Question:
I'm considering a trip next spring... I was wondering if anyone hadinformation or experiences regarding train travel from Amsterdam to Prague.Some of my questions are:

1) How much will it cost? (one-way) 2) Where/when to buy tickets (all at once, in each country, etc.) 3) How long (duration) is the trip? 4) What other concerns are there? (first/second class, etc.) 5) Where can I get more information?

Any other information you have will be useful as well.

I've been to Prague, so that end of the trip I know pretty well...Just wanted to go somewhere else as well, and time will be limited. Thanksfor any information you have!

Answer: Don't have the complete info, but probably the best train line 814 fromAmsterdam to Koeln (260 km), and line 812 the rest of the way (831 km).With transfers ignored, until 1 Jun 96 the sched should be:

814 train# dep Amst. arr Koeln EC 141 6 02 8 42 EC 143 7 06 9 42 EC 105 8 00 10 57 EC 3 9 00 11 57 EC 145 11 06 13 42 EC 147 13 06 15 42 EC 149 15 06 17 42 EC 151 17 00 19 42 # 1829 20 56 0 22

812 train# dep Koln arr Praha IC 925 655 3 50 15 02 IC 51 6 54 16 40 EC 25 7 54 18 14 IC 727 10 50 21 16 EC 29 11 50 22 52 IC 621 12 54 23 16 # 353 20 53 8 12

Since the domestic prices in the Czech Republic are about a magnitude lessthen in Germany (well, we'll see how this holds in the future), buy theticket only to a town right over the German-Czech border (Cheb in thiscase), and get the cheaper ticket there. Cheb-Praha OW 2nd classnon-express ticket is (until next June) 90 Czech crowns. Since you'll haveonly a couple of minutes in Cheb, be foreward in the train as possible soyou'll be checked by the border police the soonest, then jump out, get yourtickets, and jump back on before the passport control is through checkingthe passangers. You might want to get a couple of hundred crowns prior tothis, as it might be time consuming finding the exchange office in Cheb'strainstation.