After doing a topic search, I found the latest one was a few years ago. Anyone have knowledge of taking the train, buying tickets, making reservations, cost (and anything else I need to know that I'm not bright enough to ask). There will be three of us. Thanks for any info.

www.bahn.de

Thanks for the website. After looking, there are several stations to choose - I typed in Frankfurt Airport and that appeared, but several Prague stations to choose from - anyone knowledgeable about the different stations - especially since it's hard to read? Thanks anyone.

Holesovice in Prague i believe for trains from Frankfurt

check www.bahn.de as bobnavigator gives for schedules and for pricing - including online discounted tickets, which however i believe may be train specific so not all that good for folks flying in as your plane could be late, etc. Full fare tickets bought at the station are very expensive as you'll see on the bahn.de site. If desiring flexibility to hop on any train anytime in Germany then investigate either the German Railpass or the new Germany-Czech Republic Eurailpass - can hop on and off at will any Germany train with the pass and if desiring flexibility to take any train anytime, such as folks flying in may desire, then investigate both those passes. For tons of great info on trains in Germany and more about the railpasses i always recommend: www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id9.html

the fastest connection Fr Airport to Prague has you taking an ICE express train from Frankfurt Airport's Fernbanhhof (long-distance train station as opposed to the airport's Regional bahnhof (train station) that has only trains to nearby regional cities and S-Bahns into Frankfurt itself.

but you take the train to Nurnberg then a bus to Prague - quicker than the only train options that take about 2 hours longer (due to slow going trains once in the Czech Republic)

you can buy your tickets at the airport train station but they do not come automatically with seat reservations for the train as these in Germany are optional and a few euros extra i believe (anyone please correct me if wrong) - otherwise sans reservations you just board the train and find empty seats, usually without too much problem and you should IME have no problem getting on these trains - no need to advance book but you can get deep discounted fares if you do so perhaps at bahn.de. I think the ticket for the train-bus could be purchased in entirety at the airport train station ticket windows but i am not 100% sure of this as it is a bus - but since it is on the bahn.de site i would expect you would buy the whole thru ticket in Frankfurt Airport. I think a railpass would perhaps not be valid on the bus but again i am not sure.

Please ask questions if still hazy.

I find bahn.de so confusing. Where do you find deep discounted fares there? I did go to ricksteves.com and found $286 if two or more people were traveling together - Frankfurt/Prague/Frankfurt. Does this fare sound reasonable?

Bob - how do you navigate that site????

bahn.de gives the normal walk-up fare at 91 euros each way airport to Prague - for the train/bus and 108 euros p.p. for all by train.

RickSteves uses RailEurope.com fares - but clarify the $286 if that p.p. or for three people total - if for 3 people total then it would be much better than 91-108 euros each person. But Rick Steves don't sell tickets but funnels you thru RailEurope.com.

Bob - how do you navigate that site????

Maybe this will help you - go to www.budgeteuropetravel.com and on their home page they have a link to the Bahn.de's English schedule page and they give several tips on how to use the, to me Wunderbar Bahn.de site - now i have used it for years and it is a snap.

But go to the bahn.de English page site that above is linked to and then put in Frankfurt(M)Flughafen as your Start station and Prague hl. n as your Stop (or destination) station - change the date to whatever date you are planning on traveling and the time to start searching connections from to what you think you want. Then click on the Red Search button down at the far right. It seems there are no discounted tickets on this route so you may as well buy your tickets after landing at the airport's Fernbahnof (follow signs for this) and then take the next convenient connection - train and bus probably. The bahn.de site does say reservations are compulsory on the bus segment and will be given to you when you buy the ticket.

please ask any questions if i can be more a help?

Palenque: The $286 was per person.

$286 p.p. vs 91 euros there or about $140

i'll have to think that Rick Steves link to RailEurope something must have gone wrong - RailEurope usually charges a bit more forf full fare German tickets but not that much. Out of curiosity i would check. and if you are doing any other train travel in Germany then investigate the Germany-Czech Republic railpass - http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id...#gecz%20prices shows a five day pass (flexipass - good for five days of unlimited train travel in those two countries in a two-month period - use your five days whenever you want) five days of unlimited fully flexible (hop on any train anytime) costs $286 and this is what i think the Rick Steves site was actually pointing out - not that $286 p.p. just for the Fra-Pra ticket - but for the pass, which Steves does sell, though again thru RailEurope. This is for a Saver Pass (two or more people traveling together) which also accounted for your 'two people traveling together' - Buy the pass before leaving as i think this pass is not sold in Germany but if doing regular tickets just wait until landing and buy a return ticket at the airport train station ticket window.

And as they say in German and which i love quoting: "Have a Gute Fahrt" - a good journey!

Thanks for all your help,Palenque.

What's the point to use rip off agencies or websites, which advertise those???
Especially if you can purchase everything really easy directly from DB website and get your ticket from Frank. to Prague for as low as 29 euro one way

Daken i agree but i did not see any 29 euro fares for Frankfurt to Prague - just 91 euros standard fare - i'll search again and see if i can find the 29 euro fare you are talking about.

Especially if you can purchase everything really easy directly from DB website and get your ticket from Frank. to Prague for as low as 29 euro one way>

Daken - i've looked at several days i see no 29 euro fare to Prague - you obviously have so tell me what i am doing wrong, thanks.

In standard DB timetable there are two columns - Saving fare and Regular fare. Specifically for Germany-Czech Rep. connection it is called Europa-Spezial Tschechien, it is a type of Spar fare. Usually you need to purchase such tickets like some time in advance (on certain routes even up to 3 month), but Frank(M)-Prague tickets for 29 euro available even for coming Sunday, Monday etc.
29 euro tickets available not for all possible connections (some cost 39, 49 etc. euro), but generally you can plan for 29 euro ticket pretty easy.

"just 91 euros standard fare"
is that one way or roundtrip please?

ChrisinPrague, one way international ticket

daken - thanks for clearing that up for me, and others

Thanks Daken and Palenque - very helpful!