České dráhy Records Strongest First Half-Year Since 2019

České dráhy carried more passengers in the first half of 2026 than at any time since 2019. Demand rose particularly strongly in regional and suburban transport.

Czech Railways (ČD) carried more passengers in the first half of 2026 than at any time since the final year before the coronavirus pandemic. A total of 85.5 million people used České dráhy trains. This was 5.5 million more than during the same period of the previous year.

The number of passengers therefore increased by almost seven per cent within one year. Domestic transport performed particularly strongly. The company recorded the largest increases within regional integrated transport systems and on selected long-distance routes where rail represents a competitive alternative to the car.

“The significant increase in passenger numbers shows that our decision to invest in modern trains was the right one,” said Michal Krapinec, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of České dráhy.

Foto: České dráhy

Growing demand could be seen wherever new vehicles were introduced. The Czech railway had the potential to return to the level recorded before the coronavirus pandemic and subsequently continue growing.

Regional and Suburban Transport Drives Growth

While the number of passengers rose by almost seven per cent, transport performance increased somewhat more slowly. It reached around 3.97 billion passenger-kilometres in the first half of the year, 4.6 per cent above the previous year’s figure.

In numerous metropolitan areas, the railway forms the backbone of public transport. It performs a similar function there to the Prague Metro, but connects not only individual districts, but also towns and municipalities throughout the entire region.

Foto: České dráhy

Czech Railways attributes the rising passenger numbers partly to the modernisation of its vehicle fleet. In recent years, older carriages have increasingly been replaced by modern, accessible and mostly air-conditioned trains.

International Rail Transport Stagnates

While domestic rail transport grew significantly, the number of international travellers remained almost unchanged. Just under three million passengers used České dráhy’s cross-border services during the first six months. This was approximately in line with the previous year’s level.

Foto: České dráhy

The company cites long-term construction work and line closures as one reason for the stagnant development. These sometimes result in longer journey times or require passengers to transfer to replacement buses.

The connection between Vsetín and the Slovak town of Púchov is among those affected, with replacement transport being provided because of a closure lasting around one year. Regular restrictions also apply on Mondays between Děčín and Bad Schandau on the important railway corridor to Germany.