Train passengers between Berlin and Prague have said a sad farewell to a set of beloved rail carriages that have run the route for over three decades. The affectionately nicknamed Knödel Express (Dumpling Express) has long operated on the scenic four-hour journey between the two European capitals, but after much debate and wringing of hands, it has finally been retired to give way to newer, faster ComfortJet trains.
The WRmz dining car that inspired the train’s food-based moniker was admired not only for the romance and old-school civilisation of its white linen, generous red faux-leather chairs, and frosted globe table lamps, but also for its menu. Passengers could choose hearty fare, including sirloin accompanied by the eponymous dumplings, or sauerkraut, or why not schnitzel and potatoes? Homely regional desserts such as apple strudel or pancakes were also a popular choice.
But now the need for speed has overtaken the idea of savouring the moment. It’s an evolution that not everyone agrees with. On LinkedIn, writing on the WRmz’s last day of service, Petr Pospíšil, Chair of International Rail Catering Group and Director of Onboard Operations for JLV, said he had “never experienced such interest from the media, the professional public or fans in gastronomic services on board. The atmosphere was full of nostalgia and questions about whether the new units can replace the traditional ones.”
Similarly, Czech Railways spokesperson Filip Medelsky acknowledged how much the old carriages would be missed, saying: “It would be advantageous to keep them running in view of their popularity.” However, due to modernisation that has taken place on the German side of the border, trains on the Prague-Berlin-Hamburg route must be capable of reaching speeds of 230 km/h, whereas the old dining cars “have a maximum design speed of just 200,” Medelsky explained.
Still, for railways buffs, food lovers, and devotees of all things vintage, all is not lost, as Pospíšil went on to point out: the new ComfortJet trains will offer passengers “convenience, comfort and capacity.” What’s more, the menu is being maintained: “We may no longer sit in the glow of a lamp, but sirloin and draft beer continue to maintain their quality.”
And for those who remain nostalgic for the WRmz dining car experience, they are heading off to start a new chapter of their lives on trains to one of the Czechia’s most exciting destinations, the former industrial heartland of Ostrava, as well as to Slovakia and Poland.
