Czechia confusion

[peteb]

I'm planning a journey across Czechia on 23/09/2025. Ceske Budovice to Kurort Rathen (just in Germany) on the Elbe valley route.

It should be very straightforward: a loco hauled fast train from Ceske Budovice to Prague, then EC172 (ex Budapest, destination Berlin) to Bad Schandau then a local train to Kurort Rathen.

BUT, it seems there's digging somewhere between Decin and Bad Schandau with EC 172 terminating at Decin. Looks like EC passengers for Germany are being bussed to Dresden nonstop from Usti Nad Labem.

Bahn.de clearly shows this, and suggests I'll need a rail replacement bus from Decin to Bad Schandau, then a ferry across the river, then train to Kurort Rathen (And then I'll need a ferry back across river to my hotel). Bit of a faff, and time consuming.

Buchung

int.bahn.de

However the inter-rail planner app shows a train running Decin to Bad Schandau, final destination Rumburk....hmmm........through the engineering works?

And so does the Czech Railways own planner. No mention of buses and boats on that.

Homepage | České dráhy

So I'm a bit confused. I'd rather not get a bus, train and two ferries if I don't have to. I'm inclined to believe Czech Railways own site but Bahn has such detailed mitigation for the engineering works.........

Anyone know which website is correct?

 

[rvdborgt]

The Rail Planner app should never be used to plan. What it says is irrelevant.
DB should be most up to date for Germany.
ČD should be most up to date for Czechia.
It's also possible that one or the other hasn't loaded the changes yet.

 

[dutchflyer]

Confirm the SEV=Rail replacing buses- as I was just planning myself going the other way to see the 150 yrs trams in Praha etc. around that same date-the works are for longer duration.
For LOCAL travels on the german side: best is to use the planner of the local ´Verbund´ here VVO=Oberelbe, based on Dresden. Well possible that nothing has yet been loaded on their www site for then. In case you also need ticketing- and do not belong to some special group like senior or junior/student it is often a lot cheaper to pay separate=split for both sides of border. But this may also depend on perhaps planning further travels in Germany onward.
But frankly, with quite some experience in travelling locally all around Germany, also right this morning: in your case it may well be best to swallow the pill, go on to Dresden en connect from there to final place, as most connections tend to aim for the main city.
There is also a local line going east from Usti (last stop but one in Czechia that may give connections-but as I now sit in some station and await next train to finally go home-try yourself first.

 

[E94]

I'm planning a journey across Czechia on 23/09/2025. Ceske Budovice to Kurort Rathen (just in Germany) on the Elbe valley route.

It should be very straightforward: a loco hauled fast train from Ceske Budovice to Prague, then EC172 (ex Budapest, destination Berlin) to Bad Schandau then a local train to Kurort Rathen.

BUT, it seems there's digging somewhere between Decin and Bad Schandau with EC 172 terminating at Decin. Looks like EC passengers for Germany are being bussed to Dresden nonstop from Usti Nad Labem.

Bahn.de clearly shows this, and suggests I'll need a rail replacement bus from Decin to Bad Schandau, then a ferry across the river, then train to Kurort Rathen (And then I'll need a ferry back across river to my hotel). Bit of a faff, and time consuming.

Buchung

int.bahn.de

However the inter-rail planner app shows a train running Decin to Bad Schandau, final destination Rumburk....hmmm........through the engineering works?

And so does the Czech Railways own planner. No mention of buses and boats on that.

Homepage | České dráhy

So I'm a bit confused. I'd rather not get a bus, train and two ferries if I don't have to. I'm inclined to believe Czech Railways own site but Bahn has such detailed mitigation for the engineering works.........

Anyone know which website is correct?

The works are also listed on the VVO website, so on this occasion DB is right.
You can download a map from VVO’s website showing where the bus and ferry stop in Bad Schandau.

 

[peteb]

Thanks all for useful responses; VVO website very helpful. Looks like bus, boat, train and boat then!!

 

[30907]

Thanks all for useful responses; VVO website very helpful. Looks like bus, boat, train and boat then!!

If you are up for a 15min walk, you could comfortably make the previous S-bahn at Bad Schandau.
If you don't want the walking, catch a later train - it looks as though the closure is daytime-only to allow freight (mainly) through.
And I predict that passengers on the EC will switch to the bus at Usti, even though DB won't show the connection - you are in CZ after all (but bear in mind earlier reports of severe delays on the RRB owing to digging on the motorway).

 

[peteb]

If you are up for a 15min walk, you could comfortably make the previous S-bahn at Bad Schandau.
If you don't want the walking, catch a later train - it looks as though the closure is daytime-only to allow freight (mainly) through.
And I predict that passengers on the EC will switch to the bus at Usti, even though DB won't show the connection - you are in CZ after all (but bear in mind earlier reports of severe delays on the RRB owing to digging on the motorway).

Yes, I see that from early evening onwards trains resume. However in order to get dinner at hotel arrival has to be by about 1830.....!!

 

[30907]

Yes, I see that from early evening onwards trains resume. However in order to get dinner at hotel arrival has to be by about 1830.....!!

Assuming you have a pass, you could leave your decision until you are approaching Usti. That said, carrying on along the Elbe would be more interesting, ferry or no.

 

[The exile]

DB’s own journey planner shows the Devon - Rumburk trains still running on 23rd September. If the works are principally on the Dresden side of Bad Schandau, that would affect the S-Bahn but not these. Equally, they might be able to thread a 2-hourly diesel service through (not every country has a problem with “red zone working”).
Correction - these are shown as not running by VVO with the note that this is not yet reflected in journey planners.