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Czech Carriages north of Hamburg

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YorkshireBear

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I am on a train from Hamburg to Copenhagen and twice now we have been passed by a full set of Czech carriages.

I've googled for a while and cannot work out where they have come from.

First set was just north of Hamburg so assumed coming off a depot for a service to Prague. The second was just to the north of Neunmünster coming off the line from Flensburg. Any ideas?
 
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RailUK Forums

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Mr_B

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YorkshireBear said:
I am on a train from Hamburg to Copenhagen and twice now we have been passed by a full set of Czech carriages.

I've googled for a while and cannot work out where they have come from.

First set was just north of Hamburg so assumed coming off a depot for a service to Prague. The second was just to the north of Neunmünster coming off the line from Flensburg. Any ideas?
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What times - there's Flensburg-Prague EC's that were Czech formed when I saw one northbound at Berlin last year, eg https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=CD&cislo=175&lang=en
 
Y

YorkshireBear

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Yep that must be it. I did not know they ran as far as Flensburg and obviously my googling wasn't effective! Thanks folks.
 
30907

30907

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YorkshireBear said:
Yep that must be it. I did not know they ran as far as Flensburg and obviously my googling wasn't effective! Thanks folks.
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It's a relatively new service in marginal time, and keeps Flensburg on the IC network (and therefore its citizens/politicians/local media happy) now that the Copenhagens bypass it and call at Schleswig instead.
 
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popeter45

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30907 said:
It's a relatively new service in marginal time, and keeps Flensburg on the IC network (and therefore its citizens/politicians/local media happy) now that the Copenhagens bypass it and call at Schleswig instead.
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would also be nice if when the IC5's start running they extend it to Padborg as they IC5's wont run to Flensburg
 
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SeanG

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It'd be nice to see them run all the way Prague - Copenhagen but appreciate that this is a marginal time working (and would require stock clearance and possibly a loco change) so it probably won't happen.
 
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wellhouse

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For those who enjoy dining on the rails, Germany offers a variety of cuisines (apart from German) on services such as this. Last year we enjoyed a Czech lunch en route from Dresden to Hamburg, and tomorrow we'll be sampling a Swiss lunch heading along The Rhine south from Koblenz.
 
jamesontheroad

jamesontheroad

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SeanG said:
It'd be nice to see them run all the way Prague - Copenhagen but appreciate that this is a marginal time working (and would require stock clearance and possibly a loco change) so it probably won't happen.
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That is the long term intention. ČD recently published a map of EuroCity and InterCity routes they were planning and Copenhagen appeared. My best guess is not before December 2025.
 
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SeanG

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wellhouse said:
For those who enjoy dining on the rails, Germany offers a variety of cuisines (apart from German) on services such as this. Last year we enjoyed a Czech lunch en route from Dresden to Hamburg, and tomorrow we'll be sampling a Swiss lunch heading along The Rhine south from Koblenz.
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If you can get on the Hungarian restaurant cars, I would say that they are the best
 
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wellhouse

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SeanG said:
If you can get on the Hungarian restaurant cars, I would say that they are the best
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I quite agree. Back in the day, before the introduction of ICE services to Vienna, I took The Ferenc Liszt from Budapest to Cologne, and enjoyed Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner on the way
 
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MattSGB

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SeanG said:
If you can get on the Hungarian restaurant cars, I would say that they are the best
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The old Slovak ones used to be my favourite, when they were still run by private individuals who proudly ran their own carriage for decades, with the food they wanted. In recent years though, they have been superseded by smart new carriages with ultra-processed american-style factory-produced rubbish, and the old staff have all been retired. I still like the Czech restaurant cars though as they have Pilsener Urquell on draft, and you can't go wrong with that and smažený sýr (fried edam cheese).
 
cakefiend

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MattSGB said:
The old Slovak ones used to be my favourite, when they were still run by private individuals who proudly ran their own carriage for decades, with the food they wanted. In recent years though, they have been superseded by smart new carriages with ultra-processed american-style factory-produced rubbish, and the old staff have all been retired. I still like the Czech restaurant cars though as they have Pilsener Urquell on draft, and you can't go wrong with that and smažený sýr (fried edam cheese).
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It's not the same, but I've noticed that Czech caterer JLV (once part of the Czechoslovak railway apparatus, now an independent caterer) is looking for people to take on restaurant car franchises. JLV provide the catering on most Czech trains with a dining car, and also provide sleeper hosts and catering on sleepers. The Czech trolley services (CD minibar) are done in-house, presumably because they don't make much money - if any.
 
43096

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SeanG said:
If you can get on the Hungarian restaurant cars, I would say that they are the best
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Hungarian, Czech, Slovakian and Polish restaurant cars have all been an excellent experience whenever I have used them. Long may that remain the case!
 
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SeanG

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Note that the 2x north/south ones (Hamburg / Terespol) have much higher prices than those going east/west (Vienna/Brasov/Cluj). However having said that it really isn't expensive anyway. (eg for a draught Gosser 500ml it is €3.50 (£2.99) on north/south vs €2.90 (£2.48) on east/west)

Also of note is that those going via Berlin don't charge a supplement (ie non-happy hour) in Germany as the CD ones do.
 
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route101

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I really ought to try the Czech restaurant cars. What routes do they run on? I know Berlin to Prague as I seen one a few days ago.

I took the Berlin to Amsterdam service and there was no catering. Is this usually the case?
 
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rvdborgt

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route101 said:
I really ought to try the Czech restaurant cars. What routes do they run on? I know Berlin to Prague as I seen one a few days ago.
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On the Prague-Hamburg services. Check vagonweb.cz
route101 said:
I took the Berlin to Amsterdam service and there was no catering. Is this usually the case?
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Since the 2024 timetable, until the new Talgo sets come into service.
 
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route101

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rvdborgt said:
On the Prague-Hamburg services. Check vagonweb.cz

Since the 2024 timetable, until the new Talgo sets come into service.
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I see, was it a restuarant car?

Glad I got the loco hauled service in before it goes.
 
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rvdborgt

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route101 said:
I see, was it a restuarant car?
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A Bordbistro, but all of those went out of service. There's now supposed to be someone selling coffee/tea and some snack from one of the compartments. Not sure in which carriage though.
 
30907

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route101 said:
I really ought to try the Czech restaurant cars. What routes do they run on? I know Berlin to Prague as I seen one a few days ago.
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Prague to Olomouc/Ostrava and beyond, Bratislava/Budapest, Vienna (Czech Railjets, same basic menu), Ceske Budejovice/Linz (a recent addition!). But check the timetable or Vagonweb to be sure.
 
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DanielB

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rvdborgt said:
There's now supposed to be someone selling coffee/tea and some snack from one of the compartments. Not sure in which carriage though.
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Should be carriage 30 as one of the second class compartments has been converted to a bistro with limited food and drink menu. (Carriage 30 is the only 2nd class one having compartments)
 
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SeanG

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On the CD services, check that it is the full restaurant car rather than the bistro. The bistro is ok... But a full restaurant car is better.

Can I also put an honourable mention in for the PKP restaurant cars operated by WARS. Great food and good beer for reasonable prices
 
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MattSGB

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route101 said:
I really ought to try the Czech restaurant cars. What routes do they run on? I know Berlin to Prague as I seen one a few days ago.

I took the Berlin to Amsterdam service and there was no catering. Is this usually gue to Bratislava and
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There is a restaurant on the Prague, Brno, Bratislava, Budapest route, but it alternates between restaurant cars of the three national carriers.
There is also supposed to be one on the Prague / Zurich sleeper between Leipzig and Prague, but unfortunately, when I took caught it last year, the restaurant car wasn't attached to the train.
There is also a restaurant car (well half a carriage) on the direct Prague to Český Krumlov train (not sure about the ones that terminate at Budějovice but I think they may have them too.
 
30907

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MattSGB said:
There is also a restaurant car (well half a carriage) on the direct Prague to Český Krumlov train (not sure about the ones that terminate at Budějovice but I think they may have them too.
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The ICs should have, as they interwork with the Linz ECs - technically Bistro cars but the menu seems pretty much the same as the full restaurants (which are becoming confined to Berlin and Budapest sets IIRC).
 
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route101

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What is everyone's tricks to keep their seat in standard while dining in the restaurant car?
 
43096

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route101 said:
What is everyone's tricks to keep their seat in standard while dining in the restaurant car?
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Time your visit to the reastaurant car so that you have enough time to eat before your stop, so you can move from seat to restaurant and not have to move back.
 
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SeanG

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^This, and if you have enough time after your meal then just order another drink.
On short hops of about an hour I see the price of a drink as a cheap seat reservation
 
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