Privately-owned Czech rail operator Leo Express will commence a new cross-border route connecting Prague and Bratislava, Slovakia, on Thursday (30 April).
The service will be operated using Talgo IV trains leased from Spanish rail company Renfe, which owns a 50 per cent stake in Leo Express. The trains can reach speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour and can accommodate 350 passengers across 13 carriages.
The new route will run from Prague Main Station to Bratislava hl.st., with intermediary stops at Pardubice, Olomouc, Otrokovice and Staré Město u Uherského Hradiště. The total journey time is five hours and 42 minutes.
Renfe has leased a total of three Talgo IV trainsets to Leo Express. As well as serving the Prague-Bratislava route, a Talgo VI train will also be deployed on Leo Express’ Prague-Prešov route, which will recommence services on 30 April following a two-month suspension due to infrastructure works.
The third train is designated for Leo Express’ planned expansion into the German market this summer, with services between Przemyśl in southeastern Poland and Frankfurt scheduled to commence on 25 June 2026, according to the company’s website.
With these new offerings, Leo Express anticipates passenger volumes will rise by at least 1.5 million in 2026, surpassing six million travellers.