VlakFest
Traveling with us is perfect for anyone who has an adventurous heart, wants to explore unknown places, doesn't mind improvising on the fly, can survive the occasional discomfort, and is kind to people both familiar and unfamiliar.
We recognize that our trips are not for everyone. They are not limited by age, but rather by character – we openly say we want an easy-going people on board. And those who come with us once, we usually meet on the train regularly afterwards. Even if sometimes you don't know what the program will be in advance, it's always worth it.
We carefully research each destination and journey, looking for interesting things to see, places to visit and activities to try and experience. You'll get a guidebook with tips from us, but it's up to you how you organize your day, where, how and with whom you spend it. We won't worry about your 24-hour agenda – we're not a travel company, we're a transport company and you buy a ticket from us, not a tour.
We usually have some on-train entertainment as well, usually various getting-to-know-you and all-train games or film screenings. We've even had a massage workshop or barefoot shoe making. All the activities are voluntary, and you can get involved in whatever you want.
On longer trips we take sleeper and couchette wagons, where you always have your own place to sleep in one of the compartments. After 11pm it's quiet at night in these wagons, we really sleep. For those who want to enjoy the night a little bit more, there's a concert wagon with a bar where you can sing or wonder about life over beer or wine (we don't carry liquor except for G&T). If you're interested in what the individual carriages look like, check out our wagons.
The punk of our journeys isn't just the adventure of travel, but also the fact that our wagons have their own charm and sometimes their own minds. Therefore, we encounter unexpected situations during the train journey itself. We might be delayed beyond our control. Maybe during that delay, we are standing in a station where we can't do our business (etc. number two) right on the tracks, because we have locked toilets. Sometimes our effort to heat the wagons is not met with the proper response. Or, on the other hand, it will do so in the style that you can heat up your dinner on the radiators. As much as we've come to know and love our train over the years (#fuckingtrains), the problem can't always be solved (right away). If it's your first time traveling with us, it's a good idea to point it out. And those who travel with us more often, love our train as much as we do!
Our events are very much appreciated by individuals because they can make friends very, very quickly.
We have dedicated compartments for solo travelers to help get to know each other, and ladies' compartments for female travelers who might not feel comfortable to share a compartment with strange travelers.
Families or groups of friends can book an entire compartment at a discount.
omezeni%CC%81.jpg)
The youngest participant of our event was a few months old, the oldest was over 85 years old.
If you have a young spirit and can climb the three steps to the train (or have someone to carry you), you're good to go. We’ve already had a blind person with us as well!
And if you're worried you won't make it to the top bunk, just write it in the note when you book the ticket that you want to sleep at the lower bunk.
Unless otherwise specified, our events are suitable for children of all ages. Just expect to spend some time on the train, where it could be a bit noisier.
We also take calm and sociable animals free of charge on selected events, as long as you promise they don't make puddles everywhere on long journeys. You take care of any documentation needed when traveling abroad.
We list the necessary items for each event. Anything not there is expendable.
Take as little as possible so that there are not more backpacks than people in the compartment. The smaller the backpack (not the suitcase!) the better. Choose comfortable clothes, considering the destination and weather forecast.
Keep in mind that there are no power sockets in the sleeping wagons, and you need a power bank to charge your phone.
Expect to live 2–3 days without a shower at all events.
For longer events, we will direct you to a clean river or quarry, showers at campgrounds, water park or swimming pool.
We have a bar with beverages on every event: coffee and tea in the morning, beer, wine and water during the day, and even mulled wine in the winter. For breakfast we provide hot water, oatmeal, and sausages with bread.
We are a private train company operated by Gepard Express. Think of it as an adventurous railway carrier who loves to wander the rails of the world. As a group of enthusiasts, we organize train trips around the Czech Republic and abroad, from short evening rides around Prague and Brno, to a week-long trip to Bosnia or Moldova. As Gepard Express we have all the necessary permits and staff to operate on the local railway. When we do venture abroad, we usually work with like-minded carriers on their territory.
How is it possible that we can just ride wherever we want?
It's not quite like that. ;) A team of experienced people are always trying to find time slot between existing connections so that we can indulge in a necessary dose of our train punk on the rails. That's why sometimes it's not possible to provide all the needs and wishes, because another train is in the way. We also have laws and regulations to follow – but we won't burden you with those and would rather give you a taste of that train punk right away.
