Train from Berlin to Vienna
 

I'm planning on taking an overnight train from Berlin to Vienna in July, and was wondering if anyone knew if the Eurail Global Pass would cover this trip. I only ask because I'm assuming the route goes through the Czech Republic, and that is not one of the countries covered by the Global Pass.

Thank you.

No it does not - i took this train in January and goes thru Passau, Germany but not Czech Republic - i paid 29 euros for a place in a 4-person couchette in Berlin and had no problem booking. I had a Global eurailpass.

check schedules and routing at www.bahn.de - easy way to access English schedule page of this fabulous site: go to: www.budgeteuropetravel.com and on the home page click on the link All european railway timetables or some such wording and up pops the English schedule page where you put in Berlin and Vienna and the date and you'll get the night train schedule and then click on details for the above and you'll get the routing. the home page i referenced gives several tips on using the bahn.de site - will even tell which platform you'll have to be on at Berlin stations (train starts at Ost Bahnhof i think in the east, then stops at the new Central station, then Zoo and Spandau before heading south.

A very comfortable night train it'was.

Great. Thanks for the info.

Is 29 euros the typical going rate for a couchette on an overnight train? And how far in advance did you usually need to reserve it?

I was paying about 25 euros on most night trains but that's for a 6-person couchette - i paid a few more in this case to get a 4-person couchette, not an option on many night trains.
I made my reservation a few days before the train but it was a week night in January. If you have a pass i think you could make one in the U.S. for about $35 thru RailEurope but then pay a $15 reservation fee and $15 or so mailing fee. I always recommend BETS (800-441-2387; www.budgeteuropetravel.com) because you would not pay the mailing fee thru them and they are experts IME at booking these trains - usually possible only 60 days ahead but some German night trains can now be booked up to 180 days in advance.

I think Fridays and Sundays are the busiest nights to take these trains.

Are you saying the couchette reservations fill up quickly or reservations for the train itself. If I just wanted a seat on an overnight train, would it be reasonable to just make a reservation the day of the departure, or maybe a little bit earlier?

I'd much rather make all reservations in country than over the internet, so that's why am asking.

When we had a three country rail pass (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), we stayed within Austria and Germany to go to Berlin. It required at least one change of trains, but my recollection is that the trip was no longer in time than going through the Czech Republic. But we did it in the day time, and I do not know if there would be an acceptable night train option that did not go through the Czech Republic.

i always arrange my night train reservations as i go along - but do so as soon as i get to a city (or from another station in that country before i get there) and have rarely had a problem.

There is a 2nd class regular car on this train and you may not even need a reservation for that and i suppose you can readily reserve a seat in it. That said i'd go for the couchette for a modicum of comfort and safety and not to be woken up by conductors during the night.

I've read that with a pass you can make your reservation on www.bahn.de at in Europe prices but don't know how to do this.

I just think you wouldn't have problem generally even on day of travel but can't be sure of this.

Eurailpasses unfortunately went up in price this morning!

Well I just wanted to make sure I'd be able to actually get on the train without a far-in-an-advance reservation. I am travelling during July, and I'm not sure how packed these trains might be during the peak season. I'll look online to see if it's easy and cost efficient to book couchettes online, but I think it will be easier to try to reserve them once I arrive at each new destination.

Thanks for answering my questions. And good thing I already bought my Eurail Pass!

The beauty of a pass is that you can also devise alternative routes if per chance the Berlin-Wein train was full - like hopping the short train ride to Hamburg and catch the hamburg-Vienna night train, which by the way joins the Berlin-Wein train at Passau i believe.

So if one is full ask about the other. But you would have to use another day on a flexipass. The 7pm rule says if you board the overnight train itself7pm or after the next day is your unlimited travel day - i.e. one day on a flexipass. But this does not extend to take a connecting train to get to the overnight train - two days.