Night train to Prague: my experience
The Czech capital of Prague is a fun destination for a weekend getaway. Of course, you can take the plane or drive to Prague. But did you know that the night train to Prague is also an option? Board the train in the evening in the Netherlands and the next morning you drive into Prague’s central station. Together with Ernestina, I chose this option and took the night train from Deventer to Prague. I am happy to share my experience.
Train Deventer Prague
The night train to Prague is not a “normal” timetable. And to some extent you can compare it to an organized bus trip. You go there and back on the exact same train, including the crew and passengers. While you enjoy exploring the city, the train stays in Prague. So a trip with the green city trips line from the Netherlands to Prague can also only be booked as a return trip. We had a package with a train ticket, hotel accommodation and breakfast.
Costs night train to Prague
Of course, the cost of the night train to Prague can vary. We booked our trip through HEMA for € 189. We did have some additional costs. € 5 for SGR levy, € 39 for the linen package on the train and our hotel breakfast. And then another € 20 for choosing your own sleeping place. We did that because we wanted to make sure we slept in the same compartment. Moreover, I really wanted to sleep in the bottom bunk because I absolutely did not like the idea of being upstairs in a bunk bed. (I sleep rather restlessly, and it would be a shame if I fell out of bed).
From Deventer to Prague
Our train trip to Prague began on Wednesday evening and the train left at 20:50 from Deventer station. The train’s starting point is Amsterdam Centraal and on the way it stops in Amersfoort and Deventer. Deventer is the last stop before the train continues to Dresden (where you can also get off if you book a weekend Dresden). The train’s terminus is Praha hlavní nádraží station, Prague’s central station. On the way, the train does stop in Bad Bentheim for the locomotive change. But then you can’t get off the train.
Good company on the train
The train consists of several train carriages with 10 compartments. In each train set there are four sinks and two toilets. In the compartment you can sit six people and you can sleep there with five adults. The beds can be folded down. On one side you then have a bunk with two beds and on the other side of three beds. We shared our compartment with two men and a woman. The woman was traveling with a friend, who slept in the compartment next to us. During the trip, the six of us had a great time chatting and, above all, laughing a lot. We enjoyed each other’s company so much that we created a WhatsApp group to keep in touch during the city trip. On the night of departure, we went to dinner together in Prague. Whether you are on the night train to Prague with nice people is of course a matter of luck. (You sleep in a compartment with the same people during both the outward and return journeys).
Sleeping on the night train to Prague
Before we traveled, I really did worry about the train ride at times. Will I manage to sleep in a compartment full of strangers? How is the bed? Isn’t it very uncomfortable to sleep on the train? I had deliberately chosen the bottom bunk because I didn’t like the idea of being upstairs in the bunk bed. Fortunately, I was not too uncomfortable, even though the bed was quite hard. On some stretches the train went back and forth quite a bit. (I had just watched the series Snowpiercer and felt like I was on that train). Sleeping on the night train to Prague is not necessarily very comfortable. So I didn’t sleep very well, but better than I expected beforehand. This was mainly due to the fact that the atmosphere in our compartment was nice and dared to just go to sleep.
Breakfast on the train to Prague
We paid extra for a sheet pack and breakfast on the train. And in all honesty, the breakfast was massively disappointing. In the evening, the steward was already bringing breakfast. A croissant and a box of different things. A yogurt with musli, crackers, orange juice, jam, Nutella and pâté. The croissant tasted like plastic and the yogurt I didn’t even dare to open after a night in the hot compartment. Only the crackers were fine. On the return trip, we brought some extra food of our own for breakfast.
Tips for the night train to Prague:
– Bring plenty of food and drinks
– Use a separate bag for the things that you want to use in the train
– Bring flipflops
– Be nice to your compartment mates (after all, you’ll be on the train together for 28 hours. Both on the way there and back).
– Bring something to entertain yourself on the way such as a good book or your tablet
My experience with the night train to Prague
I am very excited about the train trip because I really enjoyed the experience. Thanks to the Hema promotion, it was affordable. The trip went fine, and the train is quite comfortable (as far as that is possible in a train), except when you are sleeping haha. It is not the fastest option to travel from the Netherlands to Prague, but it is the most sustainable. I do think your compartment mates have a big influence on your travel experience. Because we were so sociable the time flew by. If you travel with unsociable people, it can be quite a long sit. I found it an ideal way for a Prague city trip, but I’m not sure I’ll do it again. But that’s mostly because I’m afraid the compartment mates can only disappoint because they were so cozy.
More Prague blogs
During my Prague city trip with Ernestina, I created a lot of content and of course you can read all the Prague articles back on my blog. Did you like the article about this French bakery in Prague? Read a detailed article about our hostel or the sights in Prague.
