Train travel in Europe is getting another fresh boost. On Friday 1 May, a new direct route running from Prague to Hamburg and on to Copenhagen was launched, linking three countries in one smooth trip.
It’s the first time the cities have been directly connected by train in more than a decade.
Czech Railways (ČD), the Czech Republic’s largest rail carrier, has launched two daily return services between Prague’s main railway station, Hlavní Nádraží, and Hamburg in Germany.
One of the two services will then continue on to the Danish capital of Copenhagen.
Both trains will stop off in the German cities of Dresden and Berlin, too, making them an ideal option for tourists and business travellers alike.
Trains will depart year-round at 6:30 am and 10:30 am, but there will be an additional 4:30 pm departure during the summer season – ideal for tourists to take advantage of.
The new route, jointly operated by ČD, Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Denmark’s Danske Statsbaner (DSB), was able to launch as overhaul work on the line between Berlin and Hamburg came to an end.
A comfortable – and surprisingly speedy – journey
Despite the hundreds of kilometres between the destinations, the train route is faster than you might expect.
The journey from Prague to Hamburg is six hours and 41 minutes direct, whereas the trip from the Czech Republic to Copenhagen takes just over 13 hours, thanks to the trains which can reach speeds of up to 230 km/h.
Up to 555 passengers will experience ČD’s recently launched ComfortJet trains, which offer a wide range of amenities including an on-board restaurant, Wi-Fi, bicycle storage and a children’s cinema.
The high-speed trains also boast wheelchair lifts, as well as radio-transparent windows, which means that mobile connectivity and reception for passengers is improved.
The new connection between Prague and Copenhagen is among the first of 10 European Commission pilot projects to launch.
The body is aiming to promote new cross-border train routes, improve international mobility and address issues with long-distance rail, targeting everything from infrastructure bottlenecks to market barriers.
A more connected continent
When the new link was announced last year, DB’s board member for long-distance passenger transport sang its praises.
“Rail is bringing Europe closer and closer together,” said Michael Peterson. “Journey times of over four hours are popular with our passengers in international long-distance transport, and we are offering additional attractive services to meet the growing demand.”
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the EU’s commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, also praised the Prague-Copenhagen route, calling it “a strong example of progress” towards a more connected – and greener – Europe.
The new connection comes hot on the heels of DB and France’s SNCF’s recently-launched Berlin to Paris route, and will be followed this December by a Munich-Milan-Rome itinerary.
Tickets for the Prague-Hamburg-Copenhagen route are available at ČD’s, DB’s, and DSB’s international ticket offices, as well as through the company’s e-shop, and via the Můj vlak mobile application.