From December 2014, Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Czech Railways (ČD) will launch the joint operation of Railjet train services on the Graz-Vienna-Brno-Prague corridor.

The new service will offer a direct connection between the main cities in Austria and the Czech Republic with increased comfort and reduced journey times. In preparation for the launch, a special exhibition run was organised by ÖBB and ČD on 17 April in the Czech Republic, enabling the public to preview the new Railjet train before it carries its first passengers.
The new Railjet train travelled from Vienna to Prague before continuing to Ostrava.

As Petr Žaluda, Chairman of the Board of ČD AG said,

the Railjet service will take train travel to a new level in the Czech Republic and will make this mode of transport more attractive to new customers. The Railjet service will be a close competitor of the passenger car and coach, which use overloaded roads and motorways. The Railjet train will offer better services to business travellers as well as to other passengers, from parents with children to passengers with bicycles.”

According to Christian Kern, Chairman of the Board of ÖBB-Holding AG,

the rapid Railjet service soon to be launched on the Graz-Vienna-Prague line in December 2014, is an important next step in our quality initiative. Through our partnership with Czech Railways we are continuing to expand our service offerings to customers.”

(Source: ÖBB et ČD)