Despite the uncertainties regarding the pandemic, Czech holiday-makers are showing interest in summer travel, with carriers and travel agencies reporting sales and reservations for tours. More than 10,000 tickets have already been sold since February, boosted by the advantageous cancellation policies. This year, direct trains to Croatia will begin operating on May 28th. Photo Credit: Freepik / Illustrative Photo.
Czech Rep., Apr 2 (BD) – Despite the uncertainties regarding the pandemic, Czech holiday-makers are showing interest in summer travel, with carriers and travel agencies reporting sales and reservations for tours. The private railway carrier RegioJet started selling tickets in late February for its train connection between Prague and Croatian holiday destinations including Rijeka and Split. This year, direct trains to Croatia will operate from May 28th until September 27th. In July and August, trains will run daily in both directions. The company is planning a direct train journey from Prague to Split, to take approximately 21 hours. In addition to Prague and Brno, trains will also stop in Břeclav, Bratislava, Budapest, and Zagreb.
Image: General timetable for RegioJet connections to Croatia. Credit: Regiojet.cz.
More than 10,000 tickets have already been sold since February, boosted by the advantageous cancellation policies. The company is prepared for any changes that may occur due to the epidemiological measures and has set the conditions for cancellation accordingly. “If the train cannot operate due to the anti-epidemic measures, we will certainly return 100% of the amount paid for the ticket,” says RegioJet spokesperson Aleš Ondrůj. At the same time, Croatian hotels and restaurants that follow the measures are given the ‘Safe Stay in Croatia’ label to certify that the prescribed epidemiological measures and health safety recommendations are in place at that location.
Last year, RegioJet carried over 60,000 passengers in both directions to Croatian holiday destinations throughout the summer season. Just like last year, prices for direct tickets start from CZK 590 to Rijeka and CZK 890 to Split, but may vary according to the dates. RegioJet will gradually increase the number of carriages and the frequency of connections for this summer. Currently, the 15-carriage trains are expected to carry around 650 passengers per journey. A change in the route is expected this year, as trains will no longer stop in Slovenia but will travel via Budapest in order to attract more Hungarian customers. In Zagreb, the train will be divided into two parts, with one continuing to Split and the other to Rijeka. The company does not plan to operate the trains via Austria and Slovenia, the fastest and shortest railway route to the Adriatic, in order to keep fares as low as possible.
