Short stop between Prague and Berlin?

Peter
Traveller
9333 comments

Hi.
You could use a Czech EC train on the route Prague to Bad Schandau, sit on the right and have lunch in the restaurant car. Inexpensive and good. :)
In Bad Schandau you could get out of the train and continue by ship to Dresden (or as well a shorter part of this trip). Never did it myself but heard it from friends: [u]http://www.saechsische-dampfschiffahrt.de/en/[/u]
Some photos in the overview here:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/bad-schandau/c[/u]
[u]https://rail.cc/en/rathen/c[/u]
[u]https://rail.cc/en/stadt-wehlen/c[/u]
Peter :)

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

I second Peter and recommend to have lunch on one of the EC trains from Prague to Berlin. However, Czech Restaurant cars run only on the departures at 0629, 0829 and 1029, so too early for lunch. The departures at 1229 and 1629 have Hungarian Restaurant cars, the 1429 an Austrian Restaurant Car. This is a bit of a pity since they are a bit more expensive and especially the Hungarians have a mediocre reputation as far as service is concerned, at least on this route.

Anyway, enjoy the trip along the Vltava and Elbe valley and take a seat on the right hand side from Prague (attention, the trains reverse in Prague central station).
I dont think that there will be much difference between the EC and local trains; if you opt for local trains though, 7/8 minutes are enough transfer time. Have you already been looking at a specific connection?

A boat trip on the Elbe river would be great as well! Or a short visit to Dresden's old town (there are lockers at the station). :)

MarinaFbg
Traveller
62 comments

Direct train with no stop I think we will go with the 10,29, which then will have a Czech restaurant car? (Do we need reservations for the restaurant car?) With a stop I think we will take the 8.29 (which will arrive in Dresden around 11 - that is, could be an alternative for a lunch in Dresden old town perhaps? )

Will it be enough to buy the reservations on the station or should be book in advance?

when you say trains reverse in the station do you need we should take a seat on the left in orde to travel on the right?

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Yeah, the 1029 has a Czech Restaurant car. Menu: [u]http://www.jidelnivozy.cz/jidelni-listky/ng-2013-14-2/CDR_JL_1-SK_web.pdf[/u] (this is train 378)
FWIW the menu of the trains at 1229 and 1629 [u]http://www.mav-start.hu/res/berlin_hamburg_etlap.pdf[/u] and at 1429: [u]http://henryamzug.com/docs/Henryamzug_Menuekarte_WEB.pdf#view=Fit[/u] :)

I am sure you would find a good restaurant in Dresden as well.

Yeah...if you see the train arriving in the station take a seat on the left hand side which will become right hand side when the train leaves the station.
In theory you can reserve seats on some restaurant cars but I dont know if that is the case on your route. Anyway, I never did this and always found a seat.

MarinaFbg
Traveller
62 comments

You continue to amaze me with your knowledge! Have I understood it correct that happy-hour-prices apply until 12 on tha 10.29-train? And that I only need to have ordered my food before 12, not eaten och paid for it? That is really great acutally, because our kids get up really early and if we have breakfast at 7 they are starving at 11 :D


And then I understand about the reverse thing, the same thing as in Malmö, Göteborg or Copenhagen then :) (and partly Stockholm as well :) )

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

:)

Yup, Happy Hours just works like that. We have been on such a train with a group of InterRailers during the DB InterRail Event last year from Prague to Dresden and pretty much emptied the supplies between Prague and Decin... :D

Another hint for Prague: There is a tunnel at one end at the station, the train will leave in the opposite direction for Berlin, so this should also help to decide where is right. :)