What is the best route? We will likely have a German Rail Pass but the trip through Linz looks interesting.I have seen the early morning train to Munchen and then the direct train to Prague. What is ALX?I know the bus is faster but seating for that long maybe an issue.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19099 posts
First, ALX is a Swiss owned private company operating regional trains in Germany under their privatization policy. I would say that they are mostly equivalent to Regional Express (RE) trains. So they are usable with a regional pass like the Bayern-Ticket. They operate largely between Lindau and Prague through Munich. The ones I have been on have been fairly new coaches, well maintained. I guess whether you go via Linz, or via Munich and Furth im Wald with a German Rail pass, is up to you. The German Rail pass would cover Salzburg to Munich to the Czech border. If you can purchase a ticket on the train from the Czech conductor, the rest of the way to Prague would be about 10€. If you have to purchase it from German Rail it will be more like 30€. Or, you might buy a ticket from Furth im Wald on the border to Domazlice for about 6€ and then a Czech Rail ticket on the train from there to Prague.
Posted by
OP
Vacaville, California, USA
87 posts
The ALX train I see switches inside the Czech Republic.Do you purchase the ticket with the ALX conductor or the Czech?Can you use Euros or do you need Czech money?
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19099 posts
I don't know what goes on in the ALX train. Were the conductors ALX conductors or Czech conductors? Maybe someone else knows. I was supposed to take ALX from Pilsen to Prague in May, but my Czech train coming from Klatovy was late and the ALX train was leaving Pilsen when I arrived. I took a Czech train an hour later. I did see people buying tickets from the conductor on the Czech trains. I would not assume they were paying in Euro. Looking at the Czech Rail website, I notice that for Domazlice to Prague, they show taking a Czech regional train to Pilsen and the ALX train (designated EX355) from Pilsen to Prague, even though the ALX train, which starts in Munich as ALX355, stops in Domazlice before Pilsen. Czech Rail doesn't show EX355 going anywhere except Pilsen to Prague. Does this mean that from the German border to Pilsen it is under the control of German Rail and you would have to by board tickets at German prices?