First time to Berlin and Prague
 

Hi
I will be going to Berlin at the end of August for 6 days before leaving for Prague. I was considering taking a day trip to either Hamburg or Dresden. Will I be able to buy a train ticket the day I want to travel to these destinations ? What station can I purchase these tickets. Can anyone tell me about Hamburg or Dresden and whether they are worth a day trip? Also when I arrive in Prague will they except euros or should I convert them at the airport?

Thanks

It's quite common to walk up and buy a ticket immediately before boarding a train. But on some fast trains you are required to have a reserved seat, and for that you're better off getting the ticket and the seat reservation a day or two in advance.

You can buy the tickets at any station, not just the one from where the train will actually leave. You'll also find travel agents in town that are computer-linked to the trains system (look for the db = Deutsche Bahn logo).

Hamburg is a fine city with a terrific harbor and much more to see. Dresden might interest you, too - I trust it will have dried out by August fro the recent floods.

Google each city name and see for yourself.

The Czech Crown is still the currency in Prague for a few more years, you get about 28 Crowns to the Euro, give or take. Wait til you get there and use an ATM but watch your surroundings, Prague is still a bit of a wild-west town around train stations, and taxi drivers are not to be trusted unless a hotel or restaurant has called one by phone from a trusted company.

If you feel better about it, change some before heading thee, your exchange rate won't be quite as good,

I like both Hamburg & Dresden and I would recommend an overnight stay in either cities rather than a day trip. Dresden has more "must see" museums & art than Hamburg. You can also take the S bahn train to a very nice hiking area called Bastei which is comparable to a national park in Utah. Hamburg however has a nice waterfront metropolitan ambiance & energy.

I was just in Dresden last April and there was no flood whatsoever inside Dresden. The flood was on the lowlying outskirts. There is a resident Fodorite in Dresden, if you do a search under his name Ingo, you'll find a wealth of info about Dresden. If you do a search under "hsv", you'll find the postings of hsv who lives in Hamburg. Dig deeper into the older posts, then you'll find a ton of detailed info about Hamburg. Have a nice trip.

I've only been to Berlin once [Jul '05] and never to Hamburg or Dresden ,though Dresden is on my list for my next trip to Berlin. Based on my experience, I'd say you'd have enough to do in Berlin itself without going too far afield. A closer day trip would be Potsdam [on the train or a tour] or any of the day trips that you can do on the river - eg - taking the boat to Charlottenburg.
You shouldn't have any problems changing your euros into Czech currency at the airport, or getting some out of an ATM.

I assume you are planning, or have tickets , to fly between Berlin and Prague, is that correct?

Otherwise it is an easy rail trip to Dresden and then on to Prague but if your travel plans are firmly set...

Agreed that you will defininitely need Czech Crowns rather than Euros; I personally suggest getting them from an ATM.

I agree that a Potsdam day trip would be the most practical logistically. We thorughly enjoyed a full day at Postdam in November and stopped in Wansee on the way back to Berlin..the train ride to Postdam is less than 30 minutes and leaves from the S-bahn station near Ku'damm.
Stu T.

Hi
If you're interested in a day trip, I agree, Potsdam makes the most sense. You can get there quickly by train. From the train station in Potsdam, there is public transportation directly to Sans Souci, which is where most people visit. That takes several hours. Take public transportation back to the staion and then back to Berlin. We were there last Sept. I don't remember the number of the bus but we did use it. We left our car at the hotel Murcure where we stayed and used public transportation. Very good and direct. Sans Souci and the grounds and various buildings are beautiful and worth a visit.

Come to think of it, I spent 4 nights in Berlin and 2 nights in Dresden this last spring break before we went to Prague by train. There is a bargain at the website Bahn.de where you can purchase a special fare ticket from Berlin to Prague with a 40 hour stop in Dresden for 29 euros per person. The key is entering the free mid-stop in Dresden. I agree with other posters that Berlin has a lot to offer as I have visited Berlin 5 times. At the same time I have met individuals who didn't enjoy big sprawling Berlin when they compared it to other German cities/towns, so I still think Dresden will give you a nice contrast before you hit another big city (Prague).

Thanks everyone for your information. I think I will add Potsdam to my list.