train travel Paris to Prague

It takes 13+ hours by train. Flying is the best way to go. If you must go by train, you can force the issue by buying two separate tickets, Paris to Munich via Stuttgart, then Munich to Prague with an ALX train.

It's easier and cheaper to just fly to Prague on EasyJet.com.

Distances in Europe are often farther than expected. And riding a train over 3 hours is just not very enjoyable. Night trains are downright torture.

Hi,

You have a couple of options if you prefer the train over flying. I haven't done Paris to Prague but Paris to Vienna, ...still be prepared to be all day on the train with transfers.

You can take Paris to Frankfurt on the ICE, then Frankfurt to Prague. This leg is by DB bus, very comfortable. Yes, there is even the night train option if you decide to choose that, a bit circuitous but still possible. Take Paris to Strasbourg on the TGV, change to S-Bahn to Offenburg. From Offenburg to Berlin by the CNL night train. Then I would stay a night or two in Berlin, then take the EC train to Prague. It all depends on how you want to tailor the rides. I took the Munich-Berlin CNL night train a couple of weeks ago, very satisfactory, no problems.

Night trains from Paris to Germany have been abolished, so the routes have to be tailored to what you prefer.

I usually check schedules on DB and then check prices on Rail Europe for the same leg of trip. Not saying you have to buy a ticket thru Rail Europe necessarily but it will give you a general idea of cost.
I've done Wurzburg to Regensburg to Prague-- the "southern" route of the two that head east from Germany. As others have said, takes all day but lovely scenery. That was five years ago and the difference between east and west was still palpable in terms of train equipment, buildings, stations, etc. But that may have changed in past few years. If you do the train, I'd definitely break it up and stop somewhere for a night or two.

German Rail sells online a lot of tickets for train connections with one end in Germany and one end outside Germany, but they don't sell tickets for connections with both ends outside Germany (ie, Paris and Prague). But you could break up the trip into two tickets, one from Paris to Mannheim, Munich, or ? and the other ticket from there to Prague.

I would not be worried about the Mannheim to Prague bus. It's a modern InterCity bus run by the Bahn, with a bathroom, snack bar, and attendant. It only makes one or two stops, including Nürnberg. I understand from those who have used them that they are quite nice.

If you take Sam's advice and go from Paris to Munich to Prague, book the first ticket as
'Paris" to "Munich ZOB (Hackerbrücke)". That way the ticket will include the S-Bahn from Munich, Pasing to Hackerbrücke.

Thanks everyone. We have decided to fly.