Czech Holiday 2025 – Ústí nad Labem
Saturday 31 May
The report starts with the Saturday daytime activities for those arriving early before the full group got together in the evening. It was just too good not to include.
The depot at Ústí nad Labem (nL) Západ has a substantial wagon works as well as a large number of locomotives in use and stored so four of us donned orange high-vis jackets, crossed the footbridge over the running lines and found the office where we were welcomed and given permission to wander where we liked, with the only restriction not to film any personnel including the security guard, who had been advised of our permission, and his dog that had a good bark when it saw us and was promptly told to ‘shut up’. Over a hundred locomotives later including 'Grumpies’, ‘Goggles’ and many others old and new, seeing the roundhouse and watching depot movements, it was time to say thank you, passing plinthed locomotive E469.110 on the way out. The next task was to find the location of the office at Děčín depot. This was found without any difficulty, although language was tricky. However, sign language is wonderful as is goodwill, and we were quickly given permission to explore and take photographs at will. Donning high-vis once again we set off to explore, another locomotive spotter’s paradise with over 40 noted. Again, we thanked the staff and went on our way. A very satisfying way for your writer to spend her birthday! It was soon time to return to Ústí nL hlavní nádraží (hln) to meet the rest of the group to go off to the local brewery where we had a table booked for dinner.
Sunday 1 June
We all caught the 09.05 off Ústí nL hln - the first day of using our 7 day 1st class Czechia One ticket for unlimited rail travel costing approximately £92.00. We departed on time with EMU 640 250 to Lovosice, an attractively rebuilt station with ample opportunity for watching a wide variety of traffic. From here we boarded DMU 841 203 to Libochovice changing to a rail replacement bus to Postoloprty where we picked up Regiojet 654 007 to Most where there was time for lunch and more observations with plenty to see. After a pleasant interlude we caught DMU 811 013+811 008 to Moldava v Krušných horách passing a massive factory/industrial complex on the way. Passing through Dubi we saw a beautifully maintained station, old signal box and small ‘freight’ shed. Here our train reversed onto the line to Moldava. No lights for the sections through the tunnels was interesting! A slight change of plan enabled us to take DMU 845 409 for the last part of the day.
Monday 2 June
It had been raining heavily earlier but luckily stopped before we ventured out for the 08.29 off Ústí nL hln to Bílina aboard 954 007. Again, there was much to see including the roadside speed camera that ‘clocked’ our train doing 57 kph! After observation time at Bílina spotting ‘Grumpy’ 751 149 with a rather nice livery, we caught the 10.41 hauled by locomotive 362 082 to Děčín hln. There was plenty of interest en-route especially infrastructure, new stations and renewals, plus a great selection of freight, track wagons, shunters and passenger traffic.
After further observations at Děčín it was off to Rumburk, crossing the border into Germany for a few miles, on board DMU 642 038 with some stunning scenery on the way. There was enough time to seek liquid refreshment at Rumburk before catching the next train, 845 306 to Rybniště, followed by a rail replacement bus to Nový Bor to catch very grubby 845 310 to Mladá Boleslav hln, passing through the splendid new station at Cĕskă Lipa, with its striking architecture, en-route. Our train was running late but 845 118, the connection to Neratovice was held, and from there it was a quick change onto single car railbus 809 307 to Kralupy nad Vltavou. Time for final observations before the last train of the day back to Ústí hauled by 162 046.
Tuesday 3 June
There were options for an early or later start with everyone meeting up for the 10.45 (642 342) from Děčín to Liberec. As soon as our train arrived at Rynoltice, we were shepherded onto the waiting rail replacement bus to Liberec. From here we travelled up the branch line to Cernousy and back, on 840 015. Back in Liberec we took 945 315 to Turnov, then 945 118 to Všetaty. Never a dull moment, as we waited at Mlada Boleslav hln, we watched the demolition works just the other side of the narrow platform and rather too close for comfort! From Všetaty there was a deviation as we had decided to stop at Ústí nL Střekov to dine at the riverside restaurant there before taking our final train of the day Regiojet’s Chinese built unit 665 003.
Wednesday 4 June
With options for either an early or late start and everyone meeting up at Děčín again, we departed on the 11.45 to Česká Lipa on 845 205. Not everything goes to plan. The early group declined the rail replacement bus for the very part they wanted to cover by rail and a regular mainline service to Děčín was taken instead. However, one enterprising group member managed that section of track on Sunday morning before setting off for home. There was plenty to see at Česká Lipa whilst waiting for our next service to Lovosice, DMU 841 203. The countryside around here is mainly agricultural including a stunningly beautiful field of ripening oil seed rape with bright red poppies on this occasion.
The next part of the journey took us on a newly reinstated line; meandering through fields the line and service are run by private operator AZD. This was on board DMU 818 004 to Most with time for further observations or local sightseeing before catching the late running 16.41 to Louka u Litvinova (811 021) with a very quick change onto our last train of the day back to Ústí hauled by loco 362 087.
Thursday 5 June
Most caught the 09.05 off Ústí nL hln aboard 640 238, with our first planned stop at Roudnice nad Labem. Ticket checking is routine in Czechia and we had a young trainee ticket inspector for this part of the journey. There is much building work going on in and around the station at Roudnice with an extensive rebuild of the road bridge across the river, and the embankment between the railway station and the river. The seventh member of the group caught up here. Our next train was delayed behind the very late running Zurich to Praha sleeper. Time for extra observations before 162 053 took our train to Kralupy nad Vltavou, with another trainee ticket inspector on board. Once again, we were not disappointed with the selection of passenger and freight trains, and locomotives seen. Our next service was a single scruffy diesel railcar, 809 350, up the branch line to Velvary, a well patronised service. The station building at Velvary has been beautifully restored with a very pretty flower garden and some interesting red and black beetles later identified as Red Firebugs (Pyrrhocoris apterus).
Taking the same railcar back to Kralupy, there was time for lunch, observations or both, and we dispersed accordingly. Items seen in the station included Grumpy 749 250 pulling 704 001 and a restored buffet car from the museum at Lužná. Then it started to rain, by which time we were back on the train, 809 179, and in the dry for the ride to Louny. From Louny, we took DMU 654 033 to Most, stopping at Lenešice, with its colourful display of flowering plants, on the way. Locomotive 362 082 provided the motive power from Most to Řetenice, followed by railcar 810 359 (Mouse) to Úpořiny via Světec before our connecting service to Ústí nL Západ on 914 017. Here we saw Chinese EMU 665 001 again, plus plenty of freight. Then up to Ústí Střekov (914 017) for another visit to the riverside restaurant before returning to Ústí nL Západ with locomotive 162 094 at the front, followed by 641 106 from Západ to Ústí nL hln
Friday 6 June
Another day with different starting options but meeting up to head for Praha with locomotive 162 036 providing the motive power. There followed a quick change at Praha to our next service 845 001 to Neratovice. From here we took the branch line aboard railcar 809 281 to Čelákovice by which time it was hot and sunny, arriving at a brand new station in a scruffy looking DMU. Much to our delight we had a City Elephant in original livery 471 001 (built by Skoda in Plzen) to Lysá nad Labem, then a short wait for 471 040, in a different livery, to Nymburk hln. There was a good variety of freight and passenger services at Nymburk for observations and photography, but the two who chose this option had to take cover under the station awning to avoid a good soaking thanks to a sudden violent storm. The alternative was an earlier service to Praha for sightseeing via Poříčany via Sadská 914 141 before changing there for 471 051 to Praha Masarykovo. We met up as planned at a nearby restaurant that serves good beer and traditional Czech cuisine and is very popular with locals and tourists alike. The final train of the day was the 20.28 fast service to Berlin hauled by 193 984 with its first stop at Ústí nL hln.
Saturday 7 June
The last full day of the holiday and another interesting itinerary with something special to enjoy. Four of us caught the 08.17 off Usti up to Děčín behind locomotive 162 039. Observations were interesting not least the roofers on top of the station building showing scant evidence of health and safety! The whole group then caught the 09.36 to Benešov n.Ploučnicí on 642 401. The next section is a heritage line operated by KŽD using a ‘Mouse’ in old livery, 810 060, still showing its old number - M152.0060. The original seating makes that approved by DfT in the UK seem positively sumptuous by comparison, it was hard! At the end of the line at Kamenický Šenov we found a simple table on the platform with a barrel of beer already tapped and ready to serve, at 10.00am! The small museum was open, and across the track was a beautifully restored wagon converted into a café serving the best cup of coffee of the whole trip. It started to rain very gently just in time for the group photograph. A lovely place and well worth the visit.
All too soon it was time to catch the same ‘Mouse’ back to Benešov n.Ploučnicí. 642 406 took us to Rumburk, a popular service for walkers in this scenic area. The next train to Mikulášovice dol.n was 642 313. We stayed on the train as it went up the branch line to Rybniště where we picked up a rail replacement bus to Svor. Timings were tight to get back to Ústí nL hln for dinner but we caught the Trilex liveried 642 340 to Česká Lípa where we took the final train of the day, 845 204, back to Ústí.
It was a scramble to catch the cable car up to Hotel Vĕtrusĕ in time, a great place for the final dinner of the holiday with everyone together. All too soon it was time to return via the cable car for the last night in Ústí.
Sunday 8 June
Final farewells at breakfast before going our separate ways.
There is not enough space to include everything of interest and all the stories of what happened but our thanks to Steve for a well planned and interesting itinerary, even the ‘out-takes’ were fun.