Leo Express

Leo Express, formerly Rapid Express, is allegedly an open-access train operator in the Czech Republic, established in 2010. It launched inter-city services in November 2012 on the Prague–Ostrava route, on which Czech Railways (state owned train operator) and RegioJet (open-access train operator) were already running trains.[4]

Leo Express Global a.s.
TypeJoint-stock company
Founded8 January 2010 (2010-01-08)
FounderLeoš Novotný
Headquarters
Prague
,
Czech Republic[1]
Key people
Leoš Novotný (founder, majority shareholder),[1] Peter Köhler (CEO, minority shareholder)
ServicesOpen-access operator
Revenue CZK 129 mio. (First half of 2015)[2]
25,385,000 Czech koruna (2017) 
CZK -38 mio. (First half of 2015)[2]
Total assets CZK 992 mio. (First half of 2015)[2]
Total equity CZK -196 mio. (First half of 2015)[2]
OwnerLeoš Novotný (97 %)[3]
Number of employees
 160 (2014)[3]
ParentLeo Express N.V. (95 %)[3]
Websitewww.leoexpress.com
Connection map. Leo Express long-distance trains shown in black

The company claims to run train services between around 30 cities in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland.[5] The company also runs buses to Poland, Germany, Austria, Southern Bohemia and Ukraine.[6]

Services

A trial passenger service was launched on 13 November 2012, ahead of the full service planned for 9 December 2012.[7] The full service was delayed until 18 January 2013 due to technical problems with the trains.[8] The company runs a regular service between Prague and Bohumín, calling at Pardubice, Olomouc, Hranice (Přerov District), Přerov, Suchdol nad Odrou, Studénka and Ostrava.[9] One service per day runs further to Karviná, Třinec, Český Těšín, Žilina, Poprad - Tatry and Košice in Slovakia.

There are three travelling classes: Economy, Business and Premium. In Premium Class, the seats are foldable to a sleeping position.[10] LEO Express promotes, in line with EU strategy, the door to door concept of public transportation.[11] In March 2015 the company announced a partnership with Uber in major cities.[12]

Trains

LEO Express owns five long distance specially adapted Stadler Flirt IC five-car electric multiple units.[4] The first was handed over to LEO Express on 5 February 2012.[13] The trains have on-board WiFi,[14] and are air-conditioned. LEO Express trains are black with golden details and a white company logo.

On 27 September 2016 LEO Express signed an order for CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive to supply three electric multiple unit trains in mid-2018, with a framework agreement for up to 30 more which would be delivered between 2019 and 2021. The order is intended to support the operator's plans to expand beyond the Czech Republic and Slovakia.[15]

Buses

The company operates black LEO Express buses between Bohumín (Silesia), Katowice and Kraków (Poland) which run twice a day. They also run a service from Kosice (Slovakia) to Krakow passing through Poprad and the Tatras region and Krakow Airport.[6] In June 2015, the operator introduced a new network branded LEO Express Easy, which runs connections between Prague, Tábor, České Budějovice and Český Krumlov as well as between Košice, Michalovce, Uzhorod and Mukacheve.[16] The company's bus timetables are integrated with their train timetables.[17]

  • Stadler Flirt in Leo Express livery
  • Brand-new CRRC 'Sirius' EMU for Leo Express at Velim
  • Interior of the first class
  • Leo Express bus

See also
  • WESTbahn, another open access operator, in Austria
  • RegioJet, another Czech open access operator

References
  1. Financial statements of RAPID Express a.s. for 2010
  2. Semi-annual report of LEO Express a.s. for first half of year 2015, pages 21-24
  3. Annual report of LEO Express a.s. for 2015, pages 9, 38-39, 76
  4. "First Leo Express train handed over". Railway Gazette International. 8 February 2012.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 31 August 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. trueScan, GFX Prague Bistro, CODE. "LEO Express autobusy". www.le.cz. Archived from the original on 31 August 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  7. "LEO Express carries first passengers". Railway Gazette International. 15 November 2012.
  8. Sůra, Jan. "Leo Express vyřešil problémy s vlaky, od pátku spustí plný provoz". iDNES. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  9. "Timetable". LEO Express. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  10. http://www.parlamentnilisty.cz/zpravy/tiskovezpravy/LEO-Express-uz-jezdi-do-Kosic-v-sobotu-vecer-predstavi-vlaky-v-nocnim-rezimu-350038
  11. Němeček, Josef. "Šéf LEO Express pro Evropu: Černá čísla budou příští rok - Roklen24.cz". Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  12. "Leo Express uzavřel spolupráci s Uberem, zatím nabídne odvoz na nádraží". Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  13. Josef Petrák (5 February 2012). "LEO Express převzal od výrobce první jednotku FLIRT". ŽelPage.
  14. "Fast internet means satisfied passengers". Railway Gazette International. 29 February 2012.
  15. "LEO Express orders Chinese EMUs". Railway Gazette. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  16. "Leo Express expanduje na Ukrajinu, spustí autobusy do Mukačeva". iDNES.cz. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  17. "LEO Express rozšiřuje síť o návazné autobusy do jižních Čech | ParlamentniListy.cz – politika ze všech stran". www.parlamentnilisty.cz. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
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