Berlin-Dresden-Prague
Hi All
My husband and me are in Berlin from NOv 9-16 and I need help with tailoring the itinerary day-wise. Here is our tentative plan: Nov 9 AM - Arrive Berlin Nov 9 - ALexanderplatz, Mitte, Museum Island, Charlottenberg Palace Nov 10 - Charlottenberg palace, Holocaust memorial,Topographies of Teror, Potsdamer Platz, Nov 11 - Potsdam day trip - Sanssouci etc Nov 12 morning - depart to Prague via Dresden Nov 12 afternoon (about 2-3 hrs) - spend in Dresden, is Meissen possible? Nov 12 evening - depart to Prague Nov 12 overnight Prague Nov 13, 14, 15, 16 - Prague Nov 17 - depart to Munich, onward flight home to Singapore Here are my burning questions: 1. Should i add one more day to Berlin? We would like to cover the historical sites and also to experience the famed Berlin nightlife. 2. Or should we stay a night in Dresden and then go on to Prague? 3. Can anyone edit this itinerary for me pleeeeease? Am goign nuts figuring this out on the internet all my myself :( The hubby has conveniently dumped it on me :( 4. Need help navigating the Bahn website and booking the trains. 5. SHould we get a WElcom Berlin card? we are not likely to drive. How does one get to Potsdam from Berlin? Awaiting any inputs and suggestions please! Thanks Anjana |
You don't really need to book the trains in advance unless you hope to catch a discounted ride. If it feels better not to be locked in, buy the tickets when you're there, trains rarely fill up completely except maybe the night before a major holiday or a regional sports event, and there is always another leaving a bit later.
For Potsdam: www.potsdam-tourism.com/infocenter/arrival.html |
C. Palace is on the other side of the city from Alexanderpatz
Do you plan to visit any museums on tme Museum Isle? What do you mean....Mitte ? . it is like saying Brooklyn A few hours in Dresden may be better than nothing...how do you plan to include a trip to another town in 2-3 hours? Prague is much smaller than Berlin with fewer attractions..... I would spend more time in Berlin. Not sure why you wish to visit Potsdam . You might benefit from reading a few guide books . P.s I have been to all 3 cities.. |
> Nov 12 afternoon (about 2-3 hrs) - spend in Dresden, is Meissen possible?
No. |
4. Need help navigating the Bahn website and booking the trains.>
You can just show up and pay full fare - no booking needed - always available IME but to save some money scour www.bahn.de/en for discounted fares that however are sold in limited numbers and to guarantee must be booked weeks in advance and then are non-changeable non-refundable I believe. www.bahn.de is pretty straight forward compared to other countries' booking sites - for some useful tips on using it to the full extent for novices go to the home page of www.budgeteuropetravel.com and click on the Link 'best on-line European railway timetable' or some such wording and it brings you to the English schedule/fare page and this site also gives several useful tips to use all the wonderful features of bahn.de you may not realize at first glance. I would put an extra day in Dresden and take one off Prague - that way you can see the gems of Dresden as well as take a train to nearby Meissen to tour the famous ceramics factory/museum and also a neat old town. |
Agree with PalenQ - add a night in Dresden. There are trains to Prague every hr or 2, so you have you choice of when you leave the next morning.
Having been to Meissen several times I don't think it's worth the visit, and there is so much to see in Dresden proper. If you want your fix of Meissen porcelain there's a factory store right near the Frauenkirche, basement level of the building across from the Hilton entrance. Bring a lot of cash or your credit card - nothing is inexpensive. |
<i>Nov 12 evening - depart to Prague
Nov 12 overnight Prague</i> If you mean an overnight train, I do not think that the distance between Dresden and Prague would make an overnight trip; it's a 2.5 hr. train ride according to Google. 4 days in Prague, with no outings, and 3 days in Berlin with a day's outing would not be my choice. Berlin has more to offer than Prague. |
Thanks for all the info! Adding a night in Dresden as suggested. We now need to book a flight from Prague to Munich. What are some options to check out? I seem to get ridiculously high prices for this leg on kayak.
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Berlin: get on hop-off on bus and you can see everything easily. or you can chose one of the many walking or biking tours.
insider tours new Berlin tours fat tire bike tours |
Hi All
Am caught in a bind here. We already have flights booked from Singapore - Munich - Berlin and Berlin - Munich - Singapore. The Complication : We are going from Berlin to Prague via Dresden. So, our trip will kind of end with Prague. But I am left holding tickets for back home from Munich. So, we end up flying from Prague to Berlin, then to Munich and then to Singapore!! I know, bad research and hasty booking!! Can anyone suggest a better way? All my booked tickets are non-refundable :( But am willing to forego the Munich - Berlin - Munich booking if there is a better option. Tks! |
So, we end up flying from Prague to Berlin, then to Munich>
there are overnight trains Prague to Munich and daytime ones too - just cut out Berlin and head to Munich from Prague? |
Hi PalenQ
I had the same thought and I am trying to find options. The problems are: - Am finding one-way Prague-Munich airfare for around 500+ Euros!! Dont understand! - Trains, I am unsure which website to book from?? DB Bahn gives me express buses for 134.80 Euros for 2 people. Is that reasonable? Would be great to get some more ideas! Thanks! |
There is an advance fare on the Bahn.de site for 59 Euros for two people using the same bus service. I am not sure taking a bus is the most memorable way to end a trip, but perhaps I am thinking of buses in the US.
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those buses are run by the German Railways I believe and from other reports on fodor's are very comfy buses and quicker than trains - there are also trains, including an overnight train I believe.
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Prague to Munich trains actually take a lot longer than the bus does - trains in Czech Republic are not high speed - trains take about 6 hours - the bus about 4.5 and there are many more bus services than trains now on that route.
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I did not see any 2 for 59 euros fare but I put in fairly close dates - about 60 euros for the bus and 96 for bus + ICE train - ironically the bus-ICE combo takes longer than the direct bus. Discounted bus tickets go quick so if you see one and it fits hop on it - currently the buses for the next few days mainly say no special offers available.
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