We'll be visiting Prague and Vienna soon. Is it best to purchase the train ticket from home or in Prague regarding availability and price? Also, we're hoping to take a day trip to Cesky Krumlov or Karlsbad -- any recommendations about bus, train or car and which one to choose would be great. Thanks in advance.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
It might be worth the cost of an international phone call to see if you can get a Sparschiene fare for Prague-Vienna. They start at €19. Dial 011 (US international access code) + 43 (country code for Austria) + (0)5-1717. Omit the initial zero which is only used for calls originating in Austria.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
25 posts
In August, we found that the bus was the quickest way from Prague to Cesky Krumlov, at just under 3 hours one-way. We loved the town, but I think an overnight would be much better because that's a lot of bus travel - on some winding roads - for one day.
We decided to go from Cesky Krumlov by taxi to Linz, Austria, which is on the main train route between Vienna and Frankfurt (and other destinations in Germany). It took just over an hour, and was only about $100 for 4 of us. Saved lots of time! I recommend calling the taxi/shuttle service mentioned in Rick's book, run by Lobos Pension. You can also find the website for the Czech bus system in Rick's book - sorry I don't have it handy to give you.
For the train between Vienna and Prague, call the Austrian railway and try to get a Spar-Schiene ticket. It was really easy to book over the phone, even though I speak no German, and it was a bargain to get those discounted tickets.