Using the Czech-speaking Eshop of Student Agency
WARNING: using web sites in foreign language mey leat to unexpected effects! Do not blame me if you get trapped! But it is probably that this is serious eshop, which won't abuse your card. And when you pay, you will clearly understand the amount (in CZK); the only possible misunderstanding is that you may buy a different ticket. :-)
Start at the [Vienna-Czechia time table] or at the [Brno-Prague time table].
(If that does not work, click on "Jízdenky" (Tickets, means bus tickets) at the top of http://studentagency.cz. Then click on the bus line name in the menu in the left column: "SA Brno - Praha" for Prague -> Brno, or "SA Rakousko" (Austria) for Vienna -> Brno, or whathever. Then select "Jízdní řád / Rezervace" (Schedule/Booking) in the menu at the left.)
Then select "Odkud", "Kam", and "Datum odjezdu"; means From, To, and Departure date, respectively.
Hint: station names deciphered:
- "Brno, Benešova-Grand" -- almost the same place as main railway station in Brno
- "Ruzyně, Terminál 1" -- the Prague airport
- "Praha, Florenc" -- Prague central bus station, at underground (metro) station "Florenc", the crossing of line B (yellow) and line C (red)
- "Praha, Roztyly" -- a smaller bus staion at Prague suburbs, underground station "Roztyly", line C (red)
- "Vídeň, letiště" -- Vienna airport
- "Vídeň, Praterstern" -- a place at Vienna itself
Set these values and hit "Vyhledat spoje" (Search for connections).
List of connections is displayed. If the connection has a seat available, link "rezervace" (reservation) is displayed at the rightmost column. Click on the link corresponding to the connection you would like to book.
The details of the connection are displayed. On this page, you are about to select whether you use pre-paid Student Agency card, credit card, or whatever. Since you need one time paynment by a card, look under the heading "Přímá rezervace a zaplacení platební kartou" (Direct reservation and card payment). Under that heading, select the tarif:
- "ISIC / EURO 26 STUDENT" -- if you are a student and a holder of on of these two cards
- "Mladez do 26 let" (young under 26 years) -- otherwise if you are of age under 26
- "Dospely" (Adult) -- the default, no discount
Tnen click on "Zvolit" (Select) to proceed.
(A technical note: at this point a temporary subscriber ticket with a hidden number has been created. It is attached to your session and stored somewhere in the cookies. If things get tangled during the rest of reservation process, and if you encounter a red button labeled "ODHLASIT" (LOGOUT), then hitting that button will detach you from that temporary ticket and you will get a chance to repeat this selection. Anyway...)
Now you can see the connection details again, with blinking red (sorry, not my fault) "POKRACOVAT" (Continue) below that. Click on it.
- "Výběr sedadla" (Seat selection); obviously, light green denotes the available ones, click on one of them
- Now you have two options:
* "Vybrat jiny spoj" (Select enother connection) puts you back to start of reservations, and you can add more seats, or book the oposite diorection. (If you get puzzled, remember, you have to hit the blinking "POKRACOVAT" to get to the actual seat reservation. ;-) * "Zaplatit" (To pay) -- check out
After hitting "Zaplatit", you get the following form:
- Jmeno - Prijmeni - Email (pro potvrzení bankovní transakce)
i.e.
- First name - Last name - Email (to confirm bank transaction)
AFAIK, the email is not really used during the payment itself. But the e-ticket is mailed there, in case you fail to save it.
Then hit on the icon corresponding to the brand of card you are going to use.
You get redirected to https of 3dsecure.csas.cz; csas.cz is the domain of Ceska Sporitelna, one of the biggest Czech banks. The form seems to be Czech only again, you are about to fill in "Číslo karty: (bez mezer)" (credit card, no spaces), "Datum ukončení platnosti karty: (MMYY)" (card valid until MMYY), "CVC2/CVV2" (last 3 digits of the number on the backside of your card).
(BTW: http://www.unixwiz.net/ndos-shame.html)
Then hit "-Potvrdit Platbu-" (confirm payment) and observe.
I have not went through the rest of the process recently, but I suppose it'll show you a small ticket, which you can then print to the centre of a large sheet of paper. Then you take that paper with you, hoping that it'll work. ;-)