I will be visiting Germany this summer and plan to take a quick side trip to Auschwitz via Krakow when I first arrive. Since this will be a quick trip (2-3 days), using the night train from Berlin to Krakow and back seems to be my best option. (I arrive on a Sunday and will immediately take a train to Berlin to begin my sidetrip. I will have both a German and Poland rail pass.) According to the Deutsche Bahn site, reservations on this train is required but I have been unable to find a site where I can make sleeper reservations (I am located in the USA). Help!

You don't say what are the dates of your travel. You can make the reservations on the Deutsche Bahn site, but no more than 90 days in advance for sleepers.

Sorry. I would like to leave Berlin on June 4 and return on June 7 so I'm within the 90 day window. However, when I try to book on the DB site, it says "fares not available". It gives me an option to provide my credit card and they will bill me for the amount of the reservation but I'd like to know how much it's going to be first.

dsaiki, I don't believe you can book and pay for fares on line when the ride starts in one country and ends in another. I booked our rail passes and point-to-point tickets through Budget Europe, 1-800-441-2387 and suggest you call them. Byron is very pleasant and helpful and will cut through the mystery for you. Budget Europe charges $15 for their service, and that includes a certified mailing to you to deliver your tickets.

I think you are between the proverbial rock and a hard place. European rail companies are not real helpful to railpass holders.

1. call German Rail at +049 1805 99 66 33 and see what they can do.

2. Go to Euraide, www.euraide.com, or call them. For a service fee of $45, they will get you reservations on the night train at the same price you would pay over there.

3. If you are willing to go by day train, there is a train every day at 9:52 that makes the trip from Berlin to Krakow in 9:23. If you book online from DB, you can get tickets for €29 one way, €58 RT.

I attempted to book a train going the other way around, but gave up and got a flight. Easyjet do really cheap ones.