European Rail Travel - Prague-Krakow night train?

Anyone know a site where I can actually find prices for/book this? I've tried bahn.de and cd.cz and can only get times, not prices. Thanks.

To my knowledge, you cannot book this trip online through CD (or PKP). You may find an online retailer willing to go buy the ticket for you, but they will charge a huge premium.

I don't know if you can even see exact pricing online, but I think it's around 45 euros for the ticket, and then the supplement for couchette or sleeper is additional.

I did this journey about 6-7 years ago - to my shame I have no recollection at all as to how we bought the ticket.

Good experience though. We booked a first class sleeper compartment afor something like 100 dollars each all inclusive. Wonderful old wood-panelled compartment out of another era, very comfortable, but woken up 4 times during the night by Polish and Czech passport and custom control (=2x2). In each of the four cases, the conversation went something like this:

Knock on door
Agent, shouted through door: <something incomprehensible to me>
Me: (blearily) Hello?
Agent: British?
Me: Yes.
Agent: Ok.

... and that was it.

No more passport and custom control, but exept that no more good news. Poles do every thing to dismantle it rail. So use it, when You can. And don't expect to buy ticket on line.

You can buy tickets online:) Poles are not so bad:) I admit there are some problems with rails in Poland but this is such a lovely country:) And Krakow - amazing!
Where are you staying in Krakow?




http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&langpair=pl|en&u=http://www.pkp.pl/cop/biletprzezinternet&rurl=translate.google.com&twu=1&client=tmpg&usg=ALkJrhgnPe8u1QIpZ8f2asCyML2e6ftihA

You can buy tickets online:) Poles are not so bad:) I admit there are sometimes some problems with rails in Poland but this is such a lovely country! And Krakow - amazing:)
Where are you staying in Krakow?

You can buy tickets online:) Poles are not so bad:) I admit there are sometimes some problems with rails in Poland but this is such a lovely country! And Krakow - amazing:)
Where are you staying in Krakow?

That's great! Where can we book night trains from Poland online?

That's great! Where can we book night trains from Poland online?
There is a link on the post #5 before yours

There is a link on the post #5 before yours

I believe that is just domestic...same as in Czech Republic. You can buy domestic night trains online, and you can buy some foreign tickets online, but cannot buy foreign night trains online.

But maybe I'm missing something?

I believe that is just domestic...same as in Czech Republic. You can buy domestic night trains online, and you can buy some foreign tickets online, but cannot buy foreign night trains online.

But maybe I'm missing something?

No, You don't missing anything. She is giving only polish propaganda. But if You go before summer, You will have no problem buy ticket on train. They are realy empty.

I believe that is just domestic...same as in Czech Republic. You can buy domestic night trains online, and you can buy some foreign tickets online, but cannot buy foreign night trains online.

But maybe I'm missing something?
Indeed, on-line info is just for domestic travel. That said, you can email them with a pricing request at infoeuropa@intercity.pl and expect a rather quick response. My inquiry earlier this year produced a same day response.

Anyone know a site where I can actually find prices for/book this? I've tried bahn.de and cd.cz and can only get times, not prices. Thanks.
Did you get a fare quote for this by any chance?

My experience of Polish railway has involved much head scratching - but I have found this rail timetable (http://rozklad-pkp.pl/?q=en/node/143) of great use. Although it is arguably a work of fiction. ;)

I'm looking for the same thing, but on www.cd.cz/eshop, under international tickets, only Prague-Warsaw is an option, Krakow doesn't appear on that page. What gives?

Also, does anyone have an idea of how much it'll cost:

2 adults
1 way
a. 2-person cabin (bunk) - is this what is first class?
b. Cabin with double bed and private bathrrom

We're actually planning on doing this trip next weekend. If online doesn't work out, I'm going to buy our tix at the central rail station the day we land in PRG (we land 3 days and ~10 hours before the train leaves), and I'll post back what I find.

Also, does anyone have an idea of how much it'll cost:
See my post #11 above. For travel originating in Poland, that email address is really the best way to enquire about pricing.

2 adults
1 way
a. 2-person cabin (bunk) - is this what is first class?
For sleeping accommodations the choice is really between a "sleeper" and a "couchette". D402 from Krakow to Praha appears to be "sleeper" only, per http://www.sitkol.pl (http://www.sitkol.pl/)
b. Cabin with double bed and private bathrrom
As I vaguely recall, the rolling stock for night trains between Poland and Czech Republic does not offer private bathrooms in compartments. There is a wash basin in each compartment, but bathrooms and showers are public, at the end (or both ends?) of each car.

My experience of Polish railway has involved much head scratching - but I have found this rail timetable (http://rozklad-pkp.pl/?q=en/node/143) of great use. Although it is arguably a work of fiction. ;)
This is the official one: http://rozklad.sitkol.pl

Thanks for that email address ... I did get a response:

The price for a ticket in a one person sleeping room - 584 PLN.
No private bathroom - it's not possible in the train in question.

That seems quite expensive. 148 euros for a night train from Poland for one person?

That was what she said. I will buy when I arrive and share the info. Hopefully there will be room on the train.

Btw, I swung by aaa and asked for the heck of it. That quote was higher for a premium seat, they couldn't see the couchettes at all. Use raileurope.com to see what they were looking at.

I did take the trip as intended. It worked out great. I bought the ticket 3 days in advance in Prague, at a travel agency. The price was about US$200 for 2 people. We got a private cabin with 2 bunk beds, a closet (curtained off), and a sink. Outside were washrooms with shower, and snacks were available on board. Overall the cabin was clean and well-maintained, if a little dated.

One quirk was that the conductor just took our tickets and returned a part of them in the morning...

Also, forgot to mention more features:
- 220V power outlets
- air conditioning (controllable from within cabin)


pix (edited to protect the innocent) below:

http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g457/mrx80/pic207a.jpg
http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g457/mrx80/pic209a.jpg

Glad it worked out. For future reference for folks, the day journey from Prague to Krakow can be done much cheaper:

Buy 19-euro special tickets online from Prague to Warsaw.

Instead of going all the way to Warsaw, get off at Katowice. Buy a domestic ticket there to Krakow (somewhere between 15 and 23 PLN , depending on the train).

So a total of around 35 USD, one way from Prague to Krakow.

Glad it worked out. For future reference for folks, the day journey from Prague to Krakow can be done much cheaper:

Buy 19-euro special tickets online from Prague to Warsaw.

Instead of going all the way to Warsaw, get off at Katowice. Buy a domestic ticket there to Krakow (somewhere between 15 and 23 PLN , depending on the train).

So a total of around 35 USD, one way from Prague to Krakow.
For me, the time becomes an issue. The night train is good with the direct and overnight aspects, what you suggest is definitely attractive financially, but time is at a premium for vacation and spending daylight on the train isn't much fun. Also, the cost is mitigated bc that is one hotel night that isn't needed in the city.

All true, it's about personal preference. Seeing the scenery (which admittedly isn't that great between PRague and Krakow, but can be interesting at times), meeting people in the cafe/dining car, etc. And $130 for a couple each way can go a long way for hotel room :)

An Update for the Night Train ... I bought the ticket for the private sleeper compartment directly from the train station. The cost was 336 PLN (~125 USD) and was good for two people. I think the lesson would be to avoid the TAs as their commission seems to be fairly high.

I arrived on the early side at the train station, and so did the train. It seemed to begin from Krakow as it was going to sit in the station for close to 30 minutes. The ticket has the car number and sleeper compartment noted. They check your ticket before allowing you to board, so only people with sleepers on that car are allowed on. Next time, I wouldn't board so early as the cars were stifling with no AC until we started moving again.

There was one old guy who was a character (not in a good way) who dropped trou to prepare for bed, then got lost finding the restroom, the conductor quickly corrected that. There is only one corridor and since the compartments were hot, most were in no rush to close the door before we got moving and some ac was circulating.

Facilities is a sink with two water bottles (I couldn't decipher, but dont think the water from tap should be used for teeth cleaning, so used their water bottles for washing up) inside the compartment. The shared toilet/shower room was near the end of the corridor, very basic but fine and workable. I don't think anyone used that shower.

There are locks on the door (quite a few), and the conductor and the signs, notify you you should use them all. There was no way to lock the cabin if you were leaving it, however. Safety wasn't an issue at the station, as the conductor was very vigilant but indicated in middle of the night/trip is when that is important.

The trip itself was okay. I didn't sleep soundly with the sounds and movement off/on during the trip, but that would be expected. I will say when they switched whatever at the border crossing, that Czech Rep offered was a much smoother ride than what we started with in Poland. There were a couple of other places where the stops seemed to be longer than expected, but again not a big deal. You did hear the conductor walking back and forth now and then in the corridor, but most of the noise is outside.

The conductor knocked on doors offering tea/coffee in the morning. Arrival at the station was a non-event, we were on time. I bought the metro ticket and was off to my hotel shortly thereafter.

Great report!

Worth repeating that quoted prices from anyone but the rail companies themselves will be highly inflated...your cost for two people was less than the cost you were quoted for one via the website!

I agree this is a useful report. However, I have one question. You said the car had air-conditioning, but then you wrote "...but most of the noise is outside." If you had air-conditioning, wouldn't your windows be closed? And if it was closed, how could you hear the "noise outside"?

Also, unlike you, I find trains wonderful for sleeping. But, I am probably not so sensitive to sound as you are.

I agree this is a useful report. However, I have one question. You said the car had air-conditioning, but then you wrote "...but most of the noise is outside." If you had air-conditioning, wouldn't your windows be closed? And if it was closed, how could you hear the "noise outside"?

Also, unlike you, I find trains wonderful for sleeping. But, I am probably not so sensitive to sound as you are.
You hear sound from outside because the windows don't block it ... the a/c wasn't super loud if that was your assumption

Thanks for the quick reply. I assume that you and I have very different sensitivity to sounds, as I wrote before. When the windows are closed, I have never heard anything from outside. I also don't hear sounds from inside the train unless they are very loud and very close. It's just different sensitivity I guess.