logos999

Tricky question. I´m in Pilsen, CZ right now. There is one direct train, RE454 leaving for Munich at 10.58am.
A czech ticket gets me to the border. From there I would want to use a Bayern Ticket. However, it seems the train doesn´t stop long enough to get one from the machine. In a similar situation, the conductor sold me a Bayern Ticket onboard. Has anybody here detailed info if this is still possible? Thanks! Now lets continue thewith beer and dumplings, I´ll see how much fits into the stomach today. ;-)

TimS

A phone call to Die Bahn should give you the answer. Dial + 49 1805 - 996633 from outside Germany.

DAX

Yeah very tricky logos considering you live in Munich. I used to do that and gladly paid the extra 10% surcharge rather than stepping off the train, however I read somewhere that the conductors no longer sell them on board these days. Let us know if this is actually true based on your experience. That said, I've also seen an angry conductor literally threw out a passenger at the border to buy his ticket (I think because he also didn't have enough money). Hope you won't run into any angry conductor.

logos999

I´m not sure, if I want to risk it. It worked once, but things seem to have changed. Of course, there`s always the next train. Crossing from Austria into CZZ, only having Euros, but boarding in Austria was rather exciting . I did manage, not to pay the international fare, but it took a while. . After literally one hour of discussion, the conductor gave up and charged the local fare (120 crowns for 100km). However, Bavarian conductors are not as reluctant to throw anybody off the train. Anyway, it was big fun, watching people trying to buy my 20 Euro bil for the equivalent of 4 to 6 Euros. Basic rule, on the international train, they have to take Euros, but of course don`t "know" a thing about it .

logos999

Didn't get a chance to check. The train has a 9 min stop at the border station, enough to get a ticket from the machine. You wouldn't have needed a ticket today anyway. The train was crammed with people and no conductor in sight

DAX

So what really happened? Did you manage to buy from the ticket machine at the station or did you travel as a 'blackrider'?

PalenQ

You went to Prague from Germany, right? (maybe not but seems so) - why did you not buy the pass before you left Germany - can buy it in machines in most stations even outside Bavaria i think?

logos999

I bought the ticket from the machine and shared it with another traveller, but nobody would have noticed if I hadn't bought one at all. .

logos999

>buy the pass before you left Germany
You can't buy it in CZ and you have to know the date you're travelling. I have lots of time right now. I didn't know when I would return.

PalenQ

lots of time - have someone in Deutschland buy it and send it to your hotel?

logos999

Well, I wouldn't stay in one place for more than one or two days and didn't know in the morning where to sleep that night. Perfect way of travelling. I went Leizpig - Dresden - Görlitz - Silesia - Krakow - Tarnow - Krynica - down to Slovakia (Poprad-Tatry) - to Hungary (Miscolc) - Sopron - Györ - Vienna - up to Budovice - Pilsen and back to Munich. Nice . Rooms were from 16€ /night in Poland to 40€ in Miscolc.

logos999

Well, I wouldn't stay in one place for more than one or two days and didn't know in the morning where to sleep that night. Perfect way of travelling. I went Leizpig - Dresden - Görlitz - Silesia - Krakow - Tarnow - Krynica - down to Slovakia (Poprad-Tatry) - to Hungary (Miscolc) - Budapest - Sopron - Györ - Vienna - up to Budovice - Pilsen and back to Munich. Nice . Rooms were from 16€ /night in Poland to 40€ in Miscolc.

DAX

logos, your mode of travel is more extreme than mine but it sounds nice to have complete freedom to enjoy. It would be nice to just soak the local flavor,meet people,eat and enjoy a place then move on. Do you use HRS to find your next hotel or just check out the ones you happen to pass?

What's your impression of Slovakia? Is it ready for tourism? Worth your stay?

logos999

>just check out the ones you happen to pass?
Depends, I only used HRS for the first night on this trip all other hotels where either places I just passed by or, like in Hungary, or I used the local tourist office. Unfortunately most close at 4pm, far to early imho. Slovakia wasn't a problem at all, ready for tourism lots of "unbelievably" inexpensive restaurants, except for Kosice, which I found had a quite "frustrating mood". Peolpe looked like they were going to a funeral there... A few rund down houses and broken roofs in the outer parts. I didn't stay there, but took the next train to Miskloc. A beautiful little town, just like Tarnow in Poland! However, Slovakia isn't bad at all, no problem finding a room. I liked Poland best, esp. those non touristy areas. Even in Krynica, there were hardly any foreign tourists, but a more than perfect tourist infrastructure. You can get a room for 10€ if you like. You don't have to compromise on quality.

DAX

Thanks, I'll research those towns you mentioned. Do you happen to have some websites that persuaded you to go there?

logos999

Try this:
http://www.go-tarnow.com/english/index.html
In Miskolc, don't be scared by the "socialist skyscrapers" out of town. You don't see them from the center. Krynica isn't the place for old buildings, but food and watching other tourists. Unfortunately almost no English spoken there, but very clean and nice.

DAX

Thanks for the nice website, I've never even heard of Tannow before. Did you miss nearby Krakow? I had wanted to venture into Poland from Berlin last april but just couldn't convince my wife yet. If I were to travel alone i need to make sure that I can at least communicate with the locals.

"no English spoken there" (Krynica), so do you speak Polish or do they understand German at least?

logos999

>Did you miss nearby Krakow?
Yes, there were just to many tourists there, as interesting as it may have been, I think it's better for winter.
>no English
They don't speak anything but Polish there, nor do I understand a single word of what they say. . However as long as I could communicate by hands and feed it worked out. I saw a picture of kielbasa with fritky and it just looked like a german Bratwurst with fries. Perfect and tasty, just like at home. There are quite a few german words in Polish (or the other way around?) where you'd never expect them, it was fun!

DAX

I probably wouldn't enjoy it as much if I can't communicate because I like to enjoy the local daily life when I travel to a place. You're way more adventurous.

logos999

You can't talk over the phone, that's for sure, but face to face, all the basic info gets across. You talk in your language, the other person in hers/his. Just this morning in Pilsen I asked a lady in German where I cound buy tickets for thwe tramway. She answered is Czech that I'd better walk because there was an accident a few 100m ahead. She managed to get the info across and I walked, even though I didn't understand a single word. In Miskolc I asked for the way to the city from the station and where I could buy tickets. I learned what "take line numer one to downtown" means in hungarian. (Already forgot it now ). If you ask slowly and friendly in any language, people will do anything to help. She told the tram driver to inform me when to get off. Worked perfectly.