I need advice on train tickets from Salzburg to Prague
 

There are 7 in our group so we can't book them all at once on the website (max is 5). So we're trying to book them in two groups - 3 in one group and 4 in the other.

From other research I was directed to do this through the Czek train's website at https://www.cd.cz/eshop/default.aspx. We're trying to go the first week in June. So each family has someone on the phone trying to book the two sets of tickets at the same time (from different homes) so that we know we can be on the same train. We've tried just about every train in a three day window and no matter which train we try to get on it will allow one person to get to the purchase window but the other person is told there are no tickets available. If the first person who was able to book backs up in the purchase process and the other person proceeds then they can buy tickets and the other person is now told they can't. While I understand some of these trains might be almost full I can't believe EVERY train between the two cities in a 3 day window has just enough for one family to buy but not the other. It's like the system realizes there are two purchases trying to occur from the same area and blocking one. I know that doesn't make sense. I just can't figure it out.

So then I tried it from the Austrian train website at https://www.oebb.at/en/. While the site wasn't nearly as user friendly it did seem to allow me to purchase one set...but for $200 more a family.

The other option is to call Rail Europe's US line where they say they can get all 7 seated together...for almost $1500 more!

Any advice? I'm going to try and call Byron tomorrow.

Do that very thing and let HIM figure it out.

It's hard to know what to advise as this is very confusing. YOu say you are trying to do this by phone but then say the "system" blocks you because they know the purchases are from the same area. How can this be happening if you are talking to someone on the phone?

And then you say you can buy for one family on the Austrian website, which also only allows 5 people, but then claim you cannot on the Czech one even though previously you said it was only a problem when you tried to book 7 or when two of you were doing it simultaneously So that sounds to me like you could book for 5 on the CR website.

But I don't know what you are really doing.

Try BudgetEuropeTravel.com. It can be complicated buying train tickets online from one country to another. I needed tickets from Vienna to Prague, and Bob at BET was so informative and helpful.

http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com

Call their 800 number. They are in the States.

Christiana - Good grief...I did say Phone. That was an accident, thanks for the catch. We were both on a computer trying to book at the same time. Long and short of it is we can't book 2 families on any train near our timeframe, but can book one family on every single train. That just doesn't seem logical.

It appears we can buy from the Austrian website but it costs $500 more and $1500 more from rail europe.

Tab - I did call them. I'm waiting for Byron to call me back.

Wekiva, good. I think they can help you.