Overnight train from Prague to Croatia begins 2022 service

RegioJet's long-distance train from Prague to destinations in Croatia begins its seasonal summer service later this week when the first train departs from the Czech capital's Main Train Station on Friday, June 3.

The company launched the train service back in 2020, and despite the pandemic it proved to be a popular option among travelers. RegioJet expects increased interest this summer season; about 60,000 passengers rode on the route in 2020, while 40,000 tickets have already been sold this year according to a company spokesperson.

Trains from Prague leave three times per week in June, and service will be increased to daily in July and August. Passengers can take the train to Split, Rijeka or Ogulin, and catch connecting buses to dozens of other locations on the coast of Croatia.

A journey from Prague to Rijeka, the closest destination, runs nearly 18 hours, and stops in Kolín, Havlíčkův Brod, Žďár nad Sázavou, Brno, Břeclav and Bratislava to board additional passengers. The trains run overnight, leaving Prague at about 4:30 p.m. and arriving in Rijeka after 10:00 a.m. the following morning.

The route has been slightly modified this year to avoid longer delays at connecting stops. Some trains saw delays of up to several hours last year.

Each train has the capacity to take about 600 passengers. Despite the increased interest in these routes, the capacity cannot be increased for technical reasons, RegioJet project manager Tereza Ptáčková told local media.

"We are launching a train with 15 cars, two of which contain about 120 [standard] seats and 13 cars with beds," Ptáčková told ČTK.

"After last year's experience and at the request of passengers, we have increased the capacity of the quiet coupes, which offer up to 160 seats in four cars; we will adjust their number based on demand."

Price has been a big factor in the popularity of the overnight trains, with standard tickets running as low as 590 crowns to Rijeka. Those sell out the quickest, however, with tickets for travel in a sleeping car starting at 790 crowns. Tickets to Split run about 300 crowns more expensive.

Tickets for June are nearly sold out, though most trains still have a handful of seats available. Tickets can be booked directly through the RegioJet website.