is 49 Euro per person. You can also take a train...the German National Rail system has several trains that might fit the bill, taking about eight hours, from 29 Euro each way.

You guys are so awesome! Thank you so much for your amazing info.

I am very worried because I thought I would be able to find a bus or something for around 15 euros to Prague (I kept reading that you can do that) so I booked my flight without doing any specific Frankfurt-Prague research. I did it asap as i was worried that after I found that cheap ticket, it would go up if I waited an hour to do additional research (Seriously! I found tickets to Paris that went up $200 EACH when I waited an hour to check other sites!! I couldn't believe it). And now I'm stuck with these non-refundable, non-transferable tickets and no affordable routes to my primary destination.

Norm, the 49euro flight one way is the cheapest so far (thank you), but if my plane is an hour late, then I'm screwed.
For trains, I used the BAHN site and the cheapest fare was 400 euros for two roundtrips. That's $630!!!! waaaaaay too much. That could've been tacked on to the airline cost and gotten us tickets straight to Prague, but we couldn't afford that. so, now you see the situation I have gotten myself in. To any future travelers: learn from my mistake! it's hard when you are a first timer. I spent weeks researching europe and I was honestly under the impression I could travel in a little uncomfortable bus or something for around 15 euros each ($95 for 2 roundtrip) so I budgeted that. Now, I'm not seeing anything for under $350 (for 2 roundtrip).

Feel free to private message me with any tips (i don't know the rules of these messageboards). I am so so so so grateful to get your suggestions. I feel like I completely screwed myself on this and whatever help you may have will absolutely make my day/week/year!

It's my first time ever spending this much money (and taking a trip), I am nervous and must make this work.

You can also look at Ryan Air. They have a flight to Prague from Hahn airport. This is a 1 hour 30 min. bus ride from Frankfurt airport and will cost you 12 euro. They might have some good prices.

Jeni....I'm not sure where you're getting the fares on the train ride, but I'm finding fares available Frankfurt airport-Prague for 39 Euro per person, leaving at 11:30 am and arriving at 7:18 pm. Coming back, the 2:40 pm departure from Prague still has tickets left at 29 Euro pp. It arrives in Frankfurt at 9:40 pm. That's 140 Euro total for the 2 of you....about $195 U-S. I'm not sure you'll find anything much cheaper than that.
I did find one bus site, but it travels during the overnight hours, and costs more than the train! Click here to see its rates and schedules.

Jeni,

Which sources did you use when you were "researching Europe"? The information sounds like it's badly outdated!

Since this is your first trip, I would highly recommend that you have a look at the Guidebook Europe Through the Back Door (especially the "Rail skills" section). It will provide you with an enormous amount of information on how to travel efficiently in Europe. The section on "Outsmarting Thieves" would be good also (wear a Money Belt!).

Norm has provided lots of information on train fares. The trip to Prague is at about 8.5 hours, and will have at least one change of trains (possibly in Nurnberg). You'll be tired, so don't miss the change!

In travelling by train to and from Frankfurt, you'll be basically using two days of your six day trip. You'll also lose one day in flight times and time zone changes when you fly TO Europe (you'll normally arrive home the same day you departed Europe). It's a long way to go for such a short stay.

Good luck!

Except for possibly by bus, and I don't know of any, an expensive way, about €30 each, is to use what is called a Bayern-Böhmen-Ticket for most of the trip. A Bayern-Böhmen-Ticket is an all day pass for regional trains in Bavaria and part of the Chech Republic. It cost €33 for up to five people and can be purchased in the station at FRA from an automat (at the counter it's €35). You also need an RMV (local transit) ticket from the airport to Kahl am Main (the first stop in Bavaria) for €6,95 per Person. Those two tickets will cover you by regional trains all the way to Plzen, CR. If you catch the 9:09 S-Bahn from FRA Regionalbahnhof to Frankfurt Hbf and the 9:30 RE from there to Nürnberg, it will take you almost 12 hours and 6 changes. You will have a 1/2 hr stopover in Domazlice, CR, where you can purchase your tickets from Plzen to Praha for 145 Kc pP (about €6). You'll also have a 23 min stopover in Plzen.

Although you can get a faster, express train connection for €29 pP, these tickets are train-specific and non-refundable. I would not advise that kind of ticket for the day you arrive in Europe. There is too much chance that you flight could be delayed (2 out of 7 of my flight have been delayed an hour or more in the last decade). However, these discount tickets would be great for your trip back to Frankfurt.