Rail East With Rail Europe
Rail Europe Takes You There!
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The European rail network is a vast system spanning over 160,000 miles that connects every major city in Europe. Travel is comfortable and convenient with a railway that is renowned for its reliability and speed.

The railway is used both by tourists and locals alike and is undoubtedly the best way to see the countryside. My travels took me from Prague, in the Czech Republic, to Dresden, Germany, and finally to Vienna, Austria. Each city has a train station that is within walking distance and directly connected to the city through the metro system.

My rail adventure started at the historic and picturesque city of Prague, in the Czech Republic . The station was built from 1901-1909 by architect Josef Fanta. The main architects include Ohmann, Bendelmeyer, and Kotera. These architects gave the main station, Hlavni Nadrazi, its unmistakable style that reflects the opulent 1920s.

The station is a masterpiece of symmetry and contains incredible sculptures, stained glass, and ceramic frescos. These all reveal the greatest artistic influence on Prague Art Nouveau. This style was created by a Czech artist by the name of Mucha. Art Nouveau embellishments are seen everywhere in the city, including the main train station.

It is well worth taking a walking tour of the structure to see the many examples. The newer sections inside, built in the 1970s, are the remnants of a post-communist era. Suddenly the architecture becomes cold and efficient. Everything is very orderly, and once inside the kiosks are easy to spot. You must go to a ticketing counter, as there are no automatic machines in Prague. Choose your date and destination and you will be ready to go. The main station is located within walking distance of the city and is also connected by the metro. The metro is easy to access and has three lines: A = green, B = yellow, C = red. Daily or weekly travel cards can be purchased from the Prague Tourist Information Center.

Prague is truly stunning and is becoming wildly popular for tourists from all over the world. The Old Town has winding cobblestone streets that open onto expansive squares. For medieval enjoyment, the Charles Bridge is the best example in the city. By climbing up one of the towers that are located at either end of the bridge one can view the castle above and the city bellow. This bridge leads to the imposing Prague Castle that overlooks the brightly painted buildings.

I decided to take a day trip to Dresden, Germany. I made my reservations with Rail Europe prior to leaving the United States; however, I had to speak to an international ticket agent to obtain my final ticket. Once I chose my date and time travel was quite easy. The ticket agents at the international ticket counters speak English fluently; however, if you think you are being misunderstood it is a good idea to write down your exact desired travel details to show to the vendor. As I already had the information printed on my Rail Europe pass, the transaction went quickly and the language barrier was not an issue. I then watched for my departure information on the large screens and went to board my train. For this journey I had a 2nd class ticket and I chose to sit in the non-smoking area. I had my own box to sit in which was very comfortable and perfect for a relaxing journey to Dresden. It is important to note that the less luggage the better. Although security is tight it is best to keep your belongings close to you at all times to avoid them being stolen. It was a quick two-hour ride to Dresden Hauptbahnhof.

The station is currently under construction to better accommodate the roughly 70,000 people that visit the city each year.

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