Planning to travel over Easter? Czech Railways is adding extra carriages to key routes, but with high demand expected, booking a seat early is highly recommended. Travellers without reservations should check train occupancy levels and consider off-peak or regional services where possible.
The Easter period traditionally sees a rise in travel demand. This year, Czech Railways (ČD) will once again strengthen its long-distance services with both scheduled and additional reinforcement carriages. Passengers are advised to book their seats in advance. Those travelling without a reservation should consult the ‘traffic light’ system, which indicates heavily used connections. Travellers are also encouraged to use off-peak trains or opt for less busy regional services for shorter journeys—particularly around Prague, such as routes to Beroun, Kolín, Benešov u Prahy, and other destinations near the capital.
Regular reinforcement carriages will be introduced from Wednesday, 16 April, in anticipation of the Easter holidays, which begin on Thursday. Trains on both Thursday and Monday will be reinforced. ČD (České dráhy) will add extra carriages to routes from Prague towards Plzeň and Cheb, České Budějovice, Hradec Králové, and also to Moravia, including destinations such as Ostrava, Slovácko, and Brno. Around ten standby carriages will be stationed at selected railway hubs—mainly in Prague—for emergency deployment.
Despite the enhanced capacity, early seat reservations are strongly recommended. Passengers without reservations should consult the ‘traffic light’ indicator in journey planners, which shows expected occupancy levels for each service using a four-tier system. Trains marked with a red symbol or a warning that virtually all seats are reserved are expected to be very full, with limited seating available. Travellers who can avoid peak times are encouraged to do so. For shorter journeys, particularly around Prague—such as to Kolín, Benešov, or Beroun—regional trains are recommended, as they are likely to be less crowded than long-distance services used by holiday travellers.
This year’s České dráhy (ČD) timetable includes over 8,600 different train routes, covering nearly 120 million kilometres annually. Approximately one-third of this volume is accounted for by long-distance services, with the remainder provided by regional trains.
