7 days Berlin and Prague next week!!
 

Hi All,

My husband and I (24,25) are planning our trip which leaves next week Thursday to Berlin and Prague! We already booked our flights and were hoping to take a contiki tour however I waited too long to book and the tour for our dates is already full so looks like we're going it on our own!

I already booked the Westin Grand in Berlin on points for Friday to Monday and The Aparthotel City 5 (based on reviews on tripadivsor) for Prague Monday to Thursday.

I am having difficulty trying to find the most economical AND convenient way to travel from Berlin to Prague and from Prague to Vienna (I was able to book the 2nd half of the Contiki tour which is Vienna and Budapest). I am also hoping to maybe stop in Saltzburg on our way to Vienna to do the Sound of Music tour since it's been one of my favorite movies since I was 4!

Can anyone please help me with the transportation aspect of it all? Should I reserve train tickets in advance or just figure it out when we get there? Anything you particularly recommend we do in Berlin and Prague? I am so lost since I was expecting on being on the tour and now that we are doing it on our own and don't have that much time to plan, I need ALL the help that I can get!!

How do I get from Berlin to Prague? Prague to Saltzburg (or is it worth even going)? then to Vienna???

Thanks so much!

While in Berlin, one of the best things you can do are some walking tours or bike tours. This will give you a great orientation to the city, lots of information about other things to see and do, plus a wonderful dollop of history too. Lots of different companies to choose from, but I can personally recommend the Insider Tours, as we have done 3 tours with them. They also offer a nice variety too, like a Cold War tour, a 3rd Reich tour, and tours to Potsdam and to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp.

It is too late to get the great deals on train tickets, so you can just buy your tickets here, unless you find a good, cheap flight instead.

the train ride from Berlin to Prague is about 5 hours; you can get tickets after you arrive.

I wouldn't even BOTHER with Salzburg (yes, I Do like the place) because you'll have PLENTY to see and do IN Prague (forget those little towns outside of it also for a first trip)...and it will be much more authentic than what you may have seen other places....

You don't have all that many days to fill in each city, so just go with the major sights and activities in your guidebook.

However, in Berlin I especially enjoyed:
The Museum Island (Pergamon musuem was special)
Free walking tour with Sandeman's New Berlin tours
Berlin Wall
Third Reich sights
The Bebelplatz
New Holocaust Memorial
Reichstag

My favorites in Prague:
Prague Castle (more than just a castle)
Old Town wandering
The sights in the Jewish Quarter
Charles Bridge
Mucha Museum
Museum of Decorative Arts
Nouveau/Deco architecture and art

We just returned from a week in Berlin (with a side trip to Dresden). Our highlights of Berlin were:

Reichstag Dome - go early or late to avoid standing in line forever. We had dinner there and toured the dome afterwards. At around 10:30pm, there were less than 20 people in the entire dome (last entry is 10pm but dome is open until midnight).

3.5 hour free walking tour with Sandeman's New Berlin tours - a great way to see the historic core (Mitte) of Berlin

Berlin Wall (East Side gallery)

Museums, esp Pergamon Museum. We also enjoyed Gemaldegalerie (Old Picture Gallery), a must-see if you like Old Masters Paintings.

you can buy tickets Berlin-Prague on line(maybe save some money)

http://www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml

Thanks everyone! Danon, i was looking to purchase the rail pass and for some reason when i put in the stations i want it says a price isn't available but i can still purchase it - isn't that odd? How can i purchase it without knowing how much they will be charging me?
Thanks for you help - any insight would be great!