Czech Railways (CD) and Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) will collaborate on the Graz – Vienna – Brno – Prague route.

Three ÖBB railjet trains and seven ČD railjet trains will be deployed in the 2015 timetable (valid from December 2014) at two-hour intervals on the Prague – Brno – Vienna – Graz line. Thus, from 2015, all major international connections departing from Vienna Central Station will be operated by first-class trains – railjets or ICE trains. Vienna Central Station will serve as an important transfer hub for high-quality international railway transport, into which ČD will be integrated as well. In cooperation with ČD, ÖBB will offer a direct connection without a transfer on the north-south axis (Prague – Vienna – Graz), similar to its offering of railjet trains already operating on the east-west axis (Budapest – Vienna – Salzburg – Munich / – Zurich).

Thanks to the deployment of railjets on connections between Prague and Vienna, the comfort level offered to passengers travelling from both countries will be enhanced. Railjets feature speed, comfort and modern design, and are environmentally-friendly as well.

The 206-metre-long 7-carriage trains weighing 330 tonnes have more than 400 seats. All railjets operated on the Prague – Brno – Vienna – Graz line (ÖBB as well as ČD) will be equipped with a restaurant/bistro and compartments for bicycles. Each railjet carriage also contains an easy-to-use information system. Displays inform passengers of the train’s current speed, the course of the journey, the train’s position and upcoming stops. An electronic reservation system makes it easy to find seats, which are organised as business class, 1st class and 2nd class. The trains are also equipped with a children’s cinema and places for passengers using wheelchairs. Traction for all railjet trains on the Prague – Graz line will be provided by Austrian class 1216 Taurus locomotives as part of the cooperation between ČD and ÖBB.

(Source: ÖBB/ČD)