Czech Railways has set a new record for scheduled passenger services. A Pendolino tilting train reached 200 km/h on the Prague–České Budějovice line, the first time any regular Czech service has operated above the long-standing 160 km/h limit. And the 200 km/h bar could be expanded further across the country.
The first Czech passenger train has broken through the 160 km/h ceiling of the national network. On Sunday evening, České dráhy’s (ČD) Pendolino tilting train pulled into České Budějovice after its debut high-speed run, reaching 200 km/h on upgraded stretches of the line from Prague. The landmark debut shortens journey times between the capital and South Bohemia to as little as 90 minutes, compared with over two hours before corridor modernisation.
It’s the first time a train in Czechia has been authorised to exceed the 160 km/h operating limit that has long constrained domestic services. The key reason behind this lies in infrastructure upgrades delivered by the country’s Railway Administration (SŽ). Two stretches of the Prague–České Budějovice corridor – Votice to Sudoměřice u Tábora and Soběslav to Doubí – have been engineered for 200 km/h tilting operation. Elsewhere, the route remains capped at lower speeds. That is why only Pendolino, with its Class 680 tilting sets certified for such running, can immediately take advantage of the higher limits.
That’s the number. © ČD
For other ČD fleets, the picture is mixed. Most conventional long-distance coaches hauled by locomotives remain restricted to 160 km/h. They will continue to operate at today’s speeds even where the line allows more. However, ČD’s newest investment – the ComfortJet trainsets, paired with Siemens Vectron locomotives – are designed for 230 km/h. ČD has already begun operating its new ComfortJet fleet on international routes, with further sets entering service in 2025–26. Once deployed on upgraded corridors with full ETCS Level 2 signalling, they too will be able to run at 200 km/h.
‘Our trains are ready for this’
For ČD’s management, Sunday’s launch was both a practical step forward and a statement of intent. “I see the acceleration of trains and the overall reduction of travel times as one of the key tools in strengthening the competitiveness of train transport,” said Michal Krapinec, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of ČD. He added that the national rail company would continue “the trend of acceleration” intensively. “Our trains are ready for this,” he said.
He also highlighted that the timetable change would significantly improve connections as it adds a new pair of direct Pendolino services between Prague and České Budějovice: an evening train from Prague extended south to Budějovice, and a new morning departure from Budějovice that reaches Prague in just 90 minutes. “In addition to faster travel, the extension of the Pendolino to České Budějovice also brings new travel options from the east to the south of Bohemia,” Krapinec said.
The speed increase is going to be rolled out across other trains too. © ČD
In practice, the evening service connects with SC 500 from Bohumín, meaning passengers from Ostrava, Olomouc and Pardubice can continue on the same train all the way to Tábor and České Budějovice without changing in Prague. The morning return is aimed squarely at commuters and business travellers, leaving Budějovice just before 6 a.m. and pulling into Prague at 7:29 a.m.
More tunnels, faster speeds
As for the country’s infra manager, SŽ said the breakthrough showed just what long-term investment in the corridor could achieve. “Breaking the current speed limit is more than just an operational change for us – it is a symbolic opening of a new chapter in Czech railways,” said Jiří Svoboda, Director General of the Railway Administration.
“Effectively reducing travel times is one of the priorities of the Railway Administration, and we don’t have to talk only about the high-speed line project.” Indeed, the Railway Administration plans to cut times even further by boring new tunnels south of Prague between Nemanice and Ševětín, just north of České Budějovice where the line still weaves through tight curves.
“We are tackling the construction of tunnels between Nemanice and Ševětín, thanks to which we will be able to straighten the line and thus save passengers more valuable minutes,” he added. A work in progress, the infra upgrade means it will be easier for trains to hit higher speeds over a longer distance, and according to Svoboda, “We will start digging the tunnels next year.” Essentially, the 200 km/h Pendolino run is part of a much broader programme to speed up Czech trains.
