How safe will I be on overnight trains in Eastern Eurpoe?

I ask because every tour book I read and a co-worker that lived in Budapest (in the mid 1990's) warns about theft on overnight trains in Eastern Europe.

We are planning to take two overnight trains (in first class sleepers). The first between Krakow and Prague and the second between Prague and Budapest.

Would anyone share their overnight expereince on these routes--good or bad?

Thanks in advance.
Kate

I take sleepers in central Europe about four times a year. The compartment door has both a lock and either a fixed chain or a bolt, which cannot be opened from outside. In most trains, the conductor locks outer doors of the car during the night (so if you are going to come back from a restaurant car you need to tell your conductor). These trains have travelling thieves, and few people stay awake all night, so seats cars, with no clocks on doors, are unsafe.

You may expect to elicit dreadful tales of poison gas and o on, but these always happened to a cousin of a friend, or a fellow traveller, never to the writer, and are urban myth. Others are likely to tell us how they themselves were robbed, but it will turn out that they were in a seats car. Tales from people who could not sleep on a train are perfectly true: if you think you will not sleep then you will not sleep.

In the main stations of both Prague and Krakow pickpockets work in gangs of three: two crowd you while the third picks your pocket. So if I am to walk through either station I put my rail ticket, a credit and a little money in a front pocket or in the top of my sock, and all other valuables in a packet well down in my biggest piece of luggage. Then once safely in my compartment or in my hotel reception area I pull out the valuables, such as passport, that I am going to need.

There is a note on getting the best from sleepers and couchettes at http://www.twenj.com/tipsnighttrains.htm/. Please write if I can help further.

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to kate1.
The Prague -Krakow night train has a unsafe reputation .The urban legend mentioned by Mr. Hines (gassing of passangers) is most likely just a legend.You dont have to travel this route at night .I think it much more comfortable to take the day train
since there are train changes involved .
Check with www.bahn.hafas.de for times.
Krakow station is a tad confusing without any clear info posted , it is a good idea to study up on some key polish words .
Good luck

The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable. Table 95 shows services from Prague to Krakow. I shall start with your night train: board at Prague about 2045, leave 2112, direct train, Krakow 0536 (but you can have a longer night via Warsaw: see below). It is by day that you have changes of train.
Prague Hlavni 0803, Prerov 1145 to 1150, Krakow Glowna 1557
Prague Hlavni 1105, Katowice 1726 to 1818, Krakow Glowna 1929
Prague Hlavni 1305, Ostrava 1736 to 1754, Katowice 1926 to 1947, Krakow Glowna 2101
The 1145 from Prerov has a restaurant car until 1320. The 1105 and 1305 from Prague and the 1705 from Katowice have restaurant cars.

For about 25 euros extra you can have a full night. Board at Prague about 2045, leave 2112, direct train, Warsaw Central 0700 to 0800, breakfast in the restaurant car, Kraskow 1035

You can avoid confusion in Prague Glowna station if you hide your valuables but keep a credit card, arrive at the station, take a luggage trolley, wheel your goods to the lift on the platform, go up to the roof, choose a taxi with a phone number painted on it, and take it first to an ATM cash machine (bankautomat) and then on to your hotel.

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Sorry: in my note for Prsgue Glowna please read Krakow Glowna.

Tales of theft on central European trains are few nowadays, but in all Europe I still recommend a couchette or a 3-berth sleeper, partly for safety, and partly for a whole night’s sleep in comfort, and a resulting good day to follow.

I still maintain my note on how to gain the most from a night on a train, and shall gladly e mail it to anyone who asks me for it

Ben Haines, London
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ttt

The stories about robberies on some of these trains are legion and the tactics used become more outlandish, if not clever, with each re-telling. This includes the infamous "sleeping gas" episodes as well as the story of people outside in way stations outside of temporarily-stopped trains trains poking long sticks inside open windows to "fish" out valuables.

I think Mr. Haines has given you, at least from my own personal experience, particularly valuable information.

<b>DO NOT</b> under any circumstances whatsoever, even start to believe you can thwart the pickpockets by keeping an eye out, using your handbag to slam them &quot;up side the head&quot; as one bored Fodorite once wrote, using your charm, or anything else short of a thorough concealment of valuables in stations, particularly in Prague, and especially at Hlavni.

Some folks actually have been reported to lock themselves <b>into</b> compartments with locking bicycle cables which might be a little bit of overreaction especially if someone legit like an official wants to get in.

Have a great trip...THIS sort of (hopefully not mis-)adventure is what you will remember for decades.