České dráhy (ČD – the Czech national railway operator) is introducing modern ComfortJet trains on the international Prague – Brno – Bratislava – Budapest route as part of its new timetable.
On December 1, the Czech operator presented a ComfortJet train to representatives of ZSSK (Slovakia) and MÁV (Hungary) in Bratislava.
“We are taking important steps towards significantly improving the quality of travel on our trains to Slovakia and Hungary. I am delighted that we are able to take delivery of the ComfortJet trains at a rapid pace and that, from the second half of December, we will start running these trains to Bratislava and Budapest. Other trains will be operated with the popular Railjet, which will mean added comfort for passengers,” said Jiří Ješeta, member of the Board of Directors and Deputy CEO of České dráhy.
Rastislav Glasa, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director of the Strategy and European Funds Department at ZSSK, highlighted the benefits for Slovak passengers: “ComfortJet is proof of what modern and comfortable train travel can mean. I am delighted that this train will operate under the ZSSK logo in Slovakia and that our passengers will also be able to enjoy this experience. In addition, ZSSK plans to introduce similar trains on the domestic Košice–Bratislava route in the future, in order to bring the same level of comfort to domestic connections.”
MÁV representative László Reich, deputy director for strategy within the holding company, highlighted the tradition of rail travel in the region: “For Czechs, Slovaks, and Hungarians, it is still natural to travel between our countries by train rather than by plane or car. Passenger rail transport between the three countries remains very intense – almost half a million passengers use the joint lines operated by ČD, ZSSK, and MÁV every year. For the citizens of Central Europe, the railway is both a traditional and a visionary form of transport. It is traditional because rail links between our countries have been operating virtually without interruption since the Austro-Hungarian era, and it is visionary because the way mobility is used in this region can serve as a model for Europe as a whole.
ComfortJet trains: ČD’s most modern fleet
ComfortJet represents the newest long-distance trains in the Czech operator’s fleet. A complete train set has nine cars, offering 555 seats, of which 99 are in first class and 18 are in the dining car. The train is 237 meters long and can travel at speeds of up to 230 km/h.
Facilities and services include:
- air-conditioned interiors;
- fully equipped restaurant car;
- seats for people with disabilities, families with children, and space for strollers;
- bicycle racks and large luggage racks;
- free Wi-Fi on board;
- special windows that allow GSM signals to pass through;
- 230 V sockets and USB ports;
- advantages for seat reservations due to the fixed composition of the train.
ComfortJet trains are built as part of a collaboration between Siemens Mobility and the Škoda Group, combining Siemens traction technology with Škoda’s rolling stock design and production.
EuroCity Metropolitan becomes Railjet Metropolitan
With the change in train schedules in December, most Metropolitan services will move up to the higher railjet category. Passengers will be able to easily identify trains operated with the most modern rolling stock in Central Europe in the timetable.
There will be five Railjet trains per day from the Czech Republic to Hungary and five in the opposite direction. Only two trains in each direction will remain in the EuroCity category, operated by ZSSK with existing rolling stock. The Slovak train will also serve the evening train Metropolitan Slovenská strela on the Prague – Bratislava – Nové Zámky route, as well as the morning pair in the opposite direction.
In addition to ComfortJet, the use of Railjet trains, already well known on the Czech Republic – Austria routes since 2014, as well as on the two daily Prague – Bratislava trains, will also be expanded.
Extended services on the route to Bratislava and Budapest
The introduction of the new trains also brings improvements to the travel experience, such as:
- children’s cinema;
- online information and entertainment portal;
- more stable Wi-Fi connectivity;
- increased comfort on board.
“We aim to make the train the first choice for travel from the Czech Republic to the capitals of Slovakia and Hungary,” Jiří Ješeta concluded.
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