Nightjet Ausfall

[allanorn]

Nightjet 490
November 15-16, 2023
Linz, Austria 21.34 - Hamburg, Germany 09.00 (approx.)

On this recent trip to Germany, I had the opportunity to book a bucket-list item: a night on Nightjet, the night train of Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). As part of this trip I had planned a few days in Linz, Austria and wanted to make it up to Hamburg for a few more days. There was plenty of space on a Nightjet, so I booked the best room on the train: a single occupancy cabin with a built-in shower and toilet. I've taken plenty of Amtrak trips, so this would be a real treat. It wasn't going to be the highlight of my trip - those would come later - but it was going to be a cornerstone experience. How are overnight trains in Europe different than Amtrak? While I've watched a lot of videos on Youtube, I get to experience it myself.

The day started out great. I checked out of my excellent apartment that I rented in Linz and walked the ten minutes or so to Linz Hbf to store my luggage for the day. From there I took the tram to the center of town, where I picked up Tram 50 - the heritage line to Postlingberg Castle.



If you buy a day pass for the public transport in Linz (equivalent to two tram rides), you can ride up and back to Postlingberg. There isn't much to do up there, but it has an excellent view very close to the end station!



I made a reservation for lunch at Postlingberg Castle a few weeks in advance, entirely by email. I was a little scared about doing it entirely by email - I'm not sure why - but it all worked out. I spent about €85 for a generous three course meal including wine, dessert, coffee, and a tip. It's definitely expensive, but the views, service, and are worth it. It'll stick in my mind for a while. I hope to repeat it again with someone I love.

Afterwards I went down to the Ars Electronica Center and spent the afternoon there. It's a must-visit: lots of exhibits on AI, machine learning, some robotics, sound composition, new materials, and the like. It's really a great museum and worth a few hours of your time, even if you're not into the latest tech.

As I was in Austria for three days, I didn't get a SIM card as carriers can revoke it if you do too much roaming. So I checked email before I departed the rental apartment and everything was fine. When I checked my email using WiFi at the Ars Electronica just before closing at 5pm, it was a different story: my train was cancelled.

Seriously?!

After a few choice words, I had to find out if it had really happened. There were two prior emails at 12.30: one to cancel and another to restore service. Another email around 3pm reconfirmed the cancelled train. At least I didn't check email during lunch and 3pm and assume everything was in good order!

Twenty minutes after leaving the Ars Electronica Center, crossing the Danube by foot, and catching a tram back to the train station - I enter the ÖBB service center where they indeed confirm that my train is "ausfall" and that I don't have a train for tonight. But the reason it was cancelled isn't what I was expecting.

The GDL, the German train drivers' union, in the midst of contract negotiations - woke up that morning and called a snap strike. No trains will be running in Germany from 10pm Wednesday to 6pm Thursday.



This trip report is different. This chronicles my thoughts and experiences from when the train is cancelled, until I make it to Hamburg Hbf... or not. It'll take a while to write, but I promise it'll be eventful.

 

[allanorn]

It is here that I need to address a comment made in another post that I completely forgot to acknowledge:

Wow! It's great that you can think on your feet when things go awry!

First, @caravanman - thanks for the comment. I really appreciate it. I completely thought I acknowledged it a couple of days after it was posted, and that's not my fault for doing so. But I need to reply here.

In my previous trip through Germany, I had to think on the fly not once, but twice. But that time I was actually over-prepared. I was following part of a train itinerary from the book "Europe By Rail" - in particular, a good chunk of a route between Amsterdam and Lausanne. (It's a great book and I highly recommend it, especially if you live in Europe and like trains.)

The book I have explains the context to my previous trip.

[This route] is an antidote to the modern fad for high-speed trains. You can travel end-to-end on services which don't need to be booked in advance; it's a chance to rediscover the joy of traveling spontaneously.

I knew that trip could have been done by purchasing on-the-day regional tickets. I only bought ICE train tickets because they promised faster services than regional trains at a lower cost. I just happened to get additional training in the form of understanding how CIV applies, plus picking up a couple of good bar stories and material for trip reports.

This is a completely different situation. I have no train when I was promised one, and I only found out well after everyone else likely did. Additionally, I do not have a place to sleep that night, because the train was supposed to be where I was going to sleep. I have a cell phone that is half-charged, a backup battery, WiFi in the train station, a rough idea of where I can head and in what directions, and a credit card.

 

[allanorn]

In the service center at Linz Hbf I get two options: go with their alternative itinerary, or refund the ticket. Every other night train is sold out for days, so I have to put my night train experience on hold.

Their alternative was to board a train at Linz at 10pm tomorrow (Thursday), change trains in Nuremberg at 1am, arriving at Hamburg at 6am Friday. This would be on a combination of regional trains and and ICE train from Nuremberg.

I immediately ask to refund the ticket. I have to be decisive here.

If I was in my twenties, I'd consider doing the overnight on day trains they provided. I'd find a place to crash for Wednesday night, arrive back to the station some twenty-eight hours later with snacks and a couple of beers, and find either a group of Australians or Kiwis sharing my plight or channel my inner Ethan Hawke as we trundle through eastern Germany. I haven't done Interrail but I have a feeling it would go like that.

The problem is that my twenties was about two decades ago, and I'm not up for that kind of adventure these days. Contrary to popular belief amongst my friends, family and co-workers, I enjoy sleeping horizontally every night. I just recovered from a rather tough red-eye from Charlotte to Munich that arrived at 06.40 on Sunday which required me wandering bleary-eyed and exhausted through Munich for hours; I'm not really thrilled about another overnight in an upright chair unless I absolutely have to do it.

Once I get confirmation that my ticket has refunded, I walk out of the service center and lean against a concrete pillar, staring at the departure board.



I have a couple of friends in Germany, so I text them the situation. I'm supposed to meet one of them in Hamburg on Saturday. Neither of them knew about the strike, or how long it was going to last outside of 6pm Thursday. Can GDL extend the strike?

At this point I decide to cancel a three-day apartment rental in Hamburg. Given my current information I have no idea when I'll make it to Hamburg, if I do. Berlin is the next stop after Hamburg so worst-case I can skip Hamburg. If I have to skip Hamburg, I'd rather get back half of the cash I spent on that rental instead of zero. So now I have no train tonight, and no place to sleep for the next four nights. Getting a place for tonight is a high priority even if it is 5:30pm.

I stare at the departure board for twenty minutes, mulling over my options:

There's no way I'm driving as I don't have an international drivers license and one way rentals are insanely expensive.​

​

I'd rather not fly unless I have to. I likely can't get a flight tonight anyway, and walkup fares for a flight and a checked bag are not going to be cheap. Plus I have to sleep somewhere tonight.​

​

(unconsciously) Flixbus is out. I'm way too late for that, plus everyone who needs to get home tomorrow will use that.​

​

A couple of well-armed security guards watch me from above. They don't see me as a threat. I get a mild craving for a cigarette, which is weird as I don't smoke. But I'm aware that this is a pretty high-stress situation for me. This is how people start regularly smoking. I make an internal note about this to explore later, when I'm not losing my mind over where I'm going to sleep tonight.

Back to my thoughts and the departure board.

I have to go by train at this point unless I have no choice but to fly.​

​

I can try to go as far into Germany as possible. That's Munich if I hustle and am blessed with near-perfect train timing. But Munich hotels are expensive, and I don't want to be left out 30km from Munich when a driver parks the train and walks off. That is, if the trains are running now. Would DB or the regionals entirely cancel trains before the strike so they're not way out of place once the strike is over?​

​

Going west is an idea. Salzburg for a couple of days? Innsbruck? Salzburg is on the German border though. Hotels might be booked for two days as everyone will be stopped there. Trains after 6pm tomorrow (Thursday) are going to be insane. Innsbruck seems too far in the wrong direction to go.​

​

Prague is an option. There are direct trains from Linz but not many, and has the last one for today left? It's not on the board. Prague is also the biggest city closest to Dresden, two hours by train away - and there's two small cities north of Prague before Germany. Could everyone heading up the line to Berlin and Hamburg be holding up in Prague for at least a night? Definitely a cheap option for them... not a great one for me if that's happening.​

​

Are there hotels in Linz where I can stay and punt on this for a night?​

I flip through my phone and look at a few hotel brands. Linz is pretty well booked tonight unless I want to pay silly money.

I come up with an idea. Vienna's far enough away that it won't be vastly affected by this strike, and there are a ton of hotels likely available. It's still early enough where there are a number of trains to get there.

I check a hotel app and they have an inexpensive room in Vienna. Perfect. The confirmation arrives in a couple of minutes.

I buy a ticket for the next available train that will depart in twelve minutes - which gives me enough time to take a deep breath or two, pull my luggage from the locker, and get to the platform with a few minutes to spare.

 

[slasher-fun]

As I was in Austria for three days, I didn't get a SIM card as carriers can revoke it if you do too much roaming.

What? In Europe (precisely in EEA, so EU + Iceland/Norway/Lichstenstein), this can occur only if you're more roaming than being in your home country over a period of... 4 months (and you then get a warning telling you that you have 2 weeks to come back to compliance, i.e. being home or stop using that sim card for roaming until you're back under <50% roaming) or else roaming use will be charged at a maximum rate of €3.5/GB).

*Although not in EEA, most EU mobile phone operators consider UK, Vatican, San Marino, Monaco, as part of the EU roaming zone... but they usually won't include Andorra and Switzerland.

 

[allanorn]

What? In Europe (precisely in EEA, so EU + Iceland/Norway/Lichstenstein), this can occur only if you're more roaming than being in your home country over a period of... 4 months (and you then get a warning telling you that you have 2 weeks to come back to compliance, i.e. being home or stop using that sim card for roaming until you're back under <50% roaming) or else roaming use will be charged at a maximum rate of €3.5/GB).

*Although not in EEA, most EU mobile phone operators consider UK, Vatican, San Marino, Monaco, as part of the EU roaming zone... but they usually won't include Andorra and Switzerland.

Good to know for next time. The terms and conditions didn't go into that much detail, just that "they have the right to terminate service due to too much roaming". I didn't want to take on that risk. I was going to be in Germany for 90% of this trip so I felt it was acceptable to live off of WiFi for a couple of days and buy a SIM when I was in Germany. If I had received the final cancel notice via text or push notification at the same time as the email was sent, I don't know that I would have changed tactics as that would have provided about 90 extra minutes.

 

[allanorn]

Day 0: Westbahn 925 (2nd class standard)
Linz Hbf - Wien Westbf
15 November 2023 18.06 - 19.22

By the time the train made it to the station, I had a rough draft of the plan. The intention was to stay in Vienna tonight, then look at getting to Prague on Thursday, after a number of people tried to leave for Germany later that night. Ideally I would then get to Hamburg on Friday to meet up with my correspondent on Saturday. If I couldn't get to or stay in Prague on Thursday, I could stay in Vienna an extra day and sketch out a long train ride to Hamburg on Friday. If things were really snookered, at least I was in Vienna, which is probably the best place in Central Europe to catch a train.

In retrospect: if more information arrived that it was an extended strike, it would conceivably be easier to get a plane out from a hub (Austrian Airlines) or from Bratislava (many ultra-low-cost carriers) instead of Prague. Or I could cancel everything and rebook a couple of weeks in Vienna or Prague!

With such an emergent situation, it's important to recognize that perfect information is almost unavailable - especially if you're in a time crunch to get somewhere, or if resources like train or hotel capacity are possibly dwindling fast. Thus it's often better to aim for a good solution, or a good enough solution, in these cases. I had to remind myself this as I saw a Ceske Drahy train parked at a far platform as we were leaving Linz; it was going to leave around 18.52 if I read the platform's departure board correctly.

The train ride wasn't much to write about. I was quite familiar with Westbahn because I did this trip twice the previous day, to and from Vienna to pick up a couple of things and see a couple of Christmas markets. I was going to write a full trip report regarding Westbahn, but a quick couple of notes will suffice. These were taken during the daytime at Wien Westbahnhof.

The trains are all Stadler KISS double-decker varieties. Seats are 2+2 for 2nd class; I didn't get an opportunity to visit 2nd class Comfort or 1st class during any of my trips. Upper deck is excellent for the views, but note that storage space is very limited on the upper level. There is room for a small bag under the seat and the racks above the seats can contain jackets or small bags; nothing bigger than a regular-sized backpack. Storage for larger luggage is on the lower levels.

Seat width and comfort for standard 2nd class were a little bit better than Railjet in 2nd, which surprised me a little. I think the Railjet 2nd class seats are narrower. I didn't have any problems with seat pitch with either train, though nothing is going to be like Amtrak LD coach seating.





Power is 230V in between the seats. You'll want to have your adapters handy; there are no USB ports.

Westbahn has great WiFi, which is one of the reasons why I selected the train. It did go out for me once on each leg but that might be due to an inactivity timer; it's easy enough to refresh. Staff are personable without being too stuffy or overbearing.

Because it was dark when I set out, I sat close to my luggage on the lower level for this trip and focused on booking for Prague. I found a great hotel available for Thursday at a reasonable price considering it was the day prior to my expected arrival.

I spent most of my time looking for train tickets from Vienna to Prague. There were plenty of choices, but one stuck out like a sore thumb and I had to do quite a bit of research on it. After giving it a thought, I booked the hotel and that ticket. (I'll go more in depth when I describe the ride.)

The train departed on time and arrived on time. Once on the platform I didn't go into the terminal - but headed left and walked along the back of the building, across the street, and into the hotel I had booked just an hour prior. Once in my room I took a few minutes to chill out and clean up, then headed out for dinner.

 

[allanorn]

Dinner in Vienna was at Vytopna. "Meat and beer on rails."






I had this place bookmarked ever since "The Tim Traveller" covered it in a YouTube video.



He does a better job at photography than I do, so go ahead and watch his take when you have a moment.

They deliver the goods and pick up the trash on what I think are HO scale trains. It's a neat idea! The burger wasn't too bad either; it was enough food after traveling all afternoon and evening to not feel stuffed before bedtime. The beer selections looked pretty good but as I'm gluten-intolerant I had to settle for a delicious cider.



It was a little pricey, especially for the steaks - but as someone who likes trains, you have to do it once. They also have a location in Prague.

The restaurant is in the Naschmarkt area, which I recommend a visit to when it's open. Note that this isn't terribly easy to get to via public transport. I walked about 25 minutes from Westbahnhof in each direction, which was probably the fastest way to get there. If you enjoy a good walk, it's pretty safe even at night.

 

[allanorn]

I spent the night at the Mercure Wien Westbahnhof. It's next to the train station and very easy to walk to. Its location is great as the Mariahilfer Strasse shopping street is across the main road, so there's plenty of shops and restaurants around.

The price was a major factor: booking about an hour prior to arrival I snagged a room for €75.60. I also had enough hotel points from previous stays at Accor hotels on my trip in August and September to knock off 40 euro - so I really can't complain about the price. I was considering the 25Hours hotel down the street, which was quite a bit more expensive - but their decor involved the circus and clowns. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not wake up and see a portrait of a clown on the wall first thing.

The decor of the room was decidedly different than clown-themed:



Calling this a 4-star hotel is a little too optimistic.

The room seemed a little old and worn. I struggled a bit to determine what era this room was last remodeled... 1980s? Lots of brown, including the bathroom (not pictured). They managed to remodel the reception area and the bar/restaurant to make it look more modern. I've been to a number of Mercure hotels that are aesthetically pleasing, but this one missed the mark.

It does pass the requirements though: hot shower, comfortable bed, good location. Great for a night if you're passing by; wouldn't stay here for a weekend.

 

[allanorn]

Day 1: Vienna to Prague (1st class)
16 November 2023
EC 104 "Porta Moravica" Vienna - Břeclav 08.10 - 09.04
EC 280 "Metropolitan" Břeclav - Prague 09.07 - 12.11

Did I ever mention that I can be a bit of a travel masochist?

When looking at tickets to Prague on last evening's train, I noticed that ÖBB was selling 2nd class for about 80 euro. That's probably a little more I was expecting given I'm trying to book the day prior to travel. But it looked like seats were available. I looked at the old Vindobona route but it was an hour longer, more expensive, and there were no facilities like a dining car available.

This ticket, however, showed up as being the cheapest that day. First class, for €44? I thought this was a misprint. Besides the fact that it departs at 8am, why isn't anyone else jumping on it?

Astute readers have probably noted the devil in the details: a three-minute connection. Is this a legal connection? I don't even think the Swiss will sell you tickets with that short of a connection time, and they run the most punctual train system in Europe. Could CD and ÖBB independently make this work? Being burned by DB and SBB last vacation make me skeptical, but we're talking about DB.... I also know CIV exists. I check the CD web site and eventually find the same ticket being available for more money. Regiojet's also available at €35 for second class, but at odd times throughout the day.

On my trip to Vienna and Prague in 2019 I passed through Břeclav twice, but couldn't remember the station. I pull it up on Google Maps:



Now the ticket makes sense: for this to be a legal ticket, they've set up a cross-platform transfer. So for one moment, I can be like a spy in the night and jump from one train to another to disappear from sight. Except it'll be mid-morning and I'm not running from the authorities.

But first we must get to Vienna Hbf. The hotel receptionist noted that Tram 18 is a direct route that connects the main train station to Westbahnhof, which is very convenient. At 7am it runs every six-to-ten minutes. Perfect!


I wish I was able to catch one of the more vintage trams, but I was also glad when a modern low-floor model arrived so that I don't have to drag my 24" roller into the tram.

One of the benefits to a first-class ticket on ÖBB is the lounge. Any first-class ticket or sleeper ticket can use the lounge! Once I'm at the train station I immediately head there, even though I only have about twenty minutes.


They offer beer and wine in the evenings, but I'm looking for one thing and one thing only: coffee. There was no coffee service in the room at the hotel, which I found rather striking. So I had a couple of espressos and a packet of Florentiers from my stash of food:

It's machine-made coffee so it's good enough, plus it's warm caffeine. The Florentiners are also my new favorite baked good.

The view's rather nice from the lounge, and it's very quiet. Papers were available if you can read German.



But eventually I have to head to the platform to catch the train, as I certainly don't want to wait another couple of hours and pay for another ticket to Prague.

 

[railiner]

Dinner in Vienna was at Vytopna. "Meat and beer on rails."

View attachment 35037
View attachment 35038
View attachment 35039


I had this place bookmarked ever since "The Tim Traveller" covered it in a YouTube video.



He does a better job at photography than I do, so go ahead and watch his take when you have a moment.

They deliver the goods and pick up the trash on what I think are HO scale trains. It's a neat idea! The burger wasn't too bad either; it was enough food after traveling all afternoon and evening to not feel stuffed before bedtime. The beer selections looked pretty good but as I'm gluten-intolerant I had to settle for a delicious cider.

View attachment 35041

It was a little pricey, especially for the steaks - but as someone who likes trains, you have to do it once. They also have a location in Prague.

The restaurant is in the Naschmarkt area, which I recommend a visit to when it's open. Note that this isn't terribly easy to get to via public transport. I walked about 25 minutes from Westbahnhof in each direction, which was probably the fastest way to get there. If you enjoy a good walk, it's pretty safe even at night.

Reminds me of my neighborhood "Hamburger Train" restaurant in the 1950's. They had a single 'O Gauge" track running down the back edge of the lunch counter using plates on Lionel flat cars to deliver the orders. Very popular for children's birthday parties...

 

[Traveller]

I'm interested, how did you learn this...

One of the benefits to a first-class ticket on ÖBB is the lounge. Any first-class ticket or sleeper ticket can use the lounge!

 

[allanorn]

I'm interested, how did you learn this...

Seat 61: ÖBB Lounges

It looks like there's an exception for DB 1st class "Super-Sparpreis" (the super-cheap non-refundable) tickets, but otherwise it has to be valid on the day (or the night prior if you're coming from a Nightjet). YMMV and terms may change, of course.

 

[allanorn]

Wien Hauptbahnhof is one of my favorite train stations in Europe. It's modern, clean, airy, and has a decent food court with a good-sized supermarket attached to it.

They also do a good job of decorating for the holidays.



When I arrived at the platform I looked around for the first-class carriages. The train composition on the departure board showed two, but there was a SBB 1st class loco-hauled carriage right in front of me.

When there's one of these available, run - don't walk - to get on board for a seat.




For loco-hauled carriages they are the best in the business. 2+1 seating, lots of room, power at the seat (230V, though one plug might be Swiss), and great upholstery. I have another trip report in the queue where I spent six hours in one of these and I was very comfortable. The only seat I've tried on a train that's better is Railjet in Business class, but that's a whole other level of luxury.

We depart a minute late. I get an email from ÖBB while connected to the WiFi saying that my connection is in danger. Well, that settles what the minimum transfer time is.

Rolling through this part of eastern Austria is very rural. Lots of farmland, fields, and small local stations with granaries next to them.


We eventually make it across the Czech border, which signals we are very close to Břeclav. I didn't hear any announcements besides the usual "next stop" ones, so did I miss something? As we pull up to the platform there's no train waiting on the opposite side, but on Platform 1 next to the station there are at least two different-colored carriages.

Flashbacks of Basel SBB. Are you kidding me?! I have to run for it, and hope they'll hold up the train for a minute or two. This will not be fun as running with a 24" roller suitcase that is decently full is not what I had planned to do.

Doors open a minute past scheduled arrival. I jump out of the train, orient, and find the stairs to the cross-platform passage. I'm down in a flash with a 25-ish pound suitcase in one hand, backpack slung over both shoulders. I race towards the station building when I notice a departure screen above the elevator, hoping for the best....

My connecting train is 20 minutes behind schedule.



I stop and chuckle. The train waiting on the track by the station is probably a cross-border local. I take my time getting up the stairs and go into the station to catch my breath.

Břeclav isn't a large station by any means, but there's a restaurant, a small convenience store, and a staffed ticket counter that also sells a few trinkets for CD. I looked around for a few minutes; had I not been planning on buying a bunch of stuff at the Christmas markets I think a model Vectron would have made it into the bag.

They eventually announce Platform 3 for the arrival train, so I walk over after a couple of minutes to allow those who want to head there immediately to get a head start. The connecting train arrives on the same track as the one I left from - no need for a spy-like getaway this time.

 

[allanorn]

Day 1: Vienna to Prague (1st class)
16 November 2023
EC 104 "Porta Moravica" Vienna - Břeclav 08.10 (+1) - 09.04 (+1)
EC 280 "Metropolitan" Břeclav - Prague 09.07 (+20) - 12.11 (+10)

I was not expecting a Slovak train to show up. This train runs from Budapest to Prague, so I was expecting a Hungarian train. So this will be a new experience for me.

It's a short train, and only one first-class carriage, so it's easy to spot. When I make it in I'm pleasantly surprised.


Comfortable leather seats, good styling, space for large luggage mid-carriage, power, and fold-out table segments? This may not be everyone's experience on ZSSK but I like what I see. Once we depart we get a bottle of water and our tickets checked.

This part of the trip isn't fast. It snakes through the woods and valleys, though it seems as the track has been replaced and upgraded where they could do so since 2019. Several newly-built stations are on the route.



Once I settle in I connect to WiFi. It works... or am I connecting to train stations as I pass by? As the train is weaving through the woods by rivers and beside hills it comes in and out. I start planning for Hamburg when I can, and admire the scenery when I can't.



I find an inexpensive hotel in Hamburg that is quite convenient for Saturday's meetup close to Hamburg-Altona, so I book that during a train stop. I mull over train ticket options while looking out the window, then select a train to Hamburg during another stop via the DB app. Assuming DB doesn't pull a fast one, everything is settled. I start to relax a little bit and think about how others might handle such an adventure. There's a part of me that's sad that nobody's with me to share in the experience, but I'm also glad that I'm traveling solo and don't have any kids or disgruntled partners to worry about.


I was notified early that there would be no dining car in the consist this morning - a shame, as I would have liked to check out a Slovak dining car. Perhaps next time! But a coffee cart comes by about halfway through the trip. I pick up a coffee for €2.10 - not that I need the extra caffeine but as something warm to drink as the countryside rolls by.

At Kolín someone joins me across the table, and I realize I have made a trivial mistake. I used exact change in euro to buy the coffee. I'll need change for a local transport ticket, so I should have asked if they could make change in koruna. No big deal. Back in 2019 I used the local transport's app - so when we were arriving into Prague's main train station I downloaded the app again and bought a 30-minute ticket to use later. It doesn't need a connection to activate the ticket; only to buy one.

We made up time throughout the trip, but not quite enough to be "on time". We pull in to Prague's main train station about ten minutes behind schedule. Amtrak would call that "on time" and that would match DB for long-distance punctuality, plus they don't massively pad the schedule for the last stop like Amtrak does. I'll call it a win.

I have the last laugh for this part of the trip. Once I cross the threshold of the metro station within the train station, I activate the ticket on my phone. The app makes you wait two minutes before the ticket activates, so you can't immediately activate a ticket when someone else is getting fare-inspected. It's annoying as a paper ticket is immediately valid, but I get the logic behind it.

There's a metro train right in front of me, but I don't take it. I'm technically in a fare zone with an inactive ticket by about 45 seconds, but I decided that was worth the risk if I showed the countdown to an inspector. I just don't want to risk a ticket inspector being able to do math and deduce I was on the train before the ticket was active. Even though I'm only going two stops on the metro. But the metro runs every four or five minutes so it's not a big wait for the next train.

Sure enough, at the next stop someone boards that looks like he's looking for someone. He heads right for me and flashes the signet of the transport inspectors. They hide well here; ticket inspectors wear plain clothes and palm a large signet ring to identify themselves. No hi-vis jackets or badges here. The first time I was inspected back in 2019 I was caught off-guard, because I was expecting the full hi-vis outfit. I had a valid ticket at the time, but using plain-clothes ticket inspectors is genius.

I calmly flip the phone to the app, and show the inspector my validated ticket. He walks off miffed and doesn't look at the next two dozen people on the train. He got on board and targeted the American who he thought didn't have a validated ticket.

I smirk. Not this time, bud.

 

[allanorn]

Prague is my favorite city in the world. At least it makes the top three in my mind. I take the afternoon to visit some of the sights from last trip.




I even spend some time at Cafe Savoy for a quick afternoon dessert and tea, which was closed for renovations during my last visit. It has a history of being one of Prague's famous coffee shops when it opened in 1893.

Darkness falls early though, so I walk back to the hotel and have a glass of sekt on the house.

 

[allanorn]

Dinner was at a local's place I visited back in 2019. It wasn't far from the apartment I was renting, and it was pretty popular back then. The beer was cheap, the food was good, and the staff pretty friendly.



Any place that has three older ladies kicking back with glass tankards of draft beer has to be pretty good.

I had an amazing meal there last time, so I was hoping the magic was still there.

They did a pretty good job of it. This was 450 koruna without a tip, which works out to $20. Maybe not the value it once was, but I did hear the Czechs had a solid run-in with inflation since the pandemic. Still worth a visit over anything in the touristy areas.

I won't say where this is online because it is a local's place and used to get slammed by British tourists looking for cheap beer in the pre-pandemic days, so I want to respect what they have now. However, I'll give details in private messages if you're looking for a good dinner place in Prague.

 

[Willbridge]

Thank you for sharing some of the alternatives that you considered. It's educational for the rest of us!

That Wien hotel furniture looks like the style when I first visited that city in December 1970. I also stayed on Mariahilferstrasse, mainly because I walked out of the Westbahnhof and down the street until I found a hotel. The vintage streetcars that you mentioned are of a series that was new when I rode them first. Before the subway, Mariahilfer had streetcars.

1970 in Vienna


Advent Vienna in 1970.


In 2018 I made the transfer in Břeclav on a trip from Berlin to Prague. I've written about it here before, so I'll skip the details, except to note that there was a platform change due to a late train from Warsaw. The late connecting train was moved to Track One. The train from Berlin to Břeclav had a Hungarian dining car heading for Budapest, in which I wished I had time for more than the excellent light lunch.

I'm glad that you enjoyed Prague. I did, but sometimes reflect on the sacrifices or compromises that delivered it to us. I wonder if the young tourists who flood it in the summer are even aware of the decisions made in 1938 and 1939 and 1968.

Prague in 2018.


1939 - The Czech Republic placed in the protective hands of Adolf Hitler after Prague was threatened with destruction by the Luftwaffe.


Coffee and a terrific pastry makes it easier to reflect on Central European affairs.

 

[allanorn]

Thank you for sharing some of the alternatives that you considered. It's educational for the rest of us!

That Wien hotel furniture looks like the style when I first visited that city in December 1970. I also stayed on Mariahilferstrasse, mainly because I walked out of the Westbahnhof and down the street until I found a hotel. The vintage streetcars that you mentioned are of a series that was new when I rode them first. Before the subway, Mariahilfer had streetcars.

1970 in Vienna
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Advent Vienna in 1970.
View attachment 35077

In 2018 I made the transfer in Břeclav on a trip from Berlin to Prague. I've written about it here before, so I'll skip the details, except to note that there was a platform change due to a late train from Warsaw. The late connecting train was moved to Track One. The train from Berlin to Břeclav had a Hungarian dining car heading for Budapest, in which I wished I had time for more than the excellent light lunch.

I'm glad that you enjoyed Prague. I did, but sometimes reflect on the sacrifices or compromises that delivered it to us. I wonder if the young tourists who flood it in the summer are even aware of the decisions made in 1938 and 1939 and 1968.

Prague in 2018.
View attachment 35078

1939 - The Czech Republic placed in the protective hands of Adolf Hitler after Prague was threatened with destruction by the Luftwaffe.
View attachment 35079

Coffee and a terrific pastry makes it easier to reflect on Central European affairs.

Vienna is such a great city. I'm pretty certain I walked by the Hotel Mariahilf, but I don't remember it. I missed the tram museum because of some very restricted hours of operation in the winter, but it's on the list for next time. I'll definitely need to read your trip report on Břeclav!

I didn't go there this time, but the Museum of Communism in Prague is a worthwhile visit to get an idea of the Cold War era. They did a tasteful job of handling the issues and presenting the history given the circumstances the country was in during that time. I did stop by for a brief moment at the memorial to reflect.

 

[allanorn]

In Prague I stayed at the Novotel Wenceslas Square - probably the best hotel of the trip.


They had a room ready for me at 1pm, which was fortuitous. I slept like a log that night. It's a quiet hotel even though it's close by to two main roads through Prague.

The breakfast buffet spread is exceptionally good and was inexpensive - I think it was 150 koruna, or six euro. I would even consider going in to the hotel just for breakfast.




While calling this part of town "Wenceslas Square" is pushing it - it's about ten minutes of walking to the square itself - the transit connections are amazing. It's not very far from the I.P. Pavlova metro station (which is two stops to the main train station) and there are a number of trams that stop close by, including the 22 tram to Prague Castle. I paid something like 110 euro for the room, which is on the higher end perhaps, but it was totally worth it.

 

[allanorn]

During breakfast I talked to a couple of guys from the States. They were trying to figure out their plans for the day. Apparently they were taken to the cleaners by a tourist pub the previous day - either 168 or 188 koruna for a pint of beer. I don't even think the hotel bar was that expensive! I helped them out by providing my local's place and a couple of places I enjoyed visiting.

I checked out of the room and went to a couple more places. First on my list is Riegrovy Sady - a park that I passed by every day on my last visit in 2019, but never walked around. It was a cold morning, but definitely worth a stop in.


While I wouldn't recommend heading to the park on a short layover if you've never been to Prague, it's not too far of a walk from the main train station if you can't get anywhere else. It definitely beats hanging around in the park by the train station.

The Žižkov transmission tower is worth a quick visit:


I also stopped by a farmer's market next to the Jiřího z Poděbrad metro station, and took in the beautiful church:



Before picking up my bags, I went to one of my favorite places to grab a bite to eat - Bakeshop Praha, in District 1, very close by to a number of tourist sites.



The gluten-free banana bread and cappuccino topped off a great morning.

All good things must come to an end though. I was severely tempted to cancel the rest of the trip and find an apartment in Prague for a couple of weeks, but I must keep the promises I made to the friends I was visiting. Besides, I had a lot of plans for the rest of the trip. So after food I went to the Marks and Spencer on Wenceslas Square to spend the last few koruna in my pocket on loose leaf tea, and picked up my bags from the hotel.

 

[allanorn]

In a recurring theme of the trip - delays, detours, and diversions - the metro line was shut down between I.P. Pavlova and the main train station, so I had to catch a rail replacement bus. The local transport authorities did a good job of notifications, and the bus stop was easy enough to find.

Praha Hlavní Nádraží - the main train station in Prague - has its own charm. The rail replacement bus dropped me off at the old train station site, which is definitely worth a visit:




Pass on the 1st class lounge operated by CD; it's little more than a waiting room. Instead I recommend using the Fantova Kavárna as your lounge prior to departure. It's inexpensive, fairly quiet, and located in the historical part of the building. Most of the action is in a modern 1970s-style extension, which isn't the best last moment to savor of Prague.

After an espresso and a long wait, we get our platform announcement for the train. It's not Platform 1, which you can walk to from the historical building, so I make my way down to the underpass and to the platform.

 

[allanorn]

Day 2: Prague to Hamburg (1st class)
17 November 2023
EC 172 "Hungaria" Prague hl. n. - Hamburg Hbf 14.25 (+20) - 21.17

I had a few options when I booked this ticket. Trains from Prague to Berlin leave every two hours starting at 06.25, with the last departure to Hamburg at 16.25 and perhaps one other to Berlin at 18.25. As expected, a lot of people stayed in Prague on Thursday night. Every train prior to the 12.25 departure was €120 for second class and no seat reservation. Some tickets even had no restrictions on the routing. I guess I could have abused the privilege, departed Prague early, and made avail of some time in another city - or arrive at some crazy route that could have been a trip report itself. But Prague to Hamburg is seven hours on its own, and I wasn't going to push my luck with crowded trains if I didn't have to.

This left the cheaper options which gave me more time in Prague at the expense of less time in Hamburg: the 14.25 departure for €90, or the 16.25 for €80. I picked the 14.25 departure for three reasons. First, it doesn't get in so late that I have to worry about how I'm going to get to my hotel in a reasonable amount of time. A first-class ticket with a seat reservation cost the same price as the earlier departures in second class without a seat reservation. If I have to spend €120 (more or less), why not take the upgraded and guaranteed seat for seven hours?

The final reason that tipped the 2pm departure in my favor is that I was able to travel between Prague and Dresden during daylight.


I have heard from several people that the stretch of rail between Prague and Dresden is one of the finest for scenery, and I believe them. The train spends a good hour or so following the Elbe, and you get to see small towns that guard Saxon Switzerland from across the river. It doesn't beat the sheer beauty of Switzerland itself, but it has its own charm. I recommend this route to anyone - try to get seats on the right-hand side of the train from Prague.

My seat reservation is across from an older couple, probably in their seventies. One is at a four-seat table; the other is at the two-seat table across the aisle. I sit with the gentleman at the two-seat table. Normally I'd offer my seat so they can sit together, but they looked really happy being apart yet together. The insight hits me when the train starts moving: I'm in a seat that will be going backwards for the next seven hours.

Normally I hate going backwards on Amtrak: the track conditions are usually so bad I get jostled around too much and I end up getting motion sickness if I'm not careful. On European railways, I don't mind it as long as I've had enough sleep. It means I can't read a book, write, or do anything that would mess with my spatial orientation, for that's how I get nauseous.


The seats are okay. There's decent leg room and they are comfortable for the entire time. The only frustrating thing about this Hungarian car is that there doesn't seem to be any room for large luggage, so I have to keep my roller next to me in the aisle. There's still plenty of space to walk through but it's annoying. There's power at the tables and I have a few podcasts to catch up on as it gets dark. I chat for a few seconds to the couple across the table: they're Slovak, and they're on a vacation. That's about the extent of our mutual language besides the usual gesturing and pointing out of things as they pass by.

 

[allanorn]

At about 6pm, well past Dresden but before Berlin, my stomach notifies me that it is empty and that calories are required. Let's venture to the dining car!


This is a Hungarian train, so MAV is running the dining services. It's busy so I take a table across from someone who's busy with a book and a beer. This will be the first time I've had food on a Hungarian train.

In a couple of minutes a menu shows up. Let's take a look at dinner options!




I also note they have a number of options for hot dogs - something I wasn't expecting:

I'll leave the "American hot dog" to someone who's more adventurous.

If I wasn't gluten-intolerant, I'd be all over the chicken paprika with dumplings paired with a beer. But as I don't find any allergen markings on the menu, and my Hungarian is non-existent, I have to go with the safe option of grilled chicken.

Our hostess apologies for paper plates and plastic cups. I'm used to lunch in Amtrak's dining car, so I'm not bothered. I imagine the dishwasher broke en route.


This isn't the best thing on the menu. The chicken has a slight flavor of Amtrak fish, so I have to believe they use one grill for everything. But it's a good amount of food for ten euro, and it's otherwise tasty.

The red wine is rough. It has a decent flavor, but it's one step above jet fuel. I can usually pick a good wine but I miss more often in foreign countries. This would pair better with the red meat or goulash dishes... maybe even the American hot dog.

I take a bottle of rosé back to my seat as dessert. It's much better than the red wine.


For two bottles of wine, the dinner plate, and a bottle of water I think I was out €17.50 before tip. Excellent value for money; just select a different dish and avoid the red wine unless you are going for the hearty meals.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Prague is my favorite city in the world. At least it makes the top three in my mind. I take the afternoon to visit some of the sights from last trip.

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I even spend some time at Cafe Savoy for a quick afternoon dessert and tea, which was closed for renovations during my last visit. It has a history of being one of Prague's famous coffee shops when it opened in 1893.

Darkness falls early though, so I walk back to the hotel and have a glass of sekt on the house.

View attachment 35072

i've never bern to Prague, you're pics really show how cool it must be,!

I'm really enjoying reading your trip reports, thanks for sharing!

 

[allanorn]

The rest of the train ride was uneventful. We left Prague about twenty minutes behind schedule, which isn't bad considering the train started in Budapest and there's plenty of ongoing track work. We made up the time just before Berlin, but gave ten minutes of it back while transiting Berlin. It's smooth riding north of Berlin, and we pretty much make it into Hamburg Hbf on schedule.

Thirty-six hours after my intended arrival into Hamburg, I've finally made it.



I stumble around for ten minutes trying to find where my S-bahn train leaves from - they use a cross-platform setup for commuter trains here, which is confusing. I'm too used to one platform per line! But I eventually find the correct train and end up catching the last express bus of the night to my hotel - where I collapse for the night after a hot shower.

As Frodo said after he pitched the One Ring into the lava, "It's over. It's done." I loved the adventure, and it went off better than I expected, but I prefer to plan my adventures a little more in advance than this.