Train stations in Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary station (Horní nádraží) takes the trains from Prague, Cheb and Chomutov. City bus line 1 runs from it to the spa centre.

Arriving at Karlovy Vary station

The station is on line 140 between Chomutov and Cheb, run by České dráhy (ČD). Fast trains (rychlík, R), semi-fast trains (spěšný, Sp) and stopping trains all call here. The lower station, Karlovy Vary dolní nádraží, is a separate station where the local trains to Mariánské Lázně start. At weekends two GW Train Regio trains a day call at Karlovy Vary station on their way from dolní nádraží via Sokolov to Kraslice, where Die Länderbahn continues to Plauen in Germany. Until 7 November 2026 buses replace them between Sokolov and Karlovy Vary.

Trains from Karlovy Vary station

Prague is served by the R15 Krušnohor rychlík to Praha hl. n. about every two hours, via Chomutov, Most and Ústí nad Labem, in about 3 hours 30 minutes. One Pendolino IC a day each way, IC 503 in the morning and IC 504 in the evening, takes about the same via Cheb and Plzeň. Buses are quicker: the fastest FlixBus from Prague takes 1 hour 50 minutes, with 13 rides a day. With an Interrail pass the train costs nothing extra; without one, the bus saves time.

Cheb takes about 50 minutes, with a train about every hour, and Chomutov about 1 hour on the R15. A few semi-fast trains a day carry on from Cheb to Mariánské Lázně, about 1 hour 20 minutes from Karlovy Vary, and Plzeň hl. n., about 2 hours 30 minutes.

For Nuremberg, change at Cheb. ČD runs 14 trains a day between Cheb and Nuremberg, but since the December 2025 timetable the rychlík from Karlovy Vary no longer has a timed connection into them, so expect a wait in Cheb. A Czechia One Country Pass ends at the border; for the train into Germany you need a Global Pass or a ticket for the German section.

From the station to the spa centre

The city buses of Dopravní podnik Karlovy Vary (DPKV) stop at Horní nádraží outside the station. Line 1 is the best choice: it runs about every 30 minutes on weekdays and every 40 minutes at weekends and reaches Lázně III, the stop next to the Mlýnská kolonáda, in 7 minutes. Line 11 goes to Divadelní náměstí in the spa centre, but only about ten times a day on weekdays and six at weekends. The line 1 and line 11 timetables are valid from 1 September to 26 December.

A 60-minute ticket costs CZK 30 and a 20-minute ticket CZK 25. Pay with a contactless bank card on board or in the Vary Virtual app. Buying a paper 60-minute ticket from the driver costs CZK 50.

Tickets

Buy ČD tickets at the counter, from the conductor, on cd.cz or in the Můj vlak app. A Flexi ticket is valid on any train on the date you choose; a Vázaná ticket is cheaper but tied to one train. Around the Karlovy Vary region, an IDOK zone ticket is an alternative to a ČD ticket on regional trains and buses.

Karlovy Vary-Dvory

Karlovy Vary-Dvory is the next station towards Sokolov and Cheb. Stopping and semi-fast trains call there; the R15 does not. Use it only if you are staying in the Dvory district.

Rail passes and reservations

As of October 2026, Interrail passes cover ČD trains. The R15 and regional trains need no reservation. A seat reservation on the Pendolino IC 503 and 504 is optional between Karlovy Vary and Prague (€3.60 through Interrail). It becomes compulsory only if you stay on beyond Prague towards Ostrava. Activate the travel day in the Rail Planner app, or write it on a paper pass, before you board.