What is the best way to get from Prague to Vienna?
 

Would it be more efficient to travel by train or plane? Also, will we pass beautiful scenery while on the train?

Trains take about 5 hours, not much longer than going to airport, check-in, coming in from airport. Several a day; dirt cheap.

Thanks PalQ,

What is the best way to get a dirt cheap fare?

I was doing some research on the internet and looked at the Rail Europe site. Unfortunately, they do not have tickets available for my date in August yet. They did give a ballpark figure, though -approximately $50pp for the seat plus a $10-30 reservation charge.

I have a few questions:

1. Is this a typical fare for late August/early September?

2. Should I make a reservation when the tickets become available, or is it unnecessary?

3. Is there a big difference between first and second class?

4. Is there another website I should try for better fares or more information?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

I don't know about the price (it was included in my package), but timewise, I was at the airport at 8 a.m. for a 9:15 a.m. flight, and checked into my hotel and out sightseeing by 11:30 a.m.

Presumably, arrive at the airport at 8 meant leaving to go to the hotel earlier than that.

Those who believe that trains "don't take much longer" than flying tend to want to compare the actual time on the train (5+ hours, in this case) to the time from hotel lobby to hotel lobby of flyers (about 4 hours in this case) and will often claim that 6 hours is "not much longer" than 3 hours.

Clearly, the math can be viewed in different ways.

And in the interest of balanced info, I don't think that any airfare exists that can compete with the train fare. The website www.railsaver.com provides a much more accurate estimate of train fares, which RailEurope will sell you at a substantial markup. They list 2nd cl fare as $36 (USD). There would be no additional reservation fees (nor shipping and "handling" of course) if you buy your ticket at the rail station.

(Don't you just hate having ti pay for "handling"? I don't want my tickets "handled" by anyone else anyway, thank you!)

Best wishes,

Rex

expense aside I'd fly. Flight is about an hour, perhaps you'd need 60 minutes in the airport prior. Once in Vienna you can take a taxi or train into town.

We took the train from Vienna to Prague, using the Prague Excursion Pass, bought through Euraide.com. Check out that pass, especially if you're going to travel by train leaving Prague or doing day-trips. I can't remember for sure, but think it was good for up to a week. Euraide.com knows how to buy the pass. You need a point-to-point ticket from Vienna to the border, plus the pass. I couldn't figure how to do that on-line myself, and wanted the tickets in hand before we left the States. They charge a flat fee of $45 S&H for your entire purchase.
We went First Class, with reserved seats. It wasn't much more for First Class, and we liked having more legroom and a guaranteed seat. It's about 5 hours' ride, and we enjoyed seeing the country between the two cities. We just like trains and don't have many opportunities to ride them here in the States, so we didn't consider flying.

The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable, ISBN 0952-620X: http://www.thomascooktimetables.com/. The January issue showed a daytime second class fare of 48 euros, and I think that still holds. Fares last for months on end: they do not rise for summer. As Rex says, you can book at lowest fare at any big station in Prague, such as Smichov or Holesovice, a day or two before you go. They speak English and take credit cards. You can also book for a small fee with an agent: I list them below. In either case you do not stand in second class: you have a seat. First class costs about 70 euros. In first they place you in rows of three in saloon cars, two people one side of the corridor and one on the other. In second you are two one side, two the other. But in compartments you are three a side in either class. Compartments give more privacy, but saloons give better views. But views on this line are average: nothing special.

So a good saver of travel time and a hotel bill, if you are two people and sleep well on trains, is to pay about 120 euros each for berths in a 2 berth first class sleeper. You leave Prague Smichov at 2312 or board at Prague Hlavni at 2320, lock your compartment door, wake for border checks about 0530, and reach Vienna South at 0703. Prague Smichov is on the metro and has no thieves. If you travel with strangers in 3 berth compartments you pay about 80 euros each. There is a note on getting the best from sleepers and couchettes at http://www.geocities.com/rexbickers/...ghttrains.htm/.

Euraide in Florida, http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...e/homepage.htm, telephone 1 941-480-1555 fax 1 941-480-1522 [email protected]). Also you can book through four firms in Britain:

Trainseurope Ltd, of Cambridgeshire and London, take credit card bookings by phone and mail tickets to any address. Have the widest access in Britain to rail systems and tickets. http://www.trainseurope.co.uk/ - E-mail [email protected]. Phone 00 44 900 195 0101 - calls from Britain cost 60 pence or 40 euros a minute, maximum 5, but if the enquiry results in a booking, the cost of the call is deducted from the final invoice. Phone Mon to Fri 10 to 5 British time

German Rail UK: www.deutsche-bahn.co.uk/ Phone : 00 44 870 243 53 63 then 6. Fax : 00 44 208 339 4700. E-mail : [email protected]

Ffestiniog Travel, site http://www.festtravel.co.uk, e-mail [email protected], phone 00 44 176 651 2400

Inside France (Canterbury). Phone 0044 1227 450088. 29/30 Palace Street, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2DZ. Booking form on site www.rail-canterbury.co.uk/. Or e-mail [email protected]/.

For international tickets, berths and seats Trainseurope are ten percent cheaper than German Rail UK or Ffestiniog Travel. For domestic Italian trains they are cheaper again. German Rail UK are cheaper than Trainseurope or Ffestiniog Travel for domestic trains within Germany and may be competitive with them for international trips with a big proportion of miles in Germany. Trainseurope take Visa and MasterCard, but not Amex or Diners.

As you have found, RailEurope take a forty percent markup on standard prices. Express trains with restaurant cars leave Prague Hlavni station at 0626, 0826, and 1726 and Prague Holesovice station at 1020 and 1420. They take about five hours to Vienna. Both the Prague stations are on the metro. Prasgue Hlavni has pickpockets in gangs of three, so you should walk straight through the station, with such valuables as passports and air tickets deep inside a big piece of luggage, to take out after the train leaves the station. Holesovice has no such gangs.

[email protected]

Thanks to all for your replies. I certainly appreciate the website addresses that will enable me to get the best fare. It's good to know that it is not necessary to purchase a ticket, or make a reservation, in advance. I thought that there might be a problem getting a seat during high season.

Ben, I have another question, if you don't mind. I am thinking about spending my last night within the Prague area in Cesky Krumlov. How difficult, costly, and efficient will it be to get to this town from Prague. Also, would I be able to get a direct train from Cesky Krumlov to Vienna? I think the night train is an interesting idea. Would one be available from this small town?

Or, should I just take a day trip to Cesky Krumlov, and sleep in Prague for our last night?

Thank you again for your help.

You can find numerous threads here on getting to and from Cesky Krumlov. I have driven it, and cannot comment on the train from personal experience - - but as I understand it, it's time consuming, and not the easiest thing to do (there AND back) in one day.

I'd encourage you to read some of those various reports.

Thanks Rex. I usually do a search before posting a question. For some reason, this time I did not. Since your suggestion, I have done the search and have printed out some helpful info.

Thanks again.