Train Travel: Experiences on the Rails

Romantic routes through the mountains, steam locomotives, luxury glamping, night trains, and panoramic views. Czechia is a paradise for railway enthusiasts. It has one of the densest railway network in the EU. Just for interest's sake: you can cross Czechia from west to east on a high-speed train in 4 hours and 44 minutes. These and other pluses have seen Czechia placed third in the rankings of Europe's best countries for train travel by Britain's The Telegraph newspaper.

For History and the Game Kingdom Come

Travelling by rail is an amazing experience and is a very environmentally friendly way to get around. There are several regions in Czechia where you can enjoy train travel, taste excellent wines, and indulge in top-class cuisine. From Prague, you can easily reach the town of Mělník in North Bohemia, where you can savour excellent wines straight from the castle vineyards, all while enjoying a breathtaking view of the confluence of the Elbe and Vltava rivers.

In Prague, where public transport is reliable, you can also shorten your journey by train. A popular route is the ride across the Vltava River, offering a stunning view of old Prague and Prague Castle – from the main station to Smíchov. Train travel within Prague is fast, efficient, and eco-friendly, making it ideal for both tourists and locals who want to see the city from a distinct perspective.

Another option is a journey to the UNESCO gem of Kutná Hora, the setting for the gaming hit Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. You don’t even have to travel far from Prague – a beautiful one-day trip awaits you on the route to Nelahozeves. There, besides history and picturesque nature, you will also find an interactive exhibition in the birthplace of Antonín Dvořák.

For Wine in South Moravia

You can easily reach the most renowned wine region in South Moravia by train. In Mikulov, you can enjoy local wines with a view of the historic château. From Brno, a city well worth visiting by train for first-class delicacies, not only of Czech cuisine, you can continue by rail to the wine regions of Znojmo, Bzenec, Valtice, Velké Bílovice, Strážnice, or Lednice (UNESCO). Each of these destinations offers not only excellent wineries but also rich folklore traditions.

International Train Connections to Prague

Where to go for great food and outstanding gastronomy? One of the top destinations is Prague, home to a vast selection of restaurants offering top-tier Czech and international cuisine. You can reach Prague via international train connections, including the direct overnight European Sleeper or Baltic Express. Other destinations where you can savour gastronomic specialities and travel comfortably by train include Olomouc, Brno, Tábor, Plzeň, Hradec Králové, and Ostrava. Train travel for tasty food is a perfect way to combine the joy of exploring new places with tasting regional specialities, including Christmas and Easter markets.

On 9 July 2025, the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express will pass through Prague on its way to London. This luxurious train, famed for its elegance and historical charm, will offer passengers a unique experience of a romantic journey through Western Europe.

Easily Reach Nature by Train

Czechia offers countless experiences for nature lovers and active tourists. The highest Czech mountains, the Krkonoše Mountains, are also accessible by train, with Trutnov being a key stop. Another mountain region reachable by rail is the Jeseníky Mountains. It’s known as the Silesian Semmering and offers some breathtaking views of the mountain ridges. The railway winds its way through several valleys, which the trains cross via huge viaducts. The highest point along the route is Ramzová, Czechia’s highest express train station.

You can also take a train to Loučná nad Desnou, from where you can set off towards the Dlouhé Stráně reservoir or visit the handmade paper mill in Velké Losiny.

A popular destination is also the Šumava National Park. From Prague or Plzeň, you can travel by train to Klatovy and continue to Železná Ruda, the main gateway to Šumava. Alternatively, you can take a train to Vimperk or Volary via České Budějovice. The Ore Mountains can be explored along the Karlovy Vary – Merklín or Karlovy Vary – Nejdek – Johanngeorgenstadt (Germany) railway routes.

Luxury glamping on a train: Try glamping on the tracks for some railway romance on the ridge of the Ore Mountains. Nothing but peace, quiet and wilderness all around! Heated carriages with panoramic windows, each with a different design, offer a comfortable place to stay all year round. You can experience this type of unusual sleepover at the Kovářská station in the Ore Mountains: just a few minutes' walk from the tourist information centre in Boží Dar.

You can also take a ride on the Glass Local Train in the north of the country. If you’re in Kamenický Šenov, be used to visit the Glass Museum and take a trip to marvel at the unique natural rock formation that is Panská skála.

Panoramic trains

Love the views of the surrounding countryside and fancy getting a better look? Then the unique Swiss train with its sightseeing car is just the thing for you - it runs on the line from Graz in Austria to Przemyśl in Poland. In Czechia, you can ride it from South Moravia to Silesia, from Břeclav to Bohumín. The large arched panoramic windows give passengers a view that is up to 90 percent better than in a standard carriage.

Nostalgic trains

It was back in 1902 that the first train ran along Czechia’s steepest and only cog railway line, which links the gorgeous Jizera Mountains with the majestic Giant Mountains. During the summer season, Tanvald is the place to see historical locomotives and carriages, as it offers some nostalgic train rides on a unique cog locomotive known as Cloudy. After all, here in Czechia, we give names to our trains as well as our pets. This means you can ride the rails on machines such as the Green Frog, the Cobra, or the Boneshaker.

If you want a real out-of-the-ordinary experience, take a ride on the narrow-gauge track in the Osoblaha Hook. The Osoblaha narrow-gauge railway, connected to the unique Technotrail in Czechia’s eastern region, is a technical monument. The steam locomotive puffs its way out onto the track in May. Popular events include the Scary Train to the château in Slezské Rudoltice, or the Gastronomy Train.

Here in Czechia, we pay home to the railway in Česká Třebová /the date will be specified later/, National Railway Day. This is the biggest event of its type in the whole of Europe, especially in terms of the number of exhibits, from the oldest locomotives to state-of-the-art machines.