Travellers with children in the Czech Republic can look forward to increasingly family-friendly services on long-distance and regional trains. Czech Railways (ČD) has introduced numerous improvements in recent years to make travelling with young passengers even more enjoyable. From dedicated areas for pushchairs to interactive entertainment options, the railway offers a variety of amenities that make the journey easier for families and turn the time spent on the train into an entertaining experience for children.
Already, 130 long-distance trains operated by Czech Railways (České dráhy) feature a children’s cinema, hundreds of trains have carriages with play areas for children, around 500 long-distance connections offer reserved seats for travellers with children under the age of 10, and thousands of connections feature barrier-free, low-floor carriages that make travelling with pushchairs easier.
“We are constantly developing new services on our trains for all customer groups, including families with children of all ages. For mothers with infants and toddlers, we have provided large areas for pushchairs on new trains, and the barrier-free restrooms are equipped with folding tables for changing the smallest travellers. For older children, hundreds of long-distance trains offer reserved seats, dozens of carriages are equipped with the board game ‘Elfíkova cesta,’ and in many other trains, we have introduced a children’s cinema showing fairy tales and cartoons,” says Jiří Ješeta, board member and deputy general director for passenger transport at Czech Railways.
These family-friendly services are offered to travellers on the latest Railjet, InterJet, and ComfortJet trains. In these long-distance trains, there are specially reserved areas for pushchairs near the seats reserved for travellers with children under 10. The tables feature a board game, and there is a children’s cinema. The large folding tables can also be used for other activities, such as additional board games like Memory or ‘Ludo,’ or for drawing. Power sockets and USB ports allow tablets to be charged, enabling children to watch their pre-prepared shows during the journey.
Additional entertainment options during the journey are available through the onboard info and entertainment portal on the new trains. These train types can be found on services such as the Západní expres, Krušnohor, Vindobona, as well as on some routes of the Ostravan and Berlin services. This offering will also be extended to the Metropolitan trains next year.
Modern regional trains also make travelling with children easier. The trains are low-floor, making it easier to board with a pushchair or small children, with no extra assistance required. These trains also feature areas for pushchairs, and the units are equipped with folding tables for changing the smallest travellers. Power sockets and USB ports allow tablets and smartphones to be charged during the journey, keeping the little ones entertained and content.
