Train travel in the Czech Republic has become more comfortable and accessible following the most extensive rolling stock modernisation programme in the history of Czech Railways (České dráhy).
The company currently operates over 1,400 low-floor trains, making it easier for older people, families with young children, people with disabilities and all passengers who find it difficult to board high-floor trains to access the trains.
Unlike traditional trains, whose floors are more than a metre above track level, low-floor vehicles have a floor level that is flush with modern platforms. This means passengers can board and alight without having to climb high steps.
“More than 1,400 low-floor vehicles now make travelling significantly easier for our customers across the country. The most extensive modernisation of the rolling stock fleet in the history of Czech Railways is not just about air conditioning, Wi-Fi or modern interiors. High steps used to be a major obstacle for many passengers on older trains. “By purchasing 110 RegioPanter and 106 RegioFox trains, we have increased the number of low-floor railcars by 492 in just a few years. The modernisation of our trains thus brings a level of comfort that passengers can feel even before they board the train,” said Michal Krapinec, CEO of ČD.
Low-floor trains dominate regional transport
Low-floor vehicles are mainly used in regional rail transport. As regards electric multiple units, Czech Railways withdrew the last high-floor regional train in 2024. Since then, all electric multiple units used in regional transport have been low-floor.
The most numerous are the various RegioPanter variants, which are equivalent to over 350 conventional passenger railcars. A further 62 railcars are of the long-distance version, the InterPanter.
These are the first low-floor electric units to be used in long-distance rail transport in the Czech Republic.
Over the past year, high-floor diesel trains have also begun to disappear from the Czech rail network, being replaced, at least in part, by low-floor units.
A significant reduction in the number of older vehicles has targeted the 854 and 810 railcars, which have been replaced by the 847 RegioFox, 814 Regionova or 841.3 RegioSpider railcars.
The changes were implemented, amongst other routes, on the routes between Hradec Králové and Letohrad, between Prague and Mělník and Kladno, between Zadní Třebaň and Lochovice, as well as on several lines in the Benešov region.
Over 1,400 low-floor vehicles comprise approximately 640 multiple-unit trains, plus a further 80 or so railcars.
Every day, low-floor trains and railcars together cover over 200,000 kilometres. This distance is equivalent to approximately five trips round the Earth along the Equator.
As low-floor trains serve the main rail routes throughout the Czech Republic, their services are used by a large proportion of the country’s rail passengers.
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