luvtotravel

I booked back-to-back tours for a year from now, traveling solo. The first tour ends in Vienna and the second tour starts in Prague two days later. The tour company is suggesting I fly between cities, but that is the expensive way to go (flights/taxis). Taking the train would take about the same amount of time and would take me downtown to downtown for very little money. I looked into van services, but the reviews on all I can find are bad. I used Eurobusways a couple of years ago Zagreb to Budapest with success, but I don't want to use them again. Am I missing something? I am a senior but still capable of getting around. Would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.
Diane

kja

Personally, I'd take a train, but then I enjoy trains.

To see your transportation options, check rome2rio.com. Be sure to click through the links to the source information, as the main site is not sensitive to seasonal variation in schedules.

Hope that helps!

fourfortravel

Vienna to Prague is an easy train ticket on Ceske Drahy. A one-way ticket from Vienna (Hauptbahnof) to Prague (Praha hl. n., the main train station) is around €30. There are bus options for about half the fare (Flix, Regio, and so forth), but buses are subject to traffic and construction delays much more so than trains.

I hope this is helpful.

thursdaysd

It is a bit early to book for next September, and I don't know what you consider expensive. Austrian has direct flights for $232, but perhaps not every day. I wouldn't fly that route if I had to change planes.

The train takes four hours, so probably about the same time as a flight when you allow for getting to and from the airports. See: https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-ro...a-by-train.htm Why would you not take the train?

I would double check any transport recommendations from a tour company.

Mara

I recently bought a train ticket in the opposite direction for a total of 17.50 Euro including reserved seat. I used the site listed by thursdaysd - seat61 - for all the information....

PalenQ

Yes www.seat61.com has all the expert info to book the cheapest possible tickets - thru the Czech site I believe - www.trainline.eu has the cheapest prices always and is easy to use. Buses maybe be cheaper but yes could get stuck in traffic and trains are always IME more comfy - being able to get up and walk around easily, usually bigger seats, etc. And first class tickets also are discounted and sometimes not much more than 2nd class. Anyway trains beat flying on this route and won't take much more time considering city center to city center and trains much less likely to be delayed - if flying figure in time you have to be at airport before flight and time getting baggage, etc. Won't save much if any time.

Christina

AS far as I'm concerned, I can see no reason whatsoever why you would not take the train, and not sure why it is even a question. Obviously a bus takes longer, not to mention driving and some private van would cost a whole lot more. Flying doesn't make any sense, either, due to cost and time at airports. I could perhaps see the flying option IF you were already at the airport and the idea was to fly to the next city or go into the city and take a train, etc. But obviously that isn't that case here if you are ending a cruise.

5alive

From Pal: "Yeswww.seat61.com has all the expert info to book the cheapest possible tickets - thru the Czech site I believe - www.trainline.eu has the cheapest prices always and is easy to use."

Pal, I just checked Seat61 this week because my family is going to Czech Republic. Seat61 said that no other websites have been able/allowed to link to the Ceske Drahy site and that any resellers would be significantly more money. I did not run the numbers to compare.

On the other hand the Ceske Drahy site has an English language tab and was pretty clear in its instructions. I would still recommend you read Seat61 before booking. But I see no reason to use the trainline website you recommend--maybe in other countries, but not Czech Republic.

Also the first class tickets were significantly more than 2nd class. Seat61 recommends that if you do buy 1st on this route, that you reserve your actual seats, as this route's trains don't have a lot of them.

PalenQ

Yes I do now recall that about Czech bookings so my mistake thanks for correcting - can they book even if starting from Vienna thru them - I assume so - and buses are just as quick in theory or on timetables at least but trains if about the same price way more comfy than buses. I'd say to reserve 2nd class seats too? though if most seats are unreserved starting in Vienna you probably have little problem. always check to see if seat you are sitting is is not reserved there or somewhere down the line. Unfortunately not always marked these days I hear.

Carolmom

The train was comfy and convenient - it’s a no brainer in my book!

luvtotravel

Thank you all for confirming my thinking. The tour company suggested flying and I thought the train would be better. My guess is they automatically go with flights. I just wondered if I was missing something. I will take the train.
Diane