Charles Bridge in Prague at night; Mucha stained glass windows in Prague's St Vitus Cathedral; Palais Garnier at Place de l'Opéra; Eiffel Tower at night.

Prague / Praha — Paris

By Train from Prague to Paris

Athens to Paris
by Train

The next and final stage of our trip was from Prague, or Praha as the Czechs call it, to Cologne, or Köln as the Germans call it, and from there to Paris. This is part of the Athens to Paris by Train series. We took CityNightLine train CNL 456, the Kopernikus, leaving Prague at 18:31 and arriving at Köln at 06:14. We would get off the train there, and it would continue on to its final destination of Amsterdam. Then we took the Belgian Thalys train 9416, leaving Köln at 07:44 and arriving at Paris Gare du Nord station at 10:59.

The timetable shows the schedules of both of the trains. Hbf is an abbreviation for Haupbahnhof, the German name for a central train station.

The maps below show the approximate route, read them in order to follow our route.

Map of Czech Republic showing rail line from Prague into Germany.
Map of Germany showing rail line from Prague to Paris.
Map of Belgium showing rail line through Liege and Brussels, en route from Prague to Paris.
Map of France showing rail line from Brussels to Paris.
CityNightLine CNL 456 Kopernikus
18:31Praha hlavní nádraží
18:40Praha-Holesovice
19:44Ústí nad Labem hl.n.
20:03Dĕčín hl.n., Czech Republic
20:20Bad Schandau, Germany
20:54Dresden Hbf
21:02Dresden-Neustadt
23:03Berlin-Schönefeld Flughafen
23:59Berlin Ostbahnhof
00:12Berlin Hbf
Bielefeld Hbf
Hamm
Dortmund Hbf
Wuppertal Hbf
06:14Köln Hbf
Düsseldorf Hbf
Duisburg Hbf
Emmerich
Arnhem
Utrect Centraal
10:00Amsterdam Centraal
Thalys 9416
07:44Köln
08:23Aachen, Germany
08:49Liège-Guillemins, Belgium
09:37Bruxelles-Midi, Belgium
10:59Paris Gare du Nord, France

This map of northwestern Czech Republic and eastern Germany shows the first part of the trip, if you look from bottom to top.

We left Prague to the north, passing through Kralupy nad Vitavou and Melnik as we followed the Elbe River through an increasingly narrow and deep valley.

It became even more scenic as we passed through Ústí nad Labem and Dĕčín, nearing the German border.

We stopped in Dresden as it was getting dark, and continued north to Berlin, arriving there about midnight.

Then it was west through Germany for an early arrival into Köln.

Map of northwestern Czech Republic and eastern Germany.

The approach to Köln was through heavily built-up areas, as shown in this second map. The last stops before we got off in Köln were in Dortmund and Wuppertal. The train then turned back to the north to head for its final destination in Amsterdam, stopping in Düsseldorf and Duisburg immediately after leaving Köln. Meanwhile, we would be waiting about 90 minutes for our fast train to Paris.

Map of Germany around Köln or Cologne.

At the Prague Central Station

Praha hlavní nádraží or Prague Central Station has some beautiful Art Nouveau decoration. This is the domed entry to the station and its former ticket offices.

Art Nouveau domed entry to Praha hlavní nádraží, or Prague Central Station, former ticket offices.
Art Nouveau domed former ticket offices in Praha hlavní nádraží, or Prague Central Station.

This is our City Night Line train, but the red and white car is just one of the couchette cars.

City Night Line train in Praha hlavní nádraží, or Prague Central Station.

The Deluxe Sleeper Car

Here is the really nice part! My mom and dad are showing their sleeping car tickets to the conductor of the City Night Line.

Showing the sleeping car tickets to the conductor of the City Night Line train in Praha hlavní nádraží.
City Night Line train in Praha hlavní nádraží, or Prague Central Station.
City Night Line train in Praha hlavní nádraží, or Prague Central Station.

The City Night Line trains run overnight between several city pairs in northwestern Europe. Amsterdam—Copenhagen, Paris—Berlin, Paris—Munich, and several more pairs. It had been a purely German operation, then a joint operation of Deutsche Bahn and the Austrian and Swiss rail companies. Now it has spun off of Deutsche Bahn. As you can see here, this is definitely a Czech car. And it is the nicest overnight train I have ever seen.

This is a Deluxe Sleeper compartment on board the City Night Line train from Prague to Köln. Two beds, and dinner and breakfast are served in the compartment by the conductor.

Here's the startling part: Each compartment has its own very compact toilet and shower! Toilet on one side, shower on the other, a sink and mirror in between.

Deluxe Sleeper compartment on board the City Night Line train from Prague to Köln or Cologne and Amsterdam.
Deluxe Sleeper compartment on board the City Night Line train from Prague to Köln or Cologne and Amsterdam.
Deluxe Sleeper compartment on board the City Night Line train from Prague to Köln or Cologne and Amsterdam.

In a Couchette Compartment

I was in a couchette sleeper compartment. We couchette passengers could purchase food and drink from the conductor.

In the first picture below we are looking into the compartment from the passageway. In the second picture, we are standing by the window and looking back across the compartment and out into the passageway. My pack is in the storage area above the passageway.

Couchette sleeper compartment on board the City Night Line train from Prague to Köln or Cologne and Amsterdam.
Couchette sleeper compartment on board the City Night Line train from Prague to Köln or Cologne and Amsterdam.

I was worried about getting up in time for the early arrival in Köln, but the conductor comes around and wakes people up. This is why it is very important that everyone sleep in their assigned bunk, as the conductor wakes up whoever is in the bunk designated as getting out at the station we are approaching.

This Czech-operated train was very impressive. I had bought our tickets online through Deutsche Bahn's web site. The deluxe sleeper compartment tickets were shipped, my couchette ticket was more like an electronic ticket.

The conductor had a clipboard with multicolored forms showing who was boarding and disembarking where, from what seats and bunks. Authentication was as simple as showing the credit card with which the ticket had been pre-purchased. When you get on, you are taken directly to your bunk. And when its getting close to time to disembark, the conductor awakens you.

North from Prague

Here we have stopped in Ústí nad Labem as we follow the Elbe River north from Prague.

View from the City Night Line train in Ústí nad Labem along the Elbe River from Prague to Köln or Cologne and Amsterdam.
View from the City Night Line train along the Elbe River from Prague to Köln or Cologne and Amsterdam.
View from the City Night Line train along the Elbe River from Prague to Köln or Cologne and Amsterdam.
View from the City Night Line train along the Elbe River from Prague to Köln or Cologne and Amsterdam.

The Mariansky Bridge in Ústí nad Labem was opened in 1998. It won the European Steel Design Award from the European Association of Steel Structures, and has been ranked among the 10 best structures in the world for the past decade by the International Association for Bridges and Civil Engineering.

We're continuing north through the Elbe River valley from Ústí nad Labem toward Dĕčín, and from there we will cross into Germany and continue north to Berlin, and then travel west through the night.

View of the Mariansky Bridge in Ústí nad Labem, from the City Night Line train along the Elbe River from Prague to Köln or Cologne and Amsterdam.
View from the City Night Line train along the Elbe River from Prague to Köln or Cologne and Amsterdam.

From Köln through Brussels to Paris

After about 90 minutes in Köln early the next morning, we boarded a Belgian Thalys high-speed train. We took it northwest to Brussels, then turning southwest to continue to Paris.

Boarding a Belgian Thalys high-speed train in Köln or Cologne, traveling through Brussels to Paris.

Here is a Belgian Thalys high-speed train on the platform in Brussels Midi station. This is from another trip as we did not change trains or get out along the way. Notice the slightly different design.

Belgian Thalys high-speed train on the platform in Brussels Midi station.

The Thalys and similar French TGV trains run at 300 kilometers per hour. Soon we are speeding across northeastern France toward Paris.

View from a Belgian Thalys high-speed train crossing northeastern France, traveling through Brussels to Paris.
Belgian Thalys high-speed train on the platform in Paris Gare du Nord.

The Belgian Thalys and the Eurostar trains from London arrive at Paris Gare du Nord station, seen above and below.

Belgian Thalys high-speed train on the platform in Paris Gare du Nord.
Belgian Thalys high-speed train on the platform in Paris Gare du Nord.

Arrival in Paris

The bright yellow machines like the one seen above must be used to validate your ticket. You must insert your ticket into the machine before going out onto the platform to board your train. This prints a timestamp on the end of the ticket, and commits you to using it immediately.

This is Europe, not the United States. In Europe, you are expected to know what you're doing and take responsibility for doing some things yourself. For example, you purchase a ticket and then you need to validate it for use on that day. An unvalidated ticket might be useful on another day if it is for unreserved seating, or at least you could exchange it for a reservation on another day. If you board a train without validating your ticket, it appears that you are trying to ride for free and you will have to pay a fine.

In the United States, by comparison, train passengers are treated like dimwitted and somewhat self-destructive children. There are constant booming announcements about not losing your baggage and staying off the dangerous tracks, and you have to show your ticket to a series of three or more staff members before you can board your train under careful adult supervision.

French TGV high-speed train on the platform in Paris Gare du Nord.
Passengers disembark at a large French train station:  Paris Gare de Lyon.

These passengers are disembarking at another large French train station: Paris Gare de Lyon.

Passengers disembark at a large French train station:  Paris Gare de Lyon.

This large array of covered platforms is at Paris Gare St-Lazare.

Large French train station:  Paris Gare St-Lazare.

Paris has six major train stations serving domestic and international destinations in different directions. Gare St-Lazare serves Normandy.

Gare du Nord, where we arrived, serves northern France and beyond, with Eurostar trains to London and other international trains to Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and as far as Moscow.

Large French train station:  Paris Gare St-Lazare.

Gare de l'Est serves eastern France, plus Luxembourg, parts of Switzerland and southern Germany and beyond.

Gare de Lyon serves southeastern France, plus parts of Switzerland and Italy and beyond.

Gare d'Austerlitz serves the Loire valley and southwestern France, plus Spain and Portugal.

Gare Montparnasse serves Brittany and other areas of western France.

Across Paris by Métro and RER

The Paris train stations are connected to each other and to the rest of the city by the Paris Métropolitan system.

Paris Métropolitan station, people on the platform as the train arrives.

The Réseau Express Régional or RER is a network of five suburban train lines that pass through the center of the city. The RER lines extend well outside Paris to outlying suburbs, and also service the airports.

Paris Métro RER station.

The RER runs much faster and on a precisely planned schedule, but its stops are much further apart. Many destinations, especially on the Left Bank, are easier to reach via the RER.

You use the same tickets on both the Métro and RER, as well as the buses and the Montmartre funicular. One ticket is good for one ride on any of them, at least within zone 1 on RER. You need a supplemental RER ticket to travel outside the central city.

Paris Métro and RER tickets.

Paris

We're in Paris! This is Palais Garnier at Place de l'Opéra.

Palais Garnier at Place de l'Opéra.
Le Train Bleu restaurant inside Paris Gare de Lyon train station.
Le Train Bleu restaurant inside Paris Gare de Lyon train station.

Paris Gare de Lyon railway station contains a very nice restaurant, Le Train Bleu.

This is not what you expect to see when you think of a restaurant in the train station.

Bob is having a very nice meal in Le Train Bleu.

Bob having a very nice meal in Le Train Bleu restaurant inside Paris Gare de Lyon train station.