Czech Republic

[stuartmoss]

Hi all,

Planning a trip to the Czech Republic later in the year. Just a few things I'd like to know...

It looks to me that there's still a fair amount of older rolling stock running in the country, but is there a particular area which you'd recommend where it's more common? Found a couple of train formations websites and the diagrams on ERG, but having never been to the country I don't know where everywhere is! I'm interested in both locos and units.

Are there any particularly scenic lines that you would recommend travelling over?

Lastly, apart from Prague which I'll probably stay in, which other cities are worth paying a visit to? Answers from both a tram enthusiast's and tourist's point of view welcome!

Many thanks!

I went to Pilsen last year, and thought it was decent, it was also the European Capital of Culture. It has a mainline station and a modern tram system.

 

[bradford758]

Liberec has two gauges for their tramways.
Olomouc is a pleasant small town.
There are many interesting secondary routes throughout the country, but you may need a timetable as some have a very limited service.

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[pne]

Depending on what you're into as regards tourism, the divided town of Český Těšín / Cieszyn may be interesting - formerly one town, then divided between Czechia and Poland along the river running through the town.

You could take the train from the Czech side to the Polish side and walk back, or vice versa, to have a look at the two that used to be one.

Also useful for a "day trip" to Poland as it's just a wander over the bridge away rather than several miles!

 

[70014IronDuke]

I went to Pilsen last year, and thought it was decent, it was also the European Capital of Culture. It has a mainline station and a modern tram system.

Well, Plzen has special memories for me. The main square is amazing. Wonderful city. Don't miss the Plzen Brewery museum. (very close to station - allow 2-3 hours).
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Liberec has two gauges for their tramways.

Liberec is on my list of 'to do'. It has a rather special history - being the centre of Sudetenland Nazidom, despite having a Social Democrat mayor before Hitler took full power.

And I agree with you about the secondary lines. Scores of intriguing lines like the UK before 1960.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Depending on what you're into as regards tourism, the divided town of Český Těšín / Cieszyn may be interesting - formerly one town, then divided between Czechia and Poland along the river running through the town.
....

Another town with a special history. IIRC, Hitler used it as bait for the Poles (aren't people mugs?) - promising the Czech bits of the municipality, ie Český Těšín to the Poles in return for at least tacit support for the Nazis to take the Sudetenland.

The Polish politicians (or enough of them) swallowed this, only to wake up and realise that their entire southern border (along with their western border too, of course) was now under Nazi rule.

Anyone know the Polish is for "We have shot ourselves in the feet, big time" ?

I guess Český Těšín was controlled by Poland for about 12 months.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

In CZ, I like the way the km posts still have their origin at zero with the Nordbahn (KFNB) at Vienna Nord.
They run all the way via Brno (155) past Prague (409) to 539-odd at Děčin, where the Saxon-Bohemian Railway started towards Dresden.
Most other state borders that were once within the Austro-Hungarian empire give you a reset of distance markers.
For example, between Graz and Maribor, both originally on the Austrian Südbahn, the kms change from 260 (from Vienna) to 610 (from Belgrade, now 2 borders away in Serbia).