Taking the train to Prague from Munich

hey there...just wondering if anyone could give advice/recommendations on hotels in Prague. I would also like to take the train, but not sure if the overnight train is the best option to get there or is the best option to take an afternoon train? i am actually just going for the weekend and any advice would be appreciated...many thanks!

I stayed in the Hotel Caesar Palace - was a really nice hotel and not too expensive. Good rooms, staff, food, location- plus if you book it through expedia its a lot cheaper! In fact expedia was really good all round for hotel and hostel prices in Prague.

As for the travel there- think te train only takes about 6 hours doesn't it? Buses usually travel there overnight (I know theres one leaves Frankfurt at 10pm arriving in Prague at 5am which isn't too bad)!

I've just flown when I'Ve been but its not the cheapest of options as theres only Lufthansa and CSA (Czech Airlines) fly there

make sure you watch the movie "Hostel" before going there.

If I recall, the overnight train [from Frankfurt] takes the rather circuitous route via Dresden, and the travel time is much longer than the afternoon train. Of course, you'd (theoretically) be asleep. I think it depends on your preferences. When I went I punched out a little early from work on a Friday and took the day train, arriving around 11PM. With the night train you'd save yourself the cost of a hotel for a night and not miss any "day" in Prague, but if you're a person who can't sleep on a train, obviously it's probably the wrong decision.

Note that the day train to Prague is by no means a "premier" quality train: it's rather something of a throwback to "old fashioned" European rail travel. It does not use the newest equipment, so be prepared for that. It also changes direction two times: in Regensburg and Schwandorf. A railroad employee friend of mine says that it's actually on borrowed time: due to a private railroad winning the contract to operate the German portion, and this private operator having no relationship (and, hence, agreement) with Czech Railways, it's possible that in the future a change of trains will be required at the border.

By contrast, the night train is a CityNightLine service I believe, which usually uses nicer equipment and generally has a good reputation. Like I said, it's a much longer ride owing to the routing, but if you're asleep it shouldn't matter.

When I went with the day train I very much enjoyed the trip (I like being able to open the windows on the older cars). But then again I'm a railfan, so take it for what it's worth.

So, it depends: do you want to be able to see the countryside (and built environment, and economy, and language) change as you ride through on the day train? Or do you just want to "get there"?

Type 'Prague' into the search box; there are recent threads on both hotels in Prague and train travel there from Munich.

Thanks for the useful advice that has been given so far, but as for Sharpe's comment on watching the movie Hostel before I go, well I think I will pass on that one...just read up a bit on it and...i think you know why I am passing on it(don't care to see drills going through people's heads right now!!!...appreciate any USEFUL info though!

Can you ask your friend again on this?
DB wanted to and indeed for a while did drop the direct daytime trains between Munich and Prague but the Bavarian State Government
jumped in as far as I know and they have made quite an effort to prote the service.

Local service north of Regensburg are indeed partly contracted out but I beleive DB has an interest in the Oberpfalzbahn that operates the Fürth im Wald line.

The rolling stock used on the direct services is DB ex InterRegio stock and relatively good Cesky Drahy stock though not THE best.
Most certainly not the worst youcan experience in the Czech Republic, or Germany.

I have a phone call with him planned tomorrow, so I'll ask about it again, but he told me this three weeks ago. Similar situation with the local suburban trains serving the German suburbs of Salzburg.

As far as the Bavarian State Government jumping in, as far as I know it's the Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft that handles the Ausschreibungen and they were the ones to award the contract.

And I didn't mean to give the impression that the equipment used is dreadful; not by any means. I simply meant that if you're used to travelling by ICE, in many ways it won't live up (though personally I find the older equipment to have more character, and enjoy being able to open the windows unlike on the very-nice-but-hermetically-sealed ICE trainsets). I'll also note that on my last trip coming from Prague, the coaches had no power/lights (which in its own way was neat because it made looking out the window after dark quite easy). Then we reached the border, the DB took over and stuck a DB locomotive on front, and suddenly the lights came on. Sometimes things just work better in Germany.

Thus far, the worst equipment I've had the displeasure of riding in in Europe has consistently been that of Tren Italia. Heck--even the Romanian and Hungarian stuff hasn't been too bad. But the Italian equipment...ugh. (This weekend included, as I traveled in a EuroCity with such equipment from Brig to Montreux).

Going back to the Prague topic, I usually stay in hostels when I travel, and the one I stayed at in Prague was excellent. If you're into that sort of thing, look up the Czech Inn online. It was great.

Oh there's a regular SCANDAL about the line from Salzburg to Bechtesgarten via Freilassing.
But its ÖBB's fault, not DB or BEG.

Just in case its not clear, the cheap day tickets everyone raves about are NOT valid on the overnight trains between Munich and Prague.
As long as you've booked your accomodaton in Prague, I'd say the 1644 departure ex Munich is the way to go.

That was set in Slovakia, not Czech Republic!

Well, then see Mission Impossible before you walk around the Charles Bridge

And of the record, Amadeus was also filmed in Prague. Interestingly Prague looked much more like old Vienna than Vienna itself...