bks

My girlfriend and I are planning on taking the overnight train from Prague to Krakow and then from Krakow to Vienna. We are hoping to sleep on the train during both trips. Are there any reasons why we should reconsider this approach? Also, I am assuming that we should purchase the train tickets well in advance (we will be there at the end of May), but I am not sure where to purchase the tickets. Can we purchase the train tickets on the internet?

MEinPG

Sept. 2001 we took the night train from Krakow to Prague because the day train had so many stops and took so much longer. We bought our tickets the day before at the train station in Krakow, I'm sure you can order them over the internet but they will probably be a lot more expensive. There were three of us so it worked out really well booking a 2nd class couchette (three bunks), but I think a 1st class couchette has only two bunks. The cost was about $80 CDN each. A web site for train info in Poland is www.pkp.pl. and to book trips www.raileurope.com. Hope this helps. Krakow is wonderful!

elberko

I don't have personal info on this route, but here are 2 sites which may help:

www.footloosetravel.com
www.euraide.de

You probably don't need to get tickets ahead of time, but you may be able to buy them through the euraide site. without the big RailEurope mark-up.

MEinPG is describing SLEEPERS above. COUCHETTES are 4 or 6 berths, and never private.

GSteed

Inquire about pickpockets on Krakow trains. Check on safety of night travel on trains. Busses are safer.

kathleen

My husband and I took the overnight train from Prague to Krakow last May. We purchased our tickets in Prague at the main office of the Cedok travel agency. We did however take with us a web print out of the train number, depature, and arrival times, although it was completely unnecessary. The personnel at the travel agency were very professional and thorough. It was suggested by others on this board to purchase the tickets after arrival in Europe and I would agree with that. We booked about five days in advance of overnight travel date.

ben_haines_london

I agree with advice you have had. Couchettes are six people to a compartment, and take a 12 euro supplement: second class sleepers are three to a compartment and take a 40 euro supplement. To have a place to yourselves you would travel first class, two berth, at 150 percent of second class fares and supplements.

The journey overnight on seats is a mistake. First, you arrive tired. Second, the trains have travelling luggage thieves. There is a note on getting the best from sleepers and couchettes at http://www.twenj.com/tipsnighttrains.htm.

May will be fairly busy, though not top pressure. You pay no more if you book now with Cedok Travel, http://www.cedok.cz, who charge to your credit card via internet, and have tickets at your hotel or hostel when you reach Prague. Krakow Glowna Station has pickpockets in gangs of three. So before you pass through it you should put a little money and one credit card in a pocket, and all else in a pocket inside your biggest piece of luggage. If you can afford it, the stylish arrival is to take a luggage trolley on the platform, take the lift up to the station roof, look for a taxi with a name and phone number on the side, drive off, stop to collect cash at an ATM (bankomat), reach the hotel, ask the receptionist the right taxi fare, and pay the driver that.

Overnight sitting up in a bus is nasty.

Please write if I can help further.


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Christy

Does anyone have any safety tips on how to secure the door to the sleepers? Is it necessary to lash it from the inside?