Brussels-Prague from €46.90, Cologne-Prague from €27.90

Frankfurt-Prague from €27.90, Nuremberg-Prague from €15

You've probably never heard of Cheb, pronounced Heb, an obscure border town between Germany and the Czech Republic.  But the German Railways website int.bahn.de & Czech Railways website www.cd.cz sell inexpensive advance-purchase fares between Prague and Nuremberg, Frankfurt, Cologne & Brussels in either direction via this route.  You can often find cheap fares even weeks in advance, no need to look months ahead.  But there's nothing cut-price about the top-quality trains.  This page shows you what these trains are like, what the journey is like, and has tips on buying & using these tickets.

In 2024, an extra change of train was needed at Marktredwitz.  From 15 December 2024, trains are once more running direct from Nuremberg to Cheb.

small bullet point  Czech train between Prague & Cheb

small bullet point  Changing trains at Cheb

small bullet point  German regional train between Cheb & Nuremberg

small bullet point  ICE trains  Nuremberg-Frankfurt-Cologne-Brussels

small bullet point  Tips for buying tickets

small bullet point  Travel tips

small bullet point  Route map

small bullet point  Watch the video guide

Train times to Prague:  London to Prague, Brussels to Prague, Cologne to Prague, Frankfurt to Prague.

Train times from Prague:  Prague to London, Prague to Brussels, Prague to Frankfurt, Prague to Cologne, Prague to Nuremberg.

What's the journey like?

Here's an illustrated account of a westbound journey from Prague to Nuremberg, Frankfurt & Brussels on the early morning departure on a frosty January day.  Obviously, trains & scenery are the same in either direction, you just experience them in the reverse order!

1. Czech train between Prague & Cheb

The Czech Railways (CD) express trains between Prague & Cheb are now formed of CD's latest Interjet trains built by Siemens.  Clean, comfortable, air-conditioned with free WiFi and power sockets at all seats.  A refreshment trolley comes down the train with tea, coffee, snacks and soft drinks at inexpensive Czech prices.  These trains run every 2 hours.

The morning express from Prague to Cheb

An Interjet train from Prague to Cheb, boarding at Prague Hlavni.

2nd class seats on a Prague to Cheb Interjet train   1st class seats on a Prague to Cheb Interjet train

2nd class on an Interjet train with power outlets & free WiFi.  Larger photo.

 

1st class on an Interjet train with power outlets & free WiFi.  Larger photo.

Frosty morning scenery from the Prague to Cheb train

Bohemian Rhapsody.  Frosty early morning scenery crossing Bohemia from Prague to Cheb.

More frosty morning scenery from the Prague to Cheb train

More frosty morning scenery on this delightful rural route.

Easy cross-platform change at Cheb

Czech & German timetables are coordinated and it's usually a simple 10-minute cross-platform interchange at Cheb between the Czech train to/from Prague and the German regional train to/from Nuremberg, in either direction.

Tip:  Don't worry about only having 10 minutes to change trains in Cheb - that's 9 minutes more than you need.  All you normally have to do is get off one train, walk the width of the platform and board the train on the other side, as you can see in the photo below.  You can do it in 10 seconds, never mind 10 minutes.  If one train is a little late, the other will wait a few minutes, this is a recognised connection.

Tip:  When going eastbound and changing into the Czech train from Cheb to Prague, don't blindly board the train on the other side of the platform.  Check the platform departure boards, sometimes the train across the platform is the slow train to Prague via Usti nad Labem, you want the express to Prague via Pilsen!

Changing trains at Cheb station

Cheb station.  Blue Czech train from Prague on the left, the red German train to Nuremberg on the right.  Easy!

2.  German regional train between Cheb & Nuremberg

The DB Regioswinger is a comfortable modern regional train with air-conditioning, toilets, and power sockets at all seats - although no WiFi.  There's no catering on this train, so bring your own supplies.  This train tilts so it can go faster around the many bends on this rural route across Bavaria.  The train is coupled to a Hof-Nuremberg train between Pegnitz and Nuremberg - so when boarding an eastbound train from Nuremberg to Cheb, make sure you board the unit going to Cheb and not the unit bound for Hof!

2nd class on the Cheb-Nuremberg regional train   1st class on the Cheb-Nuremberg regional train

2nd class seats on the German regional train.  Larger photo.

1st class seats on the German regional train.  Larger photo.

Scenery from the Cheb to Nuremberg train

Bavarian rhapsody?  More frosty morning scenery in Bavaria from the Cheb to Nuremberg train, a lovely rural ride.

The regional train from Cheb, arrived at Nuremberg

Nuremberg.  The German regional train from Cheb has arrived at Nuremberg platform 16.

3.  ICE high-speed train between Nuremberg & Frankfurt

Changing trains at Nuremberg is simply a case of looking at the departure screens, going down the escalators, lift or stairs to the underpass, then back up on the platform for your onward train.  The onward ICE trains come with a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.

Tip:  If you need to stock up or grab a coffee for the journey, there are plenty of food outlets and a Rewe To Go minimarket inn the main station entrance hall.

ICE train at Nuremberg station

Boarding the ICE to Frankfurt at Nuremberg platform  6.

2nd class on the Nuremberg-Frankfurt ICE train   1st class on the Nuremberg-Frankfurt ICE train

2nd class seats on the Nuremberg-Frankfurt ICE.

1st class seats on the Nuremberg-Frankfurt ICE.

Restaurant car on the Nuremberg-Frankfurt ICE3 train   1st class on the Cheb-Nuremberg regional train

The ICE restaurant car.  1st class passengers may order from the restaurant menu and are served at their seat.

4.  ICE high-speed train between Frankfurt & Cologne or Brussels

The system may suggest changing at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf or at Frankfurt Flughafen.  At the modern 4-platform Frankfurt Flughafen it's usually a cross-platform or same-platform change so it's easier.  I personally prefer changing at the magnificent historic Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, which is a terminus so there's easy level access between all platforms.  Just see what the CD website gives you.

The onward ICE from Frankfurt to Brussels also features a small restaurant area, a bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

If you're going to Cologne or Brussels, the train crosses the Rhine into Cologne Hbf on the vast Hohenzollern bridge, with views of Cologne cathedral next to the station on the left hand side (going westbound) or right hand side (going eastbound to Prague).

ICE3M to Cologne & Brussels, boarding at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf

Boarding the ICE to Brussels at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf.

2nd class on the Frankfurt-Brussels ICE3M train   1st class on the Frankfurt-Brussels ICE3M train

2nd class seats on the Frankfurt-Brussels ICE.

1st class seats on the Frankfurt-Brussels ICE.

Erdinger Weissbier on the Frankfurt-Brussels ICE train   Restaurant car on the Frankfurt-Brussels ICE3M train

I highly recommend the Erdinger Weissbier.

 

Small restaurant area on the Frankfurt-Brussels ICE.

The ICE from Frankfurt, arrived at Brussels

The ICE arrived at Brussels Midi.

Tips for buying tickets via Cheb

Travel tips

Route map

Brussels-Frankurt-Prague via Cheb train route map

Click for larger map   Highlighted = Brussels-Cheb-Prague route.  Green = scenic sections of lineRed = new high-speed line.

Reproduced from the excellent European Rail Map with kind permission of the European Rail Timetable people.  Buy this European Rail Map for your travels and perhaps a copy of the European Rail Timetable at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu with shipping worldwide.

Watch the video guide 

This video shows what the trains & scenery are like.  It's a westbound journey from Prague to Brussels, but trains & scenery are the same in either direction!


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