Czech Gepard Express wins tender for Brno-Vienna link

By offering a lower price and shorter travel times, Gepard Express won the tender for a direct rail link between Brno and Vienna International Airport from current operator RegioJet. Operations will begin on the new schedule from June 11, 2023, Railway Supply magazine reports, citing RailTech.

The decision was made on the basis of prior consultation with the market and approved by the Brno City Council, which partially subsidizes the service. RegioJet, another private operator, is currently running direct trains to and from Vienna in a six-month pilot operation. It also showed interest in operating the line, but Gepard Express was selected because it offered a lower price and a shorter travel time. Passengers will spend approximately 35 minutes less on the train than the current offers, according to the Brno City Council.

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Gepard Express is a bus and train operator that already runs from Brno to Vienna Airport. It is also known for its unique “train festivals” called Vlakfest. For example, it organizes a four-day festival of music and travel on the train called ŽiWELL Express, and in 2021 it converted the railcar into a sauna car. The operator also organized regular New Year trips to Ukraine before the war. In early July, Gepard Express sent a shelter train to Moravia for residents affected by tornadoes in the area.

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