For many years, train travel in the Czech Republic was very simple – one carrier, one tariff regardless of the train category, no mandatory seat reservation. After the 2019 reform, the regional transport market was divided between many railway operators. Traveling by train is no longer cheap, but the train is still a very good way to explore the Czech Republic.
Last updated: 27.06.2024
In 1827 the first stretch of the horse-drawn railway in Europe, between České Budějovice and Linz was officially inaugurated. The whole line was opened in 1832. The second horse-drawn railway in present day Czech Republic was put into operation in 1830 (Praha – Kladno Lány).
The first steam hauled railway from Vienna to Břeclav was commenced in 1839.
In August 1845 the railway line from Prague to Olomouc was opened (250 km).
In July 1907 the first electrified railway line from Tábor to Bechyně was inaugurated.
On 30 October 1918 Československé státní dráhy company was founded.
The first Pendolino train was delivered to the Czech Republic in 2003.
Train travel in the Czech Republic – domestic trains
The Czech Republic has a dense and extensive railway network. The railway lines are well maintained and trains run frequently. Trains reach many places visited by tourists and are particularly useful for covering long distances between most important cities, for example from Prague to Brno, Ostrava or from Brno to Ceske Budejovice. It is also worth using the train for one-day trips from largest cities.
Most of passenger trains are operated by České dráhy – state-owned railway operator but there are many private operators. Trains are generally comfortable but are overcrowded on Fridays and Sunday afternoons.
Useful websites:
idos.idnes.cz – bus and train timetable – search engine
České dráhy – official website
České dráhy – online shop
Regiojet – long-distance and regional operator
Leo Express – long-distance and regional operator
Arriva – regional operator
GW Train Regio – regional operator
Heritage trains – a calendar of railway events
Railway map of the Czech Republic (Wikipedia)
Railway map of the Czech Republic (Atlaskolejowy.net)
České dráhy issued very useful mobile applications for travelers
Můj vlak – easily search for connections, purchase a ticket and then continuously monitor information about your train’s journey. Very easy to use, you can buy a seat, check the train schedule and the current situation on the lines.
Vlakem na výlet – an interesting application for tourists. Someting like a travel guide – interesting facts about visited places. Lots of suggestions for trips, trips for children, and best of all – each trip gives you additional points to the Czech Railways loyalty program, which can later be exchanged into, for example, a ticket or a seat reservation.
Types of the trains in the Czech Republic
Trains in the Czech Republic are divided into the following categories:
osobní vlak (Os) – local or regional train. Trains in this category stop at all stations and stops. Various rolling stock – railbuses, modern diesel or electric multiple units, double-decker push-pull trainsets, on some routes passenger carriages hauled by a locomotive.
spěšný vlak (Sp) – semi-fast train, mainly on the Zabreh na Morave – Jesenik route. Trains stop at designated stops.
rychlík (R) – Many routes. It stop at designated stops only. Various rolling stock.
InterCity (IC) – comfortable long-distance trains. Intercity trains stop only at major stations. Trains are comprised of locomotive and passenger carriages. Only exception is Pendolino train Karlovy Vary – Ostrava.
EuroCity (EC) – comfortable international trains with bistro or restaurant carriages.
SuperCity (SC) – Pendolino trains. Seat reservation is compulsory.
Railjet (rj) – Viaggio Comfort trainsets between Prague and Vienna. I don’t like Czech’s Railjets – in my opinion are very uncomfortable in 2nd class. Designation confused with Regiojet trains (RJ).
Euronight (EN) – international overnight trains.
Nightjet (Nj) – international overnight trains operated by Austrian Railways.
The category Rx was withdrawn.
Train travel in the Czech Republic – the best offers
There are many promotional offers and discounts in the Czech Republic. Many social groups can travel with 50% discount. I chose the best, in my opinion, offers.
OneTicket – one ticket for all railway operators (there are exceptions to validity). OneTicket offers variants for single rides, regular commutes and unlimited travel on the Czech railway network. Most popular are network tickets for one day or for seven consecutive days. Tickets are not cheap, but you can travel by train across the Czech Republic.
OneTicket – official website
All-Day Ticket (Celodenní jízdenka) – a network ticket, which enables you to travel without limitation aboard all of trains operated by České dráhy. There are two variants of the ticket: nationwide ticket – you can travel by train throughout the Czech Republic or All-Day Ticket Region (Celodenní jízdenka region) you can travel by train in a selected region. Ticket holders can travel on all categories of ČD trains, but for SuperCity trains it is necessary to purchase a reservation as well.
All-Day Ticket – more information, prices, map of validity
Summer Ticket (Jízdenka na léto) – a network ticket for tourists, who want to travel throughout the Czech Republic in July and August. One passenger can travel for 7 or 14 days in 2nd class on all categories of trains operated by České dráhy. The ticket can only be purchased for periods from 1 July through 31 August, and are sale starting mid-June. The ticket is non-transferable, and can only be used for travel by the person whose name is printed on the ticket. There are two variants of the ticket: valid for 7 consecutive days and valid for 14 consecutive days. If you want to travel by SuperCity trains it is necessary to purchase a reservation as well.
Tickets have become much more expensive in 2023, but they are still attractive to people who want to travel by long-distance trains on main routes.
Summer Ticket – more information, prices.
Scenic railways
There are severeal scenic railways in the Czech Republic with regular passenger traffic. Personally, I enjoyed ride on many Czech local lines due to its charming atmosphere.
Posázavský Pacifik – the two railway lines running along the canyon of the Sázava River: line 210 from Prague to Čerčany and line 212 from Čerčany to Světlá nad Sázavou. The length of this route is 157 kilometers.
Švestková Dráha – translated to English as “Plum Railway”. It is a local railway line in the Ústí nad Labem region, connecting Lovosice with Most. The name comes from the plum orchards that used to be densely scattered along the line.
Krušnohorský Semmering – the second highest railway line in the Czech Republic. Trains run from Karlovy Vary to the German town of Johanngeorgenstadt. The most scenic section is between Nejdek and Pernink stations (15 kilometers). Currently, passenger trains run only on weekends.
Prague Semmering – the 27-kilometer-long railway line between Praha-Smíchov and Praha-Jinonice stations.
More scenic railways and additional information
Narrow-gauge railways in the Czech Republic
There are several operational narrow-gauge railways in the Czech Republic. Most popular of them:
Třemešná – Osoblaha narrow-gauge – a twenty-kilometer narrow-gauge railway line in the Moravian-Silesian region, at the Czech-Polish. It runs daily.
Sugar Beet Railway in Kolin – the only remnant of the sugar railway network in the region. It runs in season.
Mladejov Industrial Railway – a 600 mm railway in Mladejov na Morave. The length of the route is 11 km.
Jindřichohradecké místní dráhy – currently suspended scenic railway lines from a nice town Jindrichuv Hradec.
Narrow-gauge railways in the Czech Republic – more information
Railway museums in the Czech Republic
There are a few railway museums in the Czech Republic. The largest and most popular is Czech Railways’ Railway Museum in Luzna u Rakovnika – on weekends in July and August vintage trains from Prague carry visitors to the museum. The museum is open seasonally.
Very interesting is also The Museum of Old Machines and Technologies in Žamberk (Pardubice region). established on the grounds of a former textile factory in a small town near the Czech-Polish border. It features a very large display of old machines – rollers, pumps, cars, as well as locomotives.
Railway museums in the Czech Republic – more information
Rack railways in the Czech Republic
There is only one rack railway in the Czech Republic from Tanvald to Harrachov via Kořenov. It operates seasonally on certain weekends during summer season. The line is located in Liberec region, close to the Czech-Polish border. The Tanvald – Kořenov line, was built as part of the Liberec – Tanvald – state border line with a connection to the former Prussian State Railways line which led along the state border – Petersdorf – Hirschberg route. This was a line of international significance despite its operating length of a mere 6.7 km. The line overcomes a height difference of 235.1 m and its gradient reaches a value of 58 per mille.
The track crosses four large bridges and passes through four tunnels with a total length of 1422.5 m. About 21% of the line is located in tunnels. From Kořenov, the line leads above the Jizera River valley for about 2 km. It then twists to the right and crosses the valley over the Jizera Bridge and passes through the 280 m long Jizera Tunnel into the realm of the Krakonoš, because the Jizera River forms the border between the Jizera Mountains and the Giant Mountains. After travelling through forests for about 2.5 km, the line reaches the Harrachov train stop where regular trains currently finish.
Tanvald – Kořenov – Harrachov railway – official website
Funicular railways
There are four operational funicular railways in the Czech Republic:
Funicular Railway to Petřín in Prague – 510 meters long route very popular among tourists
Hotel Funicular in Prague – a funicular belonging to NH Prague Hotel but open to the public
Imperial Hotel Funicular in Karlovy Vary – 127 meters long line in a tunnel. Sometimes called the “second Czech metro”.
Funicular to Diana Hill in Karlovy Vary – 453 meters long line from Hotel Pupp station to Diana Hill.
Funicular railways in the Czech Republic – more information
Train travel in the Czech Republic – international trains
There are numerous long-distance and regional trains running between Czech Republic and adjacent countries. International trains are operated by many railway operators from various countries.
Slovakia
There are long-distance trains between most important cities in Czech Republic and Slovakia. Passengers can choose between daytime and overnight trains or between Ceske Drahy, Regiojet and Leo Express trains.
There are many discounts and promotional offers.
Slovak Railways – online shop.
Ceske drahy – online shop
Regiojet – private operator, online shop
Leo Express – private operator, online shop
Most popular routes:
Prague – Kosice via Ostrava and Poprad
Prague – Bratislava
Austria
There are long-distance international trains between the capitals of the Czech Republic and Austria and from Prague to Linz. Trains from Poland to Austria pass through the Czech Republic and there is a direct connection between Ostrava and Vienna. Czech Railways offer a promotional tickets “Včasná jízdenka”, but the tickets must be purchased in advance.
Regional trains running on the following routes:
Znojmo – Vienna
Breclav – Vienna
Ceske Budejovice – Linz
Czech Railways – online shop
Austrian Railways – online shop
Regiojet’s trains from Prague to Budapest pass through Vienna. Tickets are relatively cheap, trains are fast, so probably it is the best option.
Regiojet – private operator, online shop
Trains between the Czech Republic and Austria – additional information
Hungary
There are trains between Prague and Budapest. Trains from Prague to Budapest stop in Pardubice and Brno, then pass through Slovakia. Czech railway operator Regiojet launches trains from Prague to Budapest via Vienna and Gyor.
Czech Railways – online shop
Hungarian Railways – online shop
Regiojet – private operator, online shop
Germany
There are numerous long-distance and regional trains between Czech Republic and Germany. In long-distance international traffic České dráhy and Deutsche Bahn offers a promotional tickets – the tickets must be purchased in advance. Generally speaking, the sooner you buy your ticket the cheaper it will be.
International trains from Budapest and Vienna to Berlin pass through the Czech Republic and passengers can travel directly from Brno and Pardubice to Dresden and Berlin. There are international trains from Prague to Dresden and Berlin every two hours. Some of the trains are extended to Hamburg. The railway line Prague – Decin is one of the most beautiful railways in Europe.
Trains from Prague to Munchen are operated by Alex.
Czech Railways – online shop
Deutsche Bahn – official website and online shop
Regional cross-border trains are operated by many carriers. There are interesting network tickets, for example Euro-Nisa-Ticket (pl. Euro-Nysa, de. Euro-Neisse), one-day network tickets intended for travel in the Liberec region and in German and Polish border regions. These tickets can be used on selected trains and buses in Czech Republic, Germany and Poland.
Trains between Germany and the Czech Republic – additional information
Poland
There are trains from Prague to Katowice Krakow, Warszawa and Przemysl. In December 2024 long-distance train from Prague to Wroclaw, Poznan and Gdansk will be introduced. Ceske Drahy and PKP Intercity offers promotional tickets.
In July and August passengers can travel by train from Bohumin to seaside resort towns in Poland. I recommend traveling in a sleeping car, old Czech carriages with seats are uncomfortable, especially in hot weather.
Czech Railways – online shop (Prague – Krakow/Warsaw trains)
PKP Intercity – online shop
Regiojet – private operator, online shop (Prague – Przemysl train)
Leo Express – private operator, online shop (Prague – Krakow train)
There are cross-border trains between Czech Republic and Poland:
Katowice – Bohumin (operated by Koleje Slaskie)
Cieszyn – Frydek-Mistek (operated by Ceske drahy)
Sedzislaw – Kralovec/Trutnov (operated by GW Train Regio)
Wroclaw – Lichkov (operated by Koleje Dolnoslaskie)
Szklarska Poreba – Liberec (operated by Ceske drahy)
Trains between the Czech Republic and Poland – additional information
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