There are many times between Germany and the Czech Republic. Long-distance trains between Prague and Berlin run often, cross-border trains connect almost all border regions, cheap cross-border network passes are available.
Last updated: 04.06.2024
Railway border crossings between Germany and the Czech Republic
Bärenstein DB – Vejprty ČD
Bayerisch Eisenstein DB – Železná Ruda centrum ČD
Ebersbach (Sachs) DB – Jiříkov-Filipov ČD
Furth im Wald DB – Česká Kubice ČD
Großschönau (Sachs) DB – Varnsdorf ČD
Johannegeorgestadt DB – Potůčky ČD
Klingenthal DB – Kraslice ČD
Raun DB – Vojtanov ČD
Seibnitz DB – Dolni Poustevna ČD
Selb-Plößberg DB – Aš ČD
Schirnding DB – Pomezi nad Ohri ČD
Schöna DB – Dolní Žleb ČD
Zittau DB – Hrádek nad Nisou ČD
The railway border crossing Haidmühle DB – Nové Údolí ČD was closed after World War II. Czech railway enthusiasts made a small railway museum on the Czech side of the border. On the former trackbed have been laid 105 m of rails across the border bridge and the line is advertised as the world’s shortest international railway.
Trains from Zittau to Hrádek nad Nisou pass through Poland with no intermediate stations. There are plans to make a train stop in Polish village of Porajów.
The railway line Raun DB – Vojtanov ČD crosses the Czech-German border seven times in this 18 km section.
Bayerisch Eisenstein/Železná station lies on the border Czech-German border. The actual border runs through the middle of the station building.
Trains between Germany and the Czech Republic – useful websites
Deutsche Bahn – journey planner and online shop
Czech Railways – journey planner and online shop
Train travel in Germany – a comprehensive guide
Train travel in the Czech Republic – a comprehensive guide
Trains between Germany and the Czech Republic – promotional tickets
Deutsche Bahn offers Super saver fare for low-cost travel between Germany and the Czech Republic. Promotional tickets are called in German Super Sparpreis Europa. You can book tickets up to six months (180 days) before you journey until shortly before a train is due to depart. Super saver fare tickets are excluded from exchange and cancellation. You may only travel on long-distance trains (IC/EC) and on the days indicated on the ticket.
Most flexible are Saver fare promotional tickets – there is a cancellation fee. Deutsche Bahn offers also Group Saver tickets for groups of under six passengers.
Ceske drahy (Czech Railways) offers cheap promotional First Minute Europe (Včasná jízdenka Evropa in Czech) tickets. Tickets are available online. The earlier you purchase, the cheaper you will travel. Pre-sale of tickets is usually launched between 60 and 90 days before the departure date. The price of the ticket depends on the selected route, carriage class, service category, time of purchase and the period for which the ticket is purchased.
There are also cheap cross-border one-day network passes (a description at the end of the article).
Intercity and Eurocity trains between Germany and the Czech Republic
Intercity and Eurocity trains between Prague and Dresden or Berlin run almost every two hours. Trains are operated by Czech Railways in cooperation with Deutsche Bahn. Some of them are extended to Hamburg, Kiel and Flensburg.
Trains from Graz, Vienna or Budapest to Berlin pass through Czech Republic. These trains stop in Brno, Ceska Trebova, Pardubice and Prague.
Railway line between Praha and Dresden lead along Elbe river and is very scenic, but also vulnerable to landslides and floods.
Rolling stock fleet depending on the train. Generally, 1st and 2nd class is available, but seating carriages with compartments are not available in some trains. Trains from Prague to Berlin are comprised of Czech carriages, Czech Railjet or Austrian Railjet trainsets (trains Graz – Berlin) or Hungarian carriages (trains Budapest – Berlin)
Promotional tickets are available.
Trains from Munich to Prague
Direct trains between Munich and Prague run 7 times a day. Journey time is approximately 6 hours. Trains stop among others at Regensburg, Domazlice, Plzen hlavni nadrazi stations.
Trains are operated by České dráhy (Czech Railways) in cooperation with Die Länderbahn GmbH. Trains are called “Alex” (Arriva-Länderbahn-Express). There are promotional tickets from the Czech Republic to Munich and relatively cheap promotional Prag-Spezial-Ticket from Munich and Regensburg to Prague.
Trains are comprised of Czech and German carriages. 1st and 2nd class are available – air-conditioned open-plan carriages (2nd class) and carriages with compartments (1st and 2nd class). German carriages are old but were refurbished and equipped with air-conditioning.
Prag-Spezial-Ticket – more information
Cross-border trains between Germany and the Czech Republic
Due to the large number of cross-border train connections and frequent changes in train services, the list may not be complete.
Cross-border trains between Germany and the Czech Republic run on the following routes:
Zittau – Liberec
An interesting railway line via Hrádek nad Nisou. Trains pass through a short stretch of Poland – the Polish section needs to be upgraded, because trains ride significantly slower than in the Czech Republic and Germany. You can continue your journey from Liberec to many Czech towns and cities or to Szklarska Poreba in Poland, and from Zittau towards Görlitz. Euro-Neisse ticket is valid.
Zittau Narrow-Gauge Railway from Zittau to Kurort Oybin and Kurort Jonsdorf is my favourite narrow-gauge railway.
Zittau – Varnsdorf
Varnsdorf is not a beautiful city, but it is a very good departure point for train trips in Neisse Euroregion. You can easily find relatively inexpensive accomodation.
Varnsdorf stare nadrazi train stop is located in the city centre.
Bad Schandau – Děčín
An important and popular cross-border connection on the main railway corridor between Prague and Dresden. For cross-border trains special tariff applied – an one-way ticket Bad Schandau – Děčín costs about 2,5 EUR (Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe). If you travel between Czech stations Děčín and Dolni Poustevna without disembarking in Germany, you can use Czech domestic tickets.
Chomutov – Cranzahl
Trains operated by Die Länderbahn in cooperation with DB RegioNetz Erzgebirgsbahn run only on weekends. Rural railway line, interesting for railway enthusiasts.
Cheb – Hof
Cheb – Markredtwitz
Currently, trains are operated by České dráhy but it may change in the future. On the German side of the border train Cheb – Markredtwitz is operated by agilis Verkehrsgesellschaft. Separate cross-border tariff applied.
Cheb is definitely worth visit.
Celodenní jízdenka+Německo
Celodenní jízdenka+Německo is an one-day network ticket offered by České dráhy (Czech Railways). The ticket is valid in one selected region of the Czech Republic and in adjacent region in Germany. There are four variants of the ticket:
Plzeň region one-day network ticket + selected railway lines in Germany
Karlovy Vary region one-day network ticket + selected railway lines in Germany
Ústí region one-day network ticket + selected railway lines in Germany
Liberec region one-day network ticket + selected railway lines in Germany
You can buy an additional ticket for bike.
With the ticket, it is possible to travel on any day, always until 24:00 (midnight). The ticket can be purchased only on the day of the journey; it is not possible to purchase the ticket in advance sales.
The All-Day Ticket+Germany (Celodenní jízdenka+Německo) is valid on ČD trains, on trains operated by the carrier Die Länderbahn (DLB) (valid in the Czech Republic in the extent of the All-Day Ticket offer for the relevant region) and on selected lines in German border regions.
Ticket is relatively cheap but is not as attractive as for example Euro-Neisse ticket. Passenger trains in the Czech Republic are operated by many carriers and validity of this ticket is limited.
An inexperienced traveler will have trouble understanding the ticket’s validity area.
Celodenní jízdenka+Německo – more information (Czech Railways)
EgroNet ticket
EgroNet is a one-day network ticket valid in the Egrensis Euroregion (Karlovarsky kraj in the Czech Republic and designated border regions in Germany). It is a perfect choice if you want to travel travel by train, bus or municipal public transport in parts of four regions, specifically in part of the Karlovy Vary region and in selected districts of Bavaria, Thuringia and Saxony – in the Egrensis Euroregion.
The ticket is available for for one, two, three, four or five persons. The ticket is non-transferable – the passenger’s name and surname appear on the ticket (if a ticket for multiple passengers is purchased, the names and surnames of all passengers appear).
Children up to 6 years of age always travel free of charge. Transport of a bicycle as oversized luggage is free of charge with an EgroNet ticket.
EgroNet network tickets are valid until 3:00 (a.m.) on the day following the day indicated thereupon.
These tickets cannot be purchased neither in advance sales nor e-shop. Ticket is valid only in 2nd class – there is no possibility to upgrade to 1st class.
EgroNet ticket – official website
Map of validity (Czech Railways)
Euro-Neisse Ticket
If you want to visit border regions of east Saxony (Germany), west Lower Silesia (Poland) and Liberecky kraj (Czech Republic), there is a perfect one-day or three-day network ticket for public transport. The Euro-Neisse pass is called “Euro-Nisa” in the Czech Republic and “Euro-Nysa” in Poland. The ticket is intended for travel in the Liberec region and in German and Polish border regions and can be used on selected trains, trams and buses.
Sometimes “historical supplements” must be paid but tickets is relatively cheap and allows you to vist many interesting places.
One-day Euro-Neisse tickets are always valid for one day, and until 4:00 a.m. on the following day.
What to visit with Euro-Neisse ticket:
Germany
Görlitz – one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. Many monuments, cobleed street, nice railway station, ZOO.
Bautzen – picturesque town located on on the Spree River. It has a compact and well-preserved medieval town centre.
Löbau – town with a nice city centre. On the outskirts is located King Frederick Augustus Tower – the biggest cast-iron tower in Europe.
Bad Muskau – beautiful park and castle. The park is divided between Germany and Poland.
Zittau – nice but sleepy town with famous town hall built in an Italian style and Zittau Narrow-Gauge Railway.
Zittau Narrow Gauge Railway is an absolute charming railway from Zittau to Kurort Oybin and Kurort Jonsdorf. Steam hauled train are comprised of vintage carriages. You need to pay one-day supplement but it is worth it. The railway runs daily.
Supplement must be paid if you want to travel by narrow-gauge Waldeisenbahn Muskau from Weißwasser to Bad Muskau. The railway operates seasonally.
Czech Republic
Liberec – the capital of the Liberecky kraj. Medium-sized city ideal for short visit. City centre is located 10 minutes by walk from the railway station.
Frydlant – a small town with a beautiful castle.
There are scenic railway routes from Liberec to Szklarska Poreba, Ceska Lipa and Turnov. Many possibilities for active tourism.
Poland
Boleslawiec – a city famous for its long-standing pottery-making tradition and heritage Old Town.
Jelenia Gora – medium-sized city with nice city centre.
Szklarska Poreba – mountains, beautiful nature and many hiking trials.
There is a beautiful railway station in Wegliniec.
Additional information:
Euro-Neisse ticket – up-to-date information (in German)
Euro-Nisa ticket – additional information (in Czech)
Euro-Nysa – additional information (in Polish)
Zittau Narrow Gauge Railway – official website
Waldeisenbahn – official website
