Extending a work trip to Prague an extra week to visit Berlin and Budapest. Because the conference is in Prague, my flights need to be in and out of there if I want them paid for. What's the easiest way to get from PRG to Berlin? It looks like renting a car is cheapest, but I imagine it will be a pain to deal with the car in the city. I'm thinking flying will be the easiest since, you know, I'll already be at the airport, but I'm concerned about IROPS on my inbound flights. Trains are always pleasant, but they will take twice as long. Thanks for any advice you can offer!

In this case the train only takes about 40 mins longer than driving Prague-Berlin- 4.5 hours vs 3hr 50 mins per google maps on a route with tolls. If you buy the train ticket far enough out it can be as low as 25 euros. I just did the train again in January. If you have to fly into Tegel, that means a bus ride into the city, and time to claim baggage, so figure how much time you'll need for everything from the trip to the airport to security to being there early for boarding and you may find you're not saving that much time overall. Just hasn't made sense for me to even think about flying when the train is so convenient.

If you have to buy separate air tickets from PRG to Tegel after coming across the Atlantic, and don't spend at least one night in Prague, that is risky if there are any IRROPS enroute. Train is easy on the other hand and easier to re-schedule. It does take ~45 minutes to go from PRG to the Central railway station via bus and Metro, faster if you use the Airport Express bus.

I would also spend the night in Prague before heading to Berlin just in case of irrops.

I have taken Flixbus and it is just as fast as the train (and in my opinion easier), about 4 1/2 to 5 hours from Prague to Berlin. The cost is 20 to 25 euros. In Berlin, most buses go to central bus station ZOB but you could go to Alexanderplatz if you are staying near there, but Berlin ZOB is in Charlottenburg so many tourists stay out there. I like to be closer to Berlin Mitte though.

From PRG, take the Airport Express bus to Masarykovo Nadrazi and it's a 10 minute walk to Prague UAN Florence to catch the bus to Berlin. Flixbus has a nice phone app where you can purchase and download your tickets too. You could take the 119 or 100 bus to the metro A or B line but that takes a little maneuvering and you have to buy a bus ticket. You can pay the driver on the AE.

From Prague UAN Florence, you can go direct to Berlin or transfer in Dresden, obviously direct is faster and easier. Since this seems to be your free time, I recommend you stop for a night in Dresden. Flixbus Prague UAN Florence to Dresden takes two hours. Walk around Dresden for the day to see the sights, stay the night, and then it is 2 1/2 hours direct to Berlin the next day.

Prague to Dresden costs 12 Euros, Dresden to Berlin costs 8 euros. You may have to catch an S or U bahn in Berlin depending on where you are staying.

And I just looked and see that you are Hilton Diamond. My suggestion then:

from PRG take AE to Masarykovo Nadrazi and walk across the street to stay at the Hilton Prague Old Town for a night. They treat Diamonds well. (There other Hilton Prague is close by but not quite as convenient, imho.)

After breakfast, walk 10 minutes to Prague UAN Florence and catch the Flixbus to Dresden. in Dresden, walk 20 minutes or take a tram three stops and stay the night at Hilton Dresden. Last time there, I got a beautiful corner room with a view of the river and main restaurant street. Time before that I had a view of Frauenkirche.

Again, after breakfast, head back to the main bahnhof and catch the bus 2 1/2 hours to Berlin, choosing the station closest to your hotel. If you go to Alexanderplatz, you can take the U bahn 5 stops to Stadtmitte and stay at the Berlin Hilton. Go to Berlin ZOB in Charlottenburg if you are staying at the Hampton. I highly recommend the Hilton as it is an easy walk to many attractions from Brandenberg Tor to Berlin Cathedral to Reichstag to Checkpoint Charlie and more.

I think the most relaxing way to get from Prague to Berlin is by train.

I take it you are planning to visit Berlin for a week after your conference in Prague? Where does Budapest come in?

Many of the responses seem to think you are heading directly to Berlin, but their thoughts are right in that you should plan on a night back in Prague if doing anything other than flying -- and if you are flying and play to return to the US the same day, plan for a longer layover -- 3-4 hours. Since you would be buying separate tickets if a delay on the BER-PRG flight causes you to miss your PRG-USA flight you likely in some trouble as the US bound airline will treat you as a no-show. Depending on your fare class, in theory they could make you buy a one way walk up ticket. (Do some online searching and you'll see lots of horror stories of people on cruises with flights home the day the cruise ends only to have the cruise ship arrive late)

I echo those that suggest taking the train. I found my Berlin - Prague train ride very interesting and educational. Of course, it was in Jan 1990 so it doesn't really apply to today

Train is WAY more comfortable than buses @:-)

About the only reason to use coaches is to save money or if a train does not go where you want to go.

Going to do PRG-BER in May as I'll be in Czech Republic, I've always wanted to visit Germany and IHG has a hotel in east Berlin for 5K using Point Breaks ^

Unless coaches are much cheaper it's train for me :-:

You all have been super helpful! Definitely leaning toward the train now.

The plan thus far is 3-5 nights in Berlin, followed by 2-3 in Budapest. My husband is requesting that we get to Budapest via overnight train if such a thing exists. Then we will either fly or train to Prague. My Prague conference is the last five days of the trip.

As per European Train Travel forum, night trains are becoming rarer and rares. With LCCs fewer and fewer people are using them, hence .....

There was a PRG-BUD overnight train, the one I reluctantly passed on, but that was five years ago, who knows if it's still there. You are of course asking for return routing ....

I'd post that particular question in European Train Travel forum @:-)

And if you have time for a daytrip from Prague, I'd suggest Česk� Krumlov. A few hours south of Prague, but this one is tougher on the train because the main line does bypasses it, so you'd have to transfer to a local train.

I unded up going south via train, then last leg and nonstop to Prague on bus - StudentAgency, and no, you don't have to be a student, that's just their name. Much less comfortable, but almost usable WiFi (pronounced VeeFee in Czech Republic).

Oops, one more clarification--we are planning to go to Berlin first because the Hilton point redemption is much lower the earlier part of the week than the later.

The EuroNight train leaves Berlin Hbf at 7:01 pm and arrives Budapest Keleti at 8:37 am. Tickets can be bought at bahn.de, they email you a PDF.

If you want the night train for the return, look for the 6:39 am arrival in Prague, not the 3:45 am arrival. Both sets of cars leave Budapest at 8:05 pm, but one takes a siesta along the way so as to arrive at a more reasonable time. That can be booked online with MAV, but tickets need to be collected in person at a station in Hungary.