Hi, I am planning a trip to eastern europe (Prague, Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Berlin)...thinking of taking the train. Just wondering if it%26#39;s safe. Also, any ideas how much ticket prices are from budapest to vienna and vienna to prague? The Raileurope prices are almost double of what it%26#39;s supposed to be for the Berlin portion if I check on the DB rail site. Can%26#39;t seem to get quote for austria rail though.
Thanks
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We just got a great brochure and information from Budget Europe Travel Service..they know all about trains. try www.budgeteuropetravel.com They can probably book it all for you and save you money too. Your trip is similar to the one we plan on taking in April.
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Hi newr,
First of all, Czech, Hungary and Austria are called Central Europe and you can include Poland in it as well. People in these countries do not like to be called Eastern Europeans as they are perceived as poor, ex communist and cunning people in these countries.
If you travel within these few cities, try to buy the Euro Rail pass in Eurail.com . You can use Select Pass for 4-6 days (non consecutive) or a month pass. This will definitely work out cheaper than buying individual tickets. Go to US and Canadian site as charges are different for different nationalities.
Trains are very clean, safe and efficient in Austria and Germany. However, when the trains head towards or depart from Poland and Czech Republic (I haven%26#39;t heard much of the horror stories about Hungary), please take good care of your baggage.
There are stories of people being gassed during sleep to wake up to missing baggage. A traveler told me his front jean pocket was cut off and his wallet stolen during his sleep on the train. Therefore, always lock your baggage to a post during sleep and always lock the door if you are using the sleeping cabin.
If you take common sense precautions, train travel is generally safe in Central Europe. There is %26quot;no murder on the orient express%26quot;, :-P
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I travelled from Paris to istanbul via Vienna and Budapest in August 2006. The Budapest - Vienna leg was fine - I think a 3/4 hour journey in a good fast train. The onward journey from Budapest through Bulgaria and Romania was indescribably grim, 8 hours late, and I would not recommend it to anybody.
The railway companies appeared to ensure customer care and safety by locking everyone inside the first class carriage, with no catering, minimal a/c in 40 degree heat and utterly foul bathroom provision. It was cheap, even for first class, but had i known i would have flown budapest-istanbul.
The %26#39;newer Ec countries%26#39; (taking care here with nomenclature so as not to offend other forum members) appear to have a very limited notion of customer service.
The existence of crooks and illegal migrants seems to have reinforced a fondness for frequent passport checks by guards who fondly remember previuos more repressive regimes.
If you are dead set on doing it, I would advise you to always book first class and if overnighting, pay for a whole compartment to yourself; travel with a buddy if you can; take one of those flexible padlocks bike-riders use, and secure your luggage when asleep. I kept my passport / credit cards on my person at all times.
I don%26#39;t wish to be negative and I am sure there are lots of good train journeys to be had on the route you want, but forwarned is forearmed. Have you looked at www.seat61.com? Lots of useful contacts and info there.
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You will generally always pay much more for your travel if you book through agencies that add on hefty marks-ups to gullible tourists. Best to use the websites of the local railway administrations (like www.bahn.de, which you allude to). There are many cheap passes available (eg. a weekend fare which allows you to roam Poland at will - about 13 Euro for regular services, or twice that to include Inter City Expresses) and you get unlimited travel for 48 hours. The comments above on dangers are wildly exaggerated. I notice that the current issue of hidden europe magazine (www.hiddeneurope.co.uk) has an excellent feature on European train travel - with quite a positive account of night trains in central Europe.
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