I thought of sharing this with you guys and hoping it could help on your future travel to Europe. Or is it just me who doesn't know about how these trains in Europe work? It was not our first time in Europe and it was not our first time taking train in Europe. And we always do the free and easy since our first travel to Europe. It was though our first ever to take the night train.

This happened during our trip to Europe in May 2018

I saw a promo airfare to Europe by Finnair so I planned for a tour with my hubby and decided to go in May. I booked a return flight leaving Singapore on 08 May arriving Budapest on 09 May in the morning with a stop over in Helsinki for 4 hours; departed Rome on 25 May to Singapore with a stop over in Helsinki for 24 hours (by choice) arriving final destination on 27 May in the afternoon.


We were in Budapest from 09 May to 11 May. By train, we arrived Vienna at 10am on 11 May from Budapest. On 12 May, we took the train again from Vienna and arrived Bratislava in an hour. We never had a problem finding our carriage and seat on the train from Budapest to Vienna. For Vienna to Bratislava, there was no seat reservation since it was a short travel. We could seat anywhere that is unoccupied.

The horror was the should be travel from Bratislava to Prague. We had a ticket and cabin reservation from Bratislava to Prague dated the same day we arrived Bratislava, 12 May. It was a night train, EN 476 to depart Bratislava at 11:04pm and to reach its final destination Prague at 6:04 am the following morning. We arrived Bratislava at around 4pm on that day. We had time to go around the city, sunset at 8pm. We left our luggage at the train station for a fee of 5 euros for two luggage. By 10 pm we were back at the station and waited for our night train. The train EN 476 originated Budapest and to terminate in Prague.

Below is the itinerary copied from Ceske Drahy site.

EN 476 Metropol
Budapest-Keleti pu – Praha hl.n.
Timetable in 2018

Budapest-Keleti pu 20:25
Vac 21:07
21:08
Štúrovo 21:40
21:43
Nové Zámky 22:08
22:10
Bratislava hl.st. 23:01
23:04
Kúty 23:41
23:43
Břeclav 23:55
0:25
Brno hl.n. 0:54
2:46
Pardubice hl.n.
train does not wait for any connections 4:15
5:00
Přelouč 5:09
5:10
Kolín
train does not wait for any connections 5:24
5:26
Praha-Libeň
train does not wait for any connections train can leave for its destination immediately after the passengers get off 5:57
Praha hl.n. 6:04

As stated at the station's schedule monitor, train to Prague arrives at Platform 1. We had a cabin so I thought we were supposed to find our carriage in the front. The train came and it was very very long. We thought all this long train was meant to Prague as final destination. Everyone was rushing, the train was to leave in 3 minutes. We went all the way up to the first 2 carriages of this long train until we saw the drawing of the beds which we understood as the sleeper cabins. There were senior couple ahead of us boarding the train. The official checked their document, afterwards, the couple got inside the train. When it was our turn, the official said our ticket was to Prague and that train was going to Warsaw. We were puzzled, we asked where and when our train comes. The announcement though was non stop that train to Prague had arrived at Platform 1 and will depart at 11:04pm. The official answered us- the next train. What does he mean about next train? Was there another train coming? We were off the train with our luggage trying to figure out what was going on. We thought we could board to any of the carriages and once inside, we just have to find the correct carriage even while the train was moving. The officials of the train, I saw two, were just standing by the door of the train. The one we approached earlier for sure realized we were lost, never bothered to assist us. When we tried to approach another official, the train door automatically closed and the train left... without us. HORRIBLE!

I booked our ticket 90 days before the departure. I booked the deluxe cabin for two. We were so excited it was to be our first night train. Our tour has just begun and I thought it would be ruined with this experience. We still had two more weeks and many places to visit. We went to the counter who sells ticket and told her our issues. We said we were not allowed to board because that train was going to Warsaw. She said a big NO, the train was going to Prague. Then she asked the one that speaks good English to talk to us. We were told that the long train has a few final destinations. One to Warsaw, one to Prague... We still did not understand fully how that works. I then purchased 2 tickets to Prague that will leave the earliest the following day. We were given 6 am schedule and we could reach Prague at 10am. Not bad, we still had enough time to explore Prague. The disappointment was still there though. The failed night train experience, the 100 euros I paid for the train tickets and cabin and since the next train to Prague was 6am and it was only half past 11 in the evening, we had stayed overnight at Mercure Hotel for 112.40 euros. The two train tickets to Prague was 30 euros. And we took a cab to the hotel which cost us 15 euros.

We were already told the hotel was just very near and we could walk. The past few days we had been walking the whole day exploring the cities we had visited earlier. Google map said the hotel was just less than one kilometer. It was visible from the station but it looks like far from us. With our luggage and what just happened, I did not feel like to waste time trying to find the hotel. When we reach the hotel, we smiled a bit, yes the station was really so near as in like 5 minutes walk at slow pace

My hubby slept early, afraid to miss our train the next day. I spent time sending email to the customer service of Ceske Drahy and asked if we could reimburse. They said NO, we boarded the wrong carriage. I still did not understand then how was it possible that long train go to Warsaw and Prague. Would the train go to Warsaw first and then Prague as the final destination? It was really upsetting. I tried to check also if our travel insurance covers this mishap. We were advised to file the claim when we return to Singapore but no guarantee. I thought travel insurance is supposed to be Travel Worry-Free?

In our ticket, there was this Carriage 377. I know trains are divided into coaches or carriages but I was not finding possible a train could have 300 and over carriages. So we did not look for carriage 377. We actually find for the sleeper carriages which normally located in the front of the train.

For those who continued to read this post till here, sorry if I did bore you with our plight... I did several readings about how these train works. Now, I am challenged to try to take these long haul trains again and see If we would easily find our train and the carriage.

It could be our fault. I should had further my research on these trains. But I never thought this how it works. I thought when it said transfer, the passenger will transfer to another train. That was why I chose the one that has no transfer. Just now I learned, it is the train itself that will be transferred to another train.

Given that we were not that smart, what was so upsetting was that those train officials never bothered to assist us. They could have seen we were clueless on what was going on. We were at the platform in front of the train- PUZZLED- and these officials were just like standing by the train door, just like looking at us as in like they never cared! until the door closed!!!. And the very looooooooong train left... without us!!!. That was really so so so SAD!!!. In fairness, it could be the language barrier, they may thought they won't be able to explain well to us and with the 3 minutes train stop, they could ended up left by the train too. We really felt so helpless for a second. Then we were awaken it was not yet the end of the world. We could still enjoy Prague.

Train EN 476 originated in Budapest. There were a few trainsets attached to EN 476 where at designated stations, these trainsets will be detached from EN 476 and will be attached to another train originated from other city/country. I copied from Ceske Drahy site three different itinerary of EN 476 to understand how it works with the same depart schedule at Budapest and some other stations.

From Budapest,

one trainset attached to EN 476 is from Budapest to Prague (arrive 6:04am the following day);

another trainset is from Budapest to Warsaw

another trainset is from Budapest to Prague (arrive 8:07am the following day)

As shown on the below itinerary, at Breclav, the trainset to Warsaw and to Prague (arrive 8:07am) would be detached from EN 476 and to be attached/transferred to EN 406 and IC 572 respectively.

I have copied also an itinerary of EN 406 to see the full picture. Trainset with itinerary from Vienna to Prague attached to train EN 406. Once at Breclav, this trainset will be detached from EN 406 and will join the EN 476 originated from Budapest.

EN 476 Metropol /EIC 406
Budapest-Keleti pu – Warszawa Wschodnia
Timetable in 2018

Budapest-Keleti pu 20:25
Vac 21:07
21:08
Štúrovo 21:40
21:43
Nové Zámky 22:08
22:10
Bratislava hl.st. 23:01
23:04
Kúty 23:41
23:43

Břeclav
Closure
to train EN 406 23:55
0:25

Ostrava hl.n.
Closure 2:01
2:03
Bohumín 2:11
3:22
Zebrzydowice 3:42
3:43
Czechowice Dziedzice 4:10
4:11
Brzeszcze Jawiszowi. 4:35
4:36
Oswiecim 4:53
4:54
Krakow Plaszow 6:16
6:31
Krakow Glowny 6:38
6:40
Warszawa Zachodnia 9:35
9:36
Warszawa Centralna 9:41
10:05
Warszawa Wschodnia 10:11

EN 476 Metropol /IC 572
Budapest-Keleti pu – Praha hl.n.
Timetable in 2018

Budapest-Keleti pu 20:25
Vac 21:07
21:08
Štúrovo 21:40
21:43
Nové Zámky 22:08
22:10
Bratislava hl.st. 23:01
23:04
Kúty 23:41
23:43
Břeclav
to train IC 572 23:55
5:07
Brno hl.n.
train does not wait for any connections 5:36
5:38
Česká Třebová 6:35
6:36
Pardubice hl.n.
train does not wait for any connections 7:08
7:10
Kolín
train does not wait for any connections 7:29
7:30
Praha hl.n. 8:07

EN 406 Chopin /EN 476
Wien Hbf – Praha hl.n.
Timetable in 2018

Wien Hbf 22:10
Břeclav
to train EN 476 23:07
0:25
Brno hl.n. 0:54
2:46
Pardubice hl.n.
train does not wait for any connections 4:15
5:00
Přelouč 5:09
5:10
Kolín
train does not wait for any connections 5:24
5:26
Praha-Libeň
train does not wait for any connections train can leave for its destination immediately after the passengers get off 5:57
Praha hl.n. 6:04

I was thinking if these officials were just thoughtful enough or helpful enough... they could let us in their train and just let us transfer to the correct carriage when we reach Breclav. Latter is just less than an hour from Bratislava. And at Breclav, both EN 476 aad EN 406 will depart after half an hour EN 476 reached Breclav.
The following morning, we were like 30 minutes earlier at the station. Train EC 282 carriage 257. I was checking the map at the platform where 257 would it be? front, rear or middle? I could not find 257. We checked the screen and we were at the correct platform. I started to worry. I tried to approach any person I thought of working at the station but they dismissed me. I assume they do not speak English. Then a very long train arrived at the platform around 20 minutes before our scheduled departure. We tried to board a carriage, but we could not find our seat. I told my hubby that was not our carriage. So I tried to find 257. Then I saw two officials near the front of the train. We were like in the middle. I approached the lady official. The man she was talking to was I thought like a bit annoyed with my interruption. I did not care, I did say excuse though. I showed to the lady our ticket and asked if that was our train. She was very nice and she showed to me our carriage. What a relief! I ran to my husband and then boarded to our carriage. Prague adventure about to start.

Our Europe trip in 2018 , we had visited many cities. We actually went to 9 countries. Transfer from one hotel/apartment to another, flying, train, cruise... It was like truly exhausting thus, I guess, these mishaps. Not only the missed night train, I almost lost the GoPro in Barcelona, we almost missed our flight from Rome to Helsinki to Singapore, I left my Longchamp bag at Leonardo Express train, three gypsies in Paris pretending for survey thing mobbed my hubby without him knowing they were pickpockets- nothing taken though, overcharged for a lousy food in Prague.

Notwithstanding this horrible experience, our half day visit to Bratislava was surprisingly splendid. We had learned a lot about the history of Europe as we had explored the wonderful city. I will have a separate blog for our visit to Bratislava.