Regensburg-Krakow-Budapest-Vienna-Zurich

Peter
Traveller
9337 comments

Hi Edward...

[b]Regensburg to Krakow[/b] is a long trip. IT is about 13-15 hours.
I recommend you this connection:

Regensburg Hbf dep: 0821 | ALX train - free of supplements
Hof Hbf arr: 1019

Hof Hbf dep: 1031 | IRE train - free of supplements
Dresden Hbf arr: 1257

Dresden Hbf dep: 1332 | RE train - free of supplements
Wroclaw Glowny arr: 1647

Wroclaw Glownydep: 1652 | D train - free of supplements
Krakow Glowny arr: 2140

Keep in mind: if you stayed 6 months or longer in Germany and a visa or residency permit is attached or printed in your passport, you are officially resident of Germany and need a German InterRail ticket. But train travel is not for free within your country of residence. So an other route would be better to leave Germany on a faster way. [u]https://rail.cc/en/how-to-interrail[/u]

If you have an extra travel day or you skip Zurich, a better alternative would be first Regensburg to [b]Prague[/b] and then Prague to Krakow.

[b]Krakow-Budapest[/b]: by day trains or: [u]https://rail.cc/en/krakow-budapest-night-train/f3305[/u]

[b]Budapest-Vienna[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/budapest-vienna-munich-train-railje/f4070[/u]

[b]Vienna-Zurich[/b]: by day trains or by night train: [u]https://rail.cc/en/vienna-zurich-night-train/f1449[/u]

Peter :)

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Some thoughts:

You could do Regensburg - Praha with regular ticket (starting from 24€), then go Krakow - Budapest - Wien - Zürich as planned with the InterRail ticket. Go Zürich - Wien by night train, on the way back you could go Zürich - Innsbruck - München - Regensburg as there wont be such a long stretch in Germany on this route compared to going Zürich - Regensburg directly.
Of course this only applies if you need a German InterRail pass, as Peter already described. If you can travel with a UK? InterRail, you can go Zürich - Regensburg directly - although it would be a nice scenic trip going Zürich - Innsbruck - Garmisch - Regensburg... :)

anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments

Many thanks for all your help guys - Really appreciated.

Does anybody know if I can travel on the ICE trains in Germany if I had a UK InterRail ticket?

Thanks again.

Edward

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi Edward!

Yes, ICE in Germany are free to use with an UK InterRail.


Flo 8)

anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments

Hi Guys

Thanks again for your continued help.

I am getting really stressed here trying to sort out the route.

I have changed it slightly as I have already been to Prague and I am not to worried if I don't get to visit Krakow as it is a long way off for a 5 in 10 day ticket.

Here are my plans so far:

14th March: Regensburg - Wien (I would buy a ticket on the DB website to save a travel day)
16th March: Wien - Budapest

I would then like to go to Milan but it is quite a large journey... I thought about breaking it up by travelling to Zagreb on the way. Is there a night train between Wien and Milan?

The next stage would then be:

Milan - Zurich
Zurich - Regensburg


I have never been interrailing before and I am unsure how many days this would take up.

I would be really grateful if someone could help me.

Many thanks

Edward

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi Edward!

There is a night train between Wien and Milano: [u]https://rail.cc/en/vienna-rome-milan-night-train/f1417[/u] However, breaking your journey in Zagreb sounds rather sensible since it will take you two travel days anyway to get from Budapest to Milano - so a short stop in Zagreb would make sense I think.

A possible itinerary could be (travel days marked with an x):

Regensburg - Wien with the DB ticket, spending some time in Wien (I would recommend one of the Wombats hostels close to the Westbahnhof, have a look at [ux]https://rail.shop/hostelworld[/ux]). Then starting your InterRail ticket when you leave Wien.

1) Wien - Budapest x [u]https://rail.cc/en/vienna-budapest-train-railje/f1999[/u]
2) Budapest
3) Budapest - Zagreb x [u]https://rail.cc/en/budapest-zagreb-train/f4053[/u]
4) Zagreb - Venezia (- Milano) :arr: with night train to Venice [u]https://rail.cc/en/zagreb-venice-night-train/f1389[/u] (you can use the 1900 rule) then change to Milano. There are frequen fast ES City trains with a supplement of 10€ as well as slower connections by regional trains - I would recommend to spend a few hours in Venezia after you arrive with the night train - put your stuff in a locker at the station and have a quick walk around the city :)
5) (Zagreb -) Venezia - Milano x
6) Milano
7) Milano - Zürich x The direct way would be over the Gotthard route which is a railway classic and a marvellous route indeed, running over the Alps through spiral tunnels and so on. However, an interesting alternative (and completely free compared to the 10€ reservation for the Milano - Zürich trains) would be going via the route of another classic Alpine railway, the Bernina Express, have a look here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/bernina-express/f1749[/u]
8) Zürich
9) Zürich - Regensburg x The direct way would be with an EC to München and change there to Regensburg.

I have left day 10) out for the moment. You can fit it in as you like depending on which options you choose. For example, if you spend the day in Venezia on day 5) and arrive quite late in Milano you could think of adding an extra day there. But if you continue directly in Venice you have in enough time in Milano and can add the day in Budapest or Zürich... :)
Hope that helped for now ? Dont hesitate to ask if there are further questions.


Flo 8)

anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments

Hi Flo

Thank you very much for you quick response.

So if I did what you recommend above how do I book for the night train? I am also a bit confused as to how that would plan out. Say I left Regensburg on Monday 14th March when would I return?

What do you mean when you wrote - 5) (Zagreb -) Venezia - Milano x - Is the part in brackets the part over night and would that count as one day?

Also would I have to pay more money for an extra days travelling if I stay an extra day in Milan?

Sorry if I come across as really stupid, I am still trying to work out how all this works.

Many thanks again for your help.

Edward

anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments

Ps. Also want to know - Re: the night train if there are two of us travelling and we booked a double sleeper would the price shown on the link you provided be for both of us or per person? Thanks

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi Edward,

the prices for the night trains are always [b]per person.[/b] If you ie book a triple sleeper on the Zagreb - Venice night train you would have to pay 40€. If no-one else has booked you could have the compartment all for your own, but it could also happen that there are two other persons in the same compartment. If you'd book a more expensive single you'd be in the same compartment on your own with the guarantee that nobody else is in your compartment.

You can book the Zagreb - Venezia night train for instance at the station in Budapest. But you could also do it in Regensburg or Wien if you'd know the exact travel date.

The part in brackets means that you'd be in that city the previous (or following) day. In your example you would leave Zagreb very late on day 4 and would arrive in Venezia in the morning of day 5 to continue to Milano later on.

You dont have to pay for an extra day travelling (actually you cant). The 5in10 flexi pass has a fixed period of validity, ten consecutive starting at 0000 on the first day of validity. Within this period of ten days you have 5 travel days to freely enter in your pass.


Flo 8)

anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments

Many thanks Flo.

So if I have this right it should be the following:

1. Wien (Stay) 14th March
2. 15th March - Travel (Stay in Budapest)
3. Budapest (Stay) 16th March
4. 17th March - Travel (Stay in Zagreb)
5. Zagreb (Stay) 18th March
6. 19th March - Travel (Night train to Milan)
7. Milan (Stay) 20th March
8. 21st March - Travel (Stay in Zurich)
9. Zurich (Stay) 22nd March
10. 23rd March - Travel back to Regensburg

Would you book hostels etc.. in advance? I was also looking at the option of camping.

Is there a day train I could get from Zagreb to Venice/Milan to save on costs?

Many thanks

Edward

Peter
Traveller
9337 comments

Hi Edward...
As you route is fix and you won't have changes, I recommend to book the hostels one week in advance.
Have a look at [ux]https://rail.shop/hostelworld[/ux] to get an impression about prices.

A cheap day connection from Zagreb is this one:
- first to Ljubljana: [u]https://rail.cc/en/zagreb-ljubljana-train/f3919[/u]
- then cross to the border - everything by free local trains: [u]https://rail.cc/en/ljubljana-venice-train/f3663[/u]

Peter :)

anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments

I have been looking into the journey a bit more and it seems that accommodation in Zürich is quite expensive.

I friend recommended that I visit Lucerne instead of Zürich.

I was thinking of going from Zagreb to Venezia and staying in Venezia overnight... Is this possible - Are there many hostels in Venezia?

I would then travel on to Lucerne.

Does anybody know of the possible connections and whether there are many hostels in Venezia?

Sorry to keep changing the route.

Many thanks again for everyones help, it's greatly appreciated.

Edward

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi Edward,

if you are going Zagreb - Venezia and Venezia - Luzern on two separate days you are running out of time and travel days... :os

For hostels in Venezia have a look at hostelworld. In general I wouldnt think that you will find much cheaper places compared to Zürich...especially price/quality ration can be rather bad..

Venezia - Luzern: One direct train (10€ reservation) late in the evening so you would miss out the nicest parts of the route crossing the Alps. Several connections via Milano - fast connections are 10€ reservation each, so I would recommend to go Milano - Como - Bellinzona - Luzern with regional trains in Italy to save money.

If you are sure how to want to go I can provide detailed timings..but we should think first how to solve the problem with the travel days. ;)


Flo 8)

anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments

Hi Flo

Would the following not work then?

1. Wien (Stay) 14th March
2. 15th March - Travel (Stay in Budapest)
3. Budapest (Stay) 16th March
4. 17th March - Travel (Stay in Zagreb)
5. Zagreb (Stay) 18th March
6. 19th March - Travel (Stay in Venezia)
7. Venezia (Stay) 20th March
8. 21st March - Travel (Stay in Lucerne)
9. Lucerne (Stay) 22nd March
10. 23rd March - Travel back to Regensburg

Thanks

Edward

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Of course...I dont know where I saw the problem... xo

What about this route:

Venezia Santa Lucia 0858 - 1125 Milano Centrale :arr: 10 reservation
Milano Porta Garibaldi 1238 - 1337 Como San Giovanni
Como San Giovanni 1355 - 1430 Lugano
Lugano 1512 - 1741 Luzern

anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments

No problem... I would have done the same.

Do you know where I can find the exact times of all the trains I will be taking based on the itinerary above and whether I will need to pay reservation deposits on them?

Will I still get to go on the scenic route you described through the mountains?

I can´t tell you how much of a help you have been - Thank you so much!

Ps. Can I pay the reservation deposits at the station on the day.

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Have a look here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u]

Wien - Budapest: Railjet is free of supplement/reservation
Budapest - Zagreb: No reservation needed
Zagreb - Venezia: No reservation needed (only for overnight train)
Venezia - Luzern: is descibed below
Luzern - Regensburg: No reservation needed

Regarding the scenic routes. The part Chiasso - Bellinzona - Göschenen - Arth-Goldau - Luzern is via the famous Gotthard route. A very nice way to go.

The other route would be the Bernina pass: [u]https://rail.cc/en/bernina-express/f1749[/u] This is spectacular as well, but a little more difficult to fit it...at least you will travel some hours more than with via the more direct Gotthard route. Both are nice... ;)

[quote]No problem... I would have done the same.
I can´t tell you how much of a help you have been - Thank you so much!
[/quote]

That's why we have the forum, thanks!


Flo 8)

anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments

Hi Flo

I wasn't planning on getting any night trains anymore as it works out cheaper to stay in a hostel.

I was told that there is a route via day time trains.

Is this correct?

Thanks

Edward

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Yeah, Peter posted the link for the daytime connection to Zagreb above. :)

anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments

Hi guys

Just booking hostels at the moment. Does anybody know what time I would arrive in Venezia (From Zagreb) on the 13th March?

The reason I ask is one of the hostels will only check people in before 9pm.

Thanks

Edward

Peter
Traveller
9337 comments

Hi.
It depends which train you are using. I suppose you cross the border like this: [u]https://rail.cc/en/venice-ljubljana-train/f3664[/u]
Right?

Then just find your train step by step:

Train schedules: [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u]

Zagreb-Ljubljana
Ljubljana-Nova Gorica
Calculate a maximum of 1 hour from Nova Gorica to Gorizia
Gorizia-Venezia

I am sure you will arrive before 2100h in the evening.
Peter :)

anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments

I found the following on the DB. Should I use this site to find my train times?

Also do any of these require reservation?

Zagreb Glavni Kolod. 09:00 - 11:19 [b] IC 310 [/b]

Ljubljana 12:10 - 14:02 [b]R2650[/b]

Sezana 14:30 - 15:22 [b]R4214 [/b]

Gorizia Centrale 16:20 - 16:40 [b]R2455[/b]

Monfalcone 17:07 - 18:37 [b]R2220[/b]

I think the IC 310 may require a reservation. What is the best way of dealing with this?

Also why does the Route Planner on this website not show this route?




My other question: How would I get from Venezia to Lucerne with as low a reservation as possible - I don't mind paying for the scenic route.

Thanks

Edward