The České dráhy has broken the previous speed limit of 160 km/h in regular service, with Pendolino high-speed train running for the first time at up to 200 km/h on Prague – České Budějovice line.
“I’m proud that it is precisely the České dráhy train that is the first in the country to reach a service speed of up to 200 km/h on a regular route, and I believe we will continue to push forward strongly with this trend. Our trains are ready for it — the most modern ComfortJet, together with the high-speed Vectron locomotive, is capable of running up to 230 km/h,” says Michal Krapinec, the CEO of České dráhy.
Passengers can now travel to the South Bohemian city in a record time of 95 minutes, with the return journey being five minutes faster. Pendolino high-speed train achieves its maximum speed thanks to tilting train technology on two sections of the southern corridor, between Votice and Sudoměřice, and between Doubí and Soběslav, specifically designed for tilting trains to travel at speeds up to 200 km/h.
“The modernisation of Prague – České Budějovice line is delivering tangible results. Thanks to the deployment of the fast Pendolino units and infrastructure upgrades, journey times have been reduced and travel comfort increased. This represents a significant step forward for Czech railways, laying the foundation for operating at higher speeds on future high-speed lines, where Czech trains will run at up to 320 km/h,” said the Minister of Transport Martin Kupka.
The extension of the Pendolino service to České Budějovice opens up new travel possibilities, providing a seamless connection from the eastern regions to the south of Bohemia. The evening service links up with train SC 500, which runs from Bohumín to Prague, thereby establishing a direct route connecting Ostrava, Olomouc, Pardubice, Prague, Tábor, and České Budějovice.
“Breaking the current speed limit is more than just an operational change for us – it symbolises the opening of a new chapter in Czech railways. On the corridor from Prague to České Budějovice, the construction of tunnels between Nemanice and Ševětín will straighten the line and save passengers valuable minutes. We will begin tunnelling next year,” says Jiří Svoboda, CEO of the Railway Administration.
Alstom has delivered a total of seven high-speed Pendolino units to České dráhy, six remaining operational due to an accident from 2022 incolving one trainset. The 7-car trains offer 27 seats, including 52 in first class, two wheelchair spaces, and three bicycle spaces. The entire train has 16 powered axles with a total output of 4,000 kW. Its maximum operating speed is 200 km/h.
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