ZAGREB, 4 June 2022 - This summer season's first train within the Czech rail operator RegioJet's seasonal service on the Prague- Zagreb-Rijeka/Split route arrived in Rijeka on Saturday morning, bringing more than 250 travellers to this northern Croatian seaport.

In Prague, about 600 passengers boarded the train, and of them 250 travelled for Rijeka while the remaining passengers are bound for Split.

This is the third season that RegioJet is operating this service.

In the previous two seasons, an estimated 150,000 passengers used this service to travel between Czechia, Slovakia and Croatia.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

The epidemiological situation in Croatia has unfortunately worsened following a brief period of relative 'peace' from the virus. While the Dutch Government asks its citizens to go home, warns against all but essential travel to Croatia and organises for travel agencies to transport those who booked package holidays back to the Netherlands, trains to the Croatian Adriatic still remain wildly popular.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 22nd of July, 2020, despite the fact that in the meantime the epidemiological situation in Croatia has somewhat worsened, practically all of the trains coming to the Croatian Adriatic from abroad, more specifically to Rijeka, are still more or less full.

Czech and Slovak tourists are still apparently more than hungry to get away and are failing to lose interest in coming to the Croatian Adriatic by train, regardless of the worsened situation here in Croatia. Namely, the recognisable yellow trains which belong to the Czech carrier Regiojet have been coming from the Czech capital city of Prague to Rijeka every day for some time now, more precisely since July the 10th, and as Novi list has learned, they are regularly full.

Aleš Ondruj, a spokesman for RegioJet, stated to the Croatian press that so far, they have sold approximately 60,000 tickets, most of which were sold to tourists from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. To remind you, the new railway line of the Czech carrier has become a real hit in the Czech Republic, as well as in Slovakia, since the train stops in Brno and Bratislava.

Last month, in the first two days after the tickets to the Croatian Adriatic went on sale, about 9,000 were sold.

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As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 1st of July, 2020, Reuters (and TCN) writes that more than 30,000 tickets have been sold for the Prague-Rijeka train, and the line will run until September. They also note that the direct train line was cancelled two years ago because it wasn't profitable.

Reuters recently published an article about the arrival of thousands of Czechs who arrived to the Adriatic coast by train following a 15-hour ride.

Thousands of Czechs have bought train tickets to Croatia, Reuters writes in an article about the Czechs' arrival in Croatia, who, as this publication writes, arrived in Rijeka the ''old way''.

On Tuesday, the first Czechs headed to their holiday destination that has long been a favourite for that country. From July the 11th, 2020, the train will run every day and carry up to 560 passengers at a time who will be able to buy tickets in a sleeping or sitting car. The starting ticket price is just 24.95 euros.

"I've come this way by car several times... And this is a very comfortable option for me and even sort of an adventure. I like to think of it as a new way to see the sea," Jan Vrana told Reuters about travelling on the Prague-Rijeka line with his wife and son, N1 reports.

The Czechs also gravitated towards Croatia during the Cold War, when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia, according to Reuters. Reuters also writes that the Adriatic coast has traditionally been a favourite destination for Czech tourists who have been coming here since the early 20th century.

To briefly recall, the very first tourist train of the Czech company RegioJet arrived in Rijeka just after 10:00 yesterday. According to the company running the brand new Prague-Rijeka line, there were over 500 passengers on the train.

An official announcement on the arrival of Czech tourists was issued by the Croatian Tourist Board, and senior officials were present to receive the first train on the Prague-Rijeka line.

''The first train of the Czech carrier RegioJet, which will run from July to the end of August on the route Prague-Brno-Bratislava-Ljubljana-Rijeka, successfully arrived at the railway station in Rijeka together with more than 500 Czech, Slovak and Slovenian tourists who were part of of this premiere trip. The train was welcomed by a Croatian delegation led by CNTB Director Kristjan Stanicic, Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli, Rijeka Mayor Vojko Obersnel, CNTB Representation Director in Prague Dubravko Miholic and Rijeka Tourist Board Director Petar Skarp,'' the statement said.

"We're proud to be able to cooperate with RegioJet, which has recognised the importance of connecting the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and also Slovenia with Croatia, which enjoys the status of one of the most popular foreign tourist destinations for these markets. This railway route will significantly contribute to tourist flows between our countries, and this has been confirmed by the data on the sale of more than 30,000 tickets in the first ten days of it being on sale. At the moment, the Czech Republic is in an excellent third place in foreign markets from which we realise the largest tourist traffic, while Slovakia is in eighth place,'' said CNTB Director Kristjan Stanicic, adding that the announcement of this event was even published in The New York Times, which additionally drew more attention to Croatia.

For more on the Prague-Rijeka train and travel to Croatia in the coronavirus era, follow our travel page.

The Prague-Rijeka train line has been wildly popular with Czech tourists itching to get away and get a taste of the Croatian Adriatic, with an amazing 30,000 tickets sold in just the first two weeks of them being available for purchase.

As Marija Crnjak/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 30th of June, 2020, the new line will operate on the route Prague-Brno-Bratislava-Ljubljana-Rijeka every day until the end of August.

The first train belonging to the private Czech company RegioJet which runs the new Prague-Rijeka line departs this afternoon from Prague and will arrive in the Croatian city of Rijeka tomorrow at around 08:45. The ceremonial celebration of the beginning of this new railway programme will take place in the almost completed new Hilton Costabella hotel in Rijeka, which was invested in by Czech investor JTH Holding.

As stated, the new Prague-Rijeka line will operate on the route Prague-Brno-Bratislava-Ljubljana-Rijeka every day until the end of August, and the fact that as many as 30,000 tickets were sold in the first two weeks speaks volumes about the interest in this offer, the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) has rightly pointed out.

RegioJet a.s. is a private Czech provider of rail and bus passenger transport and a leading long-distance railway company in Central Europe. They record 20 million passengers a year, 11 million on the railways and 9 million in bus transport. In intensive cooperation with the Croatian Embassy in the Czech Republic and the CNTB Office in Prague, the RegioJet Management recognised this opportunity and offered a new option to connect Central European countries with the Adriatic sea through a night service with modern and quality trains.

The starting ticket price of 22 euros for the Prague-Rijeka line refers to securing a place in the train's compartment. Additionally, you can buy a ticket for a coupe with a bed at a price of just 30 euros. For tourists from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, transportation from Rijeka to their final destinations on the Croatian Adriatic will be organised following their arrival.

For more on Croatian tourism in the coronavirus era, follow our dedicated section.