Trains

In June, some of the trains going to the Main Train Station Hlavni Nadrazi in Prague are not going to stop there, due to the continuing reconstruction works. The platforms are being modernized, new trolley linking being established, the tracks are rearranged, and the close tunnel to Smichov repaired, such are the reasons given by the Czech Railways.

The first stage of reconstruction, which started in January, has been brought to finish – the luxurious boutique Sasch opened, soon followed by Neo-Luxor bookshop. The second stage has been started, which means half of the entrance hall is closed again. There should be 3 000 m2 commercial areas.

So during June, July, August and September, if the train which was supposed to stop at Hlavni Nadrazi stops at somewhere else in Prague, it is normal.

This weekend the Lockers and Luggage Storages were moved to the first floor. All the changes which are due to reconstruction of Prague Main railway station, can be found on an information orientation plan.

The North part of the railway, where the works are underway, has been closed into some kind of a giant box, which increases in size and the traffic goes around it. The reconstruction is sequent so the station is in function, you just have to look for things. Foreign investor is the Italian company Grandi Stazioni.

Even when the reconstruction was delayed, we can see the face of the largest secession building of Prague changing to the good, hopefully. Prague Main railway station has suffered many years not just of the notorious D1 expressway, built right in front of it..

Prague Main railway station (in Czech: Praha hlavní nádraží, abbreviated as Praha hl.n) is the largest and most important railway station in Prague. It was opened in 1871 as the Franz Joseph I station. During the First Republic and from 1945 to 1953 the station was called Wilson station after US president Woodrow Wilson.

Smoking will be absolutely forbidden in Czech trains since December 2007. Last smokers´ compartments, which are still in some express trains, will be abolished. Czech Railways (Ceske drahy, CD) wish to follow the European trend of restricting smoking in public spaces.

The fine for smoking in trains will be 100,- CZK. The ban will apply also for the international trains, running from Hungary or Poland, where smoking is still permitted. The passengers will be allowed to smoke only till they arrive to the Czech borders.

A similar ban on smoking in trains will be in Germany and Austria since 1st September.

Travelling in the first class in SC Pendolino trains will be more comfortable but also more expensive. Czech Railways want to offer more types of newspapers, more food and newly a glass of bear, but the price will be 12% more expensive from 1st September.

Travellers will be also able to buy the travel tickets for Pendolino via their mobile phones. The service is called Teletiket. Customer will pay for the ticket with their credit card.

A new fare SC Net will enable travellers to travel by Pendolino trains as well as regional trains with only one ticket. More information about customer fares and reductions can be found at www.cd.cz.

Due to the maintenance of the rail switches and protecting devices many trains won’t terminate in Masaryk railway station (Masarykovo nadrazi) near Florenc. The service disruption will last from today until the end of August.

The trains between Prague – Kralupy nad Vltavou will be rerouted via Prague-Holesovice to the final destination Prague-Liben. The trains between Prague – Kladno – Zatec – Chomutov will depart/arrive at the station Prague-Bubny. Between 9th and 20th July the terminal will be shifted to the station Prague-Dejvice.

There will be no additional transport. Travellers can ask for tickets for the Prague public transport by showing the train ticket in the booking office of stations Prague-Masarykovo nadrazi and Prague-Holesovice. More information about the service disruptions can be received at the railway stations and on the phone number (+420) 840 112 113.

The public transport in Prague will change a lot, when the new railway tunnels will be built under the Vitkov Hill. Now it seems, that these tunnels will be finished much sooner, than was expected – probably already at the end of 2008.

The new railways will be much used for travelling within Prague, which is not usual at the present time. The tunnels will connect the Main Railway Station (Hlavni nadrazi) and Masarykovo nadrazi with districts in the north of Prague – Liben, Vysocany, Holesovice. The trams and metro should therefore be not as overcrowded, as they are now. The new railways will also be the fastest way to travel from one end of Prague to the other.

It is the most important railway building in Prague since the World War II. The building company Skanska promises, that people will have the chance to try the new railways already next year.

From yesterday people in the Czech Republic travel according to a new timetable of Czech Railways. However, the difference between the old one and the new one is not so big.

The biggest changes are in the regions around Usti nad Laben and Karlovy Vary. The changes concern especially the departure and arrivals of trains, the number of trains stays almost the same.

From today travellers can also use special discounts – CD Net and RegioNet which enables them to travel for the whole day (in the whole country or in one district) for special price. For planning your journey online, click here.

Czech Railways offers two new types of travel discounts for all travellers valid from 10th June 2007. Besides other discounts (here) you can use CD Net and RegioNet.

CD Net offers a one-day ticket for transportation in 2nd class in all kinds of trains (except higher-quality EC and IC trains, than you have to pay a supplementary charge) in the whole country. You can buy either a ticket for one person for 390 CZK or for two to five persons for 780 CZK. You can travel any day, the ticket can be bought up to two months in advance.

RegioNet is meant for travelling in one district in the Czech Republic (e.g. central Bohemia). These one-day tickets are valid only in the 2nd class of ordinary trains (in Czech Os or Sp). The tickets cost 130 CZK for one person and 260 CZK for two to five people. The tickets can be bought up to two months in advance.

For the first time this year the famous Venice Simplon-Orient-Express will come to Prague. The luxurious train goes from Venice to Prague four times a year. It waits in the Czech capital for two days and then it continues to Paris and London.

The first train this year arrives at Prague main station at about 17:00 this afternoon. It continues again from the main station on Saturday 21st April. Grand tour (in July) goes from Venice, via Vienna, Banska Bystrica, Krakow, Warsaw to Prague.

Train of Orient-Express have been going through Prague for 13 years. If you want to try this extraordinary experience and connect it with the visit of Prague, Express train will arive at Prague again on 24th May (leaving Prague on 26th May) and 27th September (29th September). Grand tour leaves Venice on 9th July.

For more information, visit here the official websites of Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

One the most frequent tracks in Prague was blocked for nine hours last weekend by a derailed train. The train EuroCity 107 went to Poland and derailed between the Prague’s Main Station and Liben. Nobody was injured.

The accident was caused by a broken switch. The railway inspection now investigates whether the driver did not drive too fast as well. The locomotive of the train and two railway carriages left the track on Saturday before 10:30.

The accident happened on the main track that leads to Ostrava, Brno, Decin, Mlada Boleslav or Hradec Kralove. Other trains on that route were delayed or did not leave the stations.

The Czech Republic refuses to let Polish trains in the country. No Polish trains have the necessary permits to travel on Czech tracks and people travelling from Poland have to find another connection to Czech cities behind the Czech borders.

According to the railway department of the Czech Republic, the Polish trains do not meet the safety and technical regulations required by Czech railways.

Polish newspaper Dziennik Zachodni stated that Polish railways asked for the permits and got a list of requirements from the Czech railways. The list is, however, still being translated from Czech to Polish.

Czech Railways (Ceske drahy) issued a new time table that is valid from 10th December. This time table brings a lot of changes in quantity of connection and the prizes of tickets.

Trains Pendolino will be prolonged from Prague to Bratislava and Vienna. The trains will go to Bratislava once a day, to Vienna twice a day. New EuroCity trains will go to Zilina (SK) via Horni Lidec, which will safe 50 minutes of traveller’s time. The train connection from Prague to Ostrava will be 13 minutes faster. There will be about 5,5% more trains running in the Czech Republic.

Czech Railways plan to increase the prizes of return tickets and customer fare (for this fare you need to own In-customer card). Tickets for journeys more then 50 kilometers long will be 12 % more expensive. When you buy a customer card, you will have 30 % discount on tickets no matter how far you travel.

There are two new railway tunnels built underneath Vitkov in Prague and people had a chance to see them over during the weekend.

The purpose of the building is to integrate Prague and suburban railway lines into the city´s public transport. The tunnels will improve the connection between Prague railway stations, which should make travelling by train through the city faster. The old tunnel used so far, will be free and can be used as a cycle-way.

The new southern tunnel will connect Hlavni nadrazi (the Main Railway Station) with the stations in Vysocany and Holesovice. It is 1365 metres long. The other, northern tunnel, is 1316 metres long and will connect Hlavni nadrazi and Liben station.

The first trains should go through the tunnels in two years. There will be more trains in operation than now and some trains will connect the city center with the suburban areas.

Prague still improves their system of public transport. Now is one of the best in Europe. Next step is better using of railways in Prague.

Problems with star-shaped metro system can solve surface rail transport much faster than trams, which are used only in central parts anyway. Of course that Prague uses railways for distant travel, but Prague citizens can use train as well as bus, tram or metro: tickets, short-term as well as long-term, can be used in Prague an out of Prague at some rails.

Works on new railway tracks with combination of the old tracks used only for freight trucks offer another effective type of transport. New train sets with gas-engines will help with that.

This brings not only new transport lines like connection of Smichov, Vrsovice, Zahradni mesto, Malesice, Bechovice, but also completely new stations. These steps will make faster and more straight transport in Prague.

Prague Main train station (Wilson station) should be reconstructed now, but still nothing happens. Italian investor Grandi Stazioni advance the date three times.

Last expectations talks about the end of November and the investor says, that works will definitely start this year. Now the works wait for a building permission and also selection of a construction company. A company will select the order of build plan, but certain is that works will start in the entrance hall.

The works have had started this March, than this summer. Last change was planned to October. The deadline and plans won’t change. You can read about the reconstruction in an older article.

Prague wants more stops and stations for trains. Now it has more than forty stops, it is planned to build another nine and reach number of fifty. This could be in ten years.

Planned stations are Rajska zahrada, Podbaba, Liboc, Exhibition Grounds in Holesovice, Bechovice central, Karlin, Zahradni Mesto, Slavia or renewed Vysehrad station. First will be Rajska Zahrada. This station could be functional next year.

As vice mayor of Prague says, Prague could make some investments for train stations in Prague, but most important is now finishing of Prague inner and outer circuit. New train stations should help to lighten another forms of traffic, most welcomed is transport by car of course.

Main Station (Hlavni nadrazi) or Wilson station will be changed an reconstructed at last. Mostly terrible experience with the gate to Prague will decline to the end in few months.

Old station and new look of the station should be like a night and a day. Dirty, dark, unfriendly, out of date, chaotic and even dangerous is station now. And all this will become an opposite. New look will be like at an airport or at a shopping centre: light, airy, with white pillars and modern information system. No more beggars, homeless and unwelcome groups, chaotic kiosks will be replaced and shops, restaurants and cafes will appear. Station police will change miserable office for much bigger rooms, where you can now find a sex-shop. An old part of the station – Art Nouveau Fanta’s station will be revitalized too.

The reconstruction would be finished in year 2009. The reconstruction will be sequent so the station will function normally. Foreign investor is Italian company Grandi Stazioni.

Large changes will be at the station surrounding too. Vrchlicky’s park (Vrchlickeho sady) are more known as Sherwood. Homeless people, “sinister elements” and litter are guests of this Prague green. But no more. Sherwood will become a park with English grass, bushes disappear and flower beds will flank paths. More lights in the park will make it safer and elegant.

Another change will be at arterial. It will be moved, so the historical part of the station will have chance to breathe.

New look of the station you can see at this visualization movie. (9,61 MB)
I just hope that the promises and planes become true.