Czech Railways (ČD) has announced a major upgrade to its long-distance network for 2026, bringing back the direct Prague–Copenhagen train after ten years and expanding routes into southern Austria. The new timetable will operate 8,723 passenger trains, with ČD’s “blue trains” covering over 327,000 kilometers a day. From Dec. 14, new group discounts will make rail travel even more attractive, supporting the company’s goal of increasing ridership.

The international network will see significant improvements. ComfortJet trains will begin running to Villach in southern Austria, while connections to Hamburg, Berlin, and Vienna will become more frequent. The Prague–Copenhagen service will restart in May 2026, boosting Czechia’s link to Scandinavia. Night trains are also expanding, with the new EuroNight Carpatia connecting Bohumín to Przemyśl and carrying direct carriages from major cities such as Munich, Vienna, Prague, and Budapest. The Baltic Express to Poland’s Tricity region will also gain a Czech dining car.

Domestic travel will benefit from increased capacity on the busy Prague–Brno line, which will see more daily ComfortJet and Railjet services. Regional routes will receive new RegioFox units, and long-distance travel will expand with two new InterCity Southern Express trains and a late-evening Vltava service on the Prague–České Budějovice line. Several departures from Linz, České Budějovice, and Tábor will now leave about an hour later, offering more flexibility for passengers.

To make travel more affordable, ČD will introduce a 25% online group discount for two to five passengers on domestic tickets from January to March. The company continues to grow, having transported a record 168.8 million passengers in 2024—an increase driven largely by strong demand on international routes, especially cross-border travel, which rose by 12 percent year-on-year.