Summer on the train
Summer is a great time to travel and discover. Why not to do so on a train? Transport by train has had a long tradition in the Czech Republic – the railway network is one of the densest in Europe and highly elaborated.
In the Czech Republic there is one national railway company – the Czech Railways – and two private ones – Student agency with their Regio Jet trains and Leo Express. You can find out more at the official government website for tourists. Whereas the private companies with fewer destinations usually focus on comfort and extra services, the biggest one – the Czech Railways – tries to attract its users through various discounts, passes and offers.
Here are some of the specials (not only) for this summer:
- In-karta card guarantees a series of discounts and can also serve as an electronic wallet and admission to cultural events. And it is easy to get – request it in person or online, all you need is an ID or passport and a passport-sized photo. Once registered, you´ll get a temporary paper In-karta and a month later, you´ll receive a plastic one via mail.
- Ticket for Summer 2013 means that travelling by train during the summer holiday can be more affordable. The Ticket for Summer is a 14-day long ticket (consecutive days) to the second carriage class on all trains of the Czech Railroads. The offer is valid until August 1 and the ticket is cheaper for holders of In-karta or ISIC.
- Bike rentals can be handy especially when you have friends or family coming over and you all want to go on a bike trip. For a reasonable price plus a deposit you can rent a bike for a few hours or over a week (In-karta holders get a discount again). In the South-Moravian Region bikes can be rented at following train stations: Břeclav, Veselí nad Moravou, Znojmo or Hodonín, and returned at any from a slightly longer list of the Czech Railoads rental facilities. The same applies to other regions as well.
And finally, some TTTs or Tips for Train Trips:
- Turn back time and get to the age of steam and narrow-gauge trains on a historic train ride.
- Jump on a train and visit the Czech Railways Museum in Lužná u Rakovníka, displaying collections of steam locomotives, railcars and technical railway equipment.
- Find more TTTs on an events list regularly updated by a group of train enthusiasts or among these tips for train-lovers.
And remeber that “the only way to be sure of catching a train is to miss the one before it“. G. K. Chesterton.