The abbreviation CD stands for České dráhy, which means "Czech Railways" and is the national railway transport company in the Czech Republic. It was created at the beginning of 1993 with the division of Czechoslovakia. Since 2003, it is a public company. For the 9,500 km long rail network, however, the state company SZDC is responsible. This is currently expanding the main railway lines that connect the larger cities on four lines with Prague. The trains on these lines can travel between 160 km/h to 230 km/h.
České dráhy train types
The CD has six national train types with different equipment. There is no seat reservation for the train types "OS" and "SP" and one is possible for the others, but not compulsory except the train types "IC" and "SC". Furthermore, the CD offers three international long-distance train types.
Osobní vlak (OS) - regional train with stops at all stations. These slow trains usually run every hour or two hours and usually have only a 2nd class. The same category includes the Esko suburban trains in Prague and Ostrava, which run every 30 minutes.
Spěšný vlak (SP) - Regional train with similar equipment and same route network as the "OS", but with higher cruising speed and fewer stops. Some of the trains have 2nd and 1st class, air conditioning, disabled facilities and Wi-Fi.
Rychlík (R) - Long-distance express train, often with low speed and frequent stops. The trains run mostly every two hours and have 1st and 2nd class and partly an onboard restaurant, Wi-Fi, electrical outlets and disabled access equipment.
Rychlík vyšší kvality (RX) - long-distance express train with new, more modern train compositions compared to the "R". The trains have air conditioning, electrical outlets, bicycle transport, and some have Wi-Fi and disabled access.
Expres (EX) - Express train with higher comfort than the above, few stops and high speed, but this type does not meet the Eurocity standards.
InterCity (IC) - National long-distance train, which corresponds to the German InterCity train. The trains run on long domestic routes with few stops. All have the facilities of the "RX" on-board restaurants and handicapped accessible facilities. On the route Prague-Ostrava the reservation is obligatory.
SuperCity (SC) - Comfortable and fastest long-distance train in the national rail network. The trains run every two hours on the newly developed route from Prague via Olomouc to Ostrava and a few drive to Bohumin, a pair of trains even to Košice (Slovakia). In addition, they travel twice a day via Pilsen to Františkovy Lázně. A seat reservation is mandatory.
EuroCity (EC) - International train corresponds to the "IC", but the destinations are transnational. A seat reservation is recommended.
EuroNight (EN) - International night train with similar facilities and destinations as the "EC". These trains have sleeping or sleeping cars. A seat reservation is recommended.
Railjet (RJ) - International comfortable long-distance train connecting Praha (Prague) with Vienna and Graz. The trains have three comfort classes: Economy, First and Business, a dining car, free Wi-Fi and information screens. There is a reservation requirement for the business class.