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There's a small, rustic bar at Český Krumlov station. An ice-cold Kozel hits the spot whilst waiting for the train to Prague... |
Český Krumlov is the second most-visited place in the Czech Republic after Prague. You can see why if you look at the Visiting Český Krumlov page, which has tips on visiting the city by train. This page explains how to buy train tickets from Český Krumlov to cities in neighbouring countries at the cheapest prices, buying online direct from the operators, usually with print-at-home tickets. Click here to buy tickets starting in another city.
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Take a moment to read these important tips for buying European train tickets. It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or a €35 point-to-point ticket?". How far ahead can you buy train tickets?
European train travel
FAQ...
Český Krumlov to Prague
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Once-daily direct train:
An Intercity (IC) train leaves Český Krumlov at 14:08 every day, arriving Prague Hlavni 16:39.
This comfortable express is air-conditioned with bistro car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at just 265 CZK (€11) in 2nd class or 501 CZK (€20) in 1st class.
Book at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz and print your own ticket or show it on your phone
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Regular departures with a change of train:
Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice on the little green-&-orange GWTR local train. This runs every hour or so, journey time 44 minutes. No reservation is necessary or possible, just turn up and go.
The GWTR local train has luggage space, a toilet, power sockets and free WiFi, it's a leisurely journey on a winding single track branch line past farmland & forest. At České Budějovice you simply step off one train and walk to the other train, if necessary via the underpass between platforms. Changing trains only takes 3 minutes, but I'd always allow at least 20 minutes just in case of any small delay.
České Budějovice might sound more familiar by its former Germanic name, Budweis. That's right, where the name of the beer comes from!
Step 2, take an express train from České Budějovice to Prague Hlavni. Trains run every hour or two, the expresses take 2h02, the regional trains around 2h26. Some trains have a bistro car.
The fare is around 386 CZK (€16) in 2nd class or 484 CZK (€20) with 1st class travel on the mainline train.
This is a OneTicket fare, which covers both the GWTR branch line train and the CD mainline train.
Book at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz and print your own ticket or show it on your phone
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More about taking the train between Prague and Český Krumlov on the Visiting Český Krumlov page.
Local train from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice
The branch line train to Český Krumlov is 2nd class only, with luggage space, toilet, power sockets & free WiFi. Private company GWTR took over and introduced new trains in 2017, the photo below shows GWTR's distinctive orange & green colours. There are no seat reservations, tickets cannot sell out, hop on and sit where you like.
Český Krumlov station is a fair walk from the old town, but a taxi to the station only costs around 120 CZK, about €3.50. There's a rustic bar at the station, an ice-cold Kozel beer hits the spot whilst waiting for your train. See more about the Český Krumlov-Prague journey on the Visiting Český Krumlov page.
Express train from České Budějovice to Prague
These trains have comfortable air-conditioned cars, usually with 6-seat compartments in both classes, you'll sometimes see open-plan 2nd class cars. Seat reservation is optional, most locals don't bother with a reservation. If you choose not to reserve a seat you sit in any unreserved seat.
Český Krumlov to Vienna from €12
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Český Krumlov to Vienna takes around 4h29 with two easy changes of train, at České Budějovice & České Velenice & costs from €12.
There's a departure every two hours or so. You arrive at Vienna Franz Josefs Bahnhof in the north of the city, see station location map, although there's also a route via Linz to Vienna Hbf if you need it.
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What's the journey like?
Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice on the little green-&-orange GWTR local train.
This runs every hour or so, journey time 44 minutes. The GWTR local train has luggage space, a toilet, power sockets & free WiFi, it's a leisurely journey on a winding single track branch line past farmland & forest.
At České Budějovice you step off one train and walk to another via the underpass between platforms. Changing trains only takes 2 or 3 minutes, but I'd allow 15-20 minutes between trains in case of delay.
Incidentally, České Budějovice might be more familiar by its former Germanic name, Budweis. That's right, where the name of the beer comes from! The town is worth a look around.
Step 2, travel from České Budějovice to Vienna Franz Josefs Bahnhof with a simple change of train at České Velenice. Journey time is around 3h20, with a departure every two hours. There are no reservations, you sit wherever you like. see Vienna Franz Josefs station location map.
The change of train at České Velenice usually just means crossing the platform, see the photo below. Lots of people make this connection, the Austrian train will wait if the Czech train is a few minutes late.
Both Czech & Austrian trains come with luggage space & toilets. The Austrian train from České Velenice to Vienna is 2nd class only, but it's a comfortable Austrian City Shuttle regional train using ÖBB's double-deck air-conditioned Weasel trains. Sit upstairs for the best views!
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How much does it cost?
If you commit to a specific departure, advance-purchase fares from Český Krumlov to Vienna start at €12.
If you want to stay flexible, a Standard-Ticket (Local Trains in Czech Republic) from České Budějovice to Vienna costs €40.40, good for any train on this route that day, unlimited availability, it cannot sell out.
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How to buy tickets - if you want the cheapest price
If you are happy committing to a specific departure, no refunds, no changes, go to the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.
Run an enquiry from Český Krumlov to Vienna. Booking opens 92 days ahead. Look for journeys via České Budejovice & České Velenice.
You'll see the cheapest prices in a green button. You'll get a OneTicket fare to cover the GWTR local train from Český Krumlov to České Budejovice and a First Minute advance-purchase fare to cover the České Budejovice to Vienna section, all booked as one transaction.
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How to buy tickets - if you want to stay flexible
If you want to remain flexible and/or buy tickets on the day, go to the Austrian Railways www.oebb.at and run an enquiry from Český Krumlov to Vienna (just select plain Vienna). Before running the enquiry, click + Add via and enter České Velenice as a via station.
Oebb.at will show departures with the cheapest fare for each. Click on any departure and other fares appear. To remain flexible, select Standard-Ticket (Local Trains in Czech Republic) for €40.40.
This is good for any train on this route that day, no reservation necessary. There's no benefit in buying the pricier €53+ standard ticket.
Český Krumlov to Linz, Salzburg, Hallstatt, Innsbruck
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How to check train times
You can check train times from Český Krumlov to Linz, Salzburg, Hallstatt or Innsbruck using the German Railways all-Europe timetable at int.bahn.de. This holds timetable data for GWTR and for Czech & Austrian national railways (CD & ÖBB) so it'll show times for the whole journey, although it won't show fares or sell tickets. See the timetable from České Budějovice to Salzburg here. To buy tickets, read on.
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What's the journey like?
Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice on the little green-&-orange GWTR local train. This runs every hour or so, journey time 44 minutes. The GWTR local train has luggage space, a toilet, power sockets and free WiFi, it's a leisurely journey on a winding single track branch line past farmland & forest.
At České Budějovice you step off one train and walk to the other train, usually via the underpass between platforms. Changing trains only takes 3 minutes, but I'd allow at least 40 minutes just in case of delay if using a cheap Sparschiene or First Minute fare from České Budějovice onwards as you don't want to miss your booked train.
Incidentally, České Budějovice might sound more familiar by its former Germanic name, Budweis. That's right, where the name of the beer comes from! The town is worth a look around, why not take an earlier train and have a wander?
Step 2, travel from České Budějovice to Linz Hbf by comfortable air-conditioned express in around 2 hours, with power sockets at seats. There may be a refreshment trolley, but it's best to take you own food & drink for this bit.
Step 3, travel from Linz Hbf to Salzburg, Attnang Puchheim or Innsbruck by swish modern ÖBB railjet train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
If you're going to pretty lakeside town of Hallstatt, change again at Attnang Puchheim for the local train to Hallstatt. The train arrives at Hallstatt railway station (Hallstatt Bahnhof) on the east side of the Hallstatter See (Hallstatt Lake). Hallstatt town is on the west side of the lake, so you need to take a ferry called the Stefanie from Hallstatt Bahnhof (to Hallstatt town, this sails shortly after most train arrivals and takes 15-20 minutes, see www.hallstattschifffahrt.at for a timetable. You pay for the ferry separately, at the quayside before boarding.
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How much does it cost?
(1) Český Krumlov to České Budějovice costs 58 CZK, about €2.
(2) České Budějovice to Linz, Salzburg, Hallstatt or Innsbruck: You'll find cheap fares called Sparschiene by ÖBB Austrian Railways or First Minute by CD Czech Railways starting at as little as €9 to Linz, €14 to Salzburg or Hallstatt, or €19 to Innsbruck. A bargain!
Sparschiene & First Minute fares are limited-availability advance-purchase fares, they are only good for the specific train you book, limited or no refunds or changes to travel plans - hence the advice to allow 40 minutes between trains in České Budějovice! If you buy at the station on the day you'll pay the standard price which costs significantly more, but has unlimited availability and is good for any train that day.
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How to buy tickets
(1) Český Krumlov to České Budějovice: The local trains on this line are now run by private operator GWTR, so you need to buy this ticket separately, either at the station at Český Krumlov on the day or simply hop on the train and buy from the on-board ticket machines which accept cash or (reportedly) contactless Visa & MasterCard. No reservation is necessary or possible, just turn up and go...
(2) České Budějovice to Linz, Salzburg, Hallstatt or Innsbruck: Buy tickets using either www.thetrainline.com, Austrian Railways www.oebb.at or Czech Railways www.cd.cz and print your own ticket - check both sites and buy from whichever is cheaper, they sell tickets for the same trains. Booking should open 6 months ahead on oebb.at or 90 days ahead on cd.cz, less than this when the mid-December timetable change is approaching. But you only need to book weeks ahead to get the cheap fares, there's no need to book months ahead.
Český Krumlov to Budapest
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How to check train times
You can check train times from Český Krumlov to Budapest using the German Railways all-Europe timetable at int.bahn.de. This holds data for GWTR and for the national railways so it'll show times for the whole journey, although it won't show fares or sell tickets. To buy tickets, read on...
Tip: I recommend at least 40 minutes between trains in Linz. When the search results appear, choose the departure you want and click Show details. If the interchange time is much less than 40 minutes, click Adjust the transfer time against the change of train in Linz and select Later departure from Linz, and at least 40 minutes.
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The journey
Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice on the little green-&-orange GWTR local train. This runs every hour or so, journey time 44 minutes. The GWTR local train has luggage space, toilet, power sockets & free WiFi, it's a leisurely journey on a single track branch line past farmland & forest.
At České Budějovice you step off one train and walk to the other train, usually via the underpass between platforms. Changing trains only takes 3 minutes, but I'd allow at least 40 minutes in case of delay if using a cheap Sparschiene or First Minute fare from České Budějovice.
Incidentally, České Budějovice might sound more familiar by its former Germanic name, Budweis. That's right, where the name of the beer comes from! The town is worth a look around, why not take an earlier train and have a wander?
Step 2, travel from České Budějovice to Linz Hbf in around 2h02 by comfortable air-conditioned express, with power sockets at seats. There may be a refreshment trolley, but it's best to take you own food & drink for this bit.
At Linz Hbf, changing trains simply means stepping off one train, walking to another train and stepping on, but as you will be on separate train-specific advance-purchase tickets I'd allow at least 40 minutes between trains in case of delay.
Step 3, travel from Linz Hbf to Budapest Keleti in 4h03 by swish Austrian railjet train with restaurant car, power sockets at seats & free WiFi.
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How much does it cost?
(1) Český Krumlov to České Budějovice costs 58 CZK, about €2.
(2) České Budějovice to Linz: Advance-purchase fares called Sparschiene by Austrian Railways or First Minute by Czech Railways start at €7.
(3) Linz to Budapest: Cheap Sparschiene fares start at €39.90. The price varies, book early for cheaper prices.
Sparschiene & First Minute fares are limited-availability advance-purchase fares, they are only good for the specific train you book, limited or no refunds or changes to travel plans - hence the advice to allow 40 minutes between trains in České Budějovice! If you buy at the station on the day you'll pay the standard price which costs significantly more, but has unlimited availability and is good for any train that day.
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How to buy tickets
(1) Český Krumlov to České Budějovice: These local trains are run by private operator GWTR, so you need to buy this ticket separately, either at the station at Český Krumlov on the day or from the ticket machines on board the train which accept cash or contactless Visa & MasterCard. No reservation is necessary or possible, just turn up and go...
(2) České Budějovice to Linz: Buy tickets at either www.thetrainline.com, Austrian Railways www.oebb.at or Czech Railways www.cd.cz and print your own ticket - check each site and buy from whichever is cheaper, they sell tickets for the same trains. Booking should open 6 months ahead on trainline or oebb.at, 90 days ahead on cd.cz, less than this when the mid-December timetable change is approaching.
(3) Linz to Budapest: Buy tickets using either Austrian Railways www.oebb.at or www.thetrainline.com and print your own ticket.
Český Krumlov to Dresden & Berlin
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The journey
Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice on the little green-&-orange GWTR local train. This runs every hour or so, journey time 44 minutes. The GWTR local train has luggage space, toilet, power sockets & free WiFi, it's a leisurely journey on a single track branch line past farmland & forest.
At České Budějovice you step off one train and walk to the other, usually via the underpass between platforms. Changing trains only takes 3 minutes, but I'd allow at least 40 minutes in case of delay if using a cheap First Minute fare from České Budějovice to Berlin as you don't want to miss your booked train.
Incidentally, České Budějovice might sound more familiar by its former Germanic name, Budweis. That's right, where the name of the beer comes from! The town is worth a look around, why not take an earlier train and have a wander?
Step 2, travel from České Budějovice to Prague Hlavni in around 2h26 by comfortable air-conditioned express, with power sockets at seats. There may be a refreshment trolley, but feel free to take you own food & drink.
In Prague you may have time for a quick wander to the old town square, it's only 20 minutes walk from the station.
Step 3, travel from Prague Hlavni to Berlin Hbf by air-conditioned EuroCity train with restaurant car & free WiFi in around 4h25. There's great scenery along the Elbe River valley between Prague and Dresden, see the photos, tips & video on the Prague to Berlin page.
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How much does it cost?
(1) Český Krumlov to České Budějovice costs 58 CZK, about €2.
(2) České Budějovice to Berlin: Cheap First Minute fares from České Budějovice to Berlin start at just €30, or about 760 CZK. First Minute fares are limited-availability advance-purchase fares, they are only good for the specific train you book, limited or no refunds or changes to travel plans. If you buy at the station on the day you pay significantly more for a full-flex ticket good for any train.
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How to buy tickets
Step 1, go to the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz and set up an enquiry from České Budějovice to Dresden or Berlin.
Tip: It tends to give you ridiculously tight connections in Prague, and sometimes 2 changes when only 1 is really necessary, so before running the enquiry I suggest clicking Connection parameters then Transfers then reducing the number of permitted transfers from 4 to 1 and changing FROM standard to FROM 30 minutes. That'll get you just one change in Prague, of at least 30 minutes.
Buy this and print out your ticket. You're now booked all the way from České Budějovice to Dresden or Berlin on one ticket for one inclusive price. You now just need to add the local train from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice...
Step 2, now check train times from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice at jizdnirady.idnes.cz/vlaky, looking for a train which gets you to České Budějovice at least 40 minutes before your onward train, just in case of delay. The little green-&-orange GWTR local trains run every hour or so, journey time 44 minutes. It has luggage space, a toilet, power sockets and free WiFi, it's a leisurely journey on a winding single track branch line past farmland & forest.
Český Krumlov to Munich
Option 1, via Plzen. Cheapest and easiest to book, but around 50 minutes slower than going via Linz.
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This is the cheapest option, although not the fastest. For example, at the time I write this, you could leave Český Krumlov at 08:14 and arrive Munich Hbf at 17:17 all for €16.55, with time for a quick wander round České Budějovice and for a Pilsner beer at the station bar in Plzen. Earlier and later departures are also available. The train from Plzen to Munich is a Prague-Munich Bavorský Express, see the photos & tips on the Prague-Munich page. This train is air-conditioned with a refreshment trolley, power sockets and free WiFi.
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Step 1, go to the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz, switch it to English and set up an enquiry from České Budějovice to Munich.
Just for fun, first run the enquiry with no clever stuff like I'm about to tell you. No green price buttons, right?
Now the science bit: Before running the enquiry, click More options then Travel via and enter Plzen Hl.n. as a via station. I also recommend clicking Connection parameters then Transfers and reducing the maximum number of connections from 4 to 1.
In the search results, you should now see various departures with 1 easy change at Plzen Hlavni (Hl.n. = Hlavni = main station). Plzen - or Pilsen in English - is of course the city where Pilsner beer originates.
Cheap First Minute fares from České Budějovice to Munich start at just €15, or about 367 CZK, a bargain. First Minute fares are limited-availability advance-purchase fares, they are only good for the specific train you book, limited or no refunds or changes to travel plans. If you buy at the station on the day you pay significantly more for a full-flex ticket good for any train.
Buy this and print out your ticket. You're now booked all the way from České Budějovice to Munich on one ticket for one inclusive price. You now just need to add the local train from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice...
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Step 2, now check train times from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice at jizdnirady.idnes.cz/vlaky, looking for a train which gets you to České Budějovice at least 40 minutes before your onward train, just in case of delay. The little green-&-orange GWTR local trains run every hour or so, journey time 44 minutes. It has luggage space, a toilet, power sockets and free WiFi, it's a leisurely journey on a winding single track branch line past farmland & forest.
Option 2, via Linz. The fastest route, but needs to be booked in 3 stages rather than 2.
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This is the fastest and most direct route, with the swisher trains. For example, at the time I write this, you could leave Český Krumlov at 08:14 and arrive Munich Hbf at 16:32 from €40, with time for a coffee or wander in České Budějovice and a leisurely beer in Linz.
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How to check train times
You can check train times from Český Krumlov to Munich using the German Railways all-Europe timetable at int.bahn.de. This holds timetable data for GWTR and for Czech, Austrian & German national railways (CD & ÖBB) so it'll show times for the whole journey, although it won't show fares or sell tickets. To buy tickets, read on...
Tip: I recommend at least 40 minutes between trains in Linz. When the search results appear, choose the departure you want and click Show details. If the interchange time is much less than 40 minutes, click Adjust the transfer time against the change of train in Linz and select Later departure from Linz, and at least 40 minutes.
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The journey
Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice on the little green-&-orange GWTR local train. This runs every hour or so, journey time 44 minutes. The GWTR local train has luggage space, a toilet, power sockets and free WiFi, it's a leisurely journey on a winding single track branch line past farmland & forest.
At České Budějovice you simply step off one train and walk to the other train, if necessary via the underpass between platforms. Changing trains only takes 3 minutes, but I'd always allow at least 40 minutes just in case of delay if using a cheap Sparschiene or First Minute fare from České Budějovice onwards as you don't want to miss your booked train.
Incidentally, České Budějovice might sound more familiar by its former Germanic name, Budweis. That's right, where the name of the beer comes from! The town is worth a look around in its own right. Why not take an earlier train and have a wander into the old town?
Step 2, travel from České Budějovice to Linz Hbf in around 2h02 by comfortable air-conditioned express, with power sockets at seats. There may be a refreshment trolley, but it's best to take you own food & drink for this bit.
At Linz Hbf, changing trains simply means stepping off one train, walking to another train and stepping on, but as you will be on separate tickets I'd allow at least 40 minutes between trains in case of delay.
Step 3, travel from Linz Hbf to Munich Hbf in 2h45 by swish Austrian railjet train with restaurant car, power sockets at seats & free WiFi.
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How much does it cost?
(1) Český Krumlov to České Budějovice costs 58 CZK, about €2.
(2) České Budějovice to Linz: Cheap advance-purchase fares called Sparschiene by ÖBB Austrian Railways or First Minute by CD Czech Railways start at just €9.
(3) Linz to Munich: Cheap Sparschiene fares start at €29. The price varies, book early for cheaper prices.
Sparschiene & First Minute fares are limited-availability advance-purchase fares, they are only good for the specific train you book, limited or no refunds or changes to travel plans - hence the advice to allow 40 minutes between trains in České Budějovice! If you buy at the station on the day you'll pay the standard price which costs significantly more, but has unlimited availability and is good for any train that day.
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How to buy tickets
(1) Český Krumlov to České Budějovice: The local trains on this line are now run by private operator GWTR, so you need to buy this ticket separately, either at the station at Český Krumlov on the day or simply hop on the train and buy from the on-board ticket machines which accept cash or (reportedly) contactless Visa & MasterCard. No reservation is necessary or possible, just turn up and go...
(2) České Budějovice to Linz: Buy tickets using either Austrian Railways www.oebb.at or Czech Railways www.cd.cz and print your own ticket - check both sites and buy from whichever is cheaper, they sell tickets for the same trains. Booking should open 6 months ahead on oebb.at or 90 days ahead on cd.cz, less than this when the mid-December timetable change is approaching. But you only need to book weeks ahead to get the cheap fares, there's no need to book months ahead.
(3) Linz to Munich: Buy tickets using either www.oebb.at or www.thetrainline.com and print your own ticket.
Český Krumlov to Nuremberg & Rothenburg ob der Tauber
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Step 1, use the Czech Railways site www.cd.cz to book from České Budejovice to Nuremberg, but before running the enquiry click More options then Travel via and enter Cheb as a via station. You should now see some cheap fares from just €11 (about 287 CZK) on several departures if you book in advance, even just a week or two ahead. You take a train from České Budějovice to Pilsen, then a train to Cheb where it's a simple cross-platform interchange with the German train on to Nuremberg. Easy!
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Step 2, now check connecting branch line train times from Český Krumlov to České Budejovice at jizdnirady.idnes.cz/vlaky, looking for a train which gets you to České Budejovice at least 40 minutes before your onward train, just in case of delay. The little green-&-orange GWTR local trains run every hour or so, journey time 44 minutes. It has luggage space, a toilet, power sockets and free WiFi, it's a leisurely journey on a winding single track branch line past farmland & forest.
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Step 3 if going to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, check times from Nuremberg to Rothenburg ob der Tauber at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. Avoid any journey involving a bus.
if your onward journey from Nuremberg to Rothenburg involves an IC (intercity) train, buy this online at the German Railways website int.bahn.de, but I'd buy the Flexpreis fare for around €22.50 as then you can take any train that day in the event of a delay, or if you decide to stop off in Nuremberg. Sparpreis & Super Sparpreis fares commit you to a specific departure.
If the onward journey involves only regional trains, shown as RE or RB, then the fare is just €12.30 or so, good for any regional trains that day, buy at the station or on the DB Navigator app when you get to Nuremberg (it's a timed ticket, so only buy when you are ready to leave).
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How about a stopover in Nuremberg?
Nuremberg has a pleasant old town, a railway museum and the historic Party Rally Grounds. You can stop for several hours and still do the journey in a day, or stop overnight and have a more leisurely look round. No reservation is necessary for either IC, RB or RTE trains on the Nuremberg-Rothenburg route, so you can simply stop off and use any train combo onwards to Rothenburg whenever you're ready to move on. How flexible is that?!
Český Krumlov to Switzerland
Option 1, Český Krumlov to Zurich by overnight sleeping-car
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An excellent Czech sleeping car leaves České Budějovice at 20:05 every night, arriving Zurich HB 08:20.
Change at Zurich HB for destinations all over Switzerland. This option saves time and a hotel bill, too!
The sleeping-car is a modern Czech Comfortline type with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and 1, 2 & 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower. For passengers in the regular sleepers, there are a shower & toilets at the end of the corridor. A light breakfast is included in the fare. Incidentally, there are no couchettes on this train, just a sleeping-car and seats.
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Fares start at just €45 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €59 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper, or €112 with a bed in a single-bed sleeper. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Step 1, book from České Budějovice to Zurich or most other Swiss stations at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.
Booking normally opens 92 days ahead. You print your own ticket.
Tip: To book a sleeper, click Modify against Sleeper berths when the reservations page appears and change Sleeper - automatically to Sleeper deluxe - automatically if you want a deluxe sleeper with shower & toilet. Just remember there are only 3 such compartments on the whole train! Click the pencil icon to toggle the type of sleeper between 1, 2 & 3 bed. You are booking berths, not compartments, one person = one ticket = one bed, so if you book 2 people in a 2-berth you get the whole compartment, if you book 2 people in a 3-berth the third bed may be sold to another passenger of the same gender.
Tip: You can book from České Budějovice not just to Zurich but to many cities in Switzerland including Interlaken, Basel, Geneva, Brig, St Moritz... Your ticket then includes an onward Swiss domestic train to your final destination. This is much cheaper than buying a separate onwards Swiss domestic ticket from Zurich, which can be expensive.
Tip: Unless you ask for every passenger to get their own ticket, you'll get one ticket for however many people your are booking, with just one passenger name necessary to support the print-your-own ticket.
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Step 2, now look up train times from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice at jizdnirady.idnes.cz/vlaky, looking for a train which gets you to České Budějovice at least 60 minutes before your onward train, just in case of delay. The little green-&-orange GWTR local trains run every hour or so, journey time 44 minutes. It has luggage space, a toilet, power sockets and free WiFi, it's a leisurely journey on a winding single track branch line past farmland & forest.
Option 2, Český Krumlov to Switzerland by daytime trains
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Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice by local train then České Budějovice to Linz by express train as explained above.
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Step 2, travel from Linz to Zurich HB in around 6h34 by smart modern railjet train. Change at Zurich HB for destinations all over Switzerland.
The railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It takes you through the beautifully scenic Arlberg Pass, see the photos & video here.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €39.90 in 1st class or €54.90 in business class (= premium 1st). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Linz Hbf to anywhere in Switzerland at either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, Ł or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways www.oebb.at (in €, a little more fiddly, same fares) and print your own ticket.
Tip: I'd allow at least 40 minutes between trains in Linz, preferably a bit more in case of delay, given that you will be on separate tickets.
Český Krumlov to Italy
Option 1, Český Krumlov to Italy by overnight sleeper to Zurich then daytime trains
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Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice by local train and České Budějovice to Zurich HB by overnight sleeper as explained above.
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Step 2, travel from Zurich HB to Milan by EuroCity train from €29 (a scenic ride, see the photos & video here) then by onward Frecciarossa high-speed train to Florence, Rome or Naples from €29.90. Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com - it's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.
Option 2, Český Krumlov to Italy via Vienna
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Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice by local train then České Budějovice to Vienna as explained above. Tip: Read the note in that section about travelling via Linz rather than České Velenice, as you then end up at Vienna Hbf rather than Vienna Franz Josef's Bahnhof. Consider an overnight stop in Vienna unless taking a sleeper train.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna Hbf to Italy by train as shown on the Trains from Vienna page. You'll find two daily railjet trains between Vienna and Venice, a nightjet sleeper from Vienna to Venice, and a nightjet sleeper from Vienna to Milan, Florence and Rome.
Option 2, Český Krumlov to Italy via Innsbruck
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Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice by local train then České Budějovice to Innsbruck as explained above. Consider an overnight stop in Innsbruck.
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Step 2, travel from Innsbruck to Italy by train as shown on the Trains from Innsbruck page. Trains link Innsbruck with Verona, Venice and Bologna via the scenic Brenner Pass with connections for Florence and Rome.
Český Krumlov to Paris
Option 1, Český Krumlov to Paris using the sleeper train from České Budějovice to Zurich - the time-effective option
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Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice by local train then overnight to Zurich HB by sleeper train as explained above.
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Step 2, travel from Zurich HB to Paris Gare de Lyon by TGV-Lyria high-speed train from €29 as shown on the Trains from Zurich page.
Option 2, Český Krumlov to Paris using the Linz-Paris Nightjet sleeper train 3 times a week - another time-effective option
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Step 1, take the 14:07 local train to České Budějovice and change onto a EuroCity train to Linz Hbf arriving 18:06.
Fares start at €19.90. Book this at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz and print your own ticket. Booking opens 90 days ahead.
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Step 2, travel from Linz Hbf to Paris by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Linz at 21:26 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 09:39. Book this at www.thetrainline.com. For details see the trains from Vienna page.
Option 3, Český Krumlov to Paris with overnight stop in Munich. If you prefer daytime trains
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Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice by local train then České Budějovice to Munich as explained above.
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Stay overnight stop in Munich. See suggested hotels near the station with good reviews.
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Step 2, travel from Munich to Paris by ICE and TGV Duplex from €39 as shown on the Trains from Munich page.
Český Krumlov to Brussels
Option 1, Český Krumlov to Brussels via Prague. The cheapest way, from as little as €38
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Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice by local train then České Budějovice to Prague Hlavni, as explained above.
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Stay overnight stop in Prague. See suggested hotels near the station with good reviews.
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Step 2, travel from Prague to Brussels Midi via Cheb & Nuremberg from as little as €29 as shown on the Trains from Prague page.
Option 2, Český Krumlov to Brussels using the Linz-Brussels Nightjet sleeper train 3 times a week - a time-effective option
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Step 1, take the 14:07 local train to České Budějovice and change onto a EuroCity train to Linz Hbf arriving 18:06.
Fares start at €19.90. Book this at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz and print your own ticket. Booking opens 90 days ahead.
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Step 2, travel from Linz Hbf to Paris by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Linz at 21:26 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays arriving Brussels Midi 09:55. Book this at www.thetrainline.com. For details see the trains from Vienna page.
Option 3, Český Krumlov to Brussels via Munich
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Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice by local train then České Budějovice to Munich Hbf, as explained above.
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Stay overnight stop in Munich. See suggested hotels near the station with good reviews.
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Step 2, travel from Munich Hbf to Brussels Midi by ICE trains from €39 as shown on the Trains from Munich page.
Český Krumlov to Amsterdam
Option 1, Český Krumlov to Amsterdam via Berlin
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Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice by local train then České Budějovice to Berlin Hbf, as explained above.
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Stay overnight stop in Berlin. See suggested hotels near the station with good reviews.
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Step 2, travel from Berlin Hbf to Amsterdam Centraal by Intercity train from €37.99 as shown on the Berlin to Amsterdam page.
Option 2, Český Krumlov to Amsterdam via Munich
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Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice by local train then České Budějovice to Munich Hbf, as explained above.
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Stay overnight stop in Munich. See suggested hotels near the station with good reviews.
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Step 2, travel from Munich Hbf to Amsterdam Centraal by ICE trains from €39 as shown on the Trains from Munich page.
Český Krumlov to London
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See the London to Prague page, this covers the journey in both directions.
Český Krumlov to Krakow & Warsaw
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Step 1, travel from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice by local train then České Budějovice to Prague Hlavni, as explained above.
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Step 2, travel from Prague Hlavni to Krakow or Warsaw by sleeper train or daytime train as explained on the Trains from Prague page.
Český Krumlov to all other destinations
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Option 1, via Prague: Travel from Český Krumlov to Prague as shown above. Travel from Prague to Slovakia, Russia or Scandinavia as shown on the Trains from Prague page.
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Option 2, via Switzerland: Travel from Český Krumlov to Zurich as shown above. Travel from Switzerland to Spain or the South of France as shown on the Trains from Switzerland page.
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Option 3, via Vienna: Travel from Český Krumlov to Vienna as shown above. Travel from Vienna to Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia or Ukraine as shown on the Trains from Vienna page.
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Option 4, via Budapest: Travel from Český Krumlov to Budapest as shown above. Travel from Budapest to Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey as shown on the Trains from Budapest page.