Prague to Dresden - no direct train on my dates. Should we take a bus?
 

We will be traveling from Prague to Dresden on December, 3.
I was looking to buy train tickets at www.bahn.com, and noticed that for some reason on December, 2nd and 3td, there is no direct train.
A train goes to Usti nad Labem, and then we need to transfer to a bus that goes to Dresden train station (it says - train replacement bus). I do not know why this changes only for these two days. For all other days, they have 19 Euro price for this ride, but for these two days - the price is regular around 34 euro.
Would it be preferable to take a direct bus from Prague to Dresden in this situation? Or just go with the flow and do train/bus combination?

Thank you!

It's possible there is track maintenance work over your days of travel; hence the replacement bus. Have you looked at czech-transport.com? The site has the bus schedule and fare of €23 OW, and the travel time is about the same. All other things being equal, I would skip the train-to-bus transfer and just take the direct bus.

Looks like they are working on the railroad while you are there.

The Czech railway shop website https://www.cd.cz/eshop/ shows that there are no connections for Dec. 2 and posts a link to a message that translates into "...planned restrictions due to construction works, which include modernization, maintenance and repair of tracks..."

So, yes, if there is another route with a "replacement bus", that's what you'll take and you'll get there.

I would take the direct bus in this case. See this website:

https://www.elines.cz/en/

Their buses depart from the central bus terminal in Prague-Florenc and arrive right at the main train station in Dresden. For example, there's a bus dep. 9 am and arriving 11 am in Dresden. Fares are less than 20 Euro, watch out for promos/deals, too.

Thank you so much for your responses! I will buy ticket for a bus then.

I just came across this thread, but seeing as how I have already purchased a train ticket from Prague to Dresden on Monday, December 2nd a few weeks ago, I am very interested in the conversation. If there is track maintenance, what will happen to our existing train reservations? Are some trains still running, but they are already sold out? Or will they offer us alternate transportation to Dresden? Where can I go to check on this? Thanks in advance!

Trains run to Usti nad Labem on normal schedule, where you change to a replacement bus. You'll be in Dresden a bit later and the bus will probably be crowded.

You can check this company: http://bustickets.studentagency.eu/?3

I used it, when was it Prague, to travel to other city.

>If there is track maintenance, what will happen to our existing train reservations?

You just take the train that you are booked for, and then transfer to your replacement bus. Nothing else will happen and you don't have to do anything except follow the crowd.