How to Travel From Vienna to Prague by Train
Taking the train is the easiest and most comfortable way to travel from Vienna to Prague.
There are multiple daily trains connecting these two wonderful Central European capitals, and ticket prices are often very affordable.
In this short guide, I will show you everything you need to know about this train service and share a few practical booking tips.
Railjet train in Czech Railways livery. ©AndyBTravels
By train from Vienna to Prague
The train service from Vienna to Prague is jointly operated by ÖBB and ČD, the Austrian Federal Railways and Czech Railways, respectively.
The Vienna to Prague route is served by modern ComfortJet and Railjet trains, which are comparable in terms of onboard facilities and comfort.
Second class seating is arranged in a 2+2 configuration, while first class seating offers a more spacious 2+1 layout.
Apart from the more comfortable seats, extra space, and a generally quieter environment, there is no difference between second and first class, as neither includes food or drinks.
Seats in both classes are equipped with power sockets and these trains have Wi-Fi internet.
Dining car
Comfortjet and Railjet trains also feature a dining car, where passengers can buy drinks, snacks, and even enjoy full meals.
In first class, an at-seat steward service is available for ordering drinks or food from the dining car, which are then served to your seat on proper china and glassware.
The private operator: Regiojet
A private operator, RegioJet, also runs trains between Vienna and Prague.
RegioJet operates classic locomotive-hauled trains on this route, offering seats in four different classes.
These trains do not have a dining car but offer a highly affordable buy-on-board menu, with food delivered to your seat by a steward.
RegioJet trains generally run less frequently on the Vienna to Prague route, with an average of just four daily services compared to the train services operated by ÖBB and ČD, though travel times are roughly the same.
A RegioJet train. ©AndyBTravels
The route
The travel time from Vienna to Prague is usually just over 4 hours.
Trains depart from Wien Hbf, Vienna’s modern main railway station, which is easily accessible from anywhere in the city by public transport.
The most important stop en route is Brno in the Czech Republic, a city well worth visiting if you wish to make a stopover.
In Prague, trains usually arrive at Praha hlavní nádraží, the city’s main railway station, located just a short walk from the Old Town, although a few services use the secondary station, Praha Holešovice.
Both these Prague stations are connected to the city’s metro network.
Booking tickets
A convenient website for booking European train tickets is Omio, as this trusted platform lists departures from all operators.
A single search shows trains from both ÖBB and ČD, as well as the private operator RegioJet, so you do not need to visit multiple websites to check prices and compare departure times.
Use the search tool below to find the best train on the day you want to travel from Vienna to Prague.
Conclusion
With a travel time of just over four hours and multiple departures throughout the day, the train is clearly the best way to travel from Vienna to Prague.
Whether you take a ComfortJet or Railjet train jointly operated by the Czech and Austrian railways, or choose one of the trains from the private operator RegioJet, you are in for a comfortable journey across Central Europe.
