I am trying to price out train tickets to determine whether a railpass is worth it. We will be starting in Paris and want to go to Amsterdam, Munich and Prague (not necessarily in that order). I was able to price out Paris to Amsterdam to Munich to Prague at about 285 Euro (with reservations) using SNCF and Bahn.de but I can't get info on other alternatives (Paris/Amsterdam/Prague/Munich, Paris/Prague/Munich/Amsterdam). RailEurope has been no help. Does anyone have any ideas? We'll be traveling in August but have to determine my budget for saving purposes. I can fly out of any of the cities (except Paris) and airline fares are only a few hundred dollars different between the cities.
Thanks
Posted by
Colorado Springs
334 posts
Rick's books have a "quickie" page with general fares. It should help give you an idea if a pass is better. If you will need reservations, you'll need to add that to the cost of your railpass, since they are not included. I'm not sure that the Czech section is on a pass - generally if you go to the border and get a Czech train, your prices will be lower in Czech Repulic than booking all the way through. I'd check each country's rail website, too.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Unless you are dead set against second class, point-to-point is probably cheaper than a rail pass fot your itinerary. Avoid Rail Europe.
Note that by August the new TGV Est line will be operating which could save you as much as 3 hours if you go Paris-Munich. Paris or Amsterdam are equally as good for a night train to Munich. I'd fly home from Prague. Have a great trip!
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
If you can get it, the Smilys fare from Paris to Amsterdam is 69 EUR. SparNight fares on the Amsterdam-Munich night train or the Munich-Prague night train are very cheap. You can take a direct regional express train from Munich to Prague for 51.30 EUR. If you go 2nd class and book ahead online, you can spend a lot less than 285 EUR.
Posted by
Redding, CA, USA
1568 posts
It is much cheaper to purchase a Bayern Ticket at the Munich main train station for Munich to the Czech border. The Bayern ticket is cheaper than a "Rail Pass Day".
http://www.bayern-takt.de/public_main_modul.php?page_id=299&document_id=380
At the same time purchase a ticket IN MUNICH for the Czech border to Prague portion of your trip.
For Die Bahn timetables:
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en