Zagreb-Budapest-Prague-Cesky Krumlov-Vienna

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Hi tUt,

Many thanks for your previous help - I thought it best to start a new topic as I have now finalised by various destinations and have just a couple more questions
After visiting Dubrovnik we decided to rent a car and travel around Croatia/Slovenia ending up in Zagreb.  We will get the #205 train from Zagreb to Budapest leaving at 10.00am (you advised to buy a return to get 60% discount, is that right?)
From Budapest we will get the EC170 leaving at 9.28am to Prague.  If I purchase our tickets in advance from the EShop website, do we get them for 19 euro?  Or do you have to purchase them at the station to get the discounted tickets as it states that only the first 6 passengers can get the discounted fare?
From Prague we will get a bus to visit Cesky Krumlov for 1 night and then we want to travel to Vienna and thought it would be easier to get a train from CK but on the Eshop website they say that Cesky Krumlov is not recognised and it is not possible!  Do we have to return to Prague to get the train to Vienna? 
I would appreciate your help.
Thanks, Joode

We will get the #205 train from Zagreb to Budapest leaving at 10.00am (you advised to buy a return to get 60% discount, is that right?)

Yes, I guess most of the cashiers in Zagreb would anyway advise you the same. Another way to save is to "break" you tickets via border, but it won't win you a lot.

From Budapest we will get the EC170 leaving at 9.28am to Prague.  If I purchase our tickets in advance from the EShop website, do we get them for 19 euro?  Or do you have to purchase them at the station to get the discounted tickets as it states that only the first 6 passengers can get the discounted fare?

Unfortunately, you can't purchase Budapest-Prague 19 euro discounted ticket online from CD eShop. It is allowed only in case you purchase two tickets: Prague-Budapest and Budapest-Prague (second stamped by Czech conductor on the way there). The only possibility to get 19 euro ticket Budapest-Prague is to buy it at the station in Budapest in advance.
In case you can't purchase Spar ticket for 19 euro and don't want to pay full fare of 75 euro for Budapest-Prague, then simply "break" your tickets via Slovakia (Budapest-Bratislava -12 euro, purchased any time; Bratislava-Prague- app.23 euro, purchased any time) or you can go Budapest-Esztergom (app.4 euro), cross Danube over the bridge to Slovak town Sturovo and get ticket Sturovo-Prague for app.30 euro.

From Prague we will get a bus to visit Cesky Krumlov for 1 night and then we want to travel to Vienna and thought it would be easier to get a train from CK but on the Eshop website they say that Cesky Krumlov is not recognised and it is not possible!  Do we have to return to Prague to get the train to Vienna? 

No, you don't need to return to Prague. Cheapest way for you will be to take Czech domestic train to České Velenice (from Krumlov you will need to make one change in C.Budejovice), crossborder ticket České Velenice-Gmünd NÖ costs only 1 euro, from Gmund you purchase  Einfach-Raus-Ticket and up to 5 people go for 28 euro till Vienna. Another option is to purchase SONE+ and go with it all the way from C.Krumlov to Gmund.

Thank you tUt, we will try to get the discounted tickets for the next leg to Prague when we arrive in Budapest as we will be there 4 days.
Re the CK leg to Vienna: You advise "take Czech domestic train to České Velenice (from Krumlov you will need to make one change in C.Budejovice), crossborder ticket České Velenice-Gmünd NÖ costs only 1 euro, from Gmund you purchase  Einfach-Raus-Ticket and up to 5 people go for 28 euro till Vienna. Another option is to purchase SONE+ and go with it all the way from C.Krumlov to Gmund." 
Do you mean we can purchase the ticket from C.Krumlov-C.Velenice-Gmund (including cross-border ticket) at C.Krumlov?  Then we exit the train at Gmund station and purchase ticket to Vienna?  What is the difference between this way and purchasing the SONE+ ticket?
 

  Do you mean we can purchase the ticket from C.Krumlov-C.Velenice-Gmund (including cross-border ticket) at C.Krumlov?

Yes, but better no to do it like this, since in this case it will be expensive international ticket. Instead you can purchase domestic Czech ticket C.Krumlov-C.Velenice (107 CZK + 25% group for every second, third etc. passenger). And already in C.Velenice buy C.Velenice-Gmund ticket. There it costs 1 euro.

Then we exit the train at Gmund station and purchase ticket to Vienna? 

Yes

What is the difference between this way and purchasing the SONE+ ticket?

SONE+ ticket (http://europetrainsguide.com/200907167/Countries/Czech-republic/Czech-Republic-CD.html) is valid till Austrian border stations as well (among those are Gmund). Since on your route from C.Krumlov till Gmund you will use only Regional trains, so you will need SONE+ for 150 CZK. With this pass 2 adults(+3 children) can travel all the way from C.Krumlov to Gmund, but SONE+ offered only on weekend.

I have just found a website called Centraleasteurope.com which sells discount rail tickets on various routes and they quote 19 euros for a 1 way ticket from Budapest to Prague if purchased 1 month before travel. 
As previously advised, the CD eShop will only sell return (2) tickets for travel originating in Budapest so I am wondering how this site can offer a 1 way ticket for the discounted price.  Do you know anything about them?  Are they a reputable company?  I would appreciate your advice as it would make it a lot easier to be able to buy the tickets required now rather than hoping to get Spar tickets for the trip when we first arrive in Budapest. 

...so I am wondering how this site can offer a 1 way ticket for the discounted price.  Do you know anything about them?  Are they a reputable company?

Well, it is first time we here about them, so...
But in theory it is possible to purchase 19 euro ticket Budapest-Prague, but you can do it in Budapest from the MAV counter. Since those guys you mention are located in Budapest, they (once again - in theory) can purchase it, but... There is no way how you can purchase them cheaper than 19 euro, so I guess there is suppose to be some type of commission or additional payment - nobody will work without profit. They will not buy ticket for 19 euro in order to sell it to you for the same price. Plus they promise to mail it to you for free= additional cost for them.
Centraleasteurope.com haven't answer our email yet, so we can't go on with final judgment as of now. Hope they will email us back asap and we can figure out the actual stakes behind

Hi tUt,

Yes, you're right.  I emailed them with a query regarding the Budapest-Prague ticket and they replied saying they charge 10 euro booking fee and would send them registered mail - another added cost.  They also said they could courier them but didn't advise it as an option as it would cost 60 euro!  The only other offer was they could deliver to a hotel in Budapest.

So, I suppose I could get them to purchase the ticket and pay 29 euro total and get it when we get to Budapest or else take my chances buying a ticket myself, which is probably what I'll do.  Thanks,

Hi again tUt,   

Well, we leave for Europe in 10 days and I am still trying to find a better way to travel from Ceske Krumlov back to Vienna in late May. Unfortunately the train combination you gave me earlier will take too much time due to the fact that we don't want to leave CK until about 1300hrs to give us time to see thru the castle as we arrive in CK on a Monday and that is the only day it isn't open!
If we take a shuttle service from CK to Linz railway station we can still get back to Vienna in about 3 hours or so I think.  I can access the timetables for the trains but can't find the cost of a ticket.  Can you help?
 

If we take a shuttle service from CK to Linz railway station we can still get back to Vienna in about 3 hours or so I think.  I can access the timetables for the trains but can't find the cost of a ticket.  Can you help?

Regular fare for Linz-Vienna route is 31.2 euro, but since you are not alone - you can use option with the same Einfach-Raus-Ticket (as was advised for Gmund-Vienna route), then all of you will travel from Linz to Vienna for only 28 euro

Thanks, that sounds great.  Are we restricted to certain trains with Einfach-Raus ticket?

Are we restricted to certain trains with Einfach-Raus ticket?

Yes, you can not use fast EC, ICE and RJ trains, but only regional R and REX trains. In terms of comfort the difference isn't that big, main difference - speed.

Thanks for your replies tUt.  I have checked out the times and it seems that the trip will take an extra hour due to the many stops but that's OK, it will give us time to appreciate the scenery and as the price is so cheap it makes it all worthwhile!

Your help is much appreciated.   
J.