Premiere on Czech Rails: Polish Pendolino Enters Regular Service

Premiere on the north–south axis: For the first time, a Polish Pendolino is operating in regular service through Czechia. For three months, the high-speed train will connect Prague with Bohumín.

Passengers of the Czech Railways (České dráhy) can look forward to a special railway experience: From 9 March to 17 June 2026, a Polish high-speed train will, for the first time, run in regular passenger service on the route Prague – Bohumín and back through Czechia. In cooperation with the Polish state operator PKP Intercity, ČD will deploy the ED250 Pendolino unit on selected SuperCity services.

The operations form part of the ongoing approval process for service in the Czech Republic. This will mark the first time the Polish Pendolino operates in regular scheduled service with passengers outside Poland.

“In the eleven years they have been in service in Poland, the Pendolino trains have covered millions of kilometres. We are pleased that further kilometres will now be added on routes operated by České dráhy,” said ČD Chairman and Director General Michal Krapinec. For passengers, the deployment offers the opportunity “to experience the best that Polish railways currently have to offer”. At the same time, the company is supporting its Polish partners in the approval process.

Foto: Jakub Hałun | Wikimedia Commons

PKP Intercity also views the project as a sign of close cooperation. Board member Adam Wawrzyniak stressed that within a decade the Pendolino trains have become a symbol of modern travel in Poland. He wished Czech passengers a pleasant journey and invited them to discover the offerings of the Polish catering company WARS in the on-board restaurant.

Operation on the Prague – Ostrava – Bohumín Route

The trial operation with passengers follows test runs that had already taken place in Czechia in October 2025. From 9 March, the Polish Pendolino trains will operate for around three months between Bohumín and Prague, with stops in Ostrava, Olomouc and Pardubice. In total, around 60,000 kilometres are expected to be covered on the Czech rail network.

The unit is most likely to appear on services SC 511 (Prague Main Station 15:31 – Bohumín 18:54) and SC 516 (Bohumín 04:58 – Prague Main Station 08:28). The usual SuperCity conditions of carriage apply; seat reservations are compulsory between Bohumín and Prague.

On board, the train crew will remain Czech, while the catering service will be provided by the Polish company WARS. This will give travellers on the busy Ostrava–Prague axis a culinary insight into Polish rail services as well.

Between 2011 and 2014, PKP Intercity procured a total of 20 Pendolino high-speed trains from the manufacturer Alstom. The seven-car units have a design top speed of 250 km/h and offer 402 seats. In Czechia, they are authorised to operate at speeds of up to 160 km/h, while in Poland they reach regular operating speeds of up to 200 km/h.