West Yorkshire to Prague and return.

[61653 HTAFC]

During October, I'm going to be spending a few days in Prague, visiting a family member who is over there for medical treatment. I'm hoping to do one leg of the journey by train rather than low-cost airline and have found The Man in Seat 61 a very useful website for this...

But I wondered if anyone on here has any tips or pointers about saving money or time, or indeed any routing options that are particularly scenic. I'm avoiding sleepers due to both cost and the fact that one of the things I like about train travel is looking out of the window and seeing the world go by- though I'm not ruling them out entirely. I'll most likely do the return leg by train, and I'm not overly fussed about the domestic leg of the trip as I've "bought the t-shirt" as the kids used to say. I may even use Megabus for that bit!

So, any wee secrets or tricks?

 

[30907]

In terms of the rail routes:

the Elbe route to Dresden is lovely, and has CD restaurant cars, but after that it's not very exciting.

the route via Plzen (rather than Karlovy Vary) and Cheb to Nuremburg is pleasant, especially at the Nuremburg end, and you can use the silly price CD fares.

I haven't done the Plzen-Schwandorf route: it gets you big Alex diesels and the Prague based sets also have restaurants, but it isn't that exciting according to reports.

my favourite, but slow, is Plzen-Zelezna Ruda/Bayerisch Eisenstein-Plattling: big CD diesel up to ZR, walk across the border in the middle of the station, railcar down the other side. And you can do BE to London with an overnight on the one ticket. Make sure there's no engineering work though, the line is being rebuilt steadily.

You could compromise and fly back from Nuremberg to MAN with R----air or Dusseldorf (also to LBA). Or perhaps the best - fly part way out and back, Elbe route out and Zelezna Ruda back.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

In terms of the rail routes:

the Elbe route to Dresden is lovely, and has CD restaurant cars, but after that it's not very exciting.

the route via Plzen (rather than Karlovy Vary) and Cheb to Nuremburg is pleasant, especially at the Nuremburg end, and you can use the silly price CD fares.

I haven't done the Plzen-Schwandorf route: it gets you big Alex diesels and the Prague based sets also have restaurants, but it isn't that exciting according to reports.

my favourite, but slow, is Plzen-Zelezna Ruda/Bayerisch Eisenstein-Plattling: big CD diesel up to ZR, walk across the border in the middle of the station, railcar down the other side. And you can do BE to London with an overnight on the one ticket. Make sure there's no engineering work though, the line is being rebuilt steadily.

You could compromise and fly back from Nuremberg to MAN with R----air or Dusseldorf (also to LBA). Or perhaps the best - fly part way out and back, Elbe route out and Zelezna Ruda back.

Thanks, certainly a lot to consider! The route via Cheb definitely appeals thanks to the crazily low fares!

Hadn't thought of splitting modes that way round, it's certainly something to mull over... ideally I'd do rail both ways as air travel is something I find both stressful and dull- it's issues this side of the water that push the price up though, especially at relatively short notice. :roll:

 

[blackfive460]

Consider using a 5 day Global Interrail pass if you want to use rail both ways.
You can use it for your outward and return journeys in the UK and in Eurostar with a reasonably priced supplement.
West Yorkshire to Köln is possible in the day then on to Prague either via Dresden or Regensburg the following day.
I did Prague to Köln via Regensburg yesterday with an hour break in both Regensburg and Frankfurt.

 

[30907]

I did Prague to Köln via Regensburg yesterday with an hour break in both Regensburg and Frankfurt.

What's the scenery like between Domazlice and Schwandorf, I've not done that bit? Thanks.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Consider using a 5 day Global Interrail pass if you want to use rail both ways.
You can use it for your outward and return journeys in the UK and in Eurostar with a reasonably priced supplement.
West Yorkshire to Köln is possible in the day then on to Prague either via Dresden or Regensburg the following day.
I did Prague to Köln via Regensburg yesterday with an hour break in both Regensburg and Frankfurt.

Interrail have possibly lost some custom this evening thanks to their decidedly mobile-unfriendly site. Those Czech cheap tickets are still the front-runner so far, but Megabus+ might be getting a few quid as part of that...

I would wonder if splitting "GB-style" is something that works on the continent, but I imagine that the anomalies that make it worthwhile over here probably don't exist in those sensible places!

 

[30907]

I would wonder if splitting "GB-style" is something that works on the continent, but I imagine that the anomalies that make it worthwhile over here probably don't exist in those sensible places!

It can sometimes work in Germany (and Austria), so can starting short on an international Europe Special instead of using an internal Sparpreis (legal and more flexible fare rules!).
For Prague-London, check which split point works - probably Brussels if you have the CD ticket.
Strategic use of German or Czech cross-border day rovers is also worth it especially via Plzen-Schwandorf - regional trains only in Germany but that includes the ALX Prague-Munich.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

It can sometimes work in Germany (and Austria), so can starting short on an international Europe Special instead of using an internal Sparpreis (legal and more flexible fare rules!).
For Prague-London, check which split point works - probably Brussels if you have the CD ticket.
Strategic use of German or Czech cross-border day rovers is also worth it especially via Plzen-Schwandorf - regional trains only in Germany but that includes the ALX Prague-Munich.

Brussels is looking like a prime candidate for both splitting and a possible overnight. Fares on Eurostar for mid-to-late October look reasonable at the moment, so once again it's getting to St. Pancake that could be the costliest part. Thank (no) God for Souter and his MegaBusPlus!

 

[30907]

Brussels is looking like a prime candidate for both splitting and a possible overnight. Fares on Eurostar for mid-to-late October look reasonable at the moment, so once again it's getting to St. Pancake that could be the costliest part. Thank (no) God for Souter and his MegaBusPlus!

I find EC Advances reasonable, and even the CIV Euro Saver tolerable - but then I have a railcard. Enjoy anyway.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Latest update: I have now booked (via Eurostar) from Leeds to Brussels Midi, and a hotel room approximately 500m from Midi station... only to find that the Czech Railways website has gone belly-up! I'd picked my schedule with reservations where possible all the way from Brussels to Prague (Not the direct train, but I quite like changing trains anyway) for around £36 including the supplements for reserved seats... then, the website crashed!

I'll keep trying of course, but I'm hoping I haven't just wasted £160+!

 

[30907]

The worst case is that you have to book with DB Brussels to Cheb or Bayerisch Eisenstein which in a couple of weeks time starts at EUR79.90, plus about EUR 10 for the CD portion, so not a total disaster.

Too late to be useful information, but I would probably have booked the CD ticket first and certainly the hotel last.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The worst case is that you have to book with DB Brussels to Cheb or Bayerisch Eisenstein which in a couple of weeks time starts at EUR79.90, plus about EUR 10 for the CD portion, so not a total disaster.

Too late to be useful information, but I would probably have booked the CD ticket first and certainly the hotel last.

Appreciated nonetheless, thanks! As it happens, the issues with the CD site have been overcome and I have now booked everything. Turns out as well that my bank account includes automatic travel cover so I wouldn't have been as out of pocket as I thought. Don't even have to use Megabus!

I shall endeavour to produce some sort of trip report for the journey as a little thank-you to those who have chipped in with advice or pointers!

 

[dutchflyer]

1.no need to worry about sleepers, as there are not any left along these routes.
There is still the odd overnight train, but these are now just daytime ICE or IC=seats only. However, OeBB=Austrain Railways have their NightJet trains to/from Wien=Vienna, f.e. from Dűsseldorf, iwth set-couchette-sleeper.
2.IF you cannot find a cheaper DB Sparpreis anymore, you might want to check the Quer durchs land day ticket at 44 eur, but only available in local=RE trains, many changes needed. Or make more breaks and use Landestickets and stay over at their borders. DB can offer, depending on date and advance timings quite cheap sparpreise from Brussel to any German station via ICE, but generally not VIA DE onward.
3.MEGAbus DID have a quite extensive buslines network on this continent, but has given it all up and passed it to FLIX.

 

[30907]

Appreciated nonetheless, thanks! As it happens, the issues with the CD site have been overcome and I have now booked everything. Turns out as well that my bank account includes automatic travel cover so I wouldn't have been as out of pocket as I thought. Don't even have to use Megabus!

I shall endeavour to produce some sort of trip report for the journey as a little thank-you to those who have chipped in with advice or pointers!

Glad to hear it. Look forward to the report. Does your ref to reservations mean you are booked on the afternoon SuperCity (Pendolino) from Cheb, which would connect with the 0625 from Brussels?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Glad to hear it. Look forward to the report. Does your ref to reservations mean you are booked on the afternoon SuperCity (Pendolino) from Cheb, which would connect with the 0625 from Brussels?

It doesn't. My return involves an 0612 departure from Prague towards Cheb on the "Egrensis" express services, a regional Sprinter service to Nürnberg (apparently run by CD despite most of the mileage being in Germany as far as I can tell), then ICEs to Brussels Midi changing at Frankfurt-am-Main Hauptbahnhof.

The reservation issue was due to having to use the mobile version of the CD site, which meant I could choose preferred types of seat but not select individual seats from a plan. Reservations weren't compulsory and do cost extra, but worked out at about £2 per reservation which made it a no-brainer. An email exchange with CD customer services was going well until a shift change! But if I can't sort it it won't be the end of the world!

P.s. FAO Dutchflyer, I was not planning on using Megabus outside of the UK in any case, just as a possible way of avoiding expensive UK rail fares to travel on lines I've already covered multiple times. As it turned out, this wasn't necessary.

 

[30907]

It doesn't. My return involves an 0612 departure from Prague towards Cheb on the "Egrensis" express services, a regional Sprinter service to Nürnberg (apparently run by CD despite most of the mileage being in Germany as far as I can tell)

No, the unit is provided by DB and based at Nuremburg - cl 612 2-car tilting unit at a guess - but it works the old-fashioned way as a CD service as far as the border and so counts for their purposes. CD don't have any units permitted to operate in Germany anyway.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

No, the unit is provided by DB and based at Nuremburg - cl 612 2-car tilting unit at a guess - but it works the old-fashioned way as a CD service as far as the border and so counts for their purposes. CD don't have any units permitted to operate in Germany anyway.

Ah, cheers. At least I get some loco-haulage from Cheb to Prague and back!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

As an addendum to this thread, is there anyone on here who speaks Czech? I could do with making an identity card with medical information just in case of emergency. I can obviously use Google translate but if someone could check (no pun intended ) the grammar for me I'd feel more confident with it. The German and French I can handle, probably!

 

[30907]

As an addendum to this thread, is there anyone on here who speaks Czech? I could do with making an identity card with medical information just in case of emergency. I can obviously use Google translate but if someone could check (no pun intended ) the grammar for me I'd feel more confident with it. The German and French I can handle, probably!

If you are only going to Prague you should be OK. And I have had a Czech conductor use his smartphone to explain to me about engineering works.

There are several CZ speakers on Drehscheibe-online, if that is at all useful. Or try your local hospital?! (Slovak, Slovenian, Polish or Croatian would work too...)

 

[61653 HTAFC]

If you are only going to Prague you should be OK. And I have had a Czech conductor use his smartphone to explain to me about engineering works.

There are several CZ speakers on Drehscheibe-online, if that is at all useful. Or try your local hospital?! (Slovak, Slovenian, Polish or Croatian would work too...)

I'll mostly be in Prague, but will also be travelling from Cheb to Prague and back. AIUI German is widely spoken as a second language in Cheb, and I speak well enough to get by. Because I have type-1 diabetes it would be sensible for me to have something on my person explaining this, in case I do have a hypo: I do the same when here at home because it's not unheard of for people suffering from low blood sugar to be mistaken for drunks and simply thrown in cells with disastrous consequences. Google translate will probably be good enough to get by though, as the chance of me actually getting into difficulties (my management is pretty good) is fairly small.

 

[Capybara]

I'll mostly be in Prague, but will also be travelling from Cheb to Prague and back. AIUI German is widely spoken as a second language in Cheb, and I speak well enough to get by. Because I have type-1 diabetes it would be sensible for me to have something on my person explaining this, in case I do have a hypo: I do the same when here at home because it's not unheard of for people suffering from low blood sugar to be mistaken for drunks and simply thrown in cells with disastrous consequences. Google translate will probably be good enough to get by though, as the chance of me actually getting into difficulties (my management is pretty good) is fairly small.

Yes, I was in those parts last year and had a replacement 'bus experience. The guard realised I was foreign so explained the position in German. The fact that German was her second language (and mine) meant I actually understood more of what she said than I do from your average German.

 

[70014IronDuke]

I'll mostly be in Prague, but will also be travelling from Cheb to Prague and back. AIUI German is widely spoken as a second language in Cheb, and I speak well enough to get by. Because I have type-1 diabetes it would be sensible for me to have something on my person explaining this, in case I do have a hypo: I do the same when here at home because it's not unheard of for people suffering from low blood sugar to be mistaken for drunks and simply thrown in cells with disastrous consequences. Google translate will probably be good enough to get by though, as the chance of me actually getting into difficulties (my management is pretty good) is fairly small.

Corrected by a Czech (Moravian) - originally from google translate (small error in that)

"Mám cukrovku, která je léčena inzulínovými injekcemi. Pokud jsem v bezvědomí, prosím, vyhledejte lékařskou pomoc a dejte mi trochu cukru. Děkuji."