Trains to Prague from Munich

If you go on the DB site the standard price they quote Munich - Prague (No bahncard etc etc) is EUR 49.
You CAN go Inter City with a change in Nürnberg but that is more expensive.
The EUR 49 is the price on the 2 daytime trains direct Munich-Prague.

They both count as "local trains" in Germany even though they do have catering so you can use the Bayern Ticket.

The 1644 departure (arrive Prague 2245) would cost you EUR 15 (Bayern) and EUR 7 (guestimate, Czech Republic) giving you a price of EUR 22

The morning departure is really crap to use weekdays as its at 0644 and you can't use a Bayern Ticket before 0900 Monday-Friday.
Standard price (no Bahncard etc) to Furth in Wald and then the Czech section would be about EUR 39
Of course Saturday and Sunday and public holidays you can travel on that 0644 departure, arrives Prague 1245.

There are other departures of course during the day on local trains that you might use during the week to get the EUR 22 price but these will require changes in

A ) Regensburg / Furth-i-Wald / Domazlice / Plzen.

or

B ) Plattling / Bayerisch Eisenstein / Klatovy (possibly) / Plzen.

and the time taken would be 7 to 7 and a half hours.

Both the 2 daytime return trains don't reach Bavaria until after 0900 so can always use a Bayern Ticket (ones purchased in advance from MVV ticket machines as they aren't dated)

If there is more than 1 person travelling of course it gets cheaper cos you can use the group Bayern Ticket.

Anorak City or WHAT !

You make a good point about the time spent for a flight. However, I hear the trains in the CR are not the safest. Anyone else hear anything like that?

I've never experienced any trouble with them and have travelled late at night as a single female. Keep your wits about you and take your valuables with you if you go for a stretch.

take the train, its nicer. i've not heard of anybody having any problems. and prauge isn't really the "wild east" any more.

I travelled quite a bit around CR on trains and had absoloutely no problems, they were comfortable, cheap and i felt safe. as a 19 yr old girl i was fine so i'm sure you will be. I just felt sorry for the cute soldier me and my mate accosted!

Prague is in the top 3 of popular Euro destinations with Paris and Venice and nothing what you'll see is not representative of the rest of Czech Republic or Slovakia.

In MANY MANY MANY trips by train to and through Czech Republic and Slovakia I have never known anyone to be robbed on a train.

I am tight as ducks whatnot but when I used to werite a lot for a tavel site I offrered a pint for the 1st person who could tell me about being significantly robbed on a European night train after the most basic precautions. And guess what... it's an urban myth!

Are there sometimes slightly dodgy charachters in the stations?
Yup, just like Munich Hauptbahnhof, let alone London Kings X!

Katrina, all the routes I mentioned are not through Cheb.
That's the Inter City via Nürnburg or the overnight train.

Cheb is in itself not bad. Great transport connection, castle, couple of good museums, nice town square and easy access to the spa towns of NW Bohemia.

The station can be a bit hustly if you hang around with a sign saying "I'm rich, try and get money off me" , but nothing you can't handle.

Cheb, like most border towns however, has a significant problem with prostitution aimed at visitors from Germany. Depending on who you listen to, child prostitution too.

It's Easy...

Plane = Faster travel time
Train = Slow

It's not the trains that make the travel to CZ slow it's the tracks that haven't been upgraded/replaced since the cold war... Once you hit the border your 120mph train has to slow to 60-80kph all the way to Prague.

Trains, like any other foreign/Tourist trap are security nightmares. Treat them like so and you won't have probs. Keep your eye on your stuff and don't fall asleep, or if you do make sure your valibalies are close to you or/and are under lock/key.

My daughter and a friend took the train to CZ a few years ago and said they had a particularly rickety, old style of train that was not very comfortable. An example would be when flushing the toilet it opened to the tracks below . I'll be travelling with my entire (5) family and want the safest, easiest way possible. I know for sure a seven hour train ride would not be a good thing. If it were me alone I'd do it.

Another alternative might be Venice? Anyone have info on that route?

It's a six hour train ride, 5 hour plane ride. The train goes city centre to city centre and there is no changing needed!

If the train is composed of Czech carriages they'll probably be some of the more modern domectic cars, open planned in groups of 4 seats facing each other or possibly old standard compartment cars with 6-8 seats to a compartment.

If they are German carriages they are more likely to be like the Czech compartment cars but to a slightly higher standard but also likely are the standard carriahes you see operating Regional Express trains all over Bavaria.

Like most regional trains in Bavaria, the toilets still essentailly drain to the track.
That is why you shouldn't use them in stations.
Arguably a natural waste hitting the ground at 70 kph + is quickly dispersed by nature and does not rely on tanks full of chemicals. All the carriages are cleaned before the start of the tour of duty.

With books and games and plenty to see out of the window I don't see why your family shouldn't enjoy it. And espeically with children, the train will be a LOT cheaper!

Edit: Maybe your children are grown up; well anyway with using the multi rider Bayern Ticket you can really get the price down.

I'm a train fan but I still say fly when it makes sense; to Prague, it just doesn't.

i'd take the train... i've been to prague a few times and NEVER had any major problems. the frist time i went with a friend (also female) and the only scary thing was when the train stopped int he middle of nowhere and people were saying things inc heck and everyone started getting off the train.. turned out that we had to walk thru some decontamination thingie cuz of that hoof and mouth disease or sumfin i think. another time i went the train broke down or something and we had to take a bus part of the way.
and another time there was some guy with no teeth who tried talking to us in chech even though we didn't knwo what he was saying.. but we did understand that he was saying my mom talked too much and was loud o and that he knew the nj devils. but yea...no robberies, no murders, no accidents.

and don't count on a flight to be quicker.. as someone already mentioned actual flying time might be but dont forget getting to and froma irport and checking in, etc. and the flight may also be late for whatever reason. i flew to munich from vienna once and it sucked.. by the time i got to the flughafen and checked in and stuff and then the flight was like an hour late atleast...definately wasn't worth it, only did it cuz was the same price as train ticket and ÖBB was on strike.

with 5 people - wouldnt it be cheapest to rent a car??? It is only 4-5 hours (depending on which route and how fast you drive) to Prague from Munich.
Babs

Course they speak Czech on the trains as a priority, it's the national language.
Many train staff on the major routes will speak some English or German but it is a bit of a thorny issue, a polite greeting in Czech and then asking if they speak English, THEN asking if they speak German will get you brownie points.

I took the night train last fall with my parents- my mother is a clean freak, and a snob, and she was okay with the train. Its cheap and safe. I have taken that train tons by myself (a women) and never had problems. Actually common sense should prevail. I usually use a moneybelt when I travel, and keep keys to my luggage pinned to my bra.

Hey Charm... Do you also carry the current "Fromers Travel Guide"..

No, I copy them at work, then just take the smaller copies. Then I don't look like such a tourist on the streets.

I thought about that too. I plan to drive to the Bavarian Alps but am a bit intimidated to drive any further.

I THROUGHLY recommend "Rough Guides" as travel books, they do one for the Czech and Slovak Republics.

Frommers is the guide of guide my mum would use if she was a bit posher and a but more "American" ie afraid of going outside the Mittlerer Ring. No I didn't mean that "anti-American" just that you have to let yourself go sometime and have a bit of an adventure when you travel!

Happy trails!

Can someone give me a bit more advice about the Bayern ticket/Czech ticket to Prague. I have to go down for a few days (midweek) to meet a friend who is arriving by plane. The flight lands at 7.45pm.

If i leave München after 9 i can see from bahn.de that i will get into Prague at 5.45pm, leaving me two hours to get to the hotel and then to the Airport. Is this sufficient time or would i be better getting an earlier (more expensive) train to Prague? How far is the airport actually from the city and is it easy to get there?

Plus, do i just buy the Cheb - Prague ticket when i arrive in Cheb or can i buy it in the HBF.

Cheers anyway!

The straight through daytime trains from Munich to Prague don't go via Cheb, they go via Furth-im-Wald.

If the hotel is central you can make it from Prague main station to hotel to airport in 2 hours if you don't hang about. IIRC, the bbest / cheapest way to the aiport is the metrto to Dejvice then a bus.

There's details on the interweb thingymebob, www.pid.cz might be a link to start off with.

You CAN leave after 0930 on a local train combo without having to wait for the 1640 departure of the next direct train.

Do a search for Munich-Prague trains but make sure you unclick the inter city trains.

You'll be changing at:

Regensburg Schwandorf Domazlice Plzen

or

Regensburg Marktdredwitz Cheb

or

Plattling Bayerische Eisenstein Plzen

Tickets bought locally FOR CZECH CASH are a bit cheaper.
On the Furth im Wald route where there is no chance to buy a newticket immediately at the border, the staff on the Czech trainstaff will sell you one, maybe for Euros, otherwise Czech cash.

Get your undated Bayern Ticket for the return journey in advance at any MVV ticket machine in Munich.

---------------------------------------------

Oh and by the way, DB has a special deal on to Prague at the moment from Munich, I saw it in a leaflet at the HBF last week. But tbh, you can't beat the 2 daytime trains on the Bayern Ticket, the ICE and a change in Nürnburg ain't worth it IMVHO.

DB Have also changed the SchonesWochende ticket to include CZ all the way to Pilzen. With this deal you would only need to buy a Ticket (10Eur or so) to Prague. (Ticket can be bought at DB Counter)

Heres the Info From DB: LINK

Update: The new zones for the SW ticket also include 4-5 routes into Poland

That's a bargain! 5 of you to Pilzen (the other home of lovely beer) on a SW - why haven't the pissheads on here clicked that to death?

Actually I picked up some leaflets when I was in Pilsen changing trains last Thursday. Plenty to see and a LOT of beer to drink. (The English and German speaking tourists are there but MUCH less annoying than in Praha)

Trainwise:

Departure Munich 0644, arrive Plzen Hln 1101
Departure Plzen Hln 1858 arrive Munich Hbf 2326

on the SW Ticket!

Might peruse my chokka diary then start a thread!

Yes, the SW is a cheap option for a group to Prague. You can buy the Plzen (Pilsen)to Praha (Prag) ticket on the train. Costs about 4€.

Another reason to visit Plzen is of course Tescos. There's a normal store in town, plus a 24/7 Tescos hypermarket on the edge of town. They used to stock more UK goods, but last week they had a special on "Anglicka slanina", which is real English bacon to you and me...

The Tescos on the eastern edge of Plzen is massive and 24 hours, but you have to get the bus or drive out there. The one in town is OK, some UK stuff but I go home often enough that I don't bother normally.

Saw some Anglicka Slanina at a supermarket over there last weekend but it seemed a bit too fatty and no rind...

Kids, an end of April Saturday for "HratkyMesto" Carnage in Plzen?

What's HratkyMesto then?
Haven't been to Plzen since '87, we tried to hitch from there to Dresden, the only thing that went past us in three hours was a horse and cart... I guess times have changed a bit.

"HratkyMesto" is Czech for "Toytown".

I thought I'd try and improve Toytowners Czech language skills, though I do know some of them already know a couple of key words, namely "golden shower".

flippin'eck, I was just having my dinner - don't want to be thinking about golden showers in any language
not my cup of tea at all.

wouldn't mind going back to plzen though
could you do it in a day, or would you need an overnight stop?

Well with the SW ticket it can make long-ish but very cheap day trip (see times above) and it is also ideal for an overnighter.

I'd prefer a day trip as I'm trying to save at the mo but I will maybe start an extra thread and see what others think.

(Warning: Czech-speaking pedant approaching) If we're going to improve TT Czech language skills, we can start with grtho's. 'Hratky' does not match any Czech word I know. Toy is 'hračka' and town is 'město'. The trouble is that 'hračka město' does not make much sense. The best I can do is 'pohádkové město', and wait for a real Czech to come along and correct us all.

(Warning: beer-drinking anorak approaching) Do you know why beers all over the world are called pils or pilseners? Up to the mid-19th century all beer was dark because the malt was roasted. When the Pilsen brewery air dried it, they found that the beer produced was golden blond. Before you could say "that's a right touch", the technique had spread and 'pils' had become the generic name.

The CR Trains are way better than any train you can take in italy except the pendo. I'd be less worried about getting robbed in the CR than on the 2 hours you are on a train in Italy going to Venice.

We want to visit Prague. How to find cheap train tickets?

Topics merged by admin

@Hello1234
This has already been duscused to death.. do some searching or go toHauptbahnhof and buy a SchonesWochende ticket (Weekend travel only)

Hi,

Anyone have taken train from the Bayern-Czech border stations to Prague recently? may i know what is the price of the ticket?

I have friends who encountered dishonest conductor who charge them double the price. May I know what is the correct price of the ticket?

Thanks!

Within Czech (Plzen-Praha) prices are between 80-90 Czk (2-4Eur)

Prices were taken off the Czech National Rail Homepage

And to get you to the border of the SW ticket zone (Plzen) will cost you:

Schones Wochende (Up to 5 People)- 30 Eur. With Online or Prebooking or 32 Eur at the Automat
Schones Wochende (1 Person) Single - 21 Eur

If you buy the SW ticket on the train add a 10% Surcharge (33 Eur Total)
If you bring a bike or large suitcase also add 3 Eur.

You didn't say how much the conductor tried to charge you, but buying tickets on the train in most
countries will cost a few Eur or whatever more for the convience. It's best to get them from a
person/automat in Plzen.

What is the valid duration of the SW ticket? I am planning to travel from Friday morning and back ard Sunday night or Saturday morning and back ard Monday night. Or I can only use Bayern ticket in this case?

The Bayern Ticket is only valid within Bayern (Germany) and 3 or 4 routes to Austria and the next German state over...

To do what you want will require 2 SW tickets, 1 each way. The tickets are valid on the day of purchase starting at 9am and are good till 3am the next day. This info (And much more) is avail. (In English) on Deutsche Bahns web site Just click the "International Guests" icon at the tope of the page.

Hi,

I just found in the bahn.de website abt this Prag SpezialFreitag offer for 59€ return trip (if I am not wrong). However, I have notice that you could have save more by getting Bayern or SW ticket and then buying the Czech ticket on the train. Since the train in the offer is RE, the Bayern and SW tickets are valid.

If there are 2 persons travelling,


From what I have seen, the Bayern and SW ticket can be used to take the same direct train as the DB offer M to P:(0644h - 1245h), (1644h - 2245h) and P to M:(0915h - 1515h), (1715h - 2326h). Why would anyone take the DB offer? Or did I missed something here?

Yes you can save money using Bayer/SW Tickets and buying the Czech ticket seperately.
People pay DMB the extra money for the convenience.
Even a CZECH friend of mine is happy to do it!

And if there are 5 travellers:


incredible saving here

It's also much cheaper to buy tickets in the Czech Republic than outside. Deutsche Bahn wanted to charge me €79 for an advance ticket to travel from Prague to Berlin last week, but I got the same ticket for €68 in Prague Railway station (nasty, horrible place). It's a beautiful rail trip along the Elbe by the way...

Don't take the train to Prague...it's brutally slow. You could probably walk there faster.

@YorkshireLad: What have you got against Prague's main train station?? If I could somehow manage to walk through the forested park in front of the station, in the middle of the night and surivive, then it can't be all that bad.

Ok it's not fast, but "brutally slow" is overdoing it. There are now three direct trains to Munich and the two during the day take six hours. A lot cheaper than flying and only maybe an hour slower centre to centre.

If speed is important, then car is probably quickest. They've opened new stretches of autobahn to the border and will have completed it by next year. Pure driving time is now around 3.5 hours, but there are many attractions along the way, such as cheaper petrol, Prazdroj brewery, Tescos and the dubious pleasures of the border area...

With a 6-hour trip "during the day" is pretty meaningless. One of those trains leaves at 6:44am (arrives 12:45), the other departs 16:44, arriving 22:45. The third direct connection is overnight and takes 9 hours (yawn...). All other train journey require 2,3, 4 or even 5 changes (although the 5-change trip is still "only" 7 hours). It's much easier/quicker to drive - almost Autobahn all the way since they upgraded the road system, around a 4 hour trip, not including the necessary stop-offs at Carrefour, Tescos and the Pilsner brewery along the way Petrol is not much cheaper - and definately not if it's a business trip as the VAT is not reclaimable.

"Brutally slow"..."pretty meaningless"...are you guys on drugs or reading Sartre? The train's not that bad. By plane or car (once you add in Stau and the necessary stops) you're around five hours centre to centre. Is that so meaningful? And you don't have to worry about getting your car nicked or broken into (still an issue in Czecho).

Hi there. I am planning to go from munich to prague, and prague to zlin.
I have a couple qs...

1. How/where do I purchase the Bayern Group ticket. Can I use this all the way to Prague for the Sunday 6:44 a.m. train?

2. Does anyone know how far the main Prague station is from the UAN Florenc station? Basically I am wondering if 45 minutes is enought time to get from one station to the other.

Thanks for any help you can offer!

Kindly,
Katherine

You can get the Schones Wochende ticket from any DB ticket machine or from the ticket counters at Hauptbahnhof. NO the Bayern ticket is only good for BAYERN, thus the need for a schones wochended ticket.

To go from the main station to Flornec, I'd allow for atleast 1hr just in case something goes wrong. It's better to be early than late.

Money no object, fly to Brno and take the bus.

http://www.cirrus-world.de/opencms/opencms...x.html?lang=Eng

It's only one station on the metro from Hlavni Nadrazi (main railway station) to Florenc, or about 15 mins walk. Florenc is the bus station, so why not take the bus ( http://www.autobusoberbayern.de/linienverk...tschechien.html ) directly from Munich?

I think both the Bayern ticket and SW ticket will not bring you to Prague but they will save you the cost instead of buying the Prag Spezial promo ticket from DB. You can use Bayern ticket to Furth I Wald and buy the Czech ticket on board the same train. Or use the SW ticket to Plzen and buy the Czech ticket on board the same train too. Take a look at my posting in page 3 of this thread.

@Katherine, when are you going to Prague?