The Czech President is again travelling by pendolino
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On the 9th of February 2007 the Czech president, Václav Klaus, again used Czech Railways’ SC Pendolino to make the journey from Prague to Ostrava. The president left Prague Holešovice on the SC 501 at 5.26 am and arrived in Ostrava after roughly three hours – shortly after 8.30. The president travelled as a normal passenger in the first class carriage. Besides the president’s team normal passengers who had reserved seats were also present in the first class carriage of the SC 501.
This was the second time the president had used the SC Pendolino to travel to Ostrava. The first time Václav Klaus went by SC Pendolino to Ostrava was last year on the 28th of March for an official visit to the Moravia-Silesia region.
When the president came into the station at Ostrava-Svinov he was greeted by Evžen Tošenovský, the district commissioner for the region. He accompanied the president on his visit to the Karvina and Český těšín regions. The president then returned to Osrtava to take part in the official opening of the Davis Cup match between the Czech Republic and the USA. The SC 501 was symbolically pulled by pendolino number 006, which bears the portrait of the Czech tennis player Tomáš Berdych, who played in the Davis Cup in Ostrava.
Every day there are more than two thousand passengers travelling between Prague and Ostrava. This line has attracted up to 30 % more new passengers. Due to the large interest in the SC Pendolino trains Czech Railways made a change to the timetable which came into effect on 4.3.2007. There are now an additional two SC Pendolino trains going on Sunday evening from Ostrava to Prague and back again.