Sleeper Train between Prague and Vienna

Old May 12th, 2014, 01:06 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sleeper Train between Prague and Vienna

We are planning a Christmas-New Year trip to visit Prague and Vienna (open jaw flight) and would prefer to take the night train between the two cities. From www.cd.cz, I see right now there is a sleeper train that leaves from Prague at 23:45 and arrives in Vienna at 6:15. Does anybody know if this train runs during the last week of the year? This will determine how many nights for which we need to make hotel reservations.
oscarandpenelope is offline  
Old May 12th, 2014, 01:15 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Most probably IME except maybe Christmas Eve or Day but should during the week - winter schedules will take effect in early December however and trains like this could always be scrubbed or changed from daily.

sorry but I think no one can give you any assurances before winter timetables come out - often in the fall.

check www.seat61.com for updates on services being changed or cut - and other neat European rail sites include: www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.
PalenQ is offline  
Old May 12th, 2014, 03:09 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Too bad you cannot go back in schedules to see what days during the holidays it ran last year - chances are it will be exactly the same this year. But at least you should know by September or so and do watch www.seat61.com for updates in his News section.
PalenQ is offline  
Old May 12th, 2014, 06:11 PM
  #4  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We are not planning for the train ride on Christmas eve or day, so we'll go ahead and make hotel reservation assuming there will be a sleeper train, and keep checking starting in September. Thank you again, PalenQ, for the rail information.
oscarandpenelope is offline  
Old Nov 17th, 2014, 09:28 AM
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have been checking www.cd.cz every day for a month and today finally was able to see the train schedule for end of December. I could not find the sleeper train, so I had to book an extra night in Prague and will take the first morning train out on the next day.
oscarandpenelope is offline  
Old Nov 17th, 2014, 09:43 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 12,138
Received 26 Likes on 4 Posts
I find trains that arrive at 6am, in cities I'll have a hotel, a bit of a nuisance. Yes, you can likely leave your bag but often cannot get into your room until mid-afternoon. And you certainly are unlikely to be rested on arrival with such a short trip.

I will do overnight trains on longer routes, to have sleeping time if I have a bed on the train and arrive at a time I can have my hotel room. But otherwise, I think one gives up more than one gains. I'd do the train in daylight and enjoy the scenery. So I think you've gotten the better of the options.
MmePerdu is online now  
Old Nov 17th, 2014, 10:33 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/que...&rt=1&OK#focus

www.bahn.de - German Railways site lists a direct night train leaving Prague after 11 pm and getting to Vienna 6:05 - Dec 28, 2014 - sometimes early arriving trains at terminal stations let folks snooze a while - not nearly always but sometimes. But I agree with MmePerdu about very early arrivals and I also do not really late departures.
PalenQ is offline  
Old Nov 17th, 2014, 02:34 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,561
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This is a four-hour ride that the overnight train stretches to 6+. Why bother - just pony up for the extra night in Prague.
BigRuss is offline  
Old Jan 3rd, 2015, 02:48 PM
  #9  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Just got back from the trip and below is my semi trip report:

Day 1 (December 25): Arrived at Prague airport at 11 AM. Checked into the hotel. In the afternoon walked around Prague Castle complex and went up St. Vitus Cathedral tower.
Day 2: In the morning went to Prague Castle complex again and got the combination ticket to see rest of the complex. In the afternoon toured the Jewish Quarter. Evening went to see Don Giovanni at the National Marionette Theatre. Afterwards went to the Christmas market at Old Town Square.
Day 3: Walked across Charles Bridge and around Old Town Square (did not stay at Old Town Square due to last minute hotel change because the sleeper train issue) and had lunch at the Christmas market there. Went back to the hotel mid-afternoon to warm up. Evening went to see The Marriage of Figaro at the Estates Theatre. Afterwards had dinner at Wenceslas Square.
Day 4: First train out of Prague to Vienna, arrived at around 11 AM. Checked into the studio apartment (near Wien Mitte) and in the afternoon went to Belvedere Palace, followed by climb up St. Stephen Cathedral tower. Evening went to see The Magic Flute at the Vienna State Opera.
Day 5: Day trip to Budapest (was not part of original plan; just wanted to get a taste and would plan to come back for a later trip if we liked it). First train of the day, which is actually the sleeper from Munich. The train was completely reserved and we ended up sitting in the corridor next to the sleeper compartments for the majority of the train ride. First did guided tour of the Parliament Building, then sightseeing cruise on the Danube. Had lunch at the Christmas market, then Walked across the Chain Bridge and rode the funicular up to Castle Hill. Took the 5 PM train back to Vienna.
Day 6: In the morning took the big bus tour to Vienna Woods, and saw Heiligenkreuz Abbey, Mayerling, and Seegrotte. In the mid afternoon went to Demel and Sacher cafes to get desserts to take back to the apartment. Then evening saw the Spanish Riding School performance.
Day 7 (New Year's Eve): Went to Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, and Imperial Silver Collections. Late lunch at Maria Theresa Square (Christmas market?). Then went to see the Imperial Furniture Collection museum. Evening at the Schonbrunn New Year's Eve concert.
Day 8 (New Year's Day): Melk Abbey in the morning and had lunch at Melk. Imperial Treasury in the afternoon. Stopped by St. Augustin Church and liked their choir rehearsal so much that we stayed for the early evening mass, with a performance of Haydn's Kettledrum Mass.
Day 9: Schonbrunn Palace in the morning, had late lunch at Naschmarkt. Then went to see the Imperial Crypt.
Day 10: 7 AM flight back to NJ.

Disclaimer: We booked the show tickets back in May. we were not interested in looking at paintings during this trip; maybe next time.
oscarandpenelope is offline  
Old Jan 4th, 2015, 01:07 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for reporting back - so many do not and it is always fun to see what really happened! Sounds like you did a lot and had a lot of fun!
PalenQ is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
skiobx
Europe
16
Mar 11th, 2014 10:45 AM
d1nx2
Europe
3
Aug 9th, 2012 06:57 AM
seafox
Europe
4
Mar 31st, 2008 09:20 AM
scarymaryk
Europe
9
Sep 30th, 2003 04:57 PM
Elsa
Europe
7
Jan 12th, 2003 02:56 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -