Brno to Prague by Train – Operators, Tickets and Why You Should Reserve a Seat

Direct trains connect Brno hlavní nádraží with Praha hlavní nádraží roughly every 30 minutes, with a journey time of around 2 hours 40 minutes. Two operators compete on this route – the state railway České dráhy (ČD) and the private company RegioJet – which keeps prices low: advance tickets start at around 205 CZK.

Prague Main Station, Credits: kanpoan.net

Two operators, two ticket systems

ČD runs the most departures, including the comfortable Railjet trains that continue to Vienna and Graz. Tickets are sold at station counters, ticket machines and on cd.cz. I bought my ticket at the counter at the station in 2024 – the staff spoke good English and the process was straightforward. RegioJet runs its own yellow trains on the route and sells tickets only through its own channels, mainly regiojet.com – ČD tickets are not valid on RegioJet trains and vice versa. As a rule of thumb: booked in advance, both are cheap; if you buy on the day of travel, RegioJet is usually the better deal, as its prices rise far less as the departure approaches.

Reserve a seat

This connection is in high demand, and the trains can get full – when I travelled, finding a free seat was not guaranteed. The two operators handle this differently. On ČD trains, a ticket alone does not include a seat: the reservation is optional and costs around €3 extra (only Business Class requires one). On RegioJet, every ticket automatically includes a reserved seat, but it is only valid on the specific train you booked. Either way: reserve. Standing for two and a half hours is no way to travel.

The journey

Trains depart from Brno hlavní nádraží, the main station at the edge of the city centre, and arrive at Praha hlavní nádraží, which is within walking distance of Wenceslas Square. The fastest trains run via Pardubice and Česká Třebová and take about 2 hours 40 minutes.

Arriving in Prague for the first time? See our guides on getting from Prague Airport to the city centre and the day trip from Prague to Kutná Hora.