I've decided to combine Prague and Berlin, seeing as they are but two hundred miles apart. Please advise an internet web-site where one can book such tickets.

Hi m_k2-

I'm not an expert, but I believe you can book your ticket on Die Bahn's website. You have to register before you can purchase, and the purchasing part may be in German only (I'm not sure as I've never done it before.) the nonstop train takes just under 5hrs and 1st class is € 75,60, 2nd class is € 50, both one-way prices. Also, the train only goes to Praha-Holesovice station, not the main station Hlavni Nadrazi. I don't know how far Praha-Holesovice is from the city center. Hope this helps.

www.bahn.de

m_k2-

After reading your title, I guess you are only traveling one-way from Prague to Berlin. I think you should still be able to purchase the ticket on DB's website. Also, I believe they will mail the tickets to you in UK.
http://www.bahn.de/pv/view/int_guest...l_guests.shtml

Why booking on the internet? It is much cheaper to buy the tickets right before you leave at the train station in Prague. Or a day earlier.

We had a similar thread a couple of weeks ago. Although the www.bahn.de website shows the trains going from Prague-Holesovice only, we found out that many of the trains DO leave from Prague Hlavni Nadrazi - they are often coming from Budapest or Vienna.

One hint: Since yesterday there are construction works on the railroad between Prague and Dresden in the Elbe valley (exactly: Pirna - Schöna). The reason is the flood two years ago. These works will last until December at least as far as I know. For this time only three or four EC trains per day are going between Prague and Dresden (-Berlin). So do not trust the websites too much regarding schedules. Better ask at the train station in Prague.

Hope this helps, Ingo

I must have the tickets beforehand, if I have forward reservations it is a mess if I am unable to reach my destination.

Is first class anything special? It seems so little extra.

I will be travelling from Prague to Munich. I plan to purchase tickets when I am there. I am not sure if I should purchase Rail Europe or Die Bahn tickets. Are the prices the same or am I better off with one or the other?
Thanks

Is it all the same train?

When I arrive at the station how does one find the train - are there lots of porters? I'm hoping for old fashioned days of steam, sadly there won't be any elegance or charm will there?

mike-

RailEurope is a "travel agent". It buys DB's tickets and sells them to you at a higher price. You will not be able to buy a "RailEurope" train ticket if you buy it in Prague, just a regular train ticket issued by the train company.

m_k2-
I've never rode in 1st class in German trains. You can do a search on this forum to find comments of other posters on 1st class vs 2nd class.

It's such little money I'd imagine it's a slightly more comfortable carriage with slighly less people, people never seem to be heavy on details with trains, if I do go I'll make sure not a ticket is unturned so to speak.

The rail service between Berlin and Prague is fairly frequent with five direct (no change) runs per day.

I doubt there would be any reason to reserve ahead more than a day or so which could easily be done in Berlin.

Since you are a resident of the UK (?) you couldn;t get reservations throuhg RailEurope anyway which, by the way is NOT a "travel agency" in the typical sense but is rather an agency of the European Railroad consortium (mainly SNCF and the Swiss Travel System) formed to market European railroad "products" in North America.

The so-called "mark-up" or "extra charges" at RailEurope generally come in the form of shipping and processing fees.

An alternative would be to go to one of your local travel agents which has a link to the Continental railroad computer system.

Since you have frequently commented to others in the past about the merits of traveling "First Class" I rather doubt I can add anything to your obviously vast knowledge of the overall subject of "classe" and class struggles and class differences.

Hi mk2
When will you be in Prague?

Muck

If you're in the UK, book through Deutsche Bahn's UK office. You can book tickets over the phone and they normally arrive in next morning's post. See www.deutsche-bahn.co.uk.

From the 22nd August for five nights. Is the bahn.de web-site suitable for reserving train tickets on?

How delightful, I will be there from the 23rd for 4 nights before moving on to Plzen, I will keep a look out for you. ;-)


Muck

Well my dear, out paths may yet cross.

Spiffing !!

Mucky,
We will be in Prague Oct. 20-23rd