Enjoy travelling in 1st class

Valid from 1 September 2018

1st class benefits

More space, more comfort, more services. You’ll enjoy all this in 1st class on our trains. Transfer to 1st class!

1st class offers

more space – in 1st class carriages there are generally fewer seats, and thus there is more space for you
greater comfort – 1st class seats are more comfortable, roomier and adjustable
more services – in 1st class on selected trains we offer premium service, and at selected stations you can take advantage of priority ticket counters and comfortable waiting areas

Premium service in 1st class

In 1st class on category EC and IC ČD trains, you will be attended to by conductors, stewards of the catering company and in certain cases also ČD stewardesses. You can encounter them on almost all category EC and IC ČD trains operating between Ostrava and Prague, and on selected EC trains operating between Prague and Břeclav. Upon boarding a 1st class carriage, ČD stewardesses or conductors will offer you still water and the daily press free of charge. They can then take your order for refreshments from the dining carriage with in-seat service.

In 1st class on SC Pendolino trains and in Business sections on railjet trains, you will also receive a bonus refreshment free of charge. We provide free refreshments to passengers with a reservation for 1st class, served in your seat and consisting of a welcome drink in the form of Bohemia Sekt sparkling wine (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and a simple snack from our current offerings:

baguette, sandwich, vegetable salad, fruit salad or cereal with yogurt
hot beverage (coffee or tea) and cold beverage (still water)

Services at the station for 1st class passengers

To purchase a 1st class ticket, you can make use of ticket counters for priority ticketing in selected stations. With a 1st class ticket and reservation for a higher-quality train (Rx, Ex, IC, EC, SC Pendolino, railjet), you can enjoy comfortable ČD Lounge waiting areas at selected stations. There are ČD Lounge waiting areas at the stations Praha hl.n., Pardubice hl.n., Olomouc hl.n., Ostrava-Svinov, Ostrava hl.n. and Brno hl.n. Here you can relax or read the daily press before continuing on your journey. In all ČD Lounge waiting areas, your children can amuse themselves in new kids’ corners furnished with toys. We also offer a free internet connection in ČD Lounge waiting areas.

How to find 1st class

You can easily recognise 1st class carriages thanks to the yellow stripe above the windows and designation with the number 1 in a frame near the boarding doors. 1st class compartments are also designated by the number 1 in a frame.

Tickets for 1st class

In order to travel in 1st class, it is necessary to purchase a ticket valid for travel in this carriage class. If you travel in 1st class from the boarding station to the destination station, you will purchase a 1st class ticket straightaway for the entire journey. If you will use 1st class for only part of the journey (e.g. if during the journey you will transfer to a regional (Os) train which does not offer 1st class), you will purchase a 2nd class ticket for your entire journey and with it a one-off upgrade to 1st class for the part of the journey during which you will travel in 1st class. You can purchase a one-off upgrade to 1st class in advance at a ČD ticket counter or from the conductor on the train without a handling fee. If you travel in 1st class more frequently, it may be worthwhile to purchase a time upgrade to 1st class instead of one-off upgrades.

The regular 1st class fare is approximately 30% more expensive than the regular 2nd class fare. In the case of commuter tickets for daily travel, 1st class tickets are approximately 20% more expensive than 2nd class tickets. When travelling in 1st class, you can take advantage of certain provided discounts, although certain discounts cannot be used in 1st class. Nor is it possible to use certain discounted tickets for 2nd class in 1st class (e.g. Special-Offer Tickets (Akční jízdenka) or First Minute Tickets (Včasná jízdenka)); to upgrade these tickets, it is necessary to pay the entire difference between the price of the 1st class ticket and the price paid for the 2nd class ticket.

Tickets and discounts usable in 1st class on ČD trains

For the specified types of tickets and discounts, a separate price and terms of use are always set for 1st class. If you purchase one of the specified tickets for 2nd class, you can purchase with it a one-off upgrade to 1st class or use a time upgrade to 1st class.

IN 25 application
IN 50 application
IN 100 network ticket
Special fare for children and juniors
Return ticket
Commuter ticket
Kilometric Bank
Nondiscount Integrated transport system tickets

Tickets and discounts which cannot be used in 1st class

In the case of the tickets and discount specified below, it is not possible to purchase a one-off upgrade to 1st class; rather, it is always necessary to pay the difference between the price of a 1st class ticket and the price paid for the original ticket. With the specified tickets, you can also use a time upgrade to 1st class.

One-off upgrade to 1st class

You can purchase a one-off upgrade to 1st class in advance at a ČD ticket counter or from the conductor on the train without a handling fee. The price of the upgrade is calculated as the difference between the price of a 1st class ticket and the price of a 2nd class ticket in the segment during which you use 1st class. If no upgrade is possible for the type of fare used, it is necessary to pay for a new 1st class ticket.

Time upgrade to 1st class

If you use 1st class frequently, you can purchase a time upgrade to 1st class for a selected time period (one week, one month, three months, one year), which is recorded like an application on an In Karta card. You can purchase a time upgrade to 1st class for an existing In Karta card or you can purchase a new In Karta card with only a time upgrade to 1st class. You can purchase a time upgrade to 1st class at a ČD ticket counter or in the ČD e-shop (in the In Karta menu). A time upgrade to 1st class is valid with all travel documents valid in 2nd class on ČD trains.
More information on time upgrades to 1st class

Have a rest in 1st class on your way to work

You can purchase a one-off upgrade to 1st class in combination with an nondiscount integrated transport system (IDS) ticket valid on ČD trains. You can purchase a one-off upgrade to 1st class for a nondiscount ticket for an individual journey or for a time ticket (i.e. for a “pre-paid” nondiscount ticket, e.g. for a nondiscount one-month IDS ticket) at a ČD ticket counter or from the conductor right on the train. A one-off upgrade to 1st class is valid for only one journey with the IDS ticket the number of which it bears.

One-off upgrade to 1st class with an nondiscount IDS ticket:

passengers pay the difference between the regular fares in 1st and 2nd class

To work every day in 1st class with a time upgrade on an In Karta card

You can use a one-off upgrade to 1st class on an In Karta card in combination with an nondiscount integrated transport system (IDS) ticket valid on ČD trains (either with a nondiscount ticket for an individual journey or with a nondiscount time ticket, e.g. a nondiscount one-month IDS ticket). Thanks to the combination of an nondiscount IDS ticket and a time upgrade, you can travel to work in comfort every day.
Purchase a time upgrade to 1st class on an In Karta card

Reservations for 1st class

For SuperCity trains and the Business sections on railjet trains, it is always necessary to purchase an SC reservation for 1st class or a railjet Business reservation. These are sold in the following price categories: CZK 70, CZK 100, CZK 125, CZK 150, CZK 175, CZK 200 or CZK 250. The price of an SC reservation or railjet Business reservation depends on the day on which the reservation is purchased, the day of the journey, the train used and the remaining number of available seats. The price of an SC reservation for 1st class or a railjet Business reservation includes a small refreshment and the daily press. For other categories of trains, the price of a seat reservation is the same for 1st and 2nd class, and costs CZK 35. In the ČD e-shop, you will receive a seat reservation free of charge with the purchase of a ticket. No additional discounts are provided off the price of a seat reservation.
More information about seat reservations

Price schedule of time upgrades to 1st carriage class on an In Karta card

Time upgrade to 1st carriage class on an In Karta card	Price
1 year term of validity	CZK 4990
3-month term of validity	CZK 1990
1-month term of validity	CZK 790
1-week term of validity	CZK 250

Prices of 1st class tickets

The fare depends on the tariff distance and the selected carriage class. Tariff distance is determined for the actual transport route between railway tariff points (railway stations) according to the kilometres specified in the timetable of the railway operator or the timetable of a contractual bus carrier, and ranges from at least 1 km to at most 600 km.

If a passenger uses 1st class for only part of the route or on several non-contiguous segments, separate fare upgrades to 1st class will be added to the price of a 2nd class ticket for all segments in which 1st class is used. The price of the fare upgrade for each segment is calculated as the difference between the regular fare in 1st and 2nd class for the distance for which 1st class is used.