Train pass for Eastern Europe?

Question

We'll be traveling from Prague to Vienna then to Budapest this November as part of our honeymoon trip. Is it wise to buy the East European Rail Pass (5 days travel within a month between these 3 countries) or is it better to buy city to city single journey tickets? Do we need to make reservations for seats or is it usually pretty easy to get seats on these trains? We would really appreciate your answers and advice! :)

Answer 1

If you can get a good deal go for it. Rail travel is the same as Britain over here in Vienna, expensive, But a travel pass will cover you, even travel from one station to the next here in Vienna is dear for tourists since you pay by the 30 Min's on underground. although when you live here it is reasonable monthly and yearly passes. you should have a better deal if you pay by the pound. you may need a reservation, since Vienna and Budapest will have Christmas markets on in November. lots of tourists come from Prague to Vienna, and if your German is not up to scratch having the tickets in your hand is easier, since Austrian German can be slightly different. But English is widely spoken in all countries in the cities and Bannhof (station). enjoy your Honeymoon take time in Vienna and Budapest, they are really beautiful, I live in Vienna

Answer 2

Contact RailEurope (their phone number can be found at www.raileurope.com) and ask them which of the rail passes would work best for you.  You can purchase passes cheaper if you are travelling with someone.  You can also purchase passes that allow you to travel in  up to 5 different countries.  These might all be better than purchasing a separate pass.  Give Rail Europe a call, tell them what you're looking to do and let them provide you with the best recommendation.

Answer 3

Best is to buy the East European Rail Pass as you can jump on and off anytime you wish.  It is cheaper.   Advance reservation is neccessary too just for the safe sake.  Have a good trip.

Answer 4

If you're only planning on stopping in those three cities, I wouldn't bother with the pass.  Price-wise it isn't worth it, as the passes can cost hundreds of dollars, much more than two straight train tickets in those countries.  The only place I might recommend a pass with this type of travel is in the more Western countries - Germany, France, Spain, and Switzerland were all a lot more expensive.

If you're planning on stopping in other places within the countries besides just these three main cities, then the pass might be something worth looking into.  Something to think about - will you be using all five days of travel if you're stopping elsewhere, and how far apart are the other cities or towns you plan on traveling to?  Anything right next door won't add much to your train ticket cost.  An extra town all the way across the country and out of your way (in Austria moreso than Czech or Hungary) will be more expensive.

Either way it is usually easy enough to find seats, though you can purchase the tickets earlier in the day if possible just to be certain.  I took a morning train from Vienna to Budapest and didn't purchase or reserve a ticket until showing up for the train that morning.  If you plan on taking an overnight train, I would recommend reservations at least a day or two ahead of time, or earlier that same day.  (Of course, a Vienna to Budapest leg would not be overnight... far too short.)