Short answer: The RegioJet new international routes filed on 19 June 2026 with Schienen-Control, Austria's rail regulator, cover five cross-border relations: Prague–Linz–Salzburg–Munich, Vienna–Prague–Warsaw–Przemyśl, Katowice–Vienna–Graz–Maribor–Zagreb–Rijeka, Prague–Vienna–Salzburg–Innsbruck–St. Anton am Arlberg, and a short Alpine link between Schwarzach-St. Veit, Bad Gastein and Mallnitz-Obervellach. RegioJet is aiming for the network timetable that begins on 12 December 2027. Nothing is on sale yet — these are regulatory filings, not bookable trains.
Europe's open-access rail operators keep chipping away at the map, and the latest move comes from Czechia. In a notice published by Schienen-Control on 19 June 2026, RegioJet declared its intention to run five new commercial (open-access) passenger services touching Austria. Together they would stitch Bavaria, Bohemia, Poland, the Alps and the Croatian coast into a single network run by one low-cost operator. If you already compare trains, buses, carpooling and flights on Gopaxo, this is the kind of announcement worth filing away for 2027 travel planning.
The five RegioJet new international routes on the table
Schienen-Control's publication lists the relations RegioJet has registered, in both directions:
Prague – Linz – Salzburg – Munich
A daytime cross-border link between the Czech capital and Bavaria via Upper Austria. Today this journey usually means a change of train; a direct RegioJet service would put Prague, Linz, Salzburg and Munich on one ticket.
Vienna – Břeclav – Prague – Warsaw – Przemyśl
An extension of RegioJet's existing Czech–Polish ambitions, reaching all the way to Przemyśl on Poland's eastern border — the gateway station used by travellers heading towards Ukraine.
Katowice – Vienna – Graz – Maribor – Zagreb – Rijeka
The headline for summer travellers: a link from Upper Silesia in Poland through Austria and Slovenia to the Croatian coast at Rijeka. RegioJet already has a track record on the Adriatic corridor, and this filing would give Polish and Austrian passengers a direct seat towards the sea.
Prague – Vienna – Linz – Salzburg – Bischofshofen – Innsbruck – St. Anton am Arlberg
A ski-country service: St. Anton am Arlberg is one of Austria's best-known winter resorts, and a direct train from Prague and Vienna would be aimed squarely at winter-sports travellers who currently drive or fly.
Schwarzach-St. Veit – Bad Gastein – Mallnitz-Obervellach
A short but strategic Alpine section through the Tauern corridor, the mountain crossing that connects Salzburg with Carinthia — and, further south, with Italy and Slovenia.
Why the date is 12 December 2027
The filing is not a marketing teaser: it is a legal step. Under EU and Austrian rules, an operator that wants to run a commercial (open-access) service must notify the regulator at least 18 months before the start of the network timetable for which it intends to request track capacity. RegioJet filed in June 2026 for the timetable beginning on 12 December 2027 — the annual European timetable change, which always falls on the second Sunday of December.
Between now and then, several things still have to happen: the regulator may run an economic-equilibrium test if a public-service contract holder objects, infrastructure managers in Austria, Germany, Czechia, Poland, Slovenia and Croatia must allocate paths, and RegioJet has to line up rolling stock and drivers. Filings of this kind are a statement of intent — a real one, but not a guarantee.
What it would change for passengers
RegioJet built its reputation on cheap, comfortable open-access trains in Czechia and Slovakia, with onboard service included and aggressive pricing. Its arrival on new corridors historically pushes fares down and choice up — the same dynamic that made the return of Europe's night trains so visible over the last two years.
Concretely, if these routes run:
- Prague–Munich becomes a direct daytime option instead of a connection.
- Poland–Croatia gains a second seasonal rail corridor alongside the Adriatic Express night train.
- St. Anton am Arlberg gets a long-distance link from Bohemia, competing with ÖBB railjet and Nightjet services on the same axis.
- Prices on Vienna–Prague and Salzburg–Munich flows would face a new low-cost challenger.
Until tickets appear, the practical advice is unchanged: for 2026 and 2027 journeys on these corridors, compare the existing train, bus, carpooling and flight options side by side rather than assuming one mode wins.
Frequently asked questions
Can I book the RegioJet new international routes now?
No. As of July 2026 these are regulatory notifications, not commercial services. No timetables, fares or booking windows have been published, and the target start is the timetable change on 12 December 2027.
Are these night trains or daytime trains?
Schienen-Control's notice lists the relations, not the service type. The Katowice–Rijeka and St. Anton corridors are the kind of long, leisure-driven routes RegioJet has served with overnight trains in the past, while Prague–Munich reads as a daytime link.
Does RegioJet already run trains in Austria?
Yes. RegioJet is a Czech open-access operator that already runs cross-border trains and buses in Central Europe, including services touching Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia. You can see its profile on the RegioJet carrier page.
Could the routes be blocked?
They could be trimmed or delayed. Regulators can test whether a new open-access service threatens the economic equilibrium of an existing public-service contract, and capacity on busy Alpine sections is scarce. Filing is the first step, not the last.
In summary
- RegioJet notified Schienen-Control on 19 June 2026 of five new international relations, targeting the timetable starting 12 December 2027.
- The routes: Prague–Linz–Salzburg–Munich; Vienna–Prague–Warsaw–Przemyśl; Katowice–Vienna–Graz–Maribor–Zagreb–Rijeka; Prague–Vienna–Salzburg–Innsbruck–St. Anton am Arlberg; and Schwarzach-St. Veit–Bad Gastein–Mallnitz-Obervellach.
- The 18-month notice period is a legal requirement for open-access operators, which is why the filing lands 18 months before the target timetable.
- Nothing is bookable yet; approvals, track paths and rolling stock still stand between the filing and a running train.
- Meanwhile, keep comparing rail, coach, carpooling and air on the same corridors — see our travel FAQ for booking-window basics.
