Czech railway transport has broken the previous speed limit of 160 km/h in regular operation. The high-speed Pendolino train unit of České dráhy on the railway line from Prague to České Budějovice achieves speeds of up to 200 km/h for the first time. Passengers will now reach the capital city of the South Bohemian Region in a record-breaking time of 95 minutes, and the train will be even five minutes faster in the opposite direction. The Pendolino train reaches its maximum speed thanks to the tilting technology used on two sections of the southern corridor, between Votice and Sudoměřice and between Doubí and Soběslav.
The first Pendolino trainset on the regular line to České Budějovice has departed today as the IC 591 Pendolino train at 20:27 hours from Prague Main Station and will arrive at the South Bohemian capital at 22:02 hours. The morning IC 590 Pendolino train service will depart from České Budějovice one minute before six o’clock and will arrive at Prague at 7:29 hours.
“The modernisation of the railway line between Prague and České Budějovice is bringing further noticeable results. Thanks to the deployment of the fast Pendolino units and infrastructure modifications, it has been possible to shorten journey times and to increase travel comfort. This is a significant step forward for Czech railways, laying the foundations for higher speeds on future high-speed lines, on which Czech trains will be running at speeds of up to 320 km/h,” states Martin Kupka, Minister of Transport.
“I perceive the acceleration of trains and the overall reduction of journey times as one of the key tools in strengthening the competitiveness of railway transport. I am proud that it is just a train of České dráhy that is the first on a regular line in our country to reach a travel speed of up to 200 km/h, and I believe that we will continue intensively with the trend of further acceleration. In fact, our trains are ready for this challenge. The state-of-the-art ComfortJet trainsets, together with the high-speed Vectron locomotives, are capable of reaching speeds of up to 230 km/h,” says Michal Krapinec, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of České dráhy, describing speed capabilities of trains, adding: “In addition to faster travelling, the extension of the Pendolino service to České Budějovice brings also new possibilities for travelling from the east to the south of the Czech Republic. The fact is that the evening connection follows up to the SC 500 train, which arrives at Prague from Bohumín, effectively and functionally extending this connection and creating a unique direct train service between Ostrava – Olomouc – Pardubice – Prague – Tábor – České Budějovice.”
The Pendolino trainsets can reach their maximum operating speed on the Votice – Sudoměřice u Tábora and Soběslav – Doubí line sections, which are designed for a maximum speed of 200 km/h in the case of trains with tilting bodies.
“The breaking of the existing speed limit is more than just an operational change for us – it is a symbolic opening of a new chapter of the Czech railway system. The effective reduction of journey times is one of the priorities of Správa železnic, and we are not just talking about the high-speed rail project. For example, right there, on the corridor from Prague to České Budějovice, we are facing the construction of tunnels between Nemanice and Ševětín, which will straighten the railway line and save passengers further valuable minutes. We will start driving the tunnels next year,” says Jiří Svoboda, Director General of Správa železnic.
Over the years, journey times between České Budějovice and Prague have been significantly reduced. While the usual journey time in the first half of the 1990s was up to 3 hours, now the morning Pendolino train can cover the same route in 90 minutes.
“I am really happy to see that major changes for the better are finally taking place on the railway network of South Bohemia. The modernisation of the tracks is underway, new trains are being added and travel comfort is improving. The Pendolino service to České Budějovice is further proof that South Bohemia is moving forward. Imagine leaving České Budějovice in the morning and arriving at the centre of Prague in an hour and a half, then returning comfortably in the evening by one of the fastest trains in our country. But it is not just about speed; transport must also be attractive, comfortable, and reliable. This is a standard which the people living in the South Bohemian Region undoubtedly deserve. And not only because it was here where the history of railways in the Czech lands began,” pointed out Martin Kuba, Governor of the South Bohemian Region.
“At the end of July this year, we celebrated the beginnings of our railway and a special anniversary – 200 years since the famous horse-drawn railway was put into operation. Back then, it took full fourteen hours to cover the 128-kilometre-long route from České Budějovice to Linz. In the context of the Pendolino supertrain, which departs from our beautiful city to Prague, arriving there in an hour and a half, this is almost unbelievable. In addition, instead of uncomfortable wooden benches, it offers great comfort and excellent facilities for entire families. I believe that the inhabitants of České Budějovice will greatly appreciate this initiative of České dráhy and that they will enjoy the morning train service, and will travel regularly by this train. Of course, I will be happy to join them sometimes,” says Dagmar Škodová Parmová, Mayor of České Budějovice.
“The reduction of journey time between Prague and České Budějovice to 90 minutes is an example of how modern railways should operate. This is beneficial not only for Prague residents, but for the entire country. Faster, more comfortable, and more attractive travelling will help relieve pressure on the roads and strengthen rail transport as the backbone of transportation. Prague welcomes every step which brings us closer to modern European standards,” adds Bohuslav Svoboda, Mayor of the Capital City of Prague.
About the Pendolino train unit
Alstom supplied České dráhy with a total of seven Pendolino high-speed trainsets. After the accident involving one of them in 2022, the carrier now operates six units. Each trainset has seven carriages, four of which being powered and three carriages being inserted as non-powered cars. The train is 185 metres long and has a capacity of 327 seats, including 52 first-class seats, 2 seats for wheelchair users, and 3 spaces for bicycles. The entire train has 16 powered axles and a total power output of 4,000 kW. The maximum operating speed of the train is 200 km/h. The units are equipped with an active body tilting system, which allows them to pass through curves at higher speeds than conventional trains. Pendolino trains offer air-conditioned open-plan compartments, a children’s cinema, a bistro car, on-board Wi-Fi, and the possibility of powering electronic devices during the journey from 230 V power supply sockets. The train also features an on-board entertainment and information portal, an audiovisual information system, and a quiet compartment.
In addition to trips to the South Bohemian Region, passengers will encounter Pendolino trains especially on the backbone railway line from Prague to Bohumín, with extensions to Plzeň and Cheb. As with other trains on the Prague – České Budějovice railway line, Pendolino trains do not require compulsory seat reservations. Ticket prices are also the same as for other South Express trains.
Travelling to the south of Bohemia by train is now even more comfortable and faster
On the Prague – Tábor – Veselí nad Lužnicí – České Budějovice railway line, České dráhy operates two direct long-distance lines – Ex7 South Express (Jižní expres) and R17 Vltava. Fast connections are provided by the South Express (Jižní expres) trains, which currently cover the route between Prague and the capital of the South Bohemian Region in approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes, stopping only in Tábor along the way. On weekdays and Sundays, there are up to 11 connections, and on Saturdays, there are up to ten services in each direction. Four pairs of these express trains run as far as Linz in Upper Austria. Connections from other stations on the railway line, such as Benešov u Prahy, Olbramovice, Soběslav, and Veselí nad Lužnicí, to the South Bohemian capital are provided by the Vltava fast train line. On weekdays, passengers can use up to 13 connections on this railway line in one direction, and there are up to 9 connections in each direction on weekends.
The 2026 timetable will bring also further improvements to train connections between Prague and České Budějovice. Specifically, a new pair of InterCity express trains will be introduced on the route, with approximate times from Praha hl.n. at 7:21 hours to České Budějovice at 8:59 hours and from České Budějovice at 12:58 hours to Praha hl.n. at 14:39 hours, and also a new “local” fast train departing from České Budějovice at 21:10 hours and arriving at Praha hl.n. at 23:10 hours, which will run on weekdays and Sundays. At the same time, a new later connection will be created between Linz, České Budějovice and Tábor with Prague, as the current EC 336 South Express (Jižní expres) train will run an hour later, i.e., departing from Linz before 8 p.m. and from České Budějovice at about 10 p.m., with its planned arrival at Prague before midnight.
Author: Tiskové oddělení Českých drah
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