Czech Railways opens new Prague–Ukraine night train
Czech Railways (ČD) has launched a new night service from Prague to Przemyśl, the major Polish border station with onward morning connections into Ukraine, restoring overnight connectivity on a corridor that has depended on buses and daytime transfers since the start of the war. The service uses refurbished coaches and a timetable constrained by cross-border capacity limits.
Unlike Western Europe’s newer leisure-focused night-train routes, ČD’s extension meets core travel demand: steady flows of workers, students and families moving between the Czech Republic, south-eastern Poland and western Ukraine.
Passenger numbers have remained high on related routes, especially the Prague–Košice night train. The new connection removes an overnight transfer and aligns with Ukrainian Railways’ early-morning departures from the border.
A demand-driven extension on a route with limited capacity
The extension relies on classic Central European night-train coaches: four-berth and six-berth compartments and seated cars refurbished for long overnight distances. ČD has chosen to expand capacity with available stock rather than wait for future renewals — a common challenge across Europe, where night-train demand often exceeds the available fleet.
Operationally, capacity on the route is limited. The service passes through Slovakia, requiring coordination with ŽSR for pathing and with Ukrainian Railways for morning connections at Przemyśl.
Border procedures remain a key constraint, and the train needs fixed paths to keep onward connections toward Lviv and Kyiv reliable. The timetable aims to shorten waiting times at the border without creating conflicts on the Slovak section.
For many passengers, the train replaces multi-stage trips that previously required night buses or early-morning changes in south-eastern Poland. The service is functional rather than premium — but meets the region’s main travel needs: reliable overnight transport that connects directly to Ukraine’s westbound long-distance trains.
Rolling stock and cross-border coordination
ČD plans to adjust consist sizes depending on seasonal peaks, with summer and winter holidays expected to bring the highest loads. Further improvements — including better compartment amenities — depend on future rolling-stock strategy and availability in the central European leasing market.
Cross-border checks will remain the key constraint. Changes in how fast border checks are handled or which facilities are available on the Slovak or Ukrainian side could change how the service is scheduled.
For now, the first weeks of operation show stable running and strong demand among long-distance travellers moving between EU countries and Ukraine.
Why it matters: The route supports essential mobility between the EU and Ukraine.
Watch: Border-processing constraints and rolling-stock availability.
Impact: Reduces transfers for passengers travelling into Ukraine.
Editor’s note: This article was updated on Sunday at 22:30 to correct the end-station. The service runs to Przemyśl (Poland), not Chop, as stated in the first version.