Train Travel

Travelling to the Czech Republic

The main train operator in the Czech Republic is CD (Ceské Dráhy) online at www.cdrail.cz For Eurostar times and fares visit www.eurostar.com

For any European train timetable visit http://bahn.hafas.de

For tourist information check out www.czech.cz. For Prague metro, bus & tram information log on to www.myczechrepublic.com/prague/prague_metro.html

To Prague by train

Travelling to Prague from London by train is straightforward. Leave London for Brussels on Eurostar and hop on a connecting train to Cologne and then an overnight Kopernikus sleeper to Prague. Alternatively, from Brussels take an overnight sleeper to Berlin and then a EuroCity to Prague with lunch on board. Another route is again from Brussels, this time to Frankfurt and the board the Frankfurt to Prague overnight sleeper, arriving bright and early the next morning.

London to Prague

Train times London to Prague (via Cologne) - Hop on the Eurostar from London to Brussels, leaving London at 14:13 or 14:41, arriving in Brussels at 17:40 or 18:02. Leave Brussels for Cologne by high-speed Thalys train, leaving Brussels at 19:28 and arriving in Cologne (Hauptbahnhof) at 21:45. Travel from Cologne to Prague by sleeper train, leaving Cologne at 22:39 and arriving in Prague (Hlavni station) at 10:20 next morning.

The overnight sleeper to Prague from Cologne is on board the 'Kopernikus'. It runs daily with brand new German sleeping cars (1, 2 and 3 berth deluxe rooms with private shower & toilet, 1, 2 and 3 berth standard rooms with washbasin - a public shower is at the end of the corridor for passengers in standard rooms), modern air conditioned couchettes (choose between a bed in a 4 or 6 berth compartment) or basic seats, which are not recommended for overnight travel. Inclusive fares are charged covering travel plus sleeping accommodation, and the sleeping-car fare includes a light breakfast.

Train times Prague to London (via Cologne). Travel from Prague to Cologne by sleeper train, leaving Prague Hlavni at 19:05 and arriving in Cologne at 06:57 next morning. Again this is the 'Kopernikus'. Leave Cologne for Brussels by high-speed ICE train, departing at 09:14 and arriving in Brussels at 11:32. Then from Brussels to London by Eurostar, leaving at 12:58 arriving London at 14:27.

***Fares (via Cologne)***

Buy tickets - online. It's possible to book online, but you need to use two separate websites. Try it out first to check availability and fares on both sites before starting to book for real, and remember that you can't book the Cologne-Prague train until 60 days before departure.

First visit www.nachtzug.de, the German Railways night train site. Initially it is all in German but don't worry - click 'buchung' ('booking') then 'fahrkarte' ('tickets') then 'anwendung offnen' ('open window') and a booking window appears which has an English language option. Book a sleeper or couchette ticket from Cologne (Köln Hbf) to Prague (Praha Hl) and back, looking for the cheap 'sparnight' fares. You pay online and print out your own ticket in .PDF format on your own printer.

Next book the connecting London to Cologne journey online at www.eurostar.com. Note that 'Cologne' is shown as 'Koln'. Fares start at around £68 return. One-way fares can be higher than returns, and if so, just buy a return and throw away the return portion after using the outward. Make sure you allow plenty of time for the connection in Cologne, preferably between 1½ & 2 hours when connecting with a sleeper train. Remember that your return departure date from Cologne will be the day after your departure date.

If you prefer you can book London to Brussels to Cologne at www.voyages-sncf.com. The English button is a UK flag at the bottom. Select 'Great Britain' as your country then for the best prices, select 'payment online in euros'. Try booking London to Cologne and back, but if you only see expensive fares, try booking London-Brussels and back, looking for cheap 88 euro (£59) return fare, then click 'add another ticket' and book Brussels-Cologne and back, again looking for a cheap fare.

Buy tickets - by phone. If you prefer to book by phone, the best UK agencies to call for this journey are Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 0870 2 43 53 63 or www.europeanrail.com on 020 7387 0444. Booking fees may be charged.

Train times London - Prague (via Berlin). Travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar, leaving London Waterloo at 18:11. Travel overnight from Brussels to Berlin, leaving at 23:41 and arriving at Berlin (Ostbahnhof) at 08:21 next morning. One of German Railway's excellent new overnight trains, it has brand new sleeping cars (1, 2 and 3 berth deluxe rooms with private shower & toilet, 1, 2 and 3 berth standard rooms with washbasin - with a public shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in standard rooms), modern air conditioned couchettes (choose between a berth in a 4 or 6 berth compartment) and a bistro restaurant car. Sleeping car fares are inclusive and are charged covering travel plus sleeping accommodation and a light breakfast in the restaurant car.

Travel from Berlin to Prague leaving Berlin Ostbahnhof at 09:42 and arriving Prague (Holesovice station) at 14:27. The is the EuroCity train 'Vindobona' with modern air-conditioned German coaches and a restaurant car selling drinks, snacks and affordable full meals.

Train times Prague to London (via Berlin) - Travel from Prague to Berlin, leaving at 15:34 and arriving in Berlin (Ostbahnhof) at 20:18. This is the EuroCity service 'Vindobona' with modern air-conditioned coaches and restaurant car. Leave Berlin for Brussels departing at 21:18 and arriving Brussels at 06:09 next morning. Seats, couchettes (4 bunk and 6 bunk) and sleepers (1, 2 and 3 bed with and without en suite shower & toilet) are available, plus a bistro-restaurant car. The sleeper fare includes breakfast. Travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar. Eurostar leaves Brussels at 07:01 arriving London Waterloo at 08:26.

***Fares (via Berlin)***

Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) offer a special inclusive deal from London to Berlin by Eurostar and their excellent sleeper train, starting at £159 return including a basic couchette. You then need to add to this the fare from Berlin to Prague.

Buy tickets - You need to book this option by phone. Remember that reservations open 60 days before departure, you can't book before reservations open. The best UK agencies to call for this journey are Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 0870 2 43 53 63 or www.europeanrail.com on 020 7387 0444. Booking fees may be charged.

Train times London to Prague (via Frankfurt) Travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar, leaving London (Waterloo) at 10:43 and arriving in Brussels at 14:05. Leave Brussels for Cologne by high-speed ICE train, departing at 16:28 and arriving in Frankfurt (Hauptbahnhof) at 19:58. Travel overnight from Frankfurt to Prague leaving at 23:38 and arriving Prague (Hlavni station) at 08:15 next morning. This is a modern sleeping car with 1, 2 and 3 bed rooms with washbasin, couchettes with 6-bunk compartments, plus ordinary seats (which are not recommended for overnight travel).

Train times Prague to London (via Frankfurt). Travel overnight from Prague to Frankfurt leaving at 21:46 and arriving Frankfurt at 06:21 next morning. Leave Frankfurt for Brussels by high-speed ICE, departing at 08:00 and arriving Brussels 11:32. Travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar, leaving at 12:58 and arriving London Waterloo at 14:27.

***Fares (via Frankfurt)***

London to Frankfurt by Eurostar & Thalys or ICE: Approximately £129 return 2nd class, £219 return 1st class. Frankfurt to Prague by overnight train: Basic fare: £52 one way or £103 return 2nd class. Add to this either £11 one way, £22 return for a berth in a 6-bunk couchette or approximately £25 one way, £50 return for a much more comfortable bed in a 3-bed sleeper.

Buy tickets - Remember that reservations open 60 days before departure and you can't book before reservations open. The best UK agencies to call for this journey are Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 0870 2 43 53 63 or www.europeanrail.com on 020 7387 0444.

Escorted holidays to Prague by train

If you don't feel confident enough to hop on and off trains throughout Europe on your own but still fancy having a go, there is a company who provide organised escorted tours which you may prefer to try. Decide on the countries you want to visit and rough dates and then give them a call on 0845 402 2068 and see what they can do for you.

The Thomas Cook European Timetable

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train, bus and ferry times for every country in Europe, plus currency and climate information. It's essential for any independent traveller. It costs around £11.50 from the bureau de change in any UK branch of Thomas Cook, or you can buy online at www.thomascooktimetables.com.

Recommended guidebooks

Never travel, independently or in a group without a good guidebook. The best guides are the the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide. Both guidebooks have the same excellent level of practical information and cultural and historical background.

Hotels in Austria

A good website to start at for hotels and guesthouses in Vienna and other Austrian cities, both inexpensive ones and upmarket options, is www.venere.com. Alternatively a general search on the internet is also a good idea.

Backpacker hostels

If you're on a very tight budget you may find a room or a bed in a dorm at a backpacker hostel. Take a look at www.hostelbookers.com.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance isn't a luxury - it's a necessity. Ensure its included in your holiday budget. There are many providers these days so shop around to get the best deal but always make sure you have adequate cover and that it is underwritten by a reliable insurer. Sometimes an annual multi trip is cheaper than separate policies for each trip.

EU health card

UK citizens travelling in Europe should carry a European Health Insurance Card. This replaces the old E111 forms as from January 2006. The EHIC card is available free from www.ehic.org.uk and entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the UK's NHS.