Note To Self: Eurail is NOT free

I learned my first lesson today. And yes it was today. Albeit probably 2AM or 3AM in the morning in the Czech Republic, sleeping on the pull out chairs that make a bed (which I only realised about 4 hours into the train ride...thank god the person beside me decided to get some rest...)on the night train from Vienna to Berlin.

OK. OK. OK. I'll start from the beginning.

I was trying to be the smart eurail traveller on a budget. I was trying to save money and time, so I changed my train reservation from the wednesday day train to the tuesday night train. In theory, not only did I save the cost of a night's accomodation but I also gained a day in Berlin. Of course, as I later learned, at an ungodly hour, everything seems to work out in theory, but practice is a whole other ball game.

So don't get me wrong, I read my eurail booklet advidly, and paid careful attention to the details. So when I bought my first reservation (for the day train) I specifically asked 'does this train go through the Czech Republic because my pass isn't valid there' and the man just smiled and said 'oh no, it is through Germany'. So I walked away with my reservation in hand. But later on, realising that I was NOT being economical, and I was NOT saving time, I did what any other sane person would do, I walked back to the train station and changed my ticket to the night train. And of course, failed to realise that the night train DID in fact go through the Czech Republic.

So there I was, in the train as it was leaving the station, having small talk with the person across from me, and slowly realising that he was going to a town in the Czech Republic, and NOT in Germany. 'The Czech Republic?!?!?' I asked. Knowing full well that with yes as the answer I would now have to pay for a ticket while travelling through an uncovered country on my pass.

So that brings me to waking up to the shaking head of the controller, along with the phrase 'not valid here' at 3AM. All I can say is that at least it only cost me 24 Euros. But also, thankfully the person next to me was nice enough to lend me 50 cents, because the controller did not have enough euro change to break my hundred, and surprise surprise I did not have Czech money. (and yes, I was an idiot. carrying around a hundred...who does that anymore?)

So next time I will double check. I will enounciate clearly, point repeatedly at my pass before making reservations. And perhaps then, and only then, will I be able to sleep peacefully on my next night train.

Tschusss from Berlin!