Brno to Prague - Bus or Train?

[warriorofrovac]

In July, I am travelling to the Czech Republic.

I fly into Brno, with the intention of visiting Brno, possibly Olomouc, Prague and Karlovy Vary before flying home from Prague.

However, I've noticed that Coach travel is significantly faster than the national railway. By Student Agency coaches, I can do Brno-Olomouc in 1 hr, compared to 1hr30/2hrs by train. From Brno-Prague, the coach is 2 hours, compared to 2hr30/3 hours by train.

Student Agency markets these routes as a Fun and Relax Coach including individual backseat touchscreens, plugs, newspapers, wifi and free hot drinks and the price is almost the same as the train.

I like trains, so trains would be my preference but ultimately, with the coach the same price, quicker and offering a lot more. Is there any point going by train?

 

[radamfi]

Is there any point going by train?

In central, southern and eastern Europe, trains can often be slow and run down and therefore coaches play a big role in inter-city travel. Getting coaches is a normal thing to do. That's different to western Europe where trains are far more important and coaches are generally only used by people wanting to save money.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I've only done the train, but I found the EC trains via Brno excellent.
A 1st Minute ticket (Advance) to Prague is CZK 189 (£5.31) and the walk-up special offer is nearly as cheap (CZK 219).
A similar ticket Brno-Olomouc is CZK 95 (£2.67) each way, but it's a slower route.
They also do a network ticket (all of CZ) at CZK 579 (£16.27) - go anywhere same day. Includes the rail-airport bus in Prague.

Brno-Prague is a mixture of RailJets (from Vienna) or classic EC stock.
I did find quite a bit of engineering work last time as they are upgrading the main route east of Prague.
http://www.cd.cz/en/default.htm

RegioJet (open access operator, part of Student Agency) is planning to start Brno-Prague services in December 2016.

 

[70014IronDuke]

... Is there any point going by train?

The journey from Brno to Prague, at least the first half from Km 10, is thoroughly enjoyable, winding through beautiful woodlands dotted with villages and lakes. It reminds me in some ways of a central European version of the LSWR line west of Salisbury.

The motorway journey is far less attractive.

 

[30907]

Yes, if you're at all into railways!

The Czech system isn't the world's fastest but it's pretty cheap, and those Advance fares arent tied to a specific train.

It's still operated in traditional manner by and large, and some trains have real restaurant cars.
(I've just sampled my first Slovak RC food today BTW, and the prices are silly! - and a couple of days ago I watched a Czech station pilot attaching a strengthening coach to a train. Older readers may know what that means...☺)

Even better, you can use a CD Summer Ticket giving you a weeks unlimited travel for CZK790 and 2 weeks for 1190. That ought to be a clincher, even if the rest leaves you cold.

 

[Gordon]

I can't see why you wouldn't want to use the trains. Most express trains in Eastern Europe are comparatively cheap, perfectly acceptable, tradtional loco hauled trains, just like the UK 30 years ago.

cheers (from another one who remembers what adding extra coaches means...)


.

 

[dutchflyer]

Am in Praha now-arrived today, cheek in tongue-yes by FLIXBus from Berlin-special offer, 9.99 eur and long bus was nearly full-mostly with non-Euro young travellers. Will use the Railjet=StudAgency TRAIN tomorrow to go to Poprad in SK, fare 12 eur for business=class seat. yes, STA=RJ has excellent buses/coaches, mostly 15 mtr Spanish Irizar and yes, they do have stewardesses/hostesses offering free coffees/teas. But here in CZ it simply depends on the actual route-you name quite a few whcih are indeed both faster, cheaper and more comfy by bus as per train. Note also that there are more competitors to STA for bus, but STA offers usually the lowest advance fares.

 

[D6700]

Regiojet, not Railjet