Český Krumlov...

A day trip to Český Krumlov for €25

The UNESCO-listed town of Český Krumlov is the second most-visited place in the Czech Republic after Prague, and it's easy to see why.  It's picture-postcard perfect.  You don't need an expensive tour, nor do you need to endure a bus.  You don't even need to book in advance.  Just buy a round trip train ticket in advance or on the day, it cannot sell out - and hop on a comfortable train through the Bohemian farmland and forests.  The train ride is part of the fun, and you might even discover where Budweiser beer comes from on the way!  You can go to Český Krumlov and back in a day, or stay over and make it a 2-day trip.

  Train times

  How much does it cost?

  How to buy tickets

  A day trip to Český Krumlov in pictures

  Travel tips & useful links

Train times there & back

• Outward journey, by direct train at 09:20

  There is a direct Intercity train leaving Prague Hlavni at 09:20 every day and arriving Český Krumlov at 11:49.

  This is the one to take if you can, it has modern air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class cars with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, and a bistro car serving drinks, snacks and meals.  1st class passengers are served at their seats.  A pleasure to travel on!

  Check times online at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.  For English, change the Czech flag to a UK one top right.

• Outward journey, earlier & later departures

  In addition to the once-daily direct train, trains link Prague Hlavni with Český Krumlov every 2 hours through the day taking around 2h55-3h20 with one easy change from Czech Railways express train to GWTR branch line train at České Budějovice.

  For example at the time I write this there are trains at 05:58, 06:28, 07:28, 09:58, 10:28, 13:58, 15:58, 18:01, 20:28.

  Check times online at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.  For English, change the Czech flag to a UK one top right.

• Return journey, by direct train at 14:08

  There is a direct Intercity train leaving Český Krumlov at 14:08 every day and arriving Prague Hlavni at 16:39.

  It has modern air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class cars with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, and a bistro car serving drinks, snacks and meals.  1st class passengers are served at their seats.  A pleasure to travel on!

  Check times online at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.  For English, change the Czech flag to a UK one top right.

• Return journey, earlier & later departures

  In addition to the once-daily direct train, trains leave Český Krumlov station every 2 hours taking around 2h55-3h20 with one easy change from GWTR branch line train to Czech Railways express train at České Budějovice.

  For example at the time I write this, there are trains at 06:04, 08:11, 10:49, 13:00, 14:55, 17:00, 19:00.

  Check times online at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.  For English, change the Czech flag to a UK one top right.

• For a day trip, taking the direct morning Intercity train outward and the 17:00 back would give you over 5 hours, enough to wander the streets and castle courtyards, climb the castle tower and have lunch.  It's up to you.  With trains, you can come back earlier or later if you like as you are not committed to a particular time, you can decide on the day.

• Transfer to Český Krumlov old town

  By taxi:  Český Krumlov station is a fair walk from the old town, see map of Český Krumlov.  But taxis will be waiting and can take you right to the heart of the old town square in 10 minutes for around 100-150 koruna, about €5-€6 for all passengers.  Chances are that there will be other tourists on the train so you can share a taxi and split the cost if you like.

  By local bus:  There are local buses between Český Krumlov station and the town, roughly every half hour. The fare is around 10kc (€0.40), cash or (reportedly) by contactless card.  The buses leave from a stop outside the station called Český Krumlov Zeleznicni Stanice (railway station).  Get off at the stop called Český Krumlov Spicak for the Budweiser Gate and the castle or at Český Krumlov Auto Nadrazi (bus station) for the Svornosti Square area.  You can check times at www.seznam.cz:  Click Jízdní řády at the top, then search from Český Krumlov, žel.st. to Český Krumlov, Špičák.

How much does it cost?

• If you take the direct train, Prague to Český Krumlov costs from 239 koruna (€10) in 2nd class or 501 koruna (€21) in 1st class, each way.

  A reserved seat is optional, free of charge and recommended.  If you click to edit/Change the reservation it allows you to select an exact seat from a seating plan.

• If you use a Czech Railways+GWTR combo, Prague to Český Krumlov costs 386 koruna (€16) 2nd class or 484 koruna (€20) 1st.

  This is a OneTicket fare which covers both the Czech Railways train and the GWTR branch line train.  It's good for any train that day, not just the one you happen to select when booking.

  This is a one-way fare, returns are simply two one-ways.  A seat reservation on the mainline train is optional, and costs an extra 35 koruna.  If you choose not to make a seat reservation, you sit where you like, there are usually lost of spare seats.

  However, it's slightly cheaper to buy separate tickets like this:

  1. Prague to České Budějovice costs 169 koruna (€6.50) each way on the day, good for any train that day.

  A seat reservation is optional, and in this case free of charge.  You may also see advance-purchase fares (vázaná jednosměrná) for 159 koruna, but these tie you to a specific train, but the saving isn't worth the loss of flexibility, stick with a Flexi fare.

  2. České Budejovice to Český Krumlov is 58 koruna (€2), bought from the orange-&-green GWTR ticket kiosk at České Budejovice station.

How to buy tickets

• Do you need to book in advance?  No!

  Unlike buses or planes, trains cannot sell out.  You can always buy a ticket and hop on the next train, sitting in any empty seat.  So no need to commit.  You can decide to go to Český Krumlov on the spur of the moment if you like.  And it's up to you when you come back, you can come back earlier than planned or stay later, without formality, with a ticket good for any train that day.  Just get on any train and sit where you like!

• Option 1, the easiest way

  Book from Prague to Český Krumlov & back at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.  For English, change the Czech flag to a UK flag top right.  You print your own ticket or show it on your phone.  Easy!  Or download the CD phone app and buy in the app, even easier!

• Option 2, the cheaper way

  Use www.cd.cz to look up times from Prague to Český Krumlov, and select the fare shown against the train you want.  On the next page, it will show you that this is a Jízdenka OneTicket fare.  Underneath that is a cheaper Jízdenka ČD, which only covers the Prague to České Budejovice part of the journey.  Select & buy the Jízdenka ČD.  You print your own ticket or show it on your phone.

  Then buy a local ticket for the GWTR train from České Budejovice to Český Krumlov at České Budejovice station from the distinctive orange & green GWTR ticket kiosk in the main hall, you can pay with cash or contactless card.  Feedback appreciated.

• Add a reserved seat to your booking?

  Seat reservations are optional on the mainline train and not possible on the branch line train.  There's usually little point in worrying about reserving a seat, even in summer, although on a Monday morning train out of Prague, or a Friday or Sunday afternoon train back to Prague it might be a good idea.  You can add a reservation when making a booking, or make one separately at www.cd.cz by changing Purchase a ticket to Purchase reservations only under the train you want in the search results.  It's normally free of charge.

A day trip to Český Krumlov in pictures

You leave from Prague's main station

You leave from Prague Hlavni, Prague's main station just 15 minutes walk from the old town square.  Inside the main entrance is a modern shopping centre, but upstairs you'll find the faded grandeur of the historic station.

Prague Hlavni, main entrance.

The old main hall at Prague Hlavni, with the Cafe Fantova.  Make sure you go up and have a look (and perhaps a coffee!)

By direct Intercity train from Prague to Český Krumlov

A once-daily direct Intercity train runs from Prague to Český Krumlov every morning.  With free WiFi & a bistro car, this is the one to take!

Above, this is the daily direct Intercity train from Prague to Český Krumlov, calling at České Budějovice station.

1st class seats on the direct train from Prague to Český Krumlov are located in the bistro car.  These seats on one side of the central kitchen are for 1st class passengers only.  A steward takes food & drink orders from the menu and serves them at your seat.

Bistro seating. On the other side of the kitchen in the other half of the bistro car is a small 12-seat area next to the serving counter.  This area has the same leather seats as in 1st class, but 2nd class passengers are free to sit in this section when consuming food & drink from the bistro.  In principle, you must return to your seat when you finish your food.

2nd class seats come in a choice of two types of car:  Open-plan cars (above left, see larger photo), and classic 6-seat compartments cars (above right, see larger photo).  I personally prefer the open-plan cars, but compartments can be fun if you're a family or small group.

The train snakes through Bohemian farmland and occasional forest.

The rolling farmland keeps on coming.

More farmland and sometimes forest.

Arrival at Český Krumlov station. There will be taxis waiting, just hop in one to the old town square - the old town is pedestrianised but the taxis are allowed in.  Our Czech taxi driver spoke excellent English, with a Lancashire accent.  "Fifteen years living in Preston..." he explained.  See map of Český Krumlov showing station.

Visiting Český Krumlov

Český Krumlov's delightful old town square.

The castle tower.

View from the river bridge.		The castle, seen from the top of the tower.

Views of Český Krumlov old town from the top of the castle tower.

Český Krumlov castle, outer courtyard.		Inner courtyard.

The castle's third courtyard.		And beyond.

Return by GWTR local train to České Budějovice

When it's time to go, hop in a taxi from the old town square to the station.  Allow plenty of time for traffic in summer - don't worry if you get there early, a rustic bar at the station serves several types of ice cold Kozel beer.  Cheers!

The branch line trains between Český Krumlov & České Budějovice are 2nd class only, but come with luggage space, toilet, power sockets and (allegedly) free WiFi.  Private company GWTR took over the line with new regional trains in December 2017, in distinctive orange & green colours.  Changing trains at České Budějovice simply means stepping off one train, walking through the subway to the next platform over, and stepping onto an other train.  It only takes 2 or 3 minutes.

GWTR ticket office in České Budějovice station hall.		On board the GWTR train.

You may have time to grab a coffee inside České Budějovice's impressive and historic station dating from 1908.  The departure screens clearly show the platform for our onward express train to Prague.

Think you've never heard of České Budějovice?  Think again, I bet you have.  It's former German name might be more familiar:  Budweis.  Yes, that's right, home of the original Budweiser beer!  Although you can read up on the argument between Czech Budweiser and the American version at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budweiser.

...then express train back to Prague

A simple matter of going down the steps, through the subway and back up onto an adjacent platform for the train to Český Krumlov.

Safely back to Prague.  We stayed at the Esplanade Hotel, just across the road from the station.

Travel tips

• 2nd class is absolutely fine on the express trains and the branch line to Český Krumlov only has 2nd class anyway.  There isn't a huge difference between classes, see the photos above, what you see is what you get.  Then again, as ticket prices are so cheap why not go 1st class?  On the direct train, food & drink orders are taken and served at your seat in 1st class.

• The direct Prague-Český Krumlov Intercity train has an excellent modern bistro car and a refreshment trolley comes along the train.  The best express trains between Prague & České Budějovice marked EC (EuroCity) IC (intercity) also have a bistro car.  Regional express trains - marked R - usually have no catering, so bring your own supplies.

• If staying longer in Český Krumlov and taking luggage, this just goes on the racks, it's not a problem.

• The direct Prague-Český Krumlov Intercity train has and the best Prague-České Budějovice EC & IC trains have power sockets in both classes and free WiFi.  Regional trains may or may not have these.

• České Budějovice - the former Budweis - is worth a stop on the way if you have time.  The main square is just 10 minutes walk from the station.

• Luggage storage is available for a small fee at the Infocenter in Svornosti Square, see www.ckrumlov.info for opening hours.

Useful links

• Map of Prague showing station  -  Map of Český Krumlov showing station.

• Český Krumlov tourist information:  www.ckrumlov.info.

• Suggested hotels in Prague old town or near the station.

• Train times, fares & tickets from Prague to other destinations.

• Left luggage lockers in Prague  -  General advice & tips for European train travel.

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