Primator (train)
The Primator was an international express train. Introduced in 1986, it ran between Prague, then the capital of Czechoslovakia, and East Berlin, then the capital of the German Democratic Republic (GDR).
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Interexpress (IEx) (1986–ca. 1990) Schnellzug (D) (ca. 1990–1993) |
| Status | Replaced by EuroCity |
| Locale | Czechoslovakia / Czech Republic GDR / Germany |
| Predecessor | Progress |
| First service | 1986 |
| Last service | 1993 |
| Successor | EC Porta Bohemica |
| Route | |
| Start | Praha hl.n. |
| End | Berlin-Lichtenberg |
| Service frequency | Daily |
| Train number(s) | IEx 76/77 (1986–1991) D478/479 (1991–1993) |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | 15 kV AC, 16.7 Hz (Germany) |
Following the major political changes that took place in Central Europe in the second half of 1989, Prague became the capital of the Czech Republic, East Berlin was absorbed by Berlin and the GDR by Germany.
In 1993, under the influence of all of these changes, the Primator was replaced by a new EuroCity train, the Porta Bohemica.
History
The Primator first ran in 1986. Initially, it was categorised as one of the new top-of-the-line Interexpress services, numbered IEx 76/77.
The train ran between Praha hl.n. in Prague and Berlin-Lichtenberg in East Berlin, on the route and in the time slots previously used by another train, Progress, which was rescheduled to different time slots.
In 1991, the Interexpress category was discontinued, and the Primator was recategorised as an Express (Ex) (Czechoslovakia) / Schnellzug (D) (Germany).
In 1993, as part of a reorganisation of international train services through the Elbe valley, the Primator was replaced by the new EC Porta Bohemia.
See also
References
- Bogula, Rico (2007). Internationale Schnellzüge in der DDR [International Express Trains in the GDR]. Freiburg i.B.: EK-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-88255-720-6. (in German)
External links
- Private web page – about the history of the DR's international trains 1977 to 1993 (in German)
- Private web page – about the history of the IEx trains (in German)