Prague to Krakow, overnight train question.
Jul 20th, 2010, 11:15 AM
#22
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This will be on 7 Nov. I know the 11th of Nov is a holiday in Poland, will this complicate things for getting a train ticket?
I am now totally totally confused about immigartion procedures and I will find out once I get there where I need to produce my passport to the conductor, as long as my passport is safe I am not worried.
I am now totally totally confused about immigartion procedures and I will find out once I get there where I need to produce my passport to the conductor, as long as my passport is safe I am not worried.
Jul 20th, 2010, 11:55 AM
#23
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wobbers - the 'Schengen' experience of being checked several times belies your experience of saying you will never be checked - eastern Europe or not.
You say you cannot be checked between Schengen countries - i was just last year - 2009 - so what you are saying is the real rubbish in saying that it never happens. I dare so you are the one without any knowledge of the misinformation you are putting out.
You say you cannot be checked between Schengen countries - i was just last year - 2009 - so what you are saying is the real rubbish in saying that it never happens. I dare so you are the one without any knowledge of the misinformation you are putting out.
Jul 20th, 2010, 02:42 PM
#24
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I read a Prague newspaper every day. I do not know about other countries but the Czechs have been complaining recently that the Germans are still checking papers of people crossing the Czech border into Germany.
Jul 21st, 2010, 01:08 AM
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PalenQ I think you should consider having an allotment and grow vegetables 
denis2 - you are right, but the complaint was predominantly about German police checking Czech cars once they pass the german border, not to do with immigration. At least that's not what I've read. Perhaps you could post a link.
denis2 - you are right, but the complaint was predominantly about German police checking Czech cars once they pass the german border, not to do with immigration. At least that's not what I've read. Perhaps you could post a link.
Jul 21st, 2010, 08:56 AM
#27
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wobbers - i did a day trip to a Polish town from Berlin in 2009 by train and the Germans were checking passports - i asked why - they said you needed to have a valid passport to enter Germany from Poland - 2009 - a year after your 2008 thing. Schengen does allow for checks in certain circumstances - at least i have seen several checks - you apparently do not travel much or you may have too.
Jul 29th, 2010, 09:34 AM
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2G to add to the great information other fodorites have provided to you. Here's some more:
My wife and I took the overnight train from Prague to Krakow a few years ago. Is it safe for a single female? NO. This overnight train is famous for not being safe. We ended up getting a private sleeper, and before the train left Prague, the conductor told us to specifically lock the doors, and to absolutely NOT open the door until a specific time (can't remember) when we reached the Czech/Polish border for passport control. As a single female, I'd highly recommend that you get your own sleeper. Once in the border, the customs person will knock on your door and you will need to show your passport, they look at it and that's it, they will give it back to you. Unless the procedures have changed recently, this is what we experienced. As for the safety, be weary at the Prague train station. Just came back from Krakow, and it has changed so much since the last time I was there. Krakow is such a beautiful city, and the train station is easy to walk around to, there is even a mall adjacent to the train station.
My wife and I took the overnight train from Prague to Krakow a few years ago. Is it safe for a single female? NO. This overnight train is famous for not being safe. We ended up getting a private sleeper, and before the train left Prague, the conductor told us to specifically lock the doors, and to absolutely NOT open the door until a specific time (can't remember) when we reached the Czech/Polish border for passport control. As a single female, I'd highly recommend that you get your own sleeper. Once in the border, the customs person will knock on your door and you will need to show your passport, they look at it and that's it, they will give it back to you. Unless the procedures have changed recently, this is what we experienced. As for the safety, be weary at the Prague train station. Just came back from Krakow, and it has changed so much since the last time I was there. Krakow is such a beautiful city, and the train station is easy to walk around to, there is even a mall adjacent to the train station.
Jul 29th, 2010, 12:46 PM
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Once in the border, the customs person will knock on your door and you will need to show your passport, they look at it and that's it, they will give it back to you. Unless the procedures have changed recently, this is what we experienced.>
Well since both countries i guess are in the Schengen Accords that eliminate, in theory, border formalities poster wobbers, in above post here, assures us that there are no border checks any more - it seems he has never taken any trains in those countries since the change but is adamant such controls no longer exist - there is however anecdotal evidence to say that is not always true. But the conductor will tell you if there are to be any checks, that is for sure.
Well since both countries i guess are in the Schengen Accords that eliminate, in theory, border formalities poster wobbers, in above post here, assures us that there are no border checks any more - it seems he has never taken any trains in those countries since the change but is adamant such controls no longer exist - there is however anecdotal evidence to say that is not always true. But the conductor will tell you if there are to be any checks, that is for sure.
Jul 29th, 2010, 01:46 PM
#31
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And another thing...since most of you are Americans, this site Fodor's is question and answer from predominantly Americans, which is either out of date or just simply wrong.If you want a proper advice join Trip Advisor. Not because I particularly like TA but because Europen questions are answered by Europeans who know what's what. And people like my friend PalenQ would not survive 5 minutes with his slant on things.
Take my advice and leave this place.
Take my advice and leave this place.
Jul 30th, 2010, 08:29 AM
#33
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And people like my friend PalenQ would not survive 5 minutes with his slant on things>
My slant on things trains comes from four decades of being a professional travel write specializing in European trains and not like you from things you read - how many trains have you taken in Czech and Poland recently to know what happens at the border?
And the info from Europeans on this forum is not always in the interests of the average American traveler - like you telling recently one person who wanted to buy a ticket from Prague to Krakaow - you said for them to just buy a ticket to Katowice and then once in Katowice buy a ticket from there to Krakow - saving just a few bucks - most American travelers on this forum would rather have a thru ticket Prague to Krakow including the train they changed to in Katowice - have you been to Katowice station? I have and not only may you yes spend time in line (wobbers says in his expertise there are never any lines at European train station ticket counters - which tells me he/she rarely goes into train stations except maybe a local S-Bahn train) and then once you get to the window, unlike in tourist-friendly Prague - you are unlikely to find an English-speaking staffer - a language problem, etc.
And after taking perhaps an hour to buy your Katowice to Krakow ticket you may have missed the connecting train and have to wait, etc. How do you know that the connecting train in Katowice leaves only say 10 or 15 minutes after the Prague train comes in? Not enough time to guaranteeably buy a ticket, etc.
Thus cheapest is not always the best and this type of wobbers advice - like he is claiming Europeans can only give - is IMO often bad advice for the American tourist who wants to make it as easy as possible.
Sometimes Europeans just cannot put themselves in the role of an often it seems apprehensive American tourist.
My slant on things trains comes from four decades of being a professional travel write specializing in European trains and not like you from things you read - how many trains have you taken in Czech and Poland recently to know what happens at the border?
And the info from Europeans on this forum is not always in the interests of the average American traveler - like you telling recently one person who wanted to buy a ticket from Prague to Krakaow - you said for them to just buy a ticket to Katowice and then once in Katowice buy a ticket from there to Krakow - saving just a few bucks - most American travelers on this forum would rather have a thru ticket Prague to Krakow including the train they changed to in Katowice - have you been to Katowice station? I have and not only may you yes spend time in line (wobbers says in his expertise there are never any lines at European train station ticket counters - which tells me he/she rarely goes into train stations except maybe a local S-Bahn train) and then once you get to the window, unlike in tourist-friendly Prague - you are unlikely to find an English-speaking staffer - a language problem, etc.
And after taking perhaps an hour to buy your Katowice to Krakow ticket you may have missed the connecting train and have to wait, etc. How do you know that the connecting train in Katowice leaves only say 10 or 15 minutes after the Prague train comes in? Not enough time to guaranteeably buy a ticket, etc.
Thus cheapest is not always the best and this type of wobbers advice - like he is claiming Europeans can only give - is IMO often bad advice for the American tourist who wants to make it as easy as possible.
Sometimes Europeans just cannot put themselves in the role of an often it seems apprehensive American tourist.
Jul 30th, 2010, 09:25 AM
#34
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Wobbers, being of Royal British Blood, looks down on us colonists. We're not qualified to clean his stables.
Have you Fodorites looked at the http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=wobber definition of wobber. LOL.
Have you Fodorites looked at the http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=wobber definition of wobber. LOL.
Aug 6th, 2010, 04:43 PM
#35
2g,
My 26 year-old daughter took the night train from Prague to Krakow last night. She is traveling alone for a couple of weeks, got sick a week ago and felt she needed a good night's sleep, so she booked a sleeper car. There were three bunks and a sink. She did have two other female bunkers which worked out fine for her. She said the conductor came through and told them to lock the door from the inside (which of course they did). He told them he would knock on it 20 minutes before their arrival in Krakow and not to open it for any other purpose. She sent me pictures of the train and the compartment. It looked very clean and comfortable and in fact, she did get a good night's sleep. I don't believe it stopped anywhere.
Ellen
My 26 year-old daughter took the night train from Prague to Krakow last night. She is traveling alone for a couple of weeks, got sick a week ago and felt she needed a good night's sleep, so she booked a sleeper car. There were three bunks and a sink. She did have two other female bunkers which worked out fine for her. She said the conductor came through and told them to lock the door from the inside (which of course they did). He told them he would knock on it 20 minutes before their arrival in Krakow and not to open it for any other purpose. She sent me pictures of the train and the compartment. It looked very clean and comfortable and in fact, she did get a good night's sleep. I don't believe it stopped anywhere.
Ellen
Aug 7th, 2010, 06:55 AM
#36
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I don't believe it stopped anywhere.>
Most night trains stop a lot and IME for long periods of time - the train had to stop several places so i think she was wrong about that - Prague to Krakow and not stopping at intermediate stations - never heard of a night train like that.
wobbers -is that right?
Most night trains stop a lot and IME for long periods of time - the train had to stop several places so i think she was wrong about that - Prague to Krakow and not stopping at intermediate stations - never heard of a night train like that.
wobbers -is that right?
Aug 7th, 2010, 12:48 PM
#37
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I don't believe it stopped anywhere.
I guarantee you that this train stopped at the border for a change of crew. Unless your daughter gave the Czech conductor her ticket for the night the Polish conductor would have demanded to see it when he got on at the border.
wobbers -is that right?
PalenQ, Please let him sleep.
I guarantee you that this train stopped at the border for a change of crew. Unless your daughter gave the Czech conductor her ticket for the night the Polish conductor would have demanded to see it when he got on at the border.
wobbers -is that right?
PalenQ, Please let him sleep.
Aug 7th, 2010, 01:05 PM
#38
"OTOH, in a female only couchette you must sleep in your street clothes." Not true. I travel with a silk sleep sack (from Dreamsacks) and the top half of a shalwar kameez (long T shirt would do.). I change into the top in the bathroom, and take off my pants after I get into the sleep sack. Much more comfortable. Reverse in the morning. I do the same thing in mixed-sex sleepers in Asia.
