Czech airline Smartwings will launch a major expansion of its network at the start of the winter 2025/26 timetable. From late October, the carrier plans to introduce seven new destinations from Prague and increase frequencies on some of its busiest existing routes. The expansion begins on October 23, 2025, when the airline will add direct flights to Barcelona, Porto and Rome. Barcelona will be served four times a week, giving travellers easy access to Catalonia for short breaks and longer holidays. Porto will operate twice weekly, while Rome will be available four times a week. The following day Smartwings will add flights to Bilbao, connecting Prague with the Basque region twice a week. On October 25 the airline will start services to Toulouse, a key city in southern France and home to Europe’s aerospace industry, also twice weekly. The most substantial increase comes on October 26 with new daily flights to Bucharest and a heavy expansion on the Brussels route. Smartwings will fly to the Belgian capital twelve times a week, making it one of the largest carriers on this connection and appealing both to business travellers and passengers heading to the European Union’s administrative centre. Alongside the new destinations,...
Písečná, a small municipality in the Pardubice Region, has been named Czechia’s Village of the Year 2025. The title was announced on Saturday, September 20, in Vacov, South Bohemia, which held the award last year. More than 180 municipalities across the country entered the annual competition. Thirteen of them advanced to the national final, including Písečná, which earlier this summer won the regional round and secured one million crowns in support. Písečná lies in the Ústí nad Orlicí District, just five kilometers from the town of Žamberk, below Žampach Mountain. With a population of around 585, the village has long been recognized for its cultural and community life. The jury highlighted the preservation of its traditional landscape, careful management of greenery, and consistent use of planning tools to ensure that new construction respects the original character of the village. The Competition and Its Goals The Village of the Year competition is part of Czechia’s Rural Renewal Program, established in 1995. It promotes active participation of residents in municipal life, encourages sustainable development, and supports the preservation of traditions. To qualify, municipalities must submit a development strategy. The jury evaluates not only public spaces but also community activities, local businesses, and...
A seasonal amusement park for children, named Pumpkin World (Dýňový svět), will open in the Czech village of Nová Ves u Leštiny on Saturday, September 2o. For adults, there are plenty of pumpkin-based treats on offer: pumpkin soup, pumpkin syrups, and pancakes with pumpkin jam. Entry to the farm is only possible with a reservation, confirmed the co-owner Jaroslava Pipková. “Over the years that our pumpkin farm has been running, interest has grown so much that we couldn’t manage without reservations—there simply wouldn’t be enough space,” she explained. According to Pipková, not only families with children, but also local schools and kindergartens, regularly visit the farm. The number of visitors now reaches into the thousands. The Pipkovi family first opened their “pumpkin world” in 2010. “We decided to try growing pumpkins. It worked, so we started selling them at the market and later here on the farm. But we wanted to add something extra so people had a reason to come, so we created the pumpkin world,” Pipková recalled. The farm’s large garden has since become the stage for this “orange world.” “Over time, word spread, people kept coming, and now we can’t skip a single year,” she said with...
Czech Railways (ČD) marked a milestone on Sunday evening as its Pendolino train began regular service between Prague and České Budějovice, achieving speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour. This surpasses the previous Czech railway speed record of 160 km/h. The inaugural journey from Prague’s main station to the South Bohemian capital took just 95 minutes. The first service, IC 591 Pendolino, departed Prague at 8:27 p.m. and arrived in České Budějovice at 10:02 p.m. The return trip, IC 590, left Budějovice at 5:59 a.m. and reached Prague at 7:29 a.m. “This milestone reflects tangible improvements along the Prague–České Budějovice corridor,” said Transport Minister Martin Kupka (ODS). “The introduction of high-speed Pendolino trains, along with upgrades to the infrastructure, has shortened travel times while enhancing passenger comfort. This also sets the stage for future high-speed rail projects, where trains could reach up to 320 km/h.” Michal Krapinec, CEO of Czech Railways, highlighted the capabilities of the trains. “I am proud that a Czech Railways train is the first in the country to reach 200 km/h on a regular line. Our modern ComfortJet trains, paired with high-speed Vectron locomotives, can travel at speeds up to 230 km/h, and we plan...
Prague will once again have a direct air connection to Morocco. German low-cost airline Eurowings has announced a new route linking the Czech capital with Marrakech, starting on 8 November 2025. The flights will run twice a week throughout the winter season, making it easier for travelers to reach one of North Africa’s most popular destinations. The schedule shows flights departing from Prague on Thursdays and on either Saturdays or Sundays. The Thursday service leaves Václav Havel Airport at 11:20 a.m. and arrives in Marrakech at 3:50 p.m. The return leg departs Marrakech at 4:40 p.m., landing in Prague at 9:00 p.m. The weekend rotation is set for late evening, with departures from Prague at 8:35 p.m. and arrival in Marrakech just after midnight. The return flight then leaves at 1:55 a.m. and lands in Prague at 6:15 a.m. Travel time will be around four and a half hours to Morocco and slightly shorter on the way back. The route will be operated by an Airbus A320 with a seating capacity of 180 passengers. The flights are scheduled to run until the end of March 2026, when the winter timetable finishes. There will, however, be a break in service from...
Wizz Air is adding two new Romanian destinations from Prague Airport, expanding its network with direct flights to Bucharest and Iasi. Tickets are already available for booking in Wizz Air’s reservation system, with operations set to begin at the start of the winter schedule in late October. Flights to Bucharest will run four times per week—on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays—year-round. Iasi, Romania’s third-largest city, will see two weekly flights during the winter, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with a third rotation added on Thursdays from spring. Prague–Bucharest will be a competitive route, with Animawings, Smartwings, and Tarom already in operation. Prague currently has no direct flights to Iasi, marking Wizz Air’s expansion as a first for this connection. This announcement comes shortly after Wizz Air introduced flights from Prague to Sofia, Skopje, and Yerevan, reflecting the airline’s recent growth strategy in Central and Eastern Europe. The company also has ambitious plans also in Bratislava, where it will base two aircraft, launch 13 new routes, and is expected to bring nearly a million passengers to M. R. Štefánik Airport next year. Would you like us to write about your business? Find out more
From summer 2026, Czech travellers will have two new options for less-crowded holiday escapes. The travel company Čedok is introducing direct flights from Prague to Porto Santo, a small Portuguese island near Madeira, and to the Greek island of Skyros, one of the Sporades’ least-visited destinations. Porto Santo, little known outside Portugal, lies a two-and-a-half-hour ferry ride from Madeira. Its ten-kilometre golden beach, made of fine sand rich in crushed coral minerals, is said to have therapeutic properties. Alongside the beach, the island offers sand baths, panoramic golf, and relaxed dining in family-run restaurants. History enthusiasts may recognise Porto Santo as a one-time home of Christopher Columbus. It was here that he met his future wife and received valuable maritime charts as part of her dowry—maps that would later shape his voyages. The island’s Columbus Museum preserves this chapter of his life. Čedok’s CEO, Stanislav Zeman, said the company is responding to a growing demand for “quieter, higher-quality places outside the mainstream.” He noted that Porto Santo fits the trend of travellers seeking destinations less saturated with mass tourism. The second addition to Čedok’s network is Skyros, a hilly island in the Aegean Sea. Remote and relatively untouched by large-scale...
Starting in May 2026, Václav Havel Airport Prague will offer a new direct transatlantic flight. American Airlines is set to launch a daily seasonal route between Prague and Philadelphia, reconnecting the Czech capital with one of the airline’s key U.S. hubs. The service will run from May 21 to October 5, operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, known for its long-range capability and modern passenger comfort. According to Prague Airport spokesperson Denisa Hejtmánková, this direct link will not only improve access to Philadelphia, but also provide travelers with one-stop connections to over 100 destinations across North America, including New York, Chicago, Toronto, and Miami. The eastbound flight from Philadelphia International Airport will depart at 6:40 p.m. local time, arriving in Prague at 8:45 a.m. the following day. The return flight from Prague is scheduled to leave at 11:00 a.m., landing in Philadelphia at 2:00 p.m. local time. Tickets will be available for purchase on the airline’s official website in the coming days. The decision to introduce this connection is the result of close cooperation between American Airlines, Prague Airport, and Czech tourism authorities. “A direct connection to Philadelphia has long been a priority,” said Jiří Pos, Chairman of the Board...
Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague is on track to break its all-time passenger record this year, with more than 7.77 million travelers passing through its gates between January and June 2025. According to official statistics, this marks an 8% increase compared to the same period last year and brings the airport nearly back to pre-pandemic levels. By the end of the year, the airport expects to handle 18.4 million passengers—surpassing its previous peak of 17.8 million in 2019, just before COVID-19 halted global travel. If projections hold, 2025 will become the busiest year in the airport’s history. London continues to be the most flown-to destination from Prague, with nearly 650,000 passengers traveling between the Czech capital and various London airports in the first six months of the year. Other high-traffic European cities include Paris, Amsterdam, and Milan. Among long-haul flights, Dubai leads the list as the most popular non-European route, a sign of the growing demand for direct connections beyond the continent. When it comes to country-level demand, the United Kingdom tops the list. More than one million passengers traveled between the UK and Prague in the first half of the year. Close behind were Italy, Spain, and France, reflecting...
Europe’s first driverless train has begun ferrying passengers between two Czech towns, with lidar and cameras replacing a human operator. Rail firm AZD said that the train runs entirely autonomously, with systems that control its traction, brakes and speed as required. While autonomous trains have already been deployed in airports and urban transport systems such as London’s Docklands Light Railway, they move in closed corridors protected by fences and tunnels. But the AZD train travels across an open landscape, through level crossings and past vehicle and foot traffic. The vehicle, named Edita, runs along a 25km route linking the towns of Kopidlno and Dolní Bousov. It has so far racked up around 1,700km miles of test journeys with passengers on board and has sometimes been forced to stop unexpectedly – such as when a herd of sheep wandered over the track. The route itself was originally abandoned in 2010 before being purchased by AZD six years later. Edita is equipped with a set of cameras and lidar sensors that take detailed pictures of the surroundings, measure distances and map the terrain. Screens inside the carriage allow passengers to see in real time the data necessary for the autonomous operation of...
Starting October 27, low-cost airline Wizz Air will launch a new direct connection between Prague and Sofia, expanding its growing network in Central and Eastern Europe. The route will operate year-round, with four flights weekly during the winter, and an additional frequency in summer, according to an announcement by Prague Airport on X. The service will use aircraft from the Airbus A320 family, with tickets and flight times already available on Wizz Air’s official website. While Bulgaria Air already operates flights between the two capitals—using its modern Airbus A220s—Wizz Air’s entry adds more competition and capacity on the route. Bulgaria Air currently flies four times per week. The new Sofia route comes shortly after Wizz Air unveiled another upcoming launch from Prague: direct flights to Skopje, North Macedonia’s capital. Flights to Skopje will begin December 15, operating three times a week. The Macedonian capital remains one of the few European capitals still lacking a direct connection from Prague—a gap Wizz Air is now filling. This recent acceleration in route announcements follows Wizz Air’s decision to shut down its Abu Dhabi-based subsidiary, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi. The move, announced earlier this summer, signals a strategic shift toward core Central and Eastern...
As the days get longer and the temperatures get warmer, there is no better way to enjoy a vacation than by visiting the picturesque town of Mariánské Lázně. Mariánské Lázně is home to several charming historical sites. The municipal museum — the oldest surviving house in the town — was once home to Johann Wolfgang Goethe during a visit to Marienbad. Located at the city center, the Singing Fountain is a musical attraction that plays daily every other hour from 7:00 to 19:00. The unique Boheminium Park features miniature scale models of Czech castles and monuments in a tree-lined environment. The nearby Royal Golf Club — the oldest in the country — was founded by King Edward VII in 1905. It features a traditional Scottish course with several opportunities for a challenge. Its location also allows golf aficionados to appreciate the region’s lush forests and clean air. Along with its rich culture, Mariánské Lázně is no stranger to natural beauty. Surrounded by the Slavkov Forest, the charming town is one of only 11 European spa towns that have received the distinction of a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, one of 17 in the Czech Republic. One of the most renowned locations...
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