Is it safe to travel to Auschwitz from Prague via night train?

Hi,

I am planning on my first day trip to Auschwitz and I needed some advice (especially because I am a girl traveling on my own).

1) I am taking a night train from Prague to Oświęcim, and I have seen so many horror stories about night train. Is it more advisable for me to get a Couchette?

2) I will reach Oświęcim at 4am. Is it safe for me to walk from the train station to the Hotel Olecki at such hour? I planned to rest at the Hotel Olecki before and after the tour around Auschwitz (as I foresee it is going to be an emotionally draining tour)

3) My night train back to Prague is at 11pm. Can I still get a taxi to the train station at such late time? Is it expensive to take taxi at night? Are the streets/station safe at night?

See www.seat61.com. Get a couchette and make sure it's locked at night and you'll be fine. Thefts (but nothing worse) sometimes happen to people falling asleep in the general seating carriages. Oswiecim is as safe as any normal town, the hotel is a 20mins walk. The museums open at 8. Taxis are not expensive, available 24/7, ask the hotel.
You're not taking any time to visit Krakow? Consider staying in Krakow after Auschwitz, then fly direct to Stuttgart with Germanwings from there for about €50-70 if you book now.

If you are in the seats take a lock and lock your belongings to the seat/overhead storage section. Thefts are the worse its going to get.
It seems a waste to go there and not visit Krakow. But each to their own.

Definitely get a couchette and lock the door to keep petty thieves at bay.

Oswiecim is a fully functional Polish town - no problem getting taxis at any time of day or night. When you're there in daytime, make a note of taxi numbers (all displayed on the taxis but usually without the notaitonla and local codes you'll need from a cellphone). This means you can call a taxi at night if there's none to hail on the street.

No particular dangers of walking alone, but late at night as in any other town you risk unwanted attention from people who've had a few too many in the bar. Not a god idea to wear a tiny skirt, low cut dress, high heels and fishnets, otherwise you'll be fine.

Your journey will be made all the more poignant by the fact that most of Prague's jewish population would have travelled on the same track during WW2 to meet their fate in Auschwitz.

Thank you guys so much for your replies, they are indeed very helpful:D I decided to visit Auschwitz because I have read quite a bit on the WWII history back in school days and I wanted to see history through my very own eyes. As I am planning for this trip I am pretty worried about traveling to Poland alone because I didnt have any friend who have been to Poland. But looking at some of the forums they commented that Poland is relatively safe now and the younger generation does speak english. I will be bringin my phrasebook, just in case.

And I guess you are right about Krakow, it will be a pity if I dont visit to Krakow since I am there. I have been looking up on the flights and yes I managed to find a budget flight from Krakow to Munich (which is my final distinction, I will just take a train to have a day trip at Stuttgart instead)

Unable to get a budget flight to Krakow, I will take a night train from Prague to Krakow (and yes I will be taking a couchette, a sleeper is way to expensive for me.)

I presume it will be easier to get a day trip from Krakow to Auschwitz. Any recommendation on a good guided tour?

#4 "yes I will be taking a couchette, a sleeper is way to expensive for me"

Er, a couchette is a sleeper.

Although you asked about Auschwitz specifically, now you say your worry is about Poland generally. You should not be worried any more than elsewhere in Europe. I went with my family to Poland for our summer holiday this year. I let my kids and wife wander around alone just as I would at home. Here's some pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smithfamily1/sets/72157624737892676/
Not spectacular pictures, but you should note how normal everything is. Poland is a modern European nation, no need to expect special polish dangers lurking around every corner.

Poland is relatively safe now

No, it's safe, period. Probably much safer than from where you're from.

I'd also suggest that Salzburg is a more worthwhile daytrip from Munich than Stuttgart...

sorry but taking couchette will not make you safe. thiefs has their own keys - i know this from my own experience.

i am polish and i avoid night trains. Poland is safe, but trains arent

"Couchette" and "sleeper" can mean different things in different parts of the world. Generally, trains have two kinds of sleeping trains - those with 2-3 beds and a sink and better sheets, which are more often called "sleepers" and those with six bunks and cheap-nasty linen, which are more often called "couchettes." Couchettes are like hostels, sleepers are like hotels - the line blurs.

thiefs has their own keys

Couchette and sleeper compartments have their own extra chain or other lock on the inside too - use them.

#7, have you been robbed on a Polish train? If so, when was it? How many times?

I have taken Polish night trains multiple times, incl. the Warsaw/Kraków - Prague train, and never had any problems with security.

#9 is right, couchettes have a chain/lock that can't be opened from outside.

Agree with #10. The night train from Warsaw to Prague felt very safe. And also rather empty, not sure if the issue was the price or all the horror stories about robberies.

Many companies offer an Auschwitz as a day trip from Krakow. I recall it usually being offered as a half day tour, often combined with the salt mine. Any hostel/hotel you stay at can book you on a tour. It's also perfectly doable on your own with the bus being an easier option since it stops right outside (train station is maybe a 10 minute walk). Just know the return times of the train/bus.

Also agree that Salzburg is a good day trip from Munich. I also enjoyed Augsburg (not saying it's comparable to Salzburg, just that it's nice).

Trains are not safe at all in Poland. But streets are pretty safe.
<p class="smaller signature">

Regards
</p>

Hi in my opinion is not so bad
long way so is beter spend little more money for a cuchette
Last time I have been in this train in december and I couldn't buy anything to
drink or to eat so beter take something with you
Taxi is not that expensive but if you want walk is ok to but can be bit cold that time is almost
november, and train station is save ,you can see some sleeping homeles because winter is camming
but THEY ARE NOT DANGEROUS!!

Well maybe you're right . They are not so dangerous. But still unpleasant thought.

If you travel in a single sleeper compartement, you can look the door. If you are 2 in a double compartment, you can also lock the door. In a couchette compartment you are with 5 other people. You have to agree with the others about locking the door.