Please forgive me I realize much of this info is online and I should be able to figure this out myself. Unfortunately, I'm on an awful library connection and can't save searches and when I try to pull up schedules, I get a message that a pop-up window has been blocked... very frustrating. I hope the awesome community here might be able to help me... I would like to travel by train from Berlin to Prague on the 3rd of October, and then train back to Berlin to be on time for my late-morning flight home (to the US) on the 12th of October. From what I've read, it seems that most trains on this route take about 4 1/2 hours, but I believe there's a night train that takes, like, 7 or 8 hours...? Does this sound right? (might be dealing with old info here, hard to tell from what I can find). I'm thinking, ideally, I'd love to secure a daytime ticket for the way from Berlin to Prague, but then coming back it'd be ideal to do the overnight run. Does this sound feasible or are we asking for trouble? Should I be able to work this out online or maybe call a travel agent or perhaps wait till I'm in Berlin or Prague before trying to arrange this? I'm not a student but I am still traveling on a budget. Any tips or suggestions on how best to proceed would be MOST appreciated. Thanks very much! Amasake
Posted by
Columbia, SC
389 posts
Carolyn, I looked at the schedules on the German Railways site, and you're right, there are numerous direct daytime trains in both directions, taking about 4 hours and 40 minutes. There are no night trains linking these two cities- they're just not far enough apart (maybe there were in past decades when trains ran slower?) So you'll need to book a night in Berlin before your flight. There are "savings fares" ("Sparpreise" in German) for those tickets- these fares are often available if you book at least three days in advance and commit to specific trains (i.e., the ticket is valid for one train at one time and date rather than a normal "open" ticket that is valid for any train on that route). Looks like you can get a savings fare for about 70 euros, saving you about 50 euros from the standard 2nd class fare. I'd go ahead and book them as soon as you have access to a better Internet connection. As I recall it's pretty easy to buy tickets online through the Deutsche Bahn (German Railways). Good luck! Will
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19118 posts
There is a night train between Prague and Amsterdam, and it goes through Berlin. However, like most night trains, it picks up passenger for part of the trip (in this case up to Berlin at 00:12), then runs without stoping (until about 4 AM), then only discharges passenger after 4. I don't think there is anyway to book it, even just seats, from Prague to Berlin. Do what Will suggested and take one of the ECs and get a Europa-Spezial fare starting at €29 per person. On the 11th, between noon (12:31) and 16:31, I see three of those trains with €34 fares still available and two earlier trains with €29 fares available.
Posted by
OP
West Chester, PA, USA
8 posts
Thank you SO MUCH!!! I have one more question, though, concerning overnight trains... I see references online to an overnight train from Prague to Frankfurt.... granted, I saw similar references to one from Prague to Berlin that turned out to be no more, so I've been trying to find this Prague - Frankfurt route online thru the links so kindly provided but, again, this darn library connection is daunting me, I'm afraid. I hate to ask again... but gosh, this site is so helpful... and it's a haul & a half for me to get to a faster computer, ugh. Anyone see an overnight from Prague to Frankfurt? If I could get to Frankfurt by 12:50 pm on October 12th, I'd just skip the Berlin - Frankfurt leg of my flight home and leave directly from Frankfurt. I like the idea of an overnight train cause that'll save me a hotel room and give me an extra day in Prague, to boot. Thank you so much for any assistance... I can't tell you how much I appreciate this community of travelers! Cheers!
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
There is a direct CNL night train that leaves Prague at 18:31 and stops in Frankfurt at 03:59 on its way to Zurich. Book ASAP (up to 92 days allowed) on the German Rail site to have the best chance of getting a Europa-Spezial Tschechien discount fare. However, you can leave Prague at 17:30 on an express bus to Nurenberg and connect to a train to Frankfurt which arrives at 23:39. Book on the German Rail site ASAP to get a €29 discount fare. That still gives you most of the day in Prague.
Posted by
OP
West Chester, PA, USA
8 posts
Hello again -- just wanted to follow up here to say YIPPEEEEEE!!! We scored a deluxe sleeper cabin for our last night in Europe. Leaving Prague in the evening, arriving in Frankfurt around 4 am (we'll have 8 hours on the plane ride home to catch up on sleep). Thank you thank you thank you thank you so much for your help! This site is amazing. I can now begin researching sleeper car travel, which is fun even on a slow connection. If anyone has any tips or "I wish I'd have known"'s... I'm all ears. Er, eyes. Er... I'd love to know more. Meanwhile, thanks again to this awesome community of travelers. Hope I can one day return the favor with helpful advice of my own. Cheers!
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19118 posts
Tips? The night train to Zuerich doesn't go to the airport, or even the Hauptbahnhof. It stops at Frankfurt Suedbahnhof (south station). Make sure you get off at the Suedbahnhof, the next stop is in Mannheim. The fastest connection from Suedbahnhof to the airport is to take the U-Bahn to Hauptwache and the S-Bahn from there to the airport. There is also a bus (#61) directly from the Suedbahnhof to the airport. I takes longer, but has no changes. Either method costs €3,90 per person.